Smoking and exercise...UGH!

joannathechef

Addictions are mostly mental. There is a small amount of physical, but it's bullsh*t. The mind is so powerful that the physical part doesn't matter. Some people are more predispositioned for addiction than others.

The only way is to just stop. You have to change habits. Smoking is mostly a ritual. You form all these little rituals. You have to break all of them. Just do other things. It's only hard for the first few weeks. After that it's easy.

A couple things to try if you don't feel like you can do it on your own:
I saw a guy quit completely after some hypnosis therapy. It works.

Try AA. The concepts you learn work for smoking too.

You speak complete and utter Bull$!ht

Tranquil_Miche

It's not going to b easy, but if u want to quit you can... You just have to REALLY want to!

This.^^

It is a tough decision to "really" want to quit. The mind keeps going back to the "pleasure" of smoking.

I quit in January after smoking since I was 15 (nearly fifteen years). I thought about quitting and wanted to quit a few years before, but in January I ended up getting bronchitis. When hearing that I just said, "That's it. I'm done." I gave my opened pack away, and I know I won’t touch them again. I have no desire to. I did have strong cravings at first, but I kept asking myself, "Who is in charge- the addiction or YOU?" It really is a mind thing. Any thoughts I had regarding how much I felt I needed it, how much it would relieve stress, or how much I would enjoy the taste I chalked up to the addiction trying to trick me into lighting back up. I knew they were lies, and I pushed them out of my mind. As time went by these thoughts became less fierce and eventually subsided.

You can do it when you make the decision that you really want to.

IronDame

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

KristyHumphrey

After having smoked for over 33 years (last few years have been a pack and a half daily) I have been 30 days nicotine free today. I have tried quitting on many occasions but without success. Recently I started using the electronic cig and it's working for me!! I still had the urge for real cigs during the first two weeks using it but now it's easier. (Not to mention the $$$$ I'm saving) I would totally recommend it if nothing else seems to be working...

Awesome! Good for you! I've been smoking for over 20 - I may try the electronic cig-what brand do you use?

Dunkelheit666

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

KristyHumphrey

Addictions are mostly mental. There is a small amount of physical, but it's bullsh*t. The mind is so powerful that the physical part doesn't matter. Some people are more predispositioned for addiction than others.

The only way is to just stop. You have to change habits. Smoking is mostly a ritual. You form all these little rituals. You have to break all of them. Just do other things. It's only hard for the first few weeks. After that it's easy.

A couple things to try if you don't feel like you can do it on your own:
I saw a guy quit completely after some hypnosis therapy. It works.

Try AA. The concepts you learn work for smoking too.

You speak complete and utter Bull$!ht

Agreed! and i really hope if someone has never been a smoker then they have NO IDEA how horrible a physical, mental, and emotional addiction it truly is - WORSE THAN HEROINE!!

julesboots

Addictions are mostly mental. There is a small amount of physical, but it's bullsh*t. The mind is so powerful that the physical part doesn't matter. Some people are more predispositioned for addiction than others.

The only way is to just stop. You have to change habits. Smoking is mostly a ritual. You form all these little rituals. You have to break all of them. Just do other things. It's only hard for the first few weeks. After that it's easy.

A couple things to try if you don't feel like you can do it on your own:
I saw a guy quit completely after some hypnosis therapy. It works.

Try AA. The concepts you learn work for smoking too.

I'd agree that the 12 steps could probably help with smoking, but have to disagree with the idea that the physical piece to addiction is bull****. I've watched a family member detox twice from narcotic painkillers. The second time required a pretty intense med. intervention. He says it was comparable to quitting nicotine, but nicotine was slightly less acute, and a longer process.

I quit with pregnancy, but made many quasi-attempts before that.

IronDame

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

wmstormvet

I smoked over a pack a day for over 20 years and I quit by reading the book The Easyway to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr. I is basically a de- brainwashing to get your mindset different and you will quit if you do what it says. It lets you smoke while you read it and I found as I got farther along, I was actually smoking less and then didn't want any more at all when I finished it.. I highly recommend it!!

WendyTerry420

I exercise like a beast daily and run 5K's and I represent the exercising smokers. Not saying it's right, just saying I do. I don't smoke ALOT but I DO smoke. Maybe a pack every 2 or 3 days (however, prolly alittle more during football season!). I figure I already gave up the crack and porn industry....a gal's gotta keep SOMETHING for herself...... :smokin:

I'm in that club! (Though I haven't *completely* given up porn. :laugh: ) :smokin:

Leah2975

I am a litle under a pack a day smoker. I HATE it, my fiance hates it (he just up and quit a year ago), and i know its holding me back on my exersise.

I have a horrible addiction problem, always have. It runs in the family. I've tried to quit, but have failed each time. It just scares me because i noticed every time i cut back i found myself snacking all the time trying to hold back the cravings. I just dont think i can handle trying to eat right and quit somking at the same time.

Has anyone eles been through this?????

going through the exact same thing, except no one is down on me about my smoking. i havent found that its held me back, but when i started off a month ago i was so out of shape...ive been increasing my run times gradually but i do find myself out of breath easier then others.

Leah2975

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

amen. im still taking my workouts to a new level on a weekly basis. my smoking hasnt hindered it at all. i push myself hard, and am dripping with sweat at the end of my 800 cal gym sessions. how is going to the gym 2 hours each day and working straight through not pushing myself, especially since ive only been working out for only a month??

Embooya

Ive been an off and on smoker for 23 years...thats right 23 YEARS !!! I have never felt better or gotten myself in better shape than when I put the butts down. Its a will power thing 100%. I havent had a ciggarette since Sept 5th and my endurance, stamina and overall energy levels have gone through the roof since. You got to want to do it for yourself. I walk around with a pocket full of almonds, everytime I feel that urge I eat one, after awhile the urge is gone. YOU CAN DO IT !! It starts with the desire to want to quit !

