I can't give up caffeine!

[NYDisneyMom]

Hi everyone...I just started reading the Wish board. I've decided I'd like to lose at least 10 lbs before our May cruise..and ultimately I'd like to lose a total of 25 lbs.

I'd love to try the South Beach diet but I reaaaally don't think I can give up caffeine. I get bad caffeine headaches if I just skip a cup, can't imagine going w/out totally! I usually have two cups of tea in the morning and another around 3:00.

Has anyone else had this problem? Can I do South Beach and have caffeine??

 

[tlgoblue]

Yes you can have caffeine on SB. It is recommended that you proceed cautiously, as caffeine can cause cravings.I did not give up my coffee and did not have any problem with cravings. I wouldnt not do SB because of that. Good luck!

Tracy

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by tlgoblue
Yes you can have caffeine on SB. It is recommended that you proceed cautiously, as caffeine can cause cravings.I did not give up my coffee and did not have any problem with cravings. I wouldnt not do SB because of that. Good luck!

Tracy

Thanks!!! I'm going to get the book this weekend. Hopefully I'll be back to post with some results!!

 

[sueg]

I must have a good cup of coffee in the AM. I never gave up my one cup of caffeinated coffee during Phase 1 & 2 of SB. I did try to minimize most other caffeine drinks, such a soda & tea. I am currently in Phase 3, but I would have never stuck with SB if I had to give up my one cup of real coffee w/ milk, in the AM. I love my kids & was very careful during my pregnancies- i.e. no liquor, aspirin or other medicine, no diet soda etc. But I still had one cup of good coffee every morning. You have to know your limits.

 

[hlane]

I am doing WW not SB but I have given up caffeine. Today is day 13!! For the first week I had horrible headaches but they finally went away, now I don't even miss the caffeine and get in all my water a lot easier since now thats practically all I drink.

Good luck!!

Holly

 

[DoomBuggieDriver]

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I love Coca-Cola. I would have one to start my day like most people have a cup of coffee, and then I would continue to drink it all day for every snack, meal etc. I decided to go off it cold turkey, and had really bad headaches for three days, then they gradually reduced and went away. (My doctor told me to cut it back gradually to avoid this, but of course I ignored that....) I'm also not big on pain relievers, but I found Excedrin would take care of the no-caffine headaches quickly, and after a couple days I could go without the pills and the Coke. Now I drink mostly water and have no cravings for Coke whatsoever-at least until that first hot humid day hits here and I think about that icy cold cola....Good Luck!

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Thanks, guys...I tried doing LA Weight Loss last year and I had to stop caffeine cold turkey. It completely ruined the diet for me, I was miserable with the headaches and it made sticking to the rest of the diet impossible.

 

[nativetxn]

I never did give up my caffeine and neither did my husband. We don't follow South Beach, though.

 

[hyzdufan]

Before you start the diet, try to ween yourself off caffeine. If it's coffee, do half a cup of regular, half decaf, and work your way toward no caffeine. My fiance did it that way, and it worked for her. Cold turkey is no good for anything.

I wonder how that phrase came about, 'cold turkey'.

I think cold turkey tastes good.

 

[GarrettJD]

I haven't gone off caffeine, and it hasn't really hurt me. What really helps me is cutting out all diet soda. I haven't drank any for at least 2 weeks, and it's helped a lot. I still have a couple of cups of coffee or green tea every day, and I don't really get cravings. Your mileage may vary, though

 

[twotoohappy]

I'm a tea drinker too. I gradually cut down. I'd do my first cup with caffeine and then the rest without. (Tension Tamer tea is wonderful) Sometimes I'd add a caffeine cup near the end of the day. I was also a big Pepsi drinker. I now have a can only here and there during the week (diet pepsi). I'll hopefully quit completely one day, the days that I have no caffeine , I see a larger loss on weigh in day , so that helps

 

[Baileymouse]

I gave up caffeine for months, but now I am back to having one morning coffee a day. I love it - and it feels so good to have that hot coffee in the winter.

I try to cut it with decaf - depends on where we go for coffee.

 

[cinmell]

Caffeine is really tough for me to try to eliminate or cut down on. I love Pepsi and tried to cut it out but it didn't work. Now, when I have pepsi, I count it as my snack (I follow WW). I "try" not to have it every day but at some point towards the end of the day I'm writing it down in my points journal .