Has anyone here successfully quit coffee? If so, do you feel many benefits?

I quit coffee years ago. And tea for that matter. Anything with significant levels of caffeine.

The biggest benefit is being able to start your day without craving caffeine. I'm not sluggish or groggy before I have that first cup. I wake up ready to go.

I'm not sure if switching to tea is really going to help you, unless you use decaf tea. It might help ease the transition to not having caffeine. It definitely sucks for a couple weeks. You'll probably have headaches and feel like crap. I "quit" caffeine a few times before finally kicking it for good.

I quit caffeine and I didn't notice much difference, except that I had to move my thicker wallet to my front pocket.

I started sleeping much better when I quit caffeine. I have some now and again these days but only ever in the morning.

Too much caffeine was also causing urinary urgency. It disappeared completely when I quit. This 'getting old' lark has its drawbacks.

How much coffee do you have? If you just have a cup in the morning you can just start cutting it out. if you have 2 or more, I would start cutting down by 1 cup every couple of days. you will feel tired at first and crave it. you will probably get headaches. Just like any other withdrawal. But if you tough it out eventually you wont need it.

Definitely worth it. You sleep better, start the day feeling normal, don't need to rely on coffee, and when you do drink coffee ever, it has a cocaine effect on you. I recommend quitting cold turkey and dealing with the withdrawals the next month. It's too hard to ease off of in my opinion. You just gotta do it.

Limey UK Runner wrote:

I started sleeping much better when I quit caffeine. I have some now and again these days but only ever in the morning.

Too much caffeine was also causing urinary urgency. It disappeared completely when I quit. This 'getting old' lark has its drawbacks.

Interesting! How long after quitting did you start noticing the sleep benefits?

Coffee is the largest source of antioxidents in the typical western diet. Some other benefits:

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee

You'd be a fool to cut out coffee...

oh yeah? wrote:

Interesting! How long after quitting did you start noticing the sleep benefits?

It was pretty much immediate. Perhaps not the first night but as early as the second.

It used to take me typically over an hour to get to sleep but it had been that way since childhood so I never knew any different (tea drinking as a child is normal in the UK, and I was raised on the ritual of a cup of tea at bedtime).

The downside is that I have very little tolerance for caffeine now. Even a small amount gives me the jitters so I only have it if I'm going to be training or otherwise active afterwards.

I was drinking 3-4 energy drinks per day, plus at least 2, large McDonald's tea per day.

I tried to cut it out cold turkey. HUGE mistake. I felt like someone hooked a vacuum to me and sucked the life out of me. I had to go home and nap on and off for the entire day. I had bad headaches. It was horrible.

So, I got smart and cut it back gradually. I now only drink half an energy drink before I go up the gym. I feel SOOOO much better. I sleep better. I don't wake up tired. I don't get drowsy in the afternoons.

I'll never, ever get in caffeine like that again

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

Coffee is the largest source of antioxidents in the typical western diet. Some other benefits:

http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee

You'd be a fool to cut out coffee...

ha ha...look at that, I actually agree with something Cult_Fit_Paleo_Clown wrote. I think coffee has many potential health benefits. And man, do I love the taste (but I still only drink 1 big cup in the morning. I agree with others that if I drink it later in the day I can have sleep issues).

But wait, Cult_Fit, are you ALLOWED to drink coffee ?? It's not Paleo is it? Your Paleo-Bro ancestors weren't consuming coffee! It's a modern invention. Our bodies have not had enough time to evolve to be able to handle it. I think you will be ex-communicated from the Church of Paleo if you don't quit! (or wait, do you guys make some lame "exception" excuse on why it is ok, to rationalize consuming something you think is tasty? The same reason you cheat and drink beer too? Probably. )

Note to Cult_Fit: the fact that coffee is the "largest source of antioxidants" in many western diets means a few things:

a) yes, coffee can be a good source of this, but also..

b) we ain't getting enough from other good food sources (like for instance, your much hated "junk fruit", or beans/legumes, which your "religion" forbids you to eat). A rubber band probably as more ant-oxidants than many of the "foods" most of western society eats

also,all "antioxidants" are not created = . looking simply at a total # does not tell you the whole story of the heath benefits of that food/drink

What a moron.

