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Smoking
Welcome
to the Smoking Cessation Center!
Smoking can harm your health in so many ways, but it's notoriously
hard to quit. Thankfully, recent advancements have improved
our understanding of the quitting process, leaving you better
equipped for success than ever before. In our smoking resource
center, you can learn about nicotine replacement treatments,
behavior modification and other effective approaches to break
your habit. Our featured experts, articles, interactive tools
and community support groups will help you make the necessary
lifestyle changes to beat your addiction and become a non-smoker
once and for all!
Smoking
& Weight Loss Q- Does smoking help you lose weight?
A- Generally, people tend to hold onto the conclusions that
support their own choice: If they want to smoke, they "heard"
it's good for weight loss. If they're serious about quitting,
they "heard" ex-smokers don't really gain weight after quitting.
I know of three studies on smoking and weight loss. Two studies
found that ex-smokers gain about 10-15 lbs within six months
to a year after they quit, but this was primarily due to substituting
food instead of a cigarette whenever they got the urge. A
third study found when ex-smokers are put on a comprehensive
program of lifestyle improvement, they don't necessarily gain
any more weight than people normally do as they age. The reason
this issue has been investigated is because we know that nicotine
does serve as a mild metabolic booster, and conceivably that
could help you burn calories. But it's hard to confirm that
theory. Smokers also tend to drink more caffeine, and that
can serve to burn more calories, too. There's one thing medical
experts know without question: Giving up cigarettes is the
single most effective action you can take toward positive
health. Nothing else quite compares to it in terms of reducing
your risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer and other illnesses.
If you're not shaking the habit because you're afraid of gaining
weight, then you need to seriously consider how you're endangering
your health and shortening your lifespan. You can most likely
shed any extra pounds just by adding a half-hour walk to your
daily schedule.
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