Weight gain from quitting smoking - psychological or physical?

[slackerinabox]

What I mean is, if I stop smoking and don't substitute food for my nicotine cravings, will I still gain weight? Or is the weight gain a chemical reaction that's unavoidable? I've been working my ass off lately and lost 40+ pounds and thought the final step to good health would be to quit smoking, but wonder if I should take nicotine gum to ween myself off (to avoid a shift in metabolism) or to just quit cold turkey.

Thanks!

 

[ThePresence]

It's a myth, in my experience anyway.
The reason people say it happens is because instead of smoking in your spare time, you need to fill it with an activity, so you eat. If you pay attention and don't do it you'll be fine.

I stopped smoking cold turkey after 10 years, and I went on a diet at the same time and lost 25 lbs.

 

[alien42]

i havent had a cigarette in 10 months and my weight did not change.

 

[slackerinabox]

Thanks guys - congrats to you quitters and I'll be doing the same in a few days, gotta prepare myself for the long road ahead

 

[tfcmasta97]

psychological, its because smokers are used to sticking things in their mouth just out of habit. kinda like, living in a small apartment, you'd check the fridge for food even when you're not hungry kinda thing.

 

[jlbenedict]

When you smoke, your internal body temperature is most likely a little higher than normal.. this in turn raises your metabolism..which burns more calories..

Its almost a given, that a majority of people that quit smoking, will gain some weight..but this really depends on your metabolism..
If you maintain an active lifestyle, you may not gain anything.. if you are sedentary, you may balloon up.. it depends and varys from person to person..

 

[Feldenak]

Well, nicotine is a stimulant so it's possible to gain weight when you quit smoking. More than anything the weight gain comes from trying to satisfy the mental addiction and oral fixation. When I quit, I substituted carrot sticks and my wife substituted wheat thins. Neither one of us gained any weight when we quit.

 

[Amused]

Both.

Tobacco use, especially smoking, raises your metabolism.

Also, the hand to mouth action from smoking is often replaced by munching.

This is not an either/or question.

 

[SuperSix]

Incorrect.

It is a physiological response.

Quitting Smoking and Weight Gain
From Terry Martin,
Your Guide to Smoking Cessation.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
How to Minimize Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking
Most people who quit smoking worry about gaining weight. It seems to go with the territory. While a small gain is normal, excessive weight gain when you quit smoking can create new health problems and erode your determination to stay off cigarettes. Learn what you can do to keep your weight under control as you go through the process of recovery from nicotine addiction.

Why do people gain weight when they quit smoking?
Smoking effects a person's metabolism and also burns calories:

1. Smoking burns up to 200 calories a day in a heavy smoker
2. Because smoking burns calories, metabolism is boosted (increased) slightly
3. Nicotine is an appetite suppressant

When you quit smoking, a gain of between 5 and 10 pounds during the first few months of cessation is normal. If your eating habits have remained the same as they were when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with a brisk, 30 minute walk daily.


Quoted Site

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SuperSix
Incorrect.

It is a physiological response.

Quitting Smoking and Weight Gain
From Terry Martin,
Your Guide to Smoking Cessation.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
How to Minimize Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking
Most people who quit smoking worry about gaining weight. It seems to go with the territory. While a small gain is normal, excessive weight gain when you quit smoking can create new health problems and erode your determination to stay off cigarettes. Learn what you can do to keep your weight under control as you go through the process of recovery from nicotine addiction.

Why do people gain weight when they quit smoking?
Smoking effects a person's metabolism and also burns calories:

1. Smoking burns up to 200 calories a day in a heavy smoker
2. Because smoking burns calories, metabolism is boosted (increased) slightly
3. Nicotine is an appetite suppressant

When you quit smoking, a gain of between 5 and 10 pounds during the first few months of cessation is normal. If your eating habits have remained the same as they were when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with a brisk, 30 minute walk daily.


Quoted Site

Again, this addresses only the physiological side of the issue. Not the nervous eating that can also occur. Note it says "IF your eating habits have remained the same?" For many, it does not.

So my answer that it is often both is correct.

 

[Kelemvor]

It's because people who smoke are used to doing things with their hands so they jsut start snacking instead of smoking. THe act of stopping smoking doesn't directly cause the weight gain.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
It's because people who smoke are used to doing things with their hands so they jsut start snacking instead of smoking. THe act of stopping smoking doesn't directly cause the weight gain.

LOL, Supersix already posted medical proof of the physiological side of this.

 

[torpid]

Mostly physical. After being off for a while, your taste buds respond more strongly to food and there is a metabolism difference.

 

[fitzov]

All physical. Do you believe in the existence of a mind separate from the body that can cause physical events?

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: fitzov
All physical. Do you believe in the existence of a mind separate from the body that can cause physical events?