Do you gain weight after giving up smoking because you eat more or is it because your metabolism slows down?
917090
Here are some facts from personal experience as well as other family/firends who have given up or tried to give up:\n\n1. your metabolism slows down, you can even feel your pulse slowing down when you give up. Temporarily, smoking a cig can accelerate your heart just a tiny-tiny bit.\n2. Food smells and tastes just the same, you just have a craving because you  are not smoking, so you want to substitute that craving with eating. Chewing gum doesn't work.\n3. You can retain more water when not smoking so you may appear 'fuller' too.\n4. Some friends of mine (including my mum) have put on upto 3 stones when giving up smoking (not by eating so much, it's just how their bodies reacted).\n5. Most supermodels smoke (as well as other drugs) to stay thinner. In the modeling world putting on even half a stone could wreck their career.\n6. Some people can actually manage to get back to their pre-quitting weight but not many.\n7. I managed to lose all the weight I put on after quitting but once I reached my pre-quitting weight I had to re-start smoking because the lowered intake of food was driving me nuts and the only way I could keep it down is by lighting up again. \nSometimes I stop for a year, sometimes for 10 months, sometimes for 4 years sometimes just 6 months but I always end up smoking again. Horrible!
1149469
yes...after not eating for a long while your body goes into a survival mode eating what fat you have on your body. but as soon as you eat something again yuor body will hold on to that food b/c it thinks that you will not eat again. so by holding all that food you will gain weight quicker. just eat every day like a normal perspn.
666718
When you stop eating, your body goes into starvation mode and triggers itself to convert food to fat as a survival technique.  So, when you start to eat regularly again you'll gain weight.  \n\nLower calories (of healthy food) and increased exercise are what will make you lose weight.
632125
I suggest you to avoid fatty foods and lessen carbohydrates.  Eat fruits, vegetables and drink 8-10 glasses of water everyday.  You should stop smoking since it doesn't only make your body weak but rather, your stomach and body store in lots of fats making your metabolism slow.  Quit smoking and do exercise everyday.  Going to army in a few months from now...  know the requirements, especially on weight.  Since you are 6'2'' tall, your normal weight should be 90 kilos.  If you are really desperate, then try the 3 day diet below which (they say) guarantees you to lose 3-10 pounds each session.  It is one of the natural way to lose weight aside from regualr exercise.  But before that, consult a doctor since I've heard some that is not fat that is losing but rather water in your body... while other people, it is only the shorter and faster wieght to lose weight.  This requires strict and discipline to yourself and food intake.  Follow the procedures given and no substituton of food, adding salt or pepper is fine but none other than that.  No snacking too!  \n\nThis is what they called the fad diet.\n\n3 Day Diet Plan is used for 3 days at a time. This diet normally used by doctors and military. These diet uses all natural products, no pills or nasty shaky. If you follow the diet correctly you can lose up to 10 lbs. in 3 days and 40 pounds in a month. The 3 day diet focuses on mixing certain types of foods that create a reaction in your digestive system. The chemicals are supposed to boost your metabolism and help you burn fat at a higher rate than usual. After 3 days of dieting, resume eating normally for three to four days, do not overeat. You can start your 3 day diet back anytime if you like.\n\nIt is a calorie diet, your weight will be reduced fast as long as you eat the same amount of calories in any type of food. if you feel bored with the food, do replace them with the food with the same calorie value anytime you like. This is to ensure that 3 Days Diet will forever be interesting to us. \n\nThe Diet does not provide medical information and if you are at any medical risk in undertaking a diet such as this, please check with your doctor before undertaking it.\n\nInstructions:\nDrink 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day. For additional flavoring you can add herbs, soy sauce, lemon, salt and pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and ketchup to your foods. \n \n\n3 Day Diet Menu Plan\nFirst Day of "3 Day Diet"\n \nBreakfast\n\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n1 banana\n1 slice toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter\n Lunch\n\n1/2 Cup of Tuna\n1 slice toast\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water \n Dinner\n\n2 beef franks or hot dogs\n1/2 cup carrots\n1 banana\n1 cup broccoli or cabbage\n1/2 cup vanilla ice cream\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n \n\n \n\nSecond Day of "3DayDiet"\n \nBreakfast\n\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n1 egg (any style)\n1/2 Grapefruit or Juice               1 slice toast\n Lunch\n\n1 hard boiled egg\n1 slice toast\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n Dinner\n\n3 oz. any lean meat\n1 cup green beans\n1 cup carrots\n1 cup vanilla ice cream\n1 medium apple\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water \n \n\n \n\nThird Day of "3 Day Diet"\n \nBreakfast\n\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n5 regular saltine crackers\n1 oz. (slice) cheddar cheese\n1 apple\n Lunch\n\n1 cup cottage cheese or tuna\n5 saltine crackers\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n Dinner\n\n1 cup tuna\n1 cup carrots\n1 cup cauliflower\n1 cup melon\n1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream\nBlack coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water\n \n\n \n\nExpected Benefits derive from 3daysdiet plan: \n1. Increased energy\n2. Weight loss\n3. Healthy skin\n4. Reduced allergies\n\nI hope this helps.  About your drinking once a week with friends, better stop i
