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Enjoying Meals
What to Expect
Expect to want to smoke after meals or with others at a restaurant.
Expect the urge to smoke when you smell cigarette smoke at a restaurant.
Smoking urges may be stronger at different meal times, sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch or sometimes dinner.
Your smoking urges may be stronger with certain foods like spicy or sweet meals or snacks.
When you stop smoking after meals, you can also expect others to be pleased now that you are not smoking at the table.
Frequency
You, like many smokers, may feel the need to smoke after meals at home, at work, or out at a restaurant.
Your desire to smoke after meals may depend on whether you are alone, with other smokers, or with nonsmokers.
Self-Management
Know what kinds of foods increase your urge and stay away from them.
If you are alone, call a friend as soon as you’ve finished eating.
Brush your teeth or use mouthwash right after meals.
If someone is at your home, have someone massage your shoulders.
If you have coffee or a fruit drink, concentrate on the taste.
Wash the dishes by hand after eating—you can’t smoke with wet hands!
Go for a brief walk after meals.
Nicotine and Your Body and Mind
Nicotine stops hunger pains in your stomach for as long as one hour and it also makes the blood sugar level go up. When you quit, this is reversed.
Food may be used to get the same effect as cigarettes: stimulation, relaxation, pampering, time out, comfort, socialization etc. Smoking and eating are both ways to meet these needs, so when you quit smoking, you may eat more.
Withdrawal from nicotine enhances the taste of sweeter foods—some foods may actually taste better—and you may want to eat more of them.