Since I have given it up I have noticed a massive change in how I feel, look and how much energy I have on a day to day basis. My stomache has “deflated” and I also have more energy day to day which is helping me to get my tasks done around the house without putting them off or not even doing them at all.

By a massive addiction I mean on a daily basis I used to have a 2 litre bottle plus 3 / 6 cans a day and then several cups of coffee on top of that.

I have now took up a new craze which is Yorkshire Tea, if you follow me on Twitter @rhodzy you may see some random tweets about #teamergency this is a competition that runs where they give out free tea!

My next few blog posts are going to be pretty random and all about tea and where I have drunk tea along with photos, not very interesting but when I come to read back on this blog in a few years it will remind me!

Right am leaving this one here as I type this on my iPhone while sat in the bath with my cuppa too.

Off to watch the gadget show!

Bye for now

I’ve not cut it out altogether but have seriously cut down, I have only had two cups of coffee today, and seeing as though I have been up and at work since 5:15am I dont think I am doing too badly.

The drinks that I used to have to get my caffeine fix has always been coca cola, it’s been known of me to have at least 5 cans a day at work, and then some more when I get home. This is the hardest part, who would have thought a fizzy drink could fetch so much pleasure?

As I sit writing this I am looking at a vending machine, and thinking it’s only 60p and one can isn’t going to hurt is it? In my case it would, I am weak and one can would start me back up again, eventually in time I am going to stop having the dreaded stuff altogether and cut coffee out of the equasion as well, god help my wife when I do, I can feel a mood swing building up just at the thought of it.

I have cut out the fizzy drinks altogether after watching “Freaky Eaters” where Katy Walker was addicted to Diet Cola, watching that program really did open my eyes as to what all the sugar was doing to my teeth and also other parts of my body.  I have substitued all the fizzy drinks I used to have for…and I cant quite believe it myself, but some tesco “cheap” cordials, they cost 59p each and they taste great, I bought three flavours, lemon, Blackcurrent and apple, and also orange. I find myself not drinking as much at hope, and hopefully will help me shift the 3pounds I have put on since I came off the Atkins diet back in December.

Surge Stix?

Just been browsing the web and come across these Surge Stix at thinkgeek!

This is what the desription says about it…

”

Puff Away to Keep Sleep at Bay!

Tobacco has always been an important part of human civilization, and the smoking of tobacco (let’s stick to legal “herbs”) has helped unite mankind. Then the movies came and smoking was cool; then the cancer came and smoking was uncool. Well, it’s time to make smoking cool again – by waking your tired butt up. “What?” you ask confused. We reply, quite simply, SurgeStix! SurgeStix are created to look like cigarettes (and take the place of cigarettes), but that’s where the similarities end. For now.

You don’t actually light SurgeStix, that’s too 1990, instead you bend them (like a glow stick) until you hear a snap. This will send the caffeine solution flowing into the filter-looking end. Wait five seconds for the “filter” to absorb the solution. You will notice a slight temperature increase as the solution reacts with the harmless chemicals in the “filter” which causes the caffeine to vaporize. Then, take a drag. Each “puff” will suck roughly 18mg of caffeine into your lungs (and right into your bloodstream!) With about 10 “tokes” per SurgeStix, you’ll get 180mg of caffeine in just a few breaths. That’s more caffeine than a really strong cup of coffee just by breathing. Ouch.

SurgeStix are only slightly habit forming and do not contain Nicotine. Sort of. But they are cool. And, in the end, that’s the only thing that matters. Being cool, right? Especially when you use Surge Stix Mint Madness from ThinkGeek. That’s totally Cool. All your friends love Surge Stix, everybody knows they are cool. and they are laughing at you for not buying some. Come on. Try them. We won’t tell anybody. And we guarantee you won’t succeed in life without them.”

Wow how cool, maybe I should have to give them a try…although I guess that is kinda beating the point of cutting caffeine out of my life….Hmmm well.

How I am feeling at the moment….

• Not as tired as I used to be
• More Awake
• Less Bloated
• Keep Getting Dizzy Spells and need to sit down
• Lightheaded
• A headache coming every now and then

Hmm seems more trouble than what it’s worth but I will be there eventually.

People can always tell when I have been on the caffeine because it always make me:

• wind people up
• loud
• restless
• annoying
• and just basically a PAIN IN THE ARSE!

Fingers crossed I succeed this time round….2nd time lucky!

Fanta Orange:

• Calories = 98kcal
• Sugars = 23.6g
• Fat = 0.0g
• Saturates = 0.0g
• salt = trace

Coca Cola:

• Calories = 139kcal
• Sugars = 35.0g
• Fat = 0.0g
• Saturates = 0.0g
• Salt = 0.0g

I wouldn’t even like to start and think about what the effect of having fizzy drinks is having on my teeth, but I have realised today I need to do something about it, for the people who know me, they will all tell you I have a serious caffine addiction and get really ratty and grouchy when I dont have my fix. I was known at one point to have at least 5 cans of full fat coca cola at work and then a 2 litre bottle of coca cola when I got home, that is some scary shit, I soon cut this out when I started the atkins diet, but then started back on it around 2 month ago.

I am planning to start to get my diet back on track and stop eating junk food, drinking fizzy drinks and have my daily water fix. This should help me loose the 3pounds I have put on over the last 3 months. I think I will be taking the atkins diet again as its the one I know I can stick to, not looking to stay on it long term, but I know that any other diet that isn’t as strict as the Atkins I wont stick to and will fall flat on my face.

I will post more info of when I plan to start the diet, and my progress throughout.

Has anyone reading this post got a serious caffine addiction they have overcome? or wanting to?

I don’t think there will be a Caffine annonymous group anywhere in the world?

^^ Ok from my last comment about Caffine anonymous in the world I have just stumbled upon this site http://caffeineaddictsanonymous.wordpress.com/

Quick overview – Basically you cut out your Carbs down to 20 a day. Eat as much meat as you want and loose weight fast. When I first started I lost 1stone in 1 week.

When I started back in November I was 14stone, I did the diet for 3 weeks and went down to 12Stone 9. I have been off the diet during december and have eaten like a total pig – I think in total I have had 12 McDonalds and the odd KFC as well as junk food in the house and have maintained my weight.

My goal weight this time before I stop is 11.5 stone

Carbohydrates in Labelled Food

Food regulations in the UK mean that all manufactured foods are labelled with their contents, calories and the breakdown of these into protein, carbohydrate, and fat, usually per 100g.

Some labels give the amount of carbohydrate that comes from sugar whilst others break the fat down into saturated, mono-saturated and polysaturated. Labels may also contain a value for fibre and sodium.

A typical label looks like this:
Nutrition Information
Typical Values per 100g
Energy – kcal
Protein -
Carbohydrate -
…….of which sugars
Fat -
………. of which saturates
……………..monosaturates
……………..polyunsaturates
Fibre -
Sodium -

The amount of carbohydrate given on the label is the effective carbohydrate content (ECC) of the food per 100g. The fibre value on the label is not connected to the carbohydrate value and therefore, unlike in the US, should not be deducted from the carbohydrate value. What you see on the label for carbohydrate is what you get.

Carbohydrates in Fresh Produce

Many fresh vegetables and fruit are not labelled and so information on their carbohydrate content is not readily available. I have found that the best source of this information is the supermarket online shopping websites. You do need to register, but you can find the information without having to order food. Links are given for:
Sainsbury’s
Tesco

Again, the carbohydrate value given is the ECC, so do not deduct the fibre value.