Can't kick my caffeine addiction

Bakerchk

Help! I can't seem to kick my caffeine addiction. Before I was dieting, I was drinking 3 to 4 pepsi's a day. They did not help me stay awake, so if i was tired I would add a red bull or two on top of them. Since I started dieting, I have tried to cut these drinks out of my diet. I will substitute a pepsi for a sparkling water (so I get the fizziness). But I am still craving them like crazy. I went about 2 weeks without a pepsi, but was still drinking Red Bulls (sugar free). The last few days I have been drinking Pepsi's again. Only one a day, but still.

Any advice is welcome. I feel like I am not loosing weight because of these drinks. My diet is going well and I have cut out all processed food and cut back on my carb intake. I am eating lots of veggies, fruits and lean meats. Trying to add nuts (even though I'm not a fan). Cutting down on my sugar intake, etc.

cmriverside

One a day isn't going to derail your weight loss. Just keep it within your calories. No worries.

kdiamond

Why do you have to cut the caffeine?

I get the sugar/soda, but I still drink a diet Coke a day, plus coffee. I couldn't live without caffeine, and it gets me through a pretty intense workout in the mornings.

secretlobster

Switch to coffee? Caffeine is an appetite-suppressant. And it makes people nicer.

lizard053

A little bit of caffeine has been recently shown to help out! No need to kick the caffeine addiction at all. Now the sodas, yea, those need to go. One at a time, one day at a time. If you can cut it down, it will go a long way to helping you with your weight loss, since you don't need to budget them in. Also, try to drink equal amounts of water as soda, to keep properly hydrated.

cassietn

I am someone who has sucessfully kicked their caffiene addiction A couple of years ago I was drinking about 4-6 cans of coke a day The caffeine had no effect on me at all anymore and if I tried to stop drinking it I would get really bad headaches. I'm not quite sure how I did it but one day I just said to myself "I really don't want to have this much caffeine anymore. It's not good for me and I know I need to change. I WILL change". After that I didn't have any caffeine for almost a year. When I wasn't addicted to it anymore I tried a coke for the first time and it tasted HORRIBLE. I haven't had one since. The key to getting rid of any addiction is to do it for yourself and not anyone else. If you want it enough, really commit to it. It will be difficult. There are no quick fixes for something like this, but the more time that passes, the less you have those cravings. Don't give up on yourself. I wish you the best of luck

BryGuy2

I was like you and drinking lots of soda each day. Some days I would have 2-32oz or 44oz drinks plus fast food. It was terrible. I gradually got off the soda, and I just had my first one in a month on Saturday, but that was diet, so I didnt feel bad about it. I normally drink coffee in the day, but keep them healthy, so that helps me each morning with the caffeine. With the way my life is, caffiene has to be an option haha! I work a lot and sleep little. Good luck to you in kicking the habit.

Bakerchk

Thank you everyone.
I mostly want to kick the soda addiction. I guess caffeine is okay. I have tried caffeine pills, this way I'm not consuming any sugar or calories. But I'm still craving the sodas. I guess I will try to limit myself for now and see how it goes

lizard053

The soda cravings are for the sugars. You'll need to hard core drop all refined sugar to get rid of that. Not easy! I wish you the best!

flyingwrite

I am someone who has sucessfully kicked their caffiene addiction A couple of years ago I was drinking about 4-6 cans of coke a day The caffeine had no effect on me at all anymore and if I tried to stop drinking it I would get really bad headaches. I'm not quite sure how I did it but one day I just said to myself "I really don't want to have this much caffeine anymore. It's not good for me and I know I need to change. I WILL change". After that I didn't have any caffeine for almost a year. When I wasn't addicted to it anymore I tried a coke for the first time and it tasted HORRIBLE. I haven't had one since. The key to getting rid of any addiction is to do it for yourself and not anyone else. If you want it enough, really commit to it. It will be difficult. There are no quick fixes for something like this, but the more time that passes, the less you have those cravings. Don't give up on yourself. I wish you the best of luck

^This. I gave up coffee at the beginning of the year because I was starting to have heart palpitations due to the caffeine. I started by replacing it with de-caffeinated green tea so I could still have something hot in the morning. But very quickly, I found that water was all I needed. The further away from caffeine I've gotten, the less I "need" it. My normal energy balance has returned. It's just something you have to commit to. You have to decide you want it bad enough to walk away from it when it's calling your name.

