Coffee-free for Jan W30....

[TrayS]

*gulp* I just shuddered with horror as I typed those words.

I'm not sure I'm posting this in the right location, but anyway, I'm jumping on the January bandwagon and feel like I may be ready to finally face my drug addiction. Some who've seen me lament over my love of wine may think I'm referring to that, but no. My true addiction is my morning coffee. I haven't gone without it since my daily habit started when I first started working full time, so about 7 years.

The problem is, I know I'm addicted. I know that I have come to rely on the morning coffee buzz to make me feel like I can really get my day started. Even when I wake up feeling refreshed, I still default to the coffee every. single. morning. without fail. True that I've stopped drinking it in the afternoon, which was necessary for going to sleep earlier, but I know that one of the purposes of the Whole30 is to repair my relationship with food/beverage. I've made much progress in this area, but I can't deny the fact that I feel dependent on my coffee. It controls my every morning. It's time to break the cycle.

Has anyone eliminated coffee completely as part of their W30? (I mean coffee itself - this is not a cream and sugar issue). Did you allow any other caffeine, or did you decide that swapping out your coffee with a green tea was just propping up your caffeine addiction? What was your experience? Was it easier than you expected, or did you get headaches/feel sleepy/claw your spouse's eyes out?

[Derval]

Fair play, you're a braver woman than I

I got a Nespresso machine recently and it's so quick & easy my consumption has snuck up to 3 cups a day, all with coconut milk. So my jan W30 will include getting back down to 2, 1 of which black.

Good luck with the caffeine kicking caper!

[MJam]

Yes ma'am... the husband and I went caffeine-free for our Whole30s...no coffee, no black or green tea and it was no problem for us BUT I was never a caffeine addict, I am sugar addict so foregoing the coffee and caffeinated teas was NBD. Sounds like it just a habit now (having it when you don't even really want it) but you're in luck, the Whole30 is about breaking old habits and making new ones.

We do love herbal teas though (ALWAYS read labels for compliance) my suggestion for you would be to swap you coffee for herbal tea. Making tea still gives you the ritual to go through the motions without the caffeine. I won't sugar coat it....it will for sure be difficult but if you want this, you can do it. Put yourself in control of your body instead of caffeine (or sugar in my case). But the biggest way to be successful is to have a plan and know that there will be tough times.

Best of luck kicking you caffeine dragon to the curb!

[AmyS]

I had to. Caffeine is a huge huge problem for my body. So much so that I was really surprised it was allowed at all on the Whole30 (I asked, and it turns out it's not a problem for enough people to make it an off-plan thing). I cannot have caffeine in any form and feel/be healthy, I have finally accepted this. I am actually going to give away my espresso machine (I know!!!). I am affected even by decaf coffee. And I hate tea in any form (no disrespect meant to my British ancestors), so herbal tea is out out out.

So yeah, I gave it up entirely, at once, and, given the results on my stress, mental clarity, and the forty point drop in my blood pressure, for the forseeable future.

Good luck. I found it extremely painful to go through the withdrawals, but with the added support of a good Whole30 diet, the withdrawals did not last as long as I thought they would.

Note: I started Sept. 23 on my first Whole30 and I'll be caffeine free (again/still) for my third starting Jan. 2, so I'm with ya.

Good luck!

[Ayla2010]

No, I have not yet managed to give up coffee yet

[kb0426]

For my whole14 I gave up caffeinated coffee; I make that clarifying statement as I do continue to consume decaffeinated. While I am still consuming 3% of the caffeine I previously consumed, I have made progress. Even though I am not currently whole30, I still drink decaf only.

The fact of the matter is I.just.love.coffee.

Fortunately, now that I eat more healthy options than less healthy options, I can say I no longer need coffee.

May I suggest weaning yourself off now in preparation for your whole30. Even after going through a weaning, I was still a bitch around day 3-4 of my whole14. It was solely from caffeine reduction and not from carb reduction.

[TrayS]

Thanks all for the stories/advice. *sigh* yup, I've gotta do it. At least for the 30 days. I can do anything for 30 days!!! (I'm gonna have to tattoo that on myself somewhere I can see it.)

Fortunately I do like tea. Unfortunately, my husband does drink coffee too and we have a nice new shiny coffee maker that's just gonna stare at me. Though I am thinking of asking said husband to get his coffee elsewhere for 30 days so I don't have to smell it every morning.

@Amy, so glad it's had such a profound affect for you, that really convinces me that it's worth seeing what might be different if caffeine is not in my life.

@kb I was thinking the same thing as I sucked down my second cup of coffee this morning (usually I have about 2-3)... that I better cut down to one starting tomorrow or I'm gonna be quite sorry next week!!!

[kb0426]

@kb I was thinking the same thing as I sucked down my second cup of coffee this morning (usually I have about 2-3)... that I better cut down to one starting tomorrow or I'm gonna be quite sorry next week!!!

Either you will, or everyone around you will be !

Best of luck and yes you CAN do this! If the coffee maker stares at you, stare right back!

[MJam]

I think asking the hubby to get his morning coffee elsewhere is a fantastic idea, it's super important to have a supportive spouse on board even if you aren't adventuring together and if he agrees, banish the coffee maker to a little used closet for the W30. I didn't keep my Enjoy Life mini chips front and center in cupboard for a reason...those bad boys are buried somewhere I actually have no idea where they are now.

