My focus for the last 6 months has been stress management and reduction. I felt like I was checking just about every box on the stress management checklist: no phone before bed, no caffeine after noon, talk to a professional (I hired two!!!), get a massage (every month!!!), spend time with loved ones and time alone, breathe in some fresh air, exercise and eat well, etc.
LI TER AL LY everything. I was trying my hardest.
I was also starting everyday with 2-3 espresso shots – just straight to the bloodstream. And I refused to quit that habit no matter how many articles and books I read, and no matter how many times my highly qualified, experienced dietitian recommended I change that habit (bless your heart, Melanie).
Three months, several frustrated and exhausted tears, and countless upset stomachs and disappointed self-talks later, I finally thought, “hey, maybe I should reduce my coffee intake.” Just like that! Sometimes (most times), I just have to learn things my way and this was my way.
So, I decided I would start by reducing my intake by about 50-60% (that’s 1-2 espresso shots per day, for my fellow math majors) for one week and see how I felt after that. One week in - heck, even just a few days in - I felt great. The following week on Tuesday, which is one of my longest and busiest days might I add, I woke up at 4:30AM to get ready and drive to my 5:30AM client and a little voice inside my head proposed the question, “what if we tried no coffee today, Haley?” After another gloriously restful night of sleep, I thought that sounded like a fantastic idea.
If not now, when? Right?
To my pleasant surprise, I felt the best I had in a long time that entire day. I trained my first three clients of the day and got in a kick-butt workout of my own with zero yawns, brain farts, or countdowns (in my head) until I got to go home and rest for a minute or twenty. I cranked through a handful of items on my to-do list, walked AND bathed Callie, and trained my evening clients with the same energy I did my morning clients.
I was absolutely amazed. Almost couldn’t even believe it.
And I haven’t had a sip of coffee since. Okay, I’ve had decaf, but everyone says that’s not even coffee anyway so it doesn’t matter.
I feel like it’s important to note two things:
1) I did not give up caffeine for two weeks, just coffee. Instead, I drank one cup of quality matcha a day and that was it. I’m just simply not ready to cut caffeine completely. I’m an introverted personal trainer and fitness instructor. I have to bring the energy, so I need to get the energy from somewhere lol.
2) I have been dealing with a lot of stress over the last year. Details aren’t necessary, but I’ve put a lot on my plate and found it increasingly difficult to manage it all. The effects of the coffee intake didn’t help me manage the stress well, and the overall stress was amplifying the negative effects of the coffee intake.
My best educated guess-explanation as to why I experienced these changes is:
Coffee can increase cortisol levels by stimulating the stress response. If that stress response stays elevated over an extended period of time (days, weeks, months), negative side effects like compromised digestion, fatigue, mood disruption, dehydration, among others can occur simply because the body is not meant to function optimally in a chronically stressed state like that. (1)
What I’ve noticed:
Improved digestion and gut health (the most significant and perhaps my favorite!); reduced bloating
I mentioned working with dietitian, Melanie (who’s information I linked above), which I did for a few months last Fall when I couldn’t seem to get a grip on some uncomfortable gut issues I was experiencing. She assured me that my issues were not likely due to a food intolerance, but rather a stressful lifestyle. Hence the encouragement to change my coffee habit. And when I fiiiiiinally took her advice, I almost instantly - not kidding or exaggerating - felt 10x better.
Stable mood and energy levels
I feel more calm, and much better able to handle any stress that does come my way throughout the day. I feel more level-headed, less anxious and reactive. It’s like I’m more grounded and centered in my higher self.
Sharper cognition, focus, and memory
Even my clients have noticed this! Tim said “Haley without coffee actually counts my reps!” (it’s a trainer joke). But in all seriousness, I feel more focused and sharper mentally all throughout the day, which enables me to more effectively train my clients, write their programs and nutrition protocols, and more.
Better quality and quantity of sleep
I actually feel fully tired, not tired and wired, at the end of the day. Most nights, I find myself sinking into the couch while I read before bed. My heart rate and my thoughts slow down, and I’m able to drift into sleep rather than hoping I get tired and can fall asleep somewhere along the line of counting backwards from 100.
Fewer sugar cravings
Likely due to better managed cortisol and blood sugar levels, working hand-in-hand with improved digestion. I found myself not needing or even thinking about those afternoon and 8pm handfuls of chocolate, though I did still enjoy them sometimes :) I just didn’t feel like I needed them for an energy boost.
Whiter, less sensitive teeth
Thankfully and surprisingly, I did not experience any of the negative coffee withdrawal symptoms - no headaches, brain fog, etc. Quite the opposite! I made sure to stay hydrated, to eat balanced, regular meals, to take breaks throughout the work day, and to stay consistent with my sleep routine (which is mostly just putting my phone away and getting into bed by 9pm).
Will I go back to coffee? Absolutely. A life without coffee is not a life I want to live. I simply won’t take shots of it first thing in the morning every single day. This process has confirmed my speculation that I’m highly sensitive to caffeine, and slow to adapt (if I ever do).
I love love love learning about my body, and learning how I can best take care of it in an effort to continue showing up as an ever-improving version of myself for those around me.
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