Curb Cravings
with Smart Snacking
So you've just quit smoking, or you're considering it. You've heard that quitting smoking can lead to weight gain, but you want to lose weight or at least maintain.
Here's the good news: You can quit smoking without gaining a lot of weight. Here's how:
- Avoid alcohol. It can be a trigger to smoke cigarettes and it also is high in calories.
- Speaking of calories, keep healthy snacks at home and at work.
Right after quitting, it's common to feel uncomfortable and to search for something to ease that discomfort. Some people turn to food. Keeping this in mind, remove tempting, high-fat foods from your home and make sure you have healthy, low-calorie food options at hand:
- Carrot sticks or fresh fruit
- Fat free popcorn or yogurt
- Hard candy to suck on
- Herbal tea or hot chocolate made from non-fat milk
- Water, and drink lots of it.
- Exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity five days a week. It doesn't have to be an all-out run or a mountain climb. A brisk, half-hour walk is enough. Read more about this in Get Active.
- Be good to yourself. Reward yourself for deciding to quit and committing to it. For extra support, call the Alaska Tobacco Quit Line — 888-842-7848. It's free, open every day, and can provide nicotine replacement patches to those who stay with the Quit Line program.