EATING PLAN FOR EX SMOKERS
This eating plan shows how you can turn your day’s foods into a series of healthy snacks which help
to avoid weight gain when you quit smoking.
Breakfast
Do not skip this meal. It has been shown that the metabolism for the entire day is reduced if
breakfast is skipped. Choose one of the following and add a cup of tea or coffee and/or a glass of
water.
1. Wholewheat breakfast biscuits with low fat milk. Wholegrain muffin or wholemeal to low
kilojoule jam or Vegemite
2. Poached or boiled egg or wholemeal toast. Small piece of fresh fruit
3. Carton of non-fat yoghurt mixed with one or two pieces of fresh fruit
4. Grilled mushrooms and tomato. Wholemeal toast with low-fat cheese
5. Porridge with wheatgerm and one level teaspoon of brown sugar with low-fat milk. Toast
with low kilojoule jam.
The quantity of toast will depend on the individual. Generally, one slice for women, or two or more
for people who exercise a lot.
During the morning
Choose one or two of the following healthy snacks:
2 whole-rye crispbread with low kilojoule jam
3 wholegrain crackerbread with ricotta cheese and tomato
2 fresh or dried figs
small packet of sultanas
1 punnet of strawberries
small tub of coleslaw (preferably homemade with low kilojoule dressing)
small can of baked beans
small piece of fresh coconut (about 15g)
small serve of fresh fruit, any type except grapes (it is too easy to eat too many)
½ cup of buttermilk mixed with ½ cup of orange juice (a refreshingly tangy drink)
1 cup of soup, preferably homemade
Prunes
8-10 pieces of dried apple (their tartness is great when your mouth feels awful)
1 hard-boiled egg and some carrot and celery sticks
1 slice of bread with tomato, cucumber, alfalfa or any other salad vegetable
low fat milkshake (blend ¾ cup of skim milk with low kilojoule topping or some ice cubes.
Lunch
Choose one of the following:
1. A wholemeal sandwich with salad and either turkey, lean chicken, salmon, tuna, or a small
slice of very lean meat (skip the butter or margarine, and avoid mayonnaise)
2. A large salad (use a low kilojoule dressing) with some rye or wholemeal break or crispbread
3. One cup of vegetable soup (for example, pumpkin or tomato) with wholegrain bread
4. Half of a small avocado with salad and wholegrain crispbread
5. Wholemeal pita bread stuffed with salad and humus or falafel (chick pea patties)
6. Large plate of steam vegetables sprinkled with sesame seeds and some wholegrain bread.
If you are small or fairly sedentary, choose one slice of wholegrain bread. If you are very active,
choose two or more.
During the afternoon
You may have one or two snacks from the list given for the morning. If you are not hungry, stop
snacks.
Dinner
This should be a meal with plenty of vegetables (no added butter or oil or other fat). Add some fish
or another sea food, some chicken breast, turkey fillet, new fashioned pork or veal or legumes. If
having red meat, keep to a small piece (about 100 grams) and make sure that it is very lean.
Potato, pasta or rice can be added in a quantity to suit the individual. As before, large and/or active
people need larger serves.
Fish and other foods can be cooked by grilling, microwaving, making into a casserole (use a pan to
brown foods where appropriate) or wrapping them in foil and baking or barbecuing.
After dinner snack
If hungry, choose one of the following:
Cup of hot skim milk
1 cup fresh fruit salad
Bowl of strawberries or other berries
Low kilojoule jelly
¼ rock melon or honeydew melon sprinkled with 1 teaspoon of concentrated orange juice
½ cup of non fat yoghurt with fresh fruit
1 cup of freshly popped corn (try using the microwave, no added butter is needed)
½ muffin with low kilojoule jam
1 slice raisin toast with a small scrape of butter
2 small water crackers with a sliver of cheese
8 olives.
From “Eating for Peak Performance” – Rosemary Stanton