Smoking is a deadly habit. And not even a habit, but an ongoing addiction that arises on a psychological and physical level.
Many lovers of smoking and eventually deserved health problems decide to part with such a hobby. And they think about what to replace cigarettes with when you quit smoking.
Doctors advise replacing cigarettes when you quit smoking to distract yourself and relax.
Mark Twain said: "Quitting smoking is the easiest thing, I don't know, I've quit a thousand times! ".
For many, this becomes a serious addiction, only 5% manage to get rid of it on their own.
How to replace the desire to "increase".
There are many "folk" means to get rid of an unpleasant habit.
How to replace a cigarette when quitting smoking:
- Focus on business. Keep yourself busy: a favorite hobby or immerse yourself in your day-to-day work. The tactic drives away obsessive thoughts, and if the matter is interesting, get carried away and forget about tobacco. If the urge is strong, use a nicotine spray or patch to reduce cravings.
- Falling in love! Relationships that re-emerge renew a person. If a girl (or wife) does not smoke, this will serve as an example for you (with strong feelings). Try switching to an electronic cigarette.
- I wanted to smoke, do physical exercises (push-ups, walk in place, whatever you want). With fatigue or increased ventilation of the lungs, the body is cleaned, and you definitely do not want to smoke, we wish you one thing - to relax!
Enough fighting methods. Someone will be helped by one (e. g. chewing gum), and the other will have to use several, but he must approach the main goal of improving the quality of life.
Save the figure by tying it with tobacco
In the course of conducted studies, European scientists found that "already non-smokers" gain weight up to 4 kg per year after quitting addiction. Nicotine has a bad effect on human organs and speeds up metabolism in the body (due to nervous system excitement).
As soon as no more nicotine penetrates the interior, a lack of nicotine can be felt immediately. The body's systems behave abnormally during such a shock: pressure jumps, metabolism is disrupted, insulin levels and carbohydrate metabolism also change.
These reasons lead to "stress eating" (overeating) in many people. To give up a harmful lifestyle, engage in productive activities to drive away obsessive thoughts about tobacco dope.
Tips for breaking bad habits, improving your figure:
- Throw preferably during the holidays. Changing the environment where most of the environment is made up of smokers is a wonderful way out of this situation. Great if you are going to the seaside or live in the country for a short time.
- Fresh air, hiking, swimming will energize, positive emotions, help you understand that a cigarette is not your friend.
- Sport is the best medicine. Nordic walking, swimming, running! Yes, it will be difficult to walk at first, but if you do it, you will regain energy, vivacity and good mood.
- Replace cigarettes with "sucking" candy. There is an opinion: lollipops or "chupa-chups" are useful in a difficult "fight". Get carried away with less sweets (chocolate or lollipops), sweets have a bad effect on the figure!
- Along with other means, use "sucking" candy as a supportive means of quitting smoking. The chewing reflex reduces cravings: chewing gum helped someone, and a man helped the habit of chewing matches.
- There is no need to worry if bouts of overeating occur. These are temporary phenomena, be patient so you can live a productive, happy and healthy life afterwards. You can keep smoking to die earlier than your peers.
- With severe hunger, it makes more sense to eat vegetables and fruits, exclude salty and spicy foods, eat more fiber and dairy products.
- Go ahead, change your diet. Then you don't have to use artificial substitutes, and the craving to smoke will diminish, and your precious life will take on new bright colors!
How smoking affects a person's weight
How does smoking affect a person's weight? Nicotine, which causes addiction to cigarettes, is a central nervous system stimulant. A powerful drug that speeds up metabolism, constricts blood vessels and makes the heart beat faster.
One of the consequences of smoking habits is weight gain. After quitting smoking, the lack of nicotine slows down the metabolism.
This means that if you eat the same amount of food as before, you can get better. These processes are individual for each person.
Effects of cigarette smoking on metabolism
Nicotine directly increases metabolism, increases the calories burned by the body - at rest, with direct exposure.
Most people have a heart rate of up to 20 beats per minute immediately after smoking.
The body receives a stimulating effect, which leads to heart disease, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
When you quit smoking, the processes quickly return to normal activity. This problem occurs when smokers continue to eat heavily while smoking, as they used to.
Metabolism returns to normal, cannot cope with the number of calories - kilograms appear, which is why they complain that they quit smoking and become overweight.
The risk of gaining weight is nothing compared to breaking a bad habit. On average, a person gains 3-4 kg after quitting smoking.
Some may need more. Most return to normal weight after a year.
It is impossible to say how much each smoker will eventually gain in kilograms. It depends on gender, age, level of activity, diet and genetic predisposition.
Most people will lose excess weight as the body adjusts to life without nicotine. For others it will take effort. For some, gaining weight is a permanent condition.
Can you gain weight and why do you gain weight?
When a person quits smoking, the taste buds change, it seems that the food has become tastier. The desire to eat comes up more often.
Smoking, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day cost 200 calories, the equivalent of a sandwich or a glass of soda.
Many feel better because they are used to smoking cigarettes after eating. Now the cigarette is replaced by an increase in the volume of food.
You need to maintain your weight and not try to lose weight. There is a "withdrawal syndrome". Previously, under stress, a cigarette was smoked, now the brain asks to replace the cigarette with something else - food.
Nicotine hunger is similar to natural hunger, a person without realizing it eats anything that comes to mind. Treats replace cigarettes.
Anger, frustration, depression and stress are other withdrawal symptoms. This causes people to eat more than usual.
What are the Symptoms of Mental Smoking Addiction?
When you stop smoking or abstain from smoking for a long time, the following symptoms occur:
- desire to smoke. The desire to smoke occurs with severe stress, family problems, problems at work. A cigarette is perceived as synonymous with the word "relaxation" and sometimes to the end of life.
- mood swings. Without nicotine, the smoker is unable to control his feelings and emotions. He can genuinely laugh and cry the next minute. Symptoms become noticeable with prolonged abstinence or smoking cessation.
- suicidal thoughts. Not having a cigarette causes depression to the point of suicidal thoughts. It is most pronounced in women because of their psychotype. Tears, neurasthenia, despair, turning into a desire to die - all these symptoms are characteristic of ex-smokers going through the stage of smoking cessation.
- insomnia and sleep disorders. Insomnia occurs when the incessant inner feeling of anxiety and nervous tension arises. The lack of cigarettes does not allow you to fully relax, feel safe, be "in the house", so nervous tension accumulates and anxiety grows, which is especially noticeable at night, when a person is trying to relaxto relax. Sleep does not go because of sad or disturbing thoughts, nightmares are dreamed at night, the smoker wakes up constantly.