719435
no your metabolism never shuts down. i dont know where that comes from. the reason people say not to eat late at night is because we are not as active when we sleep. we still burn calories, but not as much. so if we dont eat after certian times, we lose weight because that is one less meal we eat that day, not because our metabolism "shuts down"
380041
I can assure you that the reason you started to gain and have "never before and been able to eat anything you want to" results in the fact that you exhert less energy now then before.  Here is a good rule of thumb when eating food: 80% of weight loss is the foods you are eating, if you can't hit it on the head or pull it out of the ground, you should not be eating it. (ie,meats and vegetables are good for you).  The greener the vegetable the better it is for you.  Eat sweet potatoes instead of white, whole wheat grains, instead of processed white bread, rice and so forth.  But remember this above all else. . .YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
1131647
you quit smoking by not lighting up a cigarette and smoking it.  But, that can take several tries before it happens.  I quit 6 months ago for good, but the first time I quit was 10 years ago.  I also was afraid of weight gain, so I joined a gym the day I quit smoking.  I go every day, and haven't lost a pound.  HOWEVER, I didn't give up any foods, drinks, etc...I eat everything I want to (for now, until I feel like I can tackle that issue, too) and I just look at it like 'hey, I didn't gain any weight, either'.  I'm much more fit, and most importantly, I'm not scared everytime I have a pain that I'm gonna have a heart attack, or die from smoking.  All you can do is substitute your smoking with something healthy.  When you're ready, you'll do it.  I'd say good luck, but you won't need it.
75698
I'm not a dietician, but I would imagine - initially - you'll have a 3-ounce weight gain since you physically consumed the food.  However, your body will break the food down, obtain the nutrients from it, and use it for your body's basic metabolic functions.  \n\nWeight gain comes from intaking more food than your body needs to thrive.  Weight loss comes from obtaining your ideal caloric intake to maintain your current weight, and lower the overall daily calories.
544935
Maybe, but youll die sooner if you dont stop. I know ppl who have quit smoking and they are still thin. You can lose weight, if you begin to gain. So dont let being worried about getting fat be your only priority. Stop smoking for you, life, and family. I hope you do. Take care and good luck.
31926
smoking is not the way of reducing weight. there are so many ways to loss weight. but the best of all is EXERCISE
657867
I got more body fat when I quit.
265411
It depends on how low your caloric intake is.  If you consume a VERY low amount of calories your metabolism will slow down.  That means that your body will store more of the calories as fat than normal.  See when you don't eat much your body will go on survival mode.  Because it doesn't think that it will get fed often enough, it will save a lot more than it normally would.  In order to lose weight you  need to eat regular meals throughout the day, but make sure that they are good quality (healthy) meals, and excersise because that is what burns the calories you already have stored.  A good way to raise your metabolism is to weight train.  Muscle, even at rest burns calories just to maintain itself.  Therefore, if you work out and increase muscle, you will burn more calories at rest than you would otherwise.  Also it's a hormone called cortisol that directs where and when to diposit fat onto your body.
174127
You gain weight whenever you eat anything.
727581
It depends on what age. When your metabolism slows down in older age, your appetite generally declines. At 42, I was still a pretty hearty eater, but I am 60 now, and I can tell my appetite isn't what it used to be - it started with me at about 55. Just be sure to exercise whatever you eat.
831014
yes, it can help keep weight down, but there are much healthier ways to control weight.  Tobacco use will either kill you or make you feel like crap.
897595
No, but keep in mind...weight gain is cumulative. Depending on the time and composition of the food, some will leave the system and some will stay. Foods break down into proteins, fats and carbohydrates. You might not retain the foods you eat at one sitting, but overtime your body will store more fats and fluids than you need.
373755
The smoking wont effect whether you gain muscle or not, it will however make you more winded and possibly not lift as often.  But the actual cigarette itself does not inhibit building muscle mass.