I'm thinking of giving up coffee. Thoughts?

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Brandzilla
Brandzilla Posts: 51 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I pile on the cream and sugar. I've tried cutting down on the cream and sugar but dammit I love it! I've cut down to one cup a day. For the past 4 days other than my one cup of coffee I've only had water and I've been eating cleaner. I had headaches (withdrawals? Sugar addiction?) for the first 3 days. I'm thinking of giving up coffee. Anyone done this? Thoughts on this? Am I crazy? I feel crazy for even thinking of giving up my love coffee.
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Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Coffee that isn't black =/= coffee. Learn to like it black, and you'll be set.
  • Jalian91
    Jalian91 Posts: 4
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    Use stevia liquid natural and some soy,almond ,or even coconut milk.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    peachyfuzzle wrote: »
    Coffee that isn't black =/= coffee. Learn to like it black, and you'll be set.

    This, its so nice when you can really appreciate the taste of all the different coffees out there without having to cover up the taste with stuff you dont need
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
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    Been getting terrible tummy aches with the soy, coconut and almond milk!
    It's the stabilisers I think...

    Anyway, gave up caffeine on Boxing Day and have been energetic, less anxious and no more hyperventilating.

    It also helps me track my heart rate zones more realistically. All in all a win.

    Now to learn to like my roobois and decaff coffee black, or try the expensive pure almond milk..
  • GoPerfectHealth
    GoPerfectHealth Posts: 254 Member
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    I love my coffee, but you could try it and see if it makes life easier for you. I can't imagine giving up coffee, but I drink it black and appreciate the health benefits.
  • Terpnista84
    Terpnista84 Posts: 517 Member
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    I'm not addicted but I have my moments where I crave a cup. Also it can be filling in between meals. Iced coffee is a bigger vice especially when the weather gets nice.
  • rpedelmira
    rpedelmira Posts: 6 Member
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    My personal opinion is that you lose the taste of the coffee when you load it with sugar and cream. Coffee isn't coffee unless it's black.
  • bainsworth1a
    bainsworth1a Posts: 313 Member
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    If you don;t want to give up your coffee with cream and sugar you don't have to but make sure you count the calories. I think when you see how many calories you are having you may want to keep it at just that one cup a day.

    I have never been able to drink black coffee I just can't stand it. I have to have cream in it but I did not use sugar and I really enjoy flavored cream. I cut way back on how much coffee I was drinking when I had to write down 90 calories just for the flavored cream.

    I recently gave up coffee entirely because of the caffeine. I have to be careful because caffeine affects my anxiety.

    I switched to flavored teas with no sugar and drink more water now than i was drinking. I was hard at first but now I feel much better without it.
    If I do have the occasional cup i still have to count that 90 calorie cream.

    Good luck to you
  • mrsgoodwine
    mrsgoodwine Posts: 468 Member
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    I drink my coffee black and prefer it that way but I know it's not for everyone. I don't think I will ever give up coffee.
  • jamesssmedley2
    jamesssmedley2 Posts: 1
    edited March 2015
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    I wouldn't give it up, I used to have milk and two sugars with mine, however adjusted to just having it black, no sugar. Give it a couple of months and you'll soon enjoy it. I can't stand having sugar or milk in coffee or tea anymore so it will be a good adjustment for you and your general diet.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
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    My coffee is a big part of my lifestyle. My protein shake even has espresso in it. As long as your coffee (no matter how you take it) fits into your calories...drink up!
  • Arduinna4
    Arduinna4 Posts: 129 Member
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    I used to add 1,5 spoon of sugar in my coffee(twice a day) but i started to drink it black and only the first week was difficult. Now i like it more this way! I thought of giving it up too but i'm not convinced that it is bad for me.
  • Espresso345
    Espresso345 Posts: 42 Member
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    Eh, I have ONE cup of coffee a day, and I use a good 1/4 cup of whipping cream plus 2 packets of Splenda. Coffee has a lot of good qualities and it's my ONE treat for the day. I just have to adjust the rest of my diet accordingly. As far as "naughty" food items go, it's really not that bad. Try it with the Splenda packets - they really are pretty good, and they dissolve a lot better than sugar does.
  • freechewy
    freechewy Posts: 111 Member
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    I won't give up coffee, ever, I love the taste and smell of it too much and I am particular of the types I drink. I don't use sugar though. Might I suggest Stevia? I use it in the occasional cappuccino that I have and I can't tell the difference. Also, I at times will use a half teaspoon of raw sugar. I find I use less of that than the refined type. ;)
  • freechewy
    freechewy Posts: 111 Member
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    simplydelish2 wrote: »
    My coffee is a big part of my lifestyle. My protein shake even has espresso in it. As long as your coffee (no matter how you take it) fits into your calories...drink up!

