Trying To Quit Coffee? Here's How To Do It
Should you give up coffee? No one can seem to agree. Whether you believe that caffeine is good or bad for your body, it's safe to assume that a caffeine overload is not a good thing. If you get a massive headache when you haven't had your morning cup, kicking your caffeine habit might be worth your while.
When your body has become dependent on something, quitting is difficult. Who wants to start their day with withdrawals?
If you're hoping that we'll tell you that there's a magic pill or patch that will help you kick your caffeine habit, we're sorry — there's not. But don't feel discouraged, because where there's a will, there's a way, and we're here to help.
Believe it or not, there are a couple of ways to stop drinking coffee. Though much research shows that coffee doesn't hurt your health, if you're drinking a large amount just to stay awake, you may have a problem on your hands. It never hurts to put your willpower up to a challenge, right?
Looking to lower your daily caffeine intake? We have some methods to get you started. Here are a few suggestions.
Try Cold Turkey
This isn't the easiest way to do it, but it's definitely the most effective. To quit coffee cold turkey, it's probably a good idea to replace your morning ritual with something else. A great substitute for your hot mug of Joe is a warm cup of lemon water. Keep the lemon water fresh all day: The motion of drinking a hot liquid out of a mug will still be there, making the mental process of quitting coffee easier. Lemon water is also full of nutrients, so this tactic kills two birds with one stone.
Quitting cold turkey is hard in the beginning, but after the first few days, coffee won't even be on your radar. You just have to get over the hump — it's smooth sailing from there!
Switch to Tea
Yes, a lot of varieties of tea contain coffee, which is precisely why we're suggesting this method. Quitting cold turkey is effective, but it might be a little extreme for someone who's only looking to cut back a few cups. A cup of tea has less caffeine than coffee, and this way, you can still have your morning fix without the jitters. There are also plenty of health benefits that come from drinking tea, so, drink up!
Take Away One Cup a Day
If you simply can't imagine going a day without a cup of coffee, this is the technique for you. It's quite simple — if you normally drink six cups a day, choose a day to drink five. The next day, drink four, and so on. By the time you've reached one, you won't believe that you used to drink coffee that often!
The accompanying slideshow is provided by special contributor, Juliet Tierney