Dealing with weight gain when you quit smoking
Why should you quit smoking if it's going to make you gain weight?
First of all, not everyone gains weight. Some people are able to keep their weight down when they quit smoking.
And if you do gain a little weight, it's still better than smoking:
- A few extra pounds can be lost later. Serious damage to your lungs if you keep smoking can't be fixed later.
- Most people would have to gain 100 pounds or more to put their health in danger the way smoking does.
- As soon as you quit smoking, you lower your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke.
- After 10 years of not smoking, your chances of getting lung cancer are much lower.
- By quitting, you lower your chances of getting cancers of the voice box, mouth, throat, esophagus, intestine, bladder, kidney, and pancreas.
- When you quit, you get rid of the secondhand smoke that may be putting the health of your family in danger.
- When you quit, you stop smelling like a smoker. You'll have fresher-smelling clothes and fresh breath.
- With the money you save by quitting, you can buy other things that you want.
Test Your Knowledge
Smoking is far worse for your health than gaining a few pounds.
Which of the following are reasons to quit smoking even if it makes you gain weight?
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How can you deal with weight gain when you quit smoking?
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| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS | Last Updated: October 31, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine John Hughes, MD - Psychiatry | |
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