I have spoken to lots of people who tried to quit smoking. Those who really didn't try that hard always had this fall back excuse, "I didn't want to gain all that weight". Let's see, if I had to choose between the mortality and morbidity associated with smoking and smoking related diseases, and compare them to a 10-15 pound weight gain...I think I'd take the weight gain. Now granted for many, 10 or 15 extra pounds does seem like a lot. But I think the benefits outweighs the harm, pardon the pun.
Well, a new study looks at the use of nicotine gum in the first 30 days of a quit program. The researchers wanted to see if (and how much) nicotine gum helped keep the dreaded smoking cessation weight gain from materializing. Their work can be seen in the journal Addiction entitled, "Effect of compliance with nicotine gum dosing on weight gained during a quit attempt".
They utilized a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial. They only enrolled 103 participants, but that's not too bad. They found that when smokers were quitting, those who used more pieces of nicotine gum (> 9 pieces per day), had less weight gain in the first 30 days of the quit attempt. They saw a similar effect among participants with regard to the dosing of nicotine gum (2 mg vs. 4 mg dose).
Interestingly, the placebo group experienced an average of 1.6 kg of weight during the first 30 days. That's only 3.5 pounds of weight gain. So even if someone does gain weight when quitting, it's not a horrible amount, just a couple of pounds. Heck, I put on 5 pounds just this last Thanksgiving holiday.
So there you go. If you're a little hesitant to stop smoking , then just try using nicotine gum. But make sure you use it the correct way. Chew it until it softens, then park it between your cheek and gum. Continuous chewing will only cause you to ingest the nicotine by swallowing. That will cause gastric upset and will waste the nicotine. It is supposed to be absorbed in the mouth. Always read the stop smoking aid packaging to ensure you are using it the correct way.
If you are still concerned about gaining weight, then map out a set of new habits to replace the old ones. Try a new exercise program ir start munching on crunchy vegetables like carrot sticks or celery. These are not only great ways to lose weight, but will also help with your cravings. Good luck.
