Smoking and Weight Gain - You"re in Control
One of the biggest concerns for people considering kicking the cigarette habit is the weight gain that often occurs during the first few months after quitting smoking.
In fact, the fear of gaining weight is often a primary reason why people won't make the attempt or restart smoking within the first 4 weeks of quitting cigarettes.
Gaining a small amount of weight of between 5 to 10 pounds is to be expected but weight gain in excess of that amount is not inevitable and can be controlled.
Nicotine acts both as an appetite suppressant and as stimulus to the metabolism rate.
Smokers tend to smoke more when they're hungry.
Smoking often takes the place of snacking.
It also gives you something to do when you're bored.
The nicotine that is inhaled with the smoke into a smoker's lungs tends to make the heart beat faster which in turn raises the metabolism rate, burning more calories as a result.
When smoking is stopped, the metabolism rate goes back to normal and the smoker is left without an appetite suppressant and the weight gain begins.
The good news is that it can be controlled and even eliminated before it becomes excessive.
One of the first things you'll notice after quitting smoking is an improved sense of taste and smell.
Combine that with the "hand-to-mouth" routine that smoking provided for as long as you smoked and you have the initial ingredients for weight gain.
One of the first things you'll want to monitor is exactly what your hand brings to your mouth when you've stopped smoking.
Most importantly, avoid empty calories.
Junk food such as chips, ice cream, cake and cookies fall squarely in this category.
Stay away from these.
In fact, when you have an urge to eat, stop for a moment and analyze the urge.
Are you really hungry or is your urge to eat masking something else.
A lot of times it's just boredom.
It could also be stress, anxiety, anger or just being tired.
You can deal with these things differently.
If you have to eat something then go for a healthy snack that will not add to your weight gain.
Many people don't like the idea of celery or carrot sticks.
That's fine.
There are other healthy snacks that will work just as well.
Try cutting up your favorite fruit into small pieces and then eating each piece slowly.
Eating slowly is always a good idea but even more important when you're trying to keep from gaining weight.
Drink water when you have the urge to eat.
Water has zero calories and has the added benefit of hydrating your skin and flushing toxins from your system.
Brush your teeth often.
The clean feeling from a good brushing plus the taste of the toothpaste itself are often enough to satisfy the urge for a cigarette.
Mealtimes are another opportunity for keeping weight off while you recover from nicotine addiction.
Obviously, you'll want to eat balanced nutritious meals.
Try more salads and add more fish to your meals.
It's better if you can take your main meals at home where you have better control over what you eat.
The first thing you'll want to monitor is portion sizes.
If you're having leftovers, then store the leftovers in individually-sized containers rather than in one large container.
Keep the food you eat in the pots and pans you used to cook them in away from the dining table.
If you want seconds, force yourself to return to the pots and pans for second helpings.
Eat your meals slowly.
It takes about 20 minutes to feel full after eating.
Allow yourself to feel full from your meals.
If you weren't in the habit of eating dessert after your meals, don't take that habit up after you quit smoking.
It's tempting especially as a substitute for an after dinner cigarette.
Besides watching what you eat, another way to control of weight gain after quitting smoking is to add more activity to your life.
The simplest thing that you can do is walk.
Walking is an excellent way of dealing with nicotine withdrawal urges.
Not only will a good brisk walk help distract you from the urge to smoke but the very act of walking will help to increase your metabolism which in turn will help to burn up calories which is of course the basic formula for losing weight.
That's a win-win for weight control.
You don't need to join a gym although that's a good idea since the whole setting is so non-conducive to smoking and there are so many opportunities available for you to bring more movement in your life.
If you can't join a gym or don't want to then simply add more movement in your life.
Park your car away from the front door of your office or from where you shop.
Take up a hobby that gets you moving.
Try dancing, bowling, playing golf, swimming, tennis or just raking the leaves but keep yourself moving and most importantly don't stress out about a few extra pounds.
Quitting cigarettes is hard to do and most smokers have wanted to give up the habit at one time or another.
When you've successfully quit you no longer have to drag that ball and chain of nicotine addiction with you any longer.
Focus on controlling your weight on a day to day basis and do the best you can.
