Day 1 sans coffee creamer was a success! Sweet Italian Creme was calling my name, but I plugged my ears and went for some Jasmine Green Tea instead…
Stephen once began to tell me how he weaned himself off of coffee….but his deal was all about caffeine. He made the switch from coffee to tea, starting with highly caffeinated teas and working his way down. But for me, it’s not about the caffeine…it’s the flavahhhh. Coffee is so rich and delicious and comforting…oh, how I miss it so. (Somebody cue the violins.)
Okay, okay. So I’m learning that I will not be able to give up coffee completely (Yes! Looks like my sanity is making a come back!). The tea was delicious, don’t get me wrong, but it was just missing something. Hmm. Need to go to plan B…Coffee with half and half is on tap for tomorrow. Thanks for all of your suggestions on yesterday’s post! Seems I’m not the only one with a few guilty pleasures 
I’m off to tackle the mountain of homework on the corner of my desk, but here’s some Humpday inspiration before I go…
“There is a force within which gives you life – seek that. In your body lies a priceless gem – seek that. O wandering soul, if you want to find the greatest treasure don’t look outside, Look inside, and seek that. “ –Rumi
Have a good one!
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Courtney – good for you! Don’t beat yourself up, coffee has many health benefits too, give it a google search and I’m sure you won’t feel too bad having one cup a day.
Coffee is definitely a delicious pleasure, but you know what? I tend to drink it only when I can get my hands on the absolute best stuff. I also find that the less coffee I drink, the more buzz I get out of it! Now, I have never had to wean myself off coffee, because I have never really drank it regularly, but I did recently stop chewing gum and the rewards have been kind of phenomenal! I used to chew gum every moment that I wasn’t eating and then I decided that if I had cut all other artificial sweeteners out, that gum consumption should come down if not be cut completely. After a few days without gum, I felt like a new person! I felt a lot more in touch with my genuine hunger. I am willing to bet that someone as self-aware as you is going to notice some really neat things on this journey…
Beautiful blog.
i’m the same way – I don’t want coffee for the caffeine. I want it for that wonderul roasty toasty flavor :)
Good luck cutting out coffee creamer. Is there a way you could make your own without the chemicals and trans fat? Like, half and half with a little vanilla?
I am also in LOVE with coffee! Something about tea, while good, just doesn’t do it for me. I have tried eliminating the cream and sugar but to me nothing beats a coffee with (organic) half and half and some sugar. It’s just a little treat so I don’t feel bad about it anymore :-)
what about making your own “creamer”? in addition to your half & half, try adding some stevia and some extracts (vanilla, almond, hazelnut, even chocolate! french vanilla is a mix of almond & vanilla). all natural thickeners like guar gum and xanthan gum will give milk the same texture as a creamer and can be bought at a health food store (often, in the bulk spices section!). just mix it all up and keep it on hand in the fridge– no need to give up the coffee :)
Ooooh – I’m a big-time tea drinker. If you are transitioning from coffee, try Yerba Mate. I’ve been drinking it in the morning for a while – it’s really refreshing and wakes you up. Guayaki has good Yerba Mate – Whole Foods also just began carrying it’s own store-brand yerba mate. I highly recommend trying it :)
Yeah, herbal teas are nowhere NEAR coffee for me either. But I drink black tea with milk, and it takes on almost the same creaminess that coffee does. People often look in my cup and think I’m drinking coffee. I have tea during the workday, and have really good coffee on the weekends. Then I get both!
Try Teeccino! It’s an herbal caffeine-free “coffee” that is SO freaking good, and has probiotics and good things like that so it still gives you a nice natural energy boost. Plus, it tastes/smells like coffee too and brings that same level of sipping-your-coffee-in-the-morning comfort without the jitters. It’s all-natural and there’s nothing fake about it. Check out the website, it’s good stuff. (Vanilla nut is my fave)
Good luck with the coffee challenge!
Courtney,
I’m so the same way with coffee. I’m now drinking mostly decaf because I realized it wasn’t so much about the caffeine – but more the taste. I love that creamy cup of warm goodness. Love it. The So Delicious people are coming out with a coconut milk creamer. I can’t wait to try it. I also recently tried MimicCream – a creamer made from nuts. It was tasty, but no half and half. Plus, I can’t find it in Nashville.
Best of luck with your pile. You’ll get through it. :)
Yep! The coffee can’t go anywhere…..I love the smell of it brewing, (when it is good stuff) and I love the taste….especially that first sip!
I am doing the “challenge” ….first day without my coffee-mate…and the half and half was pretty darn good. It tasted different….but I still enjoyed my morning cup!
Thanks for the encouraging words….loved your quote! I could have used that in my earlier years…but for now….I will go forward with those words. :chic:
Hey, this is the first time I’m ever posted here (I’m a new reader) but I was compelled to do so because I love coffee and feel I must come to its defense at all times ;-)
I’ve tried to substitute tea for coffee in the past too — it never worked out. The only time I actually really genuinely LIKE tea is when it’s served with milk and a sweetener, thus defeating the whole purpose of switching to tea lol. For me, tea is the beverage of illness — if I have a stomach ache or the flu I love it — but my warm morning beverage of choice is and always will be my beloved coffee!
As to whether that creamer is bad for you… it probably is, given its weird chemical content, BUT I think that if you really really enjoy it and you use it once a day and the rest of your food and beverage choices are extremely clean and healthy the rest of the day, you can feel free to have that guilty, unhealthy pleasure. Unless you start feeling ill after you drink it, just enjoy it! Or search for a healthier alternative.