Replace smoking with other activities that occupy your hands and your mouth. This can cause extra stress that can lead to extra snacking, especially over the holidays when more food is around, or relapsing back into smoking to cope with the stress. The most important components of preventing weight gain when you quit smoking are: Physical activity To prevent weight gain at this time, you need to become more physically active Beginning to increase your physical activity before you quit smoking may remind you how much smoking slows you down, when you have trouble breathing or start to cough during exercise. Try to stay positive, and try not to panic about modest weight gain; if you do gain weight, your healthy habits will help you lose the weight once your body gets back to normal. But changing too much too quickly can increase the stress you feel as you try to quit smoking. If you need more guidance, talk to your doctor or dietitian. Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activities on most days, even if it is in a few shorter increments. Get support and encouragement; talk to a friend when you get the urge to smoke; talk about something other than smoking. Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activities on most days, even if it is in a few shorter increments.
Find something that will replace smoking as a way to relax and do it consistently. Becoming physically active will not only help you control your weight, but will also give you more energy, improve your health, take your mind off smoking, and help relieve the stress and moodiness that may occur as a result of withdrawal from nicotine. Even if you do gain weight when you quit smoking, the health risks of smoking are far greater…you would have to gain over 150 pounds to make your health risks as high as when you smoked. Not everyone gains weight when they stop smoking, but the average weight gain is about 10 pounds. If you can distract yourself for 5 minutes, the craving will usually pass. Drink less caffeine; although you may think it will make you feel better, caffeine can worsen the jittery nervous feeling that may accompany nicotine withdrawal. – never let yourself get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.
But changing too much too quickly can increase the stress you feel as you try to quit smoking.
These can help prevent a relapse, and nicotine gum has been shown to reduce weight gain. If you are struggling or anxious about trying to quit smoking, talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement such as nicotine gum or a nicotine patch. Try not to do things that tempt you to smoke, such as drinking or socializing in a bar, or tempt you to eat when you're not hungry, such as bringing a bag of chips in front of the television.
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