Caffeine Diet

Although I write this as I drink my coffee, I am still considered to be on the road to being off caffeine!! I should get a round of applause for this, but I am probably not down to few enough cups of coffee per day. You see, I began to drink coffee in 2008 as an appetite suppressant. I enjoy the "taster's choice" vanilla flavor and I continued drinking it for enjoyment. I definitely made me more alert in the mornings and I had a 'morning voice' until I had my coffee. If I drank coffee too late in the day, it would keep me up at night. However, over time- coffee stopped affecting me. I would consume 4-6 big 16 oz. cups a day instead of snacking between meals, and I enjoyed the flavors. It did nothing for me other than force me to go to the restrooms more often. Then something happened.

I went away on vacation with my husband for a couple of days and I didn't have my "taster's choice" vanilla flavored coffee with me, so I didn't drink coffee. I really didn't feel like I was missing anything- I had Hagen daz ice cream shakes... but by Day 2 of vacation I started getting headaches. I didn't realize yet what it was from, and I ignored the headaches. As soon as I woke up on day three, I got very dizzy and nauseous. Every time I turned my head the room would spin. I felt like I was flying- but not in a good way! My husband held me when I needed... and then I had to throw up. I've never experienced anything like this, and I couldn't understand why I was getting sick on our vacation!! My mother, of course, figured out that I had caffeine withdrawal. We went out and bought coffee just for the sake of drinking coffee- not for pleasure. Each day I got less and less dizzy until I finally felt better.

Now, I drink coffee for more reasons than I though I would. 1- I still enjoy it. 2- It's still an appetite suppressant. and 3- I don't want to get those caffeine withdrawal symptoms again.

I've got friends and family scolding me that I drink too much caffeine and I should cut down on coffee. I guess 1 cup a day wouldn't be so bad, but 4-6 cups is too much. Therefore, I am now trying to cut down the amount of coffee I drink. Honestly, I can't come up with my proven method that works. I usually drink my coffee hot in the morning- but since it's the summer now, I'm not tempted to have more than one hot drink. When I get iced coffees, I make sure it's decaf. That's how I did it.. I shouldn't be too proud- it wasn't much effort. Yet, I've cut down nicely to about 2 cups a day and they're still telling me to cut down (which is why I'm probably not down to few enough cups per day!) So much for my caffeine diet- looks like it'll be finished soon!