Caffeine Detox

A month plan to give up coffee! My new year's resolution was to give up coffee because I was to dependent on it, I was drinking way to many calories with it, and to start changing my overall health. I still love the smell, coffee shops, & the overall idea of coffee but for now I said goodbye! 

These were my two favorite drinks before: 

Starbucks vente (24 ounces) iced white mocha w/ skim milk still with the whip cream average price $4.50

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (24 fl oz)

Calories 570	Calories from Fat 180
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g	31%
Saturated Fat 14g	70%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 50mg	17%
Sodium 290mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 85g	29%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 80g
Protein 16g
Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 50% Iron 2%
Caffeine 225mg** What shocked me was not only the calories in a starbucks drink but also the amount of caffeine! After some research their espresso is about double compared to other coffee shops. My ultimate favorite coffee shop is Biggby Coffee and I would usually get a Super (24 ounces) iced or hot Teddy Bear w/ skim milk and still with the whip cream average price $4.99  Nutrition Facts Per Serving (24 fl oz) Calories 500.2 Calories from Fat 72.5 Total Fat (g) 7.9 Saturated Fat (g) 5.2 Trans Fat (g) 0 Cholesterol (mg) 34.1 Sodium (mg) 387.2 Total Carbohydrates (g) 87.7 Dietary Fiber 0 Sugar (g) 77.7 Protein (g) 17.6 Caffeine (mg) 150 mg  Again a ridiculous amount of "empty" calories!  So my plan of action starting on January 1st was to cut back on the caffeine and calories in coffee! My weeks always started on a Sunday when I could be at home.  Week 1: I reduce the size of beverage to 16 ounces for 3 days and then to 12 ounces of espresso based drinks. I always got skim milk or soy and got rid of the whip cream. I also stuck to just one coffee/ day no extra trip.  Week 2: I got down to just 1 shot of espresso the smallest size of coffee I could get or I would make my own coffee in a Keurig or Coffee pot up to 2 cups.  Week 3: Brewed coffee only 1 1/2 cups with a coffee pot and in a Keruig I filled it to about the 10 ounce line. With barely any creamer or extras. I used flavored hazelnut so the taste was not an issue. ** I did experience caffeine withdrawal headaches this week so I took aspirin, slept more, and used bio freeze to fight it off. The weather was also really up and down this week so the headaches could have been related to weather vs. caffeine withdrawal.  Week 4: I switched to 1/2 calf coffee & K cups as well. If I went to a coffee shop I got healthy teas (black, green, etc.)  Week 5: Try to wait later and later in the day until a headache or urge was there. During this week I only made myself coffee 3 times and barely finished my cups! I replaced the urge with water or working out to distract me.  I waited to fully say I was off of caffeine for 5 days without coffee. I read somewhere it takes 21 days to break a habit or make a new one so my month plan was perfect for me. My stomach feels flatter and I lost about 5 pounds so far.  ~Allison