Cigarettes and Dieting

Description
Cigarettes contain nicotine and tar, and nicotine from cigarettes stimulates ganglion receptors, making nerve transmission matter move well. Nicotine is also known to suppress appetite and cause thermogenic action in people and animals. Often, people who quit smoking gain weight. Because of this thermogenic action, people who smoke a pack (20 cigarettes) a day, consume 200 calories. Therefore, people who quit can gain 5.5-10 lbs. According to one report, energy intake increased 69% after quitting cigarettes, thereby proving, to a certain extent, the effect of smoking on body weight, appetite, and calorie consumption.


Dr. Roibin, in his thesis published in JAMA, points out that smoking to lose weight is a poor decision. Smoking increases calorie consumption, but it affects the distribution of fat in the body, and can cause metabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Additionally, 1022 American men between the ages of 19 and 102 were subjects of a 26-year study, spanning from 1960 to 1986. Height, weight, waist size, hip size, and smoking habits were recorded and analyzed. According to the results, weight decreases while smoking and increases after quitting, but the waist to hip ratio for smokers, compared to non-smokers, is higher. To sum it up, fat distribution becomes larger in the upper body and can cause metabolic diseases.

A similar conclusion was made by a Dr. George, who did the topic address at the annual World Obesity Organization. He mentioned that smoking can be considered a cause of obesity, and that it makes the hip and waist larger, causing apple-shaped bodies. A different reason for that may be because as lung function is reduced, the volume of the lungs themselves increase and fat distribution changes. Also, the effects on dieting, or weight reduction, have been medically proven. People who are thinking about quitting should consider the possibility of gaining weight after quitting.

Weight change from smoking is 1-6.5 lbs., if smoking about a pack a day. Consequently, that much weight may be gained after quitting smoking. Therefore, women who quit smoking must reduce their caloric intake or increase their energy consumption to compensate: For instance, eating 2/3 of a bowl of rice less everyday, or walking 40 minutes or more daily. Actually, cigarettes have no desirable effect besides promoting movement in the duodenum muscles after a meal. Smoking is not recommended to women as a means of weight control. If smoking is not a habit, steps to increase energy consumption must be taken. Do any exercise for at least 20 minutes a day. When quitting smoking, make it a habit to shower and meditate whenever urges to smoke arise. This helps relieve stress. It's not easy, but smoking is a habit, and quitting is also a fight with oneself. Women who are trying to lose weight by eating less must especially keep in mind that smoking is a direct cause of osteoporosis.