Giving up the feine... caffeine that is!

[JarheadRI]

Ok well people might be asking. WHY? Well it is the Catholic season of Lent starting next week and we are encouraged to give up something we enjoy as a symbol of repent. I am giving up everything. Booze, sweets, and coffee/caffeine. I actually did this once before.

The last time I gave it up it was different then I thought it would be. I thought the first week I would have bad headaches as I went through withdrawal. I only had one and it was not too bad. The first two weeks did really suck though. Talk about not being able to get going. I felt sluggish all day. Once I was past the two weeks it was great.... at first! I had more energy consistently throughout the day and my mannerisms were awesome. My whole demeanor changed and I wasn't abrupt or moody at all. However.... after about a month it all kind of started. I couldn't sleep! Man I hadn't had insomnia like that since I was a teen. I got about 4 hours of sleep a night. It wasn't bad I mean I didn't feel tired it was just annoying as hell. Getting up and watching 'Girls Gone Wild' infomercials at three in the morning gets old after about a week. Therefore, I went back to the coffee.

This time I think it will be different. I am working out, which I didn't do last time I tried this, and I plan on going on a creatine cycle that should aid with the headaches I am hoping. I also am going through a bulking phase, which may suck at first as I might be tired. Once I get through the first week or two, I think I will be good though. I am cutting out booze and sweets as well and that should really make me pure through this.

Ultimately, after Lent I hope to stay off caffeine and seriously cut back on booze and sweets. I mean I am going to be 38 enough with the getting loaded every weekend. Think I need to grow up a bit.

Thoughts? Anyone else ever try the caffeine purge?

[pliny_2001]

I gave up caffeine years ago when I ditched HFCS. During grad school I picked up a massive green tea habit - which I have no intention of dropping - and recently I added in Red Bull 3x a week. And I love chocolate.

So I stayed off for a few years - I was really surprised that I had withdrawal when I went off, but I felt a lot better once I got through it.

I've spent the last 8 months (except for 3 nights, where there were very good reasons) off booze - tremendous results from that re: body composition. I'm a natural drinker, so I'd never tell anyone that wasn't an alcoholic to drop the stuff, but it's had great effects for me.

Good luck - next thing, we'll be hearing that you're going Mormon on us!

[patman5150]

Why deprive yourself of things that you enjoy? The silly premise of Lent and having to 'give up' something is crazy. I don't believe in any of that hooey but even if I did I can't imagine being at the Pearly Gates and being turned away because I didn't give up something for Lent. Or better yet, having a nice steak on a Lenten Friday. I love it when the Catholic church hands out a Friday exemption when St. Patrick's Day falls on a Friday - 'god's will is one thing but have you tried Sully's Corned Beef?' I mean really can you honestly see yourself sitting in Hell next to someone like Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy and being asked "what ya in for?". And then you have the sinister comeback of saying "I had a cheeseburger on a Friday during Lent in 2008."

Giving up something is one thing but do it for yourself and not for some antiquated church law - "laws" that have zero historical support of ever being handed down by god.

Ask yourself this. If there is a 'higher power' or god that created everything then why did that entity make things like booze, sweets or sex taste or feel so good and then 'suggest' you give it up but only for a while. Silly concept if you ask me.

Just my $.02.

[JarheadRI]

Originally Posted by patman5150

Why deprive yourself of things that you enjoy? The silly premise of Lent and having to 'give up' something is crazy. I don't believe in any of that hooey but even if I did I can't imagine being at the Pearly Gates and being turned away because I didn't give up something for Lent. Or better yet, having a nice steak on a Lenten Friday. I love it when the Catholic church hands out a Friday exemption when St. Patrick's Day falls on a Friday - 'god's will is one thing but have you tried Sully's Corned Beef?' I mean really can you honestly see yourself sitting in Hell next to someone like Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy and being asked "what ya in for?". And then you have the sinister comeback of saying "I had a cheeseburger on a Friday during Lent in 2008."

Giving up something is one thing but do it for yourself and not for some antiquated church law - "laws" that have zero historical support of ever being handed down by god.

Ask yourself this. If there is a 'higher power' or god that created everything then why did that entity make things like booze, sweets or sex taste or feel so good and then 'suggest' you give it up but only for a while. Silly concept if you ask me.

Just my $.02.

Well I am NOT giving it up for the church I am just using it to motivate me to give up the stuff I don't need or need as much of.

