Does quitting smoking make you fat? All you need to know

Does quitting smoking make you fat?

The answer is possibly that  Yes ,  quitting smoking tends to gain weight especially during approximately the first 3 months  due to the anxiety  that one suffers, although on some occasions the opposite may happen, but this cannot be an  excuse  to  quit smoking , since, smoking is much more harmful to health than the 2 or 3 extra kilos that can be gained. In fact, the scientific medical community has concluded in a study that about 5% of  smokers are reluctant  to quit smoking for  fear of gaining weight .

It should be noted that for the weight gain to be transitory, it is necessary to emphasize the  bad eating habits  that are acquired when quitting smoking, such as; eating fast or eating badly  (sweets, chocolates), caused by the anxiety caused by quitting smoking, as well as the  dependency syndrome  of each person.

You must bear in mind that tobacco does not bring you anything good and although you may get fat when you quit, it will be worth it, do not hesitate. To make the path easier for you, we have decided to give you the necessary guidelines to stop smoking and not gain weight . You can not miss it!

How does tobacco work?

The  nicotine component most addictive snuff,  works by decreasing appetite , so to quitting smoking, as well as anxiety or stress caused by the lack of such a substance, increase appetite, also the lack of nicotine enhances the sense of the taste and smell, which makes food more appreciated, eaten quickly, with anxiety,  causing the intake of foods with more calories and fewer nutrients . Even so,  there is no need to worry  about an increase in appetite, since it does not last for a long time, normally the appetite increases during the first month, then it gradually decreases until it returns to its normal state in a period of 3 months.

Nicotine increases the   body’s energy expenditure , so to counteract the lack of it, when quitting smoking a series of physical exercises must be carried  out constantly  and gradually in order to counteract the change that occurs in our organism.

Diet to quit smoking without gaining weight

Here exposed a  diet  to  help  to  quit smoking  and try not to gain weight, this diet is formulated by a week ‘s time, it is necessary and appropriate to continue this diet the least a month to control appetite. Then we can choose to do any diet that helps us lose weight , what is important is that we do not make a diet that excessively restricts the calories we contribute to our body, as this will lead to an increase in anxiety levels . There will be a rise in cortisol levels, a hormone that appears when our body is unable to resolve a situation, and this will contribute to our suffering from hunger attacks due to the anxiety of not smoking or the urge to eat compulsively to counteract the urge to smoke.

It is important  not to skip any meal , as that causes the next meal to be taken with more anxiety and therefore eat more and faster. You can make variations in the menu if you do not like any food, you must bear in mind that you must replace it with others from the same food group, such as emperor for tuna, spinach for chard, etc. Remember that you must adapt the menu to your tastes as far as possible maintaining a correct nutritional structure.

Tips for not gaining weight when you quit smoking

• Before facing the challenge, gradually incorporate into your diet, drinks or foods that worsen the taste of tobacco, such as fruit drinks, dairy products …, eliminate alcohol and avoid drinking caffeinated beverages as they intensify the taste of tobacco and they increase the attraction for it.
• Do not obsess over that you are going to increase your appetite and try to eat as little as possible, as it would cause increased nervousness and you could fail in the attempt to quit smoking.
• A diet must be followed, but not very restrictive and as orderly as possible, with five meals a day, without going hungry , but avoiding eating between meals and avoiding anxiety about eating . (Here we offer you how to avoid anxiety about eating, find out)
• Increase your water consumption along with your diet, at least 2 liters a day, you will moderate anxiety and purify toxins from the body.
• You can reward your efforts with a treat , such as two ounces of dark chocolate (70% cocoa) that will help you control anxiety.

Weekly guidance menu of the diet to stop smoking without gaining weight

• We offer you some small tips to avoid the rebound effect and get your weight to be maintained forever when you say goodbye to tobacco .