Quitting Smoking and Weight Gain: Is it Inevitable?

It's important to kick the habit - but some people are slow to toss out their cigarettes for fear they'll gain weight after quitting smoking. Unfortunately, these fears aren't unfounded. Most people gain an average of 3 to 10 pounds when they quit smoking - most of it packed on during the first six months. Why do people gain weight after quitting smoking - and what can ex-smokers do about it?

The Problem: Food Becomes a Substitute for Smoking

Smokers are used to having a cigarette in their hand - and in their mouth. When they take a drag from their last cigarette, they look for something else to satisfy their oral fixation, which, more often than not, is food.

The Solution:

Keep your hands and mouth busy with low-calorie or calorie-free treats such as a cup of warm tea, chewing sugar-free gum or snacking on sugar-free Jello. Put on flavored lip balm to freshen your mouth and discourage snacking - and brush your teeth several times a day with minty toothpaste. These all discourage high-calorie snacking - and smoking.

The Problem: Metabolism Drops after Kicking the Habit

Nicotine is a mild stimulant, which boosts metabolism slightly. When people stop smoking, their metabolic rate gradually drops over several weeks to months, which brings on weight gain if their eating habits stay the same.

The Solution:

Start exercising. A combination of aerobic and resistance training not only burns calories, but if you do it at a higher intensity, it boosts your metabolism for hours after you sprint your last mile. Most importantly, people who start exercising after they quit are less likely to return to their old smoking habit.

The Problem: Quitting Smoking is Stressful

Few smokers will deny that when they kicked the habit, it caused stress in their life. Stress can trigger overeating, which can lead to weight gain. Just the thought of gaining weight causes angst for smokers who are eager to become smoke-free. Some struggling non-smokers even become anxious or depressed during the nicotine withdrawal process.

The Solution:

Be kind to yourself. Reward yourself with a massage once you've gone five days without cigarettes. Spend some time in a sauna or whirlpool, or take a walk outdoors when the weather is nice. Studies show a nature walk is one of the best ways to reduce stress hormone levels. Take a yoga class or meditate several times a day. Watch a funny television show - and laugh a lot. Laughter is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress.

The Bottom Line?

You can reduce the amount of weight gain you experience with when you kick the habit - and if you exercise religiously, you may avoid it all together. According to a government publication called "Forever Free", Air Force recruits who spent 6 weeks exercising in a boot camp quit smoking without gaining weight. The same could happen to you if you kick up your calorie burn through exercise.

References:

Health Psychology, 14, 116-23.

Smokefree.gov. "Forever Free"