Caffein - do you or don't you?

I would love to know how much caffeine my MARCHer family is consuming. Do you think caffein makes you crave carbohydrates or not? Unfortunately I seem to have become slightly addicted to the new Dunkin Donuts iced tea. I don't use sugar - thank the WLS gods...but do have a lemon and 2 splendas in my medium iced tea. I seem to have developed this bad habit of drinking a medium iced tea on my way to work and sometimes on my way home. I do ask them to fill the glass completely with ice and then "chew" on the ice after my tea - during my one hour and sometimes more drive into and back home from work. I think this is probably not a good habit, but just wondered how much caffein you guys are drinking. I don't drink coffee - don't like it, but I sure do love that tea - must be my southern upbringing! So if you have an opinion or advice ( ) about caffein - please let me know! Thanks...Barbara

I think Dunkin Donuts must be the devil! I am hooked on their coffee. Fully caffeinated OF COURSE. I drink a large w/cream and splenda every morning. I am trying to go to a large w skim milk, but it has been hard. AND NOW, I get word that my dunkin donuts will be closing on September 2nd for remodeling...so that sends me into a complete panic! I have purchased the ground coffee to make at home. Its not the same, so I am thinking about buying a grinder and buying the beans to make at home. I need to stock up and get it perfected before they close!!! AUUURRGGHHH! You would think this would be my chance to kick the caffeinne habit cold turkey, but NOOOO, I am trying to find ways around it. Fortunately for me, I will have to deal with it eventually. There is NO substitute to me for their coffee, so chances are. If I don't get it perfected at home. I am going to HAVE to deal with it one way or another. I think caffeine has been my down fall. I noticed my weight loss pretty much stopped when I got into the coffee habit. I think caffiene DOES make me crave carbs. And then of course CARBS make me crave carbs. So to make a long story short, I DO have caffiene and I DO think it is bad for us.

My son and his family live in Nashville, and they have just opened one DD on the other side of town from where he lives. One time a few years ago, we brought them a bag of the beans down from NH. He is addicted! Now every few months I mail him 3-4 bags of beans. They grind them and we do the same at home. I don't drink coffee but the hubby does. Hubby says it doesn't taste as good as when you get it from the store - but grinding it isn't bad. Thanks for your comments...why does caffeine have to be the !!!! Barb

I am addicted to CRACKBUCKS!!! Grande Iced Latte with 4 Splenda, been trying to down scale, order at tall couple times a week. I usually drive thru M-F, I am sad when I don't get to stop cause of time or low on funds. It is so bad, I think I would rather use my last 3.25 for a latte than put gas even if my gas light were on. I know I am sick, I need help.

Sheila - it is almost where $3.25 for gas is only a gallon -so since you aren't going far on that you might as well break down while enjoying your latte from Crack bucks!!!! Thanks for your info! Barbara

I do caffeine. I have a venti (20oz) I believe it is each morning of Starbucks bold coffee and a few times a week have a soy latte iced which has espresso in it, double shot. I don't feel it increases my appeite at all. Bad thing is some nights I dont eat dinner, but have a large coffee or the latte instead with some nuts or Quaker rice cakes (70 cals per serving) instead. Then maybe will eat a spoon or two of lf cottage cheese. I think most of my calories are consumed during the day with lunch and breakfast.

Well good to know some of us do seem to be doing a bit of caffeine. I try to convince myself that 1 medium iced tea or possibly 2 a day is not doing damage. I don't think tea has as much caffeine as coffee - but maybe I am fooling myself! Thanks for your response! Barbara

hey Sis i don't do caffine but it's not because of the surgery... i was only born with one working kidney so caffine is a major no no for me...but i am addicted to my diet caffine free sodas...granted i still drink them flat to keep from hurting my stomach

Well soda (or as all good southern gals say - COKE - regardless of the brand) I have not tasted since January 2006 and I was addicted to diet "coke". For some reason my nutritionist has put the fear of WLS Gods into me for not indulging in cokes. I think I would rather do without than drink them flat...but to each of us our deamons I suppose!!!! Thanks for your reply.....the other MeMe!

Hi, I do caffeine in moderation. I like my iced tea. I uses to drink about half a gallon a day - in the old days, before WLS. I don't have the craving for it that I used to have. I also don't know when I would get a chance to drink much of it. I don't drink during meals and not a little before and then wait awhile after and then I drink about 100 ounces of water a day. With all of that I don't know when I would fit it in. The real question for you is how do you stand going into a donut shop? I guess I'm lucky and live in a po dunk town. No donut shops here and I'm glad. Life is great, Rick