Eating a variety of foods each day is a good start, and eating regularly so you never get too hungry. Snack on fruit or chewing gum to satisfy any sweet cravings. Even if you do gain weight when you quit smoking, the health risks of smoking are far greater…you would have to gain over 150 pounds to make your health risks as high as when you smoked. Reduce tension by meditating, taking a walk or a bath, or taking deep breaths.
Water retention may cause a deceptive weight gain of up to 5 pounds in the week after quitting smoking, but this is not a real weight gain, and your body will go back to normal. If you need more guidance, talk to your doctor or dietitian. Keep your hands busy with doodling, crossword puzzles, knitting, or twirling a straw, pen, or pencil. This can cause extra stress that can lead to extra snacking, especially over the holidays when more food is around, or relapsing back into smoking to cope with the stress. When you quit smoking, you can breathe and get around more easily, and nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables taste better when you are not smoking. Drink less caffeine; although you may think it will make you feel better, caffeine can worsen the jittery nervous feeling that may accompany nicotine withdrawal
Not everyone gains weight when they stop smoking, but the average weight gain is about 10 pounds. A Managing cravings Once you stop smoking, it is important to learn how to reduce your cravings for both cigarettes and food. Beginning to increase your physical activity before you quit smoking may remind you how much smoking slows you down, when you have trouble breathing or start to cough during exercise. Try to stay positive, and try not to panic about modest weight gain; if you do gain weight, your healthy habits will help you lose the weight once your body gets back to normal. Becoming physically active will not only help you control your weight, but will also give you more energy, improve your health, take your mind off smoking, and help relieve the stress and moodiness that may occur as a result of withdrawal from nicotine. T. Try not to do things that tempt you to smoke, such as drinking or socializing in a bar, or tempt you to eat when you're not hungry, such as bringing a bag of chips in front of the television. These can help prevent a relapse, and nicotine gum has been shown to reduce weight gain. Weight gain is more likely when someone has smoked for 10 to 20 years or smokes a pack or more a day. A craving only lasts about 5 minutes.
Article Source: Stop smoking now
