How Smoking Affects Metabolism
I have smoked for about 25 years and recently stopped. Now I am fighting weight gain. What can I expect and what can I do to keep the weight gain to a minimum? What is it that happens to the metabolism that causes the weight to go on so fast?
Congratulations on your wise decision to stop smoking. More Americans die from smoking-related diseases than from AIDS, drug abuse, car accidents and murder – combined. You have taken a big step towards better health for yourself as well as for those around you.
Nicotine, one of the components of cigarette smoke, increases energy expenditure by stimulating the central nervous system. Once this drug is removed from a person’s system, energy expenditure returns to normal. This difference is not very significant and the person should adjust to it in a short period of time. Smoking also appears to ease feelings of hunger. Smokers can usually overcome hunger signals by lighting up. Consequently, weight gain is often experienced soon after a person quits smoking. The average weight gain for people who quit smoking is less than 10 pounds. Being aware of the problem will help in avoiding or minimizing the weight gain. It is often necessary to adjust eating habits and physical activity to maintain weight during and after quitting.
Smoking cessation, however, lengthens life expectancy by an average of 2-4 years and is well worth the effort. Here are some guidelines to help you avoid the weight gain:
- Eat three balanced meals every day.
- Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, avoiding high-fat and high sugar items.
- Avoid skipping meals. It leads to hunger and a tendency to snack on high-calorie foods.
- Keep fresh fruit and cut-up raw vegetables handy and choose them when the need for snacking arises.
- Keep busy to keep your thoughts away from food. Choose an activity that you enjoy (except eating) and do it more often, especially if you feel the urge to smoke or eat.
- Increase your physical activity: join a gym, walk more, use the stairs.
- Initially, stay away from other smokers and situations that led you to smoke (or eat).
- Join a support group.
Never let the fear of weight gain keep you from accomplishing your goal. With a little effort and determination you will succeed in achieving both goals: quit smoking and avoid putting on weight. Your health depends on it.
I smoked for 18 years and quit last march. I gained 25 lbs and can’t lose it. I have always been physically active, but since smoking cessation, I do aerobics almost 5 days a week and watch my caloric intake. Everyone I have spoken with, and all accounts I”ve read show very few that have gained LESS than 15 or 20 lbs. I’m not saying that one should continue smoking, quitting was the best thing I’ve ever done, but the info given here is wrong, medical or not. To tell someone that weight gain cannot be laid at the feet of smoke cessation is blatantly wrong and misleading. My doctor told me that I should continue to work out for general, overall health, but until my metabolism evens out from the beating it took when i quit smoking, I was pretty much out of luck.
I have to agree with Lorenda here… I smoked for 27 years and I am going to be 42 next week. I quit smoking a month ago and have worked out like a dog since day one. I have gained 10 pounds so far. I have to keep encouraging myself that it will even out.. I know I am improving my over health as well but it sure is hard when you try on those jeans that you now cant button!!! lol… I know there has got to be light at the end of the tunnel.
I am twenty five. I quite smoking a few months ago and, anticipating possible weight issues, I worked out every day and when I had the munchies, I ate carrots or grapes. I still gained. I am very sensitive about weight. I got weak and started smoking again and lost what I gained. I do, however, want to quit again. I am not a smoker!!! Will I balance out or am I doomed to weigh an extra 10 lbs as a non-smoker??? Help!
You know, i have smoked for three years with my metabolism remaining at the regular activity level. But once i quit, it slowed dramatically. I had ended up in the hospital becuase of the lack of nicotine.
what do you have to say about that?
I’ve smoked for 12 years. I’m 24 years old, and have ALWAYS had a very high metabolism. My wife and I have decided to quit smoking together. My metabolic rate changing does not worry me. What I want to know is this. Seeing as I do have a high metabolism, does that mean nicotine is passed to receptors quicker, and adversely, does nicotine get removed from my bloodstream quicker? I suppose what I’m really interested in knowing is, after my final cigarette, will it take less than the average 72 hours for the nicotine in my body to be filtered out?
I quit a month ago yesterday and have gained about 5 lbs. I have been doing cardio 6 days a week, resistance 3 days a week, and am on Nutrisystem (approx. 1500 cals/day). I am 37 and started smoking at 11, eventually smoking a pack+ per day since I was 15. I am never going back to smoking but this weight gain is very aggravating. I guess it will just take some time for my body to adjust. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. Besides, a few lbs is still better than sucking in that poison all day every day.
Keep track of everything you take into your system. Weight gain/loss is calories in / calories out. If you aren’t putting calories into your system, you are not going to gain weight. Even non-smokers struggle with weight gain/loss and I usually just give them a sheet of paper and say, here, for the next 3 days, eat like you normally do and write every morsel and how much down, then bring it back to me. Then we sit down and assess their caloric intake versus what they are doing for activity to burn calories. I’ve yet to see anyone who is still eating healthy (not starving yourself, because your body will go into survival mode and hang onto every calorie it can), is engaging in physical activity and not able to lose weight. Running for one hour, 5 times per week, for 4 weeks is what is takes to lose one pound of true fat, so you need to know what your exercise regime is really doing. Each pound is 3500 calories, so it takes time and patience to lose unwanted pounds but very little to pack it on. I’m so tired of people complaining and saying oh I haven’t changed my diet and then I see them pounding back a 300g bag of chips. I’ve done it myself and know exactly what my weight gain is related to but also know exactly how to get rid of it – number one thing for me was getting real with myself on what I was consuming and what I was doing for exercise. Good luck out there.
