How to Avoid Weight Gain from Quitting Smoking

Many people who quit smoking complain of weight gain as a result. This is because when you’re not smoking a cigarette, it can be easy to replace this with another unhealthy habit like snacking. People who quit smoking might snack to keep their mind off their smoking cravings or just to keep their mouth busy so that they are less likely to think about going for a smoke. The good news is that if you are quitting smoking but want to avoid putting weight on as a result, there are several things that you can do.

Nicotine Replacement

Nicotine replacement products like the best vape juice can make your life easier when you want to quit smoking. Vaping is a popular way to quit smoking these days since it can feel quite natural to ex-smokers and emulates having a cigarette without all the harmful ingredients.

Vape juice can contain nicotine, meaning that you can give up cigarettes without getting all the nasty components of smoking like tar and carbon monoxide, but avoid the nicotine withdrawals as well. And since you’re still inhaling through your mouth, you might be less inclined to snack.  

Keep Healthy Snacks at Hand

For when you do feel like snacking, it’s a good idea to keep healthy snacks at hand. Cut up fruit and raw vegetables, stock up on dried fruits and nuts and opt for healthier alternatives to popular snacks like chickpea puffs instead of regular crisps.

You may also want to consider making your own; there are plenty of healthier baking recipes that you could try, for example, and this can be a great way to keep your hands busy and your mind occupied while you’re quitting.

Exercise

Getting your body moving more when you are quitting smoking is ideal for improving your health and making it easier to quit. When you exercise, endorphins or ‘feel-good’ hormones are released into your blood stream, which can leave you feeling happier, less stressed, and in turn reduce your cigarette cravings.

Whether you join a gym, invest in a bicycle, go for a daily walk, start dance classes, or go swimming, any way that you want to get your body moving can benefit you.

Keep Water with You

Each time you feel a craving for a cigarette coming on, drinking a sip of water can help not only reduce the craving but also prevent you from turning to unhealthy snacks again. Being dehydrated is not going to help you feel any better when you are trying to give up smoking, so keep a bottle of water with you at all times and sip on it periodically throughout the day.

Get Enough Sleep

Did you know that sleep deprivation can be a risk factor for weight gain? Along with this, when you are not getting enough sleep, you are more likely to be tired and stressed the next day, which can increase cigarette cravings and make it harder to quit smoking in general.

When you start quitting smoking, it is important to make your sleep a priority. Go to bed earlier if you can and make sure that you are getting between seven and nine hours of quality sleep per night.

There are several things that you can do to help yourself sleep better; a hot bath or shower before bed can help to regulate your body temperature, while a dark room will improve melatonin production and help you start winding down.

Weight gain is a common side effect of quitting smoking, but if you are ready for it and have a plan in place, you can avoid putting on weight as you break this habit.