How to Quit Smoking and Avoid Weight Gain

Weight gain is a common effect in the initial stages of smoking cessation. Usually this occurs at a gain of 5-10 pounds, sometimes even more. Sadly, this weight gain cannot be avoided when one chooses to quit smoking. Weight gain from giving up smoking can be attributed to a variety of causes.

For most people, quitting smoking causes weight gain due to the nicotine addiction and sudden withdrawal from it. Because of this, food becomes a smoking substitute. A constant intake of food will naturally result in a gain of weight.

At the same time, those who suddenly decide to quit smoking will not think of joining a certain exercise program, since the effects of smoking will still be omnipresent. The overall effects of smoking, such as shortness of breath, will naturally not disappear straight away. Joining an exercise program is already hard for non-smokers; just think about how those who are quitting smoking must feel.

Then there are the effects of physiology. Even mere low degrees of smoking tend to elevate the heart rate, which helps in keeping the body weight off. In the long term, building up the arteries’ fatty deposits induced by smoking will end up outweighing them.

What really attributes to ultimate weight gain, however, is the mixture of increased food intake to the lack of overall physical exercise in those trying to quit smoking. This is not a lost cause, though. Stop smoking naturally and make changes in your overall lifestyle, in the process. Eat healthy and plan the ideal exercise program for you.

Some quit smoking tools require strict willpower in the individual involved. To prevent yourself from smoking, try eating fresh fruit instead. Resist the temptation of delicious foods that are high in calories to make up for that smoking need.

Quitting smoking is said to be the most difficult in its first two weeks, as the nicotine addiction is flushed out. This would be the ideal time to plan your exercise regime. During this time, make sure you stay hydrated, so you don’t feel forced to eat away your smoking craving. Doing so will also help get rid of the remaining smoking contamination in your body. Plus, water is absolutely calorie-free!

In the long term, the biggest struggle will be keeping up with your smoking cessation. Always keep your goals in mind, however, and focus on your willpower to achieve a healthier you. As long as you stay on the right track, you will be able to quit smoking without gaining a single pound.