Quitting smoking and managing your weight

14 Aug 2019 Nicotex_Infographic_Quitting Smoking and Managing your weight W eight gain may be one o f the mo s t d r eaded side e f f e c ts o f qui t ting smoking but the r e a r e w a y s to manage y our w eight while y ou qui t . He r e a r e 9 sma r t w eight management s t r ategies to g e t y ou o f f to the right s ta r t . Qui t ting Smoking & Managing Y our W eight THE K E Y T O WEIGHT MAN A GEMENT WHEN Y OU QUIT If y ou' r e thinking about qui t ting smoking, y ou may be w orried about pu t ting on w eight a f ter y ou qui t . Qui t ting smoking is n o t al w a y s accompanied b y w eight gain but it is f airly common. W eight gain while qui t ting can be a t tributed to th r ee f a c to r s: Nic o tine inc r eases the m e tabolic r ate. A f ter y ou quit smoking y our m e tabolic r ate d r op s , leading to w eight gain. Smoking supp r esses the app e tite because nic o tine a c ti v ates a path w ay in the b r ain that curbs the u r ge to ea t . Y our sense o f ta s te and smell imp r ov e a f ter y ou quit smoking. Since y ou n o w enj o y the ov e r all eating p r ocess mo r e, this can inc r ease y our app e tite especially f or carb s , suga r y and f a t t y f ood s . Y ou may also tend to eat mo r e a f ter y ou quit because n o w that y ou' r e n o t smoking y ou w ant som e thing else to put in y our mouth. W eight gain tends to happen in the fi rs t 3 months a f ter qui t ting and sl o w s d o wn a f ter tha t . The good n e w s is that the r e a r e sma r t , doable s t r ategies that y ou can implement that will help y ou s tay a w ay f r om b o th ciga r et tes and w eight gain. 1 S tudies sh o w that people who e x e r cise while qui t ting gain much less w eight and a r e t wice as li k ely to qui t . Ju s t 10 minutes o f e x e r cise a day can ma k e a dif f e r ence. T a k e 10 minutes out o f y our day f or a brisk w al k , some s t r e tching or w alk up and d o wn the s tai r s at w or k . Smoking ciga r e t tes inc r eases y our m e tabolism so y ou burn mo r e calorie s . When y ou s top smoking, r egular e x e r cise can help y ou continue to burn those calorie s . E x e r cise has the added ben e fit o f helping y ou burn the ne r v ous ene r gy many smo k e r s s truggle with a f ter qui t ting. S ta r t E x e r cising Regularly 2 Don't l e t eating become a sub s titute f or smoking. Ma k e a conscious e f f o r t to choose, p r epa r e and eat y our meals with a w a r enes s . S tock up on healthy f oods li k e frui t , v eg e table s , nuts & y oghu r t . Plan y our meals so y ou don't binge on unhealthy snac k s . Don't eat on the run or in f r ont o f a sc r een. Sit d o wn, a v oid di s t r a c tions and f ocus on y our f ood. S ta r t with a smaller po r tion and ch e w y our f ood sl o wl y . Do a belly chec k . A r e y ou r eally hung r y or a r e y ou eating f or some o ther r easo n ? If y ou' r e tem p ted b y suga r y or f a t t y snac k s , ta k e a pause and t r y to di s t r a c t y ou r sel f . C r eate health y , mindful eating habits 3 When y ou quit smoking, y ou may f eel li k e seeking solace in f ood to deal with s t r es s , causing y ou to binge eat or choose unhealthy f ood o p tion s . Use o ther w a y s to cope with s t r ess li k e deep b r eathing, y oga or talking to a friend. Acce p t that the r e will be some s t r ess in y our li f e and y ou need to learn h o w to deal with it sensibl y . K eep healthy snac k s at hand f or s t r ess induced f ood c r aving s . A v oid alcohol, and if y ou choose to drin k , drink in mode r ation so y ou' r e n o t turning to alcohol while s t r essed. L earn to manage y our em o tions 4 Nic o tine r eplacement aids li k e nic o tine gum and l oz enges inc r ease the chances o f y our being able to quit successfull y . What's mo r e, r esea r ch sh o w s that th e y can help y ou a v oid w eight gain to o . Nic o tine r eplacement aids help y ou manage y our c r aving s , and when y ou ha v e f ew er c r aving s , y ou don't end up eating mindlesly to tide ov er the u r ge to smo k e. Y ou can also consider talking to an e xpe r t or g e t ting counselling to help y ou cope with f ood c r avings a f ter y ou quit smoking. Seek Expe r t Help 5 Aim f or 8-10 glasses o f fluids per da y . W ater is the be s t choice as it h y d r ates y ou without adding any e xt r a calories to y our daily inta k e. Being h y d r ated will boo s t y our m e tabolism and help beat back c r aving s . Ma k e su r e y ou' r e w ell r e s ted and a r e g e t ting enough slee p . Ch r onic lack o f sleep will put y ou at a g r eater risk o f pu t ting on e xt r a w eigh t . Don't g e t thi rs t y! And sleep w ell 6 Resi s t the u r ge to eat during the times y ou used to smo k e, le s t y ou end up consuming hund r eds o f e xt r a calorie s . Plan a c tivities to di s t r a c t y ou r self during e rs t while smo k e b r ea k s that k eep y our hand s , mouth or b o th bu s y . Play a game on y our cell phone, write, ch e w sugar f r ee gum or t e xt a friend. K eep l o w calorie finger f oods on hand that will k eep y our hands bu s y , such as sliced apples or unsalted nut s . K eep Y ou r self Bu s y During Smo k e B r ea k s 7 Eat a good si z ed, healthy b r eak f a s t to help kic k s ta r t y our m e tabolism f or the da y . Choose wholeg r ain ce r eal s , porridge or wholemeal toa s t with fruit f or a healthy s ta r t to the da y . Eat r egula r , small meals ev e r y 3 hou r s to boo s t y our ene r gy l ev els and mood. T r y and ha v e an early dinner & eat light Don't skip b r eak f a s t ! And eat r egula r , small meals