How to stop being a caffeine addict?

cosmochemistry
cosmochemistry Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys, this is my first time posting here on the community so a big welcome to everyone at first.

I have a question the best way to give up caffeine. I am a total addict, I drink maybe 2-3 bottles of coke a day in addition to a cup of coffee. The problem with this addiction is no only am I putting on lots of weight as a result of the soft drink but I generally buy snacks like chips or chocolates when I buy some in the convenience store or at the supper market.

If you could give me some advise on how to give up caffeine and strategies you used to quit. I would be very appreciative :)

Replies

  • kayl3igh88
    kayl3igh88 Posts: 428 Member
    Bump!! I'm an addict too :sad:
  • silkandsugar
    silkandsugar Posts: 125
    Well a COKE addiction is just horrible. That stuff is legit GARBAGE. Diet or not. I'm addicted to energy drinks and they are also garbage. It's terrible but I try to just stick to coffee. If you cut back slowly then you won't want it as bad anymore at some point.... or so they say lol.
  • staps065
    staps065 Posts: 837 Member
    I honestly just went cold turkey. The hardest part - finding caffeine free and low sugar / sugar-free drinks. I had a few days where I had a slight headache, but really, finding decaf coffee and drinks at a restaurant other than water is difficult. I also started limiting diet soft drinks and its difficult to get a caffeine free, diet drink at most eating establishments, so water it s and I;m saving on my lunches too! Beverage add anywhere from $1.50 - 3.00 to a meal!
  • stevieb3052
    stevieb3052 Posts: 58 Member
    I don't think caffeine is the reason for weight gain :wink:

    But seriously, try caffeine free, sugar free versions if they are available and resist the temptations by the check out.
  • divalivious
    divalivious Posts: 213 Member
    I had a horrible caffeine addiction with Coca Cola. I found I would go down slowly by kicking out one drink a week.
    So you drink 3 cokes and 3 coffees.... So for a week drop out one. Then next week drop out another drink. You might want to alternate between coffee and coke to ease your body through it.

    It does take awhile but I had no withdrawals and the minute I would get a symptom then my body wasnt ready to drop yet. I found I had a hard time with getting rid of the last pop. So that one took me a good 3 weeks before I actually was rid of it.

    Now I avoid coca cola at all cost for I dont want to have the hint of getting back on it again for I have had to kick that habit twice. Its been a good 4 years since I did it. I will have the occasional ice coffee but its more like a rare occasion and my body freaks out with the caffeine and I am jazzed for hours like a kid on a sugar rush. :)

    Good luck!
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Cutting the soda will help with the weight loss but you don't NEED to quit caffeine (you could drink coffee with some milk or just black for a lighter calorie option)

    But if you really want to give it up my advice is-

    I would ween off it slowly
    If you are having 5 cups a day, cut back to 4 for a while, then 3, then 2.. etc
    Switch to tea/green tea
    If you are anything like me, decaffeinated tea will help with that feeling of wanting to "sip on something"
  • Toddrific
    Toddrific Posts: 1,114 Member
    Your compulsion can be solved a few ways...(not really an addiction)

    Replacement, find a substitute. I switched to Gatorade G2 for awhile. Now I'm down to Crystal Light.

    Cold turkey, your withdrawal will last about 3 days.

    Halfsies. Drink half of what you used to for a few days, then half of that for a few days. Then stop.
  • btm03
    btm03 Posts: 38 Member
    My suggestion is to just stop drinking it all together. It may have been easier for me because caffeine causes me horrid migraines and I knew it effected me that way, but didn't decide until this January (at 31 years old) to just stop drinking the crap. Why should I continue to suffer for something that isn't even good for me to begin with?!? Just replace all your typical drinks with water...you won't believe how much better you'll feel after the few days of withdrawal. I know, easier said than done, but good luck to you and all other caffeine addicts!
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
    Why stop?
    Caffiene rocks.
    LOL :)
    Seriously, though... I don't think it's the caffiene making you buy crap at the gas station. Keep a cooler in the car with the drinks you want during the day.
    Gas stations prey on the weak (will-power wise, I mean). Just don't go in.
    Walk away.
    Hee.
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 913 Member
    good morning!

    I recently quite caffeine - but I staggered it so I could lessen the associated headaches. Previously, I started each day with a cup of coffee and then had 1-2 diet cokes throughout the day and maybe even a treat from Starbucks in the afternoon. So, I quit diet coke cold turkey one day, and then a week later I cut the morning coffee.

    I won't lie - I had some massive headaches, but I just had to work through it. I feel 800 trillion times better now!! I don't plan to ever drink diet cokes again, but I will likely add in coffee every once in awhile as a Sunday morning treat or something like that.

    My motivation is what made it easier for me to do - I have alot of issues with my teeth, and so much acidity was definitely not helping. I also plan to start a family soon and won't have caffeine while pregnant, so I decided to start now!

    Best of luck and add me if you need some support :)
  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
    It's all about will-power. Limiting yourself and weening yourself is the best start. As far as snacking... carry gum on you. When you feel an urge to chow or buy something, use gum to replace it.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    Eating a breakfast usually helps. I still like drinking coffee whether it has caffeine or not, because i really like the taste.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I've quit caffeine before. I never seem to stay off of it for good, but the best way to do it is to wean off slowly. If you drink 5 caffeinated beverages today, drink only 4 tomorrow. Or, you can mix decaf with the regular stuff and slowly get off of it that way. If you go cold turkey, you might get headaches and irritability.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I got scared into quitting soda pop cold turkey when I found out I had diabetes type II Dec. 2009. That was it for me. Haven't had any since then. I had headaches for about a couple weeks when I first stopped but it went away. I dropped alot of weight too my 1st week, 30 lbs! Granted it was mostly water weight plus I was nearly 500 lbs. I don't even miss it.
  • WhitneyT586
    WhitneyT586 Posts: 279 Member
    I gave it up for Lent 6 years ago so I pretty much went from drinking 2-3 sodas per day to none at all. To this day, I cannot drink anything caffeinated without my heart racing. Can't even take medicine with caffeine or ephedrine.

    Best advice is to just do it. Yes, you will probably experience some nasty headaches and maybe a drop in energy for the first week or so, but it gets so much better. I definitely sleep more soundly than I did before. Advil/Tylenol will help with the initial headaches. If you take a couple Advil/Tylenol BEFORE the headaches start and keep it up for the first few days it will help because you won't be in pain and try to fix it by drinking caffeine.

    Or, you could try to decrease your intake over time. For me, this would be more difficult because once you start, its hard to stop.

    Good luck! You can do it.

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