div style=clear:both;/divpAre you considering giving up smoking but are worried that you will gain weight as a result? The fact is that even if you do put on a few pounds when you quit smoking, the health benefits of smoking cessation far outweigh the extra few pounds that you may gain./ppThere are several reasons why you may tend to gain weight when you stop smoking./ppolliUnfortunately, nicotine is an appetite suppressant. Research suggests that since nicotine is a stimulant, it interferes with the release of insulin in the body. Insulin controls the glucose levels in the blood, and sends hunger signals to the brain. Because of nicotine's interference with the release of insulin, the body registers a decrease in hunger signals. Since the appetite is suppressed, less food is usually consumed./liliResearch also suggests that nicotine increases metabolism and maintains this higher rate of metabolism. This increased metabolism means that more calories are being burned by smokers than by non smokers, for the same quantity of food consumed./liliThe act of smoking burns calories. Research puts it between 150 to 300 calories per day./liliWhen you stop smoking, you lose these weight loss advantages. So if you eat the same quantity and maintain the same level of activity, you will gain weight./liliYou may tend to look for a substitute for the cigarette you were continually putting to your mouth. These substitutes add up to more calories./li/ol/ppHowever the outlook is not as bleak as it may seem./ppYes you may be eating more, but because you have given up an unhealthy habit, you may be encouraged to eat a healthier diet. Don't munch on chips or chocolate bars. Try crunchy veggies with dip, some fruit or a granola bar. That way you can satisfy your need to put something in your mouth without a huge increase in calories./ppYou will also find quite quickly that you feel better and have more energy. Take advantage of these good feelings and join the gym (hint- use the money you're saving from not buying cigarettes), sign up for a sport, or just get out there and walk. You'll bump your metabolism up the healthy way./ppThe bottom line is that even if you do gain some weight, you will be healthier with a few extra pounds than by staying slim but smoking. And just because you gain a few pounds doesn't mean that you can't lose them. You use a lot of willpower to successfully quit smoking, so you can use this same willpower to help you lose some weight down the road. You'll be adjusting your lifestyle for some time after smoking cessation, and getting to and maintaining a weight you are happy with is a part of this lifestyle adjustment./pdiv style=clear:both;/divdiv style=clear:both;/divdiv style=clear:both;/divdiv style=clear:both;/divpQuitting may not be easy. Learn more about a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://stopsmoking-tips.com/Herbal-Smoking-Cessation.htmlherbal smoking cessation/a which can help ease some of the symptoms of quitting the tobacco habit./ppGet stop smoking tips at a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://www.stopsmoking-tips.comhttp://www.stopsmoking-tips.com/a/pdiv style=clear:both;/divpArticle Source: a rel=nofollow target=_blank href=http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Langloishttp://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Langlois/a/p