Cigarettes and Cardio?

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  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
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    I smoke a pack a day and do cardio three nights a week. I am "inches" away from quitting. I've quit for up to a month on three separate occasions.

    I have been able to go from "dying" from 30 seconds of jogging to up to ten full minutes of jogging.

    keep working at it, i went through the same thing with jogging. now i can go 10 miles :)
  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
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    I switched to a V2 electronic cigarette. Still get my nicotine and no harmful effects on the lungs. Also no smell!

    i tried the electronic cigs. could not stand them.
  • Karebear_68
    Karebear_68 Posts: 67
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    I have smoked since I was 16 also. I know I should quit, but right now I just do not feel like I am ready. Anyways, I try not to smoke for 30 minutes before a workout. I have smoked then did my treadmill time and honestly I do not think it affected me but I try to not smoke before.

    You can guess what my reward for getting a workout in is - yes- a cigarette. i know it is bad but I can truly say this is one addiction that has a firm grasp on me.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    .......but hey!! I gave up crack and the porn industry! A girl's gotta hold onto SOMETHING!!!! :tongue:


    :laugh:
  • amandamaedchen
    amandamaedchen Posts: 38
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    I switched to a V2 electronic cigarette. Still get my nicotine and no harmful effects on the lungs. Also no smell!

    i tried the electronic cigs. could not stand them.

    I agree. I like the theory behind e-cigarettes but I hated them. I also smoked more because I could smoke anywhere and couldn't tell how long a normal cigarette would last. I prefer my "real" cigarettes.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I smoke a pack a day and do cardio three nights a week. I am "inches" away from quitting. I've quit for up to a month on three separate occasions.

    I have been able to go from "dying" from 30 seconds of jogging to up to ten full minutes of jogging.

    keep working at it, i went through the same thing with jogging. now i can go 10 miles :)

    Thanks for the encouragement, Joe! And good luck to you as well on quitting. My main problem is that my hubby isn't ready to quit. It is all in my head, I know, but if he lights one up, I feel like I need one too. I am 45 days into my journey, so I know that with time I will be ready to quit on my own, with or without him.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I just quit yesterday. To be fair, it's the third time I've started back since I decided I wanted a healthier lifestyle. I exercised when I smoked and when I wasn't smoking. Just as you said, some cardio exercises were easier than others when I was smoking. Nobody knows how tough it is to give it up. Do it when you are ready. Don't do it because you are pressured to. I'm praying I can make this change permanent this time.

    Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I smoked for over 25 years. I could not run far at all with out being winded. To be honest, I could not even watch a tv show where a cop chased a perp full speed with out getting winded. I was able to walk about 3.5 miles an hour for around 3 miles.

    I stopped with the Ecig last year. I, like you, had no desire to stop either but when I got that call from my dr that said your test came back positive for the beginning stages of emphysema, I got my behind to the mall and purchased one of those electronic cigarettes. It scared me to death because I was quite sure I was above getting some stupid disease cause I am awesome like that.

    I quit in February and the following September I started training for a 5k. I could not believe that I got up to running 3 miles straight before a back injury sidelined me from running.

    If at all possible, I highly suggest the ecig as it gives you the smoking sensation and the nicotine with out the smell, or other toxic chemicals that traditional cigarette's have. They are also way cheaper in the long run than traditional cigs.

    For anyone interested in trying, I highly suggest this one because tastes and feels the most like a real cig.http://www.smokesation.com/electronic-cigarette-kit-v-go/

    I know you said that you did not want any non smoking advice but there is no way I will cosign that.
  • da1128
    da1128 Posts: 212 Member
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    Yes, I am one of those smoking sinners and I run ten miles per day. Oddly enough, I had some lung function and respiratory tests done recently and the results were excellent...my lung function is actually better than my doctor's and he has never touched a cig in his life. He said my lungs are pink and healthy and show no evidence of smoking, which is rather weird, and he insisted I must not inhale. In other words, I am wasting my money on cigs.

