Sketchy week : no caffeine, no wine

[ForbiddenPlanet]

My goal in running is to reduce my blood pressure, and 5 months after beginning C25K my blood pressure had not budged. So I decided to give up alcohol and caffeine. From past experience alcohol would be no problem, but giving up caffeine would be very hard, as I have tried in the past, and found the withdrawal so unpleasant I gave up.

After a few days my blood pressure had dropped to normal - green lights for both systolic and diastolic on the machine I use to measure it. I should have been overjoyed but I found it kind of depressing. All that running, and all I needed to do was give up two things I really love, wine and coffee! On reflection I decided it was the combination of running and abstinence that brought my BP down.

So this last week has been horrible because of caffeine withdrawal. Really struggled to run and for the first time, on Monday, I did not run my planned distance, doing 5K instead of 10K.

I ran 26K last week and I did not want to lose fitness so I decided to run 10K Wednesday and Friday, making 25K for this week. Wednesday was perfect conditions for me, sunny and just above freezing, but I struggled, but made it through the 10K - slowly.

Today was raining and windy and I struggled - but ran 10K in a new PB, best part of a minute faster. So I'm close to achieving all my goals, and I suppose I should be pleased. I'm sure I will be when it sinks in. A cup of coffee would be nice though!

[Annieapple]

Feel for you! Well done on your determination! I tried to give up caffeine for the same reasons & missed the smell & taste of coffee so resorted strictly to one cup early morning. This has worked! Knowing I can have one, helped me & the BP remained stable. I drink lots of water every day!

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Annieapple]

Thanks Annie. Really glad it worked out for you. I have wondered whether I should treat myself to a cup first thing on a running day. My mindset is usually that I can give something up completely, but I struggle to give it up only partially, so not sure I can trust myself to only have one cup!

[Annieapple in reply to ForbiddenPlanet]

Do what is best for YOU! Xx

[Granspeed Graduate10]

I feel your pain. Trouble is, the decaf just doesn’t taste the same! Many years ago I couldn’t have either alcohol or caffeine when I was pregnant. I got dire, blinding headache within 20 minutes, so the punishment was clear and obvious 🤣. Made it easier. Never have drunk much alcohol since, but excluding coffee would be hard! I get by with 2 morning cups and then none after that. You could also try a half/half mix of real & decaf - it’s better than the full decaf.

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Granspeed]

Thank you Granspeed. I'm think I'm past the worst of withdrawal now, as it's 10 days since I quit. I get a real boost from coffee, and I've just had no energy the last week. What has been getting me through is drinking peppermint infusions, and reading novels. I think it's the first time I've read fiction in 15 years!

[Granspeed Graduate10 in reply to ForbiddenPlanet]

And peppermint is good. That’s my substitute of choice, tho’ some of the ginger mixes are good too. Good luck.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Giving up coffee must be tough, couldn’t you just limit it? I’m six and a half weeks smoke free so i feel for you caffeine is similar in different ways

You got your run though and look at all those calories you used up

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thanks and congrats on quitting smoking - that's a real win! You're right - I should be feeling good about things - just need a period of calm reflection, I think.

[ju-ju- Graduate10]

wow well done.... giving up caffeine is hard..... but clearly worth it. And no booze makes everything so much better...( in my opinion...)

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to ju-ju-]

Thanks JuJu. When I'm not missing the caffeine kick, I have to admit I feel pretty good.

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

It's strange how we feel when we give something up. I stopped smoking in April 2013 and I was snappy then I would cry it was horrible. Then it's for our own good. Like you I also stopped drinking caffeinated coffee as it was making me shake to the point I had a tremor in my hand. Now I have one cup of decaf coffee per day and I like it.

Anyway congratulations on your pb and bringing your blood pressure down . Have a great weekend 😊😊

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

Thanks Buddy, really well done giving up smoking, and have a great weekend too!

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Great run. You will benefit in many ways from at least cutting down caffeine and wine but great that abstinence has given you the desired readings. Happy running

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thank you GTB. Unfortunately I know from experience that giving up something altogether is feasible for me - cutting down not so much!

