Caffeine

[Dick Whitman]

Well, one of my New Year's resolutions is to give up caffeine. I mostly consume it in the form of 6-10 Diet Cokes a day (at least), or the equivalent thereof.

Down to three a day right now, and hoping to cut back to two today. I was surprised to learn that Diet Coke - or any carbonated beverage - can make you look bloated and therefore fatter than you really are. Plus, all those chemicals. Plus, all that money. Plus the cans cause clutter. Plus, I hate being dependent on anything whatsoever.

I've cut back before, even to the point of completely quitting a few years ago before falling back off the wagon. But this is the year. This might even be the week, if I can be disciplined and also take some Advils every few hours to ward off withdrawal.

Anyone ever given up caffeine and/or soda?

 

[YankeeFan]

I'm with you on hating to be dependent on anything.

I used to drink coffee only on rare occasions -- like at Sunday brunch and not for the caffeine kick. I used to mock folks who needed a cup of coffee to get their day started.

But now, I drink it daily and do find myself sluggish if I don't. I could see it being hard to give up.

 

[Bristol Whipped]

I was surprised to learn that Diet Coke - or any carbonated beverage - can make you look bloated and therefore fatter than you really are.

Don't worry, I'm not really this fat. I just had a soda, so it's an optical illusion. [/my visit to the doctor]

 

[imjustagirl]

It's not that soda makes you look bloated. It's that you retain all that nastiness, and the sugar turns straight to fat. I quit soda (I was drinking 8-10 Pepsis a day) and lost 30 pounds without changing ANYTHING ELSE about my routine. I still ate fast food, still didn't exercise, and lost 30 pounds.

Soda is no joke. Good luck, Mr. Whitman!

 

[Rosie]

They can take my coffee cup when they pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

That being said, best of luck to you, ****, in your quest to give up diet pop and caffeine.

 

[The Big Ragu]

It's not that soda makes you look bloated. It's that you retain all that nastiness, and the sugar turns straight to fat. I quit soda (I was drinking 8-10 Pepsis a day) and lost 30 pounds without changing ANYTHING ELSE about my routine. I still ate fast food, still didn't exercise, and lost 30 pounds.

Soda is no joke. Good luck, Mr. Whitman!

He was talking about diet soda. No sugar. No calories.

But its been proven that they raise blood insulin levels by tricking some metabolic mechanisms into thinking you've delivered glucose, or sugar, to your body. The increase in blood insulin, in turn, makes people's body crave more glucose, which in turn pretty much ensures that they eat more to feed their systems the glucose they are craving.

It's why so many studies of diet soda drinkers have shown that something like 65 or 75 percent of them put on weight and are disproportionately obese.

Plus, it violates the "eat food" mantra (the stuff people ate for millions of years). Diet soda is a bad example of an edible-like substance. It isn't food. And those edible-like substances the "food science" industry has given us are a major reason why people have gotten fatter recently and face the health-related problems that come with that.

 

[sostartled]

I drink sugar-free Red Bulls for my pick-me-up. Usually with lunch to get through the afternoon. Everyone I know hates the taste but I love the damn things.

 

[SF_Express]

I drink sugar-free Red Bulls for my pick-me-up. Usually with lunch to get through the afternoon. Everyone I know hates the taste but I love the damn things.

I drink a couple a week and actually like Red Bull fine.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

I've had some bad acid reflux problems lately so I'm trying to give it up. I didn't have any yesterday. I have a headache, but I'm sure I'll get used to doing without eventually.
In the meantime, it seems like food is getting stuck in my throat/chest. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I've had some bad acid reflux problems lately so I'm trying to give it up. I didn't have any yesterday. I have a headache, but I'm sure I'll get used to doing without eventually.
In the meantime, it seems like food is getting stuck in my throat/chest. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow.

Sounds like it could actually be a gall bladder issue. Might want to get that checked out, to rule it out if nothing else.

 

[holy bull]

Got addicted to coffee a few years ago, and I've given up soda several times, and it wasn't that hard (I actually like tap water). A New Year's resolution is to drink soda only when I'm hungover. Another one is to not be hungover as much.

