Quitting smoking is the best decision you can make for yourself. It brings numerous benefits, but many smokers worry about gaining weight. It’s essential to focus on the health benefits and not on your weight.

The fear of (temporary) weight gain is unfortunately valid; half of the people who quit smoking gain 4 to 6 kilograms. While gaining weight may not be pleasant, it usually occurs only in the initial period. After the first three months, weight gain tends to decrease, after six months, your weight typically stabilizes. It’s important to accept that some weight gain is likely and to go on a diet while quitting smoking.

Why do you gain weight when you quit smoking?

  • Increase appetite. Nicotine intake from smoking suppresses appetite.
  • Lower metabolism. Smoking boosts metabolism, resulting in extra energy burning of approximately 140 to 200 calories per day. When you quit smoking, you miss out on this additional calorie burn. For instance, if you smoked twenty cigarettes per day, the lower metabolism in the first month could lead to gaining around one and a half kilograms.
  • Changed eating habits. Many smokers alter their eating patterns when they quit. Instead of a cigarette, they put something tasty in their mouth, especially cookies, candies, and snacks, even after the withdrawal period. The extra cookie becomes a habit. Additionally, you may taste your food better after quitting smoking, making everything taste more delicious, and you may end up eating more. On average, this amounts to 200 to 400 calories per day, resulting in a weight increase of 3.5 to 4.5 kilograms in a month.

Tips for weight management:

  • Avoid adopting bad eating habits, such as excessive snacking. Pay more attention to your nutrition.
  • During the first 7 days after quitting, you’re most susceptible to extra snacking due to withdrawal symptoms. Try not to give in to it, but also don’t eat too little.
  • Plan your meal times and snacks. Have fixed eating schedules.
  • Opt for healthy snacks like fruits, yogurt, quark, carrouts, cucumbers or breakfast cake.
  • Choose foods rich in fiber as they provide a feeling of fullness.
  • Replace a smoking moment with a drink of water, not food.
  • Reward yourself for not smoking with something like a new book or a night out, not with food.
  • Try to get some extra exercise. It doesn’t have to be intense exercise. Cycling to work or taking a walk after dinner can be beneficial. A 30-minute walk can burn 200 kilocalories.
  • Find distractions and avoid stressful situations that trigger overeating. Engage in activities to divert your attention, such as ironing, taking a bath, calling a friend, walking the dog, drinking a glass of water or brushing your teeth. Keep yourself occupied and consider picking up a new hobby.
  • Celebrate your achievements and if you slip up, don’t be discouraged; continue where you left off.
  • Avoid weighing yourself every day; instead, do it once a week and mentally prepare yourself for possible weight gain in the first months. If your weight stays the same, that’s a bonus.

Below are some thoughts to help you stay positive when you momentarily forget how far you’ve come!

  • I notice that I can breathe better now.
  • I feel fitter when I wake up in the morning.
  • My surroundings are now smoke-free too.
  • My lungs are already starting to heal.
  • My teeth are getting whiter.
  • My skin looks fresher.
  • I set a good example.
  • Every day that I remain smoke-free counts.
  • Smoking a cigarette won’t solve any problems.
  • I can use the money I save for enjoyable things.
  • I want to be smoke-free; I am in control, not the cigarette.
  • My family and friends are proud of me. And rightfully so!

Finding it challenging to think positively? Take a look at this blog: Breaking Free from Negative Thought Patterns.

It’s crucial that you stop smoking completely after you quit. Taking occasional puffs will make it difficult for yourself. What can you do to reward and relax yourself in ways other than smoking a cigarette?

You can plan in advance how you will reward yourself and which relaxing activities you will engage in. Reward yourself frequently and generously for not smoking, especially in the beginning.

Here are some ideas:

  • Give yourself compliments often; others may not realize how challenging quitting is for you.
  • Take a walk; it brings peace and allows you to take a break.
  • Exercise; it’s good for your fitness and boosts your confidence. 
  • When you find it difficult, go to a place where smoking is not allowed, such as the cinema, swimming pool, sauna, library or visit a non-smoker friend. 
  • Treat yourself to occasional gifts or save up for a bigger reward, such as:
    • A magazine or a good book
    • New shoes 
    • A fun outing with family 
    • A vacation

 

Need more tips for relaxation? The NiceDay blog has several articles about relaxation. Check out the following articles, for example:

Withdrawal Symptoms

Some people who quit smoking experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms, while others may not notice anything. Below are common symptoms mentioned along with how to deal with them. Being aware of what to expect will better prepare you for them.

