How I Stopped Drinking Coffee

I have a pretty healthy relationship with coffee, I think. I start most days with it—black—brewing a small pot at home to sip while getting ready, then filling a travel mug to take on my commute and finish while whittling down my inbox at work. It's a little incentive to roll out of bed when my alarm sounds and start the day. 

I don't spend a lot of time or money on trendy coffee houses or fancy beans. And when I do grab a cup out, it's usually Caribou—mostly because it's right across the street from work. There are days that I don't really need the caffeine (and some that I definitely do), but my morning cup is a comforting habit. And one I was perfectly OK with. 

I took myself a little by surprise, actually, when I suddenly embarked on a seven-day NO COFFEE challenge. It started a couple of months ago when a friend hosted a girls' night—she served wine, sparkling water, veggies and cheese and crