I love caffeine, I really do, but I am looking to ditch it due to some of its unintended effects like weight gain, cortisol production, liver/kidney strain. Any ways, I am having problems finding something that gives me a similar effect. I tried tapering off by switching to Green Tea, and though I do feel it supplementing my energy, I am looking for something that packs a punch with more of the rush and euphoria I get from my daily regiment of coffee (10+ cups).
Dude, you and me both, so I'm going to follow this topic with extreme interest.
I spent a month out of the country, and my usual 4 cans of Mountain Dew per day just weren't available. It was one hell of a system shock, but I got over it in about a week. I didn't have a replacement; I just had to cope.
Now that I'm back in the States I realize that I lost a good 10 pounds in that month and my belt is a notch tighter. Of course, I realized that after I started my Mt Dew intake back up, so now I'm desperately trying to ween myself off of it, but finding myself reaching for at least a can a day. It doesn't help that I have a few cases in the garage still.
Maybe the secret is the cold turkey approach? Don't look for a replacement, just make due without. It'll be a rough week or two, but after that you'll be free and clear of the need.
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"[Screw] you and the green you ramped in on." - My EDH battle cry. If I had one. Which I don't.
Maybe the secret is the cold turkey approach? Don't look for a replacement, just make due without. It'll be a rough week or two, but after that you'll be free and clear of the need.
Cold Turkey combined with a better sleep schedule. My wife and I have a cup of tea every morning, but that's about it (although I've been drinking Mountain Dew again which I'm trying to break - that's largely because I'm not getting much sleep right now - but that should change in a week when I move).
Well, that's the thing. I can cut coffee, and I have many times, I don't really need it at all to stay awake or have energy. I just happen to love that euphoric/stimulant feeling and would prefer to stay away from cocaine. I am all for better living through chemistry, but I am just looking for something that is as stimulating, just not so damaging to the system!
I am all for better living through chemistry, but I am just looking for something that is as stimulating, just not so damaging to the system!
This may sound crazy, but have you tried exercise?
Honestly, that kind of activity actually releases dopamine and produces that euphoric sensation. I used to lift at the gym and I remember that feeling. It's fantastic. I really need to get back into it.
You know what? Thanks. If nothing else, you've convinced me that I need a set of weights for home lifting.
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"[Screw] you and the green you ramped in on." - My EDH battle cry. If I had one. Which I don't.
Cool! I have tried it and I really like certain types, like yoga and hiking in nature. I also walk a mile every day with my students. My wife bikes or runs daily, and that type of exercise has never really done anything for me. Like I said, Yoga, Hiking and vigorous dancing make me feel great, rejuvenate my spirit and all of that. I should try to make them regular. It is so hard when most of my interest are sedentary or intellectual/spiritual.
I used to be a 3+ cans of mountain dew a day drinker. During the worst of finals week I would start to drink Amp (the energy drink equivalent). Once I graduated school, I realized that it was unsustainably unhealthy to do that. I quit drinking soda altogether and tried going cold turkey on caffeine, but I felt that it was affecting my job performance.
I decided to start drinking coffee, starting out with about a quarter cup a day since I had gone without caffeine for so long. After a while the amount I drank started to grow to about one cup. Once that happened I realized I was headed down the same dangerous path with coffee, so I decided to start drinking one cup a day during the week, half a cup on Fridays, and absolutely no caffeine on the weekends. That means I tend to sleep a lot more on the weekends to catch up on the sleep that I missed during the week, and also my tolerance for caffeine is kind of reset. Using this method, I have been able to plateau my caffeine consumption while still maintaining the level of productivity at work that I have come to expect of myself.
Hire a teen age girl (type A personality) of about 17 to follow you around drink your coffe for you. The irritation should cure you to not buy coffee.
Now to seriously respond. I used to drink sodas like it was water and got to 180 pounds during graduate school. I quit about 3 months ago and with excercise; I am at 168, today. I drink a soda when I eat out as a shock to my system and its is just orgasmic. That's about 1 every 2 weeks.
Secret 1- Sodium blocks your bodies ability to break down fat and certain sugars alread part of the body.
Secret 2- Folks who crap once a day regularly are happier and more energetic. The exercise and soda cuts have made me more regular, bright eyed and bushy tailed in the moring, and able to work longer.
