Benefits Of Exercising

There probably cannot be enough said about the importance and the benefits of exercise when you’re trying to quit smoking.

Exercising has benefits for many reasons.  One, it gets you out of situations where you’re tempted to light up.  As we said, if you’re used to sitting around after dinner with a smoke, now is the time to start walking around the block.

If you’re used to having one last drag before you go to bed, make it a point to do a household chore instead, such as washing dishes, putting away laundry, giving the bathroom a quick scrub, or something else that won’t wear you out but that will keep you busy.

Another benefit of exercise is that it increases your lung capacity and blood flow.  One of the functions of our blood is to bring nourishment to the cells of the body, but to also take away waste matter such as dead cells or other toxins.

Increased blood flow means that toxins are being flushed out of your system on a more regular basis.  These poisons and addictive elements of cigarettes linger in your body long after your last smoke, so by exercising and increasing your blood circulation, you can get them out of your system much quicker.

Also, many people are hesitant to stop smoking because they’re afraid of gaining weight.  It is true that nicotine seems to speed up your metabolism, and then your metabolism naturally slows when you stop smoking.  And of course there are the cravings!  Filling up on food during times when you had previously smoked is a surefire way to add those extra pounds.

Exercise helps with this because it can get you out of the house and away from those tempting treats, and because it can help get your metabolism back to where it should be.  The increased physical activity will of course help to keep your weight manageable, and therefore you’ll be less likely to go back to cigarettes.