Hi, stop smoking, gain weight – is that how it works? I want to stop smoking but weight gain is giving me a second thought. How much weight will I gain if I stop smoking? Is there any way to avoid gaining a lot of weight? I’m not overweight now. And I definitely don’t want to get fat if I stop smoking. Help! Thank you, Eric J.
First of all, I would like to applaud you decision to stop smoking. Will you gain weight if you stop smoking? I am not going to lie to you, it is a possibility, but you do not have to gain weight. Since you are not currently overweight, your chances of gaining weight after you stop smoking are probably pretty low.
Here is what you can do to increase your chances of not gaining weight after you stop smoking:
Focus on the positive aspects of not smoking. While a weight gain is a distant possibility, even if it happens, the benefits of not smoking are much greater than a few pounds of weight gain. You can always lose weight; it is not a big deal. Quitting smoking is a very big deal, on the other hand. Be proud of your accomplishment.
Plan ahead and be prepared to deal with food cravings. Generally speaking, most people gain weight after they stop smoking because they replace cigarettes with food. But what most people do not seem to realize is that this is a great opportunity to clean up your diet and adjust your eating habits, which brings me to my next point.
Be proactive Think in advance how you are going to deal with increased appetite and food cravings. Plan your menu ahead of time. Make sure to have healthy snacks on hand at all times so that you do not start snacking on, say, potato chips. Eat your meal at equal intervals and snack on healthy snacks between meals to minimize food cravings and unexpected hunger pangs.
Take daily walks Walking is such an easy way to take your mind off food and cigarettes. Do it! It is great for you. Grab a friend, a spouse, a dog, or an MP3 player with an audio book and go for a walk.