David SaundersNational No Smoking Day rolls around each year with the same rallying cry: this is your moment to quit smoking for good. But anyone who’s ever tried knows the road is rarely smooth. Research shows it can take 30 attempts or more to quit, and that’s enough to make even the most determined smoker feel like they’re stuck in a penalty shootout against themselves.
Gympass, the global corporate wellbeing platform, isn’t pretending there’s a miracle hack hiding behind the nicotine fog. Instead, they’re pushing a straight-talking, multi-layered approach to help people finally cut ties with tobacco for good.
As Eamon Lloyd, Senior Director and Head of Partnerships UK and Ireland from Gympass, puts it: “From smoking cessation tools, nutrition advice and mindfulness apps, to personal trainers and wellness coaches, there is not one trick or one miracle cure to quit smoking. Rather, a holistic approach can help people, especially in lockdown.”
Digital lifelines in a world where old habits can’t hide
Lockdown stripped away many of the in-person distractions people used to rely on. That’s where digital tools step in. Apps such as Kwit App and Mindcotine—both part of a Gympass membership—have become the new first line of defence.
“Evidence-based smoking cessation programmes, such as the Kwit App, use scientific methods to help you stop smoking,” Lloyd explains.
And while it’s grounded in clinical practice, Kwit doesn’t feel like homework. “And although it is steeped in science, it is actually designed more like a game and includes motivational boosts including a ‘shake your phone’ option to receive some extra tips and support.”
With long winter days feeling exactly the same as the last, a dash of game-style motivation goes further than you’d expect.
Lloyd adds that the Mindcotine app takes a different tack, combining VR and mindfulness to simulate real-life scenarios where cravings typically strike. The idea isn’t to dodge triggers—it’s to understand them well enough to break their grip.
How to conquer cravings: the experts step in
Emilio Goldenhersch, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder of MindCotine, doesn’t mince words about where cravings begin: “The behaviour change perspective at Mindcotine is that to cope with cravings, you need to be aware of them first.
Virtual Reality Training, which merges two psychological frameworks – cue exposure therapy and mindfulness, allows the individual to recognise the sensations associated with smoking triggered by familiar situations.
This unique approach provides a deep understanding of the contextual situation, and through self-awareness, grants the individual to choose differently when presented in real-life scenarios.”
He also highlights how reward-based learning and mindfulness work together to interrupt the chain reaction between stress, habit and relief: “Mindfulness works in the middle of it all… You can learn how to recognise the triggers, be ready to feel the associated behaviour (smoking) and learn how to respond differently by distinguishing the established set of rewards.”
Can exercise reduce nicotine cravings? The short answer: yes
Wellness Coach and Personal Trainer Katrin Schlee says you don’t need a marathon plan to take the edge off a craving:
“Exercise is known to attenuate nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Studies exist that show that something as simple as a short 10-minute session of moderate exercise can reduce tobacco cravings with immediate effect.”
Regular exercise, she says, becomes even more powerful if you build it into your routine before you quit. Brisk walking, slow jogging, rowing or circuit-style hybrid training all help rebuild lung capacity and mental resilience.
Her advice is practical, not performative: “It is important that users gradually increase tempo and distance… Ultimately, it is always important to talk to an expert before any big lifestyle change… It also helps to have someone that can hold you accountable, it helps increase chances of quitting tenfold!”
The weight gain worry
Anyone who’s quit smoking knows the first victory lap is usually followed by the snack marathon. The NHS reports the average person gains around 5kg in the first year after quitting—so this fear is far from imagined.
Katrin’s take is refreshingly honest: “What you tend to find is that food starts to taste better once you stop smoking. Sadly, that doesn’t mean you should eat more of it!”
Mindful eating, small portions more often, healthier swaps and natural movement—stairs instead of lifts, walking after meals—can all help balance the scales. Tools like Gympass’s Nootric app give personalised guidance from qualified nutritionists.
When cravings hit hard: what actually works?
Katrin cuts straight to the point about why people smoke in the first place: “If you are still smoking, don’t blame it on nicotine! The truth is: you smoke to feel better!”
This is where Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT tapping) enter the picture. It may sound unconventional, but it’s far from fringe. “Tapping on the endpoints of meridian energy circuits soothes the brain, according to research at Harvard Medical School.”
Combining EFT with exercise can make withdrawal more manageable—and Gympass offers guided sessions for anyone who wants structured support.
When you’ve quit… and then slipped back
Relapse isn’t failure. It’s part of the statistically normal journey.
Katrin offers a realistic transition plan: Switching to vaping, then strategically reducing nicotine week by week, gives your body time to adapt. Eventually, there will be no nicotine whatsoever in your vape and you are only vaping for emotional comfort. At this point, you can drop vaping altogether and the transition to a non-smoking life has been made successfully.”
A realistic conclusion: no silver bullets—just layered support
Smoking is a learned behaviour, which makes unlearning it a demanding, repetitive task. There’s no single tool that works every day, but combining the right resources—coaches, PTs, nutritionists, counsellors and the apps that support the gaps between sessions—gives people their best statistical shot.
Gympass frames the mission simply: their platform exists to make wellbeing accessible, flexible and genuinely engaging. And for thousands of people trying to quit smoking, that variety may be what keeps them moving forward when old habits try to drag them back.
Gympass’ mission says it all: to make wellbeing universal, so that everyone can be happy and healthy.
