Nutrition / Recovery
Johann CSCS
December 26, 2024
Smoking has long been associated with devastating health consequences—from lung disease to cardiovascular issues—and yet, for many, it remains a deeply ingrained habit. But what happens when you’re someone who smokes and works out? The juxtaposition of harming your body while striving for physical fitness creates a complex narrative. For those who find solace in exercise while struggling to quit smoking, the tension between these two opposing forces can feel overwhelming.
In this post, we’ll dive into the personal experience of balancing smoking and fitness, explore the science behind how smoking affects your body’s ability to perform, and offer actionable strategies for overcoming this challenge. By the end, you’ll understand why it’s never too late to reclaim your health and break free from the cycle of “killing yourself to live.”
Journey with me into the psyche of a fitness-minded cigarette smoker for a bit.
Every morning, you pry your heavy eyelids open and the crust rolls anyway from your soggy marbles. You take your first real inhale of crisp air in and your airways rip apart as the air rushes through the narrowed highway.
Instantly, the rush of the morning’s first breathe turns to a souring burning on the crevices on your sticky tongue. You test your tongue’s tensile strength against your jaw line, rubbing it against the familiar taste that was there the night before.
You’re hungry, your stomach moans with a pleasant reminder, and it’s a workout day – you’ll be planning a hearty breakfast.
Slightly below the surface though, a small battering ram is manned by a thousand tiny barbarians, slamming against the high walls of your encamped amygdala. The siege is on. You feel like you’re forgetting something. Before you know it, you’ve located, via smoker’s echolocation, your cigarettes and lighter. You’ll light up before you’ve spoken a word.
And, the nicotine enters the busted walls of the city with light speed velocities. The seine is over and it feels kinda good. An hour later, this will happen, every hour until you can quit. It’s an ongoing war. I have had many trainees and clients who engage in smoking and exercise over the years.
Instead of thinking of exercise as coping, you should focus on the things that you happy to workout.
Your family encouragement, your long term health, the relief of endorphins, the freedom you get in gym: these are reasons most of my clients decide to change their lives and workout.
When exercise becomes a way to cope, we get stuck in a vicious cycle. And smoking cigarettes is a vicious cycles – maybe THE vicious-est cycle! But, that’s all it is.
Alan Carr, in his book, wrote about smoking: (we) only smoke a cigarette because of the withdrawal we feel makes us want to smoke another one. That’s it – smoking cigarettes is only A THING because it is A THING. In other words, it is only that we smoke them, that you need to smoke them, and not because of stress or otherwise. Inside your body, smoking increases your dopamine and makes you feel stimulated for a while.
Carr says that it takes seconds, less than 5, for nicotine to reach your dopamine deprived brain. That’s the fastest delivery of a substance in existence. And, it feels good. But, you are engaging in a vicious cycle within. Inside your psyche, you are rewarding yourself and that buzz you get is a comforting feeling. You are artificially fulfilling it.
The alternative is in fact doing nothing: but realizing that doesn’t feel good or feel any kind of way to do nothing, makes smokers smoke again, fulfilling Carr’s conjectures.
Smoking severely limits your cardiovascular capacity. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, reducing oxygen delivery to your muscles during workouts. This means your heart has to work harder, leading to quicker fatigue and diminished performance.
Smoking increases inflammation and reduces your body’s ability to repair tissue. After intense exercise, your muscles need nutrients and oxygen to recover and grow—two processes that smoking directly hampers.
Your lungs’ ability to take in and utilize oxygen diminishes with every cigarette. Over time, this impacts aerobic capacity and even basic activities like climbing stairs or walking long distances.
Takeaway: Compromised lung function makes high-intensity workouts nearly impossible, limiting your potential for growth.
Your reason for quitting has to outweigh your desire to smoke. Psychologically, this is known as finding your “intrinsic motivation,” a deeply personal reason that drives change from within. For many, the motivation lies in being healthier for loved ones, improving athletic performance, or extending life expectancy. This sense of purpose can transform into actionable goals, like running a marathon or simply being present for family milestones.
To start, consider journaling about why you smoke and what you stand to gain by quitting. Reflect on moments where smoking has interfered with your life—whether during workouts, social situations, or health scares. For some, hitting rock bottom, such as a significant health event, can serve as a wake-up call, but ideally, proactive introspection is enough to spark change. If journaling feels insufficient, seeking guidance from a therapist or a smoking cessation counselor can offer additional clarity and tools for change.
