Smoking`s Fitness ImpactZach BashoreMay 12, 2006 Choosing to smoke cigarettes is your decision, but smoking can have a severe impact on your fitness goals. This article will explain the dangers of smoking, smoking`s negative impact on your body, and common aids to help you kick the habit. Your main focus here is to not merely hear me mumble on about why you shouldn`t smoke. I am trying to help you quit and give you postive words of encouragement in order for you to achieve your quit smoking goals. You`ve heard it before, "Smoking is bad," "Smoking gives you lung cancer," blah blah blah. But do you really know why it`s bad for you or why it gives you lung cancer? It`s because you are addicted to the drug nicotine and crave more of it each time you light up a cigarette. This addiction can go on for years and even decades, and will cause health problems such as empasyma, heart disease, bronchitis, increased risk of a heart attack, and mouth cancer. Smoking is hard on the lungs and will reduce fitness levels through the carbon monoxide in the smoke fighting for oxygen in the lungs. Have you ever tried to run or lift weights after smoking a cigarette? You probably noticed a lack of motivation, fatigue, and a harder time finishing your workout. The biggest problem of these three is fatigue because you want to be able to skim through your workout at a fast pace and get on with your day, right? Not by smoking! With smoking, you stand little chance of having a productive workout and even if you do have a productive one, you will still have to worry about the other factors as well. So what`s the miracle cure to quitting smoking? The first thing you need is motivation. Why do you want to quit in the first place? Secondly, you need a positive support cast I suggest joining a quit smoking forum online and get advice from other successful quitters. You can also purchase stop smoking aids such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and supplements such as Smoke Away, Stop Smoking Tea, Vitamin C, and L-Taurine. You can also have your doctor prescribe you Lyban if your smoking habit is severe enough. Avoid people who preach the notion that smoking helps you lose weight. Smoking only depresses your appetite making you not want to eat as much. To avoid this problem, always stay active! Don`t hang around with people who smoke because the influence will make you want to light up. Do fun things that keep your mind occupied and if a negative emotion hits you, take it out on the weights. You should be doing that anyways! Until next time, later!