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Quitting smoking and gaining weight as a
result of it are perhaps the most talked about issues among all the
smoking populace. You might have also thought about quitting cigarette
many a times in the past but the same fear of weight gain might have
held your hand tight and blocked your way.
One of the main hindrances in the quit smoking regime of many is the fear of
weight gain. This fear is not a fake one but there are reasons behind
it. It is very normal to gain some weight after you quit smoking. But
dont let it weaken your determination to stay away from cigarettes.
The point is that have you ever thought as to why do you gain weight when
you stop smoking? Well, the following are the reasons for it:
1) Smoking burns calories. In case of heavy smoker, smoking burns up to
200 calories a day.
2) As the calories are burnt, a person's metabolism is boosted slightly.
3) Nicotine is also an appetite suppressant. As such, you will gain
weight after quitting.
As cigarettes are appetite suppressants. One of the aftermaths of
quitting is that your appetite will increase which will make you acquire
some weight. Smokers light up a cigarette when others are snacking
between meals. We know that nicotine is a stimulant. It interferes with
the release of hormones and other signals that trigger feelings of
hunger. As a person quits smoking, it is very natural of him to look for
something so that he can fight off the urge to smoke. So, food is used
as a replacement to fill the gap arising out of your quitting. But, it
is only an emotional comfort and hence women are more susceptible to
return to smoking to avoid gaining weight. However, there are some
constructive ways of fighting weight gain:
1) Regular exercise You do not have to
go through rigorous exercise. A brisk walk around your neighborhood
will do wonders for your health. It will also help you fight the
cravings for smoke.
2) Avoid alcohol You should avoid alcohol
completely during this period. You should not increase your chances of
relapsing by drinking alcohol. This is because alcohol is high in
calories and it is an inducement to smoke.
3) Have patience You have to be good to yourself and look forward
to doing a thing at a time. You may fail in all the things if you
persist on doing many self-improvement projects all at the same time.
Just be patient about the fact that you can decrease your weight
gradually.
It is a normal thing to gain 5 to 10 pounds in the first few months of
quitting smoking. If you follow the above processes, you may stay in
track without gaining much of it. All the best!
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