Many people quit smoking and then gain weight. This is mainly because they develop unhealthy eating habits after they quit. However, there are quite a few methods of quitting smoking without gaining excessive weight. Let’s look at how to quit smoking without gaining weight.
Why People Gain Weight after They Quit Smoking?
When you quit smoking, you get two kinds of cravings. The first type of craving is for nicotine. This craving is quite easy to control through nicotine chewing gums and patches. However, smokers have a habit of putting a cigarette in their mouth and lighting it. This habit is what is difficult to control. A smoker will substitute this habit of lighting the cigarette by eating.
In most cases, smokers end up eating chips and other unhealthy foods. This contributes to smokers gaining weight. In addition to gaining weight, there is also the issue of deteriorating health. Fast foods and packaged foods are not nutritious. They contain unhealthy calories and fats. Eating such foods causes all sorts of problems for an individual. Many smokers who quit even end up with cardiac diseases because of the foods they eat. There are quite a few methods to quit smoking without gaining weight.
How to Curb Your Craving?
The first thing you should do is find out why you crave cigarettes. Most people smoke when they are under immense stress. If you are a smoker who smokes due to stress, you should consider eliminating excess stress. Do yoga and meditation. These activities help eliminate or at least lower your stress levels. Some smokers have a craving when they are hungry or after eating. Such individuals should carry gum with them at all times. Whenever they have a craving for cigarettes, they should pop a stick of gum in their mouth. This keeps the mouth busy and the mind diverted from smoking.
Note that you will need a replacement for nicotine. Most people think they can quit smoking without gaining weight. However, when they don’t get a substitute for nicotine, they either end up gaining weight or resuming smoking. Use nicotine replacement gums and patches to curb your craving.
Consider Alternate Methods of Curbing Your Craving
There are many other methods to quit smoking without gaining weight. You can use food to curb your craving, but it is important to eat food that is healthy. If you have a habit of munching on things to avoid smoking, consider eating chopped veggies and fruits. Not only will they help curb your craving, but you will also get a healthy dose of nutrients and vitamins. In particular, you can eat celery for this purpose. You should experiment with foods that work best for you as a method to curb your craving for cigarettes.
Consider these tips if you want to maintain a steady weight and quit smoking.