You were all super supportive when I announced I was giving up coffee. Thank you.
Buoyed by that support, I made it all the way from May 12th to June 23rd: 6 weeks total. I was coffee-free for my birthday; my sister’s graduation; my move from my former apartment to my June sublet; many, many, many workdays; a few weekend nights later than I thought would be possible without caffeine…
And then I caved. One tiny espresso one day, a small midafternoon iced coffee the next, a large midafternoon iced coffee the next, and now here I am, up to two large iceds a day.
Up to here, I am not. Yet.
Photo © Josh Greenstein | Flickr
Since you’ve been by my side since the start of this grave undertaking, I felt I owed you an explanation for my failure to continue. So here goes.
Why I’m back on coffee:
1. Because each cup is worth an hour of sleep.
2. Because it’s gluten-free.
a. And I’ve sacrificed enough.
3. Because it’s too hot not to drink iced coffee.
4. Because it’s good for the brain*.
a. And the heart.
i. And the liver.
A. And the gallbladder.
5. Because it prevents diabetes.
a. And cancer.
i. And depression.
A. And cavities.
6. And I can use all the help I can get.
7. Because I have a desk job, where not only is it okay if I get up to pee every 25 minutes, but it’s actually a welcome stretch break.
8. Because it’s cheap.
a. Except when I buy it from Birch.
i. And in that case it’s worth every penny.
9. Because it smells good.
a. And tastes good.
i. And makes me look good (black coffee—so cool).
10. Because espresso cups are adorable.
11. Because it’s referenced in my OkCupid profile, which I’m too lazy to change.
a. Because the reference makes coffee sound like such an integral part of my life that it’s awkward to explain I’m actually not drinking it right now.
i. Because coffee is an integral part of my life.
12. Because, turns out, coffee isn’t bad for (my) digestion.
13. Because it makes me think faster.
a. And type faster.
i. And speak faster.
A. And, potentially, live longer.
14. Because it’s better than aspirin.
15. Because I’m not drinking alcohol right now either, and meeting people for a cup of water was getting old.
16. Because the experiment also got old.
17. Because cross-reactivity is bogus.
18. Because it’s a valid form of self-care.
19. Because everyone else is doing it.
20. Because it (sort of) supports the livelihood of one hundred million people worldwide.
21. Because I don’t have to drink so much to feel effects anymore.
22. Because I reassured myself I could live without it.
23. Because I missed it anyway.
24. Because I wanna.
25. Because I can.
Why I’m not back on Diet Coke:
Come on.
Thanks again for your support! Anyone else give up (or take back) anything good lately?
Based on a Sprue Story 
Well, I think that’s grand…how we have one thing we can give you when you come home!
Alas, I am still off coffee; I gave it up for Lent, enjoyed that first glorious cup of black brew as the sun was peeking above the horizon on Easter morn, enjoyed my typical 6 cups/day for a month, and realized my weight loss had stalled (and no, I was not having coffee rolls or donuts with the 6 cups!). I remembered that Dr. Atkins, of questionable scientific merit I realize, wrote that coffee could interfere with insulin activity, so I gave up the coffee; and the weight has dropped and continues going down. It’s not the caffeine; I drink 6 or 7 cups of tea (or glasses of iced tea) daily, wretched stuff that it is, and that doesn’t have any effect.
I’m looking forward to the end of weight loss where I can use java as a brake!
Love this! I often hear people say that you’ll feel better if you stop drinking coffee, but I’ve drank it and not, and I can honestly say, life’s better with coffee 🙂
Have your coffee and drink it too!!! Hey, you gave it the ol’ college try, right! Be proud you tried and kept it honest and real..and if coffee is the “worst” thing you’re having…well you’re laughing 😉 I would be right along with ya chugging it still if my stomach agreed with it!
I actually had an iced coffee at 8pm last night….why!?!? I dunno, it kept me up until 2am! But it sure was tasty. I can usually manage to get away with the decaf iced coffees, but this particular place did not offer decaf in iced 😦 Lesson learned!
Seriously #2 a is a enough of a justification for me. Plus it’s coffee. But I’m now drinking a 40 ounce thermos of coffee a day, because I had to give up diet coke because of the corn allergy thing. And the stuff that I had to give up because of corn, I’m doing whatever else bad I still can whenever I want. Period. I mean Skittles!! No Skittles for months! I’m still convinced I may stroke out from withdrawal.
I’ve cut back on coffee to a pot in the morning and a couple of small iced coffees in the afternoon, mainly because I’m too busy at work to get my refills, not from an increase in self-discipline or anything. Good to allow yourself some small pleasures in life!
I cut back to quarter caff or completely decaf at home, but I made the decision to NOT give coffee up completely. It’s just too good.
[…] the way, I gave up coffee, picked it up again, found a new apartment, and went to a bunch of fun events. Oh, and my tTG levels are down […]