Why Do People Gain Weight When They Quit Smoking?

Many people who are trying to quick smoking are concerned about the possibility of weight gain. While this is a real concern for many people, it’s important to consider it isn’t a foregone conclusion. Let’s consider some of the reasons why individuals tend to gain weight when they stop smoking.

Psychological Reasons

While it’s true that nicotine is physically addictive, much of the habit is simply in our heads. Many times the habit revolves around putting something in our mouths. We replace cigarettes for snack foods.

Biological Reasons

While much of it is psychological, a lot of it has to do with the makeup of our body chemistry. Nicotine is not only an appetite suppressant, but it also speeds up the body’s metabolism. Smoking itself can actually contribute to weight loss.

So what can be done about it?

It’s so important to quit smoking; however you want to make sure you won’t have to lose any weight when you’re done. Below are a few simple things you can do to help you as you try to quit:

• Healthy snacks: Right after you quit you may feel the need to snack between meals. Because of this it’s important to include healthy snacks into your diet. Instead of snacking on cookies or candy, try carrot sticks instead.
• Medication: Nicotine replacement therapy has been proven to give positive results. Most people either use the patch, pill or gum. Nicotine gum can be especially helpful, because not only does it help control your cravings, but it also takes care of the psychological need to have something in your mouth.

Conclusion

It can be thrilling experience to finally kick the smoking habit; however experiencing weight gain afterwards, can only lead to depression. This doesn’t have to happen to you. The best solution is to take action before you actually decide to quit. This way you can make sure you have a healthy transition to your smoke free life.

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