Gave up Coffee

Without coffee, I'd lose my job lol. I use regular milk and artificial sweetener. None of those "coffee drinks" that are like a milkshake with tons of calories. l am hypothyroid and along with my RX I do tend to self medicate with caffeine. In some situations I have to take caffeine pills. I've basically just accepted it as any attempts to cut back result in extra fatigue and being generally useless lol.

I've been drinking coffee since I was 12 and couldn't imagine ever giving it up.

When I was in my 20's, I drank way too much coffee, to the point where I would get really tired and have awful headaches if I didn't have my 8-10 daily cups. I went cold turkey when I had a week's vacation and slept 18 hours a day for the first few days, then started getting my energy back. It took 2 weeks before I no longer felt the effects.

Now, I have 2 cups in the morning with a splash of half and half (I used to use fancy flavored creamers but stopped when I started losing weight) and no more, unless it is decaf, the rest of the day. I also drink only caffeine free sodas.

I like coffee, but I don't like the physical dependency I used to have.

Well I'm the opposite of pretty well everyone here! I used to drink black coffee, several cups a day, enjoyed fancy coffees too, I really think I over drank it if that's even possible....but I loved it. One day I just felt like I had had enough coffee. I felt a little toxic. So I quit. I've not had a drop since! That was about 18 years ago!!! It was a little weird at first, and I got brutal headaches for 2-3 days but after that I felt so much better. I switched to drinking hot water-perfectly boiled hot water and will never go back to coffee, I still like the smell of fresh brewed coffee but don't miss the dependency or the toxicity.

queenliz99 wrote: »

I drink my coffee with low calorie creamer and splenda because life without coffee is very sad

queenliz99 wrote: »

I drink my coffee with low calorie creamer and splenda because life without coffee is very sad

I love coffee too! I used to drink it with half and half but due to my diet changes and goals I know drink it with fat free half and half or almond milk. Big change in taste but you got to do what you got to do !

When I started working out/counting calories, I gave up coffee until today. Today I drunk coffee with low-calorie skim milk, no sugar. I feel like I had alot of energy haha

Now that the research indicates that coffee drinkers live longer, I have no qualms about continuing drinking fresh ground and brewed coffee every morning with modest amounts of powdered creamer and Splenda. I've been at my goal weight for 3 years. In fact, I think coffee curbs my appetite. And it's so delicious.

Once upon a time, when the earth was young ...

I drank roughly 15 cups of coffee a day. Black, of course, I've never had my coffee with stuff in it.

Unfortunately, I started to develop rather severe migraines and other unpleasant symptoms, and the suggestion was made the perhaps I might consider cutting back on the coffee.

So I quit cold turkey. That first week I was miserable! But by the third week I felt all right. Then I resumed drinking coffee but since then I've never had more than about 5 cups a day, and quite often only 2 or 3.

I have no desire to quite drinking coffee again.

AnvilHead wrote: »

mamainthekitchen wrote: »

Well I'm the opposite of pretty well everyone here! I used to drink black coffee, several cups a day, enjoyed fancy coffees too, I really think I over drank it if that's even possible....but I loved it. One day I just felt like I had had enough coffee. I felt a little toxic. So I quit. I've not had a drop since! That was about 18 years ago!!! It was a little weird at first, and I got brutal headaches for 2-3 days but after that I felt so much better. I switched to drinking hot water-perfectly boiled hot water and will never go back to coffee, I still like the smell of fresh brewed coffee but don't miss the dependency or the toxicity.

What "toxins" are in coffee?

Dunkin donuts coffee has toxins as far as I know.

Just one. With cream. EVERYDAY. Need to jump start the brain!

I will never give up coffee. I have probably 3 to 4 a day, and what we call a large skinny flat white, extra hot: espresso shot, a little water, and half the cup filled with hot skim milk. No sugar. I make most of them at home or at work, and probably only buy one coffee a week away from home.

I did quit coffee once before a trip to Thailand, because I thought they would have crappy coffee and I didn't want to go through caffeine withdrawals there. Lo and behold, I didn't go through caffeine withdrawal at all; no headaches, no nothing. So I can't see why I can't drink coffee for ever.

Giving up coffee is one of the most important steps I be made to help feel more balanced and reduce cravings.

And I was a TOTAL CAFFEINE ADDICT. At least a cup or two or eight (in the worst times) Even taking caffeine pills sometimes.

Caffeine raises your cortisol levels and increases anxiety. For me a lot of overeating is caused by feeling anxious or nervous and trying to calm it with a food high or a sugar coma (though unconsciously). Feeling more balanced makes me have less nervous periods and I don't have big spikes and drops in blood sugar like before.

You will also sleep better - even after 2 weeks off the stuff I start to feel super energized in the morning. Waking up at 6am to no alarm when my norm is barely getting up at 8 with an alarm set!!No sluggishness in the morning that might also effect diet.

I can't recommend this tip enough! I thought coffee was making me work faster but it really just makes me anxious and harder to focus on one thing, feeling overwhelmed and overeating.

Wean yourself off. I tried starting with half caff half decaf and worked my way down. Maybe you'll need to do 75%+25% and after a week take it down a notch. Don't quit overnight you'll get headaches and crave too much. When you wean down you really realize the effects it has as a drug and it might not be as helpful a drug as you thought it was.

Cheers good luck!

I drink coffee black. As my soul.
And even though there are days and weeks when I just don't want it and need, there are days and weeks when I engulf up to 1-2 liters of amazingly strong black coffee

paperpudding wrote: »

If coffee is making YOU anxious, sluggish, stopping you sleeping, then fine, give it up.

It does none of those things to me so have no intention of changing.

I agree. It was affecting me adversely so I gave it up, then reintroduced a limited amount. I would never tell anyone that they had to give it up, but I might encourage someone who has the same symptoms I had to cut down a bit or switch to decaf. Life is too short to get all up in arms about someone else's coffee (although I agree that Charbucks is the most likely to have toxinzz. That stuff is way over roasted)