Cigarettes and Cardio?

Oh, and yes, posting gross pictures cures addiction. :noway:

I asked myself 3 years ago ..do I want to be a runner or do I want to be a smoker, I chose running quit cold turkey that day and never looked back, The fact that I don't gasp for air or use my inhaler (exercise induced asthma) and can run at 10.0mph on a treadmill gives me all the motivation to never pick up one again.

I quit January 21st of this year after being a smoker for 16 years. I have noticed a 100% turn around in my ablility to do cardio. Such a difference!!
However, my husband still smokes (and is a long time smoker) and he can still kick my a** when it comes to cardio. Out runs me with ease.
Of course (everyone knows) smoking is unhealthy but the degree to which it effects ones ability to do cardio (I think) depends on each individual.

You are comparing apples to oranges. There is more to outrunning someone than their ability to breath and process oxygen. Smoking ages you, give you gum disease, heart problems, circulation problems and a slew of other issues. This is not directed at you but all the smokers. Don think that because you can run a few miles in your younger and middle age years that smoking wont ravage your body in your later years and rob you of time with your loved ones.

I do realize the terrible effect smoking has on me. Hence, the statement "I quit January 21st." I wasn't mentioning the "trillion" other negative effects smoking has because that's not the topic of this forum. I was simply stating that although all smokers are effecting there cardio, each individual is effecting it to a different degree. I could not preform cardio and be a smoker. It was terrible. Smoking was totally effecting my exercise routine. I'm sure it effects my hubby's as well, but not to the same degree.

I am not a big fan of cutting back or replacements. When I tried before I always failed until I just stopped smoking and gave up nicotine all together. Replacements, gum and cutting back just keep you in a withdraw state for a longer period of time, if you just stop smoking nicotine is out of your system in 72 hours. Then its all a mind thing.

http://whyquit.com/

This is a good read while quitting

http://www.joelspitzer.com/whyquit/joel/ntap.pdf

Seventy-two hours is a long damn time. More power to the ones that can do that, but they better sedate me in a hospital setting like they would a heroin addict.

If I can do it anyone can. Its a mind game. Simple as that. If you prepare yourself physically and mentally. Have a plan on how you will deal with your cravings, stressful situations and smoking queues then you will succeed.

If you go in with no preparation, plan or fore thought then you will fail.

Its that simple.

Aggreed on the prohibition making illegal black markets. In fact black market smokes are already one of the highest illegal trades in the US.

Yeah nasty pictures do help. You need to know what you are doing to yourself.

No, I'm sorry, but I love my family too much to take them to hell for three days. That's not something I would ever do. And guess what? I will sit and smoke a cigarette while looking at gross pictures. It doesn't cure addiction. I wrote a paper in college on the effects of cigarettes, while I smoked in my dorm room. Knowing the facts does not cure the addiction. It helps with the mental aspect, but facts don't change emotional attachments and the psychological tricks that our minds play on us.

I have found that I can go for as long as 24 hours, but that's my breaking point. I have a family and I work full time. Nicotine gum is nasty, so it doesn't work. The patch makes me nauseous after a few weeks, which is why it didn't work. My next step is to try doing the Step 2 patch with my e-cig as back-up. I am hoping that the Step 2 won't make me ill like the Step 1 made me.

The thing about cigarettes is the mental game in addition to the physical addiction. They are more addictive than heroin. (and I know some heroin addicts who never would have made it without methadone, especially when our drug policy continues to remain in retard mode) I have also known people that quit cold turkey and then relapsed. There is no cure-all. You have to be mentally prepared, like you said. And you also have to be physically prepared. My husband wants to get hypnotized. lol

People, it's 2012, please stop smoking already!

exactly. its 2012. we smokers have seen these images billions of times. if we want to smoke we still will no matter how many times you show us our lungs

I agree, when people make the wise decision to quit smoking, it’s not because of disgusting pictures. People will quit smoking when they are ready to do it for themselves and their loved ones.

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Seventy-two hours is a long damn time. More power to the ones that can do that, but they better sedate me in a hospital setting like they would a heroin addict.
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they dont sedate heroin addicts in the hospital

Oh, and yes, posting gross pictures cures addiction. :noway:

HAHA your still my hero

Seventy-two hours is a long damn time. More power to the ones that can do that, but they better sedate me in a hospital setting like they would a heroin addict.

they dont sedate heroin addicts in the hospital

That's true. They throw them in cages to be raped by larger, stronger people. Thanks for the correction.

When I smoked I found it annoying when people said to stop.

Then my mother got emphysema from smoking and spent her last four years in bed staring at the ceiling on oxygen.

Then I realized my finding it annoying was nothing more than rationalizing a stupid habit.

Then I quit.

Go to the emergency room and listen to the people panicking because they can't breath because smoking has destroyed their lungs. That is your future unless you are lucky enough to die from something else first.

When I smoked I found it annoying when people said to stop.

Then my mother got emphysema from smoking and spent her last four years in bed staring at the ceiling on oxygen.

Then I realized my finding it annoying was nothing more than rationalizing a stupid habit.

Then I quit.

Go to the emergency room and listen to the people panicking because they can't breath because smoking has destroyed their lungs. That is your future unless you are lucky enough to die from something else first.

Ive been to the emergency room and heard people not being able to breath. . . i then heard they were diagnosed with anxiety attacks. . . . my grand mother died from lung cancer. . . . but it ake my chances. . as long as i keep myself healthy (diet and exercise) ill see where it takes me, thats why as a smoker i get tests done every year and once i hear that a test comes up positive for something i will then take the steps i want to quit (if i ever do). . .

my grandpa smoked pipes until the day he died at 93. . . he started at 12. . . .who says MY future will be like the people in the ER. no one knows *plays twilight zone music*