One of the most common excuses smokers use to avoid quitting is the fear of gaining weight.  This is a valid fear, because it does seem like many people who quit smoking put on a few pounds (and some put on a lot more than a few!).  Why is that?  And does it have to happen to everyone who quits smoking?

First, understand that nicotine is a stimulant, and as such it does increase your metabolism a wee bit.  Naturally, when you quit smoking and no longer ingest nicotine on a regular basis, your metabolism will slow down slightly.  However, when I say “slightly,” I really mean SLIGHTLY.  Not enough to make you balloon up to the size of a blimp.

Even better, the effect is temporary and there are simple steps you can take to help keep your weight in balance.

- Drink plenty of water.

Smokers are often dehydrated as it is, which makes your body hold tighter to the water it does have.  One good way to get your body to release excess water is to drink plenty of water!  As contradictory as it may sound, your body will easily let go of retained water when you keep yourself well-hydrated.  The general recommendation is 64 ounces per day, and more if you are overweight already.

- Clean up your diet.

The temptation to snack on sweet and salty foods when you quit smoking may be strong, but try to avoid doing so.  Instead lean more toward plenty of fruit and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats.  Instead of chips, try snacking on small amounts of nuts and seeds (because they are so packed with protein and fat, you don’t need more than an ounce or two at a time – way less than the entire bag of chips you would have gobbled).  Rather than candy, try some fresh or dried fruit.  Also avoid caffeine, alcohol and sugary soda pops. Read the rest of this entry

The desire to quit smoking is probably more prevalent these days, as the whole world is becoming more knowledgeable about the potential perils of this unhealthy habit. However, the quit smoking process can be so taxing and difficult that it takes its toll on even the most determined of individuals. Certain persons tend to relapse after just a few tries, while other people don’t even have the heart to try at all.

There currently exist various products available that can help you stop smoking, but some don’t work whereas others have a long list of potential side effects. In light of this, the majority of individuals don’t find appropriate help and sooner or later give up any efforts to kick the habit.

The ideal answer is the Quit Smoking Today program, a system created by Rob Mellor, a Neuro-Linguistic-Programming specialist, which is a specific psychotherapy discipline that studies nicotine addiction. In the paragraphs that follow, we will present some vital details about the  Quit Smoking Today approach for you to make an informed decision in terms of your fight to quit smoking.

This Quit Smoking Today method comes in the form of an mp3 audio file (length is approximately 38 minutes and 13 seconds). This program promises to enable you to discontinue smoking without going through any nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The author further claims that more than 90% of 5,000 test subjects totally quit smoking after using the Quit Smoking Today method. Additionally, he attests that the vast majority of of these test subjects were able to give up smoking within only 1 month after listening to his audio book only once, and the majority did not relapse after more than six months. Read the rest of this entry