Quit drinking coffee

But at the moment it’s enforced quitting due to pregnancy, and I’m still enjoying my decafs, so I don’t think I’ll mark it as done until I can resist coffee purely for my own sake.

I’m going to have my last coffee. No really, I am, stop laughing! It’s true. Well, OK, my last coffee, but I’m still going to have them at Starbucks when I study, or out socially.

I’m trying to lose weight the stupid way, and have been substituting coffee for food. So… Friday is my last coffee drinking day. I’d set it as a personal challenge, but I already have one up there. Need to stop drinking coffee for it’s own sake, but also to force myself to be organised enough to make salads etc instead of just grabbing a coffee for a quick energy fix.

Have only had one for the last three days, including today. My shoulders are even tighter than usual, and I had an awful headache yesterday, but it’s not too bad today. Plan to cut down to one every second day very soon, but we’ll see, I’m always changing my approach on this goal.

Only bringing one can of coffee to work, still having it at around 8-8:30. The idea is that’s the only coffee I have all day, but it didn’t work yesterday, still had the second when I got home. Hopefully won’t have any more today.

I’ve been really tired for the last few days for some reason- falling into a deep sleep on the bus and train. Really really really wanted coffee before I left home this morning, but resisted the urge.

I’m trying this again, really want to get rid of coffee. At the moment we are buying canned coffee, and I’m having two a day. Usually my first one is at home or on the train on the way to work. It’s only a small step, but this week I’m not letting myself have the first one till I get to work at around 8. Next week I’ll make it 9 (or maybe 10) etc etc. Need to stop drinking that second can altogether, but not just yet.

So I’m making another attempt at doing this, my bladder just can’t handle coffee. Even with just one coffee a day I need to get up for the bathroom 4-6 times a night.

I still have the occasional coffee, but am down to only needing to get up once through the night. And I was able to spend an hour in the pool the other day without needing to get out and go to the bathroom. I find it really annoying when I have to do that, and usually just wrap it up and go home. I could even spend time in the spa after swimming the other day, which was just as well since I hadn’t swum in a while!

I came up with a million excuses as to why it wasn’t a good time to do this last time. But exam time came around again last week, so I had no classes for 5 days. I taught on Monday and Tuesday, then exams were held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Stopped drinking coffee on Monday, because I figured I could get through those couple of days of classes before withdrawal symptoms got too bad. I usually get headaches and really tight shoulders when I stop drinking coffee, This time I didn’t get either, but I was really, really, really tired for about a week.

Today is day 10, and I’m feeling really good. Have had one coffee in that time, but I am going to allow for the occasional coffee anyway (when I can’t get decaf). It is great sleeping through the night and being able to go for long walks without my bladder interfering!

Tomorrow is a public holiday and I have declared it an obligation free day. I’m not going to feel that I have to exercise, do housework, study Japanese etc etc. We are going out for dinner for a friend’s birthday, so that is taken care of.

BUT, from tomorrow I am quitting coffee. I have a really weak bladder and even though I have a maximum of two coffees a day, I need to go to the toilet a lot. This is especially annoying when I am trying to exercise, and can’t stray too far from where I know there is a toilet on my walks, or have to get out of the pool. Obviously if I am having a cup of coffee that is one less glass of water I am having, and I don’t like drinking water for about an hour after a coffee, otherwise I end up in the bathroom every 5 minutes.

So while I don’t think coffee is terrible for me, my life will be a lot easier and healthier without it. Students have exams all next week, so I will have no classes and no excuse to have a coffee to get rid of the caffeine headache. I have said I’m going to stop drinking coffee for years, so this is it! (Except I am going to allow myself the occasional ‘social coffee’ and a coffee at Starbucks if I go to study Japanese. Will try to have something else instead though.)