SMOKING - Before/After a
Workout and in General!
A lot of times while on
shift in the gym, I come across that horrible cigarette/nicotine smell. I think
to myself, someone JUST SMOKED outside before coming in. The smell is on their clothes,
hair, hands and worse, you can really smell it when they start to PERSPIRE on
the Treadmill and others just by doing a few weights.
Let me remind you about
some of the benefits of exercising again, and it is not just about losing weight
or gaining muscle mass!
EXERCISE:
> Strengthens your heart and make your cardiovascular and respiratory systems FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY (this should be number one on your list).
> It lowers your blood pressure.
> It decreases your LDL while raising your HDL.
> Lower your risk for STROKE, HEAR ATTACK and HEART DISEASE.
> It reduces your risk for certain CANCERS and DIABETES.
> It increases your flexibility, stamina and mobility improving your lifestyle.
WELL…
Sad enough SMOKING UNDOES all
the health benefits you gain from exercising.
~
Smoking decreases lung capacity and increases phlegm build-up, the latter of
which causes persistent coughing associated with smoking. Lighting up after a
workout negates the pulmonary benefits you gain from exercising.
~
Smoking increases your LDL or bad cholesterol and lowers your HDL or good
cholesterol. The nicotine from cigarettes damages your blood vessels and
increases your risk of developing atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries
and allows the build-up of fatty residues inside them. Smoking also increases
the risk of developing thrombosis, or the formation of blood clots in your
blood vessels. Smoking constricts blood vessels, resulting in reduced blood
flow to the heart and organs.
~ Smoking weakens your immune system and makes you more
susceptible to illness and infections such as sinusitis and rhinitis --
inflammation of the inner lining of the nasal passages -- and pneumonia.
CHILDREN EXPOSED to cigarette
smoke are more susceptible to middle ear infections and MANY other problems.
(how can anyone smoke in the house next to babies/children or worse in the car
with the kids at the back?)
~
During exercise your brain releases chemicals called endorphins that induce a
sense of well-being and reduce pain. Thus, working out makes you feel better
and relieve stress. You may think smoking after a workout enhances this effect,
but what feels like relaxation to you is simply just a return to the unstressed
state non-smokers experience all of the time.
TRYING
TO LOSE WEIGHT? Think again, you will spend less time on a CV Machine (e.g. Treadmill)
as you are going to struggle with stamina and you won’t burning as much
calories. Your total gym training will be impaired and you will have a much
less output “intensity” during training.
TRYING
TO GAIN MUSCLE? Think again, you won’t be able to push as hard and you won’t
recover as fast so you can’t train as often and if you do before the muscle has
recovered, GAIN is the last thing you will see. You need a good OXYGEN supply
to the working muscles and a good BLOOD flow reach in nutrients. But remember
smoking will reduce all that. Smoking reduces maximum oxygen intake by 10% and
can damage testes cells, which produce “testosterone”.
TRYING
TO IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS? Think again, when the body is involved in
fairly strenuous exercise, such as running, swimming or playing sports, it
needs more oxygen to be delivered to the muscles it is using. Both bronchospasm
and increased phlegm production cause airway obstruction, decreasing overall lung
function, which then leads to poor physical performance. Smoking has been shown
to stunt lung development in teen-aged girls, which limits their adult
breathing capacity. In addition to affecting your present fitness state,
smoking can limit your future physical potential when done at a young age.
Carbon
monoxide has a double negative effect;
firstly in the lungs it decreases the oxygen quantity absorbed by the blood.
Secondly, it also reduces the quantity of oxygen carried to the muscles by the
blood. Oxygen is the keep component for the proper functioning of the energy
systems of your body. Hence it affects the energy production and your
performance.
The most
important thing in any type of training is the final Rep, the 3-5 minutes extra
of cardio or the last sprint. Significantly there is a decrease in the
probability in pushing the last Rep or the sprint at the end due to smoking.
Smoking
decreases the growth and functioning of your lungs hence leaving you breathless
when you REQUIRE AIR THE MOST.
Not to mention you’re
putting an enormous strain on your “most important muscle”, your HEART.
Swollen
Gums, Bad Breath and Teeth
to Fall Out
Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Damage
Cancer
Inadequate Testosterone Level
Fertility Problems
Erectile Dysfunction
Poor Insulin Metabolism
High Blood Pressure
Pale Skin and Wrinkles
PLUS another 1000s of other things… ahhhh less money!
Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Damage
Cancer
Inadequate Testosterone Level
Fertility Problems
Erectile Dysfunction
Poor Insulin Metabolism
High Blood Pressure
Pale Skin and Wrinkles
PLUS another 1000s of other things… ahhhh less money!
Passive Smoking:
Children who grow up in a home where one or both of their parents smoke have
twice the risk of getting asthma and asthmatic bronchitis. They also have a
higher risk of developing allergies. Infants under two years old are more prone to severe respiratory
infections and cot death.
For adults, passive smoking seems to increase the risk of lung cancer, and
a potential for an increased risk of heart disease (tests not yet conclusive).
BY STOPPING:
Just After 20 minutes:
Your blood pressure will decrease.
Your heart rate will decrease.
The temperature of your hands and feet will
increase.
After 8 hours:
The level of carbon monoxide in your blood will
drop to normal.
The level of oxygen in your blood will increase
to normal.
After 24 hours:
Your chance of heart attack will decrease.
After 48 hours:
Your nerve endings will start to regrow.
Your ability to smell and taste will improve.
After 2 weeks to 3 months:
Your circulation will improve.
Your lung function will improve.
Aerobic activity (e.g., walking/running) will become
easier.
After 1 to 9 months:
Symptoms including coughing, sinus congestion,
fatigue, and
shortness of breath will decrease.
shortness of breath will decrease.
After 1 year:
Excess risk of coronary heart disease will
decrease to half that of a smoker.
After 5 to 15 years:
Risk of stroke will decrease to that of people
who have never smoked.
After 10 years:
Risk of lung cancer will decrease to half that
of continuing smokers.
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus,
bladder, kidney, and
pancreas will decrease.
pancreas will decrease.
Risk of ulcers will decrease.
After 15 years:
Risk of coronary heart disease will decrease to
that of
people who have never smoked.
people who have never smoked.
Risk of death will decrease to near the level of
people who have never smoked.
Spread the Word
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Thank you for reading
Rodrigo Peres
Nutritional Consultant
Personal Trainer
References
· The Diet Channel: Why Smoking & Exercise Don't Mix
· TobaccoFreeKids: Smoking's Immediate Effects on the Body
· The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Benefits of Exercise and Fitness
· QuitSmoking: How Smoking Affects Your Body
· Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Smoking's Immediate Effects On The Body
· YgoY: Does Smoking Have Negative Effect on Fitness and Bodybuilding
· NetDoctor
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