Many people believe that quitting smoking means gaining weight. On averagepeople gain 5 pounds when they quit. Some people gain more, some less. Some peoplehave no weight change after quitting smoking. Read on for some information abouthow to avoid gaining weight when you quit smoking.

Smoking can change your metabolism.Metabolism is the rate at which the body burnscalories.A faster metabolism can make it easierto keep weight down. Nicotine is a stimulant thatcan speed up your metabolism artificially.Whenyou quit smoking, your metabolism slows down,returning to its normal state, which could resultin weight gain.You can raise your metabolismnaturally by increasing your physicalactivities and eating healthy mealsand snacks.

You could find yourselfeating more. Becauseyou’ve just quit a hand-to-mouth habit, you could findyourself substituting food forcigarettes.That means that ifyou smoked, say, 20 cigarettesa day, you could be in trouble ifyou eat that many times a day. Trysubstituting a hand-to-mouth habit that is low incalories, like toothpicks, straws, carrot sticks, ordrinking bottled water.Also, many people findthey crave sweets more often after they quitsmoking. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, ortry sweets that are lower in fat, such as hardcandy, gum, or an apple.

Get out for a walk. Or run, or dance, or garden,or play with your dog or kids, or whatever youlike to do that’s active.Try the stairs if you can.Park further away from the store.Activity burnscalories. Check with your doctor if you’re notsure about what level of activity is best for you.

Drink water. Water fills you up, so you won’tbe hungry as often.Also, water flushes toxinsout of your body and helps you keep weight offnaturally.Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water aday (8 oz.). Using a water bottle will helpyou remember.

Eat only when you’re hungry. Before you eat,ask yourself if you’re actually hungry, or if you’rejust eating because the food is there, or becauseyou’re restless. Often when people quit smokingthey mistake nicotine cravings for hunger pangs.Is it a normal time for you to be hungry, or areyou just having a craving for a cigarette? If you’recraving a cigarette, get out those coping strategies.

Eat healthy. Avoid the temptationof fast food—it’s very high in fat

and calories. One fast foodmeal contains more fat gramsthan you need for the wholeday. Generally, avoid friedfoods and food like soups

and pastas that are loadedwith fattening cream sauce.

Stock up on low fat foods, andstick to the ones that you like and

will actually eat.

Make your meals interesting. Vary the foodsyou eat—don’t have the same old things all thetime.You can still eat foods from all of the foodgroups; just choose them with care. Milk and dairyproducts should be nonfat or very lowfat (1%). Formeats, make lean choices like turkey and chickenbreast. Be aware of how much oil you’re using;salads are great, but dressing can make the fatcalories skyrocket, so use them sparingly. Andstart strong—people who eat a healthy breakfastgenerally feel less hungry throughout the day.

Be patient with yourself. Weight control is alearned behavior—food habits and activitieshave developed over your lifetime. It may take awhile for your new eating habits to stick, butthey will become more natural with time. Doingwhat you can each day to give your body goodfood and a healthy dose of activity will help keepyour weight in check as you quit smoking.

Quitting Smoking Without Gaining Weight

QE18-12/06 ©2005 The Regents of the University of California.All rights reserved.This material was made possible by funds received from the TobaccoTax Health Protection Act of 1988—Proposition 99, through the California Department of Health Services, under contract #05-45834.

Many people believe that quitting smoking means gaining weight. On averagepeople gain 5 pounds when they quit. Some people gain more, some less. Some peoplehave no weight change after quitting smoking. Read on for some information abouthow to avoid gaining weight when you quit smoking.

Smoking can change your metabolism.Metabolism is the rate at which the body burnscalories.A faster metabolism can make it easierto keep weight down. Nicotine is a stimulant thatcan speed up your metabolism artificially.Whenyou quit smoking, your metabolism slows down,returning to its normal state, which could resultin weight gain.You can raise your metabolismnaturally by increasing your physicalactivities and eating healthy mealsand snacks.

You could find yourselfeating more. Becauseyou’ve just quit a hand-to-mouth habit, you could findyourself substituting food forcigarettes.That means that ifyou smoked, say, 20 cigarettesa day, you could be in trouble ifyou eat that many times a day. Trysubstituting a hand-to-mouth habit that is low incalories, like toothpicks, straws, carrot sticks, ordrinking bottled water.Also, many people findthey crave sweets more often after they quitsmoking. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, ortry sweets that are lower in fat, such as hardcandy, gum, or an apple.

