The dangers of tobacco are one of the world's most serious public health problems, and quitting can not only save us a great deal of money on tobacco, but it can also be very beneficial to our health. However, for most smokers, quitting is not an easy task. After months of struggling to quit smoking, they find that they are significantly heavier than before they quit. Obesity is also a major factor in cardiovascular disease, so isn't quitting smoking a waste of time?
There has never been a clear answer as to whether or not you gain weight after quitting smoking, as it all depends on the habits you have developed during the transition period.
British and French researchers claim that the average weight gain after a year of quitting is 5 kg, with 13% of ex-smokers gaining more than 10 kg and a small percentage (16%) losing weight. Furthermore, there is no relationship between how one quits smoking and weight change, meaning that abandoning nicotine in any of the available ways will result in weight change. The smoking cessation information booklet distributed by the UK health system also clearly states that weight gain after quitting smoking is approximately 3 kg.
Recently, Eran Elinav's team at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel published an important study in Nature, in which they found that intestinal metabolites help old smokers who are "anorexic" due to nicotine to increase their absorption of nutrients, but when they quit smoking this can cause the body to absorb too many nutrients and gain weight.
Smoking is harmful to health and most people who smoke want to quit successfully, however, the process of quitting can be accompanied by weight gain (smoking-cessation-induced weight gain (SCWG)).
It has been reported that the average weight gain during smoking cessation is 4.5kg every 6-12 months, with 13% of people gaining at least 10kg a year, and that the problem of weight gain due to smoking cessation persists even when calorie intake is restricted, a phenomenon that makes quitting smoking even more difficult. It has been shown that both smoking and smoking cessation can cause changes in gut flora, so is there a causal link between weight gain after quitting and gut flora?
To answer this question, Eran Elinav's team designed and carried out the following experimental work.
Firstly the researchers used an automatic cigarette rolling machine to passively subject mice to smoking and constructed a smoking mouse model to observe the effects of smoking cessation on the bodyweight of the mice. It was found that mice that quit smoking after 3 weeks of exposure to smoking (SMK group) gained significantly more weight over time than those that continued smoking (continuous SMK group) and reached the weight gain of the non-smoking group (non-SMK group). This finding is consistent with previous clinical studies that have found weight gain after smoking cessation. As gut flora is strongly associated with both smoking and smoking cessation, the researchers also analyzed the changes in gut flora following smoking and smoking cessation.
The researchers also analyzed changes in body weight in mice exposed to different nicotine concentrations and obtained consistent results, i.e. weight gain after smoking cessation disappeared after the broad-spectrum antibiotic intervention, irrespective of the nicotine concentration exposed.
In terms of energy uptake, smoking cessation mice would be higher relative to mice without smoking exposure, and this was positively correlated with changes in body weight, whereas energy uptake was reduced in mice after antibiotic pretreatment and the correlation with changes in body weight disappeared. This suggests that intestinal flora is involved in energy absorption and weight gain after smoking cessation and that transplantation of fecal bacteria from the smoking cessation period increases energy absorption in recipient mice, whereas transplantation of fecal bacteria from the smoking period has no significant effect on energy absorption in recipients. This suggests that dysbiosis of the intestinal flora promotes weight gain, especially during the smoking cessation period.
Overall, this study found that smoking is accompanied by a disturbance in gut flora and associated metabolites - an increase in DMG levels and a decrease in ACG levels - which facilitates energy absorption during smoking, thereby counteracting the effects of 'anorexic' behavior on the bodyweight; during smoking cessation, the anorexic behavior is reduced, but these gut flora and associated metabolites do not return to normal levels, a feedback signal that ultimately leads to weight gain after smoking cessation and may improve the success of smoking cessation through interventions in gut flora.
Why do many people gain weight after quitting smoking?
Smoking increases your metabolism, so your body doesn't burn calories as quickly when you quit.
Smoking also suppresses your appetite, so you may find yourself hungrier after quitting.
Nicotine cravings can also be mistaken for hunger.
Most people find that food tastes better after they quit smoking and start craving sugary foods.
There is some scientific research on this myth, which suggests that the nicotine in tobacco has an appetite suppressant effect and can also increase the basal metabolic rate, so when you quit smoking, your appetite returns to normal and your metabolic rate decreases, so you eat more and burn less fat, which is natural.
Smoking also interferes with the senses of smell and taste, so when you quit smoking, food suddenly becomes more 'attractive' and you can eat more without realizing it.
In general, a weight gain of 2.25-4.5 kg is considered normal after quitting smoking, but some studies suggest that people who have been smoking for a long time may gain even more, up to 7-10 kg. For those who have gained 30 or even 40 pounds, it is best to think about whether you have been snacking in a fancy way to restrain your smoking habit.
But Swiss researchers claim to have found that obesity after quitting smoking is not linked to calorie intake, but rather to changes in gut flora.
While non-smokers and smokers had the same stool test results, quitters showed dramatic changes in their intestines, with a sudden spike in the number of strains of bacteria that were also found in obese people: the phylum Aspergillus and the phylum Synechococcus. The quitters did not eat more than they did before they quit, but they gained weight without losing it.
Will I keep gaining weight after I quit smoking?
The amount of weight gain varied considerably, but younger age, lower socioeconomic status, and heavier smoking were higher predictors of weight gain.
Weight gain after quitting smoking is mainly due to an increase in body fat, which some studies suggest occurs mainly in the subcutaneous areas of the body.
Weight gain usually begins slowly over about one month, with the fastest weight gain occurring in the first three months after quitting. Once you have successfully quit smoking, your eating habits slowly return to normal and your weight will naturally return, usually lasting between one and three years before stabilizing.
