Weight and Smoking

Lose Your Fear of Fat

You know you need to stop smoking. And you hate what smoking is doing to your health and the health of those around you. Still, you're really afraid of gaining weight when you finally kick the habit. The truth is, you are likely to gain a little weight when you stop smoking…but it probably won't be as much as you fear.

According to Cynthia Purcell, MS, a nutritionist and smoking cessation therapist in the smoking cessation program at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, cigarettes do activate your metabolism. "You burn about 250 calories if you smoke a pack a day. So when you quit and your metabolism slows down, your body has these extra calories it has to deal with, and many people gain weight."

Most people gain about two pounds during the first couple of weeks after quitting, Purcell says. "If they'd just stick with it, they'd realize it's not going to be a pound or two every week, and their metabolism will even out. On average, most people only gain between five to seven pounds in total after quitting."

A few simple strategies can help you avoid even these few pounds. And even if you do gain a pound or two, smoking is far more dangerous to your health than a couple of extra pounds.