Symptom Reason What to do about it?
Craving a cigarette The brain craves nicotine
  • Drink a glass of water
  • Take a few deep breaths
  • Go for a walk
  • Call a friend or family member
  • Use nicotine replacements or medication
  • Adjust your (morning) routine
  • Remember: cravings are strongest in the first days after quitting
Coughing, dry mouth The tar is being cleared from the lungs
  • Hot drinks can help
  • Note: it usually lasts only a few weeks
Increased hunger Metabolism changes, and food tastes (and smells) better after quitting
  • Eat healthy snacks
  • Consume plenty of vegetables and fruits
  • Drink lots of water
  • Chewing gum can help
Constipation The body is recovering and seeking a new balance without nicotine
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Eat vegetables, fruits and fiber-rich foods
Insomnia The body is adjusting to reduce nicotine presence
  • Try reducing coffee and tea intake
  • Fresh air and exercise can help
  • Note: this usually lasts only 2 to 3 weeks
Dizziness More oxygen reaches the brain instead of carbon monoxide
  • Note: it will usually disappear after a few days
Moodiness, reduced concentration, and irritability These are typical nicotine withdrawals and symptoms
  • Alert family and friends and ask for their support
  • Take time to relax
  • Discuss problems with a trusted person if needed
  • Ensure you get enough sleep
  • Note: these symptoms typically disappear after 4 weeks

Your body undergoes a withdrawal process when you quit smoking. It works hard to cleanse itself. What does quitting give you in return?

After 20 minutes

  • Blood pressure and heart rate return to normal.
  • Improved blood circulation, especially in your hands and feet.

After 8 hours

  • Oxygen levels in your blood normalize.
  • The risk of a heart attack decreases.

After 24 hours

  • Carbon monoxide is now out of your body.
  • Your lungs start clearing tar, mucus, and other smoking residues.

After 48 hours

  • Your body is now free of nicotine from tobacco!
  • Have you noticed an improvement in your sense of smell and taste?

After 72 hours

  • Breathing becomes easier.
  • Your energy levels increase.

After 2-12 weeks

  • Blood circulation is improved throughout the whole body.
  • Walking and exercising becomes easier.

After 3-9 months

  • Breathing problems, coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing are reduced.
  • Lung capacity has increased by 5-10%.

After 5 years

  • The risk of a heart attack is now half of what a smoker faces.

After 10 years

  • The risk of lung cancer is now half compared to a smoker.
  • The risk of a heart attack is now the same as someone who has never smoked.

And what else does it bring?

  • You’ll look much better: your complexion becomes fresher, your teeth become whiter, and your hair becomes fuller and shinier.
  • You’ll sound better: your voice will recover.
  • Your home becomes a more pleasant place to live: it smells fresher and looks cleaner.
  • You save money!

To prepare for quitting smoking, it’s good to complete the following two assignments. These can support you during moments when you crave a cigarette or find it difficult to quit.

Assignment 1: What to do when you crave?

Create a list of several things you could do when you crave a cigarette.
For example, consider taking a walk, tidying up something, calling someone, drinking a glass of water or peeling a mandarin.
It’s very motivating to add your own ideas to the list. Feel free to make the list as long as you want so that you always have something to rely on during difficult moments.

Assignment 2: Create an empowering thought for yourself

Formulate an empowering thought that can help you during challenging times or when you experience cravings.
For example: “I want to feel freer”, “I want to breathe better”, “I want to be among non-smokers” or “Every day, I choose to be somer-free today.” For more ideas, you can refer to the section “What can you think of in difficult situations?”

There are various proven effective aids available to quit smoking. The likelihood of succeeding in your quit attempt is two to four times higher with the use of these aids. The most successful way to quit is behavioural support, such as coaching or guidance, combined with an aid.

