Bye Bye Baby

This could very well be one of the hardest things I ever do, okay maybe ever is being a little dramatic but it's going to be really really hard. I mean I know there are a lot of things in life that are hard like moving, planning to have a family, child birth (ugh gross!), raising a child, etc. however none of that is what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is giving up coffee but more specifically Starbucks. I would say that I have a full blown addiction to Starbucks- I get a venti coffee everyday and sometimes go back for seconds however my second run usually only translate to a grande. Now my drink normally runs me $5 a cup (minus all my discounts because I'm a gold card member) so if you times that by 7 days a week you do the math it's expensive! Then to add an occasional second drink that is sure hitting the pocket book. However I always budgeted for my Starbucks because it was my one indulgance that I always alloted myself and my little pick me up. I always wondered what my debit card company thought of me when they would see my automatic reload going on my card once or twice a week. They probably thought I was either A. a very generous person or B. a full blown addict to Starbucks. Well if they answered B that would be correct. I mean I could remember waking up and before I even started to function I would make my husband find the nearest Starbucks. Oh and when we travel and on our way to the airport- forget it! We normally travel early in the morning Starbucks isn't even open yet so I am a little bit irritable as I'm being cattled in line to check my bags and then security. Once we pass security I am on the hunt for the closest Starbucks- sometimes leaving the hubby to pick up the carry on's from the security check point. 


As you can tell I rely on my caffeine a little to much. But again never had any reason to stop. However there are many health risks associated with coffee and because I had been experiencing some stomach issues in the last two years and sought out medical attention and all coming up with no answers I had a clean bill of health. However my stomach was saying otherwise. I remember reading the book Skinny Bitch and her putting an excerpt about caffeine and the effects it has on your body. Here is the excerpt: 


Chapter 1 ~ Give It Up
Page 15-16

Think about how widely accepted it has become that people need coffee to wake up.  You should not need anything to wake up.  If you can't wake up without it, it's because you are either addicted to caffeine, sleep deprived, or a generally unhealthy slob.  It may seem like the end of the world to give up your daily dose, especially if you rely on Starbucks as a good place to meet men.  But it's not heroin, girls, and you'll learn to live without it.  Caffeine can cause headaches, digestive problems, irritation of the stomach and bladder, peptic ulcers, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.  It affects every organ system, from the nervous system to the skin.  Caffeine raises stress hormone levels, inhibits important enzyme systems that are responsible for cleaning the body, and sensitizes nerve reception sites.  One study even links caffeine to an increased susceptibility to diabetes.  But don't go grabbing for the decaf.  Coffee, wheather regular or decaf, is highly acidic.  Acidic foods cause your body to produce fat cells, in order to keep the acid away from your organs.  (Please, do not link this acid issue to citrus... see pg. 38 in future blogs.)  So coffee equals fat cells.  P.S.  It also makes your breath smell like ass.  Furthermore, coffee beans, like other crops, are grown with chemical pesticides.  One insecticide, DD7, has been banned in the US, but is still used by other countries from which we import coffee beans.  So every single morning, you are starting your day with a dose of poison.  Add sugar or other artificial sweeteners, top it off with milk or cream, and you'll be fat forever.



YIKES!!! I know a little jaw dropping after you read this huh? Now it may make you run to your fridge and throw out all the pop and coffee.  So one day when I was at work sipping my venti coffee I had a light bulb moment maybe my stomach issues were caused by something as simple as my coffee. I nearly spit out my coffee and threw out my cup of coffee. This could be my answer. 


I decided to quit cold turkey. So I was 3 days in - no urges, no headaches, no freak outs I was doing good. Plus I decided to quit on Wednesday which was right in time for lent (I'm not religious by any means but I thought it sounded good) and a few girls from work were giving up coffee well three of us coffee and one just Starbucks. So on my day 4 I got something in the mail . . . 

My FREE drink from Starbucks! I quickly threw it on my desk so I was tempted to run to my neighborhood Starbucks to redeem it. So I am going strong about quitting cold turkey and I will keep you updated on my progress. I am hoping to quit for good not just for lent. So is there anything that you're giving up weather it be for lent or just because??