Studies have shown that heavy smokers burn 200 calories a day because nicotine increases the rate that your body burns fat at. When your body metabolism is high you will lose weight faster. That is why when you quit smoking you gain weight.
According to research, four out of five people gain some weight after quitting smoking, however studies has shown also that most ex-smokers lost some weight after six months.
What causes people to gain weight after they quit smoking?
Most people gain weight after they quit smoking. Some people do not quit smoking for this very reason. Although studies vary on the number of pounds people gain, there is a consensus on the reasons for the weight gain. The big question is: does smoking make you lose weight? Smoking affects the body’s weight in three ways:
- Nicotine is an appetite suppressant. As nicotine is a stimulant, research suggests that it may interfere with the body’s normal release of insulin. Insulin is a key element in controlling glucose levels in the blood and signaling feelings of hunger to the brain. Nicotine’s interference with insulin results in decreased sensations of hunger.
- Smoking increases the body’s metabolism. Research has also suggested that regular doses of nicotine increase the body’s rate of metabolism and maintain a higher than normal metabolism within the body.
- Smoking burns calories. Although the data concerning a number of calories burned from the act of smoking vary, some show that regular smokers burn between 150 and 300 calories a day.
When people stop smoking, the accompanying weight-loss advantages also cease to have effect in the body. Additionally, many people supplant their nicotine craving with snacks and unhealthy eating habits. Despite all of this, it is unquestionably clear that the health benefits of quitting smoking far outweigh the risks of gaining weight. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has published the following statement:
Smoking damages almost each organ in the body. The unfriendly well-being impacts from cigarette smoking record for an expected 438,000 deaths, or about 1 of each 5 deaths, every year in the United States.
Stop Smoking and Lose Weight!
While the ill effects of smoking indisputably outweigh the ill effects of being overweight, it is clear that avoiding both will lead to a healthier life and higher quality of life. Health problems associated with being overweight range from heart disease and stroke to diabetes and cancer.
There are many ways to quit smoking and lose weight at the same time. Consider implementing a regular exercise routine and changing to a healthy diet. While these lifestyle changes seem dramatic, the resulting effects of these changes on health and quality of life are even more dramatic.
Last Updated on July 27, 2021
