Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit The Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Metabolism By Terry Martin Terry Martin Facebook Twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 11, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Armeen Poor, MD Medically reviewed by Armeen Poor, MD Armeen Poor, MD, is a board-certified pulmonologist and intensivist. He specializes in pulmonary health, critical care, and sleep medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Sean Gallup / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Smoking and Metabolism After You Quit Smoking Coping With Weight Gain Metabolism describes the process that creates and uses energy within the body. How our bodies break down the food we eat and convert it to energy is a function of metabolism. Metabolism also uses nutrients from food to circulate blood, grow cells, and repair cells. Metabolic rate describes how fast these processes occur. While genetics are mostly responsible for how fast a person's metabolism is, other lifestyle factors such as smoking can greatly influence metabolism as well. How Smoking Affects Metabolism Cigarette smoking increases a person's metabolic rate slightly by forcing the heart to beat faster. Regular smoking increases the heart rate both in the short term (up to 20 beats per minute) and throughout the day (the average increase is seven beats per minute). Increasing the metabolic rate puts added stress on the heart and plays a role in heart disease, the most common cause of smoking-related death. When you stop smoking and your heart rate slows down, so does your metabolic rate. Why You May Gain Weight After You Quit Smoking Boosting Your Metabolism After You Quit Smoking Shifts in metabolism along with dietary changes can trigger some weight gain after you quit smoking. These changes can trigger some physical and mental health effects that may be challenging to cope with. However, there are tools you can use to your advantage to cope with quitting smoking and gaining weight while building your metabolic rate back up in ways that benefit your health. Mindful Eating Some people revert to eating as a way to manage stress when they quit. However, stress eating and compulsive eating can further metabolic decline. One study found that mindful eating can help people who struggle with stress eating boost their metabolism. Mindful eating means understanding your body's cues, such as knowing when you're hungry, knowing when you're full, and maintaining awareness while you eat. A therapist can teach you healthy coping mechanisms to use instead of smoking or eating any time you dealing with hard emotions and combatting stress or even boredom. Hydration Your body can easily mistake thirst for hunger. Make sure you're drinking enough water every day. Staying hydrated can help ensure that you're consuming the calories you need, and not eating when you're actually thirsty. Drinking water throughout the day can also help boost weight loss efforts by increasing metabolic function. Conveniently, drinking water is an effective strategy for dealing with cigarette cravings. Exercise Exercise is hugely beneficial when you are quitting smoking. It can help minimize weight gain by burning calories and boosting metabolism. Exercise also breaks down fat and releases it into the bloodstream, which works to curb feelings of hunger. Nicotine use triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness and satisfaction. Exercise also releases this same brain chemical, but in a healthy way that allows you to enjoy the pleasant effects of dopamine without risking your health. Increasing your level of daily activity provides other important benefits as well. Exercise has been shown to: Help control cholesterol levels and heart diseaseHelp control the effects of diabetesLower the risk of certain cancersSlow bone loss associated with advancing age What kind of exercise should you do? Anything you enjoy! Be sure to consult a healthcare provider before committing to a new exercise routine. Some ways to exercise that you might enjoy include: Bicycling: Bicycling is a wonderful way to work your body while enjoying the benefits of being outdoors. Dancing: Whether it's in your living room to a piece of favorite music, or at a club with friends, you don't have to be a good dancer to enjoy this form of exercise. Swimming: Swimming is a low-impact way to exercise your body and feel refreshed. Walking: A good pair of walking shoes is all you need. Walk the neighborhood on sunny days, or, if the weather is bad, walk the circumference of the mall, an indoor track, or even on a treadmill. Yoga: Yoga improves strength and flexibility. It also benefits mood by promoting the release of everyday stress. Try taking a beginner's class or following along with a video online. Remember, every little bit of physical activity counts. Maybe you spend some time gardening or doing yard work. That counts. When you go to the store, maybe you park in the back of the parking lot so you add some extra steps in that day. How to Avoid Weight Gain When You Quit Smoking Coping With Weight Gain After Quitting Smoking If you've just quit smoking, you may already be dealing with the mental health effects of quitting—which often include sadness, irritability, and restlessness. In addition, some people experience symptoms of anxiety and depression when they gain weight, or when they're trying to lose weight in general. Many people worry they won't be able to quit smoking and deal with weight gain at the same time. If you want to quit smoking, try not to let the fear of gaining weight stop you. Talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns. Depending on your body weight and other health factors, a doctor may recommend that you focus on quitting smoking first and address weight gain later on, if needed. Or, they may suggest lifestyle and dietary changes that can help you quit smoking while minimizing weight gain at the same time. According to one study, "There are many similarities between the skills needed to make and maintain behavior change and prevent relapse for weight loss and smoking cessation." By learning new coping mechanisms and developing healthy habits, you can feel more confident on your journey to quit smoking and manage weight gain, if necessary, at the same time. A Word From Verywell There are many challenges related to quitting smoking, but that doesn't mean you should give up. While your metabolism will likely undergo changes when you quit, there are many healthy ways of boosting your metabolism that can simultaneously help you deal with cigarette cravings. Think of things like eating healthily, exercising, and relieving stress as important tools in your smoking cessation toolbox. Use them to boost metabolism, mood, and ultimately, motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! So you're ready to finally quit smoking? Our free guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up and get yours today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 13 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Harvard Health Publishing. The truth about metabolism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Office on Smoking and Health. How tobacco smoke causes disease: The biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable disease: A report of the Surgeon General. Bush T, Lovejoy JC, Deprey M, Carpenter KM. The effect of tobacco cessation on weight gain, obesity, and diabetes risk. 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ISRN Cardiol. 2012;2012:718789. doi:10.5402/2012/718789 Shohani M, Badfar G, Nasirkandy MP, et al. The effect of yoga on stress, anxiety, and depression in women. Int J Prev Med. 2018;9:21. doi:10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_242_16 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recognize signs of depression. Murphy CM, Rohsenow DJ, Johnson KC, Wing RR. Smoking and weight loss among smokers with overweight and obesity in Look AHEAD. Health Psychol. 2018;37(5):399-406. doi:10.1037/hea0000607 Additional Reading Office of the Surgeon General; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institutes of Health. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. Get Treatment for Addiction Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.