Lung cancer, stroke and heart attacks are common threats associated with smoking, so a commitment to putting the bad habit in your past can protect your future. A decision to quit smoking also increases your chance for long-term weight loss --- since you'll be more likely to exercise and will benefit from a reduced risk for stomach fat --- although you may experience initial weight gain. Understand the ways smoking affects your weight in order to ensure your well-being.
Smoking for Size
Although smoking carries significant health risks and can potentially shorten your life by causing cancer and other diseases, the addictive habit is often embraced as a method to stay thin. The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute reports that the average smoker typically weighs between 4 and 10 lbs. less than an average nonsmoker, even if the two people share similar diets and activity levels. Nicotine elevates your metabolism, which helps you burn calories, although the drug also triggers a faster heartbeat --- which increases your chance for heart disease.
Initial Weight Gain
While quitting smoking can improve your quality of life and help you live longer, doctors warn that most people who overcome a nicotine addiction suffer initial weight gain, not loss. The gain is partially attributed to a decreased metabolism, although you'll also feel hungrier and have a greater appreciation for the taste of food since smoking hinders your appetite. Reduce your likelihood for the post-smoking weight gain by planning in advance to consume low-calorie foods like vegetables and fruit, and snack on low-fat popcorn or yogurt rather than fried chips and desserts. MayoClinic.com also recommends limiting your alcohol consumption.
Long-term Weight Loss
Smokers often avoid exercise, since carbon monoxide hinders the amount of oxygen that reaches your heart and causes breath shortness and cramps. You'll likely get more enjoyment from physical activity after you quit smoking, which increases your chance for long-term weight loss. Doctors also recommend exercise as a method to help fight nicotine withdrawal, as the increased activity diminishes cigarette cravings. Aerobic activities like bicycling, dancing, jogging, walking and tennis burn large amounts of calories and allow your body to release endorphins, or chemicals that reduce stress. Engage in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity on most days of the week when approved by your physician.
Reduced Stomach Fat
Your risk for stomach fat --- or visceral fat --- decreases significantly when you quit smoking. The Harvard Medical School reports that smokers are more likely to accumulate fat in the stomach than in other areas like the thighs or arms. Doctors characterize visceral fat as a serious health threat, because the fat surrounds your intestines and liver. Visceral fat also produces harmful chemicals that make you more likely to suffer breast cancer, asthma and heart disease.
References
- Harvard Medical School; Taking Aim at Belly Fat; August 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Quit Smoking, Gain Weight: Is It Inevitable?; Oct. 13, 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Obesity; Oct. 9, 2010
- American Cancer Society; Guide to Quitting Smoking: Jan. 31, 2011
- Mayo Clinic; Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical; Feb. 12, 2011
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute; Forever Free: A Guide to Remaining Smoke Free; 2000
