Coffee / Espresso Drinkers?

[contract]

Looking for a boost.

Worth the addiction to caffeine...

 

[darkzerothree]

I drink coffee like it is going out of style...

Serious, serious addict.

Funnily enough, though, I usually go weekends with only 1-2 cups and feel fine (no "withdrawal headaches" or the like).

 

[Calamari]

Looking for a boost.

Worth the addiction to caffeine...

I don't think it is and I am a coffee drinker. I don't drink it for a boost though. I drink it because I enjoy it.

When I lay off it for a few days I actually feel more energetic throughout the day after getting past a day or two of withdrawal.

 

[c4yrslf12]

Caffeine (read: coffee) is fine for you, if not slightly beneficial, as long as you don't go crazy. As with anything, yes, you can build up a tolerance, and yes, it can get out of control.

That said, I love coffee for coffee, and I don't get any other sources of caffeine (no soda, etc.). When I'm sick, I'll switch to certain teas, but it's usually a substitute, not an addition. I drink coffee because I genuinely enjoy it, and the caffeine is just a pleasant bump in the morning/afternoon.

I have a drip, an espresso machine, a french press, and I'm Jones'n for an Aeropress. They all make good cups in their own right.

 

[ssura]

I take caffeine pills (200mg) 1 - 3 times a day. Get all the benefits of caffeine without going to the washroom every 5 minutes from drinking coffee.

 

[Ryuzaki]

I quit coffee about one and a half months ago. I NEEDED to have my coffee in the morning, two big ass mugs. If I didn't have it, I'd feel groggy, foggy, unclear, yawning. It got to the point where all of the theatrics were removed from the process. I stopped with sugar and creamer and flavored coffees and even buying decent coffee. I'd buy Folgers and Maxwell House in bulk and drink it black. The taste didn't matter, I just needed my coffee.

Now, without it, I finally got my sleep schedule stable but not necessarily the schedule I want. Combine that with no coffee and when its time to get out of bed (which I just did about 10 mins ago), I feel immediately perky and peppy and ready for attack.

Caffeine is like nicotine. We've managed to make it enjoyable, but the beneficial effects only last for the first bit of time we start using it. After that, you aren't getting as much benefit or enjoyment so much as staving off withdrawal.

It's why some people claim that either of those stimulants makes them feel calm. Yeah, because you take some more and it gets rid of the anxiety of addiction until the next time.

For me, I'd get my caffeine buzz and could really knock out a good chunk of work for a solid 3 hour period. I'd get more done than normal, but I could pretty much kiss the other work hours goodbye in terms of being remotely that efficient. Now, I don't have any amazing spurts of work but I have steady and consistent work, which I know adds up to more than the spurts ever did because I can sustain myself longer.

But back to the question, I used and still have on the counter top a cheap Mr. Coffee that dripped water over the grounds and filter into the pot. Standard stuff.

 

[Steve]

Nope, despite an avid interest in much more interesting stimulants in my early 20's, coffee always makes me feel ill.
Pg tips, strong, milk, 1 sugar in the morning.
As above, no sugar for the rest of the day.
Adams broadside on the weekends.

 

[Bastion]

I love the taste and experience of drinking coffee, but I had the same experience as Ryuzaki where it's ultimately a diminishing returns addiction that always leads to "bottoming out" where I'm probably worse off and only drinking it to avoid headaches until I go off it for a while (and then get the headaches baaaaad).

If I'm exercising, avoiding caffeine, avoiding alcohol, eating lots of veggies/fruit, getting plenty of fluids, and getting enough sleep my baseline energy level is noticeably higher than when I'm addicted to caffeine.

I've noticed mild but sustainable energy + endurance boosts with no side effects from some herbs as well. Herb Pharm makes a tincture formula called Stress Manager that has Rhodiola, Eleuthero, and some other adaptogens that I like. I'll sip on that thing throughout the day. I also feel like medicinal mushroom formulas have been helpful and there's some pretty good research behind mushrooms like Chaga, Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Cordyceps on their ability to enhance stress reduction, endurance, and brain/nerve function.

For a coffee substitute that actually tastes decent but doesn't have any caffeine I like the dandelion root product called Dandy Blend. It isn't really a stimulant but it has other benefits and at least scratches the itch as far as taste/experience goes.

 

[DD1]

I quit coffee about one and a half months ago. I NEEDED to have my coffee in the morning, two big ass mugs. If I didn't have it, I'd feel groggy, foggy, unclear, yawning. It got to the point where all of the theatrics were removed from the process. I stopped with sugar and creamer and flavored coffees and even buying decent coffee. I'd buy Folgers and Maxwell House in bulk and drink it black. The taste didn't matter, I just needed my coffee.

I love the taste and experience of drinking coffee, but I had the same experience as Ryuzaki where it's ultimately a diminishing returns addiction that always leads to "bottoming out" where I'm probably worse off and only drinking it to avoid headaches until I go off it for a while (and then get the headaches baaaaad).

I always heard about people who can't get their day started unless they had their coffee when I was younger and I am pretty sure that made me consciously decide not to like, not to enjoy, and not to drink coffee. I don't know if that makes sense, but it is how I think.

I drink coffee "socially" because I live in Italy, and sometimes it is unavoidable not to do so when someone invites you for a coffee. The espresso here is too strong and drinking it with sugar gives me a stomachache, so I drink it black.

I avoid drinking soda. It is not set in stone, and I like its flavor, but I am cutting useless calories from my diet. I don't drink diet soda.

I love tea, though. I am half Japanese and I did not grow up drinking tea - however, I did get to enjoy tea in my mid 20s. I drink it about once a day, early evening hours. It is usually black, green, or jasmine tea - very bland. If it were a Twinings bag (as an example, because I hate Twinnings), I would leave it in my mug for 10-15 seconds, instead of 3-5 minutes as they say. No special gear of any kind.

In the Summer, I drink lots of barley tea throughout the day because it is refreshing. It's caffeine free as well, if you are into that.

 

[Kris]

I have about 3 coffee's a day. Any more and I'll get bad anxiety.
An alternative is Organic Japanese Matcha Tea. I find the energy delivery is much better where you won't get that crash. It also has a truck load of antioxidants. It does have a bit of an aquired taste but I don't mind it.

 

[Sutra]

It wasn't until about 5 years ago that I started taking caffeine. I never drank coffee or took caffeine pills. But once I started working out I noticed a huge benefit when I would have some caffeine beforehand. I take about 150mg of caffeine before working out (I work out 3x a week).

On days that I work out AND work on IM, I take 50mg once every 4 hours a or so (anywhere from 1 - 3x a day). That's because I already took the 150mg before working out, and if I take more during IM working periods I feel all tweaked out. On the days that I work on IM only, I take 100mg before doing work, then take 50mg every 4th hour or so. In both cases it's just enough to keep me fresh, alert, and boosts my productivity without sapping my energy levels. I do not drink coffee (or have any other sources of caffeine) during these times. Usually just have a smoothie, hah.