One of the best things you can do for your health is to stop smoking. If you’re like most people, you might be concerned about putting on weight once you stop smoking. You might not even be attempting to quit due to this anxiety. Given that many smokers stop to do so after experiencing some weight gain, the worry is understandable.
The good news is that you can take precautions to lessen your risk of gaining weight after quitting smoking.
Smoking vs Weight Gain, which is Worse for Your Health?
It’s kind of like comparing bad oranges to bad oranges to compare smoking to weight gain. Both are harmful and can result in a variety of major health issues. But if you had to pick one, smoking might be your answer—possibly as a result of decades of indoctrination. According to a nationally representative cohort research of 16663 Australian adults followed between 2006 and 2014, people who stopped smoking had a considerably lower risk of death than those who continued to smoke regardless of changes in weight and body mass index after stopping. Another study also shows that more chronic conditions are associated with obesity than with smoking, drinking, or poverty Furthermore, people who stop smoking can experience weight shift in a variety of ways, with some losing weight and some gaining weight. Based on a series of study, after 12 months of abstinence from smoking, there is an association between quitting and an increase in body weight of 4-5 kg on average, with the majority of weight gain occurring in the first three months. There is a significant range in weight change, with 16% of quitters losing weight and 13% gaining more than 10 kg.
In a word, everything is possible by stopping smoking. The contradiction centering on whether you lose or gain weight should be put behind your own physical health.
Why Weight Tends to be Gained after Smoke Quitting?
Weight gain after quitting smoking can be caused by a variety of factors. Common examples include:
- Reduced metabolism: Smoking can boost your metabolism by 15%. Your body burns calories more slowly when you stop.
- Increased hunger: Since smoking reduces your appetite, quitting may make you feel hungrier.
- Enhanced Taste and smell: When you stop smoking, your taste buds return to normal, which may make food taste better and make you want to eat more.
- Smoking habit: You can eat instead of smoke to keep your hands and mouth busy. Additionally, you could eat more frequently to cope with emotions or stress.
- Having an unhealthy food craving: If you stop smoking, you might consume more junk food or meals that are higher in sugar and lower in protein.
Additionally, studies indicate that quitting smoking makes the brain look for nicotine replacements. More specifically, it increases the desire for foods that are heavy in sugar and carbs. According to studies, this compensatory behavior and the ensuing weight increase contribute to people coming back to smoking.
How to Minimize Weight Gain after Quitting Smoking?
Every factor influences quitting, so consider them all. Planning ahead will help you avoid gaining weight after stopping smoking completely. Here is some advice for how to go about doing that:
Do exercise regularly
Obviously, burning calories occurs when you are active. It’s also a wonderful method to avoid stress, which is one of the main adverse effects of quitting smoking, while also keeping occupied. Your lungs will be cleaner as a result of not absorbing 7,000 chemicals into your body with each cigarette, making it easier for you to engage in physical activity for longer periods of time. Consider taking up running, taking lessons at your neighborhood gym, or playing a recreational sport while also trying to quit smoking. While doing it, you’ll feel and look better.
Drink enough water
Especially when undergoing a metabolic shift, such as your experience while quitting smoking, your systems frequently mistake hunger for thirst. So try to drink more water throughout the day when you feel hungry. To remind you to consume more water during the day, download an app like Soonfasting to your phone.
Control your appetite
Cigarette smoking reduces your appetite. When you stop smoking, you could experience increased hunger and eat more than usual. Your metabolism will speed up and you can avoid overeating by controlling your portions.
Chew sugar-free gum
Buy some sugar-free gum. Plenty of it! Gum chewing will keep your mouth occupied and prevent tooth decay from occurring from too much sugar.
Eat mindfully
An alternative to smoking could be eating. Not necessarily. Practicing mindful eating actually is an important part of minimizing weight gain after quitting smoking. Preparing, selecting, and eating mindfully all refer to mindful eating. To help you eat more healthfully and enjoy your food more, consider the following advice:
- Avoid being distracted. Switch off the computer, television, and phone.
- Eat at the dinner table so that you may concentrate on eating,.
- Consider your portion proportions carefully. Start off with a smaller serving.
- Do not serve food in a family style. You will need to get up from the table for seconds if you are still hungry.
- Check your belly. Do you eat out for pure hunger or is there another reason?
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8080225/
- https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB4549.html
- https://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4439
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000811.htm
- https://doi.org/Anker%20JJ,%20Nakajima%20M,%20Raatz%20S,%20Allen%20S,%20al%E2%80%99Absi%20M.%20Tobacco%20withdrawal%20increases%20junk%20food%20intake:%20The%20role%20of%20the%20endogenous%20opioid%20system.%20Drug%20and%20Alcohol%20Dependence.%202021;225:108819.%20doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108819