Smoking and weight!

smoking burning calories is a first for me...........

I cant quite believe that, could you imagine everyone going out to smoke to lose some weight........lol...

I think the absence of something in your hand and mouth is more likely to be the culprit..........

I think you should just see what happens in the first few days, and then you should be able to see if you actually need a nibble.........and if you do you will know what and at what time of day.....

I've been 4 weeks stopped, ive found using e cigs has helped .
Well done on giving up. One day at at time.

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Beshlie said:

I am stopping smoking today but I don't want to regain any of the weight I have lost. I know the answer is not to eat more but I've heard that when you smoke it uses about 200 cals a day, so, should I eat a bit less to compensate? I was thinking of making up a bowl of salad to nibble on if I feel I need to? My weight loss has been at a standstill for a couple of weeks which I can accept for a while but I don't want to gain! I can't up my exercise at the moment because of a possible heart problem.

All suggestions greatly appreciated!!

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Congratulations and well done on giving up smoking, I hope you get through it, the fist week is the worse, but with sheer guts, will power and determination you can do it I gave up smoking 4 1/2 years ago, never put on any weight, but I am an active person, so due to your possible heart problem, you may put on a little weight, but not necessarily. I found sugar free polo mints helped me. But try not to worry too much about a little extra weight at he moment, as stopping smoking can be hard enough and along with your possible heart problem, you have enough on your plate. Wishing you lots and lots of luck Take care.

I don't think smoking burns calories, as such. I remember reading somewhere that it speeds up the metabolism very slightly but that's probably about all it does.

Giving up smoking isn't easy but I'm also in the process, so I'll cheer you on every time I don't go out for one! Getting an ecig definitely made it a lot easier for me as I'm gradually lowering the nicotine strength of the liquid (down to 12mg now!). I haven't had a cigarette now for 3 weeks Good luck, and keep us updated!

I quit smoking almost 9 years ago and put on alot of weight. Food tasted so much better and it was the old hand to mouth thing, be aware of what you're putting in your mouth, and that you are really hungry and not habit/boredom eating. Sugar Free Lollypops helped as you're still getting the hand to mouth thing. But well done on quitting

I tried to give up smoking, I put on 1/2 a stone. The 1/2 stone I took off by low carbing. I didn't eat to compensate. I had done so well low carbing and weight training and then to be defeated by putting it all back on, I had a cig!

well done in giving up smoking

Oh Boy I have tried several times to give up smoking. works for week then I cannot use the patch, as it itches Real pain. Tried spray, ugh.. do not like the taste. Cannot take tablets as I take too many as it is.
I really want to give up....... will power. that's ok but when you are alone, the nagging comes back, and just say to myself I will just have one, but it does not stop there........... what else can I do.

I do not put on weight and if I do a little will not hurt, as I have been losing weight so would be happy to add a little extra

I used to say that giving up smoking was really very easy, given that I'd done it so many times myself ...

Congratulations on your commitment, though, and I hope it works for you.

I (finally?) gave up in May 2013 and initially I did put on a few pounds. But in September I was diagnosed T2 so I lowered my carbs and jettisoned added sugar and sugary foods. That lost me over 1 stone in weight. Since then, I've adopted the Newcastle diet which, together with MUCH more exercise, on a planned basis, has accounted for the rest of the loss you see in my signature, below.

But to answer your question, my understanding has always been that smoking:

1) Reduces appetite, so you tend to eat less;
2) Reduces the efficiency of the alimentary tract in absorbing nutrients from the food you do eat;
3) Increases the speed of transit of the gut contents, so there's less time to absorb the nutrients in your food. I always took the often startling effect of an early morning cigarette on the bowels, as rather drastic evidence of this.

As I said earlier, good luck. The first 6 weeks are tough but it gets easier once you're past that, as you'll find that the habit tends to be broken. You also start to forget for long periods of time that you actually used to smoke, and you begin to act and feel like a non-smoker.

Eventually you get like I am now, which someone who never gives smoking a thought and gets very few very fleeting cravings. If I had to quantify them, I'd say it's now down to something like once a month, for 2 minutes each time.

If it was me I would be plotting a new opportunity to accessorise with an ecig thing.

Sad, but true.

I stopped smoking 21 months ago after nearly 40 years, I found that using an electronic vape has helped me, no stress and no weight gains, my exercise is not as it should be as i have angina and stents fitted, my diabetic nurse doesn't give me any grief over using it either, which is a bonus, the wife moaning is quite enough. I think the only way smoking will lose any cals is if you have to walk half a mile every time you want one. Good luck with it and if you put a pound or 2 on it will soon drop off again.