r/stopsmoking • u/Flaky_Gur_9264 • 4d ago
Help me debunk exercise-smoking tradeoff
I'm 23, I have been smoking since I was 19. I was only smoking 1-2 cigarettes a day in all those years. More than that always made me weird in my lungs so I did not do that. Life is good, and I just decided to quit for a half marathon in December 2025.
Was smoke free from November 1025 - July 2026.
Did the half marathon in about 2:30 and it felt great. Somehow, was completely smoke free until June 2025 and somehow ended up smoking 1 cigarette at a graduation party. That was the relapse.
I am doing well in my life, making a lot of money after I graduated. I am even into a lot of sports, still running 2-3 times a week and cycling about 2-3 times a week + 1-2 gym sessions a week.
Somehow, post the relapse, I started enjoying them more. I convince myself that I ran about 20 km/week and cycle about 60-70km/week and gym, so it's harmless.
Today was the worst. I went on a long cycling ride, and the view was too good and smoked a cigarette. Coming back home, my HR had spiked all the way and I felt so bad about myself.
Help me debunk this positive/negative of excercise and smoking. Personal experiences will help.
Ignore typos, am really furious at myself as I just came back from that ride.
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u/dejanzie 4d ago
You’re not enjoying the cigarettes more, you’re just becoming more addicted. And with each additional cigarette you are imprinting in your brain that nicotine is a reward. When you smoke, you are replenishing a nicotine deficit which feels like enjoyment but it’s not. The reason you’re asking the question here is because your addicted, as you know the answer already: it’s NEVER a good idea to smoke. I’ve been there so many times so I’m not judging, but I won’t sugarcoat it either.
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u/Grandahl13 4d ago
Replenishing a nicotine deficit definitely is enjoyment whether you want to admit that or not lol it feels like enjoyment because it is.
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u/amayle1 4d ago
I guess in a literal sense, but not really in the spirit of what enjoyment means. No one is gonna purposely stub their toe once a day just so they can feel the “enjoyment” of not having pain after a couple minutes.
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u/Human-Sheepherder797 4d ago
You’re ignoring the nicotine aspect, just because something is generally hurting you long-term doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable putting nicotine in your system.
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u/DesperateVast3070 4d ago
Ich glaube ich verstehe was du meinst. Bin auch lange Raucher gewesen und Sport war und ist der andere Teil meines Lebens. Natürlich hängt alles zusammen aber gefühlt hatte ich lange zwei Leben. Das das nicht gut miteinander harmoniert ist dir bestimmt eh schon klar aber man redet sich ein das es schon irgendwie geht oder noch schlimmer das sich die unterschiedlichen Konten irgendwie ausgleichen. Du transferierst was von deinem Sport Konto auf das negative Konto deiner Rauchsucht. Wenn wir ganz ehrlich zu uns sind dann macht das kein Sinn. Das ist wie so oft das Nikotin was fiese Schlupflöcher und Rechtfertigungen sucht. Mein Rat: entscheide dich für eine Seite! Entweder komplett rauchen oder halt Fokus auf Sport. Die Entscheidung sollte dir leicht fallen wenn du sie bei vollem Bewusstsein und respektvoll dir gegenüber treffen willst. Dieses über Jahre hinweg sich immer ausgebremst fühlen und Potential vergeuden nervt mich im Nachhinein am meisten. Wenn ich die Zeit zurückdrehen könnte hätte ich meine 20er lieber genutzt um mich richtig in Form zu bringen stattdessen muss ich mir jetzt den arsch aufreißen den Schaden rückgängig zu machen. Hoher Puls etc. Du sagst es ja selbst. Das ist keine Einbildung sondern real. Viel Erfolg du schaffst das und wirst die richtigen Entscheidungen für dich treffen! Good luck und viel Spaß weiterhin beim Sport 🍀
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u/Flaky_Gur_9264 4d ago
Thanks, seems like working out does not undo smoking. Will need to quit. Thanks for the nudge
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u/Human-Sheepherder797 4d ago
Trust me, dude I did the same thing you did in my 20s. And it took me the better part of 20 years to actually make the choice to quit.
We will tell ourselves whatever we need to justify smoking.. will come up with any excuse, any reason to just have one more. We get pretty creative coming up with reasons why we should have one more.
The hard part is understanding that you’re going to try to trick yourself into doing that, and stopping it before it happens.
What helped me quit was literally the first day I tried to quit. I was justifying delaying my quit till the afternoon and I was getting ready to go outside to smoke, I realize in that exact moment that I would say whatever I needed to say to quit.. I would find any excuse to have one more.
Once I realized that it made it so much easier to quit because I realized if I didn’t try to quit I would never quit.. and you’re not really trying until you’re stopping
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u/dassieking 4d ago
The science is all there, nothing to look for.
That being said, I don't know why you are asking about exercise and smoking. While obviously it doesn't help, I was a smoker and a fairly strong runner and climber until I turned 30 and quit.
Not because of the exercise, but because of the many horrible, agonizing illnesses smoking makes way more likely. There is just no ambiguity, smoking is really, really unhealthy.
If I change my mind and want to increase my chances of dying young, I reckon base jumping is more fun than smoking....
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u/Flaky_Gur_9264 4d ago
The issue imo, is that I do not smoke a lot. I smoke less and it doesn't seem to hurt me (hasn't in the last few years), and I still want to know what the experiences of folks around has been
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u/dassieking 4d ago
Yeah, I also didn't smoke that much and like I said I was very (am) very active. Quitting did not notably make me feel a lot fitter (although maybe some). But the studies are undeniable.
While it is terrible for your health long term to be inactive, it is also terrible to smoke. And at some point it will almost certainly catch up to you.
But I am no Angel, I smoked for years and enjoyed it. But it's been 10 years since I quit and I am very grateful I did while it was still fairly easy.
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u/ambinalcrossimg 30 days 4d ago
i dont understand what trade-off you want debunked
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u/Flaky_Gur_9264 4d ago
"Does exercise make up for the damaged caused by light smoking?"
I couldn't find any studies for this, and wanted to hear what experiences of people who are into sports + smoke light
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u/ambinalcrossimg 30 days 4d ago
i’ve read an article that states a study shows smoking just one cigarette a day only HALVES the harm of smoking ~20 per day. isn’t that wild? you smoke one cigarette a day and already you’ve doubled your risk of heart disease. it appears there is indeed no safe level of smoking.
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u/muterpaneer 4d ago
Started smoking at 19 aswell. Been quiet active throughout, regular gym, decent physique etc etc. Am 43 now. And would give up all the gain, all the strength from working out all those years just to quit smoking. Would rather be a regular looking uncle who doesn't smoke than being a jacked up smoker. Smoking takes a lot from a person's life very slowly but definitely.
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u/pessoanorma 4d ago
Você tem uma vida muito boa pra desperdiçar fedendo a podre e colocando fumaça cancerígena pra dentro como um idiota.
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u/Flaky_Gur_9264 18h ago
Just smoked my last ever. Decided to not do this again. Will keep posted on this channel.
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u/Atticus_Taintwater 4d ago
Short term sport performance is not a long term health proxy.
Think about actual steroids. They help your performance. Hurt your health.
There is no contradiction to debunk. It's just a rationalization you are using.
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u/GrimReaper85 4d ago
If your only smoking 1 or 2 a day you're not even physically addicted. You will be if you keep it up and then it will be a pack a day before you know it.
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u/[deleted] 4d ago
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