As far as the church it isn't for the church anyway. It is just sacrafice in general and I think if everyone gave up or limited something pleasurable for a while we would all be better off. Being a fitness website I think people realize that. My key to life has always been about moderation. To each his own!

[JarheadRI]

Originally Posted by pliny_2001

Good luck - next thing, we'll be hearing that you're going Mormon on us!

F*%K THAT! One wife is more than enough!

[patman5150]

Originally Posted by JarheadRI

Ok well people might be asking. WHY? Well it is the Catholic season of Lent starting next week and we are encouraged to give up something we enjoy as a symbol of repent.

I don't understand. Which is it? For the church or not?

To do this cold turkey is not wise. You will get headaches and you may even get sick if you just stop abruptly. I was a coffe junkie. I drank 5-6 cups a day. I am now down to one cup in the morning but I got there slowly. The people that surround you will bear the brunt of your stopping. Ever been around someone who recently gave up smoking....nasty.

[patman5150]

What if the wives were Jamie Smithers and Jamie Eason??? No matter who is getting your attention you are safe when you holler out a name upon completion.

[wildstang]

im a catholic but i never did lent or anything like that. i figure when the time comes for me to drop bad habits i'l do it on my own accord, wich i havent had alcohol but once a year (new years) for past 5 years. coffee now thats another story i recently became allergic to the bean of coffee and it tears up my stomach and ive had to cut that down to no more then 2 cups a day.

[JarheadRI]

Originally Posted by patman5150

I don't understand. Which is it? For the church or not?

To do this cold turkey is not wise. You will get headaches and you may even get sick if you just stop abruptly. I was a coffe junkie. I drank 5-6 cups a day. I am now down to one cup in the morning but I got there slowly. The people that surround you will bear the brunt of your stopping. Ever been around someone who recently gave up smoking....nasty.

Dude I am kinda surprised you are hopping all over the church for this. Who cares... and if you read the note I said I did it before. I only drink 2 cups maybe 3 a day so I am not that big of an addict.

Think if me giving it up for Lent as just a random time. Hell it could have been Fourth of July. I never really bring up politics or religion on this site because people get real emotional about it. Don't make a big deal out of it. I never criticize anyone for the religious or political beliefs I would hope others wouldn't do it to me. Again it wasn't about the whole Catholic Lent thing it was just about giving this crap up.


And yeah my coffee addict wife had to give up her 4-5 cup a day habit when she got pregnant! TALK ABOUT FUN! I just tired nothing else.

[justaguy87337]

What if the wives were Jamie Smithers and Jamie Eason??? No matter who is getting your attention you are safe when you holler out a name upon completion

reminds me of a famous quote I heard

show me a beautiful women, and I'll show u a guy who is tired of putting up with her crap.

[JarheadRI]

Originally Posted by justaguy87337

reminds me of a famous quote I heard

show me a beautiful women, and I'll show u a guy who is tired of putting up with her crap.

YEP! 100% correct! Kind of like why Charlie Sheen dumped Denise Richards, or why Tony Romo dumped Jessica Simpson, or Mickey Mars dumped Donna D'errico.... etc etc etc.....

[mooshue]

Originally Posted by pliny_2001

I gave up caffeine years ago when I ditched HFCS. During grad school I picked up a massive green tea habit - which I have no intention of dropping - and recently I added in Red Bull 3x a week. And I love chocolate.

So I stayed off for a few years - I was really surprised that I had withdrawal when I went off, but I felt a lot better once I got through it.

I've spent the last 8 months (except for 3 nights, where there were very good reasons) off booze - tremendous results from that re: body composition. I'm a natural drinker, so I'd never tell anyone that wasn't an alcoholic to drop the stuff, but it's had great effects for me.

Good luck - next thing, we'll be hearing that you're going Mormon on us!

Were those 3 nights a very recent Vegas trip lol

[tooncesthecat]

Originally Posted by patman5150

Why deprive yourself of things that you enjoy? The silly premise of Lent and having to 'give up' something is crazy. I don't believe in any of that hooey but even if I did I can't imagine being at the Pearly Gates and being turned away because I didn't give up something for Lent. Or better yet, having a nice steak on a Lenten Friday. I love it when the Catholic church hands out a Friday exemption when St. Patrick's Day falls on a Friday - 'god's will is one thing but have you tried Sully's Corned Beef?' I mean really can you honestly see yourself sitting in Hell next to someone like Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy and being asked "what ya in for?". And then you have the sinister comeback of saying "I had a cheeseburger on a Friday during Lent in 2008."

