If you are craving a mid-afternoon snack but have a cigarette instead, the chances are your craving will pass after just a few drags. Studies have shown that smokers tend to be skinnier than the rest of the population as a whole, and many fear giving up because they worry about gaining an excessive amount of weight. However, with the right planning, along with the use of alternatives, weight gain after quitting smoking need not be inevitable.
Keep an eye on your diet and exercise
Cigarettes have the power to reduce food intake because of the way nicotine binds to receptors in the brain. Once you stop smoking you are likely to start eating more and this can be a key factor behind weight gain. Don’t make the mistake of trying to get control of your weight before you quit. It is far better for your overall health to stop smoking as quickly as possible and then deal with the consequences later.
In order to keep any excess pounds at bay, be very careful with your diet. Make sure you eat a variety of foods including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and do your best to avoid foods that are high in fat and added sugar.
You should also start to steadily increase your level of physical activity the same time you quick smoking. You don’t need to join a gym or attend every aerobics class you can find, simply becoming more active by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, riding a bicycle to work or simply doing more walking are ways that you can increase activity. All these activities will help your body to restore the balance between the food it takes in and it’s energy requirements which, in turn, which ensure your weight stays in check.
Find an alternative
If you are still concerned about weight gain after giving up smoking, you could always consider switching to an alternative such as vaping. This will enable you to benefit from all the appetite-suppressing qualities of nicotine without having to take any of the other harmful chemicals cigarettes contain into your body.
Vaping can be used as a way of gradually reducing your reliance on nicotine completely. If you want to learn more, you can find a broad selection of devices and well as vaping liquids in many strengths and flavors here at this vape store.
Reduce your stress levels
Many smokers come to rely on cigarettes to help them cope with the day to day stresses and strains of life. Without cigarettes to rely on, it’s easy to turn to stress eating instead so it’s important to find other ways to deal with such situations if you want to ensure you don’t gain any unwanted weight.
Relaxation techniques such as deep, slow breathing or visualizing yourself in a place where you feel safe and comfortable can all help reduce your stress levels. Exercise can also help and talking about your feelings with friends or family members may help put things into context and reduce your desire pick up another pack of cigarettes.