These aids can be divided into nicotine replacements and prescription medications.

Nicotine replacements

These include nicotine patches, nicotine gums and nicotine lozenges. Nicotine replacements help combat physical withdrawal symptoms by providing a steady amount of nicotine throughout the day. However, these aids are much less harmful than a cigarette because you nog longer inhale tar, carbon monoxide, cyanide and other toxic substances. They come in various strengths, and your coach, guide or doctor can recommend the right strength for you. The use of nicotine replacements is temporary, usually 8 to 10 weeks.

Prescription medications

These include Zyban and Champix. Both medications act on the brain in their own way, similar to nicotine. They prevent cravings for nicotine and support behavioral changes. The use of these medications is also temporary, usually 10 to 12 weeks. Your body will assess whether these medications are suitable for you when prescribing them.

An overview of all aids can be found on the website of Smoke-free! You too?: https://www.rookvrijookjij.nl/stoppen-met-roken/hulpmiddelen-stoppen-met-roken 

When you have ADHD, it can be more challenging to process stimuli and information effectively (read more about this in the ADHD model). As a result, you may unconsciously make incorrect choices because you have inaccurately estimated things. This can lead to stress, frustration, and a sense of failure. To reduce these feelings, it can be helpful to focus on unhelpful thoughts and develop or expand skills. This article discusses the themes of self-assessment, time estimation, and task estimation. You will learn about each theme, common thoughts associated with them, and examples of how to approach them differently.

Self-assessment

When you have ADHD, it is more difficult to make a realistic assessment of your abilities. For example, you may underestimate or overestimate yourself, or misunderstand how your symptoms can affect you. Here are some examples:

  • You overestimate your ability to manage distractions or take insufficient measures to deal with them.
    Thought: “If I try hard, I can ignore my phone.”
    Change: Turn off your phone and place it in another room.
  • You overestimate your memory, thinking you can remember things without aids.
    Thought: “This is important, I’ll surely remember it.”
    Change: Set alarms for important matters.
  • You overestimate the time needed to complete a particular task.
    Thought: “I still have time to do this task later.”
    Change: Do the task immediately or schedule it for later.
  • You overestimate your own accuracy or thoroughness.
    Thought: “I feel like I’ve covered everything and I’m done.”
    Change: Use a checklist to avoid forgetting anything.
  • You overestimate your control over your own behavior.
    Thought: “I’ll just scroll on social media for fifteen minutes.”
    Change: Set a timer for 15 minutes.

Time estimation

Time estimation involves making a realistic assessment of the time needed to complete a task. If you don’t do this well, it can lead to procrastination, overestimating the number of achievable tasks, or the time required for individual tasks. Here are some examples:

  • You don’t give enough thought to time estimation and planning.
    Thought: “I feel like I know how long this task will take.”
    Change: Take one minute per task to estimate how long you think it will take.
  • You forget to include the startup and wrap-up time of tasks in your planning.
    Thought: “This is a simple task, it won’t take long.”
    Change: Consider if the task requires preparation or follow-up time.
  • You don’t allocate enough time or jump too frequently between tasks.
    Thought: “I’m in the flow right now, so I might as well tackle this too.”
    Change: Consider how it fits into your schedule and potentially schedule it for later.
  • You don’t account for setbacks, resulting in lost time.
    Thought: “If I try hard, I can finish this in an hour.”
    Change: Schedule extra time to be on the safe side.
  • You want to use time efficiently and productively, even though sometimes waiting can provide peace.
    Thought: “I’d better be productive than sitting idle and doing nothing.”
    Change: Schedule breaks and stick to them.

