I can't be the ONLY one with this problem

I'm not a smoker... but am an avid exerciser... can you help me understand why smoking prevents you from exercising... is it because you have trouble breathing... coughing... ? What is the issue because I know a lot of smokers that do exercise... is it just cardio or weights too? Do you want to overcome this problem and are looking for advice on how to or just want to vent with others who share the same outlook?

I smoke, it is hard to walk, let alone run. I think that what helps me is by doing videos to start you off. I go to my mom's house every night and do either a kickboxing video or toning... it has some cardio in it that is not STRAIGHT running/jogging/marching... i'm assuming thats what the first obstacle is for you as well... She has a treadmill and I've been on it a few times, but I am just not ready to climb on and start running along. YET! I am planning on doing the videos until I get my stamina and lungs to a functioning state... THEN

I am going to start the c25k program... its supposed to start you off from not being able to run at all and get you to be able to run a 5k in a couple months... but NOT wear you out to the point of saying screw it, I'd rather be fat (like I've done in the past!!)

I'd suggest just taking a look at it and seeing if it would be right for you. It has mp3s that you can put on your ipod and it motivates you along during your whole workout. It tells you when to warmup, run, walk, and cooldown.

GOOD LUCK! And feel free to add me for some fellow smoker support!

I smoke a pack a day I know I should quit and I want to quit. I am working only slowly but the fact is its not easy. I make myself work out everynight and to be honest after I run on the Ellipical every night I feel so much better and even breath better I started out at 10 minutes I am now at 19 its just commiting your self to doing it.

I am totally fine lately eating healthy..my biggest problem has been exercise. And it's because I am a 100% commited/love it/don't know if I ever want to quit-SMOKER. I know how horrible it is for me, I've known since I was a child, but i was stupid and started anyway, and now I am completely addicted.

can anyone give some advice on how to get past the hump of not wanting to exercise because they smoke?

I exercise an hour or more 7 days a week and I am a smoker although I have cut back since I have been working out. I honestly have no intention of quitting any time in the foreseeable future. I'm like you, I know it's bad, but I do it anyway. Honestly there is no reason not to exercise because you smoke. Your lung capacity won't be the best, but it shouldn't stop you from exercising. If you cough a lot when you exercise I have found that eating a cough drop while you exercise helps. You just have to decide to exercise no matter what.

I promise it does get easier to handle... I've only smoked for a few years... I know right... y LOL anyways when I first started working out a lot I was doing Hip Hop Abs... some of the moves would make my sides hurt, like I couldn't breath... so I slowed down once I start hurting, drink lots of water... and keep going. I honestly don't really get that out of breath anymore, and I usually workout 30-60 minutes a day... sometimes I take lots of days off exercising... but it does get easier, you just gotta make urself. and if you can only go for 10 minutes... do that as long as you need, every day... then try and up it ... soon enough you won't even have the problem anymore

I promise it does get easier to handle... I've only smoked for a few years... I know right... y LOL anyways when I first started working out a lot I was doing Hip Hop Abs... some of the moves would make my sides hurt, like I couldn't breath... so I slowed down once I start hurting, drink lots of water... and keep going. I honestly don't really get that out of breath anymore, and I usually workout 30-60 minutes a day... sometimes I take lots of days off exercising... but it does get easier, you just gotta make urself. and if you can only go for 10 minutes... do that as long as you need, every day... then try and up it ... soon enough you won't even have the problem anymore

I forgot I also smoke about a pack a day... sometimes more and sometimes less... you just gotta push urself to do it

I am an ex-smoker (20+ years of smoking), and totally understand how difficult it is to excercise. You have to build up slowly to prevent yourself from becoming winded. Yoga is great because it doesn't wind you and you can get cardio and strength training. Just start with gentle yoga and move up.
Try hypnosis to quit. I tried many times to quit and hypnosis was the only thing that worked.
I loved to smoke too, but I am so happy that I quit!

I was like you had no desire to give up my Camels. Then back in February I was over at my mom's and my sister had a e-cig. I tried it out and liked it. It allows me to get my nicotine fix, "smoke" (or Vap) while driving and have my nicotine when I drink. I got my e-cig and have not smoked a Camel since . I am now doing ChaLean Extreme and working out 5-6 times a week. I am really happy that I made this slight change in my smoking habit.

If I can influence one person, then I did my job. Sorry for the length of this.

I smoked for almost 25 years. I played hockey and baseball up to 7 years ago. Since then I have gained some weight, and continued to smoke.
2009 I joined MFP. I lost 35 lbs, and I still smoked. I was able to partially jog. I followed C25k. but my endurance for jogging was short, as I would get out of breath.
I then got married, went away on vacation, and basically didn't continue the same lifestyle when I came back.

During this whole time I felt bad eating healthy but I was still smoking.
But it's cool, everyone else smokes. When your at work, you can go outside and join other smokers to talk. In the winter time you freeze outside.
You are spending your hard earned money for something that will slowly kill you.
Would you buy rat poison, and take one minature grain of poison every day?

So on Feb 14th, 2011 I finally quit smoking. With the help of champix/chantix. It took away all my cravings. I used a straw and gum for the first week.
I said goodbye to a friend that cost me a tremendous amount of money. $300/month over how many years.

Here is an ebook 212 pages that helped me very much.
http://whyquit.com/NTAP_large_print_212_pages.pdf

I suggest/challenge/dare (whatever word) to read chapter 2 at the very least - my cigarette, my friend.

To those younger people. I have 10-20 years on you, I used to say to myself.. oh I'll quit one day. Years pass by fast.
For those who "I enjoy smoking." Really it is ... "We don't enjoy not smoking."
It's explained in the ebook along with lists of diseases/problems that can happen from smoking. Not just lung cancer, but if you are curious of pictures of a smokers lung, then you can view that too.

When I quit, I was smoking 750 cigarettes a month. I've been smoke free and avoided over 1500 cigarettes so far.
To those who want to quit. I challenge you. Instead of telling yourself you smoke 1/2 pack a day, or you smoke a pack a day. Be honest and tell yourself that you are a 300 cigarette a month smoker, or 600 cigarette a month smoker.

It changed my mindset huge, knowing that in 1 month, I smoked 750 death sticks, and it cost me $300/month.

Oh yah the reason I started this reply..
I'm 20 lbs heavier than I was last year at this time. 1 month after quitting smoking, I went out to continue the C25k. I jogged further, longer, carrying 20 lbs more than I did 20 lbs lighter as a smoker last year.
That was march 18, today I have walked/jogged to Couch25k Week4 and do 8 kms and I was able to keep up to 5 min jogs four times within the hour.