Caffeine

I love coffee. I love the smell. I love the taste. I don't get a jolt or kick from it but it keeps me going on deadline. I have no idea how people drink it with sugar and cream, or why they would want to. I started drinking it black when I was working in the gravel pits when I was in college and there is now way I will change. I have even tried it with sugar but it does nothing for me.

Diet coke is vial. I have no idea how people drink the crap. I have managed to cut way back on my pop consumption over the years, and someone mentioned it before, but bypassing it all together in the grocery isle goes a long way to not drinking it. You don't even think about it. Out of site, out of mind. Every once in a while I do like the carbonated sensation of a pop and I'll drink a Sprite Zero. Also gross, but I try to justify it by telling myself that it is better for me than a regular sprite.

I used to drink the energy drinks, but got to the point where one did nothing for me so I would drink a second and I could feel my heart beat -- felt like the old ticker wanted to jump out of my chest. Decided it was not a good idea to continue to drink them. I had one about two months ago -- my first in probably two or three years -- to help me get through an early morning first aid class and I felt like a bag of shit the rest of the day.

My big question is where do the 5 hour energy shots sit on the whole are they good for you or not scale? They don't seem to screw with me like the energy drinks, but I'm not sure they are any better than a cup of coffee.

 

I don't disagree with you, but not everyone sweetens their coffee.

It's become trendy to judge everyone with a Starbucks cup as a yuppie pig packing on 1,200 calories with a caramel-mocha-coconut-whip-icchino. And sometimes that's true.

But my skim latte with no syrups/sweeteners doesn't need a nutrition lecture from the wannabe dietitian in my office.

 

I cut caffeine out completely two years ago and apart from about a total of maybe three weeks (The two I was on my honeymoon and last week. not counting the occasional Red Bull), I haven't touched the stuff.

The first week was the absolute worst. I went from drinking a two-liter bottle of Pepsi every day for (no word of a lie) 12 years and quit cold turkey.

Not a good idea.

I woke up every two hours, nonstop, for the first three days of serious quitting. Then it turned into every five hours. Eventually, I didn't even notice it.

After about two weeks, I lost the craving for it and, within a month, had dropped about 12 pounds. (Granted, I was working out as well).

Since then I've found it's really easy to keep out of my diet. The only problem I have is with Red Bull. I love that little bastard and, with my job, sometimes you've got to work a 17-hour day and there's no good way to stay up without one.

Best part of cutting out soda/caffeine? Ordering water in a restaurant saves you a ton of money every time.

 

A buddy of mine here at work swears by the Five Hour Energy drinks. I've tried it maybe two, three times. Seemed to work pretty well. But since Red Bull does the trick for me, you get more for your money with Red Bull.

 

I had a sip of (warm) Zima when I was drunk in a bar about 15 years ago. It was disgusting. That's what I imagine Red Bull tastes like.

 

While my addictions are all legal (nicotine/caffeine), I'm not ready to stop any of them yet.

But I did stop one time before and kick myself for not staying stopped.

When I went on my honeymoon, I didn't think ahead and left my nicotine at home. Refused to buy them at the airport after I saw the price, thought "I'll get them on the island."

Got to the island and saw the price and said, "To hell with this."

However, the honeymoon was all-inclusive, so long as inclusive meant all the liquor you could drink. Between red wine, beer and brown liquor, we kept a pretty good buzz for seven days. Only got what I'd consider drunk (and boy was I drunk) once.

I'm one of the odd ones that doesn't mix alcohol and nicotine.

Staying buzzed, and staying busy for seven days, I rarely craved it. And actually went a few days after we got back before I even thought about it.

I've tried to stop since I got back, to no avail. So, if you're looking for any somewhat easy way, find an island somewhere and kick back. It ain't cheap, but it's a helluva fun option.

 

Are all the Swedes caffeine fiends?
I recently read the Stieg Larrson 'Millenium' trilogy, and everybody in Sweden seems to drink about three pots of coffee a day.
The Swedes live on coffee and sandwiches, according to the late Mr. Larrson.
I like coffee, and I like sandwiches, but there's got to be a limit.

 

I gave up caffeine with no cravings and lost a lot of weight.

Then, the meth began to rot my teeth.

 

The thought of putting sugar in my coffee turns my stomach.

Black coffee.

Never did get into the fufu coffee drinks. (Except I will get a Moolatte at DQ once in a great while during the summer or the Caribou Coffee equivalent - maybe four times a year total, if that.)

 

For real? Splenda is, what, a hundred times sweeter than sugar? I stopped putting Splenda in my coffee because I felt bad for throwing away 80% of what comes in the little packet.

I only drink decaf, but decaf is of course not actually decaf, but actually coffee at 10-20 percent strength (8-14 mg/cup) per Consumer Reports. I like very small amounts of caffeine, but I can't have more than one or two regular coffees or caffeinated diet sodas in a day without a headache.

 

I love my Keurig machine as part of my new coffee affection.

 

My buddy got one for Christmas. Now I want one.

I would rather drink coffee than a coke in the morning but p don't like brewing a whole pot.