Has anyone successfully given up coffee?

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mylifeisbeautiful
mylifeisbeautiful Posts: 292 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I would like to try weaning myself off coffee but I'm worried that I will be really tired and eat more in attempt to energize myself.
Can anyone recommend some survival strategies?
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Replies

  • lemmyhead
    lemmyhead Posts: 116 Member
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    I have not had a coffee in 2 months, after drinking it religiously for 12 years, a minimum of 2 coffees a day (unless very sick or hungover haha).

    I have drunk a lot of green tea, and other herbal teas/infusions as a replacement. You do need to be cautious with teas, as green and black teas still contain caffeine. I have found a brand of green that I like, and re-brew the one tea-bag up to 4 times - it reduces in flavour which I don't mind, but I *think* it would also reduce the caffeine on each brew - better than a fresh tea bag!

    I was tired for the first few days, and everyone expected me to get cranky and have chronic headaches, but that didn't happen for me. Now I just struggle with missing it as it was an enjoyable drink for me!

    I do think I have more energy, and less anxiety problems, but I have changed a lot of other things in my life in the last 3 months that might be affecting that as well.

    I hope to re-introduce coffee as a "sometimes" drink once I have finished my elimination diet (for other health reasons).

    Good Luck!
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
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    I quit coffee when I got pregnant with my first. I drank herbal teas in the morning just to satisfy that habit of drinking something hot. I did suffer the first week, but after that it wasn't too bad. I was off coffee for 3 years while I was preggers, nursing, preggers, nursing. I did drink decaf from time to time.

    As soon as I didn't have a reason anymore NOT to drink coffee, I decided I would just start again with 1/2 caff 1/2 decaf. That lasted about 3 days, and then the addiction was back in full force. Now I'm back to 2 mugs a morning, and am addicted to my Keurig. Morale of the story for me was that I should never have started back up after kicking it for so long. Sigh.
  • IveLanded
    IveLanded Posts: 797 Member
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    Why on earth would you quit such a glorious glorious habit!!!???

    :noway:

    Ok, really..........I have quit when I got pregnant...just went cold turkey. When I started losing weight, I switched to black tea and I was able to seriously cut back on my caffeine intake. I found the gradual cut back was easier to deal with than cutting it cold turkey.

    That said......I'm hooked again. And this thread makes me want a latte.
    :drinker:
  • annathomas88
    annathomas88 Posts: 27 Member
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    My dad drinks coffee all day long, literally. So my coffee addiction started at a young age as he would make me "coffee" as a child, really it was milk with a dash of coffee just to make me feel special. SO that being said, i HAD been drinking coffee most of all my life. I have now kicked my addiction by new found love "Green Smoothies" have you heard of them? I drink one every morning it is basically 2 handfuls of spinach and any fruit combo you want, blended together for a delicious and nutritious smoothie. I know this sounds crazy! But i PROMISE you since starting on these green smoothies i have gained SO MUCH energy. I do need coffee at all. The past two mornings i woke up too late to make my smoothies and drank coffee once at work and i promise you, i felt terrible, so terrible that i went home today at lunch and made myself a green smoothie. I was literally yawning at my desk while drinking my coffee. I never thought i would say this, but i have kicked my addiction to coffee and never felt more energized! Hope this helps!
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
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    No plans on giving it up, BUT, I only drink 'real' coffee from a cafetiere, not instant. And I only 'need' two cups a day as a result.

    Someone served me instant coffee recently and it literally gave me palpitations, I was so ill. Apparently they add extra caffeine in when they freeze dry the stuff.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    Gave it up several times. Sucked every time. 3 days of migraines that nothing helped. Every time I swore it would be the last time I went through that. Now I avoid it by drinking coffee. :bigsmile:
    No other caffeine sources during the day though. No soda. Just water or water with lemon.
  • HMD7703
    HMD7703 Posts: 761 Member
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    *GASP*

    Blasphemy!


    :drinker:
  • justjenn1977
    justjenn1977 Posts: 437 Member
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    *GASP*

    Blasphemy!


    :drinker:


    ^^this!

    I have cut down on what I put in it...no more 5-600 calorie cups from starbucks... I work nights... and I don't know how I would get through work without my mug of espresso... I am however down to ONE mug a day (used to take two one liter bottles to work... now I drink one one liter bottle... )
  • diadojikohei
    diadojikohei Posts: 732 Member
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    I used to have 2 or 3 mochas a day, then I worked out over a year how much I was spending. HOW MUCH!!!!! I went cold turkey from shock and haven't had coffee since July! I don't miss it at all and my chocolate consumption has gone down too. (Liked to have a bit of choc and a cup of coffee in the evening).
    I really don't like instant, I spent 3 years living in Germany drinking very nice fresh coffee, instant just wasn't the same after that!
  • rjcelmer
    rjcelmer Posts: 431 Member
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    *GASP*

    Blasphemy!


