Caffeine-Free

Caffeine is an amazing chemical.  When I haven't had any in a few weeks and then I have a soda or two, my productivity soars.  Yes, I'm fidgety, but I'm also able to focus through mundane tasks and get a lot done.  I read somewhere a year or so ago that consuming caffeine before a workout also improves endurance.  And this may be a bit too much information, but it also stimulates peristalsis, which helps me stay regular.  (Of course, with my new protein bars, I may not need to worry about that.)

The fidgety I can deal with.  The way it disturbs my sleep is acceptable up to a point.  Further, after prolonged use, the withdrawal symptoms -- primarily headache and fatigue -- are intolerable during the work week. And I just plain dislike the idea of being dependent on a particular chemical like that.

So, if I find myself regularly consuming caffeine -- I usually get it from Pepsi or coffee drinks -- I will go without it for a couple of weeks until the withdrawal symptoms pass and I'm confident that it's all out of my system.  I always start the process on a Friday so that the withdrawal symptoms occur over the weekend so as to not interfere with my work.

Fun Fact:

Caffeine has a physiological half-life of three and a half hours (Parsons anjd Neims, 197 to six hours (Aranda et al., 1979). Its physiological effects are observed in less than one hour (Parsons and Neims, 197 .

I'm not sure if I've ever consumed caffeine as regularly or in the amounts that I had been over the past month or two.

I tried a couple of times to stop it, but the withdrawal symptoms didn't kick in until Monday, which meant that in order to make it through work, I had to have another soda.

Well, I stopped soda last Thursday.  By Sunday evening, I was the walking dead.  You can see it in my face if you watched my last video.  The fatigue is apparent.  The headache is not, but it was present and oppressive.

I'm happy to say that today, I made it through work without a soda and my headache was still there, but bearable.  The fatigue was notable, but I was able to stick it out.

Tonight, as I settle in for bed, my headache is all but gone.  I'm pleased that I'm almost clean now.

But in spite of having endured all this pain, I'm excited about becoming sensitive to the effects of caffeine again. 

Don't worry, Pepsi!  I'll be back soon!

Posted by: Flibbertigibbet at 09:40 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Category: Fitness with Flibby
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