QUITTING SMOKING .. HOW WILL IT EFFECT WEIGHT?

m0jk
m0jk Posts: 133
in Health and Weight Loss
I read somewhere quitting smoking slows your metabolism by 75%.. does anyone have any info?

Replies

  • ohexploitable
    ohexploitable Posts: 7
    nicotine is also an appetite suppressant and just so you know, obesity is more deadly than smoking so you're better off sticking with that
  • frenchfacey
    frenchfacey Posts: 237 Member
    i quit smoking bc i decided in general i needed to make healthier choices and since then ive lost about 30 lbs

    believe me if you can quit something like smoking, you can lose weight!
  • strawberrytoast
    strawberrytoast Posts: 711 Member
    Initially you may put on a few pounds, after this back to normal.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think people just eat more when they are quitting smoking. If you can find a way to manage it without too much overeating that would be good. But, a couple weeks of overeating is still better than how bad smoking is for your long term health (and beauty). Congrats on quitting, if you choose to!
  • LiziAB
    LiziAB Posts: 55
    I read somewhere that exercising helps curb the cravings as well as help maintain weight. Hubby quit smoking in January, two packs a day, and has lost 10 pounds since then, by exercising and using MFP to control calorie intake. You will feel some withdrawal symptoms but hang in there, it can be done.
  • kimconrad
    kimconrad Posts: 5
    Here is a news story I remamber hearing about this very topic . . .

    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/weight-gain-quitting-smoking-thought/story?id=16748281

    I quit smoking (after 20+ years) last August. I traded smoking for running as a present to myself for my 44th birthday. At 5' 5", I weighed 130 lbs., and that's where I'm still at today. I would weight less except the fat has turned to muscle because I also do circuit training and weight lifting, too. With running, I will be participating in my first half marathon this August to celebrate my one year anniversary of my gift and for my 45th birthday.

    Anyway, since I workout so much and I use that as a motivation to not smoke, I rarely even have urges any more for a cigarette. On those rare occasions, I'll grab some fruit or fresh veggies to munch on.

    Hope this helps. Stay strong and good luck!!!! :flowerforyou:
  • StarryOne
    StarryOne Posts: 50 Member
    I quit smoking last year and almost immediately gained 5 pounds. I haven't lost any, nor have I gained any since then. I definitely felt hungrier for a while, but the fact that I can exercise harder and longer and feel 100% better has made the weight thing a moot point! Good job quitting!
  • StinkyWinkies
    StinkyWinkies Posts: 603 Member
    My personal experience is: I quit smoking, I did not gain weight...I lost 5-10lbs...but, then again, I was trying to lose weight.

    Oh yes, I was a 3 (that's correct Three) pack-a-day smoker.
  • sparkle814
    sparkle814 Posts: 78 Member
    I don't think it's possible for quitting smoking to slow your metabolism by 75%. Wouldn't that mean that instead of burning 2000 calories a day (for example) that you would only burn 500? Nahhhh.
  • m0jk
    m0jk Posts: 133
    may as well just give it up on monday in that case :wink:
  • DistantJ
    DistantJ Posts: 155 Member
    Just do things that help keep you as happy as possible while you are going through withdrawals, and cut yourself some slack if you slip up, whether with food or ciggies. You can do it!!!
  • kayl3igh88
    kayl3igh88 Posts: 428 Member
    I stopped smoking and started my weight loss journey at the same time. I would only say you have to really want both for it to work. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I smoked my last cigarette on April 28th. I haven't gained any weight, haven't exactly lost any wither. BUT, I quit after i finished Insanity, took almost 3 weeks off for my knees to heal. Last week of May started cycling and C25K. Monday I started SL5x5. So I expect to see the size coming back down again.
  • gracielee1
    gracielee1 Posts: 71 Member
    when i was smoking, i was also not running and not doing yoga and staying out late and drinking a lot too and eating, so quitting smoking actually positively affected my weight. I lost weight because I was able to run and do yoga again without all the smoke in my system, I was eating healthier and I was just in better mood generally so I was making healthier eating decisions.
  • m0jk
    m0jk Posts: 133
    i only started again a month ago (was in a bad situation) ... should be easier for me to stop this time :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    I quit smoking right about the same time I started all this good livin'...lost 35-40Lbs. I don't think it's so much about slowing metabolism, etc...your metabolism is actually highly adaptable...if it's an issue at all, it would only be for a very short time. Where people run into issues...nicotine is an appetite suppressant. Also, people substitute putting food in their mouth rather than the cigarette.
  • NiagaraCheryl
    NiagaraCheryl Posts: 56 Member
    I gained weight, but then, I quit smoking when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest son. He is now 21 years old and I haven't had a smoke since then. Between quitting smoking, having 2 kids, and working at a sedentary job, I packed on the weight.

    However, I'm still happy I quit. Even back then it was starting to get hard to find a place where I could smoke. In Ontario, everywhere is "non-smoking". There is no such thing anymore as smoking areas in restaurants or bars - if you want to smoke you go outside. And we get some cold winters here.

    Another plus is the money you'll save. I figure I've saved $2000 a year - a carton a week at $40 a carton. So that's $42,000 in 21 years. Although, I'd like to know where that $42,000 is hiding. :smile:
  • Macstraw
    Macstraw Posts: 896 Member
    "I stopped smoking and started my weight loss journey at the same time. I would only say you have to really want both for it to work. Good luck"

    ^ This. I think a lot of people gain the weight because they are looking for something to do with their hands to replace the smoking & food is an easy option. No matter what else you're doing, if you move more & eat less you will lose weight - this should also hold true while you're quitting smoking. In addition to possibly curbing cravings, exercise should keep you occupied enough to help curb the eating reflex.....

    All I know for sure is I (+ my nephews & niece) would have been much happier had my brother chosen eating over smoking so that he wouldn't have died at 45. Even if you gain weight when you quit you can always do something about it, but once you get cancer you can't diet or exercise that away....
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    I think I gained like 3-5 pounds.

    and back there I was pretty sick so I was losing weight anyways because of an infection. I didn't really notice it. Just stick with good habits, diet and exercise and you'll be fine. Most people gain weight because yes you're stressed and usually eating more because of the stress. You typically replace one habit with another - IE smoking becomes eating.

    Substitute the gym, or walking - you'll feel better :)

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