Linda, nice advice, but it isn’t working for me. I have quit 2 months and have tracked every morsel of calories in and out from food in, and activity out. I am on a lose-two-pounds-per-week calorie level, and I have not lost an ounce, and am now steadily starting to gain.
it is NOT calories in / calories out. Smoking breaks something. I just hope it doesn’t stay broken forever, or I will have that to kick myself for, as well as all the other things smoking has taken from me.
Today I googled “smoking and metabolism”… and here I am…. Like most of you, I quit smoking 4 months ago and gained 20 lbs… Prior to quitting I worked out daily for over 3 years burning on average 700 calories during each workout. Since I quit smoking I bumped my cardio up to 50 minutes from 15 and eat healthier/less calories than ever before, which is always under 1200. I count each calorie and follow it faithfully on an app on my iphone. Since January, I have lost about 8 of that 20 gained. I kill myself in the gym and see very little results. I will never go back to smoking, obviously the benefits far outweigh the side effects of quitting, however I will have to agree that Linda’s calories in/calories out theory, which is EXACTLY what I thought when I quit, has not held true for me either…. It is frustrating, depressing and discouraging. I will continue to work just as hard every day and I am glad to know that I am not alone in this fight, but I would love to know WHY. I have been 2 my Dr. twice and he has run the gamut of tests on me. He is baffled as well and attirbutes this issue to the fact that smking has seriously screwed up my metabolism and that it takes on average 6-12 months to see a balance return. He said to just continue doing what I’m doing and wait for my metalism to balance out. It’s hard to be patient!!! Anyway, STAY STRONG FOLKS! Keep working out and eating right. We’re BOUND to see results… WE HAVE TO! LOL! Good luck to all! Here’s to a long, healthy life!
I’m a long-time (25+ years) smoker who has quit and re-started many times. My opinion’s based on my own experience, talking to friends who have quit, plus years of reading umpteen books, journals, websites, etc. Smoking obviously screws with your metabolism – but no one is sure exactly how. Expect to gain up to 10 pounds within the first 6 months after quitting. Gaining more than 10 pounds in that time probably indicates overeating. It takes your body about 1 year to re-adjust its metabolism. Accept the idea that you will likely gain a few short-term pounds after you quit; consider it a “symptom of recovery.” 10 pounds is not that big of a deal, though it certainly grabs your attention. After 1 year, your weight will slowly return to normal if you keep exercising and eating right. Managing the weight gets harder as you get older, so start NOW. Having said all that, I know people who have quit smoking and never gained an ounce, so hope for the best. Stay strong everyone, stay motivated, and Good Luck!!!
ok so think of this smoking burns 250 more calories a day(when you smoke around a pack a day) you have to eat right… go to http://www.thedailyplate.com this will help you caculate on your normal activity level what you need to intake to lose say 1 to 2 pounds a week i suggest going with 1 pound then subtract two hundred more caloreis … DO NOT go under 1200 your body will just store what you have keep your fat grams 25 and under give yourself a small ice cream or something once a week… i gaurantee for you to lose weight. I have quit for once for about seven months i maintained my wieght of 130 went up and down to 135 sometimes but that was all water…
I am currently doing a bobybuilding program in an attempt to GAIN weight. i put a stone and a half on in about 2 monthys but it has involved force feeding myself along with training hard…..i gave up smoking a weeka ago…should i expect to find it easier to gain the bulk im looking for now???
I am 45 yrs old, I quit smoking 6 months ago and have gained 10lbs, I hate not fitting into my clothes, and trying to find new stuff with this aweful body is horrible, I really want to smoke again, they should make a pill to help our metabolism make the adjustment and I am sure more people would quit and stay smoke free. I am glad to read about what other people are dealing with, atleast I am not alone, thanks!
Thanks everyone, I’m so glad I’m not the only one!! I have gained over 5 pounds in 3 to 4 weeks and have had less food intake and more exercise.. I hate not fitting into my jeans. I just keep re-affirming that it is for the greater good!! I’m 43 y/o 5ft 9″ and never had a weight problem so it has been very frustrating.. But hey it’s great to be free of the ciggies!
Yes, thanks to everyone. It was a relief to read all of the posts. I quit one year ago this last 7/7, and I am one of the unlucky ones–from 138 to the 150s. I smoked for 15 yrs and am 32. I run 4-5 miles/week, lift weights and other machines at the gym at least 5 times a week. I was also very active, with boxing, aerobics and other stuff for 5 years prior to quitting. It’s been difficult to deal with 30 pounds. But I am also taking the advice of some of the other posts and gonna come clean about my caloric intake and my ALCOHOL consumption (hey–misery loves company–a smoke in one hand and a drink in the other and now, without one, well keep pouring ….) Anyway, I have taken a month off the hooch pledge and am back on a diet. I am also going to up my 45 minutes at the gym to at least a full hour. Hopefully I will make a dent before the end of the summer.
It is my understanding that wieght gain when quitting smoking even with no dietary changes is caused by the yway we metabolize fat. NIH studies showed that women who quit smoking had more glutteal fat even with diet and exercise. The study has not gone on long enough to say whether those weights went back dow nto normal or not.
I went from being an absolute Desk potato to being active 1.5 hours 6 dyas a week and measuring portions from day one of my quit 3 mos ago with an app called Fitness assistant. However I have still gained 6 pounds. for all intents and purposes I should be losing weight not gaining ANYTHING. Calories in and calories out do not seem to hold water when it comes to stop smoking.
I agree. Smoking has to have some type of effect on your metabolism. I quit 3 months ago and have gained 18 lbs. I don’t feel like I am eating that much more, I have started an exercise program so I should be losing weight.
I also have 5 friends who have recently quit smoking, all middle aged and have the same complaint. 10 – 20 lbs. all around the waist like a mushroom. Maybe nicotine really is a anti depressant, who knows. All I know is that I am miserable and sometimes wish I would not have quit smoking if I would have known that it would be so hard to lose this weight.
