Caffeine Cold Turkey / Tapering off

#41

I’m in the ‘tapered off’ camp.

I started out as a three cup a day person pre keto but since starting keto, a combination of having more heightened energy levels and also not really liking artificial sweeteners/no sweeteners in my coffee, I began to taper off on my intake. At the moment I might have one coffee every three days (and even then I don’t finish it all.)

But the thing that cemented my decision to now stop drinking coffee was that it stimulates cortisol (the stress hormone) in our bodies which can cause a stall in weight loss, along with other stress related problems.

(Paul) #42

Well I look at it this,way if someone is giving up something that they have been eating and drinking for quite some time there is sure be some withdraw effects, especially sugars and caffeine because they are stimulants that your brain is conditioned to having, so basically when you give something up you are training your brain to do without them .For some people it is very very difficult and to some a bit easier because some people have more tolerance.to withdraws., ,Tolerances to withdraws is the key to success to eliminate cravings for anything be it drugs alcohol, smoking etc. I always take the approach that there is no such thing as perfect diet, a prefect life, a perfect food or perfect anything so you have strike a balance, after all one has to enjoy some things in life so you have assess how coffee is effecting your well being. I tried giving up coffee and tried giving up cream in my coffee, and it was major difficult, i got headaches, dizziness and tiredness, so what I did was gradually do little things, like pour a tiny amount of coffee out of my cup and then add a tad of hot water then a tad less cream, then I would add tad of decaff and so on, this small gradual decrease did not effect me one bit and after doing that for some time I got to the level of coffee consumption I wanted, now I can enjoy a coffee and I could not imagine not having a coffee and I can not imagine having cream in it, but I now put tad of coconut oil in my coffee to take away the bitterness and I look forward to having my coffee, I don;t think having a coffee is going to destroy your life, enjoy

#43

Apparently adding salt to your coffee neutralises the bitterness as well.

(Ashley) #44

Unless I’m reading that paper wrong their still showing changes of caffeine withdrawal as associations with headaches? I see about the blood flow but I’m not seeing where they discredit caffeine withdrawal as part of headaches. Unless I’m missing something. Caffeine is also used with a lot of drug users to help with withdrawal symptoms because it’s takes the affect of the drug and simulates some of the cravings they have. As well as sugar, most heroin drug users usually eat lots of sugar as it’s a craving to their addictions. I look at sugar like I look at caffeine, I got sick giving up sugar shortly while my body adjusted as well as cutting back carbs, because I was addicted, I switched over to caffeinated energy drinks (low carb ones) also had withdrawal symptoms for a week after cutting them out! Just my two cents though!

(Alex ) #45

At the moment, I can confidently say my caffeine usage is increasing, but it’s still only really within my “early part of the day” fasting window - 6am-midday.

I kind of know that I need to boot it, but I’m struggling with the concept because I love it so much.

ugh!

(Running from stupidity) #46

I love the use of “kind of” in that sentence :slight_smile:

(Alex ) #47

Just call me Dr Berg… :wink:

(Running from stupidity) #48

Of course not! I like you!

(Edith) #49

Once it is out of your system, you won’t miss it. That tired feeling that makes one say, “Boy, I’m tired today, I need some caffeine.” Goes away.

I truly believe that feeling of “I need my morning caffeine,” is caused by the body’s dependency on it.

(Alex ) #50

absolutely, it’s like any drug / substance… once you’re hooked on it, you need it, and more of it to get the same effect, once the effect is no longer substantial/noticeable - you just take it to feel normal.