Key takeaways
- Weight gain after quitting smoking indicates recovery.
- On average, people gain about 5kg.
- Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly.
- Plan activities to replace smoke breaks.
- Practice mindful eating to manage hunger cues.
Looking thinner seems to be the ‘healthiest’ way a person can look. But, medical experts know that being thin only makes it challenging to find a person’s health problems.
As most associate good health to weight loss, they will try anything to take numbers off the scales – such as use weight loss medication or even take up cigarette smoking.
Most smokers have low body fat due to their suppressed appetite. Nicotine, the highly addictive yet relatively harmless chemical, can reduce the hunger we feel and, consequently, our need to eat.
So, would you say that a thin cigarette smoker is in good shape? If you said no, you’re correct.
Chat to an Aussie GP today
Friendly phone consultations
TGA-authorised Aussie doctors
Nicotine vaping scripts available
They might look good, but they won’t receive a clean bill of health.
Once a motivated smoker successfully quits cigarettes, it’s normal for them to gain some weight. After all, the taste and smell of food has become better. It’s also a sign that their body is getting healthier than before.
But sometimes, even after months or a year of quitting smoking, the weight gain doesn’t stop. You might have asked, “Why can’t I seem to lose weight after quitting smoking?”
In today’s post, let’s look at the reasons why this happens.
Can’t Seem to Lose Weight After Quitting Smoking…
As we’ve mentioned, quitting smoking can add a few kilos to you on the weighing scale, but don’t take it the wrong way because it means you’re on the way to good health.
Here are several reasons how quitting smoking improves your appetite and need for higher food intake:
- Smoking and Metabolism: Once you quit smoking, you’ll have slower metabolism. It’s been proven that smoking can speed up your metabolism quite rapidly – a jump from 7 to 15% is a huge deal. Now that you’ve quit, you’re burning calories slower, but you’re also safer – higher metabolic rates stresses the heart and increases your risk of heart diseases.
- Smoking and Hormones: Nicotine and cigarette smoke has a negative effect on our body’s hunger hormone. Add the fact that cigarettes kill taste buds and reduce the sharpness of smells, it’s easy to say no to eating a good diet (or anything at all).
- Smoking and Hunger Receptors: Nicotine, while relatively harmless, can attach to our body’s fight-or-flight receptors. When it does this, the body switches off our ‘hunger cues,’ reducing our need or feeling that we need to eat.
When you quit smoking, your metabolism returns to its baseline rate, and your hormones and hunger receptors begin to function normally again. Essentially, your body begins to naturally regulate your appetite and weight.
So, any weight loss you experienced as a result of nicotine will level out again. Remember, this is a good thing — smoking-related weight loss is a sign that harmful chemicals are interfering with your natural bodily systems.
How Much Weight Gain Can You Expect After Quitting Smoking?
The average amount of weight gained after quitting smoking is 5kg over a 5 year period. In most cases, this weight gain occurs a couple of months after quitting, and then stabilises.
However, quitting-related weight fluctuation varies from person to person depending on lifestyle and genetic factors.
Some people report gaining over 10kg after giving up smoking while others experience weight loss, noting a decrease in abdominal fat soon after quitting and a reduction in overall body fat later down the line.
It’s important to note that the average body weight for people who have quit smoking is similar to the weight of those who have never smoked. This furthers the point that most weight gain experienced after quitting indicates that your body is returning to a natural, healthy state.
Can You Quit Smoking Without Gaining Weight?
Some factors related to weight gain after quitting will be out of your control. For instance, your metabolism will return to its base rate, which is primarily set by genetics.
However, there are some steps you can take to keep yourself as healthy as possible during this time.
- Eat well and often – While cigarette withdrawal symptoms may have you reaching for comfort food or fast food, try to maintain a well-balanced diet. That’s not to say you should avoid these foods altogether — they have a place in your diet, too! Just be sure to enjoy them in moderation.
- Pack your meals and snacks with healthy proteins, fruit and vegetables. Think chicken and salad sandwiches, tofu stir fry, eggs on toast, and protein snack balls. These kinds of foods will help to keep you full and fuelled.
- Exercise daily – Whether it’s a brisk 45-minute walk, a yoga class, or a gym session, be sure to fit in some movement each day. You’ll likely find exercise more enjoyable after quitting thanks to clearer lungs and improved circulation.
- Plan other activities to replace smoke breaks – Identify the times that you would usually smoke throughout the day, and plan activities for those blocks of time. You might like to head out for a short walk, call a friend, chew some gum, or play some music. This will help to distract you from your cravings and prevent you from reaching for snacks you may not actually want.
- Practice mindful eating – To become reacquainted with your body’s natural hunger cues, experiment with mindful eating. Keep all screens off when eating, paying attention to how you’re feeling and noticing the tastes, aromas, and textures of your meal.
- Mindful eating will help you gauge when you’re hungry or full and makes eating a much more enjoyable experience. It will also help you identify when you’re thirsty; if you’re not drinking enough water, your body can read this as hunger, so it’s important to hydrate properly.
- Consider Nicotine Replacement Therapies – If you find yourself struggling with overeating as a way of coping with cravings, it might be a good idea to discuss Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) with your doctor. NRTs are designed to wean you off nicotine gradually, which reduces the severity of withdrawal symptoms and may help to combat craving-related overeating.
- You may also consider nicotine vaping products (NVPs) from pharmacies. While they’re second-line solutions, they’ve been found to be much more effective than NRTs in helping motivated smokers stop for good.
While you may be disheartened by weight gain after quitting, it’s important to refrain from engaging in damaging behaviours. Restricting, binging, over-exercising, and dieting are harmful and dangerous behaviours that can lead to significant health issues.
If you notice yourself avoiding certain foods, skipping meals altogether, or engaging in intense exercise several times a day to keep the weight off, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor or mental health professional.
What If I Can’t Lose Weight After Quitting Smoking?
Unless you notice significant weight gain or you’re engaging in overeating to cope with cravings, weight gain after quitting smoking is nothing to be concerned about. Keeping up with regular exercise and maintaining a well-balanced, unrestricted diet will help to keep your body healthy and nourished.
If you do find yourself overeating or you’re concerned about your weight gain, get in touch with a doctor. They will be able to address these concerns and suggest some additional strategies to help you.
Summary
Remember that any weight loss you may have experienced as a result of smoking was a sign that your body was not functioning properly; in most cases, weight gain from smoking cessation signals your body is recovering.
If you need help in stopping smoking, you’ve come to the right place.
Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!
If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to friendly Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good, including via the use of pharmacy NVPs.
Click here to book in with a doctor today.
Link Reference: