How to Deal with Weight Gain after Quitting Smoking

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Whether you decided to quit smoking or you already did, a ‘big congratulations’ to you!

Unfortunately, weight gain is something that is not very easy to escape from for most people who quit smoking. Depending on which phase of quitting smoking you are going through, you will deal with it eventually or you are already. In order to deal with weight gain after quitting smoking, first you need to understand what happens to you generally and what to expect once you quit smoking. 

This article will give you a brief idea about it first, and then we will talk about what to do for damage control in the long run.

The psychological side of eating more after quitting smoking

Craving for cigarettes is only normal after quitting smoking. Many people attack food whenever they

crave for a cigarette. I know it is not easy for you to keep hands off of cigarettes when you are under stress or when you have a cup of coffee or a drink. You quit smoking, and now you have cravings. You just want to eat more and keep busy so that you can keep yourself away from cigarettes. You may find yourself in front of the fridge more often, trying to find something to eat and keep your mouth and mind occupied. It is very possible that you may start eating junk food more than ever. These are all normal to experience, so to speak, but not necessarily normal that you let this happen to you.

What do I mean by this?

This is what I would consider to be the worst scenario: noticing the situation I just described above when the damage is already done and it is too late. Many people want to get help AFTER they already gained weight. It is harder to lose weight once you gain it because the metabolism slows down a little after you quit smoking.

Here is why:

So, what is the solution?

Let’s not forget that you have made a brave decision to quit smoking. This shows a lot of courage and willpower. If you can take such a big step for your health, you can certainly do some damage control for weight gain. The first step for every brave quitter is to stay on the positive side and be dedicated to not gain weight by taking simple measures. 

Here is a list of a few things to do in the long run:

Change your eating habits: Now that you know the metabolism slows down once you quit smoking, you will need to lower the amount of daily calorie intake. Even if you can quit sugar completely, it is a great start. Be careful about junk food, alcohol, late night munching, snacking more than you are supposed to and any type of drinks loaded with sugar and empty calories. Avoid them at all cost (and, I am not saying ‘if you can’ because you should), at least for the first few months.

Chew a piece of gum: Chewing a piece of gum will keep your mouth busy. If you just quit smoking, you may also consider chewing a piece of nicotine gum. It will help your carvings and probably will keep you away from food.

Adopt an exercise routine: I know, this is not easy to do so. You are busy or you have kids, work, or maybe you are a student with a job and heavy classes. But trust me on this; it is the best for your own good to adopt something for the sake of exercising on a regular basis, even if it is only for ten minutes. It is better than nothing. Do you want to end up with an overweight body? Do what you need to do in the beginning, not when it is too late. 

You may want to check out my article on weight loss. There are useful tips in the article that might provide you extra help.

Pick up a hobby: When you pick up a hobby you will kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Having a hobby will keep you away from food and cigarettes. 

Get some help: There are local groups on some web sites, like Craigslist, Facebook and MeetUp, to support each other and make it easier to stay healthy, fit and cigarette-free, which you can actually get together.

Consider working with a dietitian: This may not be such a bad idea if you are over busy, can’t exercise at all, don’t have time for a hobby, or have a desk job with minimal physical activity.  At least a dietitian can help you on how and what to eat after quitting smoking. They are the experts of boosting a slow metabolism with the right kind of food.

What if you always eat healthy food and don’t overeat, but still keep gaining weight?

Not to my surprise. When you quit smoking, your body will start burning approximately 200 less calories per day. It is a simple math. You may eat healthy, all the right foods and not more than you are supposed to. Good for you. But… now that you quit smoking, your body is not burning as much as it used to. This means you have to start moving around, well, basically start working out. 

I remember reading on a web site that having a walk for 30 minutes in a day would do the job. It may seem so easy at first, but when reading suggestions like this one, you need to think about what you are dealing with and weigh your situation carefully. The numbers are out there: a 30-minute walk will not make you burn 200 calories if you are walking at a normal pace, for example. That was a false instruction. The annoying part is that it might get frustrating for you because you are eating right and having a walk as it was suggested on that web site, but still gaining weight. I don’t know what they were thinking by suggesting something like this. 

What needs to be done at this point is to pick an exercise or workout routine that will make you burn about 200 calories in a day. If you can’t do it every day, then you have to work out more and make it up on the days you get to do it. Take it as a weekly program. 

200 calorie burning/per day x 7 days = 1400 calorie burning/a week

So if you can work out only a few days a week, you just need to make sure to burn 1400 calories by the end of the week. If you want to stick with walking, that is fine too, but make sure to stick with these numbers. There are free calorie burn calculators available on the web. They calculate your calorie burn based on your activity or work out along with duration, your weight, age and height. Write down ‘how many calories do I burn’ on Google, and you will end up with many web sites. 

Lastly, I really want to underline that there is no need to stress out over this. As long as you know

what to expect and how to deal with the situation, you are in charge. You have options.

Once again, I would like to say congrats to you for your brave decision on quitting smoking. You will see how your life and health will improve dramatically. Enjoy your new life without smoking, with lots of healthy eating and exercising! 👍

What is your success story on quitting smoking and weight control? Leave a comment and tell us your story.

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My blog has no boundaries. I share any information I find and topics on daily life. Stay tuned for more. See you next time.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert on this topic. I am sharing the information I gathered from the Internet for myself. There is no guarantee that the suggestions above will work for every person. Look for some professional help if it seems like things are not working out for you.