Giving up something is one thing but do it for yourself and not for some antiquated church law - "laws" that have zero historical support of ever being handed down by god.

Ask yourself this. If there is a 'higher power' or god that created everything then why did that entity make things like booze, sweets or sex taste or feel so good and then 'suggest' you give it up but only for a while. Silly concept if you ask me.

Just my $.02.

Just to clarify, the Catholic church does not have any law prohibiting eating meat on Fridays during lent. Nor does it have any laws that one must give up something during Lent. It is, however, a nice time to reflect on ways we might improve ourselves by either giving up something "bad" (a subjective term which is up to the individual, not the church) or doing something "good" (ditto).

No one, especially the church, will tell you that one will not wind up in heaven if one does not give up something for Lent, or for eating meat on Fridays, etc.

Not trying to get into a religious debate (because there's no sense in doing so). Just trying to provide information

[Insex]

Not only giving up caffeine is good, but drinking more water in the meantime is even better:

Top 10 Reasons We Need To Drink Water!

1. Water is the substance of life. Life can not exist without water. We must constantly be adding fresh water to our body in order to keep it properly hydrated. Water can be a miracle cure for many common ailments such as headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and much more. We can go for weeks without food, but only 3 days without water!

2. The body is comprised of 80% water. Water makes up nearly 85 percent of your brain, about 80 percent of your blood and about 70 percent of your lean muscle. (Because there are a lot of tissues that have less water, the average is about 50 percent.).

3. It is difficult for the body to get water from any other source than water itself. Soft drinks and alcohol steal tremendous amounts of water from the body. Other beverages such as coffee and tea are diuretics therefore stealing precious water from the body.

4. Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

5. Water is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and chemical reactions. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream. No less important is the ability of water to transport waste material out of our bodies.

6. Water is essential for proper circulation in the body. The levels of oxygen in the bloodstream are greater when the body is well hydrated. The more oxygen the body has readily available the more fat it will burn for energy without the presence of oxygen the body cannot utilize stored fat for energy efficiently. Not only will the body burn more fat when well hydrated but because there are increased oxygen levels you will also have more energy.

7. Water helps remove toxins from the body, in particular from the digestive tract. Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

8. Water regulates the body's cooling system. Sports drinks are useful when consumed after or during vigorous and prolonged exercise in high heat. But most experts agree that water works better than carbohydrates or sugared beverages for moderate exercise. For instance, if you drink 12 ounces of plain water, your body will absorb 8 ounces of it within 15 minutes.

If you drink 12 ounces of a 10% sugar solution, less than 1 ounce will be absorbed in the same period. The typical soft drink is a 10 to 12% sugar solution.

9. Consistent failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration. This condition where the body's cell are never quite hydrated enough leave them in a weakened state, vulnerable to attack from disease. It weakens the body's overall immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances that can cause a host of diseases.

10. Dehydration can occur at any time of the year, not only during the summer months when it is hot. The dryness that occurs during winter can dehydrate the body even quicker than when it is hot. When you are dehydrated you tend to eat more.

General Rule: Due to the fact that every body is different the rule we often hear about drinking 8-8oz. Of water per day can be misleading. We need to drink half our body weight in ounces of water every day to provide the body with its MINIMUM water replacement requirements. Triple the intake for better results.


Top 10 Reasons To Consume Water Instead Of Soft Drinks!

1. Soft drinks steal water from the body. They work very much like a diuretic which takes away more water than it provides to the body. Just to process the high levels of sugar in soft drinks steals a considerable amount of water from the body.

To replace the water stolen by soft drinks, you need to drink 8-12 glasses of water for every one glass of soft drinks that you consume!

2. Soft Drinks never quench your thirst, certainly not your body's need for water. Constantly denying your body an adequate amount can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration, a condition that weakens your body at the cellular level. This, in turn, can lead to a weakened immune system and a plethora of diseases.

3. The elevated levels of phosphates in soft drinks leach vital minerals from your body. Soft Drinks are made with purified water that also leach vital minerals from your body. A severe lack of minerals can lead to Heart Disease (lack of magnesium), Osteoporosis (lack of calcium) and many other diseases. Most vitamins can not perform their function in the body without the presence of minerals.