My friend got me on dried fruits (strawberries and Pineapple) and salted pistachios. Makes you regular and gives you energy your body can use and fast kick out.
A drink I now love is a half glass of water with half Welche's grape juice (100% pure).
This has worked for me and might assist you and others.
From experience, exercise is a fantastic way to have energy throughout the day. Despite what you'd think, doing moderate to heavy exercise in the early morning let me stay awake during classes when I'd normally be super sleepy.
Of course, actually paying attention to the professors is a whole different issue
To get those effects you have to do real work not just walking on rocks. Unless you are completely sedentary already, which is more of your problem than caffeine.
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Legacy Decks
~~~~~~~~~
Too many to list efficiently. Find me online with the same SN if you want to play, or message me here to set up a time to play.
Modern
~~~~~~~~~
Whatever pile of 75 I throw together the night before without testing. Usually: :symb::symu::symg:
As a previous soda freak I used to drink a good 6-pack of soda + 1-2 cups of coffee per day. However, after I started to tweak out at work and my behavior became triggerhappy, I decided to take the reigns of my caffeine addiction and go cold turkey.
Instead I substituted with different beverages: seltzer for soda and lemonade for coffee. Surprisingly enough I wasn't craving soda or coffee as I used to. The hardest part really are the physical pains of weening off the caffeine you're accustomed to. I had headaches, dizzyness, and mood swings when going cold on caffeine. I've been doing this for a year and feel I've made a great deal of progress.
Now once every day or two I have only 1 cup of coffee in the morning and nothing but water, seltzer, or lemonade whenever I need something to drink. By the way the lemonade I drink are two brands: Trop50 and Minute Maid. I specifically go for the low calorie, low sugar brands. Trop50 will have more sugar and carbs than Minute Maid, but the calories are fairly low.
Caffeine really doesn't stay in your body that long. Most of the bad effects of the Caffeine are coming from the fact that it's a diuretic and will pull water from your CNS which makes you feel like you are under stress, but the caffeine itself literally is only in your body a short period of time.
No more like lifting your own body weight or more from the ground. Deadlifting will change your body within a short period of time if you are supporting it with diet and enough sleep to recover.
Out of all of the lifts you can do the DL invokes the strongest and most immediate results. Squats are the next best lift. Just doing cardio doesn't really do much for hormonal levels in comparison.
10 cups of coffee per day is pretty extreme. I would definitely recommend cutting back.
I've gone caffeine free twice in my life and likely will be doing it again soon. It's really not that hard to do, although I have never gone beyond the point of 2 coffees/energy drinks per day. It took about 2-3 days for my body to adjust, and both times I slept for about 16 hours the first day.
Basically, it can be done, but just make sure you're in a supportive environment. Get rid of anything caffeinated and stock up on decaf coffee, caffeine-free soda, and fresh fruit. I find that eating something as simple as an apple or some pineapple will give you a nice energy burst.
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
Thanks! I have cut coffee before, many times. I am looking for a less damaging replacement for the Stimulant/Euphoric effects. I don't need energy, I sleep 8-9 hours a night and have no problems in that area. I just really enjoy the other effects. I just read an article that stated some of my favorite authors and artists drank upwards of 20+ cups of coffee a day and the reports of their sensations are just wonderful, but not only has it been hard for me to go past 10 cups, I worry about its toll.
I was suggested calamus root, which they have in bulk at the Whole Foods. I may give it a shot.
Thanks
[Clan Flamingo]
I spent a month out of the country, and my usual 4 cans of Mountain Dew per day just weren't available. It was one hell of a system shock, but I got over it in about a week. I didn't have a replacement; I just had to cope.
Now that I'm back in the States I realize that I lost a good 10 pounds in that month and my belt is a notch tighter. Of course, I realized that after I started my Mt Dew intake back up, so now I'm desperately trying to ween myself off of it, but finding myself reaching for at least a can a day. It doesn't help that I have a few cases in the garage still.
Maybe the secret is the cold turkey approach? Don't look for a replacement, just make due without. It'll be a rough week or two, but after that you'll be free and clear of the need.
Pristaxcontrombmodruu!
Cold Turkey combined with a better sleep schedule. My wife and I have a cup of tea every morning, but that's about it (although I've been drinking Mountain Dew again which I'm trying to break - that's largely because I'm not getting much sleep right now - but that should change in a week when I move).
