The Link Between Obesity and Smoking

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Obesity and smoking are both leading contributors to heart disease and a plethora of other health problems. Sometimes the only way to prevent long-term health risks is to completely change your lifestyle. For many people, this means they need to lose weight and quit smoking at the same time. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.

Many doctors advise their patients that they need to shed pounds and stop smoking to prevent heart disease and other ailments. The problem is that they don’t always give their patients much feedback on how to do so successfully.

By: M Hooper

Nicotine acts as an appetite suppressant. Additionally, a study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that smoking often increases lipid metabolism. Many people who give up smoking end up gaining weight when their appetite increases and their metabolism returns to normal. According to a poll by the Society for Behavioral Medicine, many women in their early 20s are reluctant to quit smoking for fear of gaining weight.

Although gaining weight is fairly common among people who are quitting smoking, there are ways around it. If you take the right steps, you can lose weight and give up smoking at the same time.

You can beat the odds and lose weight while quitting smoking. Here are a few tips to set you up for success.

Increased Physical Activity

Smokers enjoy the effects of increased lipid metabolism. However, they also tend to be less active than non-smokers. Studies have shown that people feel more energetic after they have stopped smoking for three days or longer.

The best way to lose weight is to start exercising more. Aerobic exercises will help you burn more calories during training. Building muscle mass will help you improve your long-term metabolic output, which will help you lose more weight over time as well.

Experts have found that many people are more likely to go back to smoking if they start gaining weight. According to the SBM study, nearly half of all women would go back to smoking if they gained weight. In order to reduce the likelihood, experts encouraged them to participate in body image therapy as well.

Body image counselors help people view their body and make changes to lose weight. The counseling is done in a constructive way to help people feel better about themselves. People who seek body image therapy are much more likely to lose weight than those who seek weight loss advice alone.

Make Better Dietary Choices

Changing the way you eat is a necessary for any diet. You will need to be even more cautious about what you eat after you quit smoking. Your appetite is likely to increase and you are probably going to want to much on foods you really shouldn’t be eating.
One of the most common changes for people who quit smoking is that their blood sugar levels will taper off. You are likely to suffer from cravings every few hours. You can keep these cravings down by snacking on foods with a low glycemic index. Fresh fruits, yogurts and celery are healthy foods that can help you keep your appetite in control or satisfy your psychological desire to eat.

Try Hypnotherapy

Many people have tried hypnosis to cure their substance abuse problems or lose weight. Many people have tried it with great success. Others didn’t find it helped as much; don’t expect it to be the perfect cure, but it might be worth trying at least.

Keep Your Spirits Up

Many people eat and smoke to cope with depression, anxieties or other emotional problems. Look out for your emotional well-being as much as possible. Doing so will lessen the risk that you will have a relapse.

Don’t hesitate to get support from your friends, family or a therapist when you are having a tough time. Neither quitting smoking nor losing weight is easy, so you might have an easier time if you don’t try doing it alone.

You Can Do It!

Far too many people continue smoking because they are worried about losing weight. Don’t make that mistake. There are a variety of ways to quit smoking and take off those pesky pounds at the same time.

Kalen Smith writes about fighting drug and alcohol abuse. He recognizes the dangers of all addictions, be they cigarettes or whatever else. Currently, he is researching the prescription addiction epidemic:  he advises reading the article “The Truly Addictive Power of Prescription Pills” for information on that.

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