Smoking and exercise. Exercise and smoking. The two mix together about as well as oil and water. Everybody always hears about the fact that smoking is bad for your health, but the reverse opinion is that if you already smoke, you can't exercise at all.
There are 45 million smokers in the US. In the world, it's estimated that about one in three adult males is a smoker. These statistics are startling for anyone, but only someone who's currently (or used to be) a smoker can really get an idea of what that means. The lethargy, the quick buzz followed by a craving for another smoke, the reduced lung capacity – all of these factors add up to one thing: Smokers don't want to exercise.
Now, here's the thing that a lot of health experts won't tell you: Whether or not you quit smoking, exercise is still going to help your body. It may cause you to smoke less, and in a lot of cases it will actually help you quit. But the bottom line is, you can smoke and exercise and be healthier in the end than if you just smoked and sat around all day.
I know this is a controversial topic, and some of the comments are going to talk about specifics, such as how you shouldn't smoke immediately after a workout because your breathing rate is increased and your lungs have expanded, allowing more tar and carbon monoxide into your blood stream. That is definitely a concern, and you should always talk to your doctor before starting any new form of exercise, but do you know what he's likely to say? Quit smoking, but go for it with the exercise.
If you DO want to quit (70% of American smokers say they want to), then exercise is one of the best things for you. A long term study in Taiwan looked at over 400,000 smokers over a period of 12 years. They conclusively found that people who exercised as little as 15 minutes per day were 55% more likely to quit smoking than smokers who didn't exercise.
If you really want to quit smoking, more power to you. Try working with a helpful community like beatingsmoking.com, and for the love of all that is holy, try a little exercise! There are plenty of exercise resources on this site to help you get into an routine.
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