
How smoking affects your fitness
Smoking restricts oxygen-rich blood from reaching your heart and lungs, which is essential during exercise. Smoking creates carbon monoxide in your blood, which restricts your body from transporting oxygen to these essential organs. Carbon monoxide stiffens your arteries after exercise which increases your chances of a stroke or heart attack. As a smoker, you will have shortness of breath during exercise and you will have less muscle strength and flexibility. This will restri