going off coffee

I am going to try going off coffee. I am drinking more of it and stronger coffee than I used to and I can feel the bad effects it has on me. I want to quit and today I only had 1 mug with 1/2 decaf in the morning and I won't have any more after that.
I want to gradually decrease it but it might not be easy since it has been so many years that I have had coffee to wake up.

I was wondering if drinking fresh cold water in the morning would not be an equivalent kick to wake up. And it would be good for me and my weight loss!

Has anyone tried and succeeded to stop coffee? What are your tips?

Whyyyyyy!!!!

Kidding. Try drinking a good tea. I am not a super-regular coffee drinker, I think I just like drinking it in the morning because it is warming and just makes me feel good.

I would suggest taking it slow to avoid the headaches.

Try cutting down slowly if you are currently drinking 3 cups a day try having a 1/2 cup 3 times a day.  Then maybe 2 times a day. etc.  You will have to come up with what you think will work.

I quit coffee a few weeks ago and feel great!  As a former big-time addict, I would get a real boost off coffee in the morning but gradually start hitting a wall in the early afternoon (3-4ish), at which point I'd go out and grab another one.

Without coffee, I find myself much more balanced with less early-afternoon dips but still with plenty of energy in the morning.

In my case, I switched from coffee to yerba mate, which is a South American herbal energy tea, and eventually phased that out as well.  Going cold turkey can be a bit of a shock to the system.  Let us know how it goes!

I went off caffeine completely.

It took about a week of feeling bad before I started to feel fine again.  It wasn't just feeling sleepy in the morning - it was the darned caffeine headache.  But it was worth it.

I'm glad I'm off caffeine.

I read the thread title as "going for coffee" initially....!

I stopped coffee (and all caffeine) cold-turkey when I found out I was pregnant, and had the WORST headache the next day (allllllll day), but after that, though the smell of coffee could make me weep (I love coffee), I didn't have -- so far as I could tell -- any other symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

I did not stay off coffee; I don't drink a lot of it, but I do drink it every day. Have I mentioned that I love coffee? I love coffee, and am glad I get to drink it!

Thanks for your responses!

I was already having a headache at about 11am, but then I had a diet coke at lunch and it helped with the headache. I am less sensitive to coke than coffee, I assume there's less caffeine in coke, so i might be able to not have too many headaches like that.

Erik, I think I am like you. I've always had very low energy in the mid-afternoon, which results in me either not working well after that or me getting another coffee. So I hope I'll be more balanced as well after quitting!

I have a tendency to be anxious and I've noticed that coffee makes it worse.

And if I really miss the taste, I can still have some decaf once in a while.

I tried and failed, the stuff is addictive!  I didn't drink any for almost 3 years and finally caved.  Good luck! O hope you are stronger than me.

One thing I found out though was that it's not the caffeine that is making us feel bad!  It's actually the organic acids in coffee that cause the problem.  That is why  coke and pepsi don't cause the same problem when you drink those.

I tried every beverage I could find to replace the coffee and nothing was even close.  So I just said oh the heck with it.

Give it your best, if you can kick it your that much better. DAN

3 years is pretty good! How come you gave up? I would have thought that after so long without coffee you'd be "cleaned". Perhaps it's like giving up smoking...

Yes exactly, I do believe it's addictive. Just the smell would drive me nuts.

I don't need it any other time of the day just in the morning, it gave me a real  insight into addiction and how hard it is to quit something that, in fact, controls you, I'm just glad mine was only coffee.

My doctor said that the 2-3 cups i drink are no big deal.

I'm a total sucker for coffee but I manage to restrict myself to have no more than 2 mugs, and I make a big mug with about a cup of skim milk, which would be good enough to last for a couple of hours.

you might go for the decaf one.  According to my boyfriend, it's just the same as the regular one.

I must have one of those NON-addictive personalities or something because I drank coffee ALL day every day FOREVER, but when my job ended last November I stopped drinking it and never looked back. I just wasn't at work so I didn't make coffee. I'll still have a cup once in a while -- I love it -- I'm not TRYING not to drink it. I just don't. haha I do think tea ALL day though -- one cup black and green the rest of the day, and sometimes other "flavors" (plain).

Same with cigarettes -- smoked for years -- then just gradually weaned down to nothing. And guess what? DIDN'T even TRY to!

Anyway, I have a suggestion: Some people drink HOT water! Seriously! JUST HOT water. Boil a kettle of hot water and use that as your "wake me up" in the morning. Could add some lemon or a squeeze of orange even! Plus, you're getting your water in! A cold shocker of water would be fine too, of course -- that's the first thing I do when I get up -- chug a glass of water. That's two cups down EASY! Becomes a great habit!

GASP!!! 

I love my coffee in the morning.  Nothing is right till I have my first cup.  I only drink 2 or 3 cups a day though, and only at breakfast.

Never ever ever ever going to give up my coffee!!  I do limit how much I drink, and switch to tea/water after my initial monster 24 ounce cup of it every day, but there ain't nothin gonna make me give up coffee!!
LOOOOOVVVVEEEE IT!!

Good luck to you though!! =)

I absolutely love coffee and have been drinking it for over 20 years.  There are times I have stopped, when pregnant and breastfeeding, but then I'm right back to it again.  It's like a comfort food for me, not just the wake up it gives me.  I noticed lately I've been overdoing it AGAIN and think I need to cut down and try replacing it with water...but I'm sure I'll still have my morning coffee...and when I'm stressed, my treat is a sugar-free non-fat latte.

Coffee, as most things, if kept in moderation is ok to have.

I quit coffee about 4-5 months ago.  I was a light drinker, 1-2 cups a day.  I just didn't like the need to have a coffee in the morning.  Like it controlled me.  I wanted to be in control.

I was somewhat crabby for a few days, I had some headaches.  But they went away. 

I drank some water instead of the coffee.  It helped.

I still had coffee when I would go out to eat, which wasn't too often.

Hi.  I just quit coffee, for like the third time.  This time I used regular tea and green tea in its place for several months.  Then started drinking more water instead with lemon or a tsp of apple cider vinegar - both are invigorating.  I did that for several months. 

Eating an apple helps, too.  So, I eat one in the morning and in the afternoon. 

I have now been caffiene free since last Thursday.  No withdrawals.  The only time I miss it is when I get the after-lunch drowsies, but I have my apple instead. 

Coffee keeps my kids alive >>>LOLOLOL  ROFLMAO

Sorry, still laughing. LOLOLOL


seriously though I have tried to give it up, did it during both pregnancies but I have given up sodas and so many other things during my new lifestyle That Coffee is the one thing I kept.  I know I can go without if I want to but I really dont want to.  I enjoy it, love it!

When I did quit I would drink cold water with lemon in the morning and drink it straight down.  It was great! 

There are days I dont drink coffee, but its not something I will go without if I want it.  :)

haha! You made me laugh slappy.

Well, I had another mug with 1/2decaf 1/2 coffee this morning, and 1/3 of the mug contains milk, and I haven't had a headache yet, so it looks like it's already better than yesterday. I don't have a plan yet for the next step where I'll drink 1/4coffee and 3/4 decaf. Hopefully I'll be able to make it happen next week.
I predict that weekends will tough because I tend to just relax in the morning and drink a few cups while I am waking up.

look a cranky slappy is not fun for kids!  They understand not to ask for breakfast until the coffee grinder is done. :D