Last week, we published a piece called, “Cigarettes More Toxic Than We Thought” (http://hollywoodhealthletter.com/2013/01/18/cigarettes-more-toxic-than-we-thought/#.UQC2gPq3OL8)
Some feedback we received points to excessive weight gain as a primary reason some smokers won’t kick the habit. A valid concern, yes. But,smokers should consider the healthy trade-off.
Besides,quitting smoking doesn’t necessarily translate into unwanted pounds.
“Not every smoker who quits gains weight,” says Scott McIntosh, PhD. Dr. McIntosh is Associate Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine at the University of Rochester. He’s also Director of the Greater Rochester Area Tobacco Cessation Center. Even those who do gain weight, he points out, gain on average just 4 to 10 pounds.1
A study published last July in BMG found variations. For instance, a quarter of ex-smokers gained less than 2 lbs. or actually lost weight after quitting. An equal number gained more than 17 lbs. Weight gain is greatest during the first three months of quitting. 2
Plus, any extra weight gained while quitting tends to gradually disappear over the years.
Doctors acknowledge that a variety of factors contribute to how much weight you might gain after stopping smoking. These include your level of physical activity and how many cigarettes a day you used to smoke. However, most physicians are likely to agree that when compared to the harmful effects of smoking, the health risks from gaining a little weight are slight. As long as it’s a “little” weight gain, of course.
According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco can cause at least 15 different diseases. Among them are lung, mouth, throat, bladder, and several others that are harder to spell and not much fun to think about either.
Tips from ACS:
Exercise more. Stay away from sweets. Try to eat less fat and more vegetables. A large supply of chewing gum (sugar-free is best), sugar-free mints, carrots and celery sticks, and apples will come in handy. Try to go easy on the alcohol. This can trigger your old cigarette habits—and put on the pounds. Drink juices and nonalcoholic drinks instead.
References
1 http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/quit-without-weight-gain__
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