    :drinker:

    There are few things finer in life than sitting back with a hot cup 'o Joe on a chilly day.
  • Monnietron
    Monnietron Posts: 96 Member
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    LIke some of the others, I also stopped while pregnant, but now I still drink 1-2 cups a day, just cut down my cream and sugar. I went from "extra extra" with a flavor shot, to cream and sometimes a splenda. I ordered a caramel coffee from Dunkin and they gave me the one with the shot loaded with sugar EWWW How did I drink that before it was soooo nasty.
  • Luciabella07
    Luciabella07 Posts: 205 Member
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    I have not had a coffee in 2 months, after drinking it religiously for 12 years, a minimum of 2 coffees a day (unless very sick or hungover haha).

    I have drunk a lot of green tea, and other herbal teas/infusions as a replacement. You do need to be cautious with teas, as green and black teas still contain caffeine. I have found a brand of green that I like, and re-brew the one tea-bag up to 4 times - it reduces in flavour which I don't mind, but I *think* it would also reduce the caffeine on each brew - better than a fresh tea bag!

    I was tired for the first few days, and everyone expected me to get cranky and have chronic headaches, but that didn't happen for me. Now I just struggle with missing it as it was an enjoyable drink for me!

    I do think I have more energy, and less anxiety problems, but I have changed a lot of other things in my life in the last 3 months that might be affecting that as well.

    I hope to re-introduce coffee as a "sometimes" drink once I have finished my elimination diet (for other health reasons).

    Good Luck!



    I have completely given it up as well, its been about 4/5 months since I have had coffee. At first I did it because I just wanted to see if I could have natural energy and not rely on coffee to give me that pick me up. Another reason why I wanted to give it up was because most of sugar intake came from the amount I dumped in my coffee every morning. (I know I could have used Splenda, I do that with my tea now) I quit cold turkey and after the first couple of weeks I didnt crave it anymore and I enjoyed that. I think tea is a better, more milder stimulant and has other health benefits that you cannot find with coffee. I enjoy drinking tea now and you don't get the crashie feeling after the caffeine wears off. If you want to wein yourself off another option is to drink decaf coffee, that way you have the taste of coffee without the caffeine.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
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    Give up coffee??!?!?? NOOOOO!!!!! :sad:
  • lauraleepacheco
    lauraleepacheco Posts: 7 Member
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    I havent had a coffee since Aug 9 - im am not tired and i have more energy due to eating healthier. I try to excerise everyday - even if it's walking my dog but i make sure its 1 hour.. don't miss the coffee but i used to drink it with Bailey's ( Irish cream ) NOW I DO MISS THAT LOL
  • xLexa
    xLexa Posts: 482 Member
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    I have given it up cold turkey a few times and I had the migraines also and nothing would clear them. I then bought decaf and interchanged them throughout the day until i was drinking more of the decaf and less of the whole coffee, and then all decaf, it was easier to give up drinking the decaf cold turkey than the other. I am back on the real stuff again now though lol, I enjoy it really but do try to limit it to 1 or 2 a day. Some days that works... others well... yep! lol

    Good luck :)
  • bchgrl8
    bchgrl8 Posts: 55 Member
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    OMG!!!! (GASPING).....can't switch to decaf??? I had to for medicinal reasons for a little while, but they just don't make enough variety in decaf so I went back to regular!!! Just gotta have the real thing sometimes!! :drinker:
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
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    Yup. I haven't had coffee for 2 years now. I used to drink it sweet, black and in enormous quanities. I cut down until I was only having it once a week, then quit it entirely. I still miss it sometimes and of all the things I've quit it's the one thing I'm considering allowing myself again occasionally. My only coffee intake now is occasional coffee ice cream or a coffee chocolate from Hotel Chocolat.
  • davidsgirl145
    davidsgirl145 Posts: 162 Member
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    I :heart: coffee


    sorry, i know that didn't help you at all!
  • mjgregg12
    mjgregg12 Posts: 36
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    I gave up caffeine 3 years ago. You won't miss the caffeine and in fact, you will be more awake without the chemicals. Plus, caffeine is a diuretic and leads to dehydration.

    Decaf coffee has a trace of caffeine, so I only have a cup every few days to get the taste. I drink decaf green and black tea, because, as a previous poster wrote, to have something hot to drink in the AM.

    Good luck!
  • Rdahl2
    Rdahl2 Posts: 90
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    My dad drinks coffee all day long, literally. So my coffee addiction started at a young age as he would make me "coffee" as a child, really it was milk with a dash of coffee just to make me feel special. SO that being said, i HAD been drinking coffee most of all my life. I have now kicked my addiction by new found love "Green Smoothies" have you heard of them? I drink one every morning it is basically 2 handfuls of spinach and any fruit combo you want, blended together for a delicious and nutritious smoothie. I know this sounds crazy! But i PROMISE you since starting on these green smoothies i have gained SO MUCH energy. I do need coffee at all. The past two mornings i woke up too late to make my smoothies and drank coffee once at work and i promise you, i felt terrible, so terrible that i went home today at lunch and made myself a green smoothie. I was literally yawning at my desk while drinking my coffee. I never thought i would say this, but i have kicked my addiction to coffee and never felt more energized! Hope this helps!


    I LOVE Green Smoothies! They are awesome. You cant even taste the spinach either. Ive never been a big coffee drinker thank goodness.

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