I cut from 4 "American" size cups to two 8oz cups. One in the morning at work, one in the evening. Even just doing that gave me huge withdrawal. It took a week of feeling like crap to get over it.

Do I sleep better? No difference. Do I feel better during the day? No difference. I mostly keep drinking it for a small kick, but really I enjoy the flavors and taste. I rarely buy coffee out because it isn't up to my standard. My french press at work does the job.

I quit coffee for 2.5 weeks after New Years this year. Then I had a cup or two of strong tea and it screwed everything up. A boy of poor eating, not enough exercise and more tea later, my schedule is a bit off and I'm not feeling tight and honed. Had some strong home brewed coffee the other day and my libido was out of control. Not in a productive way.

A few notes. I'm overweight and trying to get back in shape. In my overweight time I picked up a wicked coffee habit (dark roast, strong etc). It actually helped me a lot in some periods. But over the summer my schedule got so bad. Going to bed super late. This January I was getting to bed by 9-10:30p. Waking up 5-6:30a. Eatin tight and working out. Not jerking off too much. Letting the momentum build. Getting that magical, explosive feeling back in my body, cartilages, etc.

When I was in shape, I almost never drank coffee.. Sometimes I drank strong tea for the high. Mostly Mary Jane's joyous vapors took care of those needs though. But lots of running and photography, I had plenty of energy and brain chemicals.

why would you completely eliminate something from your diet that you really like and enjoy?* That's crazy.

There's an element of the running community that tends to bend toward the ascetic. It is just soooo misguided. "If I eliminate everything comforting and pleasurable I will be a better runner." No, no you will not.

There are only a few real pleasures in life, good food is one of them. Just eat and drink reasonably and remain open to what's out there.

*unless medically necessary.

Classic American attitude. "I can't exercise moderation. It's either all in or not at all. Now I believe coffee is evil and will lobby local politicians to ban all caffeinated beverages because I can't enjoy them responsibly."

Moderation my friend. Try it sometime.

I quit because I had anxiety and blood sugar problems and my anxiety became 1000x better its now at a very minimal level and my blood sugar is more consistant. I now drink herbal tea constantly because its great having a warm drink on a cold day. Also I sleep a lot better when I rarely feel the lack of energy need a coffee feel I often just nap which has a much better effect. Plus I wake up very easilly in the morning and fall asleep easilly at night.

I quit it during initial entry training for the Army, then started again later. I didn't feel better or worse. When had a cup of coffee again it felt unbelievable good.

Positive Contribution wrote:

Moderation my friend. Try it sometime.

It is hard to moderate something as physically addictive as caffeine. If you drink coffee with any regularity, eventually you'll be a slave to it.

I love coffee, especially high-end dark roasts. But am now trying to give it up for good. There are simply too many benefits to doing so. I've been a heavy coffee drinker for a couple years (close to a pot a day):

-- white teeth, fresh breath

-- sleep MUCH better. a couple days after quitting, conked out immediately and had some deep and vivid dreams. better quality sleep is the #1 reason to stay off caff.

-- save $$

-- feel more level-headed, no shakes

-- wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go without any drug

-- no need to waste time finding coffee shops simply to function

-- stomach feels good (too much coffee aggravates it)

-- drink good ol H20 instead, keeps my hydrated for my runs

-- some evidence to suggest coffee is bad for bone health

And look what happens to a spider when caffeinated. Can't spin a good web to save his/her life:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_psychoactive_drugs_on_animals#mediaviewer/File:CaffeinatedSpider.jpg

Somewhat broscience, but suggests that caff has a powerful hold on the brain.