Need healthy eating tips!
Hi Guys,
I am trying to quit for the first time. It is day 2 and so far I have only given in once (I am quite proud)However, my appetite has gone crazy!!
I never realised how much smoking suppressed my eating until now!
I am constantly starving! what are some good foods to eat (At the moment i am scoffing down anything I can get my hands on)
Cheese and crackers can be had daily as one serve of dairy with some carbohydrates. This has been found to be good for stress. Fruit cake is also good for stress. Only small quantities though, it has a lot of fruit sugars in it.
Nut and seed bars are great to take out with you. You can bake your own by binding them with honey and tahini.
Crunchy apples are good for you could have two each day. Cut sticks of vegetables like carrot, celery, capsicum, zucchini. Celery molecules actually fit into nicotine receptors in the blood stream. Once it is being digested it can help with cravings.
Place a bowl of oranges on your table. Peeling them helps some people pass the time and eat in a healthy way.
Have some low fat yoghurt with dark chocolate grated into it. Mix in some kiwi fruit and a mandarin.
Toast is good. get creative with low fat toppings. Toast is good with soup. Cooking your own broth is easy from left over vegetables. This way there will be less salt in your soup. Then you can have it more often. If you would like a convenient, quick, cheap soup, have a cup-o-soup, but add some herbs to add flavour and make it more wholesome. The quitline tell me the 2 minute noodles are healthy if you do not use the sachets. I might try it.
Stewed fruit is healthy. Rhubarb and pears are in season. Put in a small amount of fresh ginger in your stew with a tablespoon of sugar and some cloves. I use a lot of spice in my fruit stews. You could make yourself custard to go with it rather than ice cream or cream, but it is fine on its own. If I want some thing on a hot dessert like an apple pie, I frequently just have a dash of milk.
The oil in lemon skin is very soothing in a drink. Pour boiling water over lemon wedges and sip it when it is cool enough. Wiping your tongue with citrus helps too.
Get some extra strong mints. They are good for your digestion
Make some crunchy salads. I have two main dressings. a vinegar dressing for lettuce salads and a coleslaw dressing for the others. Try using yoghurt and mustard with your coleslaw dressing. That reduces the sweetness.
I buy a treat vegetable or fruit once a week. This helps me get variety into my diet. It is fun to try new dishes.
It might be something seasonal or it could be something I have not had before. This extends my cooking skills.
Two days. Your doing really well. Your body will crave more food while it is recovering and you heal. Best wishes.
First of all congratulations on being smoke free for 2 days! Great effort! I have yet to reach my quit day but am already planning ahead as I know my eating gets out of control during the first month of no nicotine! One thing I am currently doing is making meal plans, as a fitness instructor I already know how much food I should be eating a day and this makes it a lot easier to write out a nutritious plan that will not only satisfy hunger but also keep cravings in check. The main reason you are finding yourself eating so much (or all the time) is not only due to withdrawals but also because your body is craving the 'physical movement' if this makes sense? Your hand going to your mouth - so to say.
Other than getting nutritious meals into your body, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner high in protein and complex carbs - you can reach for awesome healthy snacks such as nuts, berries and seeds. Grab a handful and munch away. Another great one - here comes a fun fact as well - is popcorn! Not the microwave sort. But korn kernels that you pop in a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil. One cup of popcorn actually has more anti oxidants in it than a whole days worth of vegetables :) just be careful with the salt.
Remember adequate hydration, too often we fail to drink enough water. When quitting smoking (or any other substance for that matter) it is more important to focus on your fluid intake! This will not only help you feel more full, it will also help flush out the toxins! One great rule to follow is - if you feel thirsty - you are already dehydrated. Just try and stay away from sugary and 'fizzy' drinks. A great snack and a healthy drink is fruit juice - home made of course! If you have a juicer at home - get to using it. Get creative and add all your favourite fruits and vegetables such as carrots, Apple's, watermelon, basically anything you like! Steamed vegetables are also a great snack! These are something you can eat as much as as you like! All day everyday if you feel like it. Like the previous post mentioned as well, sliced veggies are great, celery with peanut butter is also a fantastic snack that will make you feel satisfied for a while!
If you can, stay clear of processed foods and refined (white sugar). These will curb the cravings yes, but only for a short period of time having you reaching for another snack shortly after.
One easy way to know if something is processed or not is to ask yourself the question. From the farm/garden - to my table, how many steps has this item been through before it reaches my mouth? Try to keep the snacks as clean as possible.
Don't forget to get in a little exercise everyday. Walking is a great start that almost everyone can do, and all you need is 15 minutes one way, 15 minutes back. This will not only 'kill time' and get your mind on something else - it will make you feel great!
One thing that has to be mentioned is Google, i always tend to use it :) the search for healthy snacks goes a long way on there!
Good luck with everything! And again, great job on quitting! I admire that decision! All the best /rooroo
Thank you so much for the help guys!
Some great ideas in there!
Much appreciated!!!!
I am on day 6 of no smokes at all (day 10 if I dont count the half a smoke I had)
Surprised at how easy I am finding it
Even the hunger has already subsided and I am starting to feel better already!