What is the one thing that seems almost inevitable when you give up smoking? If you said weight gain, you wouldn’t be alone. Plenty of ex-smokers find they put on weight when they quit, and there is a good reason for it. Smoking speeds up your metabolism, which in turn means you burn calories faster. Even though quitting is good for your health, you can put on weight if you eat the same amount of food you did when you smoked, because your metabolism will return to normal.
But you don’t need to accept weight gain as inevitable – not according to a new study. And the good news is vaping can help stop those extra pounds from piling on.
Avoiding the dreaded 5kg weight gain
The average weight gain experienced by an ex-smoker over the first 12 months after quitting is 5kg. That’s about 11lbs, and not far off a stone. But it turns out vaping could help avoid that gain.
A new study has suggested electronic cigarettes containing nicotine could help prevent the gain. Since we know nicotine speeds up the metabolism, this makes sense. People using e-cigs have far greater control over the amount of nicotine in the liquids they choose. This means they can start at a high level and gradually reduce it as they quit cigarettes and stick to vaping instead.
Tapering off gradually means the body’s metabolism won’t be affected in such a stark way. Instead, the change can be made gradually, which can make it easier to stay away from the cigarettes and quit permanently.
More to do with your hands too?
The study, published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research, also suggested people may be better-occupied by the process of refilling their e-cigarettes with different liquids and trying different flavours. Some people have more than one e-cigarette so they can keep them all topped up with their favourites. Maintaining the equipment and making sure they have everything they need occupies their time and takes their mind away from food – another step in the right direction.
Oftentimes, ex-smokers look for something else to do with their hands. Some resort to eating as it feels like an alternative to smoking. But vaping provides that something, and it could be used as a weapon in helping prevent the weight gain so many people dread.
What’s your experience with vaping and weight gain? Has it helped you avoid that dreaded 5kg?