"Pop", Rosie? I love it. Where I grew up, everyone says pop; I live a mere three hours from there, and everyone here says soda.

 

[KJIM]

I'm trying to cut out Cokes. I'm too realistic to think I can do it completely, but I'm trying to keep it to one a week. I had made my way up to one a day and gained a lot of weight back.

I drink a lot of tea, but it's decaf and I'm not so sure it's doing the trick.

My mom drinks 2-4 diet Cokes a day and eats the salt and vinegar chips like a refugee. She has horrid acid reflux and breath worse than my dog's. She refuses to acknowledge there might be a connection.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I did a ton of reading on this last year when I was thinking of giving up caffeine. The conclusion, from very learned scientific studies, is that caffeine does no harm and is probably quite helpful to the body. This is caffeine in its naturally occurring form -- coffee and tea, not the soda crap.

I was surprised by how popular this subject is at health conferences and such, but the evidence is pretty clear that caffeine as people have consumed it for ages is just fine. That was good news, because I would have to sleep till noon without it.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I did a ton of reading on this last year when I was thinking of giving up caffeine. The conclusion, from very learned scientific studies, is that caffeine does no harm and is probably quite helpful to the body. This is caffeine in its naturally occurring form -- coffee and tea, not the soda crap.

I was surprised by how popular this subject is at health conferences and such, but the evidence is pretty clear that caffeine as people have consumed it for ages is just fine. That was good news, because I would have to sleep till noon without it.

First of all, I am very proud of you for citing scientific studies

Second of all, and more seriously, I came across some of the same information. But it is notable that my caffeine intake is limited to Diet Coke.

My main reasons for wanting to cut it out, honestly, are cost, clutter (my wife absolutely hates having the cans cluttering the counters and the refrigerator), and the inconvenience of dependence. It is just such a pain in the ass knowing every day that if I don't refuel after a certain amount of hours, that I might get a headache. I've honestly had to plan my days around making sure I could get to a Diet Coke at some point.

 

[Lugnuts]

Maybe the title of this thread should be "Diet Coke" then?

 

[YankeeFan]

For reasons like those Ragu cited, my girlfriend is on a no "fake sugar" kick.

For those of you looking to get rid of the processed drinks, but still wanting your caffeine, I'd suggest tea.

A cup of Lipton tea has nothing artificial, no calories, and 55mg of caffeine:

http://www.liptont.com/our_products/black_tea/blk_cup_size.aspx

That's actually a little more caffeine than a diet Coke:

http://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/products/diet-coke#ingredients

And, most people who dislike coffee will not object to tea. Since nearly every office break room has a coffee machine with a spout and/or a water cooler that also provides hot water, it's easy to make at work. You can nurse one cup (adding hot water if you need to) or pound them one after the other.

A simple double espresso will also do the trick. It's only 10 calories and packs 150mg of caffeine -- or about three times that of a can of diet Coke or a cup of tea.

http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/espresso-shot#size=21

But drinking it straight can be an acquired taste. Cost and convenience are also an issue.

 

[YankeeFan]

Maybe the title of this thread should be "Diet Coke" then?

Yeah, but the pain in the ass reasons are enough to make quitting Diet Coke easy.

It's the caffeine that's going to make it tough.

Once you're used to it, it's not unusual to be tired and develop headaches without it.

 

[playthrough]

A former sports editor of mine had a cup of tea every afternoon. That just bugged me from an old-school-editor image standpoint. If he had paired it with a smoke, that would have been fine.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Maybe the title of this thread should be "Diet Coke" then?

No, because the withdrawal is what makes it difficult. And that's universal across caffeine sources.

 

[AD]

caffeine dries you out. and anyone who's had a kidney stone will tell you that dehydration is a big cause of one of the meanest things to come down the pike -- literally -- in anyone's lifetime. so along with that coke or coffee, make sure to drink water daily until your pee runs clear. even if you don't think you're thirsty.

you'll be glad you did. promise.