Reasons To Quit

Remember that it’s not about denying yourself something—it’s about feeding your body what it needs to be at its best. Healthy foods can not only help prevent weight gain, they can be delicious! ^1 2

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
• Plan your meals and a healthy snack so you don’t ever get really hungry. (It’s too easy to grab unhealthy foods when you’re hungry.)
• Come up with a list of healthy snacks that you enjoy (e.g., sunflower seeds, fruit, unbuttered popcorn, wholegrain crackers with cheese, celery stick with peanut butter).
• Drink plenty of water and limit drinks with calories like alcohol, sugary juices and sodas.
• Watch your portion sizes. The Healthy Eating Plate2 below can help you plan your portion sizes.

Aim to have half your dinner plate be fruits or vegetables, 1/4 of the plate be a lean protein (e.g., chicken, baked fish, chili) and 1/4 of the plate be a healthy carb like sweet potato or brown rice.

If you have a “sweet tooth,” limit dessert to once a day and limit the size of dessert (e.g., half cup of ice cream, half cup of nuts mixed with dried fruit & dark chocolate chips, 6 oz. Greek yogurt with 1 piece of fresh fruit, 2 squares of dark chocolate). Search the internet for “healthy dessert ideas.”

Physical activity, such as walking, gardening/yardwork, biking, dancing, lifting weights, shoveling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, helps you in many ways ¹:

• Reduces stress
• Helps improve your mood
• Helps to prevent you from gaining weight
• Keeps sugar levels down to prevent diabetes (or keep diabetes under control)
• Makes a body stronger
• Keeps your bones and joints healthier

Set a goal of adding 5 extra minutes of physical activity to what you already do each day until you reach an hour a day. Remember, physical activity can be anything that makes you move enough to work up a sweat.

The hand-to-mouth habit using tobacco—especially smoking—can be as tough to let go of as the tobacco itself. It’s tempting to replace the cigarette, e-cigarette or vaping pen with food to satisfy that hand-to-mouth habit. Some people who use tobacco find it helpful to chew on a straw or sugar-free gum, or do something new to occupy their hands.

Don’t let the worry of gaining a few extra pounds discourage you from quitting. By quitting you are not only taking steps to add years to your life, you improve your quality of life and keep the people around you safe from secondhand smoke. Don’t hesitate to talk with your health care provider if you are worried about weight gain.

Here are some additional resources on losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight:

CDC: Healthy Weight

CDC: Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight

Remember that it’s not about denying yourself something—it’s about feeding your body what it needs to be at its best. Healthy foods can not only help prevent weight gain, they can be delicious! ^1 2

• Children and babies have small lungs that are still growing. They have an even bigger risk from secondhand smoke poisons.
• When children breathe in smoke, it can cause health problems that stay with them their entire lives.
• These include problems like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, frequent ear infections and allergies.
• For adults who suffer from asthma, allergies or bronchitis, secondhand smoke makes symptoms even worse.
• Babies whose parents or caregivers smoke are twice as likely to die from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).
• Pets that breathe secondhand smoke have more allergies, cancer and lung problems than pets living in smoke-free homes.
• The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General

The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General