Caffeine or no Caffeine???

tigersword

No cafeine! Not got for anyone!

It dehydrates you so you need to drink even more water to flush your system.

I can tell you getting off of soda really sped up my weight loss and I don't miss it at all anymore. Never in a million years thought I could say that!

Best of Luck!

Completely untrue. The only way caffeine can dehydrate you is an extremely large dose of pure caffeine. There is nowhere near enough caffeine in soda, tea, or coffee to even come close to dehydrating you. And regular consumption of caffeine makes you immune to it's very slight diuretic effect. Caffeine has many health benefits and antioxidant properties, as well as slight metabolism boosting properties. It's actually very healthy for you. Coffee, green tea, and chocolate all contain caffeine, and all happen to be incredibly healthy foods.

donamari7

I really do not drink soda. I absolutely can't stand diet soda and it is so very bad for you! I do like my coffee 1-2 cups in the morning and occasionally a cup mid afternoon or after dinner. I don't think there is any harm in coffee if done in moderation.

crimsontech

I was a religious Diet Pepsi drinker for years, until I started reading what aspartame/Nutrisweet/Neotame does to you. I immediately switched to regular Pepsi and my dizzy spells and lower back pain went away within a few days. I still occasionally have some Aspartame in a diet yogurt but I can taste it (and its horrible aftertaste) . I don't have any problems with it when I keep my "dose" that low.

Unfortunately, I replaced it with Pepsi. I *never* drank water, milk, or anything but Pepsi (sometimes Coke). I drank easily a 6-pack a day, maybe more. So, part of my weight loss journey had to include getting off the caffeine dependency I had developed so I could stop drinking all of those empty calories. I knew that a caffeine withdrawal headache is no joke and the withdrawal can last for a week, so I decided to wean myself off. I switched out every other soda with a caffeine-free one (as in, I'd drink a Pepsi, then a Sprite next, then a Pepsi, then a Root Beer, etc) and over the next few weeks, I had less and less caffeine each day until the day I finally had my last Pepsi.

My first caffeine-free day was rough. I was irritable, but not much of a headache. I warned my fiance not to talk to me because I was likely to bite his head off and he didn't deserve it. He respected that and kept his distance. The next day, I felt fine (no headache, no irritability) but I was SUPER tired. That's when I realized I probably had sleep apnea (which I had been trying to deny). I got a sleep study, diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and have worn a CPAP for about a year and a half.

But now that I've broken my addiction to caffeine, I can have some soda (within my calorie allowance) but if I have any caffeine, I can not go to sleep for about 8 hours, so I make sure to only have it very early. Now soda is a treat and caffeine actually works on me, and I LOVE me some ice cold water! I drink nothing but water now, even though I'm sure at a restaurant when I ask for water, the waiter probably thinks I'm a cheapskate and he's not gonna get a good tip. (he's wrong on both counts!)

The caffeine addiction itself isn't a terrible problem in itself, but why let any substance run your life like that? I'm more content the way it is for me now.

japruzze

Caffeine! Please Caffeine! I can do without anything else but don't take away my Starbucks!

myf1101

Caffeine definately. Like some of the other posts I would not function without regular intakes of coffee. My husband brings me a cup in the morning and knows not to speak to me until the first sip. I have really drunk pop diet or otherwise though.

tigersword

Good job on giving up sodas!!! I've tried that a few times, and it has been very difficult, though I am in the process of trying again - I fudge sometimes by stealing a sip of my husband's, but I figure that is better than having my own!

My thing with caffeine is this - anything that you say you "HAVE" to have in order to function in daily life isn't a good thing. Typically, I only drink soda at work to get the caffeine high, so that meant on the weekends, I didn't get my caffeine dose and I was sluggish and exhausted and no fun to be around all weekend. That showed me that I am addicted to caffeine and therefore, I need to stop.

Yes, caffeine gives you a boost, but how critical is it? Can't we get just as much energy by drinking enough water, eating healthfully, and getting proper sleep at night?

You "HAVE" to have food, water, and air in order to function in daily life, does that mean those are bad for us? Just pointing out a potential flaw in your thought process. It's not always black and white.

maxmariesfo

Soda is far worse for you than caffeine. Diet soda is the worst! Don't take my word for it. Get on the search engines and find out how bad diet soda is.

I drink coffee and tea, not because I need or want caffeine, but because I love the taste and ritual of it. I'm one of those strange people who can have a shot of espresso and go right to bed. So I don't think my opinion on caffeine is any good to anyone.


PS: come on... it's obvious they meant addiction. Any addiction is bad for you.

littlesis412

Studies show that coffee can lower your chances of diabetes and depression. So, I don't see the harm in it (if you're not allergic or addicted.) It's near impossible to avoid caffeine all together, which I'm sure you've noticed. If you want an energy pick up, I would suggest vitamins designed for this purpose. As for drinking it, it's up to you. I, personally, would be on a coffee IV if they created one. I would warn you that if you haven't had a high dose of caffeine in over a year, start slow. You don't want it to make you sick.

jadedone

I can't give up caffeine however, giving up soda is something entirely different. I gave up soda because it has too much sugar and I have convinved myself that the bubbles in it are actually corroding all of my organs and if I continue to drink it, my heart will blow up, my lungs will get eaten away and my brains are going to melt.

True story. I haven't had a soda in years.

So I keep my coffee and I love it.

No sparkling water?

jadedone

I like caffeine, but I don't really drink much.

I generally have insomnia, so I quit all caffeine by 2pm on most days. (Even small amounts like in tea, these all stop by 2).

I do crave coffee. Or really the frothy milk that comes with a cappuccino or espresso drink, so I get decaf most of the time. I consider it a high calcium snack. I really like coffee with desserts.

I probably have about 1-2 cups of something caffeinated about 2-3 a week. Otherwise it is mostly water, herbal tea.

I don't find it gives me an energy boost either way. Unless maybe I am exceptionally exhausted. But I think it is the placebo effect.

robin820

Well, after some serious consideration, I gave up "POP" for Lent. I am on day #7 of no pop. I feel better than ever. I havent drank caffeine of any sort for over a year and now no pop. So that means when I am drinking it is water, milk, or chocolate milk. One bad habit broke at a time. >:O)

iuew

i had to kick caffeine all at once in 2010 due to a digestive problem. before that, i was a prolific coffee drinker who suffered almost no side effects.

it wasn't as bad as i thought. i had a low grade headache and felt a bit washed out for two weeks, and then i was fine.

these days, i can have a rare diet coke with caffeine, but day to day i don't really miss it. from what i've read, if you are drinking caffeine at the level that i was, the best it can do for you is to get you to the state where non-caffeine drinkers are at already.

PepeGreggerton

alecta337

I'd keep the soda out of your diet, because its generally bad for you. But if you are really interested in caffeine you can either have tea (less caffeine) or coffee (more caffeine) with minimal sweet crap added to it.

I actually just read this article the other day. You should check it out.

http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts

Punkedpoetess

Pro caffeine here, within reason. There are health benefits to drinking coffee and tea. I have cut back on my coffee consumption, but still have 1-3 cups of coffee a day most days. Occasionally I have more, but try hard not to. I also have tea and diet soda sometimes. With being a part time student and a full time employee, I need the extra boost. Also helps me wake up for my morning workouts.