Before we answer the question in the title, you should know it really doesn’t matter: smoking is awful and terrible for you, and you should quit regardless of how much weight you might put on afterwards.
New studies are showing a slightly higher increase that the previous average, which was 5-6 pounds.
That new number is 10.
Nicotine is an appetite suppressant and a stimulant, so it’s understandable how many people who don’t quit cite fear of gaining weight as a reason.
When this group did their testing, they made sure to separate out those that used chemicals to help them quit — as that could have a small effect on the gain.
This is what they found:
‘On average, quitters who didn’t rely on drugs or nicotine replacement to kick cigarettes, had gained 2.5 pounds one month after quitting, 5 pounds at two months, 6.3 pounds at three months, 9.3 pounds at six months, and 10.3 pounds at 12 months.’
Just because that’s average of those who DID gain, doesn’t mean it’s like that for everyone. Some people even lost weight.
Here’s what a research said:
“Although our study has confirmed that there is substantial weight gain on average during the first year of continuous abstinence, a prediction of average weight gain will be wrong for most individual smoker. The good news is that after the first [three months], weight gain is decelerating substantially. Nearly 20% of the smokers actually lose weight after one year of continuous abstinence.”
There you have it!
There are no more reasons for you to NOT quit:
“Modest weight gain does not increase the risk of death. Smoking does. Quitting smoking at age 40 increases life expectancy by nine years, even taking into account the possible post-cessation weight gain. If their smoking patients do not take steps now to quit smoking despite the risk of weight gain, when will they do it?”
You can do it!
Enjoy that extra decade!
[Image via Ramey Pix.]
