Weight gain after quitting smoking: What to do

There are a couple of reasons why people gain weight when they give up cigarettes. Some have to do with the way nicotine affects your body.

• The nicotine in cigarettes speeds up your metabolism. Nicotine increases the amount of calories your body uses at rest by about 7% to 15%. Without cigarettes, your body may burn food more slowly.
• Cigarettes reduce appetite. When you quit smoking, you may feel hungrier.
• Smoking is a habit. After you quit, you may crave high-calorie foods to replace cigarettes.

As you get ready to quit smoking, here are some things you can do to keep your weight in check.

• Get active.Physical activity helps you burn calories. It can also help you ward off cravings for unhealthy foods or cigarettes. If you already exercise, you may need to exercise for longer or more often to burn the calories nicotine used to help remove.
• Shop for healthy groceries. Decide what you will buy before you get to the store. Make a list of healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, and low-fat yogurt that you can indulge in without eating too many calories. Stock up on low-calorie "finger foods" that can keep your hands busy, such as sliced apples, baby carrots, or pre-portioned unsalted nuts.
• Stock up on sugar-free gum. This can keep your mouth busy without adding calories or exposing your teeth to sugar.
• Create healthy eating habits. Make a healthy meal plan ahead of time so you can combat cravings when they hit. It is easier to say "no" to fried chicken nuggets if you are looking ahead to a roast chicken with vegetables for dinner.
• Never let yourself get too hungry. A little hunger is a good thing, but if you are so hungry that you have to eat right away, you are more likely to reach for a diet-busting option. Learning to eat foods that fill you up can also help ward off hunger.
• Sleep well. If you often do not get enough sleep, you are at greater risk of putting on extra weight.
• Control what you drink. Alcohol, sugary sodas, and sweetened juices may go down easy, but they add up, and can lead to weight gain. Try sparkling water with 100% fruit juice or herbal tea instead.

Giving up a habit takes time to get used to, both physically and emotionally. Take one step at a time. If you do put on some weight but manage to stay off cigarettes, congratulate yourself. There are many benefits of quitting.

• Your lungs and heart will be stronger
• Your skin will look younger
• Your teeth will be whiter
• You will have better breath
• Your hair and clothes will smell better
• You will have more money when you are not buying cigarettes
• You will perform better in sports or other physical activities

If you have tried to quit smoking and relapsed, your health care provider may suggest nicotine replacement therapy. Treatments that come in the form of a patch, gum, nasal spray, or inhaler give you small doses of nicotine throughout the day. They can help ease the transition from smoking to going totally smoke free.

If you gain weight after quitting and cannot lose it, you might have better results in an organized program. Ask your provider to recommend a program with a good record that can help you lose weight in a healthy, lasting way.

Cigarettes - weight gain; Smoking cessation - weight gain; Smokeless tobacco - weight gain; Tobacco cessation - weight gain; Nicotine cessation - weight gain; Weight loss - quitting smoking

Hartmann-Boyce J, Theodoulou A, Farley A, et al. Interventions for preventing weight gain after smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;10(10):CD006219. PMID: 34611902 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34611902/.

Smokefree.gov website. Manage weight gain after quitting. smokefree.gov/challenges-when-quitting/weight-gain-appetite/manage-weight-gain. Accessed September 17, 2024.

Ussher MH, Faulkner GEJ, Angus K, Hartmann-Boyce J, Taylor AH. Exercise interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;(10):CD002295. PMID: 31684691 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31684691/.

Updated by: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.