Exercise can serve as a powerful substitute for smoking. This process, known in psychology as “habit substitution,” involves replacing a harmful behavior with a beneficial one. The endorphin rush from physical activity not only combats withdrawal symptoms but also creates a positive feedback loop, reinforcing the new habit. For example, practicing deep breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing or box breathing can reduce stress and calm cravings.
Gamifying this process can further enhance motivation—set goals like completing a 30-day streak of workouts or earning points for every craving successfully managed with exercise. Over time, incorporating long-term fitness habits such as regular strength training or cardio sessions can solidify this new behavior as a permanent replacement. These activities also provide structure and measurable progress, making it easier to stay committed.
Surrounding yourself with supportive friends, family, or a fitness community can make quitting easier. Psychologically, this is referred to as “social reinforcement,” where encouragement from others boosts your motivation and accountability. Fitness communities, in particular, provide a shared environment where you can celebrate milestones and gain inspiration from others on similar journeys.
For example, joining a local running club or group fitness class can offer camaraderie and keep you focused on healthier habits. Additionally, accountability partners—whether a friend, family member, or coach—can regularly check in on your progress and provide practical support during challenging moments. Social media groups or online forums can also serve as virtual support systems, connecting you with others who share your goals.
Quitting cold turkey isn’t for everyone. This approach often requires immense willpower, which can be overwhelming for many. Gradually reducing your cigarette intake while simultaneously increasing exercise intensity creates a manageable pathway to quitting. This is often referred to as “titration,” a method of slowly decreasing dependency while introducing healthier habits.
For instance, you might start by replacing one cigarette per day with a brisk walk or a 5-minute meditation session. Gradually, as your reliance on nicotine decreases, you can scale up these activities to include longer cardio sessions or structured strength training. Tracking your progress with a journal or an app can gamify the experience, providing motivation through measurable milestones. Additionally, incorporating mindful breathing exercises post-workout can reduce cravings and improve overall stress management, reinforcing your commitment to change.
Action Step: Set weekly reduction goals. Pair this with a progressive workout program to channel your focus.
System/Function | Impact of Smoking | Fitness Implications |
Cardiovascular | Reduced oxygen delivery to muscles | Decreased endurance, faster fatigue |
Muscle Recovery | Increased inflammation, reduced collagen production | Slower recovery, higher injury risk |
Lung Function | Decreased oxygen uptake and utilization | Reduced aerobic capacity, difficulty with cardio |
Mental Focus | Disrupted dopamine pathways | Lower motivation, increased reliance on nicotine |
Balancing smoking and exercise is a paradox that many struggle with. While the two seem incompatible, the drive to maintain fitness can serve as a powerful catalyst for quitting. By understanding the science behind how smoking impacts your body and implementing actionable strategies, you can break free from the cycle and achieve both health and fitness goals.
Breaking the habit isn’t an overnight process, but it’s one of the most rewarding journeys you can undertake. Each small victory—whether skipping a cigarette or completing a workout—is a step toward a healthier, stronger you. Use exercise as your ally, lean on your support systems, and remember that every step forward—no matter how small—is progress. The path to living a healthier life starts today, and with consistent effort, the results will be life-changing.
Yes, but progress will be slower, and your risk of injury and fatigue will remain higher compared to non-smokers. Quitting smoking will dramatically enhance your fitness potential.
Cardiovascular improvements can begin within weeks, and lung function can start to rebound within three months. Muscle recovery and endurance improvements often follow shortly after.
Nicotine replacement therapies like patches or gum can ease withdrawal symptoms. Pair these with a balanced diet rich in antioxidants to support recovery.
While exercise still provides benefits, smoking significantly diminishes them by reducing oxygen capacity and slowing recovery.
Cardiovascular activities like walking, cycling, and swimming can help rebuild lung function. Strength training is also beneficial for overall health and focus.
coachjohanncscs.com only uses primary research and scholarly studies as references over secondary sites. Other references are primarily from reputable social media accounts of experts only in the fields of health, nutrition, sports science, physiology, psychology, and physical therapy.
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