Yarrrgh . . . caffeine withdrawal

July 19, 2004

Holy moly, this is the first time I've really, truly tried to detox

off of diet soda in a year. And now I know why. This pounding,

pinching headache has me longingly staring at the ibuprofen and

acetaminophen and wishing I had NEVER read that they'll counteract

the intense workout I had this morning! Has anyone else gone through

this? What did you do to make it better? Or am I mistaken and diet

soda is A-OK?

Thanks,

(a.k.a. the diet soda junkie!)

July 19, 2004

Wouldn't you know it? I have a caffeine speech. :-)

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 Wild Cherry Pepsi. 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.

Now, 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

care if my bones and intestines dissolve, but if it's going to make me look

PUFFY, get it away from me!) So, although I've been known to back off on the

carbonation occasionally, I never quit caffeine. 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 and carbonation. I just choose to ignore all of them in the

name of being lean and alert. :-)

Yarrrgh . . . caffeine withdrawal

Holy moly, this is the first time I've really, truly tried to detox

off of diet soda in a year. And now I know why. This pounding,

pinching headache has me longingly staring at the ibuprofen and

acetaminophen and wishing I had NEVER read that they'll counteract

the intense workout I had this morning! Has anyone else gone through

this? What did you do to make it better? Or am I mistaken and diet

soda is A-OK?

Thanks,

(a.k.a. the diet soda junkie!)

July 20, 2004

And what a speech it was! ROFL in between giant gulps of my iced skinny

sugar free 20-oz. caramel latte . . . my caffeine strike lasted all of

28 hours. And is my new hero.

Re: Yarrrgh . . . caffeine

withdrawal

Wouldn't you know it? I have a caffeine speech. :-)

July 21, 2004

I'm confused. Are you asking whether you have to give up caffeine?

The answer to that is no.

If you're asking about consuming drinks with sugar in them -- well,

do the math. I think your average 8 or 12 oz. soda has 140 calories

in it. They're empty calories, too.

Consuming a bunch of sugar like that isn't going to help you get to

your goals.

> But what if you love soda but can't stand diet anything? I've

tried every diet they make and can't stand one of them. What about

instant iced tea? anyone have any ideas how that would be? I'm

having the exact same problem, but i take excedrin migrane for my

headaches and they disappear almost instantly. any idea on the pros

and cons of that ?

> Thanks in advance.

>

> Kenya

July 21, 2004

Diet soda is an acquired taste. Once you've acquired it, the real stuff will

taste funny. No kidding! You have to allow time to adjust and not keep switching

back and forth and comparing the two.

Iced tea is great. If you want to sweeten it, buy some Splenda. It's in a yellow

box. It's near the sugar. It's made out of sugar, tastes like sugar, but it has

no calories and no affect on blood sugar or insulin levels.

I believe that Excedrin migraine has aspirin and or acetaminophen in it and will

compromise your muscle gains. Could be mistaken about the ingredients though.

Re: Yarrrgh . . . caffeine withdrawal

But what if you love soda but can't stand diet anything? I've tried every

diet they make and can't stand one of them. What about instant iced tea?

anyone have any ideas how that would be? I'm having the exact same problem, but

i take excedrin migrane for my headaches and they disappear almost instantly.

any idea on the pros and cons of that ?

Thanks in advance.

Kenya

July 21, 2004

Hi Kenya,

I was the one that posted the original caffeine withdrawal message

because I thought I had to give up my diet pop for some reason (no idea

why). I lasted one day and then switched to coffee for the caffeine. I

add some sugar-free Kahlua syrup and a tablespoon or two of skim milk,

throw in a few ice cubes, and it's good. Would something like that be an

option? I agree with the other posters that have said you'll have to

give up the sugary soft drinks all together, though. If you give diet

soda a try for a few days, it will start to taste good very quickly. I

think my taste buds took a few days to get used to it, and after that it

was the only kind of pop I could stand to drink.

You could also brew up some regular tea (the kind with caffeine in it),

throw it in a pitcher and keep it in the fridge - instant iced tea but

without all the extra junk they put in the Lipton stuff. We like Splenda

(sucralose) here for sweetener.

