Quitting Coffee Cold Turkey

March 27, 2015 by Jennifer Florence 19 Comments

Yes I did it. I quit coffee cold turkey. I hadn’t planned on it but it happened and I love it. I think I may be slightly drugged….

It has now been 2.5 weeks since I switched my morning coffee for room temperature lemon water and the changes in my body have been incredible. The only other times in my life I have quit coffee were during my two pregnancies and both those times I had awful withdrawal symptoms during the first week. This time it has been so easy!

So what brought this on? Well, I recently learned about the body’s levels of acidity versus alkalinity and a lot of the information made sense to me. I had never really thought about this before and didn’t know much, if anything about it. The most striking information to me was about energy. I always seemed to be tired. The more tired I felt, the more coffee I drank. It helped for a while but never really made a difference other than just continuing the circle of fatigue. So I decided to make the change and see for myself.

Previously I had about 4-6 coffees a day. At least 2 in the early morning, then again around midday and a few in the late afternoon were always must. I would also always order a coffee after dinner out in a restaurant. That adds up to a lot of caffeine!

However I was eager to try something that reportedly would give me more energy. So I figured why not at least try!

On the first morning, I prepared a large jug of water infused with fresh lemons and left it on my kitchen counter. My husband had no desire to quit coffee so this made it a little harder…..I could still smell his coffee brewing as I poured my water. I will admit it was very hard not to pour myself a cup too!

The first glass was refreshing and surprisingly easy to drink despite the smell of coffee in the house. I made sure to discard the remaining coffee as I poured glass #2 of lemon water. I didn’t want to be tempted. Before long I realized that I was on glass 3. I had been awake for almost 3 hours, had zero coffee and no sign of the withdrawal headache. I continued drinking water all day, not really counting how much but simply always having a glass by my side and sipping throughout the day. I was amazed that by late afternoon, at my typical coffee “pick me up” time, I wasn’t tired at all! This water thing was magical.

Day 2 -Again in the morning it was a bit rough smelling the freshly brewed coffee. However I stuck to the plan and began to drink my water. I realized in that moment that my brain liked the smell of the coffee but that my body wasn’t really craving it. I was simply reacting to an appealing smell. I did consider pouring a cup but then as I thought of the coffee taste versus the taste of the refreshing and energizing (!) lemon water, I actually surprised myself by wanting the lemon water more.

By the third day, it was a piece of cake. I was drinking 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning before eating and continuing all day long. I felt refreshed and energized throughout the day. After a week I noticed my skin felt smoother and my face seemed to look more rested. I also had less cravings for unhealthy food choices. I have always had what I like to call an “addiction” problem with BBQ chips. Yet all of a sudden I had no desire to eat them. It was as if the water was steering me into a path of better food choices as well. Seems crazy I know!

Now 2.5 weeks into this new lifestyle change I can truthfully say that I have no need for coffee at all. The smell doesn’t phase me and I don’t crave it. I have not had one headache and I have actually felt more energized than ever before.

It has also helped my running. I used to have to drink a lot of water before a run and try to time it properly so I would not have to find a bathroom along the way. It was a complicated balance of drinking enough and being able to make it through a run without a full bladder. Now that I drink regularly, I don’t need to stock up before a run. I am simply well hydrated at all times.

I have also experimented with different tastes. Sometimes I infuse with lemons only, other times I add lime or oranges to the mix. Each version has a slightly different taste but all have the same results.

You can do the research yourself…

Learn how lemon water gets your metabolism going first thing in the morning
How it is immune boosting and anti-aging,
How it detoxifies the body
The anti-inflammatory benefits of lemon water
How it is a great option for post workout recovery

And so much more…..but for me it has been more simple. By replacing coffee with lemon water, I have seen my energy levels rise and stay high all day long, it has helped me make better and fresher food choices and ultimately has had a positive impact on my running. For these reasons alone, it is so worth it!

Cut up some lemons and pour yourself a glass today! I guarantee you will see the difference for yourself!