Some
people gain a few extra pounds once they quit smoking. This has become
one area of worry when quitting smoking.
The good
news is, not all smokers who stop smoking gain weight. Even if weight
gain was inevitable, the average gain is only between 6 and 8 pounds.
Not too much of a big deal now, isn't it?
Nevertheless,
there are many ways to quit smoking and not gain weight. We have
compiled 8 fine pointers for you on preventing weight gain after
quitting smoking.
-
Accept yourself
for who you are. If you have quit smoking, then accept yourself as
someone who has taken a turn to better health.
-
Do moderate
intensity exercises on a regular routine. Examples are to go
swimming, jogging, playing a sport or aerobics.
-
Cut down on
unhealthy snacking. If you feel like munching, grab something
healthy like a diet bar or a fruit.
-
Avoid alcohol or
limit yourself to 1 drink a week. Alcohol can make you fat at the
wrong places.
-
Eat healthy. A
well balanced diet can help you shed a couple of pounds around the
waist.
-
Instead of having
3 main meals a day, spread them out to 6 small meals throughout
the day. This can help you maintain a high metabolism throughout
the day and you burn more calories.
-
Avoid eating past
9pm. The body's metabolism slows down at night so food consumed
past this hour will take longer to digest.
-
Drink lots of
water. Water helps to maintain the body's metabolism so you burn
more calories. Water also improves your overall circulation.
Even if
you still gain weight gain, always remember that it is nothing
compared to what smoking will do to your health in future.
Furthermore, preventing weight gain is much easier than quitting
smoking. As long as you quit smoking, everything else will look easy!
If you
need professional online help on keeping in shape, check out these
great links below.
**References
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
