Hi.

Quitting smoking is the absolute best thing that you can do. The health benefits are inumerable. No sense to lose weight just to get sick!! AND possibly die!!

I will tell you that I am by NO MEANS an expert, I have just read different articles on the subject.

Most people experience weight gain, but many gain only 5 or 10 lbs. This may be for two reasons:

1. smoking does add to your metabolism, but only so that you would burn maybe an extra 200 calories a day (i hope this stat is accurate, it has been a while since i read the article..i'll see if i can find it to quote it for sure, and I will try to get that posted for you.)

2. people tend to substitute food for cigarettes, especially quick and easy craving-killing junk foods.

There ARE ways to avoid it!!

1. keep ready-made snacks that you are able to eat on your plan. These may be a couple slices of cheese, grilled chicken strips, deviled eggs, celery with cream cheese, broccoli with some LC dip, etc...

2. get busy!! Burn some extra calories. Clean house for an hour and 15 mins and that is 200 calories. Take a walk around the neighborhood for an hour or so, the weather is getting nicer. An hour or so of walking at a light to moderate pace will burn 200 calories. Do the laundry, do an extra exercise at the gym or at home in your spare time.

Just to let you know, I had a friend that actually LOST 10lbs after quitting smoking. She was so worried about gaining weight that she started adding just little things into her daily routine. Even in increments of 5-10 minutes at a time. She got a lot of extra wind power that she never had before and found that she enjoyed exercising more. She lost it and never put it back on.

Good luck, and there is no time like the present to kick those cancer sticks!!

KC