Fitness experts help you kick the habit on National No Smoking Day...

HUNDREDS of smokers in Hampshire will be looking to kick the habit on national No Smoking Day. LA Fitness in Southampton is helping to motivate those people who are determined to quit for good with an offer for Living readers.

According to fitness experts at LA Fitness, starting a new exercise regime can help to speed up the positive physical effects of giving up.

Exercise can make breathing easier and improve circulation as well as helping to rapidly clear the body of the harmful toxins that smoking creates.

A regular session at the gym can work wonders for eliminating withdrawal symptoms, countering cravings and taking your mind off smoking

LA Fitness has highlighted ten key fitness facts (compiled by Ash) to help inspire smokers to stub out and work out.

20 minutes after quitting your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal

8 hours after quitting the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood reduce by half, oxygen levels return to normal

1 day after quitting carbon monoxide will be eliminated from your body and your lungs will start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris

2 days after quitting there will be no nicotine left in your body and your ability to taste and smell will improve greatly

3 days after quitting your breathing will become easier with your bronchial tubes beginning to relax and your energy levels will increase

2-12 weeks after quitting your circulation will improve

3-9 months after quitting coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will improve as lung function is increased to ten per cent

1 year after quitting your risk of having a heart attack falls to half that of a smoker

10 years after quitting your risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker

15 years after quitting your risk of having a heart attack falls to the same as someone who has never smoked.

FREE three-day pass to any LA Fitness:

To help smokers who want to quit to reach their goals, LA Fitness is offering a free three-day pass to any club in order to use exercise to help beat the cravings.

For the easiest way to claim your complimentary pass, simply visit www.lafitness.co.uk and in the "claim your voucher" box, enter 'Quit' as the password, complete your personal details and print your voucher direct from the Web page.

For more information on how LA Fitness can develop an exercise routine tailored to help you stop smoking, call your local club on 0870 990 7798.

HYPNOTHERAPY is one of the most popular options for hardened smokers desperate to kick the habit.

The average cost for a one-off stop smoking session can be anything between £120 and £250.

While many find the method effective, others can waste thousands of pounds a year on unsuccessful sessions.

Hypnotherapist Gloria Hammett, based at the Romney Centre in Shirley, has come up with some steps to success to help smokers maximise their chances of quitting:

Find a hypnotherapist through recommendation or approach one of the organisations which trains and registers them, such as the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (01262 403103).

Speak to the therapist in advance. Make sure you like the sound of them and, if you have any worries, discuss them with the therapist beforehand.

By the end of your consultation, you should have a good understanding of why and how to stop.

For more information, contact The Romney Centre on 023 8048 5769 or visit www.romneycentre.co.uk