Smoking and weight gain [double whammy] [metabolic rate]
As a FYI – As many of you may know, smoking increases the human metabolic rate a good deal . Someone who smokes regularly will burn more calories (24 hours around the clock) than someone who dosent
Most . Unfortunately, the person faced with stopping smoking is hit by a double whammy – giving up smoking is hard enough – but finding his or her weight go up without apparent reason adds insult to injury .
Increased exercise is the way out of this ! : Bouncing:
Reply:I gained 15 pounds within 2 months after I quit smoking. My food intake and exercise remained a constant. I have fought to lose this 15 pounds FOR 25 YEARS and still it dogs me! I hate those pounds but my lungs are clear, my stomach no longer aches, and I'm saving, what, $10 a day!:eek: Geez, over 25 years! Where's the Mazerati! :jester:
It really IS a metabolic fact of life!
Reply:I agree Happyman that should and can have both when you quit. Being 30lbs over weight is not good and increases risks of cancer, stroke, heart diease and so on. But the fact that still being that much over weight and a non smoker just shows how terrible smoking is.
I made a mistake when I quit I didnt focus on my diet and I ended up developing an eating problem. I think I had always had one but the stopping really magntfied it. But as you said happyman, best to have both.
Reply:Hi I'm new here.
I can really relate to the problem of weight gain after quiting. I had very serious problems with my weight after I quit. My father also had the same problem. In both our cases it had nothing to do with Metablisim and all to do with overeating. I started replacing the cravings for nictone with food. I just started eating between meals more and more and then my main meals started to become bigger and bigger.
If I look back the biggest mistake I made after quiting was the picking between meals. Nictone and food cravings are very simliar and when you quit you have to be careful you don't fall into the trap I did.
My suggest for anyone who wants to quit. Is for two weeks before quiting make a detail note of everything eat and your daily calorie intake and then when you quit keep a close eye on your diet to make sure you don't start up-ing those cals like I did.
There maybe a very small change in metablisim after quiting, however in my view that will easily be offset with increase energy you'll have, you'll feel a million dollars and you'll want to go out and start enjoying life.
p.s.
Just one final note for those who are worried about quiting because of gaining weight. After I quit I gained ( over 2 years) about 30lbs in weight. But I was still fitter, faster and feeling tens times better than my 30lbs lighter smoking self. That just goes to show how low smoking drags you down. A 2 year older 30 lb heavier guy is still fitter than a smoker.
I think diet is a very important issue when you stop smoking and I think it should be an important focus, but if you take the right steps you don't need to gain any weight. I made a mistake I didnt know it could happen and paid no attention to my diet after quiting, or how the picking between meals could catch up. But quiting is about the best thing I EVER did in my life!!!!
Hi guy -
I completely agree – If you are a "smoker", qutting that habit is far more beneficial than loosing 20 pounds…. BUT you can have both… I have had to deal with BOTH and I have walked away from BOTH.
In your case, maybe your reaction to the cessation of tabacco use was extra snacking or eating more than you were. For me, that was NOT the case, after dumping my awful tabacco habit I did NOT start to snack more (I never did snack anyway) and I didnt start to eat more or eat richer, fattier foods… My Metabolism just plain slowed down after I gave up the Cigarettes… This is normal….
My immediate reaction to giving up Cigarettes was to "Freak Out"… and climb the walls… My next reaction was to start chewing sugarless gum (trident) almost 24 hours a day…
Then a few weeks later as I started to see my weight climb, I started the Walking….. which eventually brought everything under control…..
But you have the right idea…. better to be a bit overweight than be a smoker…. Best to be niether 
Reply:Hi I'm new here.
I can really relate to the problem of weight gain after quiting. I had very serious problems with my weight after I quit. My father also had the same problem. In both our cases it had nothing to do with Metablisim and all to do with overeating. I started replacing the cravings for nictone with food. I just started eating between meals more and more and then my main meals started to become bigger and bigger.
If I look back the biggest mistake I made after quiting was the picking between meals. Nictone and food cravings are very simliar and when you quit you have to be careful you don't fall into the trap I did.
My suggest for anyone who wants to quit. Is for two weeks before quiting make a detail note of everything eat and your daily calorie intake and then when you quit keep a close eye on your diet to make sure you don't start up-ing those cals like I did.
There maybe a very small change in metablisim after quiting, however in my view that will easily be offset with increase energy you'll have, you'll feel a million dollars and you'll want to go out and start enjoying life.
p.s.
Just one final note for those who are worried about quiting because of gaining weight. After I quit I gained ( over 2 years) about 30lbs in weight. But I was still fitter, faster and feeling tens times better than my 30lbs lighter smoking self. That just goes to show how low smoking drags you down. A 2 year older 30 lb heavier guy is still fitter than a smoker.
I think diet is a very important issue when you stop smoking and I think it should be an important focus, but if you take the right steps you don't need to gain any weight. I made a mistake I didnt know it could happen and paid no attention to my diet after quiting, or how the picking between meals could catch up. But quiting is about the best thing I EVER did in my life!!!!
Reply:I work for the American Lung Association. I quit smoking about 3 years ago and I did gain weight. However, it can be related to my overeating & sedentary lifestyle. Not everyone who quits smoking gains weight. Call your local ALA and they can send you specific information regarding quiting smoking and the effects it will have on your body…including your waist line. 1-800-LUNG-USA can help. Thank you from bringing this subject to light.
Smoking increases your metabolism. Quitting Smoking lowers it –
The only thing I know of that you can do to prevent gaining weight after quitting smoking is either eat less OR increase your metabolism with some exercise. Of course this problem isnt so bad for those that are only smoking a few cigarettes a day and then quit.
I smoked 3 packs a day for 25 years and quit, "Cold Turkey"…. and started gaing weight even though I was still eating the same……(yes, I was horrified)
The solution was (for me) to start walking. Within two months of quitting smoking I was walking 10 miles a day (two five mile walks – one in the morning and one in the afternoon). I learned to Love it !!!. My weight went back down to what it was when I was smoking. I continued the 10 miles a day for 8 years and then slowly tapered off…… The extra weight never came back.
Reply:I work for the American Lung Association. I quit smoking about 3 years ago and I did gain weight. However, it can be related to my overeating & sedentary lifestyle. Not everyone who quits smoking gains weight. Call your local ALA and they can send you specific information regarding quiting smoking and the effects it will have on your body…including your waist line. 1-800-LUNG-USA can help. Thank you from bringing this subject to light.
Reply::confused: argh really? i didnt no u gain weight automatically wen givivng up smoking – puts me off! since i have been loosing weight ive actually noticed recently that the amount im smoking has gone wayyyy up and so my next mission was going to be to give up, but i sure dont want to stuff up the weight ive lost – i can see ive replaced not eating with ciggerettes, has taken me a little while to realise this.
Reply:Dont I know it Happy man. I gained 25 pounds within a few months after I quit smoking! It is almost 3 years and it was worth it. Now if I could just lose the last 10 to 15 pounds, I would be in business!!!
I thought quitting smoking was hard, now my next mission is losing weight. I don't know whick one is harder!
