Help Quitting Coffee!

[Mandy_Sav]

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Dr. McDougall's MWL book that I ordered a few days ago, and I find myself thinking about the fact that I will have to give up coffee if I want to fully commit to the program.

I can imagine that at least a few of you have been through this, and I was hoping that I could gather some advice and/or tips for making quitting coffee easier to cope with.

I don't normal have more than two cups a day, but in the past when I've tried to quit, I got terrible migraine headaches (I am quite susceptible to migraines and am hoping that this goes away in time with the drastic diet changes), and felt like sleeping ALL the time.

Thank you in advance for any advice you guys can offer!

[prairiedream]

Make sure you quit on the weekend LOL! No seriously, I gave myself a lot of time to sleep, and unfortunately had to just muscle through the headache.

Good luck!

[Lin]

Quitting coffee is definately a hard one!!

Here are some of Dr. McDougall's views on coffee:

http://www.nealhendrickson.com/mcdougal ... coffee.htm

I quit drinking coffee about 7-8 yrs ago after getting allergy tested. This was before I found McDougalling. I was told by the allergist that I was allergic to coffee and that it would be a good idea to give it up. So I did. I did it little by little though. Then I switched to herb teas which have no caffeine.

Those coffee withdrawal headaches can be real killers too. I have an occasional migraine, so I feel for you. Do this at your own pace. Some people can just do it in a few days, but it took me a few weeks! Anyway, I'm glad that I no longer have that addiction. I don't even bother with the coffee substitutes, but there are some people who really like them. I guess my tastes have changed since giving it up, because now I prefer the caffeine free teas. I love rooibos tea the best. Mostly though, I just drink water now.

Good luck becoming caffeine free. You can do it!!

[Patsy]

Quite a common problem....it took me a few weeks and although I usually think cold turkey is best for quitting things that are bad for you, I didn't do that with coffee. My plan: first 2 days I drank half the amount I usually drank (1/2 a cup only or 1 a day only, etc.) next 2 days I used half decaf and half regular. next I did 3/4 decaf and 1/4 regular...I did that for as long as it took for the headaches to die down some then I went to all decaf for I think about 4 days or so, then every other day I didn't have any and then off for good after that. Anyway, it's been awhile, but that's pretty much what I remember doing and it really worked. I can't begin to tell you how much better I felt. Better sleep, better stomach, better bowels (excuse me); just better everything. So, good luck and keep posting how you are doing.

[Faith in DC]

It's the pits. Hang in there. I used teechino and did basically the same thing as the person below. I remember when I got down to the last tiny bit of real coffee I stayed there for a week or more. I still got some headaches but it wasn't like going cold turkey. BUT I also drank a pot of Starbucks a day. That's a lot.

[Jackie J]

Hang in there, as some other posters have said. I just gave it up completely after trying to do it gradually three weeks ago after 30 years of drinking it. I did get headaches for two weeks, was sleepy, and moody - but now all the symptoms are gone, i'm sleeping better, have more energy and my teeth are so much whiter.
- but you really do need to start on a weekend and give yourself 2-3 weeks to completely adjust. You'll be really happy when you come out the other side...
Good luck!!!

[Mandy_Sav]

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful advice.
I think I will do this gradually. I quit smoking cold turkey on January 2nd of this year, and it was horrid. I have a feeling that quitting coffee cold turkey would be even worse. Besides, I don't want to be a big bitch TWICE in the same year.

I'm definitely going to take the advice posted about starting on the weekend. Not this weekend though. Saturday is hubby's birthday. I don't believe it would be fair of me to be bed ridden due to a migrane that I could have avoided.
My plan is to be 100% COFFEE FREE by New Years Day, so I am giving myself enough time to do it gently. If I can do it quicker, then GREAT, but I want to be patient with myself...

