35 lbs and 150 Gum Packs Later
Well here it is, 100 days quit from the chew….I never thought i would be here honestly. I have always wanted to quit for a long time but never got past a week. As my gums disappeared to below the roots of my teeth i got scared and would stop for a day, but always grabbed another can in a few days. is that not insane? To watch your mouth get severely damaged, but still chew? that was me. And i have swallowed for years. gutted my disgusting chew spit while at work or in a movie or at dinner,…wherever, it did not matter. My addiction to chew was so fucking powerful it came before everything. 20 years off and on roughly. Finally i came to this site. i was ready, scared shitless that i have mouth cancer. My gums are fucked. I tossed my can after talking to some people on here and began the journey. The first week was absolutely insane…im pretty sure i didnt do jack squat with work during that first week….i pretended to, but i was worthless. The fog and craving was relentless. I would come on here sometimes 40 times a day and just read. Read about people just like me that are now dead. People that made it through there quits and live great lives. Other guys like me with families, goals, a yearning to be alive. This site helped me in ways I cannot describe. Athan and Samrs, you guys deserve some serious recognition. you guys were on me every day, hounding me about roll, making sure I didn’t cave. Genuine concern. I love you guys, thank you. And I love all my fellow July Quitters, i looked for you guys on roll every day…took inspiration from your posts. Thank you everyone. I lead a particularly chaotic career and haven’t been able to write as much as I would like to, but all of you inspired me, helped me, supported me and gave me hope. Because sometimes the nicotine bitch takes everything from you, including your hope, but you were all there for me. You are all my brothers in QUIT.
I have gained 35 lbs in 3 months since i quit. I am fat as shit. Im trying to come accustomed to this new belly i have now…my wife grabbed me the other day and said to me ” I will take you a hundred pounds heavier with no chew in your mouth any day of the week.” it really puts a perspective on things…I am so blessed with a great family and now I can be their husband and father without nicotine. however, at 40 years of age, i think focusing on getting fit again is an important part of the quit journey…I am open to suggestions or joining a group of you guys to work on that lol….something like a roll call of i won’t eat donuts and cake today…haha.
Congrats to all of you that have made it to 100 days and those of you that are so close. There are many people that i want to stay in touch with forever. And thank you to all of the people that are involved on this site that I haven’t met….i want you to know that you indeed are making a difference, you are saving lives…KNOW that.
I will admit that i still crave chew every day. But i recognize it, and out smart it, but this battle will last the rest of my life, and I will be right here leaning on my brothers in quit for support when i need it, and lending my hand to lift you up when you need it as well. Stand strong, be blessed, and fight that nic bitch with everything you have. Thanks for everything.
NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member Haas22
Jim S, I believe you are correct on that one.
I myself quit at 40 as well, and was not in great shape. I was going on high blood pressure meds, high triglycerid meds, and cholestorhol meds. I said no way, screw that. If I can kick that bitch away, I can surely do better.
Enter me ordering Insanity workouts, joining a group who were all doing it at the same time and leaning on each other. Only difference was, they all had worked out before, I was just getting off the couch. My wife thought I was literally going to die day 1 (fit test) and the first few workouts weren’t easy either, but I stuck with it. 60 days later, I was down from 227 to 204 and my eating was still off.
I’ve slowly drifted back up to 221 in 7 years and again find myself on the borderline of being diabetic. Not the end of the world, but something I certainly don’t want to have if I can prevent it.
Good luck getting back to where you were and finding a workout that best suits you. You can do it and you’ve already done the hardest thing there is.
Congrats on your quit man. I just had a question for everyone. Do most people seem to gain weight when quitting? I have stayed right where I am if not lost a little weight after 142 days. Now maybe it is my diet improving. I used to skip eating at work (to take a dip instead) and grab fast food after work. Now I bring my lunch to work and I don’t eat out except for on weekends (which I’ve always ate out at least once on the weekends.) Maybe that is where I have been able to avoid the weight gain?