HOW TO AVOID WEIGHT GAIN WHEN YOU STOP SMOKING

For information on how to reduce your health insurance premiums when you quit smoking, call our toll free number at 888-765-5400.  We offer health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) and under the Blue Advantage plan, you can qualify for a discount in your premium if you fall within their preferred guidelines.  To see if you qualify, contact our office for a rate quote and on-line application or visit our website www.nchealthplans.com.  The following article on  on “How to Avoid Weight Gain When you Quit Smoking” came from a post from the American Heart Association.

How to Avoid Weight Gain When Quitting Smoking

If you’re going to quit smoking, you need to know about situations that may tempt you to gain weight. There are some common situations and practical solutions for each. This information is based on the real-life experiences of many people.

For more information on health insurance coverage in North Carolina, please visit our website at www.nchealthplans.com or call our toll free number 888-765-5400 and speak with one of our qualified agents.  Our agency provides coverage for health insurance in North Carolina through Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).  You may qualify for a 15% healthy lifestyle discount if you are in excellent health.  Call us for details.

1. Have your spouse portion your food, or portion it yourself. Put away extra food so it’s hard to have second helpings.
2. Create ways to help you eat more slowly. For example,
   • Cut food into smaller pieces.
   • Put your fork down after each mouthful. Swallow all food from each bite before you fill your fork again.
   • Sip ice water often during your meal.
   • Gradually extend the time between each bite of food. Slow down and savor the taste and texture of your food.
   • Set a goal to be the last person finished. Eat only what’s on your plate and don’t have seconds.
3. Get up from the table as soon as you’re finished eating. Then find something to keep you busy and take your mind off food. For example, you might go for a walk.
4. Drink a beverage away from the table. That way you’ll change your setting and start a new habit. Another great idea is to save dessert and a beverage for a late-evening snack.
5. Substitute low-calorie fruit, plain cake or a cookie for a rich dessert. Low-fat or nonfat frozen yogurt makes a great dessert or snack, too.
6. Brush your teeth or eat an artificial sweetener as soon as you finish eating. This will be your signal to yourself that you’re through.

Situation – Oral Craving

Some people get strong urges to have something in their mouth. Often they want something to substitute for a cigarette. This can lead to frequent nibbling – usually of sweets.

Possible Solutions

1. Always carry sugarless gum and artificially sweetened mints. Try eating only one piece of candy at a time. To make it last as long as you can, let it melt in your mouth instead of chewing it.
2. Find things that keep your hands busy but don’t involve food. You might try creative crafts, home repairs or gardening. Even working crossword puzzles can be a good substitute.
3. When you’re at home, choose foods to nibble that require some work. For example, eat fruits that must be peeled. These foods will help keep your hands busy. Also, because these foods take more time to eat, you may eat less of them.

Situation – Evening Snack

Often people who used to smoke when they were relaxed turn to munching.

Possible Solutions

1. Substitute low-calorie food for cigarettes. Keep a variety of raw vegetables prepared and handy. Raw carrots or celery sticks, green pepper strips, fresh mushrooms, tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes, cauliflower buds, broccoli florets and cucumbers are good choices. You can marinate them or eat them with a low-calorie cottage cheese dip. You can also munch on plain or rye crackers, bread sticks, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn or dry cereal snacks. Rice cakes and new low-fat tortilla chips are good, too. Don’t eat too much of these items, though.
2. Control your environment. Store high-calorie snacks in the back of cupboards or the refrigerator, where they’re harder to see. Remove food from living areas, too. That way food won’t be so readily available if the urge to snack strikes. Place more suitable snacks in the front of cupboards and the refrigerator where you can easily see them.
3. Delay your snack. If you get an urge to eat something, wait a certain length of time (a few minutes at first) before eating. Slowly increase the amount of time between the urge to eat and having a snack.
4. Plan your snacks so you don’t get strong urges to eat. Better yet, save a portion of your meal and eat it as a snack later.
5. Substitute another activity when the urge to eat strikes. Control the urge to eat when you’re not truly hungry. Doing so will reduce your caloric intake, and you won’t feel deprived or hungry.
6. Portion your snack. Never take more than one serving at a time, and put the rest of the food away. Ask others not to offer you extra helpings.
7. Create situations in which you’re aware of eating. Some people snack without thinking about eating.
8. Alter your meal schedules. Moving your dinner to a later time may reduce your desire for a late-evening snack.

Situation – Activities or Certain Social Situations

Coffee breaks, cocktail parties, sporting events and other smoking-associated situations may be hard to deal with. You may overeat to avoid smoking. Try low-calorie drinks and flavored water. Bring your own low-calorie drinks and snack trays to special parties so you can maintain your eating plan.

Possible Solutions

1. If you-veonly recently quit smoking, avoid situations that tempt you. Instead of taking a coffee break, take a walk or read. And instead of sitting and watching a sport, do something that requires you to be more active. Exercise not only helps you avoid a difficult situation, but it also helps you burn calories.
2. Modify situations that tempt you. Have fat-free milk, fruit and vegetable juices, tea, low-calorie carbonated drinks or low-sodium bouillon during coffee breaks. Look for fruit in vending machines or the cafeteria, or bring it from home as a snack. Avoid high-fat foods like doughnuts.
3. Break the link between food and smoking. Don’t use food to replace cigarettes.
4. Beware of alcohol. Instead of drinking alcoholic beverages, drink juices, flavored sparkling waters or diet soft drinks. Drinking alcohol adds calories and may also reduce your resolve to avoid smoking.

The list of situations and solutions in this section is far from complete. However, the ideas are very practical. Eating is a habit you can alter in many ways. The important point to remember is that people can review their habits, pinpoint problems and plan how to deal with them.

Not all the ideas here will work for everyone. Test them to find out which ones work for you. If you find you’re gaining weight, use one of these tips then add another one each week.

Some people find that it helps to record their progress. You might also make a list of which ideas might work for you. Then note any problems you have. Knowing what your problems are is the first step in deciding how to solve them.

Self-talk is also helpful. Tell yourself you know you can stop smoking. Ask your friends and family to help you with your efforts.

Content from American Heart Association

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 9th, 2008 at 8:56 am and is filed under Health & Nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.