Any suggestions, I am up for them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marion,
I can tell you what I did and it IS frustrating. I downloaded a program called Fitness Assistant. Log my meals count my calories and am working out on a daily basis 30-90 mins. I SHOULD be losing weight. Right now I am just grateful that I have stopped gaining and have managed to shed 5 of the pounds I gained. The only plus I see right now is with the allotted calories, I am allowed to eat MORE than I was before and it seems the weight is coming off SLOWLY. Just be sure if you use it to measure your potion sizes. They may not sound like much but I was surprised at how much larger portions actually are than what I perceived them to be. The transistion to 5-6 meals was harder than I thought but doable.
I smoked regularly (pack a day) for 13 years–from 14 until 27. Then I became a social smoker, smoking occasionally, but not on a regular basis. Now, I haven’t smoked at all for a few months and I am 30. After I quit smoking (at 27) I slowly became very depressed and put on 30 lbs. I wasn’t exercising, but I wasn’t eating more either. Changing the kinds of foods I ate is what helped me lose weight. When I cut out alcohol and switched to a high vegetable (lots of cruciferous veggies) and whole grains diet and started walking, 15 lbs came off quickly. I modeled my diet after one that would lower estrogen levels–high estrogen levels lead to excessive tummy fat and breast cancer. Also, I started taking St. John’s Wort and I think it uplifted my mood. I think everyone who quits smoking should take St. John’s Wort. It’s only side effect is slight sensitivity to the sun and it helps curb the depression quitting can cause. People who quit smoking need to be patient with themselves. Smoking does mess with the metabolism and the people who say calories in calories out are not fully understanding the issue. It might take time for your body to get used to its new way of operating without the constant dose of nicotine. I am proud of all of you who quit smoking. I am really proud of myself. I seriously thought I would never be able to quit. So, good luck with your weight loss, but a few pounds are worth not smoking! And after all of the abuse we gave our bodies, we should focus on loving and appreciating them–even if they are a little chubbier than we would like, they are still beautiful!!!!
Aftern reading some of the comments I felt like I was reading about myself.All the way from the frustration of the weight gain in the belly,I even sometimes regret having quit because I vnever had this problem before,I heard that my metabolism should straighten out after a year but it hasn’t for me yet.Got any suggestions to help with that?
I have not smoked for 10 years. I am 52. I went nack to school and am graduating the ceramics program this year. 4 year ba of arts. So… what I am saying is I am running all day up and down stairs etc. Lifting 50 lbs. bags of clay. Isometrics on the wheel. And I am seriously considering starting to smoke again. I have gained 30 lbs. in the last 4 years. More stress more weight gain. I used to smoke for the weight gain now I eat for the weight gain. I have been told people who smoke marijauna don’t seem to have the cancer rise like nicotine smokers do. May try this. Whoever said metabolism straightens out after a year obviously has not smoked.
i think more research needs to go into what happens to our metabolism when we quit smoking. i know research shows that smoking a pack a day increases metabolism to the equivilent of approx 250 calories per day, but i believe when we quit smoking ( as i have done twice) that our metabolism ceases. i could not possibly safely eat any less than i do without developing an eating disorder and i cannot train cardio any more than i do and was still putting weight on.my solution this time is to continue on the lowest 7 mg nicotine patch. very wrong i know, but i would rather be addicted to a very low dose of nicotine rather than 20 a day and rather than being 3 or 4 dress sizes bigger. Please Plear research.
Quit 10 months ago and now gain weight just smelling food. Wonder how the President keeps his figure- still smoking? Being fat depresses me. Ug.
I quit smoking 25 years ago. I gained weight and I battled it off again. I have done this most of my life and I can no longer attribute weight gain to the metabolic changes in my body due to having quit smoking. Simple fact is, I am a food addict. Diet plans that told me to eat unaccountable veggies and fruit during the day were keeping me food-focused, much like I was cigarette-focused years ago. Abstinence from eating between meals, eating less, and 30 minutes of cardiovascular a day is the only way to steady the weight. I joined Overeaters Anonymous and I highly recommend it.
Hey everybody. I quit smoking 3 months ago [7/25/09] and have gained 10-12 lbs [depending on the time of day I weigh, water retention, etc...n} I've been doing the the calories in/calories out thing for a year n a half to loose weight... One of my biggest fears with quitting was the weight gain, as that was the reason I started smoking in the first place 18 years ago so i tried upping my activity more [went from walking 1 mile 2x a week @ 2 mph to walking 3 miles 4x a week @ 3.5 mph + kickboxing 2 x a week], decreasing my calories, increasing my food [others thought 1200 was too low]… everything…
My issue is that the muscle built from activity is not burning anything and the fat increased [I'm seeing rolls where I never had a problem before and getting BIGGER-gained 2 inches in my waist so far]. Can anyone tell me-really and honestly- how long it will take to level my non-existant metabolism?! I don’t want to start smoking again. But when I’ve worked so hard to loose weight , putting it back on has made me re-hate my body even more than I did before. I have to loose what I’ve gained and more by the summer [I was already the fat bridesmaid even before I quit].
Don’t give up, I quit on June 14 and have gained 25 pounds so far, my husband quit a year ago in July and his metabolism is starting to level off. He gained over 40 lbs. It will take time, but keep it up and you and I will continue to be smoke free. I am very discouraged also but I have to realize that I am more healthy since I quit. I am having problems having enegy. Before I would jump out the bed in the morning to smoke and now I only want to sleep all day. No reason to get out of the bed. I have alot of adjusting to do.
