Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessarily Stop Tobacco that makes you fat, but the eating errors that accompany it.
Two reasons to gain weight when quitting smoking!
Nicotine is directly involved in weight gain when you quit smoking. It increases the energy expenditure of the basal metabolism, and decreases appetite through its action on brain receptors. Stopping smoking therefore promotes weight gain, by increasing appetite and reducing energy expenditure (for the same level of activity). This is even more so as the improvement in taste and smell observed as soon as you quit smoking, promotes the pleasures of the table and the search for lost flavors.

The anxiety generated by addiction logically encourages snacking, to compensate for the feeling of unease. This snacking will only increase caloric intake, especially since they are generally unbalanced in terms of their composition, given the attraction of sugary, chocolatey, and / or too fatty foods.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not necessarily quitting smoking that makes you fat, but the eating errors that accompany it. On the other hand, this weight gain is not inevitable, since 1/3 of former smokers do not gain weight when they stop intoxication.

Role of nicotine substitutes
They can prevent weight gain by reducing the feeling of hunger and the need to snack because they suppress addiction, prevent cravings and anxiety. Oral intake (lozenges, chewing gum) can also help fight cravings. They can therefore help overcome the transient increase in appetite in the first month.

Is sport a cure?
Yes: if you have a particular taste for sport. Sport helps relieve stress and improves tolerance of withdrawal syndrome. The energy expenditure induced by activity helps prevent weight gain. Stopping smoking will induce in the following weeks, an improvement in tolerance to exercise and often a real improvement in performance. But this improvement is not immediate, and the harmful effects of tobacco intoxication remain present, exposing them to latent cardiac risks (ischemia, angina, arrhythmia). This is the reason why it is strongly recommended to perform a stress test after 40 years, when returning to sport or increasing activity.

No: if you weren’t athletic before. Quitting smoking isn’t going to make you sporty. Don’t force yourself into an unattractive new activity that will only increase your stress and discomfort. An alternative is physical activity: walking, cycling, etc. Each time you use public transport or your car, ask yourself the question “can I go there on foot or by bike?” “.

How to structure your meals?
Breakfasts
Breakfasts must be “complete”, combining a drink (tea, coffee, chicory), a dairy product, a cereal product (bread, rusk), fruit or juice, butter, compote or jam. For savory enthusiasts, DD ham or a little cheese are recommended alternatives.

Lunches and dinners
Limit (without prohibiting yourself) pastries, pastries, sauces, fried foods, breadcrumbs, and alcohol. For outdoor meals, avoid catering and prefer a balanced sandwich. Each meal must include a combination of a protein ration (meat, fish, egg, ham), vegetables, and starches 1 / day (bread, rice, potato, dough). Contrary to some preconceived ideas, there is no point in increasing protein foods, nor in refraining from starchy foods that help induce satiety.

What to do in case of a craving?
A simple drink can be enough to suppress hunger. A piping hot soup quickly makes you feel full, and can be helpful especially with late afternoon cravings while waiting for dinner. Drink pure water as much as you want. To do this, have the reflex of a water bottle always at hand. Flavored waters are an alternative, but beware of some of them that are too sweet and too energetic. Some herbal teas provide relaxing properties (verbena, valerian, lime blossom).

Tea or coffee will be consumed in moderation! Don’t add an extra stimulus. A more substantial snack is still possible, while keeping a low caloric intake: This is the case with cottage cheese, plain yogurts (sweeten them yourself), fruit. Prefer apple or pear, and avoid bananas, citrus fruits, grapes.

TEN ESSENTIAL RULES:
01> Keep “real” structured meals at the 4 meals.
02> Don’t skip meals.
03> Introduce a snack if necessary: ​​Better to have a balanced snack than to want to deprive yourself and risk snacking between meals.
04> Limit: pastries, pastries, sauces, fried foods, breadcrumbs, alcohol (2 glasses / day).
05> Always have a bottle of water handy.
06> Unlimited green vegetables!
07> Munchies or anxiety: water, fruit, dairy product!
08> Don’t be too strict! Paying attention to your diet should not drift on a more or less severe diet, with in any case dietary restrictions causing additional frustrations on top of the lack of tobacco.
09> Stay very active! Inactivity coupled with the discomfort of addiction is the ideal path to snacking. Being active allows you to focus on another center of interest, and thus overcome the very fleeting sensation of hunger, or the urge to smoke.
10> In case of difficulty, contact a health professional: Dieticians, Doctors, Tobacco specialists …