Healthy living starts when you become fully conscious of what you put in your body. That includes food and drinks, but also smoke. In fact, studies have shown that quitting smoking can lead to a greater life extension and the younger you take this decision, the more benefits you get (1). Yet, breaking a habit is not an easy thing to do, especially when your body has grown accustomed to nicotine. Many people who consider quitting smoking are also concerned about gaining weight in the process, and that hinders their decision. Let’s start with a straight answer: yes, when you decide to quit smoking, you might gain weight in the beginning because of various physiological reasons (2). Why? Simply put, interrupting your nicotine intake will increase your appetite and decrease your metabolism (3). However, despite the weight gain, quitting smoking is still beneficial in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (4) and unlocking a healthier life. Always remind yourself of the long-term health benefits that you will achieve from breaking this habit, and remember that your decision can inspire others, whether your spouse, children, relatives, colleagues, or even your students! The journey is long, but not impossible. To quit smoking, start by consulting with a specialist who will address your health concerns in this area. As a clinical dietitian, I also advise my patients to adopt a healthier diet coupled with physical exercises to help them avoid weight gain during the smoking cessation process. Here are some useful tips that will make things easier for you. • Break Personal Habits Stay away from places or situations that incite you to smoke. If you’re used to taking a smoking break at work or at home, start by reducing the number of times you do so. • Avoid smoking areas in restaurants and public places. • Stock Up on Healthy Snacks Always keep healthy snacks at your reach, whether at home or at work. These include: carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, celery sticks, dates, dried apricots, raw almonds, raw pecans, raw cashew, and pumpkin seeds, among others. • Move Choose an easy physical activity you can commit to practicing every day, whether it’s dancing, jogging, walking, yoga, meditation or any other activity you like. 10 minutes are enough to divert your focus from the urge of smoking. References: (1) Taylor, D. H., Hasselblad, V., Henley, J., Thun, M. J., & Sloan, F. A. (2002). Benefits of smoking cessation for longevity. Am J Public Health, Jun;92(6):990-6. (2) Aubin, H. J., Farley, A., Lycett, D., Lahmek, P., & Aveyard, P. (2012). Weight gain in smokers after quitting cigarettes: meta-analysis. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 345, e4439. (3) Harris, K.K., Zopey, M., Friedman, T.C. (2016). Metabolic effects of smoking cessation. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 12(11):684. (4) Wang, X., Qin, L. Q., Arafa, A., Eshak, E. S., Hu Y., Dong, J.Y. (2021). Smoking Cessation, Weight Gain, Cardiovascular Risk, and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-analysis. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 23 (12):1987–1994