Trick the habit

It often takes regular smokers several tries to quit. If that sounds like you, trade in your “quit smoking” goal for an exercise goal. Run a marathon, a local 5k or enter an adventure race. You might fi nd that as you train and the event gets closer, smoking is holding you back. Sometimes, it’s easier to achieve something when it’s not your main focus.

Crush your cigarette cravings with exercise

Exercise is hard enough without 50 different toxins in your lungs. It’s no wonder

you don’t fi nd many smokers running marathons. But, the truth is, exercise is a

great way to help you quit smoking. According to the American Lung Association,

exercise works because it helps manage energy levels, moods and weight gain.1

Ten minutes is a start

Researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK found that just ten minutes of

exercise reduced cravings for regular smokers. The study also showed that

exercise made cigarettes appear less attractive to smokers.2

Don’t be surprised if your fi rst jog leaves you calling a taxi. Smoking harms your

lungs’ natural cleaning and repair system. Dirt and pollution stays in your lungs,

along with chemicals from cigarette smoke.3 This can make a fl ight of stairs feel

like a mountain. Just remember, your lungs will be 30% better after just a few

weeks without cigarettes.4

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Some smokers are afraid of feeling sick without nicotine. But exercise can help

here, too. Studies show exercise can reduce the worst symptoms of smoking

withdrawal, such as:5

Irritability

Depression

Restlessness

Diffi culty concentrating

Stress

Gain more than a few extra deep breaths

Exercise can also lead to better overall health and well-being. People who use

exercise to quit smoking say they feel more confi dent and better about themselves.

They feel inspired by leading healthier lifestyles and being better role models. It

also helps them get rid of stress and unwanted weight.

1 American Lung Association website: American Lung Association Offers Tips to Make Quit-Smoking New Year’s Resolutions Stick (December 2012): lung.org. 2 University of Exeter website: First brain study reveals benef ts of exercise on quitting smoking (February 2009): exeter.ac.uk. i3 American Lung Association website: Lungs 101: How Does Smoking Hurt Your Lungs? (June 2008): lung.org. 4 Smokefree.gov Twitter account: Lung capacity increases by 30% after a few weeks without cigs! (July 2013): twitter.com/SmokefreeGov. 5 National Center for Biology Information website: The effect of exercise in reducing desire to smoke and cigarette withdrawal symptoms is not caused by distraction (August 2006): ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado and Nevada: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Georgia: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE® Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance® Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain aff liates administeri non-HMO benef ts underwritten by HALIC and HMO benef ts underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain aff liates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benef ts. In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In Ohio: Communityiiii Insurance Company. In Virginia: Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin ("BCBSWi"), which underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation ("Compcare"), which underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively, which underwrite or administer the POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

If feeling more conf dent and less stressed sounds good to you, check out ouri health and wellness resources at anthem.com. You’ll f nd useful information andi real health stories from everyday people that just may inspire you to quit smoking – for the win!