    hahaha! my kind of person! :smiley:
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Coffee has minimal calories. Drink all you want. Maybe give up the sugar and keep the milk. The milk adds protein to your day.
  • PaulaKro
    PaulaKro Posts: 5,698 Member
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    I used to drink coffee at work and withdraw (headaches, drag) every weekend. Then I had to give it up entirely for a heart arrhythmia and now don't miss it at all - and I sleep more soundly too.

    Sounds like you have to decide what you would be gaining vs. what you would be giving up and what aspects of coffee-drinking you want to keep (if any).

    (1) Do you just like coffee? If so if you drink it black, you will not have the calories. But it sounds like you have other issues...

    (2) Is coffee just a vehicle for cream and sugar and you're cutting calories? If so, you could switch to low-calorie options (stevia). Or you could go cold turkey to kick the habit.

    (3) Do you love the coffee ritual? You could substitute tea or other coffee substitutes in the morning. (I use Roma.)

    (4) Do you want the buzz? Or is it more important to avoid effects like withdrawal headaches, anxiety, poor sleeping, heart rate variation, etc.? (I miss the "edge" it gave me.)

    (5) Do you want to eat clean? (I'm really glad my heart forced me to give it up, because that was one result.)

    BTW, watch out for "decaffeinated" products. They are NOT caffeine-free. (They still trigger arrhythmia in me.)

    Whatever you choose, good luck.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I give up coffee (which I drink black) for a period of time from time to time, because it's addictive and I have a bad habit of getting to a point where I drink it all day and then end up sleeping less. Giving it up if you are used to drinking more than a minimal amount can be hard (and give headaches). I'm doing it now and just got over the hump. I wouldn't recommend doing it when trying to get used to a weight loss eating plan, since it doesn't really help and seems like a good way to make things more difficult.

    I would try to cut down on the amount of calories you add to it. I never liked sugar in it, but I used to drink it with lots of skim milk (back in college--I converted to black just because that was pre latte days and I thought it was more adult, and now I like it better black), and I'd be perfectly happy to drink it with added milk now (wouldn't even have to be skim), as you don't get too many calories and get some good protein. Even just a teaspoon of sugar isn't many calories, though.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Meh. Make it fit. I have a cup a day with two table spoons of half and half and 2 packets of sugar. If I want more later in the day and the cream and sugar is cutting into my quest bar snack or something, I learned to like it black maybe with some cinnamon, or just a little whole milk instead.
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
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    I don't drink coffee now, and to be honest, I'm really happy about that. The idea of being basically punished with pain if I don't have a 'food' often enough seems like it may be saying something about how good that food actually is for me, you know?

    I also don't have to spend any money on coffee, and I don't have to even think about where or when to get my next coffee 'fix,' none of that, you know?

    You also eventually start to make you feel more awake after a few weeks of being off of coffee (an interesting article on how coffee works, actually - http://www.enkicharity.com/coffee-makes-me-sleepy.html )

    And for me, one of the big benefits is also that the few times when I really DO need to wake up with caffeine, it seems much more effective than when I was taking caffeine regularly.

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