    I do intend to quit though, because the price of cigs are so high. I just bought a new SUV and what I spend on cigs is easily a car payment. Might as well be smoking dollar bills.

    No, I don't advocate smoking. I am just adding my input to this thread.
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373
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    I'm looking to hear your personal experience, not create an anti-smoking controversy.

    I have successfully quit smoking for just over a year now. But I started using a HRM while I was still smoking and I noticed my pulse went up by about 15-20bpm for 20-30minutes after having a cigarette. Given that I smoked a pack of 30 a day or more it was an almost constant effect (I even woke up to smoke during the night sometimes).

    When combined with my excessive caffeine and marijuana consumption and obesity I usually had a resting heart rate above 110bpm just from sitting there doing nothing.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Those who think smoking is not affecting their cardiovascular fitness are deluding themselves. At a minimum, when you smoke carbon monoxide binds to the red blood cells thereby reducing their ability to transport oxygen.

    When you quit it gets easier and you go faster for longer. I smoked for a long time and quit in Jan 2011.
  • mdj1501
    mdj1501 Posts: 392 Member
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    Unfortunately I do still smoke and dammit, I hate to admit that I enjoy it and I know I need to quit... I go 12 hours at work without smoking and smoke less than half a pack on my days off. Dumb right? Yes I know this. I don't usually smoke before I do a workout or after one for quite a while. I dont smoke in my house, or my car so this keeps me from sucking down a pack a day. :blushing:
  • robmcd88
    robmcd88 Posts: 85 Member
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    I know smoking cures weight problems...eventually... I just didn't have that kind of time. Seriously though, I quit about a year ago or so when I joined this site. I found it hard to quit and lose weight at the same time. Eventually I gave up on losing weight to concentrate solely on quitting smoking. Now that I’m certain I’m over that part I’m once again focusing on losing weight. I do think the determination in quitting smoking has rubbed off on my new weight loss goals, so… We’ll see what happens from here I guess.
  • nickmast78
    nickmast78 Posts: 65
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    I switched to a V2 electronic cigarette. Still get my nicotine and no harmful effects on the lungs. Also no smell!

    i tried the electronic cigs. could not stand them.

    I agree. I like the theory behind e-cigarettes but I hated them. I also smoked more because I could smoke anywhere and couldn't tell how long a normal cigarette would last. I prefer my "real" cigarettes.

    I would MUCH rather be smoking a real cigarette. The e-cig doesn't taste or feel like a real cig but it will satisfy my craving just enough to not have a real one. Admittedly I will still have a cig while I drink but since I really don't drink anymore either, that's usually only 1-2 real cigs a month.
  • drwgal
    drwgal Posts: 66
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    I'm a smoker too...trying to get through the first round of Insanity. I do okay, but I do have to take my own timed breaks as I get winded too, not only do I feel it's because i'm a smoker, but I have lived a pretty sedentary life for the past ohh...6 years. I have quit smoking twice, I quit when I was pregnant with my first child, and it was pretty easy(I was 17 though). Then last December I quit and stayed smoke free until about March or April. I ended up smoking again because my Fiancee` still smoked, which made it difficult to stay smoke free. I want to quit to an extent, but honestly don't have the will power to do both, changing my eating lifestyle, and putting the nicotine down.

    I have been wanting to try the ecig but I have heard that some can cause more buildup of carbon monoxide in your lungs than an actual cigarette. And that some are actually not that healthy for you. I have considered using them to help me quit. I have tried a number of programs and things like the patch(which i'm allergic to).

    I know I can get them from my local gas station, and the refills are only 10 bucks and they should last about 3 months, it would definitely help me save money, but I'm wondering if it would help my fiancee` and I actually quit? We're ready, it's just really hard.
  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
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    I switched to a V2 electronic cigarette. Still get my nicotine and no harmful effects on the lungs. Also no smell!

    i tried the electronic cigs. could not stand them.

