Explaining Weight Gain After Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is all about facing and overcoming those annoying withdrawal symptoms and cravings head-on with the right tools.

If you’ve managed to kick the habit, you should be feeling proud of yourself.

However, it’s not uncommon for some people to feel a bit disheartened if they notice they’ve gained a few pounds in the process.

Weight gain after quitting is actually normal. 

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While you were smoking, you may have noticed some weight loss because cigarettes can suppress your appetite.

They make you feel less hungry, so you weren’t really eating as much. But once you stop, it’s common to feel hungrier and want to snack more, which can lead to some extra weight.

Today, we’ll chat about how to navigate weight gain during your journey to becoming smoke-free and explore ways to keep it in check, so you don’t end up replacing one habit with another.

Appetite Isn’t Suppressed

Nicotine gives you a little energy boost, which is why you might not feel as hungry after having a smoke. 

But when you quit, nicotine leaves your system, and suddenly those suppressed hunger and sleep signals come flooding back.

That’s why many people trying to quit feel sleepier and find themselves munching more than usual. 

But don’t worry, your appetite will settle down and return to normal within the first few months of quitting.

This is just your body adjusting to those hunger cues without relying on cigarettes.

Sense of Taste Returns

If you’ve been smoking for a while, your taste buds have likely become a bit dull or even damaged from all those nasty chemicals in cigarette smoke.

But here’s the good news: quitting for good can help your taste buds bounce back, allowing you to completely enjoy your food again.

As your sense of taste sharpens, you might find yourself getting hungrier than before, and eating can become a lot more enjoyable. 

Just be mindful—it can be all too easy to overindulge.

While your body is still getting used to your newfound sense of taste, steer clear of processed foods to help manage any weight gain.

This is also a perfect opportunity to establish healthier eating habits, so you can stay disciplined and avoid falling into food addiction.

Bored With an Oral Fixation

If you’ve smoked for a long time, the hand-to-mouth gestures associated with smoking are likely engrained, and this movement alone can be enough to trigger your cravings and withdrawals. While motivated smokers try various ways to address this, eating lots is one of the ways they keep their mouths busy. 

The taste of chips and snacks and the satisfaction they bring can distract quitters from smoking a cigarette. However, overeating isn’t a good solution to oral fixation – sugarless gum, vegetables, and nuts are better and healthier options. Even chewing a toothpick can work!

When you’re bored, you’re at a higher risk of smoking once again, so why not try new hobbies and activities to keep you occupied and forget about smoking or oral fixation?

Lack of Dopamine

Nicotine brings feelings of satisfaction and can release dopamine in the system. A smoker’s dependence on dopamine explains why they have strong withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Food becomes a compatible substitute for nicotine’s dopamine release.

When we eat something delicious, our body also releases dopamine, which makes you feel full and satisfied. However, eating too much is never a good thing, even if it helps you stop smoking for good.

Risking Another Addiction

Food is also addictive, and it’s the top reason why your GP won’t recommend you binge eat even if it helps you stop smoking. Overeating means you’re just substituting one addiction for another. You may have stopped smoking for good, but now, after overeating, you might have a poor relationship with food and a potentially dangerous diet.

How to Stop Weight Gain After Quitting Smoking

Remember, it’s okay to gain some weight after quitting smoking and letting your body regulate its hunger signals and sense of taste. But be sure to pick up good eating habits and do activities that keep your body healthy.

When eating, try to prepare your own meals. Homemade food has fewer preservatives and calories. Plus, it’s another great way of keeping you and your hands busy. 

Next, you can deal with your oral fixation by keeping your mouth busy. While you can try singing or reading a poem or book aloud, you can also use sugar-free gum or vegetables to cure your oral fixation, especially in the office.

Lastly, have a smoking cessation programme in place if you don’t have one yet. It’s admirable to have accomplished so much after a month or two, but a capable programme that prioritises your needs gives you the best chance of quitting. 

Plus, a GP overseeing your programme can have you use tools such as NRT products and pharmacy NVPs as a second-line solution to help you quit completely.

Summary

Once again, it’s normal to gain some weight after quitting smoking. Your body is trying to make up for the lack of nourishment smoking has masked for years. However, make sure you maintain a good relationship with food as it’s easy to get addicted to the richer flavour you taste with every bite.

We know you’re reading this because you want to know if it’s normal to gain weight and eat so much after you quit smoking. We hope you found this information useful, and we encourage you to learn more about your smokefree journey.

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 Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Link Reference

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7117629/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329949/
• https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/binge-eating-disorder/how-to-avoid-falling-into-using-food-to-replace-tobacco
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3124340/