[RunningMigster]

Interesting!

My blood pressure was sky high. Which was also one of the reasons I started running.

I cant give up either caffeine or alcohol, but I did significantly reduce my alcohol intake.

I once did sober October and at the end of it, my blood pressure hadn't changed one bit.

By the end of C25K though, I'd gone from something like 165/110 to 145/99. I cant remember the exact figures.

However, my point being, I also dont think it was the running or reduction in alcohol that did it, but it was the combination of both.

Next step, is to reduce caffeine. I cant give up my coffee on a morning. But I drink around 6 mugs of tea through the day. I want to half that and see what happens.

Good luck, and keep up the good work!

Mig

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to RunningMigster]

Thanks Mig. Best of luck with your BP / running journey also - sounds like it's going well!

[Jogunlikely in reply to RunningMigster]

Mig imho 6 cups of tea a day is not an issue. I was easily doing 10-12 mugs a day! 😬🤯

It was so bad that if I didn't get enough tea I would get a splitting headache. Luckily a bout of flu meant any hot drink with milk was disgusting, so I swapped to black tea. Most of my colleagues couldn't get it right (normal tea is not blended to be drunk black) so I'd end up asking for a cup of hot water and I would dunk my own bag. Needless to say over a few months I just drank the hot water instead. And that's where I am today.

A few months back I decided to treat myself with a cup of tea. 🤢 can't stand the taste anymore, how did I drink so much of this stuff, it's horrible!!!

Good luck with your reduction program 😊👍

[RunningMigster in reply to Jogunlikely]

Funny that about milk when you're I'll. I was the same earlier this month when a was ill.

I took to drinking apple and cinnamon tea and actually really liked it. I might switch to that instead!

[Runawaytrainer]

It can be done! Keep going! You will find a way through.

I find sugar very addictive. That's a hard one to crack, too, but it has huge health benefits. I'm getting there, but it's not been easy.

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to Runawaytrainer]

Thank you Runawaytrainer, and best wishes for your sugar reduction programme!

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10]

I definitely feel for you. I had to give up caffeine 3 months ago due to severe stomach issues. My stomach is better now but I really miss coffee. I allow myself an occasional cup of low caffeine tea on the odd non-work days (and will drink herbal tea when I need something warm) but what I would do for a great cup of coffee or chai tea 😢. I was also diagnosed recently with high blood pressure that has been managed with medication. But interesting note - when we went away on holidays and was eating out at every meal and the meals were so high in salt, my blood pressure climbed up again. My medications were changed just before my holiday so I thought they weren't working but now that I am home and eating better again, it has dropped back to normal. So perhaps there is something you can tweak in your diet that will help. I am reducing my salt intake (but not completely cutting it out for I like my food to taste good) and really increased my daily fruits and veggies intake.

Good luck on your caffeine free journey. It does get easier. I still have to smell the lovely aroma of coffee once or twice a day as my husband enjoys his cup and I no longer want to hurt him for drinking coffee in front of me so baby steps have been achieved for me 🤣

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Thank you SaskAlliecat. I've tried herbal teas in the past, but the various infusions are doing it for me at the moment - after trying several flavours, peppermint, which I didn't think I would like is my current fave. Good point about salt. I try to avoid it, though I grind some sea salt onto my eggs at breakfast. I'm running around 25km a week (working towards 30km), and walking a lot as well, so I hope I actually need that moderate salt intake. Never eat fast food, though sometimes the odd ready meal at home, and have at least 10 portions of fruit and veg a day. Tim Spector's ideas on a diverse microbiome in the gut struck a chord with me and I try to eat as wide a variety and as much organic as possible, though I'm not reaching the 40 different varieties a week that he suggests - not yet anyway.

Thanks for the encouragement. Thanks to the support on here I've been able to keep running, and I'll be remembering those words whenever I'm tempted by coffee and wine!

And best wishes for your own journey.