Well girls, I am going for laser therapy to quit smoking on Saturday, November 14th. I quit smoking about 15 years ago – gained 30 lb. without over-eating and increased my exercise. I stayed off the cigs for 1.5 years but was so miserable with the weight gain I started again and instantly lost 20 lb! People do not believe that I wasn’t over-eating and it made me angry. This doesn’t seem to happen to men – not fair! I’m sending everyone this webpage so people don’t think I’m lying. I currently go to the gym 3-5x/week and follow weight watchers….I’m not losing like I should now – I can hardly wait to see what happens after Saturday……
hi again – i think i found something that helps – Acai berries – i been on them for a few weeks and the weight gain seems to have ceased – will keep you all informed in a few weeks – lets pray hey, cos i cant stand the unfairness of my fat tummy!!
Hey Lynn – you said you were staying on the 7mg nicotine patch a few weeks ago. What’s helping – the patch or the berries? My guess it’s the patch because I never gained while on the patch the last time I quit – when I went OFF the patch is when the weight started piling on.
Hey all
I’m so relieved to read I am not alone in my stop smoking wieght gain . I
quit 7 months ago , smoked since I was 18 yrs now 57 yrs, ” THE MY TIME TO QUIT ” reality check . I feel great but gained 10 lbs. which I hate its seems to be stablized .In Sept I had a routine blood test done and it came back that my thyroid was underactive. So am on a low dose if Synthroid . My Dr. did not relate it to the cig. I think its related myself . Am incline walking , do palates . My jeans are tight , scale does not change . I had thoughts of giving up but thank you all for sharing
your exsperience . I will keep on trucking smoke free on my treadmill !!
I would be curious to know how many people who post here are really becoming overweight when they quit smoking as opposed to putting on some healthy weight. My impression of people who smoke is that they often look unhealthy and are too thin, if they aren’t severely overweight. It seems uncommon to find someone with any kind of addiction who is really “healthy” aside from that addiction. If you are within your ideal weight range after you gain weight from quitting smoking, it sounds like this is just vanity. That may sound harsh, and I don’t mean to imply that anyone should be content being overweight, but I would be curious to know how much of this is a health issue and how much is just individuals who want to look skinnier.
I help people to quit smoking using hypnosis in combination with other healing modalities. It is always an individual approach. Not everyone gains weight after quitting, so I have noticed that people who do generally have other underlying health issues, such as underactive thyroid function. Why than smoking keeps the wight down? There are few possible explanations.
1. when you smoked you constantly had something around your mouth, so you ate less.
2.The taste buds are getting desensitized because of the nicotine.
3. according to some Chinese medical sources the nicotine is a very hot substance and upon entering your body it dries up your fluids – vital fluids as well, such as your blood. This is why cardiovascular disease is associated with smoking.
Now when people quit smoking their body has to go through some sort of rearrangement. Food starts tasting better and it is important to start adjusting your diet even prior to the quitting smoking in order to prepare yourself for the long and healthy life. Adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet helps a lot. Drinking lots of water.
Detoxification process is a good approach after quitting to help your body get rid of the gunk accumulated over the years. This way you give yourself a good chance to get back in balance. There are different detox treatments available to do at home and some of them are very mild yet effective.
And, most importantly, taking care of yourself helps to get you healthier in all aspects.
re:Lydia
first off -not very nice -or constructive and certainly not appreciated by me-i can’t speak for anybody else…
not that i should feel like i have to explain MYself to YOU but over the last year n a half i have been dilligently dieting [keeping my calorie intake between 1200-1350] and exercizing 4-6 days a week[walking 3 miles/day 3-4 days/ week n doing cardio n strength training as well]. i went from 161 [at 5 ft 1 in] down to 130. i was at a point where i was almost at the weight i needed to be at to be healthy. then i decided to quit smoking. i am now back up to 141 with dieting[still same calorie intake] and increasing my exercize to more intese cardio- trying to avoid weight gain. my waist is now 2 inches bigger than it was when i quit and the new clothes that i bought for myself are tight and uncomfortable. this is a super sensitive subject for some people and if you can’t be constructive-and consider that people stuggle not out of vanity but out of really being stuck then it’d be great if you just went to youtube to comment on videos that don’t really matter rather than comment on a site to people who already feel weak, depressed and/or generally feel like crap about themselves already…
if you just quit and didn’t gain-must be nice n you’re really lucky. the rest of us are fighting tooth n nail to maintain…. you should really think about youtube…
RIGHT ON TERESA.!!!…. I was, and will be in the same boat as you very soon since I just quit on Saturday and it IS very sensitive & serious issue we’re facing. I follow Weight Watchers and go to the gym as many days/week I can. I’m hoping & praying that this time I do not gain 30 lb. as I did before.
Re: Teresa
Walking is not sufficient exercise for anyone to continually lose weight, and it will not help you build muscle beyond a certain point. Even walking for an hour 3 times a week will not help you lose a lot of weight because your body becomes used to the exercise and unless you’re increasing your exercise steadily, your body will simply adjust to the amount of energy you expend and retain weight. Your body has to be building muscle in order to increase the amount of calories it burns in any given activity, so I recommend weight training in place of 2 of the 4-6 days of cardio you are doing every week (walking is a type of cardio, but only if you are walking fast enough, about 3.6-3.8 mph). I hope this is helpful to you in your weight loss goals.
I’m actually not a smoker, but a researcher looking for information on articles I am writing. I’m surprised that you became personally defensive about a question asked out of genuine curiosity. I’m sorry if you feel like crap about yourself, but that, like smoking or not smoking, is entirely your decision. I don’t have the ability to make you feel any way you don’t want to. I hope you feel better soon.
