### Proven Strategies to Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight Quitting smoking is a significant achievement, but many worry about gaining weight afterward. Here are some proven strategies to help you quit smoking without adding extra pounds: 1. **Pick a Date**: Choose a quit date a few weeks away to mentally prepare yourself. 2. **Address Eating Issues First**: If you have eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia, seek professional help before quitting smoking. 3. **Start or Keep Exercising**: Daily exercise (30 minutes, five days a week) can boost your metabolism and help combat weight gain. It also distracts you from cravings. 4. **Substitute Benefits**: Recognize the benefits you get from smoking (like relaxation) and find new activities that provide similar benefits. 5. **Watch Alcohol Intake**: Limit or eliminate alcohol to reduce the chance of a nicotine relapse and avoid empty calories. 6. **Trick Your Mouth and Hands**: Use mint-flavored floss, chew gum, or suck on hard candy to keep your mouth busy. Take up activities like knitting to keep your hands occupied. 7. **Clear It Out**: Remove all tobacco products, ashtrays, and lighters from your home to avoid temptation. 8. **Notice the Social Stigma**: Remind yourself of the negative social aspects of smoking to strengthen your resolve. 9. **Snack Smart**: Stock your fridge with low-fat, high-protein snacks like pretzels, carrots, yogurt, and string cheese. Avoid salty, sweet, and processed foods. 10. **Drink More Water**: Water or herbal teas can keep you hydrated, provide a sense of fullness, and help flush toxins from your body. 11. **Enlist Support**: Tell family and friends about your decision to quit and ask for their support. 12. **Focus Your Energy**: Avoid taking on new stressful projects while quitting smoking. Use significant events as motivation to stay smoke-free. 13. **Reduce Stress**: Learn self-relaxation techniques to manage withdrawal symptoms and emotional eating. 14. **Try Hypnosis**: Hypnosis can be an effective and quick way to stop smoking. 15. **Check Your Motivation**: Keep a list of reasons why you want to quit and refer to it when cravings hit. 16. **Use Nicotine Replacement Therapies**: Experiment with different therapies to find the most effective one for you. 17. **Employ the Power of Suggestion**: Write down positive affirmations like "I am a nonsmoker" before bed to reinforce your new behavior. 18. **Tap into Self-Control**: Convince yourself that you have control over smoking and believe in your ability to quit. 19. **Avoid Smokers and Smoking Environments**: Stay away from places where people smoke to break the habit. 20. **Reward Yourself**: Celebrate your milestones with rewards like a new lipstick, a weekend getaway, or sports equipment. By combining these strategies, you can successfully quit smoking and maintain a healthy weight.