Nearly 24 hours since I cleaned the filth from my mouth for the final time.... thank heavens for nicotine gum and lozenges. I'm feeling a bit bloated and hung over from New Year's Eve, but otherwise, don't have the intense cravings I expected.
I was getting my ass kicked by that little tin for about 12 years, and decided that it's time for a change. This isn't the first time I tried quitting, but there's a reason that I'll succeed this time: I actually *want* to quit.
I'm a Marine, so dip is part of the culture, which we all know makes it about 10 times harder. We're also aware of many of the negative effects of withdrawal: bad moods, weight gain, irregularity, etc. I factored each of those into my decision and chose New Years for these reasons.
I took a solid week off from work to spend more time with my kids and doing my hobbies, thus equalizing my mood back to normal. I'm in the middle of a bulking phase, so I'm actually attempting to use the slower metabolism to my benefit as I pack on pounds of chest, back, shoulder, and leg muscle. I got this amazing fiber supplement which steamrolls through my intestines for a good cleansing, and will benefit from the healthier diet pursuant to my wife's New Year Resolution.
The gum and lozenges are really the keys to my success. I'm starting with the 4mg servings, and plan to transition to the 2mg servings after about a week. It'll be tough going back to work and facing my triggers head-on, in the company of other addicts. Since I'm in a position of leadership, I'm hoping that I can be a role model to create a culture of quitters.
Thank you all for your continued support. I'll be here cheering you on as well as we tackle this side by side. What a disgusting and destructive way of life we're leaving behind us.
- Dave
