[Frost]

After Roosh's post on giving up caffeine, I decided to go coffee-free for the month of November.

After a slow couple of days and a few 10-hour sleeps, I felt great. Waking up is much easier and I have a constant, even energy throughout the day.

Most importantly of all, I've broken the mental link between having some chemical cocktail and being productive. I'm still drinking green tea and taking 100mg Modafinil 1-2x a week, but those are both 'nice-to-haves' whereas coffee to me was always a necessity.

I will definitely be picking coffee up again at the end of the month. But I am very happy that I've cycled off it for this month, and I recommend the one-month experiment to anyone who (like me) has a daily habit.

Thoughts? Experiences? Anyone going to try the one-month coffee-free challenge in December?

[gfly]

I cut way down on coffee, 2 cups of lightweight coffee in the morning then tea if needed later. Used to start the day with a moka pot of espresso or two and hit coffee before every task throughout the day. I think it is an improvement better sleep more even energy and I've broken the task/coffee connection.

[Jank]

Sounds Brutal

[WestCoast]

I go alcohol and caffiene free from end of this weekend to mid December on an annual basis.

A good time of the year to reset is when everyone is spending time with family.

Puts you in a bad mood for about 5 days though be warned

[roberto]

Will drinking decaff help? Or make things worse do you think?

[WestCoast]

^ from my experience it helps as your body gets tricked. It tastes the coffee and assumes it is regular so it helps from a mental standpoint (temporarily).

[Parlay44]

Blasphemy

[roberto]

I'm not sure I actually need the caffeine to be honest. I really felt like I HAD to have coffee when first starting keto, but I'm in a funny place at the moment diet wise. I don't feel the same as the first five months of keto though I'm fairly sure I'm still in ketosis (based upon what I eat). Perhaps now would be a good time to give it up for a month.

OP- you say you will certainly be back on the coffee in a months time. Is that because you love it so much, or because (as I understand it) there are health benefits, particularly if drank black and sugar free?

I totally get you re a mental link between coffee and productivity. I have a cup before every task. How much of your new found vigour would you associate with a greater number of cups of green tea (I'm assuming you're drinking more?) , and not the lack of coffee?

Thanks

[Jank]

Sounds Brutal

[Biz]

I gave up on coffee, its pretty easy if your diet is right. I eat a lot of raw eggs in my shakes, I feel that gives me natural energy.

But, I still haven't been able to give up on my pre workout supplement. I'm probably addicted to it

I been wanting to try to bulletproof coffee, since I've been doing IF anyways...just substituting the coffee for a green shake.

[Bill]

Never liked coffee at all. Best energizer is taking a shower and a morning run with sprints.

[FretDancer]

(11-21-2013 09:59 AM)Bill Wrote:  

Never liked coffee at all. Best energizer is taking a shower and a morning run with sprints.

Yeah I don't know whats the huge deal with coffee. I've probably only had like 10 cups in my entire life.

[TheSlayer]

I like others enjoy the boost you get from coffee but I am not dependent on it. There are days where I will drink a cup early in the morning, and there are days where I won't drink it at all and feel just fine. I have never been a habitual coffee drinker and didn't drink it that much until last year. For a couple of months though I got dependent on it and then I just stopped drinking it. I had coffee cravings for a week or two. Right now I like my coffee situation and think it is perfect. I can enjoy a cup but not feel like shit if I am not drinking it that particular day.

I never want to be dependent on coffee for my morning energy to feel fully awake.

[Avarence]

Shameless addict.

[Teddykgb]

I only drink coffee when I feel liking hitting on a barista.

[MidWest]

(11-21-2013 10:42 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(11-21-2013 09:59 AM)Bill Wrote:  

Never liked coffee at all. Best energizer is taking a shower and a morning run with sprints.

Yeah I don't know whats the huge deal with coffee. I've probably only had like 10 cups in my entire life.

Same here, I don't get it either. I tried liking it because everybody seems to like it, but I just can't get used to the taste. I will say that the best cup of coffee iv'e ever had was in Argentina, but that was it. Never tried it back home in America again because it doesn't compare to what I tasted in BA. Like you I probably have only had 10 to 15 cups in my life.

[FretDancer]

(11-22-2013 12:04 AM)MidWest Wrote:  

(11-21-2013 10:42 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

(11-21-2013 09:59 AM)Bill Wrote:  

Never liked coffee at all. Best energizer is taking a shower and a morning run with sprints.

Yeah I don't know whats the huge deal with coffee. I've probably only had like 10 cups in my entire life.

Same here, I don't get it either. I tried liking it because everybody seems to like it, but I just can't get used to the taste. I will say that the best cup of coffee iv'e ever had was in Argentina, but that was it. Never tried it back home in America again because it doesn't compare to what I tasted in BA. Like you I probably have only had 10 to 15 cups in my life.

Yeah, if you can even say it even has a taste.

One thing I like though are lattes. Specially Starbucks Vanilla Latte, that one is one tasty cup.

[VincentVinturi]

Coffee is one of the healthiest things you can consume. It's high in fiber (good to poo in the mornings), antioxidants (good for not dying as early), and keeps you sharp, staves off Alzheimer's, and much much more...

So I honestly don't see the practical benefit of denying yourself something good for you, unless it's to prove to yourself that you don't "need" it and that you can practice self-restraint. Which is valuable in and of itself, I admit that.

