Caffeine

[JackReacher]

I used to drink Red Bull every morning. I've cut that out the last several months, but that's when I started chugging Diet Mountain Dew like crazy. Well, not that crazy, I guess. Two, maybe three, a day at work. Doing away with that. Trying to stick with water. I'm sure I'll fail, but it'll be amusing to see how long it lasts.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I used to drink Red Bull every morning. I've cut that out the last several months, but that's when I started chugging Diet Mountain Dew like crazy. Well, not that crazy, I guess. Two, maybe three, a day at work. Doing away with that. Trying to stick with water. I'm sure I'll fail, but it'll be amusing to see how long it lasts.

Try that crap that you mix with water?
I use the Lipton Tea2Go stuff.
I drink a LOT of iced tea a day ... No coffee or soda, but a lot of sweet (not southern sweet) lemon tea.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I bought those little Propel packs that you can pour in your water. A lot cheaper than paying $1.50 for a 20 ounce drink.

 

[JackReacher]

I've tried the stuff you mix with the water. Haven't found anything I really liked, so I'll stick to plain water. Until I decide to go back to Diet Mountain Dew and Red Bull.

 

[Dyno]

I'm also convinced some folks just drink coffee as a vehicle for three packets of sugar/sweetener.

I once watched a friend put *9* packets of Equal into a hazelnut flavored coffee. 9. I don't use any sweetener, so the thought of 9 packets of Equal made my teeth hurt.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I don't drink coffee much, but when I do, it's usually with 4-5 packs of Splenda.

 

[Cosmo]

I got one of those Keuric one-cup coffee dealios for Christmas. It's really helped me cut down on coffee, believe it or not. I used to brew an entire pot in the morning and suck it down by mid-afternoon, which I know was awful for me. Now, I'm on one, maybe two 9.5 oz cups a day, max. And the coffee tastes so much better that one cup usually satisfies my craving.

I only drink diet sodas when covering night games, and I've cut it back to one can a game.

 

[MrWrite]

I got one of those Keuric one-cup coffee dealios for Christmas. It's really helped me cut down on coffee, believe it or not. I used to brew an entire pot in the morning and suck it down by mid-afternoon, which I know was awful for me. Now, I'm on one, maybe two 9.5 oz cups a day, max. And the coffee tastes so much better that one cup usually satisfies my craving.

I only drink diet sodas when covering night games, and I've cut it back to one can a game.

Same here on the Keurig k-cup machine. I also used to make a pot and then feel like, "well, might as well drink it" and then felt crappy and jittery, etc. Now I just make one cup and then have to make the conscious decision to have a second. A lot of times I do, but at least I have to think about it first, so I'm not drinking four giant cups on autopilot.

 

[Beef03]

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 **** 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.

 

[Turtle Wexler]

I'm also convinced some folks just drink coffee as a vehicle for three packets of sugar/sweetener.

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.

 

[schiezainc]

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 ******* 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.

 

[JackReacher]

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.

 

[Dyno]

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.

 

[I'll never tell]

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.

 

[Buck]

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.

 

[Oggiedoggie]

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

Then, the meth began to rot my teeth.

 

[Rosie]

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.)

 

[SoCalScribe]

I don't drink coffee much, but when I do, it's usually with 4-5 packs of Splenda.

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.

 

[SF_Express]

I got one of those Keuric one-cup coffee dealios for Christmas. It's really helped me cut down on coffee, believe it or not. I used to brew an entire pot in the morning and suck it down by mid-afternoon, which I know was awful for me. Now, I'm on one, maybe two 9.5 oz cups a day, max. And the coffee tastes so much better that one cup usually satisfies my craving.

I only drink diet sodas when covering night games, and I've cut it back to one can a game.

Same here on the Keurig k-cup machine. I also used to make a pot and then feel like, "well, might as well drink it" and then felt crappy and jittery, etc. Now I just make one cup and then have to make the conscious decision to have a second. A lot of times I do, but at least I have to think about it first, so I'm not drinking four giant cups on autopilot.

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

 

[bydesign77]

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.