Get out for a walk. Or run, or dance, or garden,or play with your dog or kids, or whatever youlike to do that’s active.Try the stairs if you can.Park further away from the store.Activity burnscalories. Check with your doctor if you’re notsure about what level of activity is best for you.

Drink water. Water fills you up, so you won’tbe hungry as often.Also, water flushes toxinsout of your body and helps you keep weight offnaturally.Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water aday (8 oz.). Using a water bottle will helpyou remember.

Eat only when you’re hungry. Before you eat,ask yourself if you’re actually hungry, or if you’rejust eating because the food is there, or becauseyou’re restless. Often when people quit smokingthey mistake nicotine cravings for hunger pangs.Is it a normal time for you to be hungry, or areyou just having a craving for a cigarette? If you’recraving a cigarette, get out those coping strategies.

Eat healthy. Avoid the temptationof fast food—it’s very high in fat

and calories. One fast foodmeal contains more fat gramsthan you need for the wholeday. Generally, avoid friedfoods and food like soups

and pastas that are loadedwith fattening cream sauce.

Stock up on low fat foods, andstick to the ones that you like and

will actually eat.

Make your meals interesting. Vary the foodsyou eat—don’t have the same old things all thetime.You can still eat foods from all of the foodgroups; just choose them with care. Milk and dairyproducts should be nonfat or very lowfat (1%). Formeats, make lean choices like turkey and chickenbreast. Be aware of how much oil you’re using;salads are great, but dressing can make the fatcalories skyrocket, so use them sparingly. Andstart strong—people who eat a healthy breakfastgenerally feel less hungry throughout the day.

Be patient with yourself. Weight control is alearned behavior—food habits and activitieshave developed over your lifetime. It may take awhile for your new eating habits to stick, butthey will become more natural with time. Doingwhat you can each day to give your body goodfood and a healthy dose of activity will help keepyour weight in check as you quit smoking.

Quitting Smoking Without Gaining Weight

QE18-1 /0

80© 2008 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. This material was made possible by funds received

from the California Department of Public Health, under contract #05-45834.

Many people believe that quitting smoking means gaining weight. On averagepeople gain 5 pounds when they quit. Some people gain more, some less. Some peoplehave no weight change after quitting smoking. Read on for some information abouthow to avoid gaining weight when you quit smoking.

Smoking can change your metabolism.Metabolism is the rate at which the body burnscalories.A faster metabolism can make it easierto keep weight down. Nicotine is a stimulant thatcan speed up your metabolism artificially.Whenyou quit smoking, your metabolism slows down,returning to its normal state, which could resultin weight gain.You can raise your metabolismnaturally by increasing your physicalactivities and eating healthy mealsand snacks.

You could find yourselfeating more. Becauseyou’ve just quit a hand-to-mouth habit, you could findyourself substituting food forcigarettes.That means that ifyou smoked, say, 20 cigarettesa day, you could be in trouble ifyou eat that many times a day. Trysubstituting a hand-to-mouth habit that is low incalories, like toothpicks, straws, carrot sticks, ordrinking bottled water.Also, many people findthey crave sweets more often after they quitsmoking. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, ortry sweets that are lower in fat, such as hardcandy, gum, or an apple.

Get out for a walk. Or run, or dance, or garden,or play with your dog or kids, or whatever youlike to do that’s active.Try the stairs if you can.Park further away from the store.Activity burnscalories. Check with your doctor if you’re notsure about what level of activity is best for you.

Drink water. Water fills you up, so you won’tbe hungry as often.Also, water flushes toxinsout of your body and helps you keep weight offnaturally.Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water aday (8 oz.). Using a water bottle will helpyou remember.

Eat only when you’re hungry. Before you eat,ask yourself if you’re actually hungry, or if you’rejust eating because the food is there, or becauseyou’re restless. Often when people quit smokingthey mistake nicotine cravings for hunger pangs.Is it a normal time for you to be hungry, or areyou just having a craving for a cigarette? If you’recraving a cigarette, get out those coping strategies.

Eat healthy. Avoid the temptationof fast food—it’s very high in fat

and calories. One fast foodmeal contains more fat gramsthan you need for the wholeday. Generally, avoid friedfoods and food like soups

and pastas that are loadedwith fattening cream sauce.