LorinaLynn

I embrace my caffeine addiction. I start every morning with a Diet Mt. Dew, Diet Dr Pepper or Pepsi Max.

If it's the soda you want to quit, Amp and Rock Star both make caffeinated gum.

jfield6

I have kicked my soda and caffeine addiction. I was a serious Mt. Dew then Diet Mt. Dew drinker. I recently stopped drinking caffeine and it really wasn't that terrible. One way I did it was by drinking diet caffeine free drinks. Almost like tricking my mind. Then I kicked them all together. Find a caffeine free drink you really like and stick with that.

I had headaches for the first week to week and a half, but they're gone now! Just watch your meds because if you take something for your headache, it may have caffeine in it. I sleep so much better and feel rested without it.

Good luck!

Sublog

Help! I can't seem to kick my caffeine addiction. Before I was dieting, I was drinking 3 to 4 pepsi's a day. They did not help me stay awake, so if i was tired I would add a red bull or two on top of them. Since I started dieting, I have tried to cut these drinks out of my diet. I will substitute a pepsi for a sparkling water (so I get the fizziness). But I am still craving them like crazy. I went about 2 weeks without a pepsi, but was still drinking Red Bulls (sugar free). The last few days I have been drinking Pepsi's again. Only one a day, but still.

Any advice is welcome. I feel like I am not loosing weight because of these drinks. My diet is going well and I have cut out all processed food and cut back on my carb intake. I am eating lots of veggies, fruits and lean meats. Trying to add nuts (even though I'm not a fan). Cutting down on my sugar intake, etc.

Is there something wrong with caffeine that I am not aware of? I can't recall one study I've read that said that caffeine was bad for the human body?

Kennkaru

Caffeine can work as an appetite suppressant, but it also triggers stress hormones that over time can cause a person to "break down" and give in to binge eating. Obviously this affects different people in different ways and I'm sure not all folks are susceptible to it.

However, when you're drinking soda, you're getting A) a lot of refined sugar and chemicals, or even more chemicals, depending on whether you're drinking regular or diet soda.

Caffeine addiction is real, and the only way to be rid of it is to dramatically lower or erase your intake. When you regularly consume caffeine, your body becomes dependent on that for energy, when your body should be able to produce ample energy from the healthy foods and water you are consuming. Your liver is working overtime to sort out all those chemicals- in the meantime, it's using up your body's energy that you could be benefiting from, AND it's not able to perform its primary function as a fat and nutrient processor.

We did not evolve to consume chemicals, and our ancestors were likely much more active and "busy" than we are!

Natural energy is really the only kind that is healthy. Getting enough sleep, consuming healthy and balanced foods, and drinking plenty of water are really the only necessary steps to ensure your body has enough energy.

As others have said, I think you will find that if you lay off the soda and the Monsters... within a few weeks you wont crave them anymore, and eventually they will taste terrible to you. Besides, who wants to be a slave to something? You're strong enough to kick the habit and reap the rewards.

RandomMiranda

Thank you everyone.
I mostly want to kick the soda addiction. I guess caffeine is okay. I have tried caffeine pills, this way I'm not consuming any sugar or calories. But I'm still craving the sodas. I guess I will try to limit myself for now and see how it goes

I would be really cautious about caffeine pills. It's easier to just pop another pill than drink another soda, and that could lead to more serious health issues. http://www.livestrong.com/article/148848-information-on-caffeine-pills/
I was practically weaned on Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi, and I still have a can about 1/day. I think I actually crave the carbonation. There are some studies linking diet drinks to weight gain, but it's not really a direct correlation. Maybe switch to diet and gradually replace that with more water. If you still need the caffeine tea or coffee (or sleep) are better options than energy drinks.