Re: Lydia – On this site, we are all facing two HUGE battles, nether of which you seem to have. We have all stopped smoking are are trying to deal with the after effects which you obviously don’t understand. Do us all a favor and keep your ‘research’ to yourself!
i’m unsubscribing-so debbie n everybody else that needs support good luck n i hope all goes well for you
and btw lydia-it is a very personal subject for me-and evidently other people too because they’re looking for support and advise from people who have BEEN where they are
fyi some of that cardio[2-3 days a week as instructed by a professional] is high intensity cardio kickboxing… i’m not just walking thanx -
again w/the youtube suggestion…
Don’t unsubscribe! The rest of us would like to know how you’re progressing!
I too am glad to have found a site where people are going through the same thing I am experiencing with the quit smoking/ metabolism problem. I have 83 days off cigs and luckily the cravings have not ben to bad.the dificulty for me lies in the fact that I have gained 15 lbs rapidly throughout this time. i splurged for the first couple of weeks on some nightime ice cream binges bt quickly stopped that behavior..I workout 5/6 times per wek on cardio and some weight training. cardio is 25-30 mins and I realize after reading your posts i wil double it startig tomorow. I have a small frame at 5′2″ i cannot cary this much weight and none of my clothes fit except for sweats and they are tight, even. I am eating only lean protien and complex carbs (veg and fruits), cut out bad carbs, sodim, red meats and sugar.quit cofee since it makes me nervous without cigs. .i dont know what else i can limit out of my diet. i dont realy want to leave the house while i lok this way and, not to be negative, but i am starting to consider smoking since i am not enjoying life right now.! i am researching weight loss pills – if anyone has any advice plz let me know! best of luck to everyone! xo Monika
Hi again
i did go back on the 7mg patch and also at the same time is started on acai berries so i dont know which one is working for me to steadily reduce my weight again – when i say steadily, i mean REALLY steadily, one thing though, the acai berries see to have regulated my bowel which also went awol when i stopped smoking, i REALLY want to stay fag free and just hope this metabolism problem resolves itself – im gonna come off the 7mg patch again tomorrow so i will let you know how im doing x keep up the good work everyone x
I’ve been off the cigs for 1 week, 1 day now and it’s been ok with a few bad days, but no smoking at all. I went for laser therapy with 2 boosters…followed the supplement regimin to cleanse, and so far, so good. Haven’t gained any weight YET, but will keep you all posted on that. I’m hoping this time it’s all different.
hi been of the cigs now for 9 moths i use the champix and quit no problem that was after 30 years of smoking and many atemps to quit.maybe it was my time .I am 41 years old and play 5 a side football twice a week and do 30 mins on a rowing machine 4 days a week also have springer dog and walk him twice a day .I would say that i am eating no more now than when i was smoking but my weight gain is been imense dont know exactly how many pounds i ve but on feared to weigh myself.i am seriously thinking on going back on the ciggs.HATE BEING THIS CHUBBY cant shift it this is to the woman that says it doesnt affect men.
It has been over a year since I quit smoking and the 17 lbs I gained has never gone away. Within the first month of quitting I gained 6 lbs and I tried to keep it off but the weight kept piliing on. I don’t regret quitting I just wish there was a way to get this weight off. Good luck to everyone who is experiencing this problem. If anyone figures out a solution let me know!
Re: Laura. That is my biggest fear. I have been off cigarettes for 2 weeks now and have gained 4 lb….but I’ll blame a lot of that on Thanksgiving and an an unusal work schedule that has me eating things I wouldn’t normally eat. I normally stick to weight watchers and go to the gym several nights/week, but my schedule has not allowed me to do any of that. On Sunday’s, I’ve been going on a 5 mile walk/run and thats’ about it. I pray my schedule returns to normal soon before there’s 20lb extra on me! The last time I quit, I gained 30 and could NOT lose it no matter what I did, and that drove me back to smoking after 18 months! Someone out there has to help us!!!
Dear Debbi and everybody else concerned about weight gain after quitting smoking. First of all – congratulations on quitting and keeping your health!
Your body is out of usual smoking schedule and trying to generate more fluids for recreation of damage done. But it doesn’t know how to distribute it properly. Your task is to help your body creating a new schedule AND maintaining it.
1. Look really close to your nutrition intake – keep food journal and write down everything you eat with date and time attached.
2. Avoid eating after 6 pm. It is challenging for working women with family but doable – I did it after I quit and started gaining weight.
3. Get off ALL the dairy, gluten, sugar, soda, alcohol – it is not good for your health anyway, so now is a good time. There are wheat and gluten free breads, like millet bread.
4. Always eat good protein breakfast.
5. Exercising only is not going to help you lose weight, this is where frustration comes from – we work out and weight is still there. Nutrition is the most important part of it.
6. Cardio workout – to keep your circulation going and your lungs clearing.
7. Weight lifting – to build a healthy muscle mass and strengthen bones weakened by ex-smoking.
8. Drink a glass of water with lemon upon wakening up.
9. Consider liver detox under doctor’s supervision. Liver gets toxic because of the medicine we take, smoking, foods we eat. Clean liver boosts up your lipid (fat) metabolism.
10. Check your pH level – you could be too acidic/alkaline and because of that food is not digesting properly. However the diet free of dairy, gluten, sugar, soda, alcohol might bring it to normal with time.
Dear Maya: Thanks for the advice, but I don’t believe in changing my diet to eliminate food groups. I personally think that dairy and grains are very important and will continue to follow the Weight Watchers program in addition to going to the gym. Quitting smoking is difficult enough…don’t take away my alcohol too!
Dear Debbi,
Absolutely do what brings you results. If it is working keep doing it! And it is your personal choice, it will work only if you decided to do that. And beliefs are very important as well.
