What is Stoptober?
Stoptober is the NHS’s annual campaign encouraging smokers to quit for October. Launched in 2012, it’s based on evidence that making it through the first month dramatically improves the chances of giving up smoking for good. As well as having a memorable catchy name, Stoptober provides resources, support tools, and community.
You know what else provides support and community for people trying to give up smoking? Your gym. Stoptober can be a great time to attract new members people who are trying to stop smoking), and a reminder to support existing members who might still smoke or vape.
There are around 6 million smokers in the UK, across all generations and all demographics. Many are desperate to give up, and looking for positive habits to replace smoking. It’s the ideal time to position your gym as a supportive partner.
Can exercise help people stop smoking?
Short answer: yes, it can help. Exercise can’t directly replace smoking, but it’s a powerful tool for managing the process. Research shows that 5 minutes of moderate exercise can reduce cravings, and regular activity reduces withdrawal symptoms like irritability and poor concentration.
Many people worry about putting on weight if they give up smoking. Exercise is a great way to tackle this, and it improves exercise performance, cardiorespiratory health and so much more.
Within weeks of stopping smoking, lung function improves, making training easier and more enjoyable. This creates a positive loop where exercise supports smoking cessation, and not smoking helps them get fitter more quickly.
The brain chemistry connection
Want to get into the science side of it? Smoking delivers nicotine, which triggers dopamine release. When someone stops smoking, their brain experiences a dopamine deficit, leading to cravings, mood swings, and (often) falling off the wagon.
Exercise offers an alternative source of dopamine, as well as endorphins and serotonin, creating a natural high that can partially replace the chemical rewards of smoking. It’s not identical, and of course it takes more effort than lighting up a cigarette, but if you can get people past the other barriers to exercise, it can help rebalance brain chemistry during those difficult early weeks.
Beyond neurochemistry, exercise helps people give up smoking by creating a new identity—being someone who exercises conflicts with being a smoker. As people get fitter, they become more invested in their health journey, and this makes smoking feel counterproductive. The self-esteem boost from achieving fitness goals strengthens resolve, and the gym community can keep them on track.
Positioning your gym during Stoptober
Stoptober gives you a chance to connect with people who are working on health improvements. Here’s how to attract this audience:
- Create Stoptober-specific messaging that acknowledges the challenge and positions your gym as part of the solution.
- Offer trial periods that align with Stoptober. A month-long trial lets people experiment with exercise as a tool without pressure.
- Remove barriers by offering flexible payments, no lengthy contracts, and clear communication about what to expect.
- Provide relevant offers, particularly classes that support stress management, cardiorespiratory health, or take place at times when people typically smoke.
- Partner with local NHS stop smoking services to position your gym as part of the broader support network in the local area.
Supporting gym members who are participating in Stoptober
Whether it’s new members joining for Stoptober or existing members attempting to give up smoking or vaping, your gym team can make a real difference:
- Share information about withdrawal symptoms so members understand why they might feel irritable, tired, or unfocused. Normalising these experiences helps people feel they can keep training.
- Be flexible about intensity during the first weeks. Encourage members to show up and do what they can rather than pushing for performance, especially with HIIT or conditioning sessions.
- Consider class timing around common smoking triggers. Morning classes establish new routines, lunch sessions provide smoke-break alternatives, and evening options offer stress management.
Five Stoptober membership campaign ideas
- “Take a gym break, not a smoke break” – targets the habit of smoking breaks and positions exercise as an alternative. Offer 15–20 minute workout options or virtual classes.
- “Get fresh air in your lungs” – for outdoor fitness options, boot camps, or run clubs that emphasise breathing and lung health. Showcase local outdoor areas for Stoptober sessions.
- “28 days to a new habit” – offer a structured 28-day programme with milestone celebrations, check-ins, community, and accountability.
- “Fitness costs less” – calculate what smoking costs and show what that money would look like as membership or classes instead. Offer October pricing that matches average monthly smoking costs.
- “10-day breathe better challenge” – create a fitness challenge tracking cardio improvements using resting heart rate or recovery time to help members see tangible benefits.
Reach more gym members with EGYM Hussle
Being part of EGYM Hussle’s network gives you access to incremental revenue schemes, via their partnerships with companies and private health care providers. As more employees take part in Stoptober, employers need gym partners who are part of the change.
Ready to position your gym as a health partner for corporate wellness schemes?
Contact EGYM Hussle to explore the benefits of joining their nationwide fitness network.
