Quitting smoking and managing weight

Some people worry about gaining weight after stopping smoking. While most people do put on some weight when they quit, it is usually only a modest amount.

The average amount of weight that people gain after stopping smoking is about four to five kilograms over five years. Most of the weight gain occurs in the year after quitting, particularly in the first three months.

People who quit smoking can have very different experiences with weight change, ranging from those who lose weight to a minority of people who gain over ten kilograms. Research shows that in the long term, the average body weight of people who have quit smoking is similar to people who have never smoked.

Smoking appears to change the distribution of fat in women to the less healthy, typically male ‘apple’ pattern. What this means is that women who smoke tend to put on more fat around their waist compared to women who do not smoke. Fat in this area is associated with risks such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and a greater risk of death.

When women quit smoking, any weight gain that occurs is in the normal and safer typically female pattern – around the hips rather than the waist.

The best way to manage weight is to build up healthy habits, rather than focus on weight control. This includes making realistic goals for healthy eating, getting regular exercise and getting enough sleep. These strategies can also help minimise weight gain. However, it can be helpful to be prepared to accept at least a small increase in weight.

It can be difficult to quit cigarettes and manage weight at the same time, because both activities require effort and commitment. If this is the case for you, concentrate first on quitting. Weight gain is typically about one kilo per month in the first three months, but it does slow down the longer you stay quit, provided you have a healthy diet. If you are gaining more than one kilogram in a month, it can be a good idea to see your doctor or dietitian for further information and advice.

Causes of weight gain when quitting smoking

It’s not fully understood why some people may gain weight after stopping smoking. However, it is related to:

• eating more food – many people who smoke find their eating habits change when they quit cigarettes. Some people experience increased hunger as a withdrawal symptom, but research suggests their eating patterns eventually return to normal
• the effect of nicotine on the body – nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco smoke. Nicotine speeds up the body’s food processing system, the metabolism. When people stop smoking, their metabolism slows down, so they burn fewer kilojoules than while they were smoking. This could explain why some people who quit smoking put on weight even if they do not eat any more than usual.
• doing little exercise – being inactive is a risk factor for weight gain.

Tips on exercise

Being active reduces weight gain over time. Making regular exercise that you enjoy part of your routine can reduce anxiety, help your mood, improve the quality of your sleep, and lower blood pressure. In the long term, exercising lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, and cancer. It improves bone health and balance and co-ordination. Your health benefits from exercise no matter what your body weight is.

Below are guidelines for adults under 65 years on what to aim for. Remember, doing any exercise is always better than not doing it. If you are not fit, start with some light exercise only and talk with your doctor or an exercise therapist.

• Australia’s Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that you do 150–300 minutes of moderate physical activity (or 75–150 minutes of vigorous physical activity) every week, and that you take some time to get active each day. Aim for around half an hour of moderate intensity activity daily, for example, brisk walking, gardening, swimming or cycling. You can do 10 minutes of exercise at a time, adding up to a total of 30 minutes over the day, if you prefer.
• Include muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days every week. This could include body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats or lunges that you do at home, or joining a gym and doing weights or other resistance training.

Tips on healthy eating

• Plan healthy meals ahead of time. Include more fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods.
• Get rid of or cut down on processed foods in your home, such as soft drinks, chips, lollies, biscuits and cakes.
• If you want to snack, keep carrot or celery sticks, whole fruit (not fruit juice) or nuts on hand. For more ideas for snacks and meals, try the free Livelighter Meal Plan.
• Talk to your doctor or a dietician who can help you make an eating plan suited to you.
• Don’t crash diet. It usually makes stopping smoking harder. Also, if you eat too few kilojoules, your body may respond by lowering the metabolism and burning muscle tissue for fuel.
• Find ways other than eating to cope with withdrawal cravings. Some people drink water, while others count to 100 – experiment until you find your own method. Also, try not to use food as a reward for not smoking. For more ideas visit quit.org.au.
• Keep your mouth busy with safe, non-edible items For example, you could chew on sugarless gum or use a nicotine inhalator.

If you put on weight after quitting smoking

Be kind to yourself if you do gain weight. You are boosting your health by stopping smoking.

A few extra kilograms are a much lower risk to your health than continuing to smoke. You would have to gain over 40 kilograms above your recommended weight to equal the risk of heart disease posed by smoking.

Don’t assume that taking up smoking again would mean you would shed the weight – sometimes it doesn’t. Focus on healthy eating and being more active. See your doctor or dietitian for help and advice.

Where to get help

• Your GP (doctor)
• Your pharmacist
• Dietitians Australia Tel. 1800 812 942
• Quitline Tel. 13 78 48 (QUIT)