smoking with asthma and exercise PLEASE HELP

I used to smoke and smoked for ten years. I never had a weight problem before because I bought my cigarettes before my food (for myself) and I had a active job. I did have a period where I wanted to be more fit but I didn't quit smoking. I walked. I didn't run because I would have keeled over:) I still can't really run and it's been over two years since I quit but I'm trying.

You have asthma so I don't want to say anything that your doctor doesn't agree with because I don't know the severity of your asthma or what your doctor suggests. Have you tried talking with your doctor on what s/he suggests for an adequate and safe exercise considering?

I don't smoke, but I am asthmatic. I am having a fairly good run at the moment, but a couple of years ago I was being hospitalised at least twice a year with it. I am still under the respiratory consultant, and take Singulair and Phyllocontin as well as Symbicort and Salamol inhalers.

I find that being asthmatic does limit what I can do, but I am hoping that if I build up gradually it will get better. I walk a lot, at a pace that gets me out of breath (eg walking 5k including up and down hills in about an hour). I also cycle. Long term I would like to try couch to 5k, but that depends on me having a really good stretch without any asthma attacks. I swim, and have booked a course of lessons to improve my technique. Swimming is good if you have asthma (as long as you can tolerate the chlorine) as the air is warm and moist. I do low impact aerobic workouts, but can only manage 15 mins at a time at the moment without getting wheezy.

I always take my inhaler before starting, and stop if I feel tight chested. Rome wasn't built in a day. But exercise is very good for asthma and gradually things should get better.

And if you want inspiration look at the Olympic athletes - Bradley Wiggins, Rebecca Adlington, Paula Radcliffe, Greg Rutherford, Tom James and Craig Bellamy are all asthmatic Team GB athletes. Bradley Wiggins smokes too

Bradley Wiggins smokes, are you sure? And an asthmatic, are you sure?

I say carry on smoking but the doctor should no longer prescribe you with asthma medications. Better to be fat than smoke, I am an ex-fat smoker and I know which is better. As for you making choices, no you do not make the choice to have an addiction you make the choice to ignore it.

However, weight lifting is a proven way for asthmatics to increase lung capacity. Numerous studies to support this and weight lifting is least likely to trigger an astma attack. back that up with plenty of evidence here that lifting is great for losing weight then you seem to have an answer.

But giving up smoking should be your number one concern. And don't stop trying to give up.

Give up smoking, not what you want to HEAR but TOUGH.


GIVE UP SMOKING

Yes, I am sure:

http://www.asthma.org.uk/news-centre/latest-news/2012/07/bradley-wiggins-leads-the-british-olympic-hopefuls-who-are-flying-the-flag-for-asthma/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/cycling/9476594/Bradley-Wiggins-celebrates-Olympic-gold-with-wine-and-cigarette-in-Majorca.html

Now I'm not saying that smoking is ideal, but the list of asthmatic athletes is quite inspiring.

Diagnosis of asthma compared to being an asthmatic. Just because the doc gives out steroid inhalers does not make you an asthmatic.

GIVE UP SMOKING, Get control of the life that GOD gave you. (as per profile info.)

Obviously I don't have indepth knowledge of Bradley Wiggins' medical history, I am just going by the report on the asthma uk website. Similar story on the BBC. And as an asthmatic I find it pretty inspiring, as does my 8 year old asthmatic son.

I also find two of my asthmatic friends, one of whom runs marathons and the other one who competes in triathlons, pretty inspiring.

If you don't try you won't get anywhere.

I'm not a smoker but I do have asthma and have lung damage (BAD case of pneumonia with complications when I was younger). I start small and build up. Run before walking, do short circuit training before trying to do a full length cardio class, etc. Just build up to it and your lungs will adapt.

And, obviously, work on cutting back or quitting the smoking when you have the capacity to do so.

Coming from a daughter who recently lost her mother, due to years of smoking, I think you already know the answer to this.
Much luck to you.

I smoked for 34 years before quitting in 2009 and joining MFP and a gym. I could not exercise at all, which is why I put on so much weight. A flight of stairs would have me reaching for my inhaler. I took bronchodilators and used a nebulizer. I smoked between 2-4 packs a day. :embarassed:

I smoked for so long because I didn't want to put on MORE weight from quitting.

But I decided to turn that around and do it MY way.

I figured that I would quit and THEN, I would be able to work out. I couldn't run next door when I started, but within 2 years, I had lost 40 pounds and can run/walk 5k.

So, I know you say you don't want to quit and you want to do just one thing at a time, but losing weight is SO much easier when you can work up a sweat and get out of breath without keeling over It's 4 days of hell and you're done (quitting, that is).

