Re: Caffeine Addiction

[Guest guest]

I used to be in the same boat as you on the caffine>i was addicted to

mountain dews..I also had the headaches ( migraines) without the

caffine..When I started the program it made m take a look at any usless

calories that I was taken in.I have not had one in 6 weeks , I do still

drink a diet coke a day>You will have to wean yourself from them and if

you can handle the diet version it will help..I couldn't stand diet

muntain dew.I was drinking adout 6 dews a day , now I drink mostly water

and one diet coke a day...hope you beat it...TERESA

There is nothing INCIDENTAL or ACCIDENTAL with God.....

http://community.webtv.net/Hicks/TERESARHICKS

[Guest guest]

I often wonder why people quit caffeine. Do they enjoy the pounding pain between

their eyeballs? Do they like falling asleep sitting up? Is that afternoon energy

slump, and total inability to focus, something they look forward to each day? Is

it fun to stagger around with one eye open in the morning? To have no energy for

your workout?

I don't get it...

I drink Diet Mountain Dew Code Red like there's no tomorrow. I'm also fond of

Pepsi One and Diet Vanilla Coke. I probably drink 2-liters or more of Diet

Mountain Dew a day plus nearly a gallon and a half of water. I gurgle when I

walk and I'm wide freaking awake. :-) I kick ass in the gym. I dance, I twitch,

I fidget, I tap my feet, I spin in my chair. I must burn a bazillion extra

calories a day just because I'm lit up like a Christmas tree.

I realize that my bones and intestines are dissolving and stuff, but I look and

feel fantastic. When I quit caffeine, I turn into the seven dwarves - Sleepy,

Grouchy, Slouchy, Grumpy, Lumpy, Dumpy, and Stupid.

Caffeine is a performance enhancer. It's a main ingredient in nearly all

thermogenics. Bill recommends black coffee before cardio. I hate coffee

though (...blech, spit). I will back off on the carbonated stuff several weeks

before pictures because it puffs you up just enough to blur definition. I don't

quit caffeine even for photos though. I just switch to iced tea sweetened with

Splenda - same kick, no bubbles.

I understand that there are probably medical, spiritual, mental reasons for

giving up caffeine. I just choose to ignore all of them in the name of being

lean and alert. There should probably be some kind of disclaimer on this

message.

Attention: 's nuts. Ignore her. Ignore her. :-)

Caffeine Addiction

I need suggestions! I'm addicted to caffeine (by way of Dr.

Pepper). If I don't drink it in the morning, I'll have a bad, bad

headache before lunch. If any of you have quit caffeine, tell me if

it's better to go cold turkey and treat the headaches or wean

yourself off to avoid them. BTW, I'm not talking about a little

headache, I'm talking migraine style that sends me to bed.

Melinda

[Guest guest]

> I often wonder why people quit caffeine.

,

You're tooooooooooooo funny! No, I'm not a masochist! I don't enjoy

all those things you listed. But here's my reason for giving up

caffeine. NutraSweet gives me migraines if I drink too many. So

that rules out the no calorie sodas pretty much. Dr. Pepper has too

many calories to drink it while trying to lose weight. Plus, if I

drink one, I can't seem to stop. I'll drink 4 before I know it.

Plus, we have an employee that is a body builder. He says to take

sodas out of your diet-period. So that leaves me with tea, but I

don't like it. That's why I'm going off caffeine.

Melinda

[Guest guest]

I agree, , that giving up caffeine is highly overrated. While

I'm certainly no where near your level of caffeine intake, I do have

a cup of coffee each morning and one or two diet sodas during the

day. I feel better and have extra energy. No one will convince me

that going cold turkey is the way to go.

Dani

> I often wonder why people quit caffeine. Do they enjoy the pounding

pain between

> their eyeballs? Do they like falling asleep sitting up? Is that

afternoon energy

> slump, and total inability to focus, something they look forward to

each day? Is

> it fun to stagger around with one eye open in the morning? To have

no energy for

> your workout?

>

> I don't get it...

>

> I drink Diet Mountain Dew Code Red like there's no tomorrow. I'm

also fond of

> Pepsi One and Diet Vanilla Coke. I probably drink 2-liters or more

of Diet

> Mountain Dew a day plus nearly a gallon and a half of water. I

gurgle when I

> walk and I'm wide freaking awake. :-) I kick ass in the gym. I

dance, I twitch,

> I fidget, I tap my feet, I spin in my chair. I must burn a

bazillion extra

> calories a day just because I'm lit up like a Christmas tree.

>

> I realize that my bones and intestines are dissolving and stuff,

but I look and

> feel fantastic. When I quit caffeine, I turn into the seven

dwarves - Sleepy,

> Grouchy, Slouchy, Grumpy, Lumpy, Dumpy, and Stupid.

>

> Caffeine is a performance enhancer. It's a main ingredient in

nearly all

> thermogenics. Bill recommends black coffee before cardio.

I hate coffee

> though (...blech, spit). I will back off on the carbonated stuff

several weeks

> before pictures because it puffs you up just enough to blur

definition. I don't

> quit caffeine even for photos though. I just switch to iced tea

sweetened with

> Splenda - same kick, no bubbles.

