When you practice yoga, whether you do it at home or in a class, be sure to remain mindful and don’t let your poses get stale. As you hold a yoga pose, your mind may start to wander and you can lose your focus, and then you are no longer actively involved in the pose. To regain your awareness and make sure that you are engaging your muscles, find a way to work deeper into the pose by bending a little farther or twist a little more with each breath.

To stay active in any yoga pose, breathe deeply and evenly, and engage your core muscles in your torso. Think about pulling your navel in towards the back of your spine. But never hold yoga poses to the point of pain. Ideally, you can hold a yoga position at least until you count to five, and some teachers will instruct you to hold a pose for longer than that. But yoga is a personal activity, and if you feel discomfort during a pose, back off and wait for the class to move on to the next yoga position, or ask the yoga teacher to show you an alternative pose. Over-stretching to the point of pain will only result in an injury, so challenge yourself, but know your limits.

Although it sounds counterintuitive, don’t clench your jaw while holding a pose. Relax your face, and remember to breathe deeply and evenly.

Gaining weight when you quit smoking is not unusual, but it is not unavoidable. There is no rule that you must gain weight when you stop smoking.

Keep these tips in mind to avoid gaining weight, but remember that if you put on a few pounds in the first weeks after you stop smoking, the benefits of quitting outweigh a minor weight gain.

• Pay attention to mindless eating. Keep a food diary if it helps you monitor snacks. Don’t eat more food to compensate for smoking.
• Use an alternative mouth filler. Chew on gum, mints, licorice (but watch the calories) celery, baby carrots, toothpicks, or anything else healthy that will keep your mouth busy.
• Get moving. Feel the urge for a smoke? Take a walk instead. Take a cell phone with you and call a friend or family member. Not only can you get some positive reinforcement and exercise, but you will have something to hold in your hand instead of a cigarette.