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Celes · 01-20-2011 08:25 AM

This is Day 20 of Live a Healthier Life in 21 Days Challenge. Subscribe to the free newsletter for lifetime access of personal development articles and future challenge announcements like this one.

Hi everyone! Welcome to Day 20 of 21DHL, and today is the 2nd last day of the challenge.

Are we ready to end off the last 2 days of the challenge with a big bang??? :dance:

As you can tell, for the past few days in the 3rd week of 21DHL, we've been working on small, yet important habits that will take us a long way in the long run. From breathing fully, to meditating, to flossing, to loving and hugging yourself, to barefoot walking.

For today's habit and the last habit we will be cultivating for 21DHL, we're going caffeine free.

Day 20: Have a Caffeine-Free Day

[Image: 21dhl-sodadrinks.jpg]

I used to be a huge soda drinker when I was young. It wasn't until several years ago that I decided to cut it out once and for all. And I'm glad I did that, because in retrospect I was taking in so much chemicals including caffeine into my body with every drink. Today, getting my fluid intake via water and natural fruits has really rejuvenated my life and my thinking.

I wrote about the negative effects of caffeine before in 5 Reasons TO Quit Drinking Soda Drinks and How To Do It

Quote:Caffeine... is a diuretic. A diuretic is a drug that speeds up the rate of urine production – meaning it removes water from your body. While you can get your thirst quenched when drinking Coke, you do not get as hydrated as compared to if you just drink pure water.

Not only that, Caffeine is also a psychoactive stimulant drug. What is a psychoactive stimulant drug?

Quote:...It affects the central nervous system and alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. By increasing the levels of adrenaline (a stress hormone) in your body, you end off setting off feelings of anxiety and tension in your body. Instead of being able to operate as a fully conscious being, you end up having less control of your thoughts, emotions and behavior.

I noticed that whenever I do drink Coca-Cola or soda, my mental thinking is not as clear. It feels as though my thoughts become more rapid, jumbled and haphazard. Even though I’m supposedly more alert, I’m not fully in control of the higher faculties of my mind. It feels more like my mind is operating by itself and my conscious self is only allowed to observe in the background to give limited inputs. If this was in the past where I was drinking Coke every day, I would never have been able to make this observation. However, drinking Coke after being Coke/soda-free for many months made the contrast very stark to me.

While you may appreciate caffeine for keeping you awake for a particular morning meeting or presentation, bear in mind that the boost is only temporary and at the expense of the natural functions of your mind. While you may feel more alert after a dose of caffeine, it is just a stimulated feeling. Whenever I consume caffeine, I feel like my mind has been pried awake beyond its desires. Even though the lights are on in my brain, I can only perform low level tasks which do not require much thinking. Higher functions of my mind seem to be beyond me. I pretty much feel like a zombie walking around with limited mental capacities and a body heavy as lead.

To make things worse, after the initial effects wear off, I am left with a state of fatigue worse than before since I was denying your body of the rest it deserved. To quote Jacob Teitelbaum, “Caffeine is an energy loan shark. What it lends you in the morning it takes back with heavy interest in the afternoon.”

Not only that, most caffeine drinks are colored, which makes them stain your teeth too. Not exactly helpful if you're trying to get pearly whites!

Hence for today, let's go for a day without caffeine!

Common drinks with caffeine:

Soda
Coffee
Tea - Tea contains caffeine too, including iced tea
Energy drinks
Alcohol by itself does not have caffeine, but a lot of alcoholic drinks have it

After today, I challenge you to try going caffeine free from just a day to a week, and see how it feels. And from a week, to a month. In not drinking caffeine, you may find some new things about yourself that you didn't notice from before.

Day 20 of Your 21-Day Action Plan

What are your 21DHL tasks listed for today? Do them with excellence and report them in your 21DHL Journal! Also, read your group mates' 21DHL journals and cheer them along! Pick a few members' journals and make it a point to post meaningful replies there.

Share Your Progress!

How's your day like without caffeine/coffee/soda/etc? Feel free to share with everyone here.

Image ©

Jade · 01-20-2011 08:35 AM

Ouch this one is going to hurt!

If you had asked this of me at the beginning of the challenge I would have said "No Way!"

But I am feeling stronger now so I am going to give it my best shot! Luckily I read this before going to bed or I would have been straight to the kettle in the morning for my usual cuppa!

Work is going to be a problem - so many coffee breaks - I plan to drink water instead and I might pick up a carton of tomato juice on the way in as I love that and its quite low in sugar too.

