Weight Gain
Weight Gain
Description:
Weight gain, for most ex-smokers, can be avoided or controlled. This resource helps patients plan ahead. Weight gain, for most ex-smokers, can be avoided or controlled. Planning ahead will help you. Here are some reasons why people gain weight after they quit smoking:
|
|
Your taste buds work better, so eating becomes more enjoyable. |
|
|
Quitting smoking improves your overall health, which may increase your appetite. |
|
|
Many ex-smokers are used to bringing the cigarette from their hands to their mouths throughout the day. Once they quit smoking, they need to keep their hands and mouths busy. Stick to low-calorie snacks that are high in water content, like carrot sticks. Or you can hold a straw or pen. Also, cinnamon sticks have a spice to them that many smokers like. |
|
|
Some smokers want to give themselves chocolate or other sweet, high-fat, high-calorie foods whenever a craving hits. Rewarding yourself is important, but remember that moderation is the key. Find other, healthier ways to reward yourself so you don't put on the pounds. |
|
|
In a small percentage of new ex-smokers, weight gain occurs even without an increase in caloric intake. This is the exception rather than the rule. |
The average weight gain for smokers once they quit is about 5 to 10 pounds. By eating right and exercising, you, too, can control your weight. The health impact of gaining a few pounds is minuscule compared to how your health will benefit by quitting smoking.
Some low-calorie snack suggestions:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Carrot sticks
- Celery sticks
- Sugar-free candies
- Plain popcorn
- Pretzels
- Vegetable and fruit juices and lots of water
(Sources: ACS, 2003; ALA, 2003; NCI, 2004)
