Not ready to quit smoking? try these lifestyle changes instead
Healthy eating and exercise can make it easier to quit when you are finally ready.
Jan, 2026
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Many people want to quit smoking but aren’t sure if they can completely commit to a plan yet. If you’re not ready to give up tobacco, there are other lifestyle changes you can make now to improve your health, like exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.
These habits can improve your overall health and help to slow or prevent the weight gain often associated with giving up cigarettes. They may make it easier to quit smoking, as well. Here’s how to get started.
Written byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.
Medically reviewed byAmy Gonzales, MD.
Sources: Jo YH + 7
- Jo YH, Talmage DA, Role LW. Nicotinic receptor-mediated effects on appetite and food intake. J Neurobiol. 2002 Dec;53(4):618-32.
- Better Health Channel (AUS). Quitting smoking and managing weight. January 24, 2022.
- Nutrition Australia. Nutrition When Quitting Smoking. June 2015.
- Zhou Y, Feng W, Guo Y, Wu J. Effect of exercise intervention on smoking cessation: a meta-analysis. Front Physiol. 2023 Aug 8;14:1221898.
- Quit.org. Fight cravings with exercise. March 2024.
- SmokeFree.gov. Fight Cravings with Exercise. Accessed March 12, 2025.
- Bock BC, Dunsiger SI, Rosen RK, Thind H, et al. Yoga as a Complementary Therapy for Smoking Cessation: Results From BreathEasy, a Randomized Clinical Trial. Nicotine Tob Res. 2019 Oct 26;21(11):1517-1523.
- Kim H, Kim J, Woo M, Kim T. Changes in inhibitory control, craving and affect after yoga vs. aerobic exercise among smokers with nicotine dependence. Front Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 15;13:940415.
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