    I agree. I like the theory behind e-cigarettes but I hated them. I also smoked more because I could smoke anywhere and couldn't tell how long a normal cigarette would last. I prefer my "real" cigarettes.

    I would MUCH rather be smoking a real cigarette. The e-cig doesn't taste or feel like a real cig but it will satisfy my craving just enough to not have a real one. Admittedly I will still have a cig while I drink but since I really don't drink anymore either, that's usually only 1-2 real cigs a month.

    and they are so uncomfortable in your mouth. i work with my hands so when i smoke, the cig stays in my mouth. cant do it with e-cigs though
  • MzKnappiiRed
    MzKnappiiRed Posts: 3 Member
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    I quit smoking almost two months ago and noticed a change almost immediately. I could go a little longer on exercise...I don't have to work as hard to get my heart rate up and it's a much easier to breathe...These are all things that I also noticed while i was smoking the only thing I did differently was that if I knew I was going to work out I tried not to smoke at least two hours before but I always lit one up after i finished.

    This is the problem with it though

    I believe that if you're going to lose weight just to look good and the health end doesn't matter then you should keep smoking. However, if you are losing weight to be healthy then you will need to quit and this is why...

    My current regime includes a two hour workout:

    30 minute walk on treadmill speed
    3.5-incline 10. MAIN FOCUS-Breathing
    30 minute on Arc Trainer
    Level 15-Resistance 21 MAIN FOCUS-Breathing
    50 minute ab machine
    4 Sets, 15 Reps, 35lbs MAIN FOCUS Breathing
    10 minute Planking
    20 second increments MAIN FOCUS Breathing

    When I work out I really try to focus less on my workout and more on my breathing. I put my headphones on and Tune Slacker to Beethoven or Kenny G and workout with my focus being on my breathing. My goal is to strengthen my lungs so that I can begin a running regime.

    Great workout/Great Plan...so what's the problem?

    The problem is that I do all this work for the sake of my health, my lungs, my breathing and then I turn around and go outside an smoke ultimately undoing all the work that I just put into my workout all that work all those breathing techniques become a waste of time as soon as I take one puff. Working out and smoking the two just don't go well together.

    I'm not anti-smoking but I am anti-smoking and working out. It's pointless if you are doing it for more than just looking good!
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
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    Saturday the 18th will be 5 months without a smoke.
    After 37 yrs of smoking. It takes a made up mind.

    It's a no-brainer that smoking effects all you do in life.
    Cardio, etc.....good luck!
  • ash1976
    ash1976 Posts: 41 Member
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    Yep, i'm a smoker and have been for the last 20 years or so (like you I started at 16). I run regularly and do Taekwondo training twice a week. It doesn't seem to impair me that much (I don't seem to be any more out of breath etc than other people at Taekwondo, and they are non smokers who are significantly younger than me), although I suppose I would perform better if I didn't smoke.
  • HC82
    HC82 Posts: 22
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    I've been smoking since I was 14, uggggh! Despite being ready to quit for a few years now, I continue to put it off because I feel like there is always some life stressor that makes me think OK next month will be better, etc.

    I've been doing regular cardio workouts for 1.5 years now and while I have nothing to compare, I bet that smoking does affect my workouts. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to die in spin classes and I often wonder if that would be different if I didn't smoke. I've also had a couple of workouts on the elliptical where my heart rate has gone so high that the screen flashes red saying SLOW DOWN heart rate too high. It was 193 and I'm 29 years old.....not sure if that's a bad thing but I certainly assume it's not good. The weird thing was that I felt perfectly fine both times that happened.

    At my gym, they do a fitness test when you join and you can get another follow up later. About a year after beginning to workout, I had a fitness test and my cardiovascular health improved 20%, going up to 95% putting me in a really healthy range. Again, makes me wonder how much better it would be had I not been smoking.

    No advice here, just saying I feel ya. Smoking is SUCH a hard addiction to break and mixing hard workouts with smoking just seems utterly ridiculous somedays :s

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