KICK NICOTINE , & WEIGHT

Nutritionist Neesha Bukht tells how to keep the kilos off when you quit smoking

  Vanity, in more cases than addiction, stops people from kicking the butt. Many people are afraid that they will put on weight if they stop smoking. But this need not be your excuse to stay addicted, says nutritionist Neesha Bukht. You can keep your figure and health if only you plan your Quit Smoking operation wisely.
    There are several reasons why smoking keeps your weight down: 1) It raises metabolism rate slightly and heavy smokers burn up to 200 calories a day. 2) Nicotine kills hunger as smokers replace snacks with cigs. When you are trying to quit, you turn to snacking not only for emotional support, it also eases the oral fixation. 3) Some studies have shown that nicotine could interfere with the release of insulin. The hormone controls glucose levels in the blood. When nicotine is withdrawn, a person will become slightly hyperglycaemic, and the body and brain may slow down the hormones and other signals that trigger feelings of hunger.
    On an average, most people gain three to five kilos after quitting. This can be avoided by a few simple lifestyle changes.
PICK THE RIGHT DAY TO QUIT: Try giving up at a time when you aren't stressed. Stress increases your urge to smoke and if you resist that, you will probably take comfort in food. Also, try to not quit during the festive season as that's when you will be even more tempted to give into high-fat, sugary treats.
BEAT WATER-RETENTION:
When your body is hooked on nicotine, its acidic balance is disturbed. When you give up, it stores water. Contradictory to how it sounds, drinking plenty of water will help eliminate excess water build up. If your body is assured that it will be given a constant supply of water, it will no longer hold on to water. Increase your water intake by one litre a day and even more if you are already overweight.
AVOID ALCOHOL: Alcohol contains empty calories and usually serves as a trigger to smoke.
START EXERCISING BEFORE YOU QUIT:
You need at least a half hour of exercise, five days a week. It doesn't have to be a high intensity aerobic workout — a brisk 30 minute will do. You can even break it into shorter sessions. Once you actually quit smoking, you may need more than 30 minutes of exercise. A work-out is also a great way to beat cravings. If you're itching for a smoke, get out for a walk. It will also reduce stress, which triggers smoking.
WORK ON YOUR FOOD HABITS: Change your eating habits gradually; anything drastic can add to the existing stress. Healthy snacks and light munchies is just what you need when you crave a smoke. Lean on cucumber and carrot sticks, fat-free popcorn, fruits, buttermilk, fat free yoghurt, herbal teas, hot cocoa with skimmed milk, puffed rice, bread sticks and sugarless chewing gum.
AVOID CAFFEINE: Avoid excessive drinking of coffee, tea and sodas. Nicotine withdrawal will make
    you jittery and nervous,
    and the caffeine will only
    make nicotine withdrawal
    worse. Also turn away
    from sugar and unhealthy
    starches. If you feel you
    must have sweets, go for
    sugarless and fat-free ones.
TAKE ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME: People who quit smoking often decide it's time to clean up other areas of their lives as well. If you have too many self-improvement projects at once, you run the risk of failing at all of them. Deal with one problem area at a time.
DON'T SWEAT IT: Don't step on the scale while you're still suffering withdrawal symptoms. The extra kilos (which you will eventually lose) might weaken your resolve. Keep affirming that you be much healthier in the long run. — CO-ORDINATED BY KIRAN MEHTA (NEESHA MARIA BUKHT IS A REGISTERED DIETICIAN AND ISSA TRAINER ATTACHED TO TALWALKARS,BANDRA)

CASE STUDY
    Since I was past 40, I knew I would be prone to putting on weight when I quit smoking as my metabolism was slowing down. I used to do six days of weight training.To keep the weight off, I started mixing two days of cardio with four days of weight training. I followed this routine for several weeks before I quit smoking to get attuned to it.
    I also cut out carbohydrates, increased my protein intake and tried to avoid sugar. Despite this, I did put on about four kilos initially, but I did not go back to smoking. Every time I craved a cigarette and knew that I was likely to binge on something unhealthy, I would instantly head for a glass of warm water.This kept me feeling full.Also, I realised I did not crave a cigarette much as I was getting high on my work-outs! A few months later, I lost the four kilos and am back to my ideal weight.
— Sunil Prabhakar, 45, sales and
    marketing professional