I love iced coffee. Give me a Starbucks Grande iced with one pump of sugar-free hazelnut any day of the week. But, I do I really need that caffeine? We’ve all been warned of the negative side of a caffeine addiction. And, while I’m trying to increase my water intake, I think it’s time to also be more conscious about what other drinks I’m consuming.
For today’s That’s it! Thursday, I’m cutting down to one caffeinated beverage a day, max. I think I like the taste more than anything else. So, why not order that iced coffee decaf? Or better yet, replace it with some ice water? Okay, who are we kidding. At least in the beginning it’s going to be decaf.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In case you need a reminder as to what those negative effects of caffeine can be: there’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not it can be linked to higher blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. But, in my mind at least one negative affect is for sure– you can get some crazy caffeine dependency. Many of us know this all too well. We’re reliant on coffee to wake us up in the morning or that soda to pick us up mid afternoon. And, if we don’t feed into it, we’re bound to have a killer headache. A disclaimer is that many factors effect how your body handles it: body mass, medications, anxiety, age, and other medical conditions. In particular, if you’re pregnant or have gastrointestinal problems, you’ll want to avoid the caffeine. If your worried about how your body reacts to caffeine, talk with your doctor. I’m not saying that I’m avoiding caffeine all together, just being more cautious about how much of it I’m consuming.
I’m also giving unsweetened almond milk a try. I’m a little nervous about it. It’s been sitting in my fridge for a few days now and is still unopened. But, now that I’ve posted it here… I’ve got to try it. Maybe in my decaf coffee.
Are you hooked on caffeine? What’s your favorite caffeinated beverage?
Sweet Accountability 
COFFEEEEEEE!!!!!! need I say more! I finally cut coffee out and the only way I could do it was putting it in my shakeology and drinking it that way. I still got the great nutrients from shakeology and now have the taste of the coffee. I haven’t tried the hazelnut recipe yet but I hear it takes just like a starbucks iced coffee drink! Keep pushing play girl!
Coffee is my very good friend. I’m not concerned with the amount that I consume for the time being: I usually have 1-3 cups a day unsweetened with nondairy creamer. It’s a reasonable amount and I’m not adding many calories in the form of creamer and sugar. But I do need to watch my water intake and caffeine dries you out. So I’ve decided to drink a glass of water before drinking a cup of coffee and then another glass of water after. Sometimes I forget that I was going to get another cup of coffee before I finish that glass of water!
I will need to watch the caffeine intake when school starts back up, however. Last semester I doubled my caffeine intake. Most of that was due to diabetes-induced exhaustion before and immediately after my diagnosis, a problem I won’t have this coming semester. But I’ll still need to watch it!