Past it?

[bicyclos]

Stopping smoking is not going to make you feel like superman or 21 again, I was quite fit when I was smoking back in the younger years (landscaping ) but I was living an un-healthy lifestyle. I gave up smoking on my 40th birthday (14yrs ago nearly) and could not shake off colds and being out of breath which concerned me and thats well after stopping smoking and the out of breath side was the reason that I stopped. Unfortunately with age especially past 50s upward, I have noticed in myself that I am slowing down. I cant lift heavy materials like I used to, I tire quicker and I ache and pain far more easily. In my head and mind I am still 21 and agile and still chase people down if I am challenged, but my body tells me in different ways.....for goodness sake stop and sit down or you will suffer! Ive logged my fitness / cycling now for the past 9yrs and seen a decline especially top end sprint and average in distancesI and in the last few years my mileage for the year has increased by 150miles on previous years..........Its life.

I can say my breathing has improved and dont get out of breath as I used to, but I think its a radical change of diet and looking after myself which as made the difference for me plus cycling of course.

 

[TheJDog]

My grandfather smoked 60 a day until his death at the ripe old age of 41.

My great-grandfather smoked 60 a day until his death at the ripe old age of 43.

You can imagine my dad's (non-smoker) relief when he got through his forties unscathed.

 

[booze and cake]

......and how much money he saved, smoking 60 a day involves dropping some serious poundage these days.

 

[ColinJ]

You will never know now, compo, but the health benefit you are looking for might be that you are still with us! If you now feel bad when not smoking, you could have been on a slippery slope to something much worse ...

A friend of mine made all sorts of excuses for his smoking until he finally gave up about 4 years ago in his mid-fifties. He is now 60 and fitter than he has been for many years.

I am certain that my DVT/PE would have killed me last year if I had still been a smoker.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I have just come home from the doctor's. I mentioned to him when he asked if I smoked that since quitting 6 years ago I have not felt well since and had a number of serious complaints. When I smoked I was as fit as the proverbial fiddle. He reckons that is more down to old age than ceasing smoking. Mind you, that is the same doctor who told me I shouldn't be cycling long distances at my age. I would just emphasise I have no desire or wish to start smoking again. I think it a valid question though about when will I begin to experience the health benefits of quitting.

I quit in 1977, I didn't feel better straight away but improved over the first 12 months after I stopped, the best bit was losing most the colds and other bronchial problems I suffered when I smoked, going back to cycling a couple of years later improved things even more and careful use of Echinacea a few years later improved things even more, at 62 I'm fitter than I was in those days and its rare for me to have a cold.

 

[The Jogger]

My grandfather smoked 60 a day until his death at the ripe old age of 41.

My great-grandfather smoked 60 a day until his death at the ripe old age of 43.

You can imagine my dad's (non-smoker) relief when he got through his forties unscathed.

I liked the third line.......................... I wanted to pass the age of 54 but now I have other targets.

On the subject I packed up smoking 19 years ago and generally feel better for it but still struggle to shake off chesty colds etc........come the summer they are gone.

 

[sutts]

I have just come home from the doctor's. I mentioned to him when he asked if I smoked that since quitting 6 years ago I have not felt well since and had a number of serious complaints. When I smoked I was as fit as the proverbial fiddle. He reckons that is more down to old age than ceasing smoking. Mind you, that is the same doctor who told me I shouldn't be cycling long distances at my age. I would just emphasise I have no desire or wish to start smoking again. I think it a valid question though about when will I begin to experience the health benefits of quitting.

I gave up in 2000 after smoking 40-50 a day for 20 odd years. I had a grey pallor to my skin, I couldn't walk up the stairs at work without getting out of puff and I would probably be dead, or at least have emphysema by now, if I had continued (I certainly was getting bronchitis regularly every winter and that wasn't pleasant). I'm not saying that it hasn't caused me any harm, even now, because after so may cigs (over 1/3 of a million!) it surely must have done some harm....but I look at what I achieve on my bike now and I just wish I hadn't wasted my young life on such a stupid, expensive habit.

In my opinion it's probably just a coincidence that you haven't felt well since quitting...and you probably 'are' experiencing the benefits of quitting....just imagine how much worse you would feel if you still smoked!