Quit To Fit Week 4: Turning over a new leaf post tobacco

In partnership with NiQuitin

Now you'll be noticing the difference.

If ever there was a time to use the phrase "no pain, no gain," it's on your fourth week of quitting smoking. It wasn't easy, and there were probably times when you wanted to pack it in (by reaching for a pack), but now you're reaping the rewards. You deserve a reward for all the hard work and perseverance, and look no further than your own body. You've gone four weeks now without smoking, and you should start noticing how much better you're feeling by now. Another week, another milestone. Keep this up and there will be no stopping you.

Quit To Fit Week 4

First and foremost, by this stage your lungs will be thanking you. This is the stage where your body will really start to improve, and it can have a huge knock-on effect on your mental health as well. As always, life coach Raul Aparici is here to help. As you reach this next stage of your journey, you should try to push your body a bit to notice how far you've come in a few weeks. "Last week we spoke about how your sense of taste is becoming more sophisticated since you quit. Now we can focus our attention on our lungs. You are now a non-smoker and there are some immediate benefits to your new status. Take some deep breaths and notice the difference. Get out into nature and go for a long hike," Raul said. You don't have to be able to measure success for you to know it's there. You're the only person that you need to think about when you're quitting a habit like smoking. As long as you're feeling better about yourself, it's working. Once you see how much better your body feels, your mind will naturally follow suit.

Get out and about

"Whenever clients tell me they feel stuck, I encourage them to get active physically. Moving your body can do wonders for your mental state. Use the power of metaphor to visualise your journey ahead; notice how the trail bends and climbs, how the scenery changes as you walk. "Cultivate a new way to look at the world around you and a sense of perspective and most importantly of wonder. This is one of many new things you can look forward to as a non-smoker. When you get to the top of the hill, rather than huffing and puffing and being all out of breath you’re going to feel a sense of accomplishment," he said. This is a whole new phase of life for you to explore. It's now up to you to decide how much better you are after your smoking days are... well, gone in a puff of smoke. As Raul said himself; "And every time you climb a little mountain it will all become a little bit easier until the day comes when you no longer balk at the steepness of the road and you just get on with it!" If this is something you want to get involved in, let us know your progress by using #QuitToFit on social media. You got this. Combining nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges is clinically proven to be an unbeatable way of quitting.*Try the NiQuitin 14mg patch for 24-hour craving control and NiQuitin 1.5mg mini lozenges for craving relief. NiQuitin Clear 21 mg, 14 mg & 7 mg 24 hrs transdermal patches and NiQuitin 1.5mg & 4mg Mini Lozenges are stop smoking aids that contain nicotine but you still require willpower. Always read the label. *Provides significant improvements in quit rates compared to the patch alone. No purchase or use of NiQuitin is required. T&Cs apply. In partnership with NiQuitin