Don't let stress over a very small increase in weight derail one of the best moves you've ever made for yourself and for your health.
In fact, the fear of gaining weight is often a primary reason why people won't make the attempt or restart smoking within the first 4 weeks of quitting cigarettes.
Gaining a small amount of weight of between 5 to 10 pounds is to be expected but weight gain in excess of that amount is not inevitable and can be controlled.
Nicotine acts both as an appetite suppressant and as stimulus to the metabolism rate.
Smokers tend to smoke more when they're hungry.
Smoking often takes the place of snacking.
It also gives you something to do when you're bored.
The nicotine that is inhaled with the smoke into a smoker's lungs tends to make the heart beat faster which in turn raises the metabolism rate, burning more calories as a result.
When smoking is stopped, the metabolism rate goes back to normal and the smoker is left without an appetite suppressant and the weight gain begins.
The good news is that it can be controlled and even eliminated before it becomes excessive.
One of the first things you'll notice after quitting smoking is an improved sense of taste and smell.
Combine that with the "hand-to-mouth" routine that smoking provided for as long as you smoked and you have the initial ingredients for weight gain.
One of the first things you'll want to monitor is exactly what your hand brings to your mouth when you've stopped smoking.
Most importantly, avoid empty calories.
Junk food such as chips, ice cream, cake and cookies fall squarely in this category.
Stay away from these.
In fact, when you have an urge to eat, stop for a moment and analyze the urge.
Are you really hungry or is your urge to eat masking something else.
A lot of times it's just boredom.
It could also be stress, anxiety, anger or just being tired.
You can deal with these things differently.
If you have to eat something then go for a healthy snack that will not add to your weight gain.
Many people don't like the idea of celery or carrot sticks.
That's fine.
There are other healthy snacks that will work just as well.
Try cutting up your favorite fruit into small pieces and then eating each piece slowly.
Eating slowly is always a good idea but even more important when you're trying to keep from gaining weight.
Drink water when you have the urge to eat.
Water has zero calories and has the added benefit of hydrating your skin and flushing toxins from your system.
Brush your teeth often.
The clean feeling from a good brushing plus the taste of the toothpaste itself are often enough to satisfy the urge for a cigarette.
Mealtimes are another opportunity for keeping weight off while you recover from nicotine addiction.
Obviously, you'll want to eat balanced nutritious meals.
Try more salads and add more fish to your meals.
It's better if you can take your main meals at home where you have better control over what you eat.
The first thing you'll want to monitor is portion sizes.
If you're having leftovers, then store the leftovers in individually-sized containers rather than in one large container.
Keep the food you eat in the pots and pans you used to cook them in away from the dining table.
If you want seconds, force yourself to return to the pots and pans for second helpings.
Eat your meals slowly.
It takes about 20 minutes to feel full after eating.
Allow yourself to feel full from your meals.
If you weren't in the habit of eating dessert after your meals, don't take that habit up after you quit smoking.
It's tempting especially as a substitute for an after dinner cigarette.
Besides watching what you eat, another way to control of weight gain after quitting smoking is to add more activity to your life.
The simplest thing that you can do is walk.
Walking is an excellent way of dealing with nicotine withdrawal urges.
Not only will a good brisk walk help distract you from the urge to smoke but the very act of walking will help to increase your metabolism which in turn will help to burn up calories which is of course the basic formula for losing weight.
That's a win-win for weight control.
You don't need to join a gym although that's a good idea since the whole setting is so non-conducive to smoking and there are so many opportunities available for you to bring more movement in your life.
If you can't join a gym or don't want to then simply add more movement in your life.
Park your car away from the front door of your office or from where you shop.
Take up a hobby that gets you moving.
Try dancing, bowling, playing golf, swimming, tennis or just raking the leaves but keep yourself moving and most importantly don't stress out about a few extra pounds.
Quitting cigarettes is hard to do and most smokers have wanted to give up the habit at one time or another.
When you've successfully quit you no longer have to drag that ball and chain of nicotine addiction with you any longer.
Focus on controlling your weight on a day to day basis and do the best you can.
Don't let stress over a very small increase in weight derail one of the best moves you've ever made for yourself and for your health.