Good luck! It sounds like by weaning yourself off of the regular soda,

you're already off to a good start.

-----Original Message-----

From: Kenya Bourassa [mailto:kenyabourassa@...]

Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:10 AM

But what if you love soda but can't stand diet anything? I've tried

every diet they make and can't stand one of them. What about instant

iced tea? anyone have any ideas how that would be? I'm having the

exact same problem, but i take excedrin migrane for my headaches and

they disappear almost instantly. any idea on the pros and cons of that

?

Thanks in advance.

Kenya

July 21, 2004

Have you tried Arizona Green Diet Iced Tea- it's made with splenda and comes in

a

big gallon jug, that's what I started drinking when I wanted to move away from

the

diet coke. Who knows if splenda is better than aspartame, but at least I don't

feel the

NEED to have diet coke near me at all times now, like I did before. If you check

it out,

make sure its the diet/splenda one, the bottle looks just like the not-diet one.

> Hi Kenya,

>

> I was the one that posted the original caffeine withdrawal message

> because I thought I had to give up my diet pop for some reason (no idea

> why). I lasted one day and then switched to coffee for the caffeine. I

> add some sugar-free Kahlua syrup and a tablespoon or two of skim milk,

> throw in a few ice cubes, and it's good. Would something like that be an

> option? I agree with the other posters that have said you'll have to

> give up the sugary soft drinks all together, though. If you give diet

> soda a try for a few days, it will start to taste good very quickly. I

> think my taste buds took a few days to get used to it, and after that it

> was the only kind of pop I could stand to drink.

>

> You could also brew up some regular tea (the kind with caffeine in it),

> throw it in a pitcher and keep it in the fridge - instant iced tea but

> without all the extra junk they put in the Lipton stuff. We like Splenda

> (sucralose) here for sweetener.

>

> Good luck! It sounds like by weaning yourself off of the regular soda,

> you're already off to a good start.

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Kenya Bourassa [mailto:kenyabourassa@y...]

> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:10 AM

>

> But what if you love soda but can't stand diet anything? I've tried

> every diet they make and can't stand one of them. What about instant

> iced tea? anyone have any ideas how that would be? I'm having the

> exact same problem, but i take excedrin migrane for my headaches and

> they disappear almost instantly. any idea on the pros and cons of that

> ?

> Thanks in advance.

>

> Kenya

>

July 21, 2004

I think all forms of Excedrin, but especially Excedrin Migraine have

caffeine in them (which is why it helps your caffeine withdrawl

headache). Caffeine is often prescribed to migraine sufferers. Sorry

to burst your bubble on that one!

anjee

> Diet soda is an acquired taste. Once you've acquired it, the real

stuff will taste funny. No kidding! You have to allow time to adjust

and not keep switching back and forth and comparing the two.

>

> Iced tea is great. If you want to sweeten it, buy some Splenda.

It's in a yellow box. It's near the sugar. It's made out of sugar,

tastes like sugar, but it has no calories and no affect on blood

sugar or insulin levels.

>

> I believe that Excedrin migraine has aspirin and or acetaminophen

in it and will compromise your muscle gains. Could be mistaken about

the ingredients though.

>

> Re: Yarrrgh . . . caffeine

withdrawal

>

> But what if you love soda but can't stand diet anything? I've

tried every diet they make and can't stand one of them. What about

instant iced tea? anyone have any ideas how that would be? I'm

having the exact same problem, but i take excedrin migrane for my

headaches and they disappear almost instantly. any idea on the pros

and cons of that ?

> Thanks in advance.

>

> Kenya

>

July 22, 2004

Oh, they have one of these with White Cranberry and Apple juice added. It's

yummy!

_________________

" Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half

as good. Luckily, this is not difficult. " -Charlotte Whitton-

Re: Yarrrgh . . . caffeine withdrawal

Have you tried Arizona Green Diet Iced Tea- it's made with splenda and comes

in a

big gallon jug, that's what I started drinking when I wanted to move away from

the

diet coke. Who knows if splenda is better than aspartame, but at least I don't

feel the

NEED to have diet coke near me at all times now, like I did before. If you

check it out,

make sure its the diet/splenda one, the bottle looks just like the not-diet

one.