Teen boys

1. You’ll be healthier and less out of breath because smoking decreases your lung capacity.
2. You’ll save yourself a packet. The average smoker spends an astonishing £27.54 a week and £90,000 over their lifetime on cigarettes.
   Use this tool to work out how much money you are saving by quitting smoking.
3. You’ll look better. Chemicals in cigarettes restrict blood flow to your skin. Smokers have more wrinkled and saggy faces by the time they’re in their mid-20s.
4. Quitting helps save the planet. Deforestation due to tobacco production accounts for nearly 5% of overall deforestation in the developing world.
5. Someone who starts smoking at 15 is three times more likely to die from cancer than someone who starts smoking in their mid-20s. Read more about the dangers of teen smoking.
6. The younger you start smoking, the more damage there will be to your body as an adult. Read more about the dangers of teen smoking.
7. Not smoking will make you instantly more attractive. Most people prefer kissing non-smokers.

Eight ways to get through quitting

OK, enough of the arm twisting. You want to give up, so where do you start?

1. Make a deal with good friends to quit. You may find that they want to quit as well.
2. It’s very hard to give up by willpower alone. Get all the help you can find: 12 to 18-year-olds get free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, sprays, gum) on the NHS. Ask your GP for help stopping smoking. They won’t be shocked that you’re a smoker.
3. Smokers often hate other people quitting, so be prepared for a few put-downs. It’s a good idea to have something ready to say when you’re offered a cigarette. Here are a few reasons (but we’re sure you can think of better ones):
   "Smoking costs me £xxx a year. I’m giving up so I can buy myself a new mobile/driving lessons/a holiday."
   "I can’t smoke in my new weekend job so I want to give up."
   "My boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t like kissing a smoker." It’s true: two-thirds of teenagers say smoking reduces sexual attractiveness.
   "I’m taking my sport seriously and I need to give up if I want to be an athlete."
4. Prepare for a tough few days when you first quit. Most people find that the first days are the hardest to cope with. But most of your withdrawal symptoms should subside after the first four weeks. Using nicotine gum and patches (NRT) is the best way to cope with cravings.
5. Worried about weight gain while you’re quitting? Load your bag up with low-calorie snacks, such as apple chips, carrot sticks, mints, popcorn or chewing gum, to get you through the cravings. Read more about how you can quit smoking without putting on weight.
6. Get your family to support you. Your parents will be on your side. If they don’t know you smoke, they might freak out at first, but if you tell them you’re quitting they’ll do all they can to help.
7. Do your best to stay away from alcohol, coffee, sugar and sweets while you quit. Studies have shown that these foods (especially the booze) can stimulate cigarette cravings. Here's some advice on how to cut down on your drinking.
8. And remember, it takes about a month for the nicotine cravings to subside. Take it one day at a time and soon you’ll be smokefree for the rest of your life.

Exercise doesn't have to mean torturing yourself at the gym. Here are 10 ways to get fit while you have fun.

Karate

This is one of the best total-body workouts, helping you shed fat, build muscle and even improve your concentration. Make sure you go to classes that are registered with the English Karate Federation, so you know you're being taught by a real expert.

Football

Whatever your skill level, from Drogba to donkey, a kickabout is an excellent way to get in shape. A jumpers-for-goalposts game is good, but if you start a team you are guaranteed regular games, meaning your skills and general fitness will quickly improve.

Orienteering

Think you can navigate cross-country with just a map, a compass and your instincts to aid you? It's like a giant treasure hunt – you’ve got to reach a series of checkpoints in the quickest time, so it exercises both body and mind. Visit the British Orienteering website for more information.

Climbing

This is a great way to build your upper body and get an all-round workout. You can do it indoors, and go at your own pace.

Paintball

It's fast, fun and gives you a real adrenaline rush. Unlike other team games you're always part of the action, so there’s no equivalent of being stuck in goal. Even if you’re not traditionally sporty, you could turn out to be a real sharpshooter.

Street dance

Learn some of the breakdancing and hip-hop moves that you see in your favourite videos and get fit in the process. Plenty of organisations offer street-dancing classes all around the UK. Why not lace up your trainers and get moving? For some inspiration watch our video below on how you can get active with street dancing.

Basketball

Basketball is an easy way to work out – you can play solo, testing your shooting skills, or as part of a team. Height is obviously an advantage, but there are some very successful short players, such as Muggsy Bogues who, at 1.60m (5' 3") tall, is the shortest-ever NBA player.

Ice hockey

The world’s fastest team game is rough, tough and great fun. You never stop moving so you get a very intense workout, both burning fat and building muscle. Most rinks have several teams, so even skating novices can try.

Skateboarding

If regular sports aren’t your thing, you can still get in shape with a few flips and grinds. Skateboarding gives you an intense workout, can increase your self-confidence and provides another way to get around.

Mountain biking

Cycling is great exercise. You’ll burn a ton of calories and get leaner, more powerful legs. Hard work on the way up those hills is repaid by a thrilling downhill run – perfect for adrenaline junkies.