Want to know how to give up smoking without putting on extra pounds? When smokers quit, they just don’t crave for nicotine. They also crave for food to satisfy the need for the so-called “oral gratification”. Past research has also found that some smokers who quit experience a sharpened “sweet tooth” and they tend to prefer foods containing artificial sweeteners.
Smokers who don’t want to quit because of fear of weight gain should no longer worry. According to the latest findings from the University of Otago, weight gain after quitting smoking is only temporary.
Researchers tracked 1000 people in Dunedin born between 1972 and 1973 and measured their smoking habits and weight at regular intervals. About one-third of the group were smokers at age 21 and about 40 per cent of those had 
Their findings suggest that smokers who quit gain an average of 5 kilograms. However, their weight bounced back to similar levels of non-smokers over time.
In addition, the researchers found that smoking does not seem to prevent long-term weight gain.
“We hope that our findings will encourage people who are thinking about quitting. They should not be put off by the fear of putting on large amounts of weight,” lead author Lindsay Robertson said. “It is important to be aware that a small weight gain is unlikely to offset the health
Once you successfully quit smoking, you will have all the time and opportunity to get into shape and maintain a healthy weight. Plus, your risk of developing serious health problems will surely go down.
benefits of quitting.”
Give up without gaining weight
If weight gain after smoking is still an issue for you even though this effect is only temporary, don’t worry. There are some things you can do.
- Get away from crash diets. While crash diets can give you results in no time, their weight loss effects are only temporary. What’s more, these diets can increase your risk of suffering from nutritional deficiency. Choose healthy foods that are rich in nutrients and low in calories whenever you can. Smart food choices will get you a long way in maintaining a healthy, normal weight.
- Don’t make it a big deal. Don’t make weight gain a “make-or-break” issue. It’s perfectly okay to gain extra pounds temporarily than to spend the remaining years of your life in the hospital bed.
- Talk to your doctor. There are plenty of smoking cessation methods that can help you overcome nicotine craving and oral gratification. Some of them may also help you shake off excess pounds. Ask your doctor what your options are.
- Work it out. Exercise will not only help you burn fats, it will also help you conquer the withdrawal symptoms caused by quitting smoking.
Weight gain is just a small price to pay. Once you successfully quit smoking, you will have all the time and opportunity to get into shape and maintain a healthy weight. Plus, your risk of developing serious health problems will surely go down.