For the clarification I would like to give you the reasons for my suggestions:
* Alcohol has many empty calories and sugar.
* There many more types of grains than wheat. I mean wheat specifically, other grains are very important in the diet.
* Dairy is by far not the best source of calcium, especially skim milk because the body cannot absorb the calcium well without the fat in the milk. Yogurt is the best choice from dairy products if you decide to keep them.
And, again, if what you are doing is working – great. If not – maybe you would think of playing with more choices.
I smoked for 40+ years and quit. I used Chantix and never had a craving and I had been a very heavy smoker. (I embarrassed to say how many packs a day I smoked) Anyway, I ended up on a starvation diet, gained weight, felt miserable and after 8 months I went back to smoking. Weight fell off, I was able to eat normally again, and felt much better. I now smoke ONLY 5 or less cigarettes per day. I know that is not healthy, but I’m at risk for diabetes and my weight was getting dangerously high for me. I was tired of smoking controlling me, so now I control the smoking.
Re: Joy OUCH. I know for a fact that I could not limit myself to 5 cigaerttes/day for very long. I know what you mean about the weight falling off when you return to smoking – it’s like a miracle diet! When I gained 30 the last time, 20 fell off when I started smoking again. This time I’m going to hang in there….I”m 3 weeks smoke-free, gained 4 lb. which I’m not happy about, but sticking to Weight Watchers and doing the best I can. Best of luck with those 5 cigs…I know I could never do that.
I am 54 years old, I have smoked since I was 15 (half to a pack a day). I made the decision 3 mos ago to quit “I DID IT” As of 11/15/09 I have not smoked. First – I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF, second MY FAMILY is very proud of me. I have always had a weight problem (about 60 lbs over-weight). One of my greatest fears is even getting heavier, but if I can conquer the smoking battle – I feel I can work on the weight issue. I have never been a health nut, just raised on good food and what we could afford. Today I can breathe without whizzing, I can walk-up stairs without running out of breathe, and I run after my grandchildren. I have gained 6 pounds in 3 lbs. but the accomplishment is far more worth it. BE HAPPY LIFE IS SHORT.
Re: Diane
Wow…you and I are like the SAME! I will be 54 on Monday and quite November 14! I also have gained 6 lb. but am currently on a ‘fitness vacation’ trying to get rid of it. I’ve always been about 10 lb. overweight but this is sending me over the edge. Gained 30 the last time – hope that doesn’t happen again! Good luck to you! I”m in my first non-smoking hotel room on the beach and it feels pretty good!!!
I quit smoking 9 months ago. I am so glad I found this page because I have been driving myself (and my husband) crazy. I figured that my metabolism would slow down after I stopped smoking but coming to a full blown halt has really thrown me for a loop. I have always worked out, even when I smoked. I am still working out 5 days a week but can’t seem to lose any of this 10 lbs I have gained. I am really depressed about it and basically ready to thrown in the towel. I have always watched what I eat, now being no different. Its a struggle when you work out almost every day, watch what you eat and still see now results. (especially when you see that your friend, who smokes, cuts out a few calories and loses 10 lbs.) I do realize what all of you are going through. Its nice to know when someone says ” I understand” that they actually do.
RE: Karen
HALT is not the word! I think my metabolism is going in reverse! I have now gained 12 lb. for absolutely no reason. Some clothes don’t fit at all and the others are just uncomfortable – this really gets me mad because I am doing everything in my power to NOT gain weight. I do not want to start smoking again but I know the weight would ‘fall off’ if I did. There must be an answer out there somewhere!
Hi. I’m 25 years old and have been smoking for about 2 years. There are social, physical, and economic reasons to quit obviously, but I have been overweight basically my entire life and I am SO SCARED of gaining more weight because I quit. I will totally chalk it up to my own screwed up neurosis, but I’d almost rather be thinner and live a shorter life, than a longer fat one. Has anyone NOT gained weight after quitting?
I THINK WE ARE ALL ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM – there is no answer for our ‘nicotine-free’ metabolisms. The only advice so far is: ’stop eating’, ‘exercise more’, ‘eat heathier’, etc, which CLEARLY doesn’t work. I am at my wits end after not smoking for 2 months – the weight keeps piling on and I am getting more and more depressed. Laser therapy seems to help with the depression, but not with the weight gain. Help!
POSSIBLE SOLUTION: I have only quit for a month and so far (with ridiculous excersize and dieting) only gained 4lbs. I’m only 5ft tall and I can’t afford to gain much more. My co-worker (age 38 smoker for 17years) quit a year ago and gained 20lbs. Last April of 09 she went on the Atkins diet and lost almost 35lbs WITHOUT EVEN EXERCISING! She looks great and has been able to keep the weight off. Has anyone else had success with Atkins? If not it’s worth a try since nothing else is working. If I gain another pound I’m going on it. Good luck!
Hello. I’m on day 16 without (42 Yrs young and smiked for 25 years). I have been going to the gym everyday; sometimes twice a day- but on average 2.5 hours. I do most of this time at night, which is my crave time to smoke. Keeps me busy and was hoping to keep my weight down. I’m up 5 LBS even with all the working out…. seems as if I need to increase it more since I was an a gym rate to begin with. good gosh should I live there? About 15 years ago I lost about 70lbs- and I have kept all the weight off since thanks to the gym and smoking I guess- I never realized smoking increased ones’ metabolism…
I saw a new vitamin on TV for woman that is to help increase metabolism. Has anyone tried it? I think I’m going to get it today…
WHAT IS THE VITAMIN AND HOW DO WE GET IT? (2 months smoke-free – 12 lb. up)
Hi Debbi:
ouch 12 lbs… so sorry…. congrats on 2 months!!!! I just got it today at took one this afternoon.. We will see? I got mine at CVS it is the One a Day Multi called” Women s Active Metabolism”. I’m willing to try… worst case I get more Vitamins. But I can say this, I just got home from the Gym. Since the quit I was having trouble getting my heart-up on the Cardio machine (Never had that problem). This evening It was up 10%???? Was working harder? Was it a placebo effect? Was it that little vitamin? Humm… Not sure? I’m hoping to see some changes in a week….