[Fenderbender]

Uhhhh...... I probably should give it up...... But not ready to go there yet

I give you a lot of credit for facing that dragon!

[heathera]

what fender said.

I tried a few days without my coffee...it was not pretty...more power to you!

[GailHE]

Good luck on kicking the caffeine! I've never really understood why coffee is whole30 compliant in the first place though - surely it invokes an unhealthy psychological and physical response (addiction), and also for reason such as pregnant or women trying to conceive are advised against. Merry xmas!

[Suzy]

What a great idea and how inspiring! I think I'll do that, too. I, too, am doing a W30 in January after a personal and very real nuclear fallout of holiday sugar. Also, my coffee consumption has shot up over the last year and I no longer need an addiction. I don't want to have to drink hot, brown, bean juice in order to stave off headaches. Honestly, I prefer tea anyway. I will be switching to decaf green, oolong, and herbal teas. Thank you!

[AmyS]

I'm officially on a break between Whole30 number 2 and WholeSomething number 3 (set to start Jan. 2). So I had some coffee - twice - decaf. By the second one I drank a few sips and dumped the rest out. I can't believe how much my body and my taste buds have changed. (Disclaimer: this was the sugary, dairy-filled fancy stuff from Sbux, but I could never drink coffee black so that's not even a remote temptation.)

[Life More Abundantly]

I think giving up caffeine during a Whole30 is a fantastic idea. This week, I have started weaning myself (black coffee to black/green tea to decaf) to prepare for my second Whole30 (starting January 1). During my first Whole30 experience, I was feeling great, but wondering why I wasn't getting the great sleep others were raving about. I suspect it was my daily two cups coffee. I have figured out that I just enjoy something warm first thing in the morning to sip slowly and help me wake up--be it herbal tea or warm water with a little lemon juice or even apple cider vinegar. Another plus is that you'll end up staying more hydrated since caffeine is a diuretic.

[MJam]

Bone broth is a great hot morning drink to sip on...caffeine-free and loads of vitamins and gut healing!

[melbournegirl]

I often give up coffee as I know it affects me. Before my whole30 I was drinking raw organic cocoa with hot water a couple of times a day too. I didnt exactly give it up for my whole30 but limited it to once or twice a week. But I replaced it with lots of refills of black tea during the day (from two teabags) and that started giving me the shakes too. So now I have replaced the tea with caffeine free herbal... I am not going to exclude coffee or cocoa completely as a rule as that will make me crave it more, rather just avoid having it for as many times/days as I can.

[Aberrantatavia]

Hi Tray,

I'm in the serious coffee addict category too. I gave it up for my first whole 30 in September and it was a bit rough at the beginning. I gave up all coffee, even decaf, and all caffeine. After about a week I felt so much better. It was the second time I had given up coffee in over 20 years of just about living on it.

I can honestly say that I won't give up coffee completely for the rest of my life, but for coffee and I to part ways at times is a good thing for me. It might be approved by whole 30 standards, but I know that breaking all of my bad habits when I'm doing a whole 30 is imperative.

I had a few days of tired, not so much cranky. Once I was past that, it felt great to be completely caffeine free. Good luck!

[the_wendy_house]

My addiction is more unhealthy than coffee - it's pepsi max; I can down 2-3 cans of that beautiful caffeinated nectar a day! I know it's a problem though and give it up for a month a couple times a year - usually when my intake increases from 1-2 to 2-3 cans if I'm particularly stressed or tired.

I've quit caffeine for 4-week periods several times now though. I can see when I'm getting too reliant on it and out it goes. Obviously the pepsi will be going again for my W30 on Jan 1 but I'm not sufficiently dependent at the moment that I'm too concerned about also avoiding caffeinated tea/coffee (neither of which I drink ordinarily).

For me, the worst part of caffeine withdrawal is week one. The first few days I get headaches, struggle to sleep, and am grumpy and snappy as anything. But if you can get through the first week (probably less really - 5 days perhaps) you'll be fine. Other than missing the ritual of having the drink it's easy after that.

Personally I don't recommend subbing in caffeine free coffee or something else; if you're going to do it then go cold turkey. Bu that's just me!

Give it a go - you can do it!

[Michaela Elmore Cogswell]

For me, the worst part of caffeine withdrawal is week one. The first few days I get headaches, struggle to sleep, and am grumpy and snappy as anything. But if you can get through the first week (probably less really - 5 days perhaps) you'll be fine. Other than missing the ritual of having the drink it's easy after that.

I'm a former Coke Zero addict and so I feel your pain with Pepsi Max. I have found that the withdrawal symptoms are MUCH less intense when I taper off, verses cold turkey. As I drank Coke Zero on Dec 31, I didn't do a great job of that but I'll be having a cup of roobios tea (can't do black coffee) for the next few morning and then plan to drop the tea, at least most mornings. Good luck!

[SarrizleP]

I will be giving it up as well. I'm a little worried. I'm a little worried about giving up all of my beverages, actually. But like you, I wake up and reach for the coffee immediately, even if I feel refreshed. Why? I just want to get that monkey off my back and I will reevaluate it after the 30 is up.

[Cathi Twill]

if it's ok to use coconut milk in coffee, is almond milk ok?