Giving up Caffeine Changed Me

Last Friday I was getting tired of feeling like I was going crazy all the time. My own brain was kind of ruining my life. I decided that morning to cut back on my daily coffee. I had just a little. 

Saturday I spent the day with Chloe and let Eric take my car to work. I had no way out. Normally in this case I would go out and get a coffee before he left. I didn't. I didn't make one at home either. When I felt the typical caffeine withdrawal headache coming on, I took Tylenol immediately. The headache didn't get too bad, and eventually went away. 

I didn't have a coffee on Sunday. Or Monday, Tuesday, or today, Wednesday. 

I've been caffeine-free for 5 days now, and I already feel a difference. 

After feeling kind of sick and having no appetite all day Friday, I've been able to eat as normal ever since. I I've barely thought about getting sick. I'm still extremely irritable, but I'll try to work on that. The huge thing is, Eric came home from work sick on Sunday and I didn't freak out about it. 

I'm not a huge pop drinker, but I've avoided  that as much as I can anyway. I'm trying to drink more water. I'm trying to get outside more. 

I thought I'd miss coffee, but really I just miss sipping on a warm drink, so sometimes I make or buy hot chocolate. It takes so much better without the added coffee. And no side effects. 

Giving up caffeine was the best decision I've ever made, it seems. I wish I had known how easy it would be sooner. 

How much do you indulge?

I've been sitting at work all morning, really wanting to go out and get my favorite hot drink - half hot chocolate and half coffee. So yummy. 

What you might not know is that for about a month or two, I would stop for one of these every.single.morning. on my way to work. That's just a little bit under $2 a day. Then I fell in love with frosted cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls with FROSTING. Then I was paying around $3.50 a day. 

A day. 

That's almost $20 a week just on a morning snack. 

What you also might not know is that I wasn't feeling well for a few days back in January. Because I wasn't feeling good, I wasn't eating well. By well, I mean barely at all for two days. I didn't stop for my morning snack those days. 

When I finally got my appetite back, I didn't immediately get back that craving. Now, I stop every now and then, but not nearly as much as before. I'm thankful for the money I'm saving, and I'm sure my health is thankful for all the water I'm sipping on to replace my coffee. I've been drinking a lot of water. 

But those hot chocolate coffees?  Those are my little indulgences. 

Some people have pop, or an alcoholic drink, or a meal out, or some spa time, but this is my only real addiction. 

But my question to you is what's yours? What's is that one (or two or three) thing that you know you probably have way too often, but you can't or don't want to give up? 

And how do you know when it's too much? When you should give it up, or if you're allowed to have this treat as much as you want? How do you control your little indulgences? 

I'm glad I was able to cut back, but since I started writing this post, I went for a walk and gave in to my craving. 

Oh how I love you, chocolatey coffee

Homemade Hot Chocolate & Chocolate Coffee

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I've been addicted to half coffee, half hot chocolates lately. I love me some coffee, but the added sweetness of the hot chocolate makes me want to drink it all day. That may be a bad thing. 

Bad enough, because the $2ish I'm spending a day to buy them started adding up, so I started experimenting at home. Both with homemade hot chocolate, and homemade chocolate coffee. 

Lucky you, I'm going to share. 

Homemade Hot Chocolate

1 1/4 cups of milk (approx)

1 tsp cocoa (add more if you like it thicker)

1 tsp white sugar (same amount as cocoa)

Heat up the milk in a pot on medium heat. Once it's starting to boil a little, add the cocoa and sugar and stir. Add more or less cocoa and sugar until you figure out what works for you. More options: Add a drop or two of peppermint extract, throw some whipped cream on top, pour in a little bit of flavored coffee cream or a flavor shot. 

Homemade Chocolate Coffee

Coffee

Milk

1 tsp Cocoa

2 tsp Sugar

Make the coffee as desired. You can use instant if you'd like. Make enough to fill your cup approx 3/4 full. Stir in the sugar and cocoa (adjust amounts to meet your tastes), then fill the cup the rest of the way with milk. You can also add peppermint extract, whipped cream, or any kind of flavoring you like. 

Do you have any favorite hot drink recipes to share?