Also, Does Dr. Gary Pepper ever post here? I don’t see anything from him?
Terri: Thanks for the vitamin advice – I will try anything at this point. This forum has been active for over year and no word from Dr. Pepper….I think he just might be a soft drink! It would be nice if we could get a medical opinion who’s actually looked into this problem. I also think it would be nice if all the smoking cessation groups would help more with the metabolism and depression aspect of quitting smoking – I think those 2 things are more difficult to deal with than quitting itself!
The Comments section at metabolism.com is a place where members have the opportunity to get their questions and opinions posted to the homepage for maximum visibility. Every day thousands of people have the opportunity to see what is on your mind. I try not to intervene too much in Comments so people feel free to say whatever…including what may seem negative about the website.
Everyday, Chris (our webmaster) and I review the Comments section several times. I try to find topics that have general interest which I then turn into a blog. I hope you have noticed that many member questions wind up in my main blog. It takes me a lot of time and effort to prepare a meaningful blog post. I also try to choose a wide variety of issues to cover the whole spectrum of metabolic issues, from the Armour Thyroid crisis, to diabetes care, to smoking cessation, weight loss, low testosterone, Vitamin D etc.
There is a serious shortage of Endocrinologists and the situation is going to get worse before it gets better. At metabolism.com I try to share my experience with as many people as I can even though I can’t get to every question. I regret if it appears I am ignoring anyone’s concerns.
Many of my opinions run counter to the medical establishment so I am not universally appreciated by my peers. My next blog on the flaws in the latest Diabetes Treatment Guidelines prepared by my professional society is going to make me even less popular.
Many thanks to you and other members of Metabolism.com for your support. And thank you for understanding the mission and limitations of Metabolsim.com.
All the best,
Gary Pepper, M.D.
Terry: The vitamin contains caffiene….no can do. I gave that up 15 years ago but explains your heart rate!
Debbi:
Sorry to hear that.
RE Gary Pepper
Respectfully, maybe Dr. Pepper will, some day, post a suggested idea. The amount of time it took to write why he does not have the time, he could have offered-up something for all of us. To intervene ‘too much’ should not be a problem for all of us here… define ‘too much’ or maybe ever?
Terri
Agreed!
All:
I have posted my weight gain problems here too, but I think I may have found a little bit of a solution for our metabolism issues. By the way i have quit smoking 7 months ago and gained about 25 lbs.
It is cinnamon capsules, take one at night and also take a niacin pill at night, both of these can be found at wal mart in the vitamin section. The cinnamon right on the bottle says that is helps your sugar metabolism and the niacin people are taking in place of their cholesterol pill, and in return has shown to help them lose weight and get off of their cholesterol medicine.
My mother, husband and brother n law have all been successful. I started this about 2 days ago and we shall see.
Can’t hurt right, it’s just vitamins:
Good luck, will give you an update in 3 months:
hi marion
what strength niacin and what strength cinnamon – cant wait to try – thanx so much
lynn
Be careful with the niacin….do your homework first.
Hi everyone, I too smoked for 20 years & quit smoking using Chantix a year ago this month. I have been struggling with losing the 20lbs i put on. It doesn’t matter what i do i dont gain more or lose anything! Have tried everything!! @ the gym doing cardio, stairmaster taj mahal everyday was walking 7 miles a day up and down hills in real sweats … NOTHING has helped. My doctor has ran every test possible thinking i was anemic, diabetes, thyroid … nothing. It is soo frustrating and depressing I dont ever want to smoke again still disgusted by the smell which is great but fear that is why i am not losing weight. i weighed 150lbs when i quit and am now 170lbs was kinda happy at 150 thinking i only wanted to lose 20lbs … now i want to lose 40lbs soo frustrating cant even lose a lb. Please help?? There has to be something that can help boost our metabolism?? My doctor even gave me a years worth of water pills prescription which i cant believe he would do considering after having my 2nd child they wouldnt even give me 1/2 of one….
Hi Cheryl
Congrats on being smoke free at 1 yr!!! What an accomplishment! Kudos.!
I hope I’m that successful, as I’m at day 25 and doing ok. I too smoked for 25 years… cold turkey (chantix made me do/feel weird things).
Well, the weight issue is/was a problem for me ( I think I’m back on track??). I was up 7 lbs and only into 10 days of my quit…. This was very upsetting since I had lost about 70 lbs 15 years ago and do work out religiously. In this I thought, “not me”, I work out I won’t gain weight. Wrong! I did not realize that smoking increased ones’ metabolism rate thus, I was (did) gain weight. So, I upped my workout time 2 hours of cardio and nothing… still gained weight. I purchased the ‘One a Day vitamin for Metabolism’ and now I’m down the 5 of the 7 lbs I gained. Don’t know if it helped or not or if I’m just more focused at the gym, or if time is a factor (so many variables here) but maybe this combination may help you too?
Water pills is a false sense of weight loss, get a new MD. Remember, letters after a name (MD) does not make a person and expert in a field od study- get a new MD.
