[Archived] Need Some Advice

[roversandy]

i need some advice from people that smoke and gym, i have been going to the gym for a few years now and have smoked on and off, what i mean by that is i smoke occasionaly. I have just started smoking regularly the last few months, now i know about the ramifications of what smoking does to your lungs, makes it harder to breath but what i want to know is for those of you who smoke as well as go the gym, do you still see the results in your cardio or weights that you would do if you didnt smoke, i do cardio 4 times a week, i want to lose a couple more stone before i go away in august, smoking doesnt affect your weightloss does it when you work out? i have to add though i think i am still losing the weight but i cant be sure. i am not into being superfit just wanna lose a couple more stone, i am not going to run the marathon or join he olympic games etc

[speeeeeeedie]

My advice; quit. It will help you work harder at the gym, therefore lose more weight. A couple of stone is a lot to lose in 4 months.

[JC4LAB]

Reckon the only weight issue is you cant exercise for as long cos of your breathing..There again if you smoke to calm your nerves and feel better, you might replace smoking with comfort eating,noshing sweets etc ..then the weight piles on..

[tcj_jones]

I wouldn't have though smoking would directly impact weight loss, but it really does hinder your cardiovascular performance. In an indirect way, that could affect your weight.

Google it. You should find a lot of research on the links between smoking and weight gain and smoking on physical fitness.

[S15]

i need some advice from people that smoke and gym, i have been going to the gym for a few years now and have smoked on and off, what i mean by that is i smoke occasionaly. I have just started smoking regularly the last few months, now i know about the ramifications of what smoking does to your lungs, makes it harder to breath but what i want to know is for those of you who smoke as well as go the gym, do you still see the results in your cardio or weights that you would do if you didnt smoke, i do cardio 4 times a week, i want to lose a couple more stone before i go away in august, smoking doesnt affect your weightloss does it when you work out? i have to add though i think i am still losing the weight but i cant be sure. i am not into being superfit just wanna lose a couple more stone, i am not going to run the marathon or join he olympic games etc

i used to gym regularly whilst smoking, and to be honest everyone is different. I've played sport since a really young age regularly so felt like a pretty fit person, and I never felt as if smoking hindered by ability to run, and I'd do 10k two or three times a week.

Obviously in the bigger picture that's not a huge distance, and doesn't require top level fitness, but if being super fit isn't the aim then keep sparking those bad boys up, not only do they taste good, but they look SO cool.

[roversandy]

thanks alot guys and girls for your advice so far, i feel a bit better now, i only have one vice left (smoking) as i dont drink at the mo, i have never been a junk food eater anyway, one more question to shilto when you say u have been to the gym is it ok to miss more than 2 days cardio, ie 3 as i havent been to the gym since monday as i have been a bit depressed and down with all this smoking worry, i am def going back to the gym tommorow

[S15]

The Gym is a dangerous obsession, and you have to realise the question "is it okay to miss more than 2 days cardio'' is totally ridiculous.

Of course it is; Doing one day a week having previously done none will reap benefits, and whilst putting pressure on yourself to a degree is necessary, forcing yourself will never see you get the maximum results.

Try and get into a routine, for example going ever other day. If one day you can't really be arsed, just go, do 20 minutes or so at a very comfortable speed and then go home. It will be made up by the days you're up for it and do more than usual.

Don't become a slave to any routine because it will make you miserable. Just make sure you at least loosely have one.

[tcj_jones]

What constitutes cardio to you, Andy? Four times a week is pretty intense. If you've slowly built up to this over the months, then that's cool. However, you really have to be careful not to over-do it or put your body under too much stress right away. There are so many over-use injuries you can pick up. I was so, so careful to build slowly, but now I have patellar tracking disorder and it's the most infuriating thing in the world.

Also, if you really wanna lose weight then I'd suggest doing some resistance training in combination with your cardio. It will aid with your weight loss (for one, research shows that you actually contuinue to burn calories for a number of hours after lifting). Maybe reduce your cardio to two big sessions a week and then have to days of weights?

Missing one session of cardio a week, when you're already doing four is absolutely fine! Be disciplined by all means, but not obsessive. Diet is also very important. Might be worth doing some research into sports nutrition, especially if you're hitting it really hard.

Get yourself a Men's Health magazine - good tips in there for gym goers.

[tcj_jones]

Bloody hell, ignore my post. Should have ready yours properly before posting!

[roversandy]

thanks for your advice tcj and shilito, i have been gyming for about 6 years now, i get depressed if i miss more than 2 days, i guess its a fear of putting weight back on, i have never been keen on fatty foods anyway, never eat chocolate, crisps, fry ups etc, i havent a drink much either recently, my only obsessions are smoking and drinking, i suppose you could call the gym an obsession too.

[S15]

You don't gain weight when you don't go to the gym.

You gain weight when you eat too much in relation to your physical activities; It's that simple.

If you have a decent diet, don't worry about the gym too much, just enjoy the feeling you get after you do go. If you feel obliged to do something you will never enjoy it.

Your theory suggests that by not going to work over the weekend you become worse at your job. In fact, it's the opposite. It's better to go to the gym one or twice a week and 'go for it' and get the most out of it than trug through the motions five or six times a week.