[Rita]

Wow, Mandy, if you can quit smoking cold turkey, there's lots of hope for you and the coffee. I did it and I was the biggest coffee lover there ever was. That was 3 years ago. Can't say I don't want a cup now and then; but realize I never want to go through withdrawal again. It's the pits! So wishing you much success in ridding your body of that poisonous stuff! As someone once said, nothing tastes better than the taste of good health. Happy McDougalling.

[Mandy_Sav]

Thank you for the kind words Rose.
I get a sense of power and accomplishment knowing that I was able to quit smoking and stick to it. Those feelings will hopefully carry through when I'm suffering through the coffee withdrawals!

[LuAnn]

While on the Maximum Weight Loss Program - this is my 18th day (!), I've been reading The McDougall Program: 12 Days to Dynamic Health, the classic that describes Dr. McDougall's BASIC program. You may well have already read it, if so, please forgive my repetition.

The book is written so people have everything they need to go through the program at home and still experience the same benefits of the live-in seminar participants. It is my understanding that vitually everyone who starts the live-in program as a caffeine user, leaves the program freed of their addiction. To help walk people through what they can expect while going through 12-day program, he traces the experiences of a real couple who went through the program at the live-in facility, keeping careful records the blood tests, all they ate, their exercise, how they felt etc.

The wife of this couple gave up her coffee habit "cold turkey" at the onset of the program, recording how she felt as the days progressed. For the first few days, she had terrible headaches, which she treated with an otc pain reliever. In less than a week, she was completely free of her headaches, and no longer needed the pain releivers!

The step-by-step gradual process may work best for some, but if you are interested in completely immersing yourself in the program, and seeing benefits more quickly, I would suggest considering stopping the coffee on the very day you begin the MWL program. Of course, you have these few days before your books arrive to begin cutting down.

Here are some pointers I shared on another thread that you might find helpful. Granted, I was addressing them to someone having a hard time giving up cheese, but maybe you'll find something applicable to your situation with caffeine:

*Acknowledge that you have a problem
*Ask for help.
*Look for support
*Educate yourself as to the dangers of the addicting substance/food. *Consider the benefits of being free of the addicting substance/food
*Make sure a healthy/fiber rich food program is in place to deal with normal cravings. (All of these are being done in Calla's case)!
*Obtain adequate rest
*Obtain adequate exercies
*Reduce stress as much as possible
*Clear the environment COMPLETELY of anything that might remind the you of an attraction to the addicting substance/food
*Find alternate foods and/or activities that may fulfil similar physical or emotional needs
*Seek a power higher than your own to help you conquer the addicting substance/food
*Give the process TIME!
*Avoid situations where you know the addicting substance/food will be present

(((Mandy))), If you were successful in giving up cigarettes cold turkey (CONGRATULATIONS!!!), I'm sure you can do THIS too!

Blessings,
LuAnn

[Mandy_Sav]

LuAnn,

Thanks for the advice. The only thing I see a big problem with is this:

*Clear the environment COMPLETELY of anything that might remind the you of an attraction to the addicting substance/food

My hubby isn't giving up coffee with me.
I suppose I could ask him to stop brewing it at home, and to pick one up on his way to work....

[LuAnn]

that's probably one of the benefits of going through the live-in experience, where you're all on the same journey together, and the McDougalls make an attempt to clear your environment of tempting foods/substances - unless you've brought them in yourself or go "off campus". Not only that, you have constant input/support not only from the McDougall staff, but from the participants going through the 12-day experience. I had just a small taste of the atmosphere at the live-in facility when I attended the Advanced Learning Seminar last month. Even the vending machine down the hall from our room had several very healthy selections!

Listen to me, I sound like an advertisement for the program, don't I?! LOL Personally, attending the live in seminar is out of the realm of possibility with 6 children, several of them going through private Christian education. I am so glad that Dr. McDougall makes it possible for us to follow his program by using the resources on his website and in his books. And this forum provides a wonderful circle of fellow travellers, some who are journeying with us, and others who have gone before who can share their experiences and offer encouragement when needed.

But, Mandy, I know you can do this! Your success at giving up cigarettes is witness to that!