Hope I dont get a caffeine withdrawal headache though - I will report back 2moro

Celes · 01-20-2011 08:42 AM

(01-20-2011 08:35 AM)Jade Wrote: But I am feeling stronger now so I am going to give it my best shot! Luckily I read this before going to bed or I would have been straight to the kettle in the morning for my usual cuppa!

Work is going to be a problem - so many coffee breaks - I plan to drink water instead and I might pick up a carton of tomato juice on the way in as I love that and its quite low in sugar too.

Hope I dont get a caffeine withdrawal headache though - I will report back 2moro

Awesome Jade!!! By the way, I absolutely L-O-V-E your gungho and go-get-it attitude you've been displaying for the whole 21DHL challenge and also in all your encouragement and support you've been showing to everyone!!! Thank you for being who you are and look forward to reading your progress tomorrow!!

clarkindee · 01-20-2011 10:42 AM

Thanks, Celes! One of the best things I've done during 21DHL was to reduce caffeine. I gave up drinking soda so it is just coffee -- and I'm down to one single cup in the morning. Dreaming about cutting that out all together but taking it a little slow. And the irony is I definitely feel more energetic, not less, without it!

ozcaveman · 01-20-2011 10:52 AM

Celes,

This challenge must have been written for me :-)

It is now 12.55pm Thursday reading this, so I will have to apply this challenge tomorrow. I have already enjoyed 1 coffee and 2 teas today.

Tomorrow I will have smoothie for breakfast instead of coffee and lots of water - cold and hot. I am told that sipping a cup of hot water is almost the same as having a coffee or tea, and common practice with Chinese people.

Charles
(about to go for a lunchtime walk)

Celes · 01-20-2011 12:47 PM

CDee Wrote:And the irony is I definitely feel more energetic, not less, without it!

This is awesome CDee!! I feel SO free and energetic without soda/caffeine (plus with raw food diet now - even more so!). I'm never ever going to take any of it again. Looking back I felt like I was poisoning myself. Funny that with marketing and advertising, the whole drink (be it soda, coffee, alcohol, etc) looks nice and magical, but really what it is is just a mixture of different chemicals and additives.

(01-20-2011 10:52 AM)ozcaveman Wrote: Celes,

This challenge must have been written for me :-)

It is now 12.55pm Thursday reading this, so I will have to apply this challenge tomorrow. I have already enjoyed 1 coffee and 2 teas today.

Tomorrow I will have smoothie for breakfast instead of coffee and lots of water - cold and hot. I am told that sipping a cup of hot water is almost the same as having a coffee or tea, and common practice with Chinese people.

Look forward to hearing how it goes for you tomorrow Charles

. When I was writing the task I was wondering how you'd react to it since I know you still take 1-2 coffees/day currently but I also know you'd gamely take up the challenge task! Here's a huge kudos to you! :clap:

Glenn · 01-20-2011 01:26 PM

Poor Charles!! haha.. Celes, I was wondering what today's task would be when you mentioned it would be something well suited to Charles. :lol:

I count myself thankful I've never drunk coffee. When I was a kid, the smell of the instant coffee my parents drank always drank put me off ever wanting to drink it! Then there was the time as a kid also I bought some chocolate milk, but tasted it and realised it was coffee flavoured! I assumed it was chocolate due to the brown logo on the carton.

Tea on the other hand.. When we would visit my auntie and uncle, they would always make a cup of tea. That didn't smell too bad! So I would drink that, but rarely. Even now with all the different types of tea we have, I rarely drink it. The past couple of years I would sometimes go and grab a chai tea with soy milk about once a week, but still rarely drank tea at home. This month I'll admit I've had one cup of tea. :rolleyes:

It was a chai tea with rice milk at a local cafe. I was just curious to try it actually when I noticed they had a rice milk option.

ozcaveman · 01-20-2011 01:43 PM

(01-20-2011 01:26 PM)Glenn Wrote: Poor Charles!! haha.. Celes, I was wondering what today's task would be when you mentioned it would be something well suited to Charles.

Poor me indeed! At first I thought I would try that challenge on Saturday, but no I will do it on Friday. How could I refuse Celes' challenge? :sweat:

Glenn - you are lucky you never got addicted to caffeine (and alcohol).

Charles

Glenn · 01-20-2011 02:06 PM

(01-20-2011 01:43 PM)ozcaveman Wrote: Poor me indeed! At first I thought I would try that challenge on Saturday, but no I will do it on Friday. How could I refuse Celes' challenge?

