Smoking and Metabolism
Cigarettes increase the metabolism by raising the heart rate. When a smoker quits, her metabolism returns to normal. Unfortunately, she may not adjust her eating habits to accommodate this change. If her caloric intake remains the same, she is burning fewer calories and the excess is stored as fat.
Smoking and Appetite
The nicotine in cigarettes is an appetite suppressant. Models used to smoke cigarettes as diet aids, to help them fit into the designers' sample sizes. When a smoker quits, he is no longer getting the appetite-suppressing benefits from the nicotine; this leads to an increase in appetite. Smokers also tend to eat less because they use cigarettes to signal the end of the meal. When the smoker stops smoking, he no longer has that cue, and may continue eating past the point of satiety. Smoking also creates oral fixations, and many smokers eat more to satisfy the urge to put something in their mouths.
Smoking and Lifestyle
While there are always exceptions to every rule, smokers, in general, tend to be sedentary, with poor dietary habits. The metabolic increases and appetite suppression associated with smoking may work together to keep the smoker's weight stable. When the smoker stops, not only is she likely to eat more, she is likely eat more unhealthy, high-calorie foods. Poor diet combined with a lower metabolism and sedentary lifestyle all lead to weight gain.
Smoking and Fat Burning
In a study published in the February 2009 "Journal of the American College of Chest Physicians," 10 doctors hypothesized that smoking may cause the expression of a fat-burning protein (AZGP1) in the lungs. AZGP1 lowers body fat in mice and is linked to weight loss and loss of appetite associated with some cancers. The researchers took samples from the bronchi of normal smokers and nonsmokers and measured the amount of AZGP1 in each sample. They found that AZGP1 levels were higher in the smokers. They then concluded that a post-cessation drop in AZGP1 may contribute to weight gain in ex-smokers.
Avoiding Weight Gain
Not all smokers gain weight when they quit, and there are ways to avoid it. Regular exercise can take the place of the metabolic gains from smoking. Exercise also helps ex-smokers deal with the cravings and withdrawal from smoking. Eat healthy foods and follow the food guide pyramid to learn proper ratios and portion sizes. Use gum or sugarless candy to satisfy the urge to put something in your mouth. Use nicotine replacement to satisfy the nicotine cravings.
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