I'm not a smoker and never have been, but Madhouse Daddy is, so I was very interested to learn that tomorrow is International Stop Smoking Day. The trouble is, he has no real desire to quit. He knows the health risks, he knows the cost but he says he enjoys smoking and doesn't particularly want to stop. He doesn't smoke in the house or around the kids so as far as he's concerned, it's his decision to make. Hmmm.
I've received a few e-cigarettes for him to try out (he thinks they're ok but not quite the same and you never really know when to stop smoking, as you would when a cigarette burns down) and I ordered a free NHS Quit pack (it's full of interesting information and even includes a stress toy).
Then something in the Stop Smoking Day press release caught my eye. It focused on iCoach, a programme designed by Ex-Smokers (you can see their stop smoking website here), and said : "The iCoach is aimed at those who don't intend to quit, to those who need an extra push to finally put a stop to their habit." Sounds ideal for Madhouse Daddy Mike then !
The iCoach tracks the progress of a smoker, while also providing information about how the body handles withdrawal, tips on how to quit, and tracking the times and places of when you smoke, in order to analyse why you smoke. Even as a non-smoker, I appreciate the fact that it's not preachy or patronising - it supports you whatever stage you're at, be that not quite ready to give up, in the process of giving up but struggling or well on the way to being an ex-smoker. Everyone knows the main reasons for stopping smoking (health and money) but the iCoach app also flags up other less well-known facts that may help provide the necessary motivation.
Something else that appealed to Madhouse Daddy Mike was the Quit Smoking With Barça concept. "To get free help, join the FCB iCoach. This online personalized training schedule will help you to quit smoking. Every day top staff members & players of FC Barcelona will give you personal tips, information & exercises on motivation, health, food, movement, stress & strategy. FCB iCoach works in different phases. You will feel better & stronger with every phase." OK, I admit it, I sniggered, but if it helps get people motivated for giving up smoking, it has to be a good thing. (You might want to direct any footie-mad smokers in your midst over to http://quitsmokingwithbarca.eu)
for more info about Ex-Smokers and the iCoach app : http://www.exsmokers.eu
Disclosure : This is a sponsored, but hopefully informative and interesting, post !
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