Task estimation

Lastly, task estimation involves prioritizing and executing tasks. If you find this challenging, you may procrastinate on tasks that are difficult or uninteresting, or rush through easy tasks. This usually doesn’t benefit your planning or the quality of your tasks. Here are some examples:

  • You find it difficult to perform boring tasks.
    Thought: “I’d rather do something else.”
    Change: Reward yourself once you’ve completed the task.
  • You postpone tasks due to a lack of interest or motivation, making it even harder to start them.
    Thought: “I’ll do this when I feel more motivated.”
    Change: Do the task immediately to get it done.
  • You find tasks pointless, which makes it harder to execute them, even though they may be useful.
    Thought: “Why should anyone do this!?”
    Change: Consider the purpose or discuss the significance of the task.
  • You find tasks complicated or too big, believing they are impossible to accomplish.
    Thought: “This is too difficult for me!”
    Change: Break the task into smaller parts or ask for help.
  • You struggle to understand what is expected of you when tasks are vague or unclear, leading to procrastination.
    Thought: “If I don’t understand it, I can’t start.”
    Change: First, identify the steps involved in the task or ask for clarification.
  • You often use circumstances as a reason to postpone a task.
    Thought: “My concentration isn’t great today. I’ll try again tomorrow.”
    Change: Only tackle easier tasks or schedule difficult tasks for more suitable moments.

Source

  • Vink, S. (2021). Cognitieve gedragstherapie bij volwassenen met AD(H)D. Handleiding voor therapeuten. BSL.

In the ADHD model, you can read about how sensory processing plays a role in symptoms such as attention deficit, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. When you’re overstimulated, you feel overwhelmed by the amount of sensory input and struggle to process new stimuli. Overstimulation can manifest in various ways, including in thinking, emotional, behavioural, and physical sensations. It can also be recognized through the reactions of others to, for example, your hyperactivity or mistakes you may make.

If you frequently experience overstimulation, it’s important to focus on reducing or moderating sensory input to alleviate your symptoms. This is known as sensory reduction and is a crucial component of ADHD treatment.

In NiceDay, you can add the Overstimulated tracker. (Press ‘+’ and press the cogwheel ⚙️)
This is a ready-to-use tracker that allows you to monitor the intensity of overstimulation along with examples of symptoms. By doing so, you can track the symptoms you experience when you feel overstimulated. This helps create a clear overview, enabling you to better recognize signs of overstimulation and intervene earlier.
For example, you can work with your therapist to create a visually appealing overview on paper or a digital whiteboard using a thermometer or traffic light format.

 

 

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What is ADHD?

ADHD is characterized by attention deficit, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and is partly caused by differences in development, brain structure, and activity patterns in the brain. If you have ADHD, the ‘filter’ for stimuli from the environment doesn’t work as well. This means that many more stimuli enter and are processed by the brain. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain focus and can lead to restlessness or hyperactivity. In many cases, the symptoms will never completely disappear and require careful monitoring and management. Read more information about ADHD here.

For loved ones, it can be unsettling or even frustrating when someone is experiencing ADHD symptoms. Someone with ADHD may appear disorganized or restless, forget tasks or time, lose things, and make impulsive decisions. It is important to realize that they are not doing it on purpose.

What can you do if your loved one is experiencing ADHD?

  • Accept that your loved one finds it just as frustrating as you do when their symptoms hinder them. Getting angry won’t be helpful.
  • Encourage your loved one when you notice they express insecurity or underestimate themselves. People with ADHD often underestimate their abilities or the time it requires to do certain tasks.
  • Be aware that your loved one may exhibit chaotic behaviour. You can help with planning, structure, regularity, and reminders.
  • It helps to help your loved one become aware of overstimulation. For example, if they become more hyperactive, easily irritated, or struggle with overview or planning. As a loved one, you can help by remaining calm and assisting in expressing the emotions they are feeling.
  • Help your loved one reduce stimuli by encouraging breaks or reducing distractions. In the case of overstimulation, it may also help to temporarily leave the situation.
  • Assist your loved one with relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga to reduce tension and prevent overstimulation. Additionally, ensure they have a regular sleep schedule.
  • When faced with impulsive choices, try to remain calm and explore the underlying reasons for the impulsive behaviour. Ask calmly about the reason and set clear boundaries. Realize that impulsive choices can sometimes turn out well. Taking risks or doing something impulsive can sometimes lead to particularly positive outcomes.
  • If your loved one talks a lot or frequently interrupts, try to explain how it makes you feel. It can help to establish agreements about your communication.
  • If it becomes overwhelming, step away from the situation. It’s important to take care of yourself and get enough rest.

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