Smoking and Weight Loss
Last Updated on by Sophie
Smoking increases body metabolism rate, studies has shown that heavy smokers burn on average 200 calories per day. Nicotine which is the main ingredient naturally boost metabolism.
That is why when you stop smoking your body weight start to move up and gain weight.
According to cancer research and institute four out of five gain some weight after quitting smoking however studies has shown also that most ex-smokers lost some weight after six month.
Smoking or your health?
Smokers have two options continue destroying their health or stop and live a healthy life style. Second option requires hard work and commitment.
In average smokers weight less than non smokers even if they have the same fitness routine but the more cigarettes you smoke the more weight you will gain after quitting.
If you are a heavy smoker you should expect gaining more weight than those who smoke less.
If you can hold for six months you will notice losing weight as many who quit has noticed, you body needs time to adjust, nicotine is addiction and you should not expect magic results in short time.
When you stop your appetite for food will increase, especially desire for sweets and fatty foods, experiments in rats with nicotine withdrawal has proven this.
When my friend quit smoking she kept herself busy with daily fitness program and taking healthy snacks to curb her appetite, to her surprise she did not gain weight.
Many prefer to quit smoking by using nicotine replacement products. It is less harmful getting nicotine from replacement products than cigarette because tobacco smoke contains many toxic and cancer-causing substances.
Nicotine replacement
Nicotine replacement products available in patch, gum and lozenge and Gurana based herbal supplement can help too since it contain a small amount of nicotine.
It’s true and easy that you can lose weight by going back to your smoking habits but the health risk that you are taking is high.
Exercise all you need to lose weight after stopping smoking, with exercise you will increase your metabolism rate and relief yourself from stress, a simple exercise like dancing for one hour every day will result in burning 210 calories. First month will be hard as changing our habits are not easy, be patient and be realistic, accept failure and start again.
Remember you are fighting for your health and your family; it is worth it to keep the fight and it is a great pleasure to win a fight with yourself. Teaming up with someone interested in giving up smoking is a very effective and provides the emotional support that both of you need.
For your information
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
- About a third of the male adult global population smokes.
- Smoking related-diseases kill one in 10 adults globally, or cause four million deaths. By 2030, if current trends continue, smoking will kill one in six people.
- Every eight seconds, someone dies from tobacco use.
- About 12 times more British people have died from smoking than from World War II.
- It is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death. It is a prime factor in heart disease, stroke and chronic lung disease. It can cause cancer of the lungs, larynx, oesophagus, mouth, and bladder, and contributes to cancer of the cervix, pancreas, and kidneys.
- More than 4,000 toxic or carcinogenic chemicals have been found in tobacco smoke.
- One British survey found that nearly 99% of women did not know of the link between smoking and cervical cancer.
- One survey found that 60% of Chinese adults did not know that smoking can cause lung cancer while 96% were unaware it can cause heart disease.
- At least a quarter of all deaths from heart diseases and about three-quarters of world’s chronic bronchitis are related to smoking.
Further reading
