Weight gain after quitting marijuana

February 18, 2017 5:53 AM

I was a long-time chronic pot smoker. I have a rather slow metabolism and have worked hard to lose weight.

I feel like I am sleeping better and I feel like I am experiencing less anxiety, which is fantastic.

Recently, I quit smoking, rather cold-turkey, and I noticed weight gain that was relatively rapid. Has anyone experienced this? I checked the literature and it seems like the studies do show that chronic marjiuana users do seem to be thinner and have some sort of metabolic change that favors being thinner.

I have worked really hard to get where I am and I appreciate not having as much anxiety, but I have also worked hard on my weight loss. Any way I can either not smoke again and avoid the weight gain or mediate its use so I have a minimum of anxiety related issues with it? Hoping for answers that explain scientifically why this happens and other workable alternatives or information that indicates light use might not trigger anxiety while providing the metabolic advantage. I have good food discipline, so the munchies are not an issue.

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)

Are you sure you're eating the same amount that you were before? If smoking was working as an oral fixation or distraction and you're now eating out of boredom, that could explain weight gain. You could look into alternative oral distractions such as gum, toothpicks, flossing, etc.

Also, how much weight gain was this, and how quickly? Really rapid weight gain/loss of smallish amounts (gaining 5 lbs in less than a week, that kind of thing) is often due to retention or loss of fluids and not reflective of your overall health or fitness level.
posted by phoenixy at 3:52 PM on February 18, 2017

Smoking speeds up your metabolism, so when you quit smoking even without eating more, you gain weight as your metabolism has slowed down (source for cigarettes rather than marijuana but similar). Could you increase your activity levels to counteract this? Small things like taking the stairs instead of escalators, parking further away and walking, or getting off public transport early.
posted by ellieBOA at 9:46 PM on February 18, 2017