Kelekat

Coffee should have it's own food group--without it, it just isn't worth getting up in the morning. No cream, no sugar, just good, strong, black coffee.

My blood type is coffee. Decaf is the devil's brew. Coffee is a magic liquid that turns terrible days into bearable days. Coffee is euphoria without the track marks.

People of Nordic descent don't do well on a caffeine free diet

I need my coffee...

str8bowbabe

If Im without my dt dew....well it gets really ugly, really fast...

mustangbass

I start every morning with 2-3 cups of coffee and I'm ready to get it on. If you are still tired after over indulging on caffeine, it probably means that your body is so tired that natural stimulants are not going to help. Try getting some rest.

graceleigh614

I used to drink about 6-7 diet cokes a day and have for about 25 years! I gradually got it down to 1-2 a day and I have not had one for 30 days! I do have a glass of iced tea about 9 in the morning and I have not had a headache at all!!! It is really amazing, I feel better, sleep better, have lost 20 pounds and off 2 blood pressure meds already!

19danno77

Don't run from caffeine! Switch to coffee...as with a lot of things, the more natural way you approach your intake however it seems to make a difference, that is drinks made from roasted beans (pretty natural!) appear to be more natural than a canned/bottled cola where the caffeine is added as an ingredient as is the colorant...I'd be curious if research would ever show demonstrate the same caffeine benefit from soda. This study was HUGE 113,000 participants and was presented to the American Association for Cancer Research in late 2011. These were long term studies combined to validate the data.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/coffee-cuts-skin-cancer-risk/2010/12/20/gIQAD3ejFM_blog.html

Aspynmom

Coffee should have it's own food group--without it, it just isn't worth getting up in the morning. No cream, no sugar, just good, strong, black coffee.

My blood type is coffee. Decaf is the devil's brew. Coffee is a magic liquid that turns terrible days into bearable days. Coffee is euphoria without the track marks.

People of Nordic descent don't do well on a caffeine free diet

I need my coffee...

Can I get an A-MEN!!!!! :drinker: <----me double fisting the coffee mugs!

garnetgazm

I haven't drank soda since new years Eve I've been slowly cutting out junk food that's bad for me and I've found that if you post it on like Facebook you feel more likely to follow thru with it bcuz everyone you know is waiting to see if u fail or not. that works for me bcuz I lo e proving ppl wrong lol now I don't even crave it and I've also inspired ppl to cut out soda too

you can do it

mcrundle

Try coffee no calories!

runningfromzombies

Coffee should have it's own food group--without it, it just isn't worth getting up in the morning. No cream, no sugar, just good, strong, black coffee.

My blood type is coffee. Decaf is the devil's brew. Coffee is a magic liquid that turns terrible days into bearable days. Coffee is euphoria without the track marks.

People of Nordic descent don't do well on a caffeine free diet

I need my coffee...

^True story!

I would suggest trading the soda for coffee. That was how I ended up quitting the soda in the end--right around the time I stopped drinking it I magically picked up coffee. 8-16 ounces in the morning, with 1 tablespoon of creamer and 1 packet of sweetener. Seriously. Try to do a "detox period" of four weeks where you don't drink soda at all, and see how the cravings are after that. Extra water throughout the day will probably also help.

str8bowbabe

I wish I could step away from my Dt Dew for health reasons other than my weight but I CANNOT stand the after taste of coffee or tea...any kind of either so alas...my addiction continues.

jfield6

I wish I could step away from my Dt Dew for health reasons other than my weight but I CANNOT stand the after taste of coffee or tea...any kind of either so alas...my addiction continues.

I had to stop drinking caffeine due to chronic hives. The caffeine was actually making my hives worse. Since I've stopped drinking it, my hives have almost gone away. I might have 1 show up every few days. It's also helped my sleep. My BIL had to stop drinking caffeine due to anxiety.

Since I've stopped drinking it, I really don't miss it. I had a Diet Mt. Dew the other day and I could totally tell by the way I slept. I couldn't stop tossing and turning.