Advice/tips on cycling caffeine?

[tonyl96]

For the past five years I've been consistently, for 99.999% of the days, had a cup of coffee and or caffeine pill or pills.

For the past 3 years of lifting, I've used caffeine tabs pre workout, and pre cardio, in addition to my morning coffee which I never miss. There is not a day that goes by where I do not either lift, or do cardio (I do light cardio on a off day with a caffeine pill). So yea, its a lot of caffeine.

I feel like my body needs a reset. What do some of you recommend? How long should I come off it for? Should I continue to workout? I'm afraid of the headaches/grogginess/sleepiness and crazy hunger I'll get (it kills my appetite).

Is there even a benefit to me if I take a break?

Thank you

[Heisman2]

How many milligrams do you take daily?

[ErikTheElectric]

Depends entirely on what you've been consuming, I cold turkey'd it a few months ago. best decision of my life.

[boo99]

I just cut everything in half for 7-10 days....slight effects noticed but nothing too wild

Was at 600-800 mg of caffeine pills

Then tapered more slightly after from the caffeine pills, now just down to 2 cups of coffee where Im ok with cause I like coffee (tried decaf, gross AF)

Tried Eriks cold turkey and didn't like how I felt at all

Each will respond different

GL

[Vandeman17]

I am a cold turkey type of guy. It's easier for to just get it over with then try to drag it out. Trial and error I guess

[tonyl96]

400 mg (2 tabs daily)
Large coffee
Large green tea
All of this is daily ^

I also take ephedrine.

You guys who went cold turkey, how were your workouts, did you get a headache? Appetite? I feel like it'll throw me off and turn me into a zombie

[Mrpb]

If you want to avoid the headaches that come with withdrawal the key is to slowly and gradually decrease your daily dosage.

If I go cold turkey I'm very low on energy for at least 2-3 days and I usually need day time naps. I'm caffeine sensitive though. I have one double espresso per day.

Given the fact that you workout every day I recommend you take a few days off, say 3-4 days. Even without the caffeine withdrawal that would be a good idea. Eat at maintenance.

[ErikTheElectric]

Yikes.. yeah.. definitely don't go cold turkey. lol

[tonyl96]

If you want to avoid the headaches that come with withdrawal the key is to slowly and gradually decrease your daily dosage.

If I go cold turkey I'm very low on energy for at least 2-3 days and I usually need day time naps. I'm caffeine sensitive though. I have one double espresso per day.

Given the fact that you workout every day I recommend you take a few days off, say 3-4 days. Even without the caffeine withdrawal that would be a good idea. Eat at maintenance.

I'm going to switch to half tabs, then down size the large green tea/coffee to a small, then go cold turkey with a week off from lifting (will still do light cardio). Planning for this the first week of september + reverse dieting up to maintenance after 6 months a consistent deficit and intense training... and you are right. Time off is needed lol

[Budjola]

i might try cold turkey approach but i do need at least decaf to get me going in the morning if you boyos know what i mean.

for the op, try limiting yourself for only having coffee/caffeine in the morning immediately after you wake up or say limit it to no stimulants after say 1pm

[tonyl96]

i might try cold turkey approach but i do need at least decaf to get me going in the morning if you boyos know what i mean.

for the op, try limiting yourself for only having coffee/caffeine in the morning immediately after you wake up or say limit it to no stimulants after say 1pm

after 1 pm I only have 1 caffeine tab / 8mg ephedrine / large green tea...

that wouldn't be so bad to cut out, but I have all of that before an evening cardio session (brisk walking for 40min).

And thats a good idea...dat placebo effect. I should do that

[Budaan]

I took about 400 - 700 mg of caffeine for a long peroid of time.
When i quit that, i had jitters and trembles.
I was very hungry.
And i gave in to that and ate a lot.
Which made me tired.

But after a week it goes away.
And i would not stop working out.
It will feel different, but it is all in the mind.
But without my morning cup of coffee i would feel like ****.

[jonnicola]

Cut down by no caffeine after 12pm, one double in the morning to wake me up and sometimes one around 10.30ish

That was down from about 4-5 coffees a day. Sometimes afternoon slump but hey at least not frying my system all the time