Tuesday, June 8, 2010

A Tale of a Reformed Coffee Addict...


If you’ve ever been addicted to coffee, “Please Raise your Hand now”. (Raising hand quietly). I will admit it, I’m a coffee addict, but for the past 2 weeks I haven’t had a drop. I used to every morning have around 2 cups of coffee & usually another one over the course of the day. But no more. Not one single ounce of coffee. I’m totally feeling the loss tho. I miss that jolt of awake-ness I felt after that first sip…the different creamers that tasted oh so yummy, my cute lil mug my bosses brought back from Vegas for me is sitting all lonely in the dishes dryer tray, & here’s the biggie: being able to stay awake all day. Oh the things we take for granted. Hehe. The caffeine withdrawal headaches have stopped so now I have the excessive yawning, but I’ve learned a few things that I’ve noticed in these dark times of going cold turkey on coffee that I thought I’d share.


1.)The whitening in your toothpaste will actually work. Your teeth will be noticeably whiter.
2.)The jitters you get from the withdrawal only last about 2-3 days. Your body starts to calm itself
3.)It’s easier to wake up in the morning because you don’t have the caffeine crash to recover from.
4.)It’s easier to fall asleep at night due to the lack of the energy.
5.)You might find yourself hungrier without the caffeine, however eating a snack between breakfast & lunch, then lunch & dinner will give you a lil kick.
6.)De-caffeinated Teas are actually delicious!!! I’m obsessed with this Orange Tangerine Zinger Tea.
7.)I think I’ve been sleeping better without. My dreams are messed up but they always are lol. I feel like I’ve actually slept.
8.)People with health issues such as fibroidic cystic disease, like me, should avoid caffeine. It has been known to cause & enlarge fibroids. I’m trying everything under the sun to prevent another outbreak.
9.)The jumpiness you get with drinking a lot of coffee stops after the first week. You’re a lot calmer.
10.)Lastly you will find yourself avoiding Dunkin Donuts like the plague.

I made the decision to give up coffee & caffeinated soda after this last surgery I had, but it is hard. To do a successful diet you have to commit to it. I will admit I had a Cherry Coke Zero last week but it wasn’t coffee. I’m trying to stick to it. I don’t know how people can give up alcohol or cigarettes or really stick to a diet. It’s a task, but someone’s gotta do it & write a blog post about it. I have also noticed that I feel a lil healthier. It might be psychological or I’ve feeling the lack of jumpiness, I don’t know but I think it was a good decision. I hope it was.

Have any of you ever given up coffee?? Were you successful? Or Are you still a Hardcore Coffee Addict!

24 comments:

Leeann @ Join the Gossip said...

I drink caffeine but not because I need a pump up, more because I like the taste. I don't notice that I need it when I don't drink it; however, I literally drink coffee, soda, and tea everyday so maybe I don't know I am addicted! I should try to stop for awhile and see what happens. I need to drink water lol!

p.s. added you to my blogroll =)

Sierra said...

I can't imagine how hard it would be stop drinking coffee, I am so proud of you for doing it! Those are great tips, if I ever start drinking coffee I'll refer back to this. ;)

Anonymous said...

I raise my hand - I'm a total coffee addict! I actually gave up caffeinated coffee for 6 months. However, I never stopped drinking it... I bought decaf instead :)

Diana Mieczan said...

I am putting my hand up!!!
I used to drink a lot of coffee before but for the last few months I drink only 2 cups a week...for pleasure! I love the taste but it didnt do me good so I drink green tea now:)
I know exacly how you feel sweetie and keep it up darling...You doing great!!!
Have a wonderful day my lovely:)

OneCraftyFox said...

Hey girlie! Thanks so much for the comment on my blog. I poked around a bit here yesterday and knew I had to come back for more :)

I was quietly raising my hand... my mom decided that it would be nice to have some mother/daughter time when I was 12... you know, quite chats over coffee... *clears throat*... again, when I was 12. LOL! So yeah, um it's been a while since I have gone without :)

I also have #8 and was completely unaware caffeine contributed to the issue. Thanks for sharing :)

Same Sweet Girl: Memoir of a Southern Belle said...

Good for you girl!!! That's awesome! I gave up caffeine completely (except for some occasional chocolate) years ago due to anxiety. It was very hard because I couldn't get sweet tea at restaurants, most fast food restaurants didn't sell the caffeine free versions of sodas and I had a small addiction to Diet Pepsi. I got over it and I don't even crave it anymore. I love coffee but not for the caffeine. I am addicted to the taste!! So decaf is fine with me! :)

Alexandra said...

I had to stop drinking coffee 2 months ago, b/c of panic and anxiety attacks.

I can't believe how everything went away, once the coffee did, too.

Unknown said...

oh nooooooo way! - i LOVE and NEED my coffee - and i drink it black too! - i drink an entire pot of coffee every morning - and if i ever go by a coffee shop, i'm sure to check in and pick myself up a cup ...

