Can't kick my caffeine addiction

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Bakerchk
Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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.
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,004 Member
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    One a day isn't going to derail your weight loss. Just keep it within your calories. No worries.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    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
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Switch to coffee? Caffeine is an appetite-suppressant. And it makes people nicer.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    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
    cassietn Posts: 48
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    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 D: 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
    BryGuy2 Posts: 244
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    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
    Bakerchk Posts: 424 Member
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    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
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    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
    flyingwrite Posts: 264
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    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 D: 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
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    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
    jfield6 Posts: 56
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    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
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    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
    Kennkaru Posts: 210 Member
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    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 B) 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
    RandomMiranda Posts: 298
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    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
    Kelekat Posts: 174 Member
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    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 :tongue:

    I need my coffee...
  • str8bowbabe
    str8bowbabe Posts: 712 Member
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    If Im without my dt dew....well it gets really ugly, really fast...
  • mustangbass
    mustangbass Posts: 18 Member
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    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
    graceleigh614 Posts: 19
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    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
    19danno77 Posts: 84
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    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
    Aspynmom Posts: 166 Member
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    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 :tongue:

    I need my coffee...

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

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