Stock up on low fat foods, andstick to the ones that you like and

will actually eat.

Make your meals interesting. Vary the foodsyou eat—don’t have the same old things all thetime.You can still eat foods from all of the foodgroups; just choose them with care. Milk and dairyproducts should be nonfat or very lowfat (1%). Formeats, make lean choices like turkey and chickenbreast. Be aware of how much oil you’re using;salads are great, but dressing can make the fatcalories skyrocket, so use them sparingly. Andstart strong—people who eat a healthy breakfastgenerally feel less hungry throughout the day.

Be patient with yourself. Weight control is alearned behavior—food habits and activitieshave developed over your lifetime. It may take awhile for your new eating habits to stick, butthey will become more natural with time. Doingwhat you can each day to give your body goodfood and a healthy dose of activity will help keepyour weight in check as you quit smoking.

Quitting Smoking Without Gaining Weight

QE18-12/06 ©2005 The Regents of the University of California.All rights reserved.This material was made possible by funds received from the TobaccoTax Health Protection Act of 1988—Proposition 99, through the California Department of Health Services, under contract #05-45834.

Many people believe that quitting smoking means gaining weight. On averagepeople gain 5 pounds when they quit. Some people gain more, some less. Some peoplehave no weight change after quitting smoking. Read on for some information abouthow to avoid gaining weight when you quit smoking.

Smoking can change your metabolism.Metabolism is the rate at which the body burnscalories.A faster metabolism can make it easierto keep weight down. Nicotine is a stimulant thatcan speed up your metabolism artificially.Whenyou quit smoking, your metabolism slows down,returning to its normal state, which could resultin weight gain.You can raise your metabolismnaturally by increasing your physicalactivities and eating healthy mealsand snacks.

You could find yourselfeating more. Becauseyou’ve just quit a hand-to-mouth habit, you could findyourself substituting food forcigarettes.That means that ifyou smoked, say, 20 cigarettesa day, you could be in trouble ifyou eat that many times a day. Trysubstituting a hand-to-mouth habit that is low incalories, like toothpicks, straws, carrot sticks, ordrinking bottled water.Also, many people findthey crave sweets more often after they quitsmoking. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, ortry sweets that are lower in fat, such as hardcandy, gum, or an apple.

Get out for a walk. Or run, or dance, or garden,or play with your dog or kids, or whatever youlike to do that’s active.Try the stairs if you can.Park further away from the store.Activity burnscalories. Check with your doctor if you’re notsure about what level of activity is best for you.

Drink water. Water fills you up, so you won’tbe hungry as often.Also, water flushes toxinsout of your body and helps you keep weight offnaturally.Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water aday (8 oz.). Using a water bottle will helpyou remember.

Eat only when you’re hungry. Before you eat,ask yourself if you’re actually hungry, or if you’rejust eating because the food is there, or becauseyou’re restless. Often when people quit smokingthey mistake nicotine cravings for hunger pangs.Is it a normal time for you to be hungry, or areyou just having a craving for a cigarette? If you’recraving a cigarette, get out those coping strategies.

Eat healthy. Avoid the temptationof fast food—it’s very high in fat

and calories. One fast foodmeal contains more fat gramsthan you need for the wholeday. Generally, avoid friedfoods and food like soups

and pastas that are loadedwith fattening cream sauce.

Stock up on low fat foods, andstick to the ones that you like and

will actually eat.

Make your meals interesting. Vary the foodsyou eat—don’t have the same old things all thetime.You can still eat foods from all of the foodgroups; just choose them with care. Milk and dairyproducts should be nonfat or very lowfat (1%). Formeats, make lean choices like turkey and chickenbreast. Be aware of how much oil you’re using;salads are great, but dressing can make the fatcalories skyrocket, so use them sparingly. Andstart strong—people who eat a healthy breakfastgenerally feel less hungry throughout the day.

Be patient with yourself. Weight control is alearned behavior—food habits and activitieshave developed over your lifetime. It may take awhile for your new eating habits to stick, butthey will become more natural with time. Doingwhat you can each day to give your body goodfood and a healthy dose of activity will help keepyour weight in check as you quit smoking.

Quitting Smoking Without Gaining Weight

QE18-1 /0

80© 2008 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. This material was made possible by funds received

from the California Department of Public Health, under contract #05-45834.