>

> I understand that there are probably medical, spiritual, mental

reasons for

> giving up caffeine. I just choose to ignore all of them in the name

of being

> lean and alert. There should probably be some kind of disclaimer on

this

> message.

>

> Attention: 's nuts. Ignore her. Ignore her. :-)

>

>

>

>

> Caffeine Addiction

>

>

> I need suggestions! I'm addicted to caffeine (by way of Dr.

> Pepper). If I don't drink it in the morning, I'll have a bad, bad

> headache before lunch. If any of you have quit caffeine, tell me if

> it's better to go cold turkey and treat the headaches or wean

> yourself off to avoid them. BTW, I'm not talking about a little

> headache, I'm talking migraine style that sends me to bed.

>

> Melinda

[Guest guest]

Well, ok, that would make entirely more sense. If you get all sleepy and shaky,

you might buy a box of Splenda and give tea another try though. If you use more

Splenda (no NutraSweet) than tea, it tastes... well, it tastes like sugar. LOL

Other than that, I've used Excedrin to get through caffeine withdrawals. It has

caffeine in it, plus it has a pain reliever, so it stops that swirling head pain

you get when you try to go cold turkey. Also, you might look for a very mild

thermogenic. No ephedra, just something with a little caffeine. Guarana is the

herbal source of caffeine listed on a lot of labels. GNC used to make something

like that. It had Guarana, and ginko, and maybe ginseng or something like that.

It was more for alertness and mental focus than weight loss. I don't remember

what it was called though. It was in the pink, girly section of the store.

Re: Caffeine Addiction

> I often wonder why people quit caffeine.

,

You're tooooooooooooo funny! No, I'm not a masochist! I don't enjoy

all those things you listed. But here's my reason for giving up

caffeine. NutraSweet gives me migraines if I drink too many. So

that rules out the no calorie sodas pretty much. Dr. Pepper has too

many calories to drink it while trying to lose weight. Plus, if I

drink one, I can't seem to stop. I'll drink 4 before I know it.

Plus, we have an employee that is a body builder. He says to take

sodas out of your diet-period. So that leaves me with tea, but I

don't like it. That's why I'm going off caffeine.

Melinda

[Guest guest]

Drink lots of water to help. When I quit caffeine while prego I increased

my water to a gal. a day.

>

[Guest guest]

> Drink lots of water to help. When I quit caffeine while prego I

increased

> my water to a gal. a day.

>

> >

I'm on my first day without caffeine. I sure want a Dr. Pepper! I'm

drinking lots of water today. I hope it helps. I sure am tired of

going to the bathroom though. heehee!

Melinda

[Guest guest]

No raised eyebrows here. Her advice is right on the money. Protein lowers the

glycemic response of any carb, and whole foods are always best.

Re: Caffeine Addiction

Yes, Yes, YES! I totally agree. And so does my sister-in-law who is a

registered dietician. I just came back from the family's winter boredom-fest

but I did have a chance to ask her about things like caffeine and low vs hi-

glycemic foods. (I am a Diet Coke junkie by the way.) Her advice was.... if

the caffeine isn't causing weird heart palpitations then why give it up? Her

advice about low glycemic foods might cause a few raised eyebrows here. Her

comment was if you eat a whole food (as opposed to some processed junk) with a

protein, then the glycemic index of the whole food doesn't matter. The key is

choosing a food that remembers where it come from.

Debra (GA)

[Guest guest]

While caffeine might be termed a " mild addiction " by whatever entities, the

physiological effects that I personally feel during caffeine withdrawal are

anything but mild. Granted mine is a purely anecdotal example, but it similar

to those experiences shared by others with whom I've come in contact as they

also struggled to get beyond the perceived need for caffeine.

I started to markedly reduce my own intake of caffeine as recently as 8 days

ago. Withdrawal symptoms started within hours - lethargy, irritability, and

headaches being the most prominent among them. While the former can be cured

with a nap and the latter with a couple of ibuprofen, there is little cure for

the irritability that ensues during caffeine withdrawal. The irritability comes

in the form of hypersensitivity to external stimuli - noises, people, and events

affect me more profoundly during the withdrawal period than they would under

" normal " circumstances, resulting in short-tempered responses and high anxiety.

I now try to have caffeine in lesser amounts early in the day (with breakfast in

the form of coffee) and halt use thereafter. I am admittedly not always

successful in that plan. Events of the day (and intensity of withdrawl

symptoms) might make me more prone to imbibe in the evening. Since evening

caffeine intake is usually in the form of soda, I am compounding my problem by

consuming both caffeine and HFCS. My eventual goal is to wean myself entirely

from caffeine-containing beverages, a goal which may take several weeks to

attain.

Already this morning, my large fat-free latte no syrup w/ splenda is wearing off

and I feel the effects of lethargy settling in. The caffeine headache has

diminished somewhat since 7:00 this morning but still lingers in my temples.

While the symptoms might seem mild to those who observe them, I can assure you

that they are anything but " mild " from a first-person perspective.