4. Soft Drinks can remove rust from a car bumper or other metal surfaces. Imagine what it's doing to your digestive tract as well as the rest of your body.

5. The high amounts of sugar in Soft Drinks causes your pancreas to produce an abundance of insulin, which leads to a "sugar crash". Chronic elevation and depletion of sugar and insulin can lead to diabetes and other imbalance related diseases. This is particularly disruptive to growing children which can lead to life-long health problems.

6. Soft Drinks severely interfere with digestion. Caffeine and high amounts of sugar virtually shut down the digestive process. That means your body is essentially taking in NO nutrients from the food you may have just eaten, even that eaten hours earlier.

Consumed with french-fries which can take WEEKS to digest, there is arguably nothing worse a person can put in their body.

7. Diet soft drinks contain Aspartame, which has been linked to depression, insomnia, neurological disease and a plethora of other illness. The FDA has received more than 10,000 consumer complaints about Aspartame, that's 80% of all complaints about food additives.

8. Soft Drinks are EXTREMELY acidic, so much so that they can eat through the liner of an aluminum can and leach aluminum from the can if it sits on the shelf too long. Alzheimer patients who have been autopsied ALL have high levels of aluminum in their brains. Heavy metals in the body can lead to many neurological and other diseases.

9. Soft Drinks are EXTREMELY acidic: The human body naturally exists at a pH of about 7.0. Soft Drinks have a pH of about 2.5, which means you are putting something into your body that is hundred of thousands of times more acidic that your body is!

Diseases flourish in an acidic environment. Soft Drinks and other acidic food deposit acid waste in the body which accumulates over time in the joints and around the organs.

For example, the Body pH of cancer or arthritis patients are always low. The sicker the person, the lower the Body pH.

10. Soft Drinks are the WORSE THING you can possibly put in your body. Don't even think of taking a sip of a Soft Drink when you are sick with a cold, flu or something worse. It will only make it that much harder for your body to fight the illness.

Original Source:
Bodybuilding.com - Clark Bartram - Top 10 Reasons We Need To Drink Water!

[Insex]

Originally Posted by justaguy87337

reminds me of a famous quote I heard

show me a beautiful women, and I'll show u a guy who is tired of putting up with her crap.

Reminds me of reality:

[patman5150]

One last comment on the whole Catholic twist and then I am done.


Most Catholics think that Vatican II did away with the requirement of not eating meat on any Friday of the year. Most think it is now just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent that we cannot eat meat.

This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:

Canon 1251
Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Canon Law still requires that Catholics not eat meat on Fridays!

Jarhead - no disrespect intended. I appauld you for wanting to do something tough like giving up the java and the wobbly pops (booze). I often tell myself I should cut back on the booze. Usually I am good Monday thru Thurs. but every once and while my wife will call me and say she is up for a Thirsty Thursday and we end up going out for a few (she doesn't work Friday's).

[tooncesthecat]

Originally Posted by patman5150

One last comment on the whole Catholic twist and then I am done.


Most Catholics think that Vatican II did away with the requirement of not eating meat on any Friday of the year. Most think it is now just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent that we cannot eat meat.

This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:

Canon 1251
Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Canon Law still requires that Catholics not eat meat on Fridays!

Jarhead - no disrespect intended. I appauld you for wanting to do something tough like giving up the java and the wobbly pops (booze). I often tell myself I should cut back on the booze. Usually I am good Monday thru Thurs. but every once and while my wife will call me and say she is up for a Thirsty Thursday and we end up going out for a few (she doesn't work Friday's).

I stand corrected! You are correct, sir. I will say this and be done myself...
The Code of Canon Law and our bishops remind us of other works and means of doing penance: prayer, acts of self-denial, almsgiving and works of personal charity, attending Mass daily or several times a week, praying the rosary, making the way of the cross, attending the parish evening prayer service, teaching the illiterate to read, reading to the blind, helping at a soup kitchen, visiting the sick and shut-ins and giving an overworked mother a break by baby-sitting—all of these can be even more meaningful and demanding than simply abstaining from meat on Friday.

[justaguy87337]

So now that the theology class is over, how ya doin with no caffine Jarhead?

[JarheadRI]

Originally Posted by justaguy87337

So now that the theology class is over, how ya doin with no caffine Jarhead?

I start up NEXT week!

[patman5150]

Don't give into the Dark (Roast) Side.