Do you remember the first time you drank an energy drink? I don't. I've probably "just tried it" sometime somewhere. The first I can remember is when I was about to deliver a big project presentation in university. I was nervous, sleep deprived, made a presentation file just before the deadline. I know for a fact, that it wasn't the first one. I've liked the taste of it. I've liked the buzz it gives. As a young student, I've consumed those Red Bulls and others from time to time, and I've continued to do so when I've become an employee. Fast forward 5 years or so to 2023: I'm overweight, working from home, drinking 5 cans a day. And I didn't limit myself to energy drinks. I've drank from 0.5 to 1 liters of cola (or something similar) each day, plus black tea. I thought I couldn't function without these liquid batteries. The critical moment was when I've realized that: * I'm far too fat (110 KG) * Have heart palpations, trying to sleep at night (like I'm running a marathon) * And then at some point I've even started to get heart palpations in broad daylight I've rushed to a therapist and they said this: * You have a healthy blood pressure (for now) * You have an okay-ish resting heart rate (for now) * But your body gave you a clear warning * You need to change your lifestyle: - Loose weight - Eat healthy - Exercise - Reduce sugar and caffeine intake ...or else! Of course I didn't want to Fuck Around And Find Out what would've happened. I think I've needed to hear this from someone else. After that visit I've gradually reduced the number of energy drinks to 0... It was that easy to be honest. Because I was scared shitless. Now, I didn't quit caffeine for good, far from it, that's true. A month ago, I was drinking tea and black coffee (with sugar). Now, I could only consume black coffee with added sugar, because without it, it was too bitter. I've tried replacing sugar with other sweeteners, but it was not the same and I didn't really like the taste. I don't like sweeteners overall. Sugar-free drinks (like cola, energy drinks) taste like shit in my opinion, because of artifical sweeteners. Or maybe they just taste like shit without sugar? I guess we'll never know. But I would've really prefered that sugar-free drinks would be sweetener free too. Since the sweetener experiment failed, I've just clenched my teeth and drank black coffee without sugar. After one bitter cup, it became the norm for me, I like the raw coffee now. Side note: I drink black tea without sugar (or anything) for like 10 years or more. That habit of mine is an old one. Since I've visited the doctor, I have: * Quit energy drinks * Quit cola (and other sugary drinks) * Quit added sugar I've also stopped eating croissants and such, and also sweet chocolate. Only bitter chocolate for me. Bitte. That probably contributed (greatly) to weight loss. And what now? Thank god, I don't have these frightening, terrifying heart palpations in the day. But I also don't have them at night. I don't have crazy sugar cravings and crazy hunger. To be continued...