Maintaining Weight Once You've Quit Smoking
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Maintaining Weight Once You've Quit Smoking
Maintaining Weight Once You've Quit Smoking
You now need another excuse if you haven't quit smoking because you're worried you may gain weight.
People generally gain weight when they stop smoking. "But you can reduce your chances of adding extra pounds by taking steps to prevent it," says Regula Wittmer, director of Le Mirador Spa in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland.
Being aware of situations in which you could be tempted to overeat and devising strategies to cope with those instances is your best bet.
Weight maintenance
The following suggestions can help you maintain your weight after you stop smoking:
Exercise regularly. Taking a walk, riding a bicycle, dancing or doing any other aerobic activity you enjoy is an important component of a weight-control program. Try to exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week.
Decrease your fat intake by substituting lower-fat foods for high-fat ones.
Drink skim milk instead of whole milk; use mustard instead of mayonnaise; have a baked potato instead of french fries.
Drink plenty of water, and low calorie fluids. Low calorie alternatives to water include diet soft drinks, coffee, tea, skim or 1% milk and fresh fruit (fruit is high in water content). "It's easy to mistake hunger for thirst, so taking a drink of water when you're tempted to eat between meals can keep your calorie and fat count from rising," Ms. Wittmer says. Many smokers associate smoking with caffeine, so if you are one of them, avoiding caffeine containing beverages may help you stay smoke-free.
Snack on high-fiber foods, such as air-popped popcorn, whole-grain crackers and cereals, carrot sticks, celery sticks, raisins, apples and grapes.
These foods will fill you up without adding a significant amount of calories or fat.
Slow down when you eat a meal. Doing so will help keep you from overeating.
Try cutting your food into very small pieces or putting your fork down after each bite.
Keep low-calorie substitutes for cigarettes in your desk, pocket or purse. "Having something on hand like carrot or bread sticks, or low-fat, low-salt pretzels can quell a craving and won't blow your diet like high-fat candy bars, doughnuts or bags of chips," Ms. Wittmer says.
Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless mints or low-calorie hard candies when an oral craving hits. Suck on one piece of candy at a time and let it melt slowly.
Brush your teeth or suck on a breath mint as soon as you're done eating your main course. Doing so will make you less likely to have dessert.
Do something else when a craving for food hits. Try calling a friend, taking a walk, reading a book or working on a project.
Find things to do with your hands that aren't food-related. Consider taking up a hobby, such as woodworking, gardening or doing crossword puzzles. You can also squeeze a hand grip or a small rubber ball, play with a pen or handle some other small object, such as a pebble, key chain or coin.
Hope this helps!
Shalom!
You now need another excuse if you haven't quit smoking because you're worried you may gain weight.
People generally gain weight when they stop smoking. "But you can reduce your chances of adding extra pounds by taking steps to prevent it," says Regula Wittmer, director of Le Mirador Spa in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland.
Being aware of situations in which you could be tempted to overeat and devising strategies to cope with those instances is your best bet.
Weight maintenance
The following suggestions can help you maintain your weight after you stop smoking:
Exercise regularly. Taking a walk, riding a bicycle, dancing or doing any other aerobic activity you enjoy is an important component of a weight-control program. Try to exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes on most days of the week.
Decrease your fat intake by substituting lower-fat foods for high-fat ones.
Drink skim milk instead of whole milk; use mustard instead of mayonnaise; have a baked potato instead of french fries.
Drink plenty of water, and low calorie fluids. Low calorie alternatives to water include diet soft drinks, coffee, tea, skim or 1% milk and fresh fruit (fruit is high in water content). "It's easy to mistake hunger for thirst, so taking a drink of water when you're tempted to eat between meals can keep your calorie and fat count from rising," Ms. Wittmer says. Many smokers associate smoking with caffeine, so if you are one of them, avoiding caffeine containing beverages may help you stay smoke-free.
Snack on high-fiber foods, such as air-popped popcorn, whole-grain crackers and cereals, carrot sticks, celery sticks, raisins, apples and grapes.
These foods will fill you up without adding a significant amount of calories or fat. Slow down when you eat a meal. Doing so will help keep you from overeating.
Try cutting your food into very small pieces or putting your fork down after each bite.
Keep low-calorie substitutes for cigarettes in your desk, pocket or purse. "Having something on hand like carrot or bread sticks, or low-fat, low-salt pretzels can quell a craving and won't blow your diet like high-fat candy bars, doughnuts or bags of chips," Ms. Wittmer says.
Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless mints or low-calorie hard candies when an oral craving hits. Suck on one piece of candy at a time and let it melt slowly.
Brush your teeth or suck on a breath mint as soon as you're done eating your main course. Doing so will make you less likely to have dessert.
Do something else when a craving for food hits. Try calling a friend, taking a walk, reading a book or working on a project.
Find things to do with your hands that aren't food-related. Consider taking up a hobby, such as woodworking, gardening or doing crossword puzzles. You can also squeeze a hand grip or a small rubber ball, play with a pen or handle some other small object, such as a pebble, key chain or coin.
Hope this helps!
Shalom!
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