THE MYTH ABOUT EXCESSIVE WEIGHT GAIN
WHEN YOU QUIT SMOKING!
Most ex-smokers do not replace their nicotine habit with excessive snacking. That's a myth the Tobacco Institute loves to see perpetuated. Many smokers, especially women are afraid to quit for fear of gaining too much weight. To make sure you don't fall into the snacking habit, let's give you some common sense tips on avoidance:
1. I'm afraid I'll nibble and snack all day in place of smoking!
a. Carry sugarless gum or mints to use in place of candy and other high caloric sweets.
b. Keep celery and carrot sticks available to munch.
c. Drink tea, tomato juice, vegetable juices, unsweetened fruit juices or bouillon in place of high caloric soft drinks and colas.
d. Other low caloric snacks that you should keep available are tomato wedges, green red or yellow pepper strips, fresh mushrooms, broccoli or cauliflower bits, radishes, turnip slices and cucumber slices.
2. I get an urge to eat when I'm under stress. Those were the times I used to smoke!
a. Find other stress reducing activities ... walking or other forms of exercise and hobbies.*
* A good list of easy, stress reducing, life enhancing hobbies is listed in: "The Second Half Begins at 50" by Othniel J. Seiden M.D. and Jane L Bilett, Ph.D. ISBN: 0-9801941-1-3
b. Practice defensive food shopping. Don't stock up on high calorie, high sugar content, high-fat foods.
