14 tips to quit smoking and not gain weight –

Many people look for tips to stop smoking and not gain weight, but some just use weight gain as an “excuse” not to quit smoking. And, in part, the fear is justified: 57% of women who stopped smoking gained weight, showed a study with 748 patients from the Tobacco Outpatient Clinic of Heart Institute (Incor) in São Paulo. The average gain was 4.4 pounds over a year. A small portion (12%) gained more than 10 kilos.

According to cardiologist Jaqueline Sholz Issa, responsible for the outpatient clinic, four factors can trigger the balance.

O first is the change in metabolism. Nicotine accelerates the burning of calories. Therefore, if you continue to eat as before, weight gain is almost certain. O second factor is the improvement of taste and smell. Nicotine (and other toxic substances in cigarettes) dampen the taste buds, leaving food tasteless. In her absence, the food becomes appetizing again and the risk of overeating increases. O third is orality: food fulfills the need to occupy the mouth, recovering part of the pleasure of cigarettes. But the worse it’s the anxiety. When that crazy urge to smoke hits and you run to the fridge. Therefore, to give up the addiction for good without making the pointer of the scale go up.

Check out some tips below to prevent this from happening when you quit smoking.

Tips to stop smoking and not gain weight

Click here or in the title to check out the tips in AMP Stories format, or continue reading below.

1. Mark the day

The guidance is from the National Cancer Institute (Inca): book a date, if possible in the next two weeks. The day before, smoke your last cigarette, then throw away all packs, lighters and ashtrays.

2. Prepare the pantry

Ditch the treats—candy, sandwich cookies, chocolate, and packets of chips—so you don’t devour them in a compulsive fit. Nutritionist Fábia de Campos, from Rio de Janeiro, a specialist in serving smokers, suggests betting on biscuits with extra fiber and salted hominy popcorn. “The crec-crec of these snacks helps relieve anxiety and they are not so caloric.”

3. Organize the fridge

Arrange pots of healthy foods to snack on: grapes, strawberries, jabuticaba and blackberries; fruits cut into cubes (pear, apple, papaya); and vegetables cut into sticks (cucumber, carrot, turnip, fresh fennel, radish and tomato).

4. Adjust the diet

Have two meals and three snacks a day, eating every three hours. “Smokers don’t always have a food routine because cigarettes take away hunger. Having fixed times for meals helps to avoid weight gain”, guides the nutritionist. And eat slowly so you don’t extrapolate in quantity.

5. Get moving

Exercise burns calories and helps control weight, in addition to releasing substances that bring well-being, reducing the urge to light up a cigarette, concluded a study published in the American journal Psychopharmacology. If you’re sedentary, start with a half-hour walk three times a week. Do you already knit? Increase the load or intensity of your workout to burn an additional 300 calories a day. “It is what is necessary to compensate for the metabolic change”, informs Jaqueline Issa.

6. Bet on proteins

Include egg, chicken, fish and lean meats for lunch and dinner; protein shake, light processed cheese (Polenguinho type) and slices of turkey breast for lunch. Proteins speed up metabolism and reduce compulsive overeating. Bread and pasta are allowed, especially wholemeal, in moderate portions: carbohydrates help maintain emotional balance. Reduce the consumption of fats.

7. Take a break from coffee

Fruits (especially citrus), vegetables and dairy products worsen the taste of tobacco, according to research at Duke University, in the United States, with 209 smokers. On the other hand, some foods enhance their flavor and “invite” you to smoke, so it’s best to remove them from the table in the first few weeks: meat, alcoholic beverages (beer, wine) and, in a hurry, coffee.

8. Take water

Hydration helps detoxify the organism, as nicotine is released through urine. And with a liquid-filled stomach, you feel less hungry. Drink water every hour and whenever the urge to smoke comes.

9. Turn to allies

Always have something in your purse or office drawer that you can nibble on: diet candy and gum, cinnamon sticks, gingerbread chips, cloves, star anise.

10. Review habits

To overcome the lack of cigarettes after coffee, sex, driving, going out with friends, it is necessary to change behaviors. In a study of 216 smokers published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, those who underwent cognitive behavioral therapy showed more self-esteem and motivation to change rituals and quit smoking.

11. Draw out plans

Taking a course (language, arts, music) or starting a new and pleasurable activity helps fill the void left by smoking.

12. Escape the traps

Drive away saboteur thoughts like: “It’s hard to be without cigarettes, so I deserve a bonbon”. The common thing is not to settle for one and devour the whole box.

13. Resist the temptation

The urge to smoke lasts a maximum of five minutes, say experts at Inca. When she hits, suck ice, brush your teeth. She occupies her hands with an elastic band. Do crossword puzzles. Update your Facebook or join an ex-smokers forum. Call a friend.

14. Seek help

Health institutions linked to SUS offer free treatment to stop smoking. Inform yourself by Disque Saúde: 136.