In hopes to eliminate some of my stomach issues and not be dependent on it. I normally drink 3-4 cups throughout the day but I realized that wasn't so great for my health. Especially as I started feeling like my body was relying on my 2 pm and 5 pm cup of joe.
What I noticed over the past 30 days was this:
day 1: I already felt deprived of my favorite caffeinated drink.
day 4: The HEADACHES because of caffeine withdrawals, were starting to creep in.
day 7: The headaches were so severe I wanted to give in, but I didn't.
day 12: I was feeling dehydrated since coffee was 99% of my fluid intake.
day 15: I finally found myself having no more headaches.
day 17: I started drinking a lot more water and I mean ALOTT since coffee had really been my only source of fluids.
day 21: My body was functioning better and I still had the energy to get through the day.
day 22: I realized I no longer felt the need to drink coffee. I was no longer dependent.
day 25: I Noticed that I was feeling just as energized if not more than when I was drinking coffee 3-4 times a day.
day 30: This is a milestone for me because I made it first of all (I really made it never caved once!) and second of all I didn't crave it any longer.
After going through these 30 days I started researching how coffee affects your body. What I learned was that it can be used as a stimulant to create an "upper" for us that only last a certain while. I learned that drinking a cup before any physical activity can actually enhance your performance. I also learned that coffee doesn't actually decrease the risk of fluid loss and dehydrate you. This is probably why I never felt dehydrated when I was basically drinking solely coffee.
I will say I honestly feel more energized because my body is no longer dependent on it. Don't get me wrong I actually love the flavor and taste of coffee especially some Iced Coffee from Dunkin but my perspective on it has changed. Drinking coffee before a workout is something I'm going to start doing and seeing coffee as more as a treat will help me not get back into the cycle of being dependent.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutri...
http://fod.infobase.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=57661&loid=252888&tScript=0#
