Have had to give up caffeine cold turkey recently. To my surprise, giving up coffee completely isn’t as difficult as I imagined - but - fasting has become more difficult now. I used to be able to fast 24-48 hours quite easily but now even 24 hours seems like a challenge. How do I get back to fasting without caffeine? Thanks!
I gave up coffee using caffeine pills and then gave up those. With time I just got used to life without caffeine. I find fasting easier without the black coffee on an empty stomach.
Many of us use coffee as a crutch. You don’t need caffeine to fast, it’s just a habit and habits take time to break.
Have you tried decaf or herbal teas? I cut down my caffeine and replaced some of the coffee I used to drink with decaf green, black vanilla and peppermint. It’s not the same, but having a hot drink helps. I’ll also have hot water with lemon - very different flavor, but holding a hot mug and sipping is comforting.
Teecino is an herbal replacement for coffee, designed to be similar in flavor. I’ve tried it and didn’t love, but YMMV.
Good luck!
For me I hate the taste of coffee and tea, but I really enjoy the low calorie energy drinks (Bang, Celsius, etc.) I know they’re not the best for you even with the low calories so I’ve also been trying to cut back. For me water is a huge help. Drinking some cold water helps me stay more alert and focused, and when I stay really hydrated it seems to keep me more focused. But I also struggle with some of the tiredness and lack of energy from fasting and noticed that without relying on caffeine it’s so much harder around day 3 than it was when I relied on it. Some of it is just mind over matter I guess and eventually the withdrawals go away
Best way to describe it was I sort of took a lot of sick time off because I was sick, so I gave myself a head start quitting by feeling bad already.
My method for staying the course is sitting in positions that make me feel my gut pinch, so I still kinda feel bloated and I have something to lose, it’s like I am only gonna look at myself in the mirror if I tuck my chin down until I see a second chin.