*kiss kiss*
Erika
~Tiptoe Butterfly~

Rich Life Revival said...

I gave up diet coke for lent, and then I never really picked it up again. I do feel better.... I have it maybe once a month now? The body can function with food, water, and sleep!

It's pretty amazing what the body can do without substances.

I'm glad you're feeling better and made the decision to do this - it could mean fewer surgeries in your future. Which may mean less care bears ;) but I think we can deal with that.

noone said...

I used to be huge on coffee but I gave up on it. I still love the smell though. And yes those whitening toothpaste and strips do work!! btw I gave you an award!

What Would a Nerd Wear said...

i love my morning cup of coffee, but i try to keep it to just one cup! i've quit at various times over the years, but i just keep comin' back to it....

Cafe Fashionista said...

You make so many good points; nevertheless, I truly cannot give up coffee. As in, I would die if I did. Maybe somewhere down the road I will try and succeed; but that day is definitely not today. I don't have the strength! :P

Bathwater said...

No I'm not giving up caffeine or the various other drugs I ingests to counteract the caffeine where would the fun in that be healthy sounds way too boring.

Deepali Kalia Interior Design Blog Filling Spaces said...

Coffee not so much but yes i drink indian tea twice a day is that considered addiction lol or just cleansing hahaha

Sheri, RN said...

No caffeine /shakes I've thought about giving it up but I usually only last a few hours before giving in. I admire your not giving into the temptation though. How did you do it?

C'est La Vie said...

i think coffee smells SOOOO good, but i do NOT like the taste, no thank you haha

same with energy drinks for some reason, i just don't like them. Except Bawls, have you had that? YUM

Heather Rose said...

It was totally a good decision! Caffeine is just a cheap legal stimulant. It's totally a drug, Mel. I know I sound crazy, but I hate caffeine. It makes my panic attacks/heart palpitations worse, and carbonation isn't good for us either. I drink it every now and again, but it's not good. I'm proud of you, and you're an inspiration. ^_^

Amanda said...

way to go, girl! I am off cokes (we call all carbonated sodas COKE down South, heehee) and I really have noticed a difference! I don't drink coffee too much, its more of a treat now and then, but I usually ask for decaf, it's just as yummy. I do treat myself to a coke if Im out to dinner SOMETIMES, but I really can tell a difference in how I feel.

drollgirl said...

girl, kudos to you. i am trying to quit. i really don't drink all that much, but i am SORELY MISSING MY AFTERNOON ICED TEA. but i am already sleeping better at night.

i have kicked it before, and the caffeine withdrawl headaches are AWFUL. i don't have those, so that is a relief. i think i can do this. i don't want fibroids and all the problems they bring, so i think kicking it is the smart thing to do. i am not trying to be preachy or anything...just trying to minimize all the health risks that are swirling about me. you know!

and tea w/o caffeine is pretty good. it will do! :)

Amanda said...

Oh, the joy of addictions (can you sense my sarcasm?). Go you for giving up the coffee!!

I do feel your pain when it comes to coffee because I LOVE coffee, mostly for the taste, and used to drink it alot, but I've never been a hardcore coffee drinker. I grew up Mormon, so that could be why, but the biggest reason I've never been addicted to caffeine is because it speeds me up so much it makes me sick. So there you have it.

Tea is definitely a good substitute and most teas are really good for you. I'm totally addicted to tea :)

Just keep at it and the longer you stay away from the caffeine, the easier it'll get until you start to wonder why you thought you needed it in the first place!

My Owl Barn said...

I'm popular amongst my friend as a coffee junkie. I have never tried giving it up completely, ever, because it's too important to me. But I tried reducing it and yes, it was hard.

Jennifer Fabulous said...

Congrats on giving up the joe! That's awesome. :) It's amazing how bad that stuff is for you. I'm glad I hate it because I could see myself becoming a serious addict.

Although I am still addicted to regular Coke...sigh.

Any tips on how to get over that? :)

koralee said...

Congratulations!!!! That is wonderful...I don't drink coffee..just tea in the morning. xoxoxo

Heather Taylor said...

I'm proud of you for making the choice to stop drinking coffee. I myself rarely drink coffee (I have issues will drinking hot beverages and would occasionally get something iced from Starbucks), but I do love soda. I never get shaky or wide-awake from drinking it though. My body is just completely at ease with a glass of Mountain Dew or two. However, I did have this nasty obsession with Red Bull in the Summer of '08. I drank so much of it my gums actually hurt, my legs and arms felt like they were rubbery, and when I'd walk home at night from work, I'd actually think I could run to the point of flying. I ran really, really fast on Red Bull highs. Had to nip that addiction in the bud.
No kidding about those teas! Try Good Earth, they're sooo good!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails