Even though it may sound awkward, it is a fact that there are a lot of ‘fitness enthusiasts’ today who pursue the habit of smoking along with their workout sessions. What they are basically doing is negating all the good work they have done in their activity sessions. Moreover, smoking can reduce the flow of blood to the heart making it difficult for a person to work out at the optimal level.
In this article, we will see in detail how exactly smoking affects the health of a sportsperson and also the effects of cigarettes on sports performance as well. Knowing these two things can help an individual to stay clear of this habit so that he or she can attain a peak level of endurance and stamina for having ideal sports performance. So, let us get started with it,
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Smoking Puts a Strain on the Heart
Inhaling cigarette smoke reduces the body's ability to send oxygen to the heart, which means the heart has to work even harder to supply oxygen to other parts of the body. Smoking also causes atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty substances in the arteries that makes it very difficult for the heart to pump blood. This also causes a decrease in the oxygen levels in the body.
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Reduce Endurance Levels
We have just seen how smoking causes a dip in the oxygen levels in the body. This directly results in a decrease in endurance, affecting the overall performance of a human being as well. One must know that without endurance, it would be rarely possible to excel at any sports, and hence it is a much-needed parameter as far as excellent performance is concerned.
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Prevents Muscle Gain
You might be knowing that testosterone is a hormone that is responsible for an increased muscle mass in human beings. Cigarette smoke has the potential to significantly lower the testosterone in us and thereby hampering the muscle building capacity as well. It is not very good news for those smokers who want to get buffed up.
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Prevents Fat Burning
One of the biggest harms that cigarette smoke does to the human body is that it seriously reduces the rate of metabolism. Tobacco, which is the main constituent of a standard cigarette, is the main culprit behind the lowering of metabolism. Once the metabolic rate lowers, a person is more prone to weight gain and faces the risk of obesity as well.
How to Quit Smoking and Increase Your Muscle Gain?
So you have just understood that if you smoke, you won’t be as fast and stronger than your non-smoking competitors in the gym. It can significantly lower your self-esteem as well, as you won’t be seeing any gains. Hence, you need methods that can help you to quit cigarettes fast without facing any withdrawal symptoms. So, let us see those methods.
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1) Consider Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine Replacement Therapy is a medically approved way to take in nicotine by means other than tobacco. If you can avoid tobacco, you are also avoiding 3000 harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc in the body. Types of NRT include adhesive patches, chewing gum, lozenges, nose spray, and inhaler which are completely safe to be administered. NRT is known to increase the chances of quitting smoking by about 55%.
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2) Try Vaping
Many gym-goers also opt for vaping as it is quite difficult to quit cigarettes in one go. E-cigarettes are gadgets that mimic traditional cigarettes while completely excluding harmful tobacco from itself. A great benefit of e-cigarette is that you can tweak the nicotine level according to your own convenience, thus helping you to fight the withdrawal symptoms effectively. Try vaping to recreate the smoking experience without facing the ill effects of the harmful tobacco.
3) Avoid Triggers
More often than not, it is the triggers that keep us hooked on a particular addiction. For example, people have this habit of smoking after every meal though problems can be sorted out pretty quickly. Folks having this issue can try chewing gum or take a walk to divert their attention away from smoking cigarettes.
Final Say
You have just seen the effects of Cigarette Smoking on athletes performing high-end exercises and other rigorous sports. As you can see, smoking is not at all recommended for athletes as it can terribly decrease their stamina as well as endurance. The tips given above shall hopefully help an individual to beat the smoking addiction and to regain the optimal fitness level as we
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