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I quit caffeine

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Re: I quit caffeine

#211

Post by hffftz »

wbobeirne wrote: post #57

I catch a lot of flak for all the money I waste by buying coffees at coffeeshops, but it's my way of rate limiting. If I want a cup of coffee, I first have to make myself presentable, go for a walk, and pay a cost. I also feel a bit weird about going back to the same place twice in one day, so that usually dissuades a follow-up trip, or at least makes me go on an even longer walk. Caffeine plays with everyone differe…

> but it's my way of rate limiting

caffeine aint that bad... why do you kneed to do that?

Re: I quit caffeine

#212

Post by meepmorp »

lambdaba wrote: post #125
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #106

> I need a quick fix. I make a Nespresso. It's good enough. I'll make a french press after this cup wakes me up. Sounds like you approach caffeine like an addict. Coffee is actually good for you though: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/coffee-be...

Coffee the plant may be good, caffeine the molecule is not. There are other things in coffee that may be helpful, but caffeine is a poison and only that, I think there is no debating that (but I'm interested if anybody has hints to the contrary).

Dose makes the poison.

Re: I quit caffeine

#214

Post by fristechill »

rzimmerman wrote: post #26

Quitting caffeine cold-turkey is very unpleasant. It can take a full two weeks of withdrawal (bad headaches, general tiredness). I’ve had more success reducing the amount (3/4 caf -> 1/2 caf) over time. Anything more that 4 cups a day is probably unhealthy. Remember that 1 “cup” of coffee is actually 6 oz, so a normal coffee mug or latte is twice that. One coffee (2 “cups” or a latte) in the morning and one around 2p…

I've 'quit' tea and coffee for long periods. It only takes a small daily quantity of caffeine to eliminate the withdrawal headaches. One 'Pro Plus' pill per day is probably sufficient (50mg anhydrous caffeine), reduced to half a pill per day after a week, then nothing after two weeks. Pills don't trigger the addictive yearning as much as the full coffee experience does. There's still sleepiness to contend with, however.

Re: I quit caffeine

#215

Post by JJMcJ »

fristechill wrote: post #214
rzimmerman wrote: post #26

Quitting caffeine cold-turkey is very unpleasant. It can take a full two weeks of withdrawal (bad headaches, general tiredness). I’ve had more success reducing the amount (3/4 caf -> 1/2 caf) over time. Anything more that 4 cups a day is probably unhealthy. Remember that 1 “cup” of coffee is actually 6 oz, so a normal coffee mug or latte is twice that. One coffee (2 “cups” or a latte) in the morning and one around 2p…

I've 'quit' tea and coffee for long periods. It only takes a small daily quantity of caffeine to eliminate the withdrawal headaches. One 'Pro Plus' pill per day is probably sufficient (50mg anhydrous caffeine), reduced to half a pill per day after a week, then nothing after two weeks. Pills don't trigger the addictive yearning as much as the full coffee experience does. There's still sleepiness to contend with, howev…

Coffee has effects beyond just the caffeine, in a way that caffeine pills or even tea do not.

Re: I quit caffeine

#216

Post by kshacker »

jasonpeacock wrote: post #8

For me, I didn't like being physically addicted to something. I've switched to decaf coffee, because I still like coffee and the morning ritual. But I limit myself to 2 cups, and I have herbal tea later in the day if I still want something to sip on. The same goes for (added) sugar - it's amazing how you feel when you stop eating candy/ice cream/sweetened drinks/etc. And it's surprising how bad you feel when do you h…

Oh man, sugar :( I stopped taking sugar for 2 years after I had a heart issue. Then somehow it came back in life, and it has been 4 years, and maybe 99 attempts (because the 100th will succeed:)) and it is just so hard to give up sugar.

But when I had stopped, I remember the taste had changed - just simply sautéed vegetables tasted much better, and in those days sugar tasted ugly. The good old days. And after hating chocolates all my life, I think it was our EPM who got addicted me to chocolates by always keeping a supply at her desk, right next to my desk. Now on my 99th attempt to give up sugar for the past 5 days, and this time determined to go much much longer.

Re: I quit caffeine

#217

Post by TAKEMYMONEY »

dr_orpheus wrote: post #89
wbobeirne wrote: post #57

I catch a lot of flak for all the money I waste by buying coffees at coffeeshops, but it's my way of rate limiting. If I want a cup of coffee, I first have to make myself presentable, go for a walk, and pay a cost. I also feel a bit weird about going back to the same place twice in one day, so that usually dissuades a follow-up trip, or at least makes me go on an even longer walk. Caffeine plays with everyone differe…

I like to rate limit with my own coffee snobbery. Free pots of coffee at work? No thank you, I don't want any of that swill. I'm going to use my mini hand-pumped espresso maker for a single shot of espresso. I did used to drink the coffee at work and ended up drinking a lot of it. Crappy coffee, better drink it fast cause I just need the caffeine. Or my cup is not warm anymore so better chug the rest of it, or add mo…

Except a real snob would have a better espresso machine at home. My handpresso is ok for travel but even compared to pleb machines like my Pasquini Livia 90 the quality is bad. (Yes I'm using freshly ground beans that were picked and processed by virgins under moonlight, etc)

Re: I quit caffeine

#218

Post by saganus »

hlbjhblbljib wrote: post #189
saganus wrote: post #24

I never realized how strong caffeine actually is, until I cut down my 5-6 cups a day intake to just 1 in the morning. Now very occasionally (perhaps once every couple of months) I drink another cup after lunch (but never after 4PM, or I won't be able to sleep properly that night). The problem is that I _really_ like the flavor. I've tried decaf as well and while it's not bad, I do prefer grinding my beans just before…

You can get decaf beans, they are out there.

I think I've seen them before, but very rarely.

I guess I'll need to look harder. Thanks for the suggestion

Re: I quit caffeine

#219

Post by wbobeirne »

hffftz wrote: post #211
wbobeirne wrote: post #57

I catch a lot of flak for all the money I waste by buying coffees at coffeeshops, but it's my way of rate limiting. If I want a cup of coffee, I first have to make myself presentable, go for a walk, and pay a cost. I also feel a bit weird about going back to the same place twice in one day, so that usually dissuades a follow-up trip, or at least makes me go on an even longer walk. Caffeine plays with everyone differe…

> but it's my way of rate limiting caffeine aint that bad... why do you kneed to do that?

Everyone's got their own personal tolerances and limits. Did you read the blog post? Sounds like OP was having a pretty bad time.

Re: I quit caffeine

#220

Post by lambdaba »

outworlder wrote: post #208
lambdaba wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coffee the plant may be good, caffeine the molecule is not. There are other things in coffee that may be helpful, but caffeine is a poison and only that, I think there is no debating that (but I'm interested if anybody has hints to the contrary).

> but caffeine is a poison and only that, I think there is no debating that There's so much data to dispute that that it isn't even funny. Countless articles have been written. What's usually under debate is to what extent consumption can be beneficial or detrimental. Caffeine is only very obviously a poison when it comes to arachnids.

Isn't that about coffee not caffeine? I don't see how what caffeine alone does could be in any way helpful, outside of as a pure performance enhancer for very specific situations.
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