It’s normal to gain weight after quitting smoking, especially in the first few months, but it’s not always the case.
Smoking suppresses your hunger while also increasing your metabolism marginally. When you stop smoking, your appetite and metabolism return to normal, which may cause you to eat more calories while burning less.
Weight gain has long been linked to quitting — unsurprisingly, given that nicotine is both an appetite suppressant and a stimulant — and many people who start smoking or don’t quit do so for fear of gaining weight. However, the latest findings support what any doctor will tell you: quitting is still the best option.
Why Do Smokers Gain Weight When They Quit?
There are a few reasons why people gain weight after quitting smoking. Some of them are related to how nicotine affects your body.
Cigarettes include nicotine, which accelerates your metabolism. Nicotine boosts the number of calories burned by your body at rest by roughly 7% to 15%. Your body may burn meals more slowly if you don’t smoke.
Cigarettes suppress hunger. When you stop smoking, you may become hungrier.
It is a habit to smoke. You may seek high-calorie foods to replace cigarettes after quitting.
Additionally, after you stop smoking, your ability to smell and taste food improves. This can make food more enticing, leading to more eating. If you replace smoking with snacking, the calories can rapidly mount up.
Make food and exercise a component of your smoking cessation strategy to avoid weight gain. It might be useful for:
- Get your feet moving – Physical activity should be a part of your daily routine. Regular exercise helps to ease withdrawal symptoms and cravings as well as burn calories.
- Make informed food decision– Plan nutritious meals with plenty of fruits and veggies. Consume fewer calories. Limit your intake of sweets and alcoholic beverages.
- Never allow oneself to become overly hungry – While a little hunger is healthy, if you are so hungry that you must eat right away, you are more likely to choose a diet-busting alternative. Learning to consume filling foods can also help you avoid hungry.
- Good night’s rest– If you don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis, you’re more likely to gain weight.
- Keep your drinking under control – Although alcohol, sugary sodas, and sweetened juices are easy to consume, they build up and can cause weight gain. Instead, try sparkling water with 100% fruit juice or herbal tea.
Above all, keep in mind that the health benefits of quitting smoking greatly outweigh the risks of even mild weight gain.
Your metabolism can be boosted by making tiny lifestyle adjustments and adopting these recommendations into your daily routine.
A faster metabolism can assist you in losing weight and keeping it off while also providing you with more energy.