Did you know that running is an excellent way to quit smoking? Of course, you’re not going to run a marathon right away, but running has many benefits. With some organizational tips, nutrition advice, and a tailored training plan running will help you quit smoking for good!
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The benefits of quitting smoking
Did you know that when you put out a cigarette for the last time:
- 20 minutes later: blood pressure slowly returns to normal, pulse rate slows down, and blood circulation improves
- 8 hours later: the level of carbon monoxide in the blood is halved
- 72 hours later: the bronchial tubes open up, making breathing easier
- 6 months later: physical and psychological dependence completely disappears (in most cases)
- 5 years later: the risk of lung cancer decreases by 39%
Coupled with a tailored running training program, lung capacity increases (including VO2Max). Indeed, running helps to stimulate the cardio-respiratory system and improve its capabilities. The beginning is nto easy, but progress can be seen after a few weeks!
Starting to quit smoking
The first step is to make the decision! There are certainly good reasons that are motivating you to quit smoking. For your health and the health of those around you, it’s the most obvious! And maybe also for other reasons, including the budget dedicated to cigarettes which can be reallocated to other projects.
Once you’ve made the decision, it’s important to change your habits. Little by little. Not necessarily big changes, but sustainable ones.
And the first of all: tidying up! If you smoke at home, get rid of everything that ties you to tobacco. You can also rearrange your furniture, repaint a wall, to lose, in a way, your bearings and bad habits.
A second piece of advice: adopt a healthy diet. Don’t change everything overnight, but limit sugar and snacking as much as possible. When it’s tough, do some breathing exercises or chew something, like a cinnamon stick or sugar-free gum.
And some good news, when you start running, you often tend to improve your nutrition because your body demands the ingredients that are good for it. So, it’s very important to exercise in order not to gain weight when you quit smoking.
Quit smoking with running
There are two types of people who run to quit smoking: those who are starting to run and those who already run occasionally. Of course, an appropriate training program is needed, tailored to one’s situation, level and athletic goals.
When starting to run, it’s essential to alternate between walking and running. In the first week, you can alternate several repetitions of 2 minutes of running with 2 minutes of walking. Gradually, increase the duration of running and decrease the walking time.
If you can already run for more than 30 minutes consecutively, you can prepare for a race like a 10km or simply run 3 times a week with varied running outgoings.
In both cases, progression is key. That’s why a personalized training plan in the RunMotion Coach app is an excellent solution. It takes into account your running experience and your goals.
Specific tips for achieving your goal
We know how important it is to have regular follow up and ready-to-apply advice. That’s why you’ll find in RunMotion Coach specific programs for quitting smoking. The quitting smoking program provides personalized training plan and specific advice for 12 weeks to quit smoking: nutrition, sophrology, essential oils, organization practical tips, and more.
Some of the advice comes from a collaboration with Cécile Bertin, author of the book ‘Les cahier du Dr.Good. Oui je peux arrêter de fumer!’ (Dr.Good’s Notebooks. Yes, I can quit smoking!’)
Running to quit smoking: it works
A Canadian study has shown the benefits of running in quitting smoking. 90.9% of people who follow a tailored program reduce their cigarette consumption. Another study showed that after six months, 28.6% of participants had completely quit smoking.
You have to believe in yourself and go for it! Download the RunMotion Coach app and try out the quitting smoking program for yourself 😉