FALSE. My husband and I were discussing weight management in the military over dinner last night when we began debating whether or not cigarette use has any effect on fitness status.
When a soldier can't pass his PT test he has to do what is called "remedial PT". In other words he is forced to go back and do a second round of physical training after work until he can pass his PT test. We were on the topic of what would be worse...not knowing how to eat properly or not having any fitness level whatsoever. I thought not knowing how to eat right would be worse because you'd always be putting things in your mouth not knowing what was in it and what it was doing for you. My husband said having a poor fitness level is worse because you'd never pass your PT test. Somehow we got to talking about smoking and how it can help you lose weight, which I had to jump right in!
He said he has a friend who smokes cigarettes and can do over 60 push-ups in two minutes (he's overweight and on the remedial program). He can't run, which is the reason why he can't pass his PT test. On the other hand my husband lost over 60 pounds and smoked cigarettes at the same time.
This may sound confusing, but you can lose weight and smoke cigarettes at the same time. You cannot, however, improve your fitness level by any great lengths. You can argue that if you're sedentary, smoke cigarettes, and begin an exercise program you will see health improvements. Also, performing push-ups is an anaerobic exercise requiring no oxygen. Running is an aerobic activity requiring a lot of oxygen and when you smoke cigarettes the alveoli in the lungs are destroyed making it difficult to circulate oxygen through the blood stream to the tissues for energy production.
On another note:
Everyone knows and understands that food is a human right. But, what I don't understand is why soldiers are offered cookies, cake, ice cream, hot dogs, and cheeseburgers at the chow hall when the military wants their soldiers to be the best and strongest army in the world. The U.S. military has some pudgy soldiers who can't pass PT tests and are forced to do two sessions of grueling physical training yet they're going to offer them foods containing trans fat, additives, and other chemicals that aid in the production of sluggish, overweight "warriors" with ADD? Food is personal choice, but soldiers can make that choice off-base where they go daily.
I'm not completely bashing the military because the chow hall does offer healthy options, but for those soldiers who have no will-power, control or knowledge of what's in their food then why should we put the ever-so-addicting foods infront of them? There are those soldiers who are in good athletic shape and can afford to eat more calories than others, but they too can go off-base to purchase the foods that have no nutritional value. The military should offer only the highest quality nutrition for their soldiers on base if they expect their soldiers to be the best. Tell me if I'm wrong.
