Eating

97 Days Without Caffeine

I should have waited until Wednesday, and this post would have had the much snappier title – 100 Days Without Caffeine – but I couldn’t wait!

I have been without caffeine for 97 days – and counting!

I stopped drinking soda on September 29 – see The 929 Project and my Health Optimization Plan for more information about what I am and what I am not eating- and I haven’t had one since.  The only thing I’ve had, besides water, was a thimble full of grape juice for communion.  Other that that, it’s been H2O all the way.  And I feel great!

I don’t like talking about the past, especially now that I’m focusing so much on my future, but I will say that there was a time, not long ago, when I could drink a liter or two of Diet Mountain Dew – a day.  Ugh.  Now, I’m soda-free and caffeine free.

It took, maybe three or four days, to get rid of the craving for soda.  Caffeine withdrawal headaches are painful!  But now that I’ve gotten rid of the soda, I’m saving money at the grocery store, I feel much better, and I’m drinking lots of beneficial water.

Oh, and when I wake up, my brain doesn’t feel “cloudy” either.  In the past, I didn’t “wake up” until after a couple of cans of the Dew.  Now, I wash my face, brush my teeth, and drink a big, cold glass of water – and I’m wide awake.  Amazing.

Weigh in in the morning!!!

3 thoughts on “97 Days Without Caffeine

  1. Caffeine withdrawal sure does suck; I had to quit coffee a few years ago after succumbing to some duodenal ulcers and my husband didn’t talk to me for three days I was so unbearable. It usually feels dreadful when I drink soft drinks these days, although Lucozade got me through manys the late night during college. Having said that, I’d sooner give up my left arm than my milky tea, go figure. Congrats on the 97 days!

    I read an interesting thread over at Mefi the other day about the risks/benefits of using Red Bull, of all things, while doing cardio ….. you might be interested.

    http://tinyurl.com/8kks4x

  2. I’m pretty impressed that you’ve been able to kick the caffeine habit. I once saw a study which showed the effects of various drugs, like cocaine and LSD, on spiders. By far, Caffeine was the worst. Now, we’re not spiders, but still.

    Don’t let Starbucks find out about this though. They might come after you!

    – Dave

  3. Surprising how your body works so well without the caffeine isn’t it?

    During college I swore by drinking ice cold water and eating healthy food during all nighters. I could almost always outlast the coffee and Mountain Dew drinkers with the added benefits of not being jittery during the test and being able to sleep well for a nap or the next night!

    I was also horrified to learn that for pregnant women caffeine stays in their system for 4-8 hours, but takes 24 hours (or longer!) to leave the baby’s system. Stuff is really poison, shame it tastes so good 🙂

    The best part of your near 100 days caffeine free is that you’ve created a new healthier cheaper habit! And I think you’ll find that most soda doesn’t taste good anymore either now that you’ve retrained your taste buds!

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