How giving up smoking fixed my relationship with myself (and my health)

For 33-year-old Joe, giving up smoking didn’t just help dramatically lower his risk of cancer and lung disease, it helped him reimagine himself (and his health) in ways he never thought possible.

I started smoking when I was 15 years old. I didn’t worry about it too much when I was younger. I told myself I’d quit by the time I was 21. Then, before I knew it, I was 30 and still smoking.

Even when I smoked, I was never totally inactive. I’d ride my bike to work from time-to-time, and would try (and usually fail) to go to the gym once or twice a week.

Friends would encourage me to go for a run or a bike ride with them, or to join their casual sports team, and I’d always say: “I’m too unfit!” And that was that. Not for me, thanks.

At the time, I thought I was fairly happy with where I was at health-wise. But now I realise how wrong I was. 

One day, a particularly persuasive friend convinced me to give five-a-side soccer a shot. He assured me that his team was very bad at soccer and as unfit as I was, so eventually I gave in.

I played the first game and I was awful. My lungs burned, my legs ached, and I was basically a non-factor on the football front. But I enjoyed it. I hadn’t played team sports since before I started smoking, and I had totally forgotten how much fun it could be.

It helped that my team mates didn’t care how bad or unfit I was – we were just having fun kicking the ball around. It was the most fun I’d had doing physical activity in a long time.

I’d already tried to give up a few times, but I don’t think I ever really wanted it enough. I never had a ‘reason’ to give up (aside from the obvious health concerns) but now, with this football stuff, I found myself wanting to be fitter, to be able to run more, to help maximize my enjoyment of the game, and to be better for my teammates. So I started cutting back.

I didn’t go cold turkey. I started out by halving the number cigarettes I smoked, then halving again, then again. I relapsed a few times, but got back on the horse as soon as I could. Then eventually I’d only smoke socially. Then I’d only smoke when I was around other friends who smoked. Now, for the most part, I’m even able to resist that. It wasn’t easy, but for me the trick was to go at my own pace, and to not get discouraged when I lapsed.

Of course, while all of this was happening, my aerobic ability was slowly increasing. I’d play football and notice my lungs were burning a lot less, and I wasn’t getting as puffed as I normally would. I could play better, for longer. It felt like I’d aged backwards five or 10 years! After a few weeks of this, I had a thought that I’d literally never had before: maybe I could try and go for a run?!

And so I did. I went to my local oval (I read that running on grass is better for beginners) at 7am one morning, and I ran. And I kept running. Before I knew it, according to my Fitbit, I’d run 2.8 kilometres. But most surprising of all? I enjoyed it.

Encouraged, I bought some proper running shoes and started trying to go out two or three times a week, for 20 minutes at a time, and gradually ramped up until I was able to run five kilometres. Then one day, a few weeks later, I ran five kilometres and still felt OK, so I kept going. And that’s how I ran my first 10 kilometres.

The whole time I was smoking, I never once realised the impact it was having on what I thought was possible for myself. Smoking was like an invisible barrier to any exercise; this blanket excuse I could use to say “that’s not for me.” And that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Through all of this, my self-esteem improved, I’ve been pushing myself more and more in other areas of my life too, and all this physical activity and movement has done wonders for my mental health too. It’s been a complete revelation. I know it’s a cliché, but it really is like having a new lease of life.

Maybe part of it is just replacing one habit (smoking) with another (exercise). Whatever it is, I definitely didn’t see it coming. It’s not just that I feel better and healthier than I have in years, it’s that I have more motivation to keep at it than I ever have. For me, that’s been the difference. Just knowing that there’s nothing holding me back. It’s an amazing feeling. 

Disclaimer:
This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.