Be well,

K. A. Webb

Tarboro, NC USA

Greetings Ralph,

In my experience caffeine could be termed a mild addiction. Withdrawal

symptoms are usually not to severe -- though they might be in some

people . I know folks who have consumed caffeine for ever and do fine

at work or play or any thing so it doesn't interfere with life (though

it might shorten life?). On the other hand IF they were forced or

volitionally with drew I would predict rather severe reactions for

many that might effect their lives for some length time as you relate?

While a definition is necessary -- sometimes it gets in the way

resulting in strategies.

In reality it doesn't matter what we call it; allergy, addiction,

obsession, compulsion, sensitivity -- it is what it is -- what ever

it's called(duh) . It's going to cause what it does no matter what

(before interventions. ) And they all seem to fit the definitions of

an addiction. Maybe we could add to the confusion with our own?

1. craving for daily and even more times than once daily.

2. un-controlable. They cannot stop using it volitionally. Must have

it ,

3. Affects lives and health. I had diner at an arthritis support

function with a really heavy woman who refused to give up bread for

any reason. She was scheduled for two ankle replacements (there are

probably other significant causes !?) as in addictive personality?

4. Can cause severe symptoms when withdrawn.

Ralph's definition includes operations that others have not

considered? I like the " Repeated use resulting in physically

hazardous situation " (fat gain, liver failure (alcohol) which will

help define the intervention. It's amazing to me that some people have

not rationally made these " cues stimulus -cause(activities ) - effect

connections " and not so amazing what real the person ly doing an

activity for.

> 3. Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations.[Telle

> 4. Use resulting in legal problems

TELLE: In our situation we are looking for causes and affects we can

recognize and volitionally intervene and control for. Some times a

word becomes a concept which then confines thinking (concept lock) So

we need to tease out the effects the intruder has and intervene from

there.

While drinking milk or consuming other food substances might give us

satisfaction, reward or pleasure it would be unusual, in most cases,

for these activities to fit the above 4 criteria for addiction. The

again who cares? all we need to do is to determine what outcomes are

-- what caused and how we are going to deal with them.

========================

[Guest guest]

While there are times when definitions do not matter as long as the problem is

solved, definition of terms are important in having discussions especially on a

forum such as this. It is difficult to have rational discussions if the

discussants define the terms of the discussion differently.

If two individuals want to discuss the topic of addiction it is important that

they first come to an agreement of what the term means. If one adheres to a

strict definition and the other uses a broader definition they may have

difficulty understanding the others point of view.

In my opinion there is a significant difference between true addiction and

compulsive behavior.

Having been involved in the treatment of alcolics and drug addicts over the

years and having dealt with various forms of compulsive behavior including true

OCD I can state there is a significant difference between addiction and

compulsive behavior. The treatment and apporach to the patient differs as well.

In my opinion, much of which is now being called addiction ( sex addiction, food

addicton, exercise addiction ) should more appropriately be approached as

compulsive behaviour and treated as such.

Ralph Giarnella MD

Southington Ct USA

________________________________

From: Jerry Telle <JRTELLE@...>

Supertraining

Sent: Tue, May 18, 2010 5:15:30 AM

Subject: Caffeine addiction

Greetings Ralph,

In my experience caffeine could be termed a mild addiction. Withdrawal

symptoms are usually not to severe -- though they might be in some

people . I know folks who have consumed caffeine for ever and do fine

at work or play or any thing so it doesn't interfere with life (though

it might shorten life?). On the other hand IF they were forced or

volitionally with drew I would predict rather severe reactions for

many that might effect their lives for some length time as you relate?

While a definition is necessary -- sometimes it gets in the way

resulting in strategies.

In reality it doesn't matter what we call it; allergy, addiction,

obsession, compulsion, sensitivity -- it is what it is -- what ever

it's called(duh) . It's going to cause what it does no matter what

(before interventions. ) And they all seem to fit the definitions of

an addiction. Maybe we could add to the confusion with our own?

1. craving for daily and even more times than once daily.

2. un-controlable. They cannot stop using it volitionally. Must have

it ,

3. Affects lives and health. I had diner at an arthritis support

function with a really heavy woman who refused to give up bread for

any reason. She was scheduled for two ankle replacements (there are

probably other significant causes !?) as in addictive personality?

4. Can cause severe symptoms when withdrawn.

Ralph's definition includes operations that others have not

considered? I like the " Repeated use resulting in physically

hazardous situation " (fat gain, liver failure (alcohol) which will

help define the intervention. It's amazing to me that some people have

not rationally made these " cues stimulus -cause(activities ) - effect

connections " and not so amazing what real the person ly doing an

activity for.

> 3. Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations.[Telle

> 4. Use resulting in legal problems

TELLE: In our situation we are looking for causes and affects we can

recognize and volitionally intervene and control for. Some times a

word becomes a concept which then confines thinking (concept lock) So

we need to tease out the effects the intruder has and intervene from

there.

While drinking milk or consuming other food substances might give us

satisfaction, reward or pleasure it would be unusual, in most cases,

for these activities to fit the above 4 criteria for addiction. The

again who cares? all we need to do is to determine what outcomes are

-- what caused and how we are going to deal with them.

Jerry Telle

Lakewood CO USA