Coffee: yay or nay?

Coffee pretty much wrecked me. Quitting cold turkey was brutal, but honestly, it was the only way to actually break the habit. Even my doctor gave me the whole "you need to stop this" warning.
Caffeine might help you get through the initial hump, but don't expect it to be easy.
Try hitting the sack earlier, skip the heavy snacking a few hours before bed, and maybe do some light stretching before heading into the office. A quick walk would be perfect, too. Also, watch what you're eating. If you're loading up on greasy food, you're just going to feel more sluggish.

Coffee and a cigarette... honestly, nothing beats it. 😍

I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker before. I’d maybe grab one cup in the morning at the office, just enough to shake off the sleepiness, you know?
The real trouble started when I got myself an espresso machine; that was the beginning of the end for my self-control. 😁 Now, not a single day goes by where I don't knock back at least four or five cups, sometimes even more. It’s reached a point where life feels completely unthinkable without it. 🤷

rustywalker36 said:Coffee nearly did me in. Going cold turkey was an absolute nightmare, honestly, but it was the only way I could finally kick the habit. Even my doctor gave me a stern warning that I had to cut it out.
.

Just curious, how many cups were you knocking back a day? 😲

Jamie Barnes60 said:I’m the same way—I can’t function without coffee. If I don't get my fix in the morning, I’m basically a zombie. I get cranky, irritable, and the headaches are absolutely brutal.
so ☕ 😁

It’s the same story for me, though I skip the headaches.
Honestly, coffee is the only reason I wake up an hour earlier than I actually want to. I grab the coffee pot, stumble toward the kitchen in a total daze, and then just retreat back to bed until the water starts boiling. Once I’ve had enough, I slowly start feeling like a human being again.
Ever since I started working while balancing my college classes, one cup a day just doesn't cut it anymore. It’s exhausting, and halfway through my shift, I feel like I’m crashing hard. Since there isn't any decent brewed coffee at the office—just that terrible machine sludge—I end up bringing a Red Bull. When I feel myself hitting a wall, I crack one open and I’m a new person.
Don't worry, I don't overdo the caffeine. Just my morning coffee and maybe one Red Bull during work. That's usually plenty. I might ramp up the caffeine intake during finals week when I'm studying, but that's about it.

Man, I really went on a rant there. 😂

Megan Diaz33 said:Coffee and a cigarette—nothing beats that combo. 😍

🙂

feralbadger23 said:🙂

Alright, I guess we won't be offering you any coffee then...🙂
I mean, God knows I don't smoke, so a cigarette isn't really my thing to pair with a cup anyway... when I'm having coffee, I'd much rather have the news, my laptop, the TV... good company, plenty of juicy gossip...

gentlehound9 said:..
Honestly, she’s the reason I’m dragging myself out of bed an hour earlier than necessary just to get my fix. I basically stumble my way to the kitchen in a total fog—half-asleep, eyes barely open—grab the coffee pot, and then retreat back to the covers to wait for the water to boil. It’s this slow, ritualistic process where, after a few cups, I actually start feeling like a functioning human being again.

I’m right there with you. 🙂 Though, if I’m lucky enough to bribe my husband into getting up and starting the brew early enough, 😍 I can practically smell the caffeine waiting for me the second I blink my eyes open. 😉

Jamie Barnes60 said:It’s the same story at my place. 🙂 Though, if I play my cards right, I can occasionally nudge my man to get up and brew a pot, 😍 so there's coffee waiting for me the second I open my eyes. 😉

Man, I envy you. There isn't a soul here to make me a cup... the only time I actually see coffee ready for me is when I'm back home and my mom has it waiting.

Since I've got blood pressure so low it’s basically non-existent—one of those people who can't even get a reading until they've finished their first cup 🤣—and I wake up in a total foul mood, I need that first coffee just to function. After that, I drink the rest purely for the hell of it. It hits different when you pair it with a cigarette.

Megan Diaz33 said:How much coffee were you drinking a day? 😲

Megan Diaz33, some answers are probably better left unsaid.
Around 2 or 3 liters daily. Honestly, I needed it. ☕
It wasn't about being tired; it was more about the smell and taste. I guess I should brag a little—I've been clean for six months now (minus a teaspoon or two on Sundays, but we don't count Sundays anyway).

rustywalker36 said:Megan Diaz33, honestly, some answers are better left unsaid.
I was knocking back maybe 2 or 3 liters a day. But man, I needed it. ☕
It wasn't even the exhaustion that kept me from drinking it—it was just the smell and the taste. Though, I gotta brag a little: I’ve been clean for six months now (well, excluding a spoonful or two on Sundays, but we don't count Sundays, right?).