TerribleBad at Magic since 1998.A Vorthos Guide to Magic Story | Twitter | Tumblr
[Primer] Krenko | Azor | Kess | Zacama | Kumena | Sram | The Ur-Dragon | Edgar Markov | Daretti | Marath
[Clan Flamingo]
This may sound crazy, but have you tried exercise?
Honestly, that kind of activity actually releases dopamine and produces that euphoric sensation. I used to lift at the gym and I remember that feeling. It's fantastic. I really need to get back into it.
You know what? Thanks. If nothing else, you've convinced me that I need a set of weights for home lifting.
Pristaxcontrombmodruu!
[Clan Flamingo]
I decided to start drinking coffee, starting out with about a quarter cup a day since I had gone without caffeine for so long. After a while the amount I drank started to grow to about one cup. Once that happened I realized I was headed down the same dangerous path with coffee, so I decided to start drinking one cup a day during the week, half a cup on Fridays, and absolutely no caffeine on the weekends. That means I tend to sleep a lot more on the weekends to catch up on the sleep that I missed during the week, and also my tolerance for caffeine is kind of reset. Using this method, I have been able to plateau my caffeine consumption while still maintaining the level of productivity at work that I have come to expect of myself.
Now to seriously respond. I used to drink sodas like it was water and got to 180 pounds during graduate school. I quit about 3 months ago and with excercise; I am at 168, today. I drink a soda when I eat out as a shock to my system and its is just orgasmic. That's about 1 every 2 weeks.
Secret 1- Sodium blocks your bodies ability to break down fat and certain sugars alread part of the body.
Secret 2- Folks who crap once a day regularly are happier and more energetic. The exercise and soda cuts have made me more regular, bright eyed and bushy tailed in the moring, and able to work longer.
My friend got me on dried fruits (strawberries and Pineapple) and salted pistachios. Makes you regular and gives you energy your body can use and fast kick out.
A drink I now love is a half glass of water with half Welche's grape juice (100% pure).
This has worked for me and might assist you and others.
Multiplayer Decks- Memnarch - Animar, Soul of Elements - Zur, the Enchanter - Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Food Chain Tazri - Teysa Karlov
Modern BUMill and Bant Spirits.
Thank you Xenphire for the signature!
Of course, actually paying attention to the professors is a whole different issue
~~~~~~~~~
Too many to list efficiently. Find me online with the same SN if you want to play, or message me here to set up a time to play.
Modern
~~~~~~~~~
Whatever pile of 75 I throw together the night before without testing. Usually: :symb::symu::symg:
[Clan Flamingo]
Instead I substituted with different beverages: seltzer for soda and lemonade for coffee. Surprisingly enough I wasn't craving soda or coffee as I used to. The hardest part really are the physical pains of weening off the caffeine you're accustomed to. I had headaches, dizzyness, and mood swings when going cold on caffeine. I've been doing this for a year and feel I've made a great deal of progress.
Now once every day or two I have only 1 cup of coffee in the morning and nothing but water, seltzer, or lemonade whenever I need something to drink. By the way the lemonade I drink are two brands: Trop50 and Minute Maid. I specifically go for the low calorie, low sugar brands. Trop50 will have more sugar and carbs than Minute Maid, but the calories are fairly low.
No more like lifting your own body weight or more from the ground. Deadlifting will change your body within a short period of time if you are supporting it with diet and enough sleep to recover.
Out of all of the lifts you can do the DL invokes the strongest and most immediate results. Squats are the next best lift. Just doing cardio doesn't really do much for hormonal levels in comparison.
~~~~~~~~~
Too many to list efficiently. Find me online with the same SN if you want to play, or message me here to set up a time to play.
Modern
~~~~~~~~~
Whatever pile of 75 I throw together the night before without testing. Usually: :symb::symu::symg:
I've gone caffeine free twice in my life and likely will be doing it again soon. It's really not that hard to do, although I have never gone beyond the point of 2 coffees/energy drinks per day. It took about 2-3 days for my body to adjust, and both times I slept for about 16 hours the first day.
Basically, it can be done, but just make sure you're in a supportive environment. Get rid of anything caffeinated and stock up on decaf coffee, caffeine-free soda, and fresh fruit. I find that eating something as simple as an apple or some pineapple will give you a nice energy burst.
I was suggested calamus root, which they have in bulk at the Whole Foods. I may give it a shot.
[Clan Flamingo]