Surprising Truth About Caffeine

[LfcCharlie4]

This one hit me hard today...

 

Essentially going over how caffeine robs us of our true motivation, and gets us hooked. I have had no issues coming off Coffee as Chris Masterjohn said it wasn't ideal for Corona, but that's only because I drink 3-4 cups of Green Tea a day. Caffeine is very embedded in our culture. I feel I'll need a week off of work to fully kick the addiction and get back to normal functioning, funnily enough I've only had the habit for a year, and really thought Green Tea was healthy! 

Time to find some awesome Decaf herbal teas I guess! 

anyways, what's your guys views on Caffeine, been able to overcome the addiction? Still drink it regularly? 

I was most shocked as majority of doctors& Health/ Fitness seem to recommend it as okay- Dr Gregor, Dr Mercola, Ben Greenfield (he sells it) 

 

[flowboy]

I was getting ready to hate on this and say he's overdramatizing it. Then I watched the video. And I actually think he's on point.

Thank you for posting this buddy. I will quit coffee again after seeing this.

 

3 hours ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

anyways, what's your guys views on Caffeine, been able to overcome the addiction? Still drink it regularly? 

I have been quit for a couple weeks several times, but still drinking it. When something requires my top performance, or I'm nervous about some event that day (even a date) I tend to use that as an excuse to start again.

Spent most of 2020 telling myself I had quit and then using coffee again a few days later. Because hey, it's not that bad.

 

While I don't recognize that I'm not able to enjoy things without it (on the contrary, I feel more like myself when I'm not drinking it) I do recognize that it ruins my sleep. I've written many journal entries about quitting it, and still have not. It's actually tough. Wanting to feel like the most alert version of myself for this or that event gets me every time.

 

I don't think its health effects are as bad as smoking. Although I feel less sure now. But when I smoke, I can immediately feel myself getting sick and having trouble to walk stairs. So aside from research, that's an immediately observable difference.

I don't think tea is as unhealthy as coffee. Because I read somewhere that anything that's charred or roasted contains carcinogens.

Another interesting idea is that we drink caffeine to compensate for a sedentary lifestyle. That our bodies are actually used to more movement and adrenaline during the day, and to compensate for that, we use tea and coffee. Makes sense to me. Doesn't mean that that is for the best, though.

[Charlotte]

I haven't watched the video so forgive me but I also quit caffeine, I did so for my own bias reasons, but after opening my mind a little further I realise now that everything in moderation can have it's place. Just like psychedelics, junk food, the internet and everything that's labelled as bad or harmful, the thing itself is not the issue, itself is just itself, its the motivation behind the user that can become the issue. I now use caffeine sparingly for strength performance, I'm not hooked like I was, I now know it's a tool and such treat it this way.

[fridjonk]

@LfcCharlie4 Also watched this when it came out, I'm quitting caffeine today, at least to reset the tolerance levels. Then I can use it more wisely again, or not at all.

[Average Investor]

I would get anxiety from caffeine. Although, I did enjoy the relentless amount of hours I could work, when I decided to have some it was never worth it. I have stopped for about a year and really don't miss it much. It usually comes at a cost later, when you stop consuming it for a period. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@flowboy  Yeah, I think you're on point, I started when I was pretty B12 deficient for some energy, quit and started using again last year, it's such an easy habit to fall into, especially because Coffee tastes so good, and it's like Chocolate or Burgers& Chips where you know it's actually terrible for you. 

I think I'm going to come off slowly, I don't drink any on weekends, but recently have been staying awake later than normal, ideally I would like all my energy to come naturally. 

Agree RE: Sedentary. When I exercise I immediately feel energized to fuck, maybe skip the caffeine and add in several 5 minute pulse raising workouts every couple hours? 

@Charlotte  Agree, when working long hours it's just SO easy to churn back cups of Tea and Coffee. I think anything used daily can be a bit too much in terms of 'negative' things. 

@fridjonk  Becker is certainly a stage yellow enneagram 5 in my view, I personally won't be becoming a Minimalist but will be employing tactics like no phone during work hours, site blockers etc, caffeine is something I've been putting off...

@Average Investor  Yeah, Becker sounds like a hardcore addict tbf, he took 8 days off to recover and still isn't back to normal, he went cold turkey, maybe reducing consumption is a better approach if you plan on still being productive. 

