Vaping has become increasing popular in recent years. Nicotine is a well-known appetite suppressant that can help you lose weight. But can the common practice of vaping help you keep off the pounds?
What Is vaping?
E-cigarettes, also known as vaping, have received a lot of attention in the media over the last year.
The use of an electronic cigarette is commonly referred to as “vaping.” An electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is made up of a liquid substance to be heated, a container to hold the liquid, and a battery. Some e-cigarettes resemble pipes, cigars, or traditional cigarettes, while others resemble USB sticks and pens.
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol when the liquid, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals, is heated. The user inhales the aerosol into their lungs, and those passing by can breathe in second-hand aerosol after the user exhales.
Many people believe that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. The United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has also not approved e-cigarettes as a method to assist people in quitting smoking. Because vaping is still relatively new, scientists are still learning about its long-term effects.
What’s the science behind vaping and weight loss?
According to new research published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, electronic cigarettes could be used to treat obesity because nicotine in tobacco, not tobacco itself, inhibits overeating in some smokers.
In other words, vaping nicotine-infused e-liquids may aid in weight loss in some people. For smokers who use cigarettes as an appetite suppressant or to maintain their weight, an electronic cigarette may be a less harmful option. Keep in mind neither options are scientifically said to be healthy or ideal.
And, for those who have recently quit smoking and are rapidly gaining weight, as is common for those who have recently quit smoking cigarettes, the research suggests that vaping may help prevent overeating.
Does Vaping Help with Weight Loss?
In short, vaping can help you lose weight. Again, we aren’t suggesting that you should start it, but we will go over how it can help with weight loss.
When people are bored or stressed, they often feel the need to eat. Food provides solace. Vaping, on the other hand, can overcome this because it provides people with an alternative to eating. A quick vape can provide just as much satisfaction as that packet of crisps in the cupboard or that nice looking bar of chocolate on the counter.
E-liquid flavors are improving all the time, and many new flavors of vape juice are being developed so that vapers can experiment.
E-cigarettes are also easily transportable. They are portable, making it much less tempting to satisfy a sweet tooth when a treat is already waiting in the back pocket.
Smokers also have a common fear that if they stop smoking, they will gain a lot of weight. Because nicotine suppresses appetite, smokers may feel compelled to smoke in order to maintain their weight.
They are afraid of overeating now that they have stopped smoking.
Vaping, on the other hand, allows for complete nicotine concentration customization. It makes it simple to reduce the amount of nicotine to the vaper’s liking. The nicotine will continue to suppress hunger, but the addiction to it will weaken.
As the nicotine concentration decreases, diet and lifestyle habits will change, but this can be easily managed with a structured plan.
Does smoking help you lose weight?
Several studies (R), including one published by the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT), concluded that e-cigarettes could be presented to cigarette users as a possible solution to support smoking cessation while also addressing the fear of weight gain.
Another study, The Role of Specific Olfactory Stimulation in Appetite Suppression and Weight Loss, delves into the role of vaping.
This study examined the outcomes of 80 test subjects. 40 of them were given diet pens, while the other 40 were given a placebo diet pen.
Let us refer to the diet pen test group as “Group A,” and the placebo diet pen test group as “Group B.” Group A diet pens were given a scent that had been suggested to reduce wanting to eat.
Both Group A and Group B were instructed to use their diet pens before all meals, snacks, and whenever they felt hungry in between. After 8 weeks, each member of Group A and B was weighed, and the test produced interesting results.
Group A members lost an average of 19.15 pounds during the test, while Group B members lost an average of 3.85 pounds.
On average, how much weight do people gain when stopping
smoking?
It is normal to gain 5 to 10 pounds during the first few months after quitting smoking. The reason for this is because your metabolism is slowed down (as smoking speeds it up) and you are more hungry.
In a year if you don’t keep track of your diet, it is possible for you to gain over 10 lbs.
Why Do People Gain Weight Fast After Quitting Smoking?
A variety of factors contribute to weight gain after quitting smoking. To begin, smoking has a minor effect on metabolism. Heavy smoking can cause an individual to burn up to 200 more calories per day, resulting in a slight increase in overall metabolism. The other reason for the weight gain is that nicotine is a powerful appetite suppressant which can help lower a smoker’s total calorie consumption for the day.
According to research, quitting smoking causes the brain to seek out a nicotine replacement. It specifically causes increased cravings for carbohydrates and sugary foods. According to studies, this compensatory behavior and subsequent weight gain contribute to people returning to smoking.
Is Vaping an Appetite Suppressant?
Yes, vaping and smoking in general is an appetite suppressant. Smokers frequently avoid between-meal snacking by smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant that may also interfere with the release of the insulin hormone. Insulin regulates blood glucose levels.
When this function is disrupted, a person becomes slightly hyperglycemic, and the body and brain may slow down the hormones and other signals that cause hunger. Nicotine stimulates the metabolism, so when it is depleted, the metabolism slows, resulting in weight gain.
How Many Calories Are There in Vape E-Liquids?
The short answer is no, there are no calories in vaping. This is due to the fact that e-cigarette vapor contains no food energy.
However, some of the ingredients in e-liquids may contain calories.
Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, for example, are both used as carrier oils in many e-liquids. These carrier oils may contain a few calories, but they are not metabolized by the body in the same way that food energy is.
While vaping itself contains no calories, some of the ingredients in e-liquids may contribute a small number of calories to your total intake. However, this is generally not a significant amount and is unlikely to have a significant impact on your weight.