Much luck!! Keep at it… Terri
I’m 54, smoked for 37 years and am at 2 1/2 months smoke-free and gained 12 pounds so far – lost 2 1/2 last week by REALLY working out way more and REALLY sticking to Weight Watchers. The One a Day Vitamins for Metabolism contain caffiene so that could help some. Unfortunately, I stopped caffiene about 15 years ago and not about to go back. This is probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done but I’ve already had to buy new clothes (to fit) and I don’t want to buy more! There must be another way – I know I can’t keep this pace forever!
Thanks for all of your comments about quitting smoking and gaining weight. I thought I was crazy and people who have never smoked seem to think I am making it up just to have an excuse to start smoking again.
Well, I have quit smoking many times. The last time before this time was about 4 years ago. I had quit for 3 months and gained 30 pounds. I was a bit over weight at the time of quitting, but only about 10 pounds.
So this time it has been since November 12th and I have already gained about 20 lbs. YUCK. I will not start smoking again because I do not want to wake up at night hacking and I am sick of the stench on my clothing. I cannot bear to think of going through trying to kick it again.
Unfortunately, I am a real addict and if I have only one cigarette, I’m on my way to the gas station to buy three packs. I could NEVER do the 5 cigarettes per day, I am an addict.
I know that there is a real metabolism change, I can feel it. But I also know that I am filling in my habit with eating and I am working on trying to stop that. I think we should all congratulate ourselves and keep on plugging along. I plan to tackle the weight next…….good luck to all and don’t listen to people who have no clue!!
I replied some time ago to this thread and would like to add something. Everybody here posted a personal story of dealing with weight gain after quitting smoking. I went through that too. I smoked since I was 15, quit to have a child, picked up just that one cigarette a year after…, and than quit again 7 years ago for good. I did start gaining weight and was diagnosed with hypothyroid condition right prior to quitting. However what was effective for me is to modify almost all my life habits, not only eating and exercising. I did go to gym every day (and worked out hard) , ate small portions, meditated, made peace with few people in my life, looked at the bright side of things, etc. I even got certified as a fitness trainer! By no means it was easy but it was worthwhile doing. I wrote down all my life patterns and changed them all – even good ones modified slightly. I did it to reset my system completely. All the women in my family are very overweight and I’m not – only due to the discipline and frame of mind I choose to keep.
I started helping people to quit smoking with customized individual hypnosis sessions, because it is the best thing you can do – quit smoking forever. All it takes is a firm decision and sometimes some help.
I know that you can do anything when you make a decision to do it. Real firm once-and-for-all decision. I came to Dr. Pepper four years ago as a mess on Synthroid, and now with Armour, Selenium, meditation, and holistic medicine even my antibodies levels are going down. I decided to get healthier and did everything it took that is healthy for me. We all are not getting younger so I choose to take care of my body and eliminate unhealthy habits on daily basis, and help my patients do the same.
Good luck to you all, congratulations on quitting, and I wish you health.
I wrote to Dr. Oz and here’s a portion of the response I receieved.
“Strengthening exercises will help speed up your metabolism. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, misguidedly, that strength exercises are for increasing your size. You can do resistance exercises without making your muscles bulge. The true payoff for strengthening your muscles is that you’ll build a little more lean muscle mass, which will help you burn more calories throughout the day and speed your metabolism.
Any movement speeds metabolism, including fidgeting (called nonexercise activity thermogenesis in scientific lingo, or NEAT for short). Every increase in body temperature of one degree increases your metabolic rate by 14 percent (eating protein appears to do the same thing naturally, by the way). When you sleep, your metabolic rate decreases by 10 percent. When you starve yourself for more than twelve hours, your metabolic rate actually goes down by 40 percent. When you skip meals, your body senses a dietary disaster and quickly goes into storage mode rather than burning mode. That’s the primary reason why deprivation diets don’t work. Your body panics about going into a famine, so it slows metabolism into emergency-storing mode rather than a steady state of burning. Breakfast eaters are on average thinner than those who skip breakfast because they keep their metabolism genes turned on; this means that calories are more likely to be burned off before they can turn into fat.”
I started strength training about a month ago (BodyPump classes 3/week) and am losing about 1 lb./week. I’ve quit for 3 months now and never thought I would lose! I am also following Weight Watchers faithfully and started a walk/run program http://www.C25K.com. It’s a lot of physical activity, but it’s better than the enormous weight gain I had the last time I quit – which eventually drove me back to cigarettes.
Yeah no one seems to get the point. NOTHING I do is effective!!! I have a bit of salt after weeks of working out and eating bland nothing and I’m ballooned and bloated!!! Its the chemicals all of it thats stopping my body from losing weight. Have heard our metabolism comes to a halt once we quit anyone have a solution for that a REAL solution i think not! Thats the whole plan ya quit smoking then become fat and depressed wow what a plan …
Just wanted to give you an update, quit smoking 8 months ago and have gained exactly 20 pounds, seems like the weight gain has finally slacked off. Last Monday a week ago I started Atkins, lost 9 lbs in 7 days, must be alot of fluid. Just the effects of being on Atkins, I feel so much better, but the best part is it forcing your body to burn fat and increases your metabolism. Try it its not as hard as you think. The NEW Atkins is alot more flexible and easy to learn than the old version. Basically the same with a few easier ways of understanding it. Good Luch I hope it works. Thanks, my goal is to wear a bikini this summer, not in public of course just at home in my pool, lol.
So I came across this website trying on some research on why does your metabolism stop when you quit smoking… I looks like everyone has the same problem, I quit September 2008 gained 15lbs which I still haven’t lost, It does not matter that I run 45min/day, eating healty and have a job which keeps me on my feet running around like a maniac all day long. I have had my hormones tested, my doctor put me on diet pills where I lost 10lbs(water weight) and as soon as I stopped taking the pills the pounds came back on. I’m looking into having my thyroid tested so we will see what happens… you’d think it be an answer for this…