Anyway, to each their own. As for me, I'll be an old rake, sipping on an espresso and chatting up Parisiennes in the cafés.

[thebassist]

(11-22-2013 03:32 AM)VincentVinturi Wrote:  

Coffee is one of the healthiest things you can consume. It's high in fiber (good to poo in the mornings), antioxidants (good for not dying as early), and keeps you sharp, staves off Alzheimer's, and much much more...

So I honestly don't see the practical benefit of denying yourself something good for you, unless it's to prove to yourself that you don't "need" it and that you can practice self-restraint. Which is valuable in and of itself, I admit that.

Anyway, to each their own. As for me, I'll be an old rake, sipping on an espresso and chatting up Parisiennes in the cafés.

In that case, wouldn't it be better to just drink decaf?

What I mean, is that I also tend to watch my coffee intake because the caffeine shot you get from a cup or two of coffee tends to fuck with my body's natural rhythm and so on. I think some people are more sensitive than others though.

I had a month-long streak where I would smoke a jay before bed, every night, which meant I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I'm cutting down drastically on weed as well for other reasons, but now that I don't have that crutch, the days that I do drink coffee, I tend to have more trouble getting to sleep at night.

I currently drink one cup of coffee around 3-4 days a week, but I'm gonna cut down even further, just to find out if my morning alertness without it will really be that terrible, and to see if I'll sleep better. If I have any major findings after a while, I'll go ahead and post them here.

[VincentVinturi]

That's good point @thebassist ...caffeine can really throw your circadian rhythm out of whack, especially if you're sensitive to it.

I think the key with coffee, like anything, is finding the optimal range. I have a cup in the morning and then drink some green tea in the early afternoon.

Then I work and go train jiu jitsu, so my body tires out and I can sleep with no problem, especially if I take magnesium before bed. And I personally feel no crash with caffeine, which mostly has to do with eating a good diet and sleeping well.

Regarding decaf...have you tasted decaf...? Bleh!

[Seaver]

(11-22-2013 03:32 AM)VincentVinturi Wrote:  

Coffee is one of the healthiest things you can consume. It's high in fiber (good to poo in the mornings), antioxidants (good for not dying as early), and keeps you sharp, staves off Alzheimer's, and much much more...

So I honestly don't see the practical benefit of denying yourself something good for you, unless it's to prove to yourself that you don't "need" it and that you can practice self-restraint. Which is valuable in and of itself, I admit that.

Anyway, to each their own. As for me, I'll be an old rake, sipping on an espresso and chatting up Parisiennes in the cafés.

Other things can be ingested and/or done to get those same benefits without the possibility off addiction to caffeine and staining your teeth.

[UnW]

I was getting pretty addicted to it but went on holidays and went cold turkey. First few days I experienced random headaches and drowsiness but after that it was fine.

[Beyond Borders]

(11-20-2013 11:38 AM)Jank Wrote:  

Sounds Brutal

(11-20-2013 12:26 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

Blasphemy

(11-21-2013 11:51 PM)IQVX Wrote:  

Shameless addict.

I realize you guys are just messing around, but repeating this type of thing a lot really sinks it into your subconscious and convinces yourself you need something like coffee, which is obviously a ridiculous notion. It's kind of like how people always joke about "falling off the wagon" when they lose an attempt at controlling their drinking habits. Sure, the banter seems like fun and games but at the same time it doesn't do much for building willpower or facing the fact that we are forgoing a chance to build some inner strength.

The things we repeat outloud play a large role in the belief systems we build for ourselves.

I enjoy coffee (am drinking a glass of it on ice at the moment) and even worked in a few espresso cafes during college, but I've never picked it up as a "need." I can go without it or not and more often than not I go without because I don't want to depend on anything.

The notion that anyone, even someone who has habitually drunk it all their life, needs coffee to function or can't give up the pleasure of a good cup is just silly. Like the idea that someone can't be fun if they don't drink. Humans get by without it in their natural state and they can get by without it now - it's the extensive use that makes you dependent on it, and that goes away when you stop partaking, after just a brief reset period.

I enjoy the taste (and the rush of coffee), but splashing my face with cold water, which I do first thing upon waking everyday, does far more for waking me up and has a longer-lasting effect.

Here's a habit I do embrace in my life.

Any time I feel I'm dependent on anything, decide I "have to" have it in my life, or catch myself glorifying its use, I make it a point to take a break (for a month or three) - just to prove to myself that I can and to remember what it's like to go without (I even do this with fasting to remind myself I don't need to stuff my face everyday).

I've never liked the idea of any exterior substance or luxury even having a tiny bit of control over me. This frame has allowed me to avoid ever becoming "addicted" to anything, though I drank like a fish for years upon years, even daily for months at a time, and have flirted with chew and stogies for long periods of time here and there.

Sorry if it seems like I'm preaching at you guys specifically. Just seemed like it needed to be said given the nature of the topic.

[Vaun]

I get headaches if I don't drink it. 1-2 cups a day forever. I dont say "I cant live without it", but I dont believe it has negative health affects. I mostly sleep well. The only thing I see dangerous is the effect on dental hygiene.

[TheLastEmperor]

I used to drink 3 cups of cofee per day , it's been a mon that i replaced coffee with a green shake in the morning
the first week was tough but i'm glad i can do without it