Caffeine

Oh my blessed coffee. I spent 3.5 years working in a  coffee shop. I live and breathed the stuff. Back in 2011 I did a massive cutback and it was successful... but then I slipped. I reacquainted myself with it. Dove in and have enjoyed every delicious drop. It felt like I was too busy to go at life without it.

Well life is always busy and as much as I love the taste, the sensations involved with curling up with multiple cups of warm coffee, "needing" 3+ for daily functioning is a sign that its time to cut back.

Things I'm hoping to gain from this cutback:

1. realignment of sleep cycle. Working 2nd shift I often consume coffee til late in the day because drinking coffee 3 hours into my shift is comparable to a 1st shift person drinking coffee until 11 or noon. I'm hoping that by cutting my consumption by 1 or 2 p.m. I can be ready for sleep at more reasonable times like 1 a.m. instead of 3 or 4 a.m. What was productive and exciting "me" time loses its luster when I can't manage to rouse myself before 11a.m. on a regular basis
2. save $! I brew at home but quality beans are expensive yo!
3. Drink more water instead 

This is also in preparation for the inevitable time I decide to embark on parenthood. Caffeine consumption is a restricted thing and I would rather not have to go cold turkey should the time arrive.

So here I go... off onto my caffeine cutback challenge. Note I am not giving it up completely. I did that in 2005 and it was a horrible disaster of an idea - think unfocused, groggy, foggy headed. 

If this is successful, I plan on a tandem challenge of decreasing my sugar consumption.