Is quitting smoking a waste of time if you gain weight after quitting?
A study of more than 100,000 men published in the European Heart Journal showed that even after quitting smoking and gaining weight, the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke decreased significantly compared to those who quit smoking, with a 25% reduction in stroke and a 67% reduction in myocardial infarction!
Smoking causes a short-term increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which in the long term predispose to atherosclerosis, and a corresponding increase in inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, white blood cells, albumin, and plasma fibrinogen. After quitting smoking, they will gradually decline over time, in addition to lower HDL cholesterol and improved insulin sensitivity.
Our researchers have also found that 'smokers weigh less' possibly because nicotine works through the brain and may suppress appetite, leading people who smoke to eat less and lose weight. Smoking may lead to the accumulation of abdominal fat, even if the weight is not increased. It is important to know that even if you are not overweight, obesity in the waist and abdomen poses health risks, and as we have written before, people with excess belly fat are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.
So while quitting smoking may cause some minor health problems, such as weight gain, overall it has a significant benefit in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This level of 'fat gain' is still 'moderate' compared to the various fatalities caused by smoking; on balance, it is advisable to quit smoking.
How to get rid of the 'spell' of quitting smoking and gaining weight?
The process of quitting smoking is really about getting rid of dependence on nicotine, which is abrasive because it stimulates the brain to produce pleasurable endorphins. Therefore, the first thing you need to do to quit smoking is to do something that also makes your brain produce endorphins.
Pay attention to your diet
Of course, eating snacks and high-calorie foods is one of them. When you quit smoking, don't smoke, and eat sugar, you can have sugar-free, low-calorie chewing gum.
Be careful about what you put in your mouth, and keep an eye on the calories. Eat your limited share of calories on something nutritious and eat snacks that are filling and not so calorie-dense. If you can stomach it, fresh carrot sticks are a great choice. If you can't stomach it, a quick solution is to try a low-calorie vegetable such as celery as a snack. Although it doesn't taste as good as chips or chocolate, the process of picking it up and eating it will distract you to some extent.
If you are obsessed with sweets, try to choose a snack without cane sugar. When your appetite is very strong, drink plenty of water to help ease the urge to eat. If you can't drink plain water, low-calorie drinks such as herbal tea and Coke Zero will do. Keep some sugar-free gum, fruit, fruit juice, and mineral water in your workplace, and take a few short breaks to exercise outside for just a few minutes.
More exercise
Not only does exercise boost the brain's secretion of endorphins, which leads to satisfaction, but the increased metabolism and oxygen saturation during exercise further reduces the onset of smoking addiction.
Maintaining a good balance between exercise and calorie intake is also a way to control weight gain. The average adult male should consume 2,500 calories a day, compared to 2,000 calories for women. If you can calculate your calorie intake for the day and balance it out with plenty of exercises, this will help to avoid weight gain. If you don't want to count calories all day, try to maintain a balanced diet and exercise regularly. It's safe to say that exercising consistently will make it easier to quit smoking.
Don't diet deliberately
Quitting smoking is a test of willpower in itself, so don't give yourself the double test of dieting when you're testing yourself with quitting again. Why be so hard on yourself!
For people with a will of steel, there's certainly nothing wrong with honing in this way.
But for most people, this is more likely to put undue mental stress on themselves, more likely to fail at quitting, and more likely to cause intermittent binge eating, which is not good for the body.
Although nicotine replacement appears to be effective in delaying weight gain after quitting smoking. In women who fail to quit due to weight gain, dietary interventions (intermittent low-calorie diet) plus nicotine gum may improve the success of quitting and prevent weight gain.
Avoid the temptation to smoke when you first start to quit. If you are invited to a very nice party by a friend and all the people at the party smoke, politely decline to attend such a party, at least initially, until you feel free from the habit.
Keep some sugar-free gum, fruit, fruit juice, and mineral water in your workplace, take a few short breaks and go outside to exercise for just a few minutes.
Use nicotine replacement products to reduce your cravings for nicotine.
This should help control your increased appetite and stop you from smoking when cravings occur. Nicotine patches or gum are good options, but studies have shown that e-cigarettes are a more effective NRT. this is because the sensation is similar to smoking while still providing a nicotine hit. nic, salt e-liquid is considered the best type of e-cigarette to use when quitting smoking because it mimics the salt in tobacco for a smoother throat.
E-cigarettes have become a hot item in recent years because of their shape, throat hit, and puffing form which is very much like a cigarette, and over time people have found that using them is a good way to quit smoking while avoiding weight gain. E-cigarette oils have a range of advantages and are suitable for almost all smokers, different e-cigarette products have different nicotine strengths and once you find the right strength you can start to reduce it as you need less nicotine. There is no set time when to start reducing the strength, but most NRTs recommend 12 weeks. Until you don't need to rely on nicotine at all, a product with zero nicotine content is something to start considering, until you've quit even the taste of smoking, congratulations, you've made it!
You can also consult your local smoking cessation department and ask for a method that suits your needs, and take it to step by step so that your chances of success are much greater. This is medically known as nicotine withdrawal syndrome (NRS) and is commonly referred to as 'withdrawal syndrome'. However, you do not need to worry as this is only temporary. Although obesity also increases the risk of fatal diseases, numerous studies show that weight gain from quitting smoking does not increase the risk of death, whereas smoking does.
If you choose to use an e-cigarette product as an alternative to cigarettes, then be sure to look for quality and qualified products. IHAVE VAPING is vape disposable are a suitable choice for you, ranging from different flavors to different nicotine levels, and even more amazingly, he also has tobacco flavors, throat-hitting sensations, and looks to help you transition through the hard times.