The Aftermath of Stopping Smoking: Preventing Weight Gain

There is a worry associated with most individuals who decide to quit smoking – gaining weight. This is partially because most of the smokers who quit this habit tend to turn to food as a substitute to the bad habit. It is true also that some quitters experience a relatively normal life afterwards without necessarily gaining weight.

There is a higher probability of maintaining a healthier weight by sticking to various programs and regiments. This may range from engaging in physical exercise to regulating ones’ eating habits. Below are some of the best tips on how to discontinue smoking without worrying about gaining weight.

Eating a Balanced Diet
The first thing to pay attention to for any quitting smoker would be the diet. The inclusion of vegetables as well as fruits into your diet will be welcome. Most fruits and vegetable naturally contain antioxidants that are useful in the process of detoxification of the body.

Cutting down on intake of meals with large contents of sugar and salt is also important. This helps in reducing the risk of exposure to health related issues that may lead to weight gain.

Snack on Healthy Foods
It is important to note that a large number of people who quit one bad habit switch to another very easily. Many people tend to switch to eating as a means of comfort and normalcy. In this case, they are encouraged to stick to snacking on healthy foods such as nuts, fruits and vegetables, which have more nutritional value. The best cure is prevention, and ensuring that you do not run out of the healthy stuff is one such way to ensure this happens. Some snacks such as carrots can be consumed as much without affecting your system negatively or self-esteem.

Less but Regular Eating
An approved model of snacking will be to increase the number of times you eat in a day than having the regular number of meals. Some individuals who crave a cigarette do so after having a large meal and thus reducing the meal size could be a helpful factor in managing these cravings. For those who cannot do away without a nicotine fix after eating, e juice is a welcome option.

Do Not Miss Breakfast
The health and weight implications of having to miss breakfast are huge and often negative. There is more risk of going back to eating unhealthy foods if one misses the first meal of the day through constant hunger leading to uncontrolled snacking. In most cases, a good and healthy breakfast will provide you with the energy and alertness you desire to go about your day without distraction.