Getting fit - after smoking

[Suffragette1]

Firstly, well done on having given up (I didn't know that you smoked). I had a couple of bad coughs and colds after I gave up, which I never used to get. However, I threw myself into exercise (which I had been doing as a smoker but not to the extent that I have done post-giving up) and have found greatly improved levels of fitness and endurance. I even shaved off 30 mins from the previous half marathon time. Keep at it but lay off the exercise if you have a cold. Cross train, I do a mix of spinning, running, cardio combat (boxercise) and weights - have never been fitter. Cross training is the key I feel. Do you do weights?

 

Crookesey - your blood thinning is surely not a result of having given up smoking, is it?

[AJ sheffield]

I quit smoking about 3 months ago and ever since, I have suffered from one thing or another. At the moment, easily getting short of breath and having delightful mucus in my nose.

 

I am relatively fit, however, the smoking has obviously limited my fitness levels (especially now my body is recovering). I really want to increase my fitness levels and the ability to breath so I was wondering if you had any ideas about the sort of exercise I should be doing.

 

I currently run about 4 miles every other day, but want something to exceed that. Looking forward to your replies.

 

Many of my mates who have given up have had problems with their health after stopping, the worst ones are the women, four of them now have ulcerative colitis and are really suffering.

Well done for stopping though, and good luck with getting back to being fit.

[Suffragette1]

Many of my mates who have given up have had problems with their health after stopping, the worst ones are the women, four of them now have ulcerative colitis and are really suffering.

Well done for stopping though, and good luck with getting back to being fit.

 

I had a few very minor health problems but nothing like that, thankfully. There were times when I would think to myself that I was much healthier when on the fags.

[AJ sheffield]

I had a few very minor health problems but nothing like that, thankfully. There were times when I would think to myself that I was much healthier when on the fags.

 

I'm not sure if the colitis sufferers may have already had it but it was being held at bay by the smoking, I'm not clued up on it.

My mum stopped and has now developed ulcerative colitis and it has transformed her, she has been at times crippled with it.

[Suffragette1]

I'm not sure if the colitis sufferers may have already had it but it was being held at bay by the smoking, I'm not clued up on it.

My mum stopped and has now developed ulcerative colitis and it has transformed her, she has been at times crippled with it.

Christ, I'm glad that I gave up a while ago, otherwise I would be fretting and considering taking it up again.

 

Your poor mum, I hope that it gets sorted.

[Bulgarian]

I stopped for 6 months, and I did get much fitter, but I was bloody misserable, I constantly craved a cig.

 

So, I started smoking again, but I only have a couple a day, and I still feel as fit as I did as I kept-up the exercise etc.

[lyndix]

Well done on giving up mate!

Best thing I ever did was giving up smoking, but for a while after you still get the crap coming off your chest, once thats settled you'll notice a massive difference, I started running, climbing, zumba and boxing after giving up and felt great xx

[Agent Orange]

Well done on giving up mate!

Best thing I ever did was giving up smoking, but for a while after you still get the crap coming off your chest, once thats settled you'll notice a massive difference, I started running, climbing, zumba and boxing after giving up and felt great xx

 

Thank you for the comments and support. Yeah, early days, but by-heck, the body ain't half suffering. I got to keep thinking, small price to pay to be healthy once more.

 

I think my future choice of exercise will be swimming as it's non impact and strangely, I quite like swimming back and forth. I think this combined with running and cycling to and from work, will be just what's required.

[lyndix]

Thank you for the comments and support. Yeah, early days, but by-heck, the body ain't half suffering. I got to keep thinking, small price to pay to be healthy once more.

 

I think my future choice of exercise will be swimming as it's non impact and strangely, I quite like swimming back and forth. I think this combined with running and cycling to and from work, will be just what's required.

 

I think the feeling you get just after stopping of breathlessness and phlegm n stuff makes a lot of people think that its daft stopping so they go and have a fag thinking it'll make them feel better, but work through it mate and you'll see a huge diference.

Well done and keep it up X

[Treatment]

It's a strange thing, but when 45 Commando first went into Afghan in about late 2001, the lads that suffered (generally) from altitude sickness were mostly non-smokers, as the smokers, although still fit, has sufficient grot in their lungs to ward off the sickness. Odd, but true.