I’m 40-something and started smoking when I was 14 or so. 

When Michael was born, Claudine put her foot down.  No more smoking in the house.   Back then you could still smoke in most public places.  But standing outside in the cold weather wasn’t for me. 

So, I did the next best thing.  Switched up for something with no second-hand side effects.  (Chew or Dip).  It doesn’t affect those around you unless a: you spill it on them, or b: they grab your dip cup or can by mistake and take a swig.   The later was often comical though.

Anyway, that means I’ve been nicotine dependant for over 25 years.

As for dipping, it was a 5-can per week habit, nearly a can a day but not quite.  Sometimes more, sometimes less.

I have quit before, heck quitting is easy.  But staying that way hasn’t be so easy.  My most successful run was about 6 months, and I used the patch to get that far.  So still getting nicotine, only the clean pharmaceutical variety.

I am nicotine dependant, and addicted, there is no doubt about that. 

But I’m giving it up.  It’s simply “time to do so”.   I started yesterday, I’m not brave enough to go ‘cold-turkey’, and I also love my family too much to put them through that right now.   It wasn’t pleasant last time.

So I cut back significantly yesterday.   Only three small ‘fixes’.   May not seem like much but it was significant to me and actually wasn’t that easy.

I stuck with that routine today, at least as far in today as we are.  This mornings little fix was different.  Certainly not enjoyable.  Not like yesterday.  Nope, my body didn’t really like it.

I expect to drop it completely by Monday, heck if later today is like this morning, maybe sooner.

So there, I’ve said it.  I’ve posted it.  It’s public.  So after Monday, give me crap if you see me with tobacco.  It’s important for you to do so.  Now I just need to figure out how to not gain 30 lbs while doing this.  I really cannot afford to gain any more weight.

It’s not that bad, I can still walk, even jog, but it’s just bothering me.  I also don’t fit into a good portion of my clothes.  I’ll need to be in a suit for a wedding in a couple months and I really don’t want to buy another suit.  I have a couple good ones.  I just need to fit them.

So it started.   ‘The diet’, although it’s more of a lifestyle change than a diet.

About 2 years ago we joined the YMCA near us in an attempt to ‘work out more’ and eat better, etc, etc.   About 3 weeks of that netted exactly 0 lbs of weight loss.  I did feel a little better though, but just wasn’t convenient.  Needless to say it didn’t last long.

So I was a bit skeptical when Claudine decided to take over my menu.  I didn’t eat large proportions to begin with.  My caloric intake, at least from my perspective, wasn’t all that high.   But what I wasn’t doing was eating all the time.

I often skipped breakfast.  Well actually I never ate breakfast, apparently a pot of coffee is not equal to breakfast, and I often skipped lunch.   When I did eat lunch it wasn’t healthy about 70% of the time.  Then came dinner, which because of our lifestyle with 5 kids and someone always doing something means we generally eat late.  Like 8-9pm.  Of course I’d like to snack a lot too when watching TV and playing PS3.

Well no more.

I’m eating breakfast everyday.  Cheerio’s no less, and Claudine has been packing my lunch.  Has it always been tasty?  Uh No, but it hasn’t been that bad either.

So with a decent breakfast, if that’s what Cheerios is, and a reasonable lunch and snacking throughout the day on somewhat healthy stuff (a banana here, an orange there, a reasonable portion of pretzels, etc.) followed up with a reasonable dinner.  (mostly salad, and some decent meat and a good portion of veggies).   It’s working.

It didn’t work right away, in fact the first two weeks saw a lb gained, but then like magic over night 3-4 lbs have vanished.  This is good.

I think the rule of thumb is for every 10lbs lost it will feel like a 5 horse power gain on my motorcycle.  Given my goal of 30-40 lbs that’s a 15-20 hp gain.   (I might even get better gas mileage as well).

So that will be huge. 

I’ll keep track of what’s happening.  I do feel better, although I still have a cold that’s lingering and starting to piss-me-off enough that I might actually go to the Dr.

But so far, all is good.