Cutting Out Caffeine

I've never drank coffee regularly.

And I had my Diet Coke habit kicked about eight months ago with the help of flavored water. But it got away from me. I'm back drinking 4-5 cans daily.

 

hey, at least my doc's advice worked.

 

Definitely what F_T said. I've worked at Starbucks for more than two years and, at one point, had weened myself off of caffeine completely (just little by little working it down - and check out the nutrition facts. Americanos have less caffeine than the same size of coffee, so you could do it that way, too). I eventually had a week where I needed the boost to stay awake and I just haven't made the effort to ween back off since (and now I'm back to 3 espresso shots a day, which is a lot for me. ugh.)

 

I did it.

A few months ago, I cut back to four cans of Diet Coke a day, then three, then two, then one, then an 8-ounce baby Diet Coke, then, finally, to nothing.

Even cutting from just eight ounces to zero, I still felt sluggish with those famous caffeine-withdrawal headaches.

Since then, I've fallen off the wagon maybe two or three times, downing a single Diet Coke or energy drink in order to stave off a hangover or deal with a short night of sleep.

I did it to save money. And time - I was sick of having to go out and desperately seek a 12-pack for the refridgerator, or popping money into the vending machine all day long, or feeling compelled with grabbing a 20-ouncer for the road (I have a relatively long commute).

 

I totally agree with that. If I got a day without caffeine, I get cranky and headaches.

When I used to work nights, I'd drink a pot of coffee when I got up in the morning, then about 4-5 cups at work that night. That was probably a little too much.

Now I'm down to 2-3 cups a day, plus we drink tea at home. But I'll never give up caffeine. I'm addicted I freely admit.

 

It's interesting hearing all the stories about headaches from lack of caffeine. I quit cold turkey two months ago and have yet to experience headaches or any other kind of withdrawal symptoms. Curious, considering caffeine was my closest companion and bestest buddy for more than a decade. Heck, for the last couple years, I probably put down at least a liter of Diet Whatever'sonsale a day.

It can be done, Pete. If going cold turkey is too much, then scale back your intake. Staying out of convenience stores, fast food joints and other places normally associated with pop drinking was a great help to me. When BYH comes back, he might have some helpful hints, too.

What, if anything, are you drinking in place of the coffee? Fruit juice and Crystal Light did the trick for me ... plenty of hydration and no side effects.

 

He's holistic, Jerry. Holistic.

First visit? Thirty-eight bucks.

 

I'm in the same boat as Cadet...it's my one vice (well, okay, maybe I have some sugar in the house too).

I'm a 4-6 a day can drinker of Diet Pepsi. And proud of it.

Just thinking about doing without gives me a migraine.

 

Damn. No I need a Red Bull. Sugar Free of course.

 

Don't go cold turkey.

If you drink coffee every morning, switch to a soda instead. If you drink several sodas a day, cut that number by half. Then, after a week or so, go to nothing.

You'll probably still have bad headaches for about a week, but trust me, it won't be as bad.

 

Maybe it's because I was never a coffee drinker, but I've had no problem giving up Coke for Lent each of the past couple years. Then again, maybe it's because it's just for six weeks.

 

Man, am I glad I never started drinking coffee. I used to drink 2 or 3 cans of Coke a day, but then 18 months ago I dropped it cold turkey and haven't missed it one bit. I know it's a different beast than coffee because I wasn't drinking Coke first thing in the morning to wake up, but I found it helped me to drink a lot of water. While I never really felt hydrated after having a Coke, after drinking water I did feel better and didn't get headaches which I chalked up to being better hydrated.