When a person stops smoking the energy they have directed into smoking is often transferred to food.
Cravings can increase and many people often tend to eat more.
If you are prepared and integrate some simple weight management tips you’ll find it much easier to maintain your weight as you give up cigarettes permanently.
Weight Management Tips After Stopping Smoking
One of our favorite alternative sweeteners is Stevia. It comes in a powdered or a liquid form and Stevia. This sweet treat is also healthy.
Instead of grabbing a soda, or an alcoholic beverage (which increases cravings to smoke), or even a sugar calorie, loaded, fruit juice make your own sweet drink beverage.
Its so easy. Fill a glass with ice cubes. Pour in a couple tablespoons of fresh or bottled organic lemon juice (Costco has bottled organic lemon juice), and add a dropper full of Green Leaf brand lemon flavored stevia.
When sugar cravings hit or cravings for alcohol (also loaded with sugar) you can make healthier choices.You now have a very refreshing lemonade drink that contains just a couple calories from the lemon. You can experiment. The liquid flavored stevia products come in flavors like orange, lemon, root beer, English toffee, vanilla, cinnamon, tangerine, etc. Use your imagination! You can buy mineral water, and add some flavored Stevia.
Another treat is to purchase some frozen berries, let thaw and then sprinkle some NuNaturals brand stevia powder. Or you can use the flavored liquid drops. Our favorite frozen treat is strawberries, liquid vanilla stevia, and a little non fat cottage cheese. Mix up and it tastes like a strawberry cheesecake without the guilt!
More Suggestions to Keep From Gaining Weight
By making some of the following small changes you will also benefit in keeping your cravings at bay.
When you dish up your plate at mealtime, first dish up protein, vegetables, and fruit. Then eat these foods first. When you go back for seconds you will be less likely to fill up on startchy and sugary foods that contribute to weight gain.
Also try using a smaller plate so your portion sizes will be smaller.
After eating engage in conversation and give yourself five minutes before considering dessert, or an additional helping. If you find you are still hungry then go back for another small portion. You’ll find fullness registers about 10 minutes after you have eaten. If you give yourself some time after eating while digestion kicks in you won’t eat past being full.
Snacking is important during quitting, but don’t snack on fast foods like chips and candy. Don’t buy them! Instead stock up on some dried apricots or dried pears. They make perfect snacks and both have enough fiber in them to help you maintain your blood sugar and reduce cravings. A little dried fruit can be very satisfying.
Other snacks that are good to have on hand are bags of baby carrots, grapes (high in sugar but satisfying), and celery sticks filled with non fat cottage cheese.
Little Preparation Goes a Long Way
If you have these alternatives to junk foods and alcohol on hand you’ll not only quit smoking, but you’ll gain a minimal amount of weight, if any.
Also, line up time to talk and walk with a friend several times during the week. The exercise will also help you detox from the built-up toxins created by smoking. The companionship will provide additional support.
How to Make Lemonade Using Powdered Stevia
This video was created by brand name Steviva.com. Our favorite stevia brand is NuNaturals, and Green Leaf for the flavored liquid stevia. We have yet to try Steviva brand, and we are happy to see more companies selling this awesome healthy alternative to synthetic sweeteners, fructose, and cane sugar.
So many people who give up smoking cold turkey substitute nicotine for food. That’s because they are “giving something up” as opposed to just quitting. If someone stops smoking with hypnosis, the part of the subconscious that is telling you to smoke is changed so that you will want to do something that is more advantageous to you. In this way you don’t feel that you are missing out on anything so you don’t need to over eat.
Hi Shona, You are absolutely right on regarding hypnosis for quitting smoking! I imagine at your clinic you are helping so many people not only quit but also to keep their cravings in check. Two internet hypnosis programs we found that are helping people stop smoking include:
Easy Quit Hypnosis, Easy Quit Program
Yes, many people mention weight gain as a reason why they decided not to quit smoking. It is nice to see some good information on what a person can do while they adjust to quitting smoking and getting through that craving period.