Operation Quit

Tom has always considered himself to be a social smoker however he has noticed his cigarette usage increasing which is making him uncomfortable. His Dad died from a smoking related illness so he wants to change his mind set and break his smoking habit.

All of his friends are smokers, as is his brother so he doesn’t think he’ll receive much support from his social network whilst he cuts down or quits. He thinks the hardest thing will be breaking his associations with smoking and perhaps how stopping may impact his social life and work relationships (he’s a choreographer as well as an actor and model) when he can’t take part in this bonding ritual.

It’s week 1 and Tom has started using Nicorette QuickMist.

Biggest challenge: Tom knows that he is tempted to smoke when he meets up with his friends. That’s why he’s going to bring Nicorette QuickMist when he goes out so he can tackle his cravings whenever they strike.

Our advice: When it comes to combating your cravings, it is a good idea to find a physical replacement to smoking. Try distracting yourself by chewing gum, doodling or squeezing a stress ball.

Tom has been looking at his triggers and for him sitting down, having a coffee and a cigarette is a ritual for him. That’s why he’s going to substitute this whilst he’s still in the early stages of his quit journey.

This week he feels as if his lungs are feeling fresher and he is feeling fresher within himself. Congratulations to Tom for staying on track, let’s see how he finds week 3.

Biggest challenge: A lot of Tom’s friends smoke so it’s difficult for him to stand with them and not smoke.

Our advice: See if you can convince one of your friends to quit with you. That way, you can keep each other motivated and you’ll know you’re not in it alone.

This week Tom has an annual work event that he knows is going to be extremely stressful. He would normally smoke a lot during this and is used to smoking with this client at the event. He is nervous of how it will go but is feeling optimistic and is going to have his Nicorette QuickMist with him at all times in case he gets an urge to smoke.

Hopefully Tom stays positive and keeps himself motivated enough to get through this week.

Tom is buzzing after last weeks work event. Whenever he went out to chat with colleagues he brought his Nicorette QuickMist which helped him to avoid smoking. He really struggled in the evenings after a meal but he is super happy with his progress so far.

Biggest challenge: Tom went out for dinner with a friend. Before he started Operation Quit he would have gone out for a cigarette in-between courses. But this week he resisted the urge.

Our advice: Remember that breaking the habit is an important part of your quitting journey. By practicing self-restraint Tom is teaching himself to break the association between going out to eat and smoking.

Tom has made it past the half way point but has had a really stressful week at work. He’s been reflecting a lot and has been really craving a cigarette. But he knows that this is a journey, and not every week is a good one.

He still really wants to knock this habit on the head, and past events are really motivating him to keep pushing forwards.

It’s week 8 Tom’s journey and he is still using Nicorette^® QuickMist. Some of his friends are now trying to cut down on smoking and are looking to follow in Tom’s footsteps by also using Nicorette^® QuickMist.

This is making his journey more of a bonding experience and the added support network is helping him to stay motivated.

Biggest challenge: Tom struggles to break his habit of going out for a cigarette on his work breaks.

Our advice: Forming a new habit takes time and breaking it doesn’t happen instantly. In any situation where your normal response would be to reach for a cigarette, do something new. Try calling a friend, listen to your favourite song or go for a walk.

Tom is really happy that this week he has been able to re-introduce activities that he used to associate with cigarettes back into his life. This week he’s been drinking coffee again, meeting with friends and experiencing stressful situations at work and has not had a cigarette.

Well done Tom! A great improvement!

Tom is almost at the end of his Operation Quit journey. He’s noticed that his lungs feel a lot clearer and he has a lot more energy.

Why not challenge yourself to follow in Tom’s footsteps and see how far you can get in just 12 weeks.

Congratulations to Tom for completing Operation Quit with Nicorette!

Theresa wants to be able to run a marathon in aid of Motor Neurone Disease in honour of her father who passed away from the illness.

She has failed to quit before because lots of the people she is close to also smoke. This makes it difficult to stick to a new routine whilst her friends and family are still smoking. Theresa also faces a lot of stresses in her life whilst she balances being single mum, actor, cleaner and a kids Yoga, Theatre and Art teacher.

It’s week 1 and Theresa has started using Nicorette Gum.

Biggest challenge: Theresa is worried that she may loose her motivation to quit smoking. By setting herself the goal of running 10k at the end of her operation quit journey it gives her a reason to quit.

Our advice: You’re most at risk of relapsing during your first week. That’s why it’s useful to put a plan in place that will help you avoid your triggers and get the support you need.

Biggest challenge: She knows that she needs to break her association of smoking with social situations. She identified that a key one for her was when she’s drinking her morning coffee and so she’s swapped coffee with orange juice.

Our advice: When attempting to quit, it can be helpful to avoid your triggers when getting through the initial stages of nicotine withdrawal. For instance, if coffee is a major trigger, consider drinking tea or decaf as an alternative.

Theresa has embraced a complete healthy lifestyle as part of her Operation Quit journey. She’s started yoga to increase her flexibility and help with her running.

Using her Nicorette Icy White Gum has really helped to keep her cravings at bay and she is feeling a lot better all in all.

This week she has struggled to stay on track with her running schedule however she has still managed to replace cigarettes with her Nicorette Icy White Gum.

She feels that she deserves a pat on the back for that and we agree! Let’s hope she remains this motivated in week 5.

Biggest challenge: Theresa found week 5 a challenge as she’s been feeling really stressed.

Our advice: Connecting with other people can go a long way toward feeling less stressed. Engaging with others can help you to work through the sources of your stress, and see things from a different perspective.

In week 6 Theresa went for a run after her class. She’s really noticing the effect that quitting is having on her body; she found it easier to keep her pace up and she was able to push herself to run 5k (half way to her goal!).

Her lungs are feeling lighter and cleaner which is really helping to motivate her to stay smoke-free! Week 5 was difficult but it’s great to see how she’s re-found her motivation in week 6.

Theresa had quite a few social events this week. She went out for dinner with a friend who wasn’t aware that she had quit smoking. Her friend noticed straight away and even said that Theresa's skin was looking better.

Theresa really liked that she was able to concentrate on her friend rather than thinking about going outside to smoke. She can’t believe that she used to go outside to smoke alone whilst her friend was on her own inside.

It’s been a big change but she feels great that she’s receiving loads of compliments and that her friends are noticing the positive difference.

Biggest challenge: Theresa used to smoke when she was stressed so she’s finding other ways to destress.

Our advice: Deep breathing is a simple yet effective relaxation technique that can be practised anywhere. By taking slow, gentle breaths from the abdomen, you will inhale more oxygen, making you feel less tense, and reducing anxiety. Engaging with others can also help you to work through the sources of your stress, and see things from a different perspective.

It’s week 9 and Theresa is surprised by how easy it is for her to keep up her non-smoking routine when she is out socialising with her friends. She had some difficult moments however she got a lot more support from her friends than she thought she would which helped her a lot.

Theresa is almost at the end of her journey. Her running is going really well. She also feels a lot calmer, clearer and healthier. Ever since she started the Operation Quit program she feels she’s had a shift in her mindset and is more appreciative of her surroundings.

Our advice: Use the money that you save on cigarettes to treat yourself. Calculate the money that you’re saving per week and make sure you set that money aside so that you can see it. Then for the fun part - deciding how to spend it.

Theresa has completed her Operation Quit journey with Nicorette. We’re so proud of how far she has come! If Theresa can do it, why don’t you give it a try?