Day 7
“Be attentive to nutrition. Your body is fashioned from earth, and from the earth’s harvest it draws well-being.”
-Steve Iig_
Many people fear the possibility of weight gain when they stop smoking. Now is the time to be aware of the extra food you may be allowing yourself in place of smoking. Too often, people who stop smoking focus on the feeling of being deprived and turn to food as a reward. While you can use food to deal with the urge to smoke, you must be very conscious of what you select and the calories involved. Good choices include:
- All the water you want. Flavor it with a twist of lemon or lime, if you like.
- Diet soda.
- Fresh fruit.
- Cut-up pieces of fresh vegetables. Carrot sticks, radishes, green beans, green peppers, broccoli, celery, and cucumbers are great. Prepare a large plateful to last a few days and keep it handy in your refrigerator.
- Raw vegetables are a great low-calorie snack when you’re watching television.
- Unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices.
- Any kind of bouillon. Add slices of fresh vegetables for variety.
- Skim milk, cottage cheese, and plain yogurt.
- Low-calorie crackers.
- Unshelled sunflower seeds are great when you want to keep your hands and mouth busy. You can’t eat too many — it takes too long to shell them!
It’s most important to guide your eating with common sense.
- Eat slower and get up from the table when finished.
- A sugar-free candy or mint can help to take the edge off your sweet tooth. Don’t forget cinnamon sticks, plastic straws, and toothpicks. Another good idea is to eat some fennel seeds. They are low in calories and refresh your breath.
Quitting smoking does not have to lead to weight gain. In the same way that you are choosing not to smoke, you also can choose not to eat the kinds of foods that will lead to weight gain.