Kicking the Caffeine Habit

[PRmamiDEdos]

Okay, I have vowed to lose at least 25 lbs. before I go to Disney in Aug., but is anyone trying to get off coffee?

This is the perfect way to tell you how I feel every morning at work .

How did you kick your caffeine habit, b/c I have a bad headache and am about to give in.

 

[Cruise04]

Here's a suggestion - wean yourself off slowly. Start with a mixture of decaf/caff coffee - go half and half for a couple of days. Then go down to 75% decaf and 25% caff for a couple of days. Then go down to 95% decaf and 5% caff for a few days and that should help you go either to straight decaff or no coffee at all. I've done that with soda and it worked for me and I know others who have done this with coffee and it helped with the decrease in the headaches.

Good luck!

 

[ohMom]

definately i would wean -- i drink 50/50 right now and trying to cut back and wean off for the summer. hot coffee in the summer doesn't do it for me, but i miss the caffeine. if all else fails - tylenol for the headache

 

[SetzKitten]

I quit cold turkey 3 weeks ago (except for Sunday's Dunkin Donut treat!). I replaced my two cups of coffee with 4 cups of water. No headaches at all! I was drinking 50/50 prior to quitting.

 

[LdyFaile]

I'll pretty much ditto what other people have said.

For me I was originally drinking like two or three LARGE mugs of coffee a day (because it was available and free).

What I did was cut it down slowly. The first week, only one of my Large mug per day. The next week I took my large mug home and replaced it with a normal size mug, and just had one of those per day. The next week I had it every other day. I didn't have the option for decaf. By the second week I had a constant background headache but that went away finally.

Now I have it maybe once a month when I really really need it. But I'm technically supposed to avoid it for other heath reasons (besides just being addicted to it).

 

[LBAK]

I went cold turkey about 7 years ago and nobody warned me about the headche. I thought I was dying! It lasted 3 days. I would wean off slowly if I was you. Good Luck!

 

[gianna2006]

You guys are much stronger than me !! We all have our vices...can't live without my morning two cups !!!

 

[mathgeek]

Not coffee, but Diet Coke - still caffeine though. I had cut back over recent years and was down to 1 can a day, but at the beginning of March I finally gave that up too. As LBAK stated, the headache lasted about 3 days, but now I feel great! Keep at it - it's worth it to not have that habit.

Now I won't have to make sure I have a refillable mug from my resort at WDW for my morning Diet Coke! But it would be nice if they offered more caffeine-free alternatives other than Sprite and water.

 

[Cruise04]

Just beware of the headache you might have if you haven't had any in a while and a have cup (or a soda) and then don't have any for a while again. A few weeks ago I had a soda and I hadn't had any (soda) for at least a month. Even though I drink about 14 ounces of coffee every day, I still had a headache from that one 12 ounce soda. It was weird but man did that hurt - it only lasted a day or so but I would have never imagined one can would do that.

 

[bubba73]

Caffeine is not necessarily a bad thing. It is bad when coffee or sodas are the only thing you drink all day long but to have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning is actually themogenic. This will help give you the boost of energy you need for the rest of the day and for your workouts. Now, I can't say that from personal experience because I hate coffee but I have read about the beneficial effects that it can give. Just don't overdo it.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Giving up caffeine and most carbs have both given me huge headaches. I now drink diet caffeine free soda (I did give up soda completely for about 6 months). I had a cup of coffee for the first time in a few years yesterday and it tore my stomach up. It's amazing what our bodies get used to. You never realize what an impact something has on your body until you give it up.

Also, don't always be so quick to pop excedrin, tylenol, etc. for your headache if you're trying to give up caffeine. Many headache pills have as much caffeine in them as a soda or cup of coffee. Read the labels!

I noticed during the winter I really loved the warm cozy feel of coffee so I started drinking hot water with low sodium chicken boullion in it and no sugar added hot chocolate - make sure it doesn't have caffeine as some hot chocolates do - (both of which I love).

Coffee in itself is not bad for you, but a lot of people (myself included) do not drink it black. It's the couple scoops of sugar and cream/milk per cup that adds weight to your waistline (of course, the more you drink the more beneficial it is to losing weight that you give it up)

Drink lots of water and remember that the first few days are the hardest. It does get better and soon you'll be feeling great when your body gets rid of the addiction to caffeine.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Now I won't have to make sure I have a refillable mug from my resort at WDW for my morning Diet Coke! But it would be nice if they offered more caffeine-free alternatives other than Sprite and water.

I agree. I don't drink Sprite (even though it's caffeine free) because of the useless calories and I'm not a big water drinker. Not very many places offer a variety of caffeine free fountain drinks.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

If I am not mistaken,PC has caffeine free diet coke.
I think that is what I had while I was there.