The diet to follow when quitting smoking

Many smokers are afraid of putting on weight when they stop smoking. Yet it is perfectly possible to give up cigarettes without turning to food to compensate. Here is the kind of diet to adopt in order to avoid gaining weight when you quit.

Why do people gain weight when they stop smoking?

On average, a former smoker will gain 4.5 kg. Several factors are involved, but the main one is compensating with food, and above all with sugar. When a person stops smoking, the basal metabolic rate falls by 4 to 16 %, as does fat oxidation. Nicotine also acts on certain hormones linked to appetite, as well as on smell and taste, which become sharper again once the substance is gone.

Stopping smoking therefore calls for a rebalanced diet if weight gain is to be avoided. It is important to increase the intake of fibre and lean protein, and of nutrients as well. It also helps to spread the number of calories consumed across the day while limiting added sugars. Hydration plays a very important part too, as does adding some physical activity to your daily routine.

Dietary recommendations for avoiding weight gain after quitting

It is important to pair a source of protein with a source of fibre, for example one yoghurt with a piece of fresh fruit, or two slices of ham with two brown rice cakes. Do bear in mind that the protein should be lean, and at around 15 g per meal.

Fibre should be eaten at a rate of 25 to 30 g per day. It is found in fruit, in cooked or raw vegetables, in pasta and rice, in bread and in certain nuts. Do not neglect hydration either, which remains very important.

Finally, no diet works without some physical activity, however light. Strength training turns fat mass into muscle mass. Walking and cycling are also good ways of keeping your weight under control.