Stopping Smoking And Weight

Some weight gain is normal
Most research on this topic suggests that it is normal to put on some weight when you stop smoking.  Smoking artificially reduces your weight and your body will now make adjustments to have a slower metabolism (i.e. the speed at which your whole body system works).  But you don't have to put on massive amounts of weight. The way you eat and organise your day makes a difference to the weight you put on. By munching crisps, biscuits and sweets, you'll put on more.

Cravings and hunger
It is common to experience cravings when you stop smoking and one way of relieving these is by eating. The part of your brain that wants a cigarette confuses this with hunger.  If you are using nicotine products to stop, make sure that you are using enough to reduce your urges to smoke. Keeping cravings under control is key to both staying stopped and having some control over the urge to eat. On the flip side, don't diet or go hungry or the desire for a cigarette will get confused with the need to eat.

Natural appetite and quitting
Smokers sometimes substitute cigarettes for food, so when they quit, they can feel natural hunger. It is good that that they now have the chance to enjoy a nicotine-free appetite. Some people will replace breakfast with a cigarette, so when they quit they feel really hungry mid-morning. Do have some breakfast or juice to help your body cope with the day. Smoking also affects your blood sugar levels, so there will be changes when you quit. Try and eat throughout the day, rather than starve yourself and then pig out later.

Food and how your body copes
Stopping smoking is a big task for your body to undertake. It may have had many years of adapting to and trying to cope with the complex effects of different chemicals in smoke. It needs all the help it can get to deal with the big changes and to do some repair work. Eating a good diet will make a difference to how well your body copes with all this. Getting run down will make you more likely to get colds and other illnesses. It will also leave you short of energy and motivation to stay stopped.

Vitamin C
Smoking has an effect on the body's ability to use vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is the worst affected.  Vitamin C is vital in preventing diseases and helping repair the damage to your cells from smoking. When you quit, you need to make sure you have good levels of vitamin C and other anti-oxidants for repair work.  Eating fruit and veg are a good way to do this.

Exercise
Yes, it works. You are burning off the calories that you eat (providing that you are eating and not starving yourself). Exercise also releases "pleasure chemicals" (endorphins) in your brain, so it gives your mood a lift. It helps with detoxing your body. And there is now more evidence that it helps people stay quit, too.

Keep it real
It can be daunting, the prospect of stopping smoking and weight gain is a reason that people often give for not trying to quit. Don't fall into the trap of using weight as an excuse for putting off the time to stop smoking.

Weight Control Tips On Quitting