Just started back exercising and can't stop smoking

RGurleyJr

RGurleyJr

New member
Let me say that 3 years ago, I went from 230 pounds down to 184 and was very happy with the way I looked. Fast forward through a lot of bad things in my life, and picked up smoking about a year and a half ago along the way. Two weeks ago, I started back running everyday, 25-40 min, 6 days a week so far.
Maybe I've forgotten how it feels to run with intensity, but I can tell that my heart rate is going very fast. When I get home, it's still revving pretty high. I want to get into some more intense training but am a little concerned about my heart rate going too high. Please no criticizing or correcting me for smoking, I want too and will quit, okay? A year and a half isn't that long, hopefully I'll be alright. Advice on if that's a concern or can I go all out?
 
As an ex-smoker (May 20 will be 3 years :party:), I can tell you that smoking will most certainly jack your heart rate up. When I was smoking and running while taking TrimSpa (this was several years ago), my heartrate was holding steady at 190 during a leisure jog. I spoke to my trainer at the gym and he flat out told me I was in stroke territory and I needed to stop the TrimSpa. So I did, and not too long afterwards, I quit smoking. If you are concerned about your heart rate, my advice would be to invest in a heart rate monitor if you haven't already done so and track your heart rate for a week. If you are still throwing high numbers, I would see a doctor. Who will probably tell you to quit smoking. Good luck!
 
If you have taken a while off of running you are going to have to build back up anyway. HR training is very good if you run outdoors and have a certain goal in mind so I agree a HR monitor would be a good investment if you want to learn the proper training intervals with it. Also make sure that you increase your antioxidants or do a cleanse to help flush out the toxins you have introduced. It should help shorten the time it takes to get back to peak form
 
R,
When I began my exercise/diet regime, I was smoking at the time (or for the first week) and was using a nicotine patch for the following 4 weeks and monitored my heart rate while doing cardio. I never experienced any dangerously high heart rates & I doubt nicotine would cause most people to have a high rate. However, nicotine will cause you to have higher blood pressure. I'm guessing that you are simply working out very hard causing the high heart rate (unrelated to nicotine). My rate would have been through the roof had I been trying to jog 30 minutes at 200+ pounds straight from the couch.

If it makes you uncomfortable, I would tone down your running speed. For heavier people, intense cardio can be hard on the heart. You should probably be aiming for about 150 beats per minute for healthy cardio. Happy jogging.
 
:)

I'm a smoker, in my second week of trying my darndest to quit. Workin' out and smoking def. did a number on me. With being an over weight smoker that has smoked for years... I think if you smoke and your concerned with your heart you should see a doctor. Of course they are go to tell you to smoking, but you dont want to harm your body anymore than you have. And, of course.. i would suggest to stop smoking. It's bad, but you can breathe better, live longer, and things taste better. lol
 
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