😲😲God, you're alive!!!

rustywalker36 said:Maybe 2 or 3 liters a day.

Man, you're lucky you haven't dropped dead from all that caffeine. Seriously. If you take anything in amounts 300 times higher than what's normal, it's gonna wreck you. Even if we're just talking about plain old water.

Take it easy, everyone. Between my doctor and my family, I’ve had more than enough confirmation regarding just how idiotic my problem actually is. Some people go for cocaine, others heroin, some marijuana—well, my drug of choice was coffee. Straight black coffee. No milk, no sugar, no nothing. Before this, I honestly didn't believe you could get that hooked on caffeine.
Now, I only have a tiny cup once in a while, maybe once a month. But man, it kills me when I walk past a cafe on my way to work and catch that smell!
I’ve been clean for months now. You guys should be proud of me instead of dragging me down with the criticism. Do you really want me to slide back into my old misery... just because of you?

stormyheron4, you're right. Consuming that much liquid is dangerous, especially when that liquid is coffee. You live and learn... though, even today, I still crave it, especially now that we're talking about it. I feel like running straight to the Starbucks right this second.

rustywalker36 said:....

I'm not criticizing you at all...🙂 I'm just celebrating the fact that you're still standing after consuming that much caffeine... oops, did you even get a chance to work on your tan??😉 (NHF)

rustywalker36 said:I've been clean for months now. You guys should be cheering me on instead of picking at me. Do you really want to see me spiral back into my old struggles... because of you?

Look, don't take those comments as an attack. I wasn't judging you, honestly. I was just genuinely shocked when I read how much coffee you were slamming. No one has the right to judge or criticize you for that. It’s just a little human weakness. We all have them. It's totally normal. Thank God you got through it and didn't end up with any serious health issues.

They’re probably talking about drip coffee—it’s so weak you could pretty much chug two liters without any real issues. I wouldn't call it Turkish coffee or even an espresso; if they were drinking that much of the strong stuff, we’d be looking at actual caffeine poisoning.

As for being "addicted" to coffee? Please. That’s nonsense. It's a mild habit that 99% of people kick in three or four days once they push through a little headache.

It was Turkish style, and I used a filter. Mostly a filter. But even then, you can't just crank up the coffee ratio without some consequences.
I didn't actually take the criticism to heart; I was just making fun of myself. Thanks for looking out for me, though.
As for actual scientific studies on what coffee does to you? No clue. All I know is that I still get that itch where I just need to bolt to Starbucks and down a couple of shots of something strong.
If you’re thinking about starting to drink coffee, I don't think you need to lose sleep over addiction. My obsession with it went a little overboard. Back then, I was working way too much and barely eating... that whole mess definitely took a toll on my health.
A cup or two is actually pretty good for you. Just don't expect it to keep you wired all day long.

I tend to enjoy having maybe two glasses of wine a day; a third one usually feels like a bit much for me. I might indulge in a third if the weather starts shifting, though—that’s when I start feeling a little moody and get these nagging headaches. Apparently, I’m one of those people with naturally low blood pressure.

rustywalker36 said:Megan Diaz33, honestly, some answers are better left unsaid.
I was doing about 2 to 3 liters a day. But I needed it. ☕
It wasn't even the fatigue that drove me to drink it; it was the smell and the taste. I should probably brag a little—I've been clean for six months now (well, excluding a spoonful or two on Sundays, but we don't count Sundays, right?).

Good grief... 😲 😲 and here I was thinking I was overdoing it with my 3 to 5 spoonfuls a day.
So what, are you one of those "anti-coffee" people now? Do you celebrate the anniversary of when you quit like it's a second birthday, similar to how those recovering alcoholics do?😁:... just kidding, don't take it personally😘

Man, thank God you finally quit. It definitely wouldn't have ended well if you'd kept going. Congrats on that.👍

Regarding healthy eating and all that... I'm trying to change my habits lately, but I just can't give up coffee. Is it actually bad for you? I think on the Keto diet, you're supposed to drink it black or without milk (😂). If I have mine with whole milk and sugar, is that going to ruin things?...