• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Gluten Free Blogger
  • About
    • Work with me
  • Recipes
  • Coeliac Tips
  • YouTube
  • SHOP MY MERCH!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • Work with me
  • Recipes
  • Coeliac Tips
  • YouTube
  • SHOP MY MERCH!
×

What I have discovered about myself from giving up coffee

September 28, 2015 by Sarah Howells 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!

Oh flat white, how I adore you....

Oh flat white, how I adore you....

I adore coffee. I pride myself in sipping on a smooth, rich flat white, I revel in my self-proclaimed coffee snobbery, and I fully admit that without a steaming cup of java in my hand, I feel incomplete.

Yet, this week, when I fell ill, I decided to stop drinking coffee. And I couldn't believe how much my life changed.

I've always wondered why, when eating on an extremely clean diet, drinking loads of water, exercising regularly and getting lots of sleep, I still felt like crap. Why was everyone else cleaning up their diets and professing to feeling on top of the world?

All I could hear was people saying, 'Oh, I can't believe how different I feel after only a few days without sugar/processed food/etc' when I was falling asleep in the corner, feeling rubbish. Get out the violins!

I began to think maybe I was pushing myself too hard? Maybe it was the stress of work and life catching up with me? Maybe it was my thyroid? Maybe I was being inadvertently glutened?

But it wasn't until I stopped drinking coffee (because I could not face putting anything in my stomach due to a horrid sickness bug) that I realised - holy crap - the thing I loved the most was not loving me back!

Because now I have not had coffee for a whole week, I feel amazing. I bounce out of bed, I never hit that 3pm slump, my headaches have gone, my skin has cleared up immeasurably. I just feel like I felt I should feel after cleaning up my diet. It was amazing.

Why give it up?

Actually struggled to find a photo of me WITHOUT cofffee...

Actually struggled to find a photo of me WITHOUT cofffee...

For many months my boyfriend/personal trainer Steve has been trying to get me to give up coffee. Obviously I did not listen to him - he is my boyfriend, why would I!?(Sorry Steve!)

With my overactive thyroid problems, coffee is only going to make that worse. Caffeine effectively makes everything work harder and makes you release more cortisol - the stress hormone.

When trying to lose body fat, cortisol is the enemy. Considering the stress my body is already under with coeliac and hyperthyroidism, the last thing I want to do is aggravate it more when I had my first fitness photoshoot in less than seven weeks!

Testing the theory

How my life normally looks....

How my life normally looks....

Today, I decided to put my theory to the test. Surely the coffee couldn't be hurting me that much? Maybe I was just drinking too much with my two strong cups a day...

So I tried it. I had a coffee. And guess what? I felt instantly awful. I didn't event enjoy the taste that much (though it was only a cheapo from McDonald's.)

Within half an hour of drinking it I had the following issues:

  • Hot flushes
  • Feeling stressed
  • Palpitations
  • Headache
  • Sickly and uneasy feeling in my stomach

For the rest of the day I had a headache and even now at 10pm (I drank it at about 11am) after training I am still not feeling fantastic.

So what's the verdict?

Cold coffee, hot coffee... I wasn't fussy!

Cold coffee, hot coffee... I wasn't fussy!

I still love coffee, don't get me wrong. I still enjoy the dark, inviting smells and tastes of a proper espresso coffee.

However, this has made me realise that, at least for the duration of my photoshoot prep (more on that later), coffee has got to go.

The odd [decaf] Americano might still rear it's head, but without caffeine I feel like I've got my buzz back.

Do you experience similar problems with coffee? Have you cut caffeine from your diet and felt a lot better? I'd love to hear from you! Please comment below and share your experience too 🙂

 

« Four of my favourite dairy free and gluten free products
Five ideas for gluten free, egg free breakfasts »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dagraper

    September 30, 2015 at 7:50 am

    It is quite true, I have experienced more or less the same. I suffer from colitis ulcerosa, a chronic inflammation of the intestines, and while I too am a total coffee addict, I can not deny the negative effects it has on me. When I do drink some, I know I will be feeling bad for the next two days or so. Sometimes I will even be in pain already an hour after drinking it.

    What I did experience though is that the quality of the coffee does make a different. Quick, cheap, instant ones makes me feel considerable worse than my cup freshly made from coffee beans.

    I have seriously lessened my coffee intake these days, although sometimes resisting that beautiful black liquid is just too difficult 😉

    Reply
  2. Belinda George

    September 30, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Sarah I'm exactly the same, get those 'symptoms' you describe after literally a sip of coffee. Gave up coffee about 5 year ago and replaced the 'hole' with tea, which when I drink it after a long... hour... I feel instantly refreshed and enlivened. Tea really is wonderful, though it does taste funny at first when you're used to coffee!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. My first eight weeks preparing for a fitness photoshoot | Gluten Free Blogger says:
    October 9, 2015 at 17:30

    […] being in a calorie deficit, eating carbs only pre and post workout, and drinking a lot of water. I’ve also given up coffee, a big thing for me. Ok, the occasional cup may slip through now and then, but I have been 99% […]

    Reply
  2. My 16 week body transformation and fitness photoshoot | Gluten Free Blogger says:
    December 9, 2015 at 11:38

    […] carbs) and spending four months glowering at anyone who dared to eat cake in front of me. I even gave up coffee – something anyone who knows me will be shocked to hear. And the end goal? To undergo a […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

sarah howells the gluten free blogger

Hi, I'm Sarah! Diagnosed with coeliac disease 20 years ago, I'm on a mission to create the best gluten free recipes since sliced bread. No fruit salads or dry brownies here.

More about me →

Need Dinner Inspo?

  • One Pan Chilli Con Carne Pasta
  • Slow Cooker Campfire Stew
  • Slow Cooker Gluten Free Ragu
  • Gluten Free Creamy Sausage Pasta
  • Gluten Free Cottage Pie
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Meatball Curry
  • Halloumi, Aubergine and Chickpea Traybake
  • Slow Cooker Beef Goulash

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © Sarah Howells 2022