Remember these are supposed to be healthy habits to be adopted on a more regular basis

Do you think you could handle just one cup of coffee and one cup of tea per day? If there are any juice bars near your work, perhaps replacing one of the coffees with a juice? Something with ginger added for that extra kick?

Qin_Tang · 01-20-2011 02:58 PM

This is the easiest task for me. I don't drink coffee and soda anyway.

ozcaveman · 01-20-2011 03:00 PM

(01-20-2011 02:58 PM)Qin_Tang Wrote: This is the easiest task for me. I don't drink coffee and soda anyway.

Do you drink Chinese tea?

I will be drinking hot water tomorrow with pieces of ginger,
or cold water with lemon, or following Glenn's suggestion and
getting a freshly squeezed juice at lunch time.

C

Jyothirmayee · 01-20-2011 06:03 PM

Hi!!! Celes

This one is little difficult. :cry:

..by the time I read the task for today, it was late..morning had a cup of tea with my colleagues..

I don't drink any of the other caffeine rich fare but I need my two doses of tea...Now being in office I don't have any other healthy option also... :angry:

I can't just say that I'll give up long cultivated habit in one day..but will try to switched to healthier version like herbal or green tea... :sweat:

Celes you got me here...little tough task :twisted:

I'll give it a try...

ozcaveman · 01-20-2011 06:37 PM

(01-20-2011 06:03 PM)Jyothirmayee Wrote: I can't just say that I'll give up long cultivated habit in one day..but will try to switched to healthier version like herbal or green tea...

Green tea still has caffeine! Drink hot water with a squeeze of lemon juice, or fresh green ginger.

Charles

Ish · 01-20-2011 07:10 PM

Too late for today as I already had a cup of tea with breakfast this morning

I've stopped drinking soda since 1st Jan, but I usually take tea in the mornings, and 1-2 cups of coffee at the office. I am not addicted and I've done it before, so it's not going to be difficult.
I will definitely do it for the rest of the day and tomorrow as well :dance:

In the long run, though, rather than excluding all sources of caffeine, I had planned to switch to green tea.

Jyothirmayee · 01-20-2011 07:27 PM

Thanks Ozcaveman for good and timely advice... and also for bursting my hope balloon.. :cry:

..

Quote:Green tea still has caffeine! Drink hot water with a squeeze of lemon juice, or fresh green ginger.

It looks things are not going to be easy for me.... :sweat:

ozcaveman · 01-20-2011 08:14 PM

(01-20-2011 07:27 PM)Jyothirmayee Wrote: It looks things are not going to be easy for me....

I dont think it will be easy for me either. Fortunately I am in an all day training session so I wont be able to get distracted by the office kitchen.
First of all I am going to have a good night's sleep!

Looking forward to the experience. Expect a few journal updates!

Charles "Caveman"

Francisco · 01-20-2011 08:58 PM

What about green tea??? In day 3 (Mi Ideal Meal Plan) I replaced coffe with green tea...It is also a diuretic and gives yuo mixed energy?????

Thank you guys!

Maji · 01-20-2011 11:22 PM

Too late for me! I have a cup of coffee with breakfast and green tea at my desk.

Like alcohol, a small amount of caffeine is good for humans. However, it's also the most widely abused drug in the US today. I really worry about my mother and one of my sisters who constantly say things like, "I need a cup of coffee." (And my sister is medical doctor and a psychiatrist!!)

Years ago, I used to drink a lot of coffee, and then I switched to decaf and suffered the miserable effects of caffeine withdrawal. Since then, I make half-decaf at home and drink green tea whenever I want something hot. Peppermint tea in the evening because any caffeine will keep me awake!

kwar21 · 01-21-2011 02:35 AM

When I was in law school, I got to the point where I was having a double shot espresso in the morning and either a red bull or a biggie diet coke in the afternoon. I rationalized that I needed it to stay awake and focus and study so I would do well in school. I ended up carrying those habit into my career when I started working. In 2008, I decided that my new years resolution was to become unaddicted to caffeine, and so I created my own caffeine rehab program. I knew personally, I could not go cold turkey, so I did some research on ways to ween yourself off and I did a week detox. It was very hard and very challenging, but after that week, I felt incredible. Now instead of drinking coffee in the morning I drink a big glass of water. I had read somewhere that many times when we think we're tired and want caffeine, that we are really just dehydrated, especially in the morning after we've been asleep for 6-8 hrs. Today, I only have coffee as a treat, I probably have 1 or 2 sodas a year, usually also as a treat, and while I do drink tea occasionally, I try to find herbal ones that do not contain caffeine (note: just because it's herbal does not mean that it does not have caffeine).

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