Twenty days into the New Year and my goals have all disappeared into thin air. This year I had made a decision of sticking to publishing on all days of the week. And, I have already defaulted twice. Another goal was to take care of my health and be active. A big problem in this area is my caffeine addiction.
I have become a huge addict of tea specifically in the last one and half year. I have to have a cup of tea twice a day or may be once more though my coffee addiction is way under control. I like savouring my beverages and, just like the Japanese, my tea time is very sacred for me. It is a ritual rather than a habit. A ritual which I have to leave on grounds of weight loss as well.
So, How to get rid of the Tea or Coffee addiction?
You Have Skipped the Caffeine Altogether
But, since it has become an addiction, I want to get rid of it this year. So, I have stopped taking coffee and tea altogether. And, now, I am facing the caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
If you are an mid-morning or an afternoon junkie, cutting down tea or coffee at that hour is very difficult and you will revert back to the habit. Do not start cutting back on those cups initially.
I am not sure how similar it is to alcohol withdrawal but come the time of my tea and I feel surreal. I am not sitting at a place doing a work but I am floating the clouds of unreality. It is just a weird sensation.
Even though I have done it, it is an absolutely bad idea to skip the caffeine altogether. What would be a better is to instead cut down your cup of tea or coffee to once a day or one cup at a time if you intake more than 3 or 4 times in a day. Btw, always make sure to cut down your coffee at the least needed time of day.
You Have Tea and Coffee in Your Cupboard
If you are doing it like me, it is best not to buy tea or coffee at all. But, if you are following the above idea of one cup a day or cutting down by one cup per day, you would want to keep them at some place where they are not easily visible. Buy smaller packets and store them in smaller jars.
Cocoa is Good! Have you ever mixed up your coffee with something else? May be half cocoa and half coffee? Does it not sound like a drink you might order in a cafe?
You Do NOT have an Alternative to Your Beverage
Whatever you are trying to get rid of, you must have an alternative for it. If it is alcohol, it must be coffee; if it is cigarette, it can be nicotine patches; if it is coffee or tea, it can be herbal tea or green tea or fruit juice or even milk. Whatever you want, make sure you eat your snack the time of your beverage. That will cut down your craving for it.
Green Tea, Green smoothies, Wheatgrass juice, any fruit juice with fibre are all good choices as an alternative. Having soup is also a suitable and healthy replacement.
You are NOT Napping it OFF!
Yeah, that is the best way. Distract yourself. Go off to sleep at the time when you would usually have a cup of coffee or tea. Once you wake up, drink a glass or two of water. And, fill up your empty tummy. No more would you wait for your coffee or tea. Though, not a very practical solution for office! Think you can manage it?
For now, I have to say complete withdrawal is fine. But, I would definitely not suggest it to you. Your mind would be foggy and hazy for like a week or two. So, try out the solutions above and may be you would have an easier transition from a caffeine addict to a teetotaller.
O God,this article reminded me of my job days! I was not at all a tea lover but somehow my office life made me a tea addicted person that time. Gradually I started to leave this habit of drinking too much masala tea for the sake of my health and indulged myself in taking milk or green tea instead. I used to keep green tea sachet in my cabin and used to drink tea only twice a day.
But Swati,I would say drinking one to two cup of tea or coffee is good for health also, especially for the working persons. Complete withdrawal is not at all possible for me 🙁
From few months I was thinking to loose my weight so I began with quitting tea and coffee. It was not easy for me, in the beginning I faced many problems. After reading your article I started drinking tea again, but I drink only one in a day. Thanks for writing it as I am feeling light also and doesn’t have any health issue as it now.
i think we call it addiction when you exceed 2 cups of tea or coffee per day..
I Read it and still trying to quit this addiction but all in vain.
Its way too difficult for a person who is doing job.
God damn it.
-Aamir
Karachi Pakistan