How to Prevent Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking - Part One

If you have ever tried to stop smoking, you know how difficult it can be. As someone once said, “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it a hundred times”. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances. Experts say it is just as or may be more addictive than heroin or cocaine.

Smokers are scared to quit because of nicotine withdrawal symptoms like intense cravings, anxiety, and depression. But another reason is the fear of gaining weight. This is especially true for women. A study found that two-thirds of women who quit smoking during pregnancy take the habit up again. This might have a lot to do with weight concerns.

The average weight gain after quitting cigarettes has been estimated at five to ten pounds. Why does this happen? There are several theories.

One reason could be that people substitute the oral habit of smoking with eating. Munching throughout the day fulfills the need to have something in the mouth. Food and nicotine affect the same area of the brain that is associated with dopamine, a brain chemical related with pleasure. So the smoker could be unconsciously trying to replace the pleasure of smoking with the pleasure of food. Eating could also be used as a coping mechanism to relieve the stress of quitting.

The second theory is that since smoking dulls the senses of smell and taste, appetite increases because food actually tastes better now. In the initial weeks of quitting, people report an increase in appetite and if they have a relapse and return to smoking, they experience a reduction in appetite.

The third theory is controversial because of conflicting research. Some studies suggest that smoking raises the metabolic rate anywhere from 2 to 20 percent. One study estimated it to be 100 to 200 calories a day. So when you quit smoking, your metabolism returns to what it really should be and you can gain weight if you continue to eat the same number of calories.

However, other studies show that the increase in metabolism is only temporary – just for a short period after a cigarette. This may explain the findings of a study that followed the weight of young adult non-smokers, smokers, and ex-smokers. After seven years, there was no significant difference in their weight. Yet, other studies have found that smokers weigh less than non-smokers. Meanwhile, other research has found only minor differences in the resting metabolic rates of smokers and non-smokers.

The fourth possible reason is that smokers typically use a cigarette to end a meal. Smoking could be a substitute instead of a second serving or instead of having a high-calorie dessert. When the cigarette is no longer available, people trying to quit might give in to additional calories.
Whatever the real reasons are for the added pounds when quitting, smokers shouldn’t be that afraid to quit because they can head off the expected weight gain by making some lifestyle changes. More on that next week.

Some people believe that it is better to continue smoking and stay thin because gaining weight also has health risks. However, a 1992 study calculated that an individual would have to gain 75 to 100 pounds to approximate the same risks as smoking.

Nicotine increases the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which causes fat to be distributed in the upper body and abdominal area or in an “apple” shape. This type of fat is highly associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and early death.

For women only.
A University of Memphis study found that women who quit smoking just as their menstrual period started gained only half a pound compared to women who quit during their premenstrual period (they gained four pounds) even though they consumed the same number of calories.

The researchers believe that this initial gain is probably due to water retention because after the two-week study period, the women tended to gain the same amount of weight and the weight difference between the two groups narrowed.

However, since women are the most vulnerable to going back to smoking because of the fear of gaining weight, the researchers suggest their findings might help to keep women from relapsing during their first month of quitting.

Attitude
A study of women smokers who were deeply concerned about gaining weight when quitting found that those who received psychological counseling (cognitive-behavioral therapy) to “accept” a modest weight gain compared to the benefits of quitting were more successful after one year at quitting and more successful at not gaining as much weight.

They gained only six pounds compared to the group that was given weight control counseling (12 pounds) and the group given a social support system (17 pounds). It seems like the less obsessed you are with gaining weight, the less weight you gain.

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