"Physical exercise can help all those who have recently quit smoking or who are thinking about that possibility", can be read in a press release from Fitness Hut, the gym chain of VivaGym Group. Quitting smoking is complex, but "in sports it is possible to find a faithful ally to help achieve a smoke-free lifestyle full of vitality".

"According to the World Health Organization, smoking is one of the greatest threats to public health that the world has ever faced. It causes more than eight million deaths per year, of which more than seven million are due to direct tobacco consumption and about 1.3 million result from exposure of non-smokers to passive smoking." In this sense, "physical exercise and sports are not only essential to maintain a strong and fit body, but can also be powerful tools to overcome this addiction to which about 80,000-100,000 young people join every day in the world", says Fitness Hut.

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Numerous studies show that regular physical activity can help reduce nicotine cravings and improve mood during the smoking cessation process. "In short, regular and controlled physical exercise reduces the anxiety levels caused by quitting smoking, while relieving the symptoms caused by withdrawal symptoms."

The sport should be included in a personalized and progressive way. The ideal is to start with sessions of 20 minutes, at most, in which a light cardiovascular work is done, such as walking, cycling or exercising on the elliptical. This practice should always be controlled and without exceeding the intensity, so the ideal is to avoid steep slopes if the option is to exercise outdoors. "You can start with three 20-minute sessions in the first week and add minutes to the sessions until you can comfortably do 45-50 minutes, at which point we can increase the frequency of workouts to five days a week", explains Daniel Galindo, director of the experience & innovation department of VivaGym, quoted in the same press release.

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"We will not deny that there is evidence that quitting smoking can, in some cases, lead to weight gain, so it is necessary to establish a plan: try to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet, as well as plenty of water and avoid processed foods as much as possible. If you can combine this with some strength training in the gym, you will see that the results are exponential and it will be your own body that will ask you to go back to the gym the next day", he adds.

And are there any exercises that are contraindicated during the process of quitting smoking? "That will always depend on your level of fitness, but, a priori, there is none, just avoid high-intensity efforts that can lead to a lack of oxygen or a possible muscle injury."

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