How should I approach the subject of smoking? - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Christina]

I'm training a young couple and both of them smoke.

Any tips?

Christina

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Kicking the cigarette habit is very tough. :twisted:

Make sure they are sticking to their routines and eating before you ask them to give up "Yet another joy!"

I also believe there are some reports/study out about how cigarette smoking inhibits muscle repair and growth, as well as fat-loss. If I can find it, I'll post the link here.

Such a nasty habit, I'm amazed that I don't smoke considering both my parents did. opcorn:

[Christina]

Hi Dave, that's good advice. Yeah, I am completely baffled why people want to smoke. And I feel really sad for children and pets who live in the homes of smokers. (Second hand smoke is abuse in my book.) When we were growing up our parents did not know how harmful second hand smoke was. My dad smoked for about the first 8 years of my life.

Luckily my clients are not heavy smokers so I may be able to get them to cut back a little. You're right, I will have a talk with them about this at a later date.

Thanks!
Christina

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

http://www.physorg.com/news103198815.html

More muscle for the argument to give up smoking

8)

Dave

[brentc]

Hey Christina, check out the american heart association, they have a lot of articles on tobacco and its effects. Also, I'm currently in the process of quitting smoking myself. I'm taking this pill called Chantix- http://www.webmd.com/Smoking-Cessation/Varenicline-tartrate-Chantix-for-quitting-smoking - and I would recommend it to anyone that's ready quit. It's helping out a lot. Other than that, I also recommend working your way down. All you do is take the number of cigarettes you would normally smoke in one day and go ahead and smoke normally. After that, each day, you smoke one less until you don't smoke at all. And set a date to quit. The major thing is, they have to be ready to quit. All the pills and patches and tips and tricks in the world won't help them if they aren't ready. If you're looking to approach this from an exercise point of view, I can tell that tobacco use constricts blood vessels which in turn raises blood presure. It also greatly limits the amount of oxygen you body can use because of what it does to your lungs. I've also think I've heard that it lowers your immune system, but I'm not 100% on that. There's a myriad of bad stuff that tobacco does to your body and I'm sure that there's articles all over the internet about it. Hope this helped!

[muscletrainerdh-NSCA CPT]

Although I am not taking Chantix, my father took it after he had his stroke last December to quit smoking.

As far as I know, he hasn't lit up since. So I believe Chantix, along with his will to see his grandchildren grow up, helped him finally quit.

Congrats Brent and good luck with quitting!!

[Christina]

Hi Brent,

Congrats on your decision to quit! Thank you for this information!

Christina