E-liquid flavoring agents are generally calorie-free. As previously stated, some of the other ingredients used in e-liquids (such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin) may contribute a small number of calories to your total intake.
However, when compared to traditional tobacco cigarettes, which can contain up to 600 calories per pack, e-cigarettes are a significantly lower-calorie option.
The same principles apply to flavored vapes as they do to disposable vapes: the absence of tobacco means no calories from tobacco, and the flavoring agents used are also calorie-free.
How You Can Speed Up Your Metabolism Naturally after Quitting
Smoking
Your metabolism will slow down after you quit smoking. Nicotine stimulates the metabolism, so when there is no more in your system, your metabolism slows, resulting in weight gain if appropriate measures such as the following aren’t taken:
Here are 7 Easy Ways You Can Speed Up Your Metabolism
- Move your body
- Drink water
- Use caffeine
- Do HIIT workouts
- Eat more protein
- Lift weights
- Sleep more
Move your body:
Every bodily movement necessitates the expenditure of calories. The higher your metabolic rate, the more active you are.
Standing up regularly, walking around, or doing household tasks all make a significant difference in the long run. This increase in metabolic rate is known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT.
Because of the extra weight they must carry, NEAT may account for a significant portion of daily calorie expenditure in severely obese individuals.
This can be increased in a variety of ways. If you spend a lot of time sitting, consider the following strategies:
Stand up and walk around on a regular basis.
When possible, take the stairs.
Perform household chores
By bouncing your legs or tapping your fingers, you can fidget.
Consume calorie-free gum
Make use of a standing desk
Another 10-person study found that standing for one afternoon burned 174 calories more than sitting
Even seemingly insignificant activities such as typing can boost your metabolic rate by 8% when compared to doing nothing.
Drink water:
Many studies have found that drinking water increases the number of calories burned, a phenomenon known as water-induced thermogenesis.
Drinking cold water has a greater impact than drinking warm water because it requires your body to warm it up to body temperature.
The results of studies on this phenomenon vary. A 16-ounce (500-ml) glass of cold water may result in a 5-30% increase in the number of calories burned for the next 60-90 minutes.
Increasing your water consumption appears to be beneficial to your waistline as well. Several studies have found that drinking 34-50 ounces (1-1.5 liters) of water daily is beneficial.
Use caffeine:
Although plain water is sufficient, caffeinated, low-calorie beverages such as coffee or a solid pre workout are also beneficial.
Caffeinated beverages can temporarily increase your metabolic rate by 3-11%, according to controlled studies.
This effect, however, is smaller in obese and old people. Furthermore, if you’ve taken lots of caffeine, the effects may have developed a resistance to its effects. Caffeine is the key ingredient in an ECA stack which helps speed up your metabolism.
Sugar-free beverages, such as plain, black coffee, are ideal for weight loss. Cold coffee, like water, may be even more beneficial.
Do HIIT workouts:
High-intensity workouts, also known as high-intensity interval training, are one of the most effective types of exercise (HIIT).
HIIT is a type of exercise that involves short bursts of intense activity, such as jumping jacks, sprints or burpees.
It significantly increases your metabolism even after the workout is over, a phenomenon known as “the afterburn.”
Eat more protein:
Eating enough protein is essential if you want to build or maintain muscle mass. However, dietary protein has additional benefits.
Food causes a temporary increase in metabolic rate, which is known as the thermic effect of food. However, when compared to carbs or fat, this effect is much stronger after eating protein.
In fact, protein may increase metabolic rate by 20-30%, whereas carbohydrates and fat increase metabolic rate by 3-10% or less.
This increase in calorie expenditure may aid in weight loss or prevent weight regain following a weight loss diet.
The thermic effect of food is greatest in the morning or within the first few hours after waking up. As a result, eating a large portion of your daily calories early in the day can have the greatest impact.
Protein consumption can also help to offset the loss of muscle mass and metabolic rate associated with weight loss.
Lift weights:
Lifting weights is another excellent way to increase your metabolic rate.
Strength exercises promote muscle mass growth in addition to the direct effect of the exercise itself.
Your metabolic rate is directly related to the amount of muscle you have. Muscle mass, as opposed to fat mass, significantly increases the number of calories you burn at rest.
According to one study, lifting weights for 11 minutes three times per week resulted in an average 7.4% increase in resting metabolic rate after half a year — and an additional 125 calories burned per day. Of course, you should be lifting for longer than this period of time if you want to make any significant gains.
Sleep More:
Inadequate sleep is not only bad for your overall health; it may also slow your metabolism and increase your risk of weight gain.
One study found that when healthy adults slept for only four hours per night for five days in a row, their metabolic rate dropped by 2.6%.
Another five-week study discovered that interrupted sleep, as well as irregular sleeping times, reduced resting metabolic rate by 8% on average.
As a result, a lack of sleep is linked to an increased risk of weight gain and obesity.
Does Vaping or Smoking Break a Fast?
A fast will not be broken by smoking. A cigarette contains no calories and will not cause an insulin response. According to research, nicotine has no effect on fasting blood sugar.
However, smoking is not recommended during a fast, especially if the fast is longer than 5 days. It can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, as well as a drop in arterial blood pressure or worse.
Summary
To sum it all up, vaping does cause you to lose weight due to its appetite suppressant and metabolism boosting qualities.
It is still proven to be unhealthy for you and we cannot recommend you use it as a tool to lose weight. While there are certainly beneficial aspects of it, there are far more negative ones.
