Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do especially when it has become a habit for years. Aside from the addiction nicotine causes, you also have to overcome the psychological hooks that come with smoking. Some people smoke whenever they’re drinking with friends or trying to relax when reading a book. Once you get used to that, it’s tough to get out of the habit.
However, according to the CDC, 70% of smokers genuinely want to kick the habit. Unfortunately, because of difficulties, it can take several attempts alongside medication and counseling to completely quit. It’s going to take a lot of effort to get rid of this bad habit, and one is through regular physical exercise.
How Exercising Helps You Quit
Exercise helps by helping you beat both the physical and psychological addiction to smoking caused by nicotine. These are some of the ways exercise can help you:
- Exercise helps limit your weight gain and helps you deal with your cigarette cravings.
- Moderate exercise can curb the urge to smoke.
- Cravings and withdrawal symptoms can be reduced through an exercise that lasts at least 50 minutes.
- Exercise can help you cope with stress better than smoking.
Getting Your Routine Started
Sometimes when it comes to exercise, the first step can be the hardest. To make sure you stay on track, here’s what you can do:
- Find an exercise schedule that best suits you.
- On most days of the week, you should allot at least 30 minutes for moderate impact exercises.
- Choose workouts that you feel comfortable doing and slowly move on to higher intensity exercise.
- Make sure that exercise is a priority for you. If you can’t find the time to do 30-minute sessions, try at least 10 minutes.
Hitting the Gym
Once you’ve figured out a schedule that you can be most comfortable it, it’s time to start hitting the gym and actually do those workouts. Among the routines that you can try are:
- Start using the treadmill for walks.
- Consider using a stationary bike.
- Rowing machines are also a good option to improve your cardio.
- Get dumbbells and/or barbells so you can start some strength training routines.
If you’re looking to start your own home, you can get the best home gym equipment from Marcy Pro. Check out marcypro.com and see what other equipment we offer so you can begin your path to smoking cessation.