I Went One Month Without Coffee. Here's What Happened...

Photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplash

Coffee is dangerous. It’s satsifying, yet it’s addictive. It gives you energy, but it can cause you to crash in the afternoon. It can cause you to crash in the afternoon, but it can also keep you up all night that same day. So, I decided enough was enough. I went one month without coffee. This blog post will provide you with what I learned from the experience.

Let’s dig in.

Why I love coffee

I drank coffee because it gives me energy. It gives me that kick of energy I need when I wake up tired. It helps me get through my grueling workouts. Without it, I used to crash and burn. By my third or fourth exercise, I’d be tapped out. I’d be too tired to perform my best on each lift. 

A friend recommended me to drink caffeine before each workout. He recommended pre-workout, but also said coffee could work. I already enjoyed drinking coffee. So, I decided to drink it consistently before each workout. 

The effects immediately began to pay off during my next workout.

I no longer struggled to get through my workout. I had the energy to push through it. Even through the Bulgarian Split Squats (A challenging exercise) I perform towards the end of my workout.

Coffee is also so pleasurable to experience because of it’s wonderful smell and taste. 

Each morning I had a ritual that was a tribute in the name of coffee.

First, the sound of the coffee machine revving up its “engine”. The sound of a machine ready to deliver a delicious and energizing drink. Then, loading the cup into the machine. Closing the lid of the machine feels satisfying. The lid has a spring in it that gives some resistance when you push it down.  

Then, the sound of the liquid starting to pour into my mug. It has this squirting sound that’s funny to listen to. But immediately after this squirting sound, the aroma starts to drift by my nose. It’s a signal that my treat is almost ready to enjoy. Then, the machine squirts out the last bits of coffee, and it’s ready to be enjoyed.

Why did I decide to go without coffee?

Coffee helped me get through my workouts. But it came at a cost.

A little over a year ago, I used to be a coffee addict. I had two cups per day. I’d have my mug filled with the largest setting my coffee machine would allow. And I always pressed the “Strong” button to get the strongest brew. 

I realized that I had become an addict. I couldn’t function without my two cups to get me through the day. Coffee had power over me. Without it, I’d crash several times throughout the day.

Slowly, I cut back on my coffee intake. I first cut back to one cup every day. And then to one cup per day only on days that I worked out. I was only allowing myself to have 4 cups per week, which is far less than the 14 per week I used to drink. But I found myself sometimes having a cup on my rest days too. Coffee still had power over me.

Coffee made me feel jittery and anxious in the morning. And it kept me awake at night, ruining my sleep. It was supposed to be providing me energy to get through the day. But it was actually taking energy away from me. I knew that I was addicted, yet I kept coming back for more.

A couple of months ago, I heard about giving up something for a month from a self-improvement video. 

I thought about it. If I couldn’t go one month without coffee, then I was dependent on it. It had become something that I needed to function each day. My source of energy was outsourced to this substance. I should have the energy to function on my own without coffee. 

I needed to challenge and prove to myself that I could be just fine without it.

So, I decided to give it up for a month. 

What happened during that month without coffee?

During that month without coffee, several things happened. 

First, I noticed that I had improved sleep. I’m not the best sleeper. With coffee, I’d frequently wake up several times during the night, sometimes for hours on end. Without it, I only woke up once during the middle of each night, just to use the bathroom. 

I also noticed that I felt more relaxed throughout the day. Before I gave up coffee for the month, my heart would sometimes be racing for no apparent reason, causing me to feel anxious and jittery. I never had that feeling during my month without coffee. 

I also increased my willpower. The coffee machine stared at me as I made my breakfast on the counter beside it every morning. I felt the temptation a few times to throw a cup into the machine and make a brew. But I never blinked.  I stuck to my guns and resisted the temptation. I developed my power to say, “No!” Coffee no longer had it’s power over me. 

And finally, I noticed that I was able to get through my entire workouts without it. My performance didn’t take the usual nosedive after my third or fourth exercise without drinking coffee beforehand. 

Instead, I had the energy to complete all of my workouts. I felt more focused in the gym. My awareness of my body was higher. It was easier to make the mind-muscle connection. 

I made the best progress I’ve ever made in the gym during this month! 

Try going without something for a month…

Challenge yourself. Find something you feel dependent on, and see if you can go one month without it. You’ll feel great after you complete this challenge. You’ll have more confidence and willpower.

Decreasing your dependence on things is important. It increases your freedom because you don’t need this thing to survive. You’ll no longer need it to function. If you had to go without it for some reason beyond your control, you’d be able to do it. 

Going without these things for a month puts your willpower to the test. It challenges you to refuse the thing you gave up. Especially if you still see this thing every day in your home, at work, etc.

You won’t need to buy this thing for a month, so you’ll also save some money in the process!

You won’t regret going without it for a month. But you will regret not taking the chance to stop your dependence on it.