In any case, I wish you luck and feel free to add me if you decide to try it my way!

I am a smoker and struggling with quitting so I know how bloody hard it is so no judgement from me on that.

I don't do much cardio partly because I don't enjoy it partly because of my breathing.

I use the weight machines at the gym to lift heavy and love it. It has really changed the compostion and shape of my body. Probably easier for you to do strength training as you can do it in your own time and take frequent breaks if you need them.

One thing that I am finding helpful is using an inhalator to try and quit the *kitten*, this gives me my shot of nicotine without the harmful smoke. If you can replace half your smoking that way then you will be doing your lungs a favour. Check with your doctor first though as I am not sure about it affecting your asthma but can't see that it would be any worse than smoking though.

Good luck :flowerforyou:

You are right, it is your life and you can do what you want with it....who cares what others think. however, your question has an obvious answer....you just don't want to see it. Not being mean, just honest.

Completely agree with this statement. Its like asking how can I be drunk 24/7 and still get my cardio in. I know its your life but you have to pick one or the other. Its either continue to smoke or live a healthy life. You can not have both.

Been an asthmatic since a kid and have COPD (never been a smoker, but was near a chemical explosion as a kid).
Every six months i have my breathing checked with a Spirometer at the doc's office.

I started doing an Elliptical machine for 10 minutes, then as I increased to 30 minutes, I started doing the interval setting, wearing a heart rate monitor making sure i was in the 75% to 85%.

After losing 60 lbs and getting up to 45 minutes and staying in 75% to 85% on the Elliptical, I had my breathing checked again
at the doc's office and my breathing increased 20%.

I have asthma, and smoked for 31 years. My lung capacity was very low. I quit ( finally) by reading Allen Carr's book. The best thing to do is take it slow and use your ventilators prior to exercising. Start with slow walk's, then gradually build up speed and endurance. It takes awhile but don't get discouraged, you can do it.

I haven't had to use my ventalin in over 3 months. By getting in shape and quitting smoking, drinking and eating right I was able to start hiking mountain trails were I live. Something I only dreamed about a year ago when I was 40 pounds overweight and would get out of breath tying my shoes. You just need to want it bad enough, and I wanted it.

Best of luck

for all the people telling me to quit:

I have two beautiful children, 2 and 7. The day that I found out that I was pregnant with them, I quit smoking, all the way up until I was done breastfeeding them. I don't smoke in my house, or in my car. I change my clothes when i get in the house. They BOTH have asthma. I have tried to quit several other times, but with a husband that smokes and the stress of my life, i have picked the habit up again and again. I will NEVER give up on quitting. My health all around is what is at risk right now, not just from smoking. I am prediabetic, and severly obese. I am cutting down on smoking, but need to get the weight down as well. That was my reason for this post. I KNOW i need to quit. I was looking for some guidance. Walk a mile in my shoes before you type the easy workds on the keyboard. This is a place for people to get support, not for people to send messages to me bashing my choices. My mother in law died from lung cancer. I was by her bed for the month journey from diagnosis to death. I know the risks and if seeing her decline hasn't helped me any, your telling me to quit isn't going to either. Please keep your negativity to yourself.

sounds like you're not trying to convince us...

I am a smoker too - I began jogging about 2 months ago and have gradually increased my pace, speed and distance - but my lungs let me know about it. I am using the difficulty to encourage me to quit (that is the next thing on my fixing me list).

for all the people telling me to quit:

I have two beautiful children, 2 and 7. The day that I found out that I was pregnant with them, I quit smoking, all the way up until I was done breastfeeding them. I don't smoke in my house, or in my car. I change my clothes when i get in the house. They BOTH have asthma. I have tried to quit several other times, but with a husband that smokes and the stress of my life, i have picked the habit up again and again. I will NEVER give up on quitting. My health all around is what is at risk right now, not just from smoking. I am prediabetic, and severly obese. I am cutting down on smoking, but need to get the weight down as well. That was my reason for this post. I KNOW i need to quit. I was looking for some guidance. Walk a mile in my shoes before you type the easy workds on the keyboard. This is a place for people to get support, not for people to send messages to me bashing my choices. My mother in law died from lung cancer. I was by her bed for the month journey from diagnosis to death. I know the risks and if seeing her decline hasn't helped me any, your telling me to quit isn't going to either. Please keep your negativity to yourself.

I was going to write something helpful, about my path to quitting, about what I was able to do and not do while smoking and how it affected me. I'm an asthmatic too, btw.

Then I read the above, and honestly, you don't want advice. You want people to sugar coat the truth. Sorry, but I refuse to give advice when you don't want it.