This is the challenge I have avoided for years.
I love coffee so much. I love the taste, the feel of the warm cup, the little lift I get from the caffeine.
Everything about coffee makes me happy.
But I have been drinking it for 16 years and only took a break when I was pregnant with my son.
I feel like I need a reset and a break from coffee.
So September is my month to give it up for 30 days.
My first cup of coffee was in December of 2005 at a diner near the Amtrak station in Osceola, Iowa.
That first cup I shared with Kevin. ❤️
I had taken the train from Chicago to visit him, and when he ordered a coffee I was stunned.
Who is this person?
He let me try a sip, after I stared at him in shock. It was delicious and I promptly ordered my own cup.
Our shared love of coffee began!
Since then, Kevin and I have probably tried over 100 coffee shops.
We have taken the bus, trolley, bikes, and walked to get coffee. When we travel we usually have a detour or two to find a good cup.
I also shared many cups at Dennys with my dad. Many cups with Kevin’s dad and grandma.
My mom and I have shared countless cups and even worked at Starbucks together.
And my friends always knew there was a pot brewing at my house if they stopped by.
Despite all these wonderful associations with coffee, I am still giving it up for 30 days.
Why?
I want to know my natural energy
Coffee creates a false sense of energy.
With my thyroid condition, I think it will be valuable to discover my real natural energy. I don’t want to mask my low moments with caffeine.
I want to appreciate it again
Anytime you have something everyday you lose appreciation for it.
I believe a month without coffee will make me appreciate it more when I have it again.
I want to prove I can do it
This is the challenge I have avoided and dreaded…so now I want to prove to myself that I can do it.
I want to feel my best
The notecard challenge has revealed that even when I pull all other health levers, I am still not 100%.
So I feel an obligation to at least try cutting coffee. If I can commit to all these other changes, I should be able to give up coffee.
It’s not forever (I hope)
This is just a 30 day reset to make my coffee drinking more intentional and controlled.
I don’t plan to give it up forever, but if the benefits are astounding I just might.
I am documenting how I am feeling in videos each day. This keeps me accountable and gives me a task to do during my usual coffee time.
If that interests you, here is the link:
https://youtube.com/channel/UC-CbzHgnCvBh1GTNfBEVUkw
Day 1 almost done!!
-Brittany
Less Less More 
Good luck!! I have never liked coffee at all, but I know it’s lure is strong. Hang in there!
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Thinking of you. This is something I’ve been wanting to do too, but have yet to really put my mind to it. Spring is a better time for me to try to quit. Anyway, I have read that B Vitamins help boost energy and mood so I have been trying to make meals with at least one of these foods daily: eggs, salmon, black beans, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, kale, yogurt, chick peas, lentils, sunflower seeds, swiss chard. Salmon is naturally rich in all of the B vitamins, and one egg contains a third of the recommended daily value of vitamin B7, while also containing small amounts of many of the other B vitamins. Fresh farm eggs only have 1/3 of the cholesteral that store bought eggs have, so I try to eat at least 1-3 eggs daily.
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I really think I need to do a coffee fast also. It has become too important in my life. I find myself thinking of excuses for why I deserve a iced coffee treat. Spending too much and consuming too many calories.
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Brittany – this has helped me a lot with regard to my thyroid condition. I’m sending the link just in case it’s useful for you too. Tracie x (uk) https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/feel-better-live-more-with-dr-rangan-chatterjee/id1333552422?i=1000405288077. ( Episode 8 about hormone health)
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Good luck on your 30 days! I gave up coffee nearly 10 years ago when I had a stomach ulcer. It hurt too much to drink it. I miss the smell of the coffee and the ritual of drinking it, but not much else. I turned to tea instead. Mostly herbal teas but a daily cup of strong black tea starts my morning. Not so much for the caffeine, but for the ritual morning practice.
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