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Effects of past smoking

typ Posts: 49 Joined: 2003/09/30	2006/03/02, 03:21 PM I quit smoking 6 months ago. I have now decided to get in better shape. My question is how my past smoking will affect the building of new muscle. Ideally, what I am trying to accomplish is take the 20 or so pounds hanging around my midsection and move it up in the area around my chest, shoulders and arms. Is this a resonable goal? Since I'm just starting the workouts, any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Leedogg Posts: 59 Joined: 2003/10/18	2006/03/02, 04:04 PM I was a smoker for 6 years but have been off them for 1.5 years now. I'm sure somewhere I did some permanent damage, but I've made great gains in the past year and I breathe just fine. Once your lungs regrow cilia (and if you've been off the cigs for 6 months now you should be good there) they'll clear out all the gunk put there by years of smoking.
Grunt_82 Posts: 71 Joined: 2004/03/22	2006/03/02, 05:38 PM I'm not sure about this but I heard that your lungs can completely repair themselves after 8 weeks or so. It might not be 8 weeks but the body is a truly amazing thing and I wouldn't doubt that at some point your lungs will be just as if you have never smoked a day in your life. I think its every 7 years you basically have a new body due to shedding of the skin, and I believe even organs and such. Again, don't take my word for it I don't have my book on me. I read that in The Optimum Nutrition Bible by Patrick Holford I believe. Very interesting book, that guy makes some pretty bold statements. Now if I could only quit smoking.
arktos Posts: 22 Joined: 2005/11/26	2006/03/02, 07:19 PM First few weeks most if not all the carbon dioxide is taken out of your system, in the meantime your cilia regrow and trap mucus which is brought up by a kind of hairy mexican wave! Your muscles will improve with a greater oxygen supply and capillarilies to transport oxygen, well oxyhaemogloben but same result eh. Your lungs will have improved their tidal capacity by about 10-15 percent since you quit. heart attack and lung cancer rates drop dramitcally after a few years. I really regret starting and have shot myself in the foot, but after 2 months I dont think about it anymore. It's funny that some people I know started smoking for weight loss, and I've seen a great text comparing it to cutting off your arm to lose extra weight! Hope my info is accurate and helpfull, stick with it man and best of luck.
	2006/03/02, 07:33 PM You guys are right the body is very resilient... Typ congratulations on quitting! Start working out just like anyone else, you should see good results... It will take a while to lose abdominal fat and gain muscle around the areas you want....so be patient....that takes couple of years or more to achieve...you'll notice strength gains before body transformation....
typ Posts: 49 Joined: 2003/09/30	2006/03/02, 08:18 PM Thanks for the info. It sounds promising as long as I continue working out. Not being as knowledgeable about fitness makes all of this rather confusing for me. I have recently changed my diet around. Basically that means not eating everything I can get my hands on. I have dropped about 4-5 lbs in 5 days. I am guessing that is mostly water weight not fat. However, now that I am working out, should I continue with cutting my calories & fat as much as I have? I have gone from appx. 3500+ calories a day to 1500-2000. I am 6' 0" & 200 lbs. Any suggestions on a workout schedule that would start me on the right track for the goal that I mentioned above? Thanks again all!
	2006/03/02, 08:51 PM You should be eating 2500-3000 calories.... 1-1.5g per lb of protein 2g per lb of complex carbs remaining calories should come from healthy fats(avacados, fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc) eat 5-8 meals/snacks drink gallon of water..... Try working out 3-4 days a week, centering around big lifts....which should be freeweights...(squats, deadlifts, pull ups, bent over rows, dips, bench press, etc)
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2006/03/02, 09:13 PM YOu can do just fine. I smoked for 20 yrs., and was at 2 packs a day for much of that time. -------------- Strength and Honor!
typ Posts: 49 Joined: 2003/09/30	2006/03/02, 11:05 PM Thanks again for the help!! I have a million questions about how to go about achieving my goals, but I will just ask one more here, how important is the water? I have never really needed to drink much. Meaning, that I have 2-3 cups of coffee in the AM, 1/4 soda per day (on average), and about 1 cup of juice (apple or orange). What is all that water accomplishing? Maybe what I am drinking already is considered alot. I'm not sure. Thanks.
Mojo_67 Posts: 1,299 Joined: 2003/09/23	2006/03/03, 02:01 AM Drink 1-1.5 gallons water daily. Congrats on quitting smoking. I, like bb1 smoked 2 packs a day for 20yrs and am fine, matter of fact, noticeably better. As mentioned, the body is remarkably resiliant. -------------- Hungry and mean!
Grunt_82 Posts: 71 Joined: 2004/03/22	2006/03/03, 11:52 AM Water is incredibly important, and I would imagine even more important while your body is getting used to not smoking. In the Marine Corps, if you got sick... "drink more water and take a motrin", if you broke your leg as in my case, "drink more water and take a motrin." Your body is mostly water, give it what it needs.
severrin Posts: 82 Joined: 2006/02/15	2006/03/03, 01:39 PM if i remember correctly water flushes you system out, so if you drink about a gallon of water a day then your system is constantly being flushed out of all the poisons in your system. Ot's kinda like atoilet for example when your doing using the facility your not gonna walk away without flushing the throne. It's also gonna make it easier for your body to transfer your utrient to your muscles and such
Leedogg Posts: 59 Joined: 2003/10/18	2006/03/03, 02:50 PM The solution to pollution is dilution.
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2006/03/03, 04:35 PM Water is important, but make sure to balance your electrolytes. -------------- Strength and Honor!
Mojo_67 Posts: 1,299 Joined: 2003/09/23	2006/03/03, 09:24 PM Can you go into a little more detail on electrolytes for me bb1. I gotta admit, maybe I'm balanced, maybe I'm not. Outside of gatorade or the stuff I bought for my kids when they were little and sick, I know very little about them. What are they? How do you replace them? And so on. Thanks man. -------------- Hungry and mean!
bb1fit Posts: 11,105 Joined: 2001/06/30	2006/03/03, 11:13 PM Calcium, Sodium, potassium and magnesium. Too much water without electrolyte replenishement shifts water from the ECF(extra cellular fluid) to the cell, is hypotonic dehydration. This can be caused by excessive intake of water without an adequate amount of electrolytes. Symptoms include weakness without thirst or decreased urine output. -------------- Strength and Honor!
Mojo_67 Posts: 1,299 Joined: 2003/09/23	2006/03/04, 12:53 AM Thank you for the clarification. -------------- Hungry and mean!
severrin Posts: 82 Joined: 2006/02/15	2006/03/04, 03:46 AM Do products like gatorade, and powerade actually do anything they say they do or have anything beneficial in them at all?
	2006/03/04, 04:41 AM not much....they put in too little of the elctrolytes....well except sodium which is so cheap that they'll include it by the pound...usually they include sodium, potassium, and chloride.....they don't include calcium, magnesium, sulfate, bicarbonate, or phosphate.... http://science.howstuffworks.com/question565.htm