[RawJudah]

I recently quit caffeine about 3 weeks ago. I quit mainly because I wasn't getting the sleep I needed, as caffeine blocks the ability for you to get deep sleep. It was definitely an addiction. What shocks me is how socially acceptable it is. Coffee shops are literally everywhere, and most people are drinking it every day. The thing is with coffee is it's ok in small doses, but if you abuse it, it will drop you off a cliff and you feel terrible all the time. I've tried to quit so many times and kept going back. But now we can't go to coffee shops its the perfect time for me to quit, so I did. And I feel bloody amazing. 

Caffeine is poison! Not so far away from alcohol.

Also, green tea is just as bad! It still contains caffeine. No caffeine at all is the only way.

Edited April 29, 2020 by RawJudah
Forgot some important words

[Charlotte]

@LfcCharlie4 exactly. And you have to remember this guy has clearly had huge negative experiences with this and you can see this in the emotion and the language he uses, so this will influence his opinion. 

[fridjonk]

5 minutes ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

I personally won't be becoming a Minimalist

Minimalist to his extent is just ego. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@fridjonk  True. Also feel to a degree it can help you focus more for sure, it just isn't for me. 

@Charlotte  Defo

@RawJudah  Hmm, I want the benefits of herbal tea though, and Decaf brands you recommend? 

[RawJudah]

@LfcCharlie4 is there any benefits to herbal tea though?
 

I still drink decaf black tea, which contains zero caffeine, I drink it just for the taste. 

Decaf is the way to go! 

[LfcCharlie4]

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/herbal-tea/ 

Haven't read up much on it, I just know Green Tea was supposedly great for Acne hence I started drinking it a few years ago, and its on Dr Gregors daily dozen. 

@Michael569any knowledge on herbal teas?

[Michael569]

@LfcCharlie4 on green tea or herbs overal? There is a lot to tell on those topics 

[flowboy]

3 hours ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

maybe skip the caffeine and add in several 5 minute pulse raising workouts every couple hours? 

I think that would work, I might try that.

At the office we had a tradition of doing pushups every hour, ha ha.

[LfcCharlie4]

@Michael569 both man and Caffeine if you can  

[28 cm unbuffed]

What do you think about something like that? https://www.amazon.co.uk/L-Theanine-Attention-Rise-Supplements-Productivity/dp/B075QKFN67
Is caffeine just a bad thing and should be avoided at all cost, just remove it from your life, period?

[LfcCharlie4]

@28 cm unbuffed tbh I don’t know, Alex is an extreme guy. I mean he lives in a house with just his laptop and bed, and when in business growth mode does nothing but work really, I think reducing it at least, I feel more research would be needed by more knowledgable guys! 

[28 cm unbuffed]

Extremes are never a good thing, I learned that in my life already.

I heard that L-theanine- caffeine combo is one of the best things you can start your days with.  On the other hand, it doesn't make sense, when caffeine is a bad thing on its own.

In the end, we will find out, that we do not anything to survive really, just sun energy and breatharians are geniuses.  

Edited April 29, 2020 by 28 cm unbuffed

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

Personally I was aware of the cyclical nature and science of caffeine addiction, blocking adenosine, resulting in poor sleep, then numbing you to how worn you really are BUT I think there are strategic ways to avoid this such as cycling on and off, staying active, and monitoring how you feel upon waking without taking caffeine. Personally, If I have a really good nights sleep and feel refreshed, I will take caffeine anyway to help me to a workout, then nourish my body with the macro and micro nutrition it needs, stay hydrated, and I feel great the rest of the day. And definitely do not consume caffeine every day in the same amount/from the same source, and throw in off days. If I wake up feeling groggy and fatigued I know im going to prioritize regeneration/recovery for that day to make sure I get quality sleep that night and won't consume much or any caffeine at all. I haven't felt any cravings or withdrawal effects this way, and tbh, this never comes up on my radar as even an issue for me (coffee) but that is of course my own experience and others may differ. 

Edited April 29, 2020 by TrynaBeTurquoise

[Brian Wolfe]

“For many, caffeine helps us feel alert,” Brown says. “Because it's a stimulant, it can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which impacts someone's overall health,” Brown says while most people only have mild negative effects from caffeine, both short- and long-term health risks are possible.