Dunkelheit666

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

amen. im still taking my workouts to a new level on a weekly basis. my smoking hasnt hindered it at all. i push myself hard, and am dripping with sweat at the end of my 800 cal gym sessions. how is going to the gym 2 hours each day and working straight through not pushing myself, especially since ive only been working out for only a month??

Arent we being a little sensitive. Didnt mean to bruise anyones fragile "im a workout god even though i smoke" ego. Anywho, the point was that your body has no idea how far it can acutally go because your smoking self can do about 30% of what your non smoking self can do.

FROM EXPERIENCE! the same workout that made me sweat before only now feels like a little warm up. that was my point.

sensitive much?

I certainly didnt come here to make you cry :sad:

Dunkelheit666

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

amen. im still taking my workouts to a new level on a weekly basis. my smoking hasnt hindered it at all. i push myself hard, and am dripping with sweat at the end of my 800 cal gym sessions. how is going to the gym 2 hours each day and working straight through not pushing myself, especially since ive only been working out for only a month??

For the record i wasnt talking to Leah...anything she does is a ok with me!

Crying_In_Color

The same thing happened to me. What I did was sit down and think about the risk of smoking and the benefits of not smoking. I quit but did gain a few pounds. The good thing about putting a couple pounds on is you can easily lose it. You can't just get rid of cancer...

ohmelgosh79

Don't substitute - simple.
If you feel like you have to.... eat a carrot instead of smoking a cigarette, or drink some water, suck on an ice cube.
You don't need to resort to eating sh*te food which is full of sugar, fat and the bad things.

Smoking holds back your fitness and your ability to lose weight.

Those that want to concentrate on 'losing weight' before 'quitting the smokes' don't REALLY want to quit. If you did would you really want to live shorter but be a bit thinner? Or how about live longer and then you'll spend more time being thinner and fitter anyway.

I've been through it, in the last year I've quit the smokes, I've saved over 2,000 pounds, and lost a decent amount of weight too.

If you REALLY want to quit, you will do it, if you don't you won't its simple.

If you can't get motivated to spend more time with your other half (i.e. live longer together) then what motivates you?

ICE CUBES! I used that and chewing gum as my tactics and if I got really ansy, I would throw in an exercise dvd and do that, go for a walk, empty my closet and start cleaning and organizing that. The key is to keep your mind off of it until the urge passes. Good Luck!

Crying_In_Color

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

amen. im still taking my workouts to a new level on a weekly basis. my smoking hasnt hindered it at all. i push myself hard, and am dripping with sweat at the end of my 800 cal gym sessions. how is going to the gym 2 hours each day and working straight through not pushing myself, especially since ive only been working out for only a month??

Arent we being a little sensitive. Didnt mean to bruise anyones fragile "im a workout god even though i smoke" ego. Anywho, the point was that your body has no idea how far it can acutally go because your smoking self can do about 30% of what your non smoking self can do.

FROM EXPERIENCE! the same workout that made me sweat before only now feels like a little warm up. that was my point.

sensitive much?

I certainly didnt come here to make you cry :sad:

I completely agree with you. When I smoked, it was so much harder to work out. NTM my heart rate was going up to 170 BPM. Now the same workout has my heart running at 137 BPM.

tuffytuffy1

You CAN do it and not gain a lot of weight! I quit almost two years ago, and gained 20 pounds in 6 months. Then I joined MFP and started working out with a personal trainer. I went over a year not smoking, and started again this past March. I was terrified to try to quit again because it took me over a year to lose the 20 pounds I gained in 6 months.

I just quit again 12 days ago, and I am using the patch. I have had almost ZERO cravings. I'm a little afraid of what will happen after I am off the patch, but I'm taking it one day at a time. Initially, I gained 3 pounds in the first week after quitting last Monday. But now I am only at +1 pound.

I think the patch is essential because since I am NOT having cravings, I am not reaching for food. If you have never tried the patch, I highly recommend it. I have quit at least 10 times before (many times for over a year) but never had used the patch until this time. I'm extremely pleased with the effects of it. GOOD LUCK, you can do it!

Dunkelheit666

Sadly smoking does not affect my workouts. I smoke one before the gym and one almost right after. I've become better at running. I wish it would affect my workouts and then it would maybe give me more incentive to quit. Right now I simply do not want to quit badly enough.

You wont realize how much it effects you till you quit. You may not be pushing yourself hard enough if at all...

That is a good point, but right now I am pushing as hard as it will allow. I certainly did not come in here to have someone tell me I may not be pushing hard enough.

amen. im still taking my workouts to a new level on a weekly basis. my smoking hasnt hindered it at all. i push myself hard, and am dripping with sweat at the end of my 800 cal gym sessions. how is going to the gym 2 hours each day and working straight through not pushing myself, especially since ive only been working out for only a month??

Arent we being a little sensitive. Didnt mean to bruise anyones fragile "im a workout god even though i smoke" ego. Anywho, the point was that your body has no idea how far it can acutally go because your smoking self can do about 30% of what your non smoking self can do.

FROM EXPERIENCE! the same workout that made me sweat before only now feels like a little warm up. that was my point.

sensitive much?

I certainly didnt come here to make you cry :sad:

I completely agree with you. When I smoked, it was so much harder to work out. NTM my heart rate was going up to 170 BPM. Now the same workout has my heart running at 137 BPM.

thank you for actual data to support what i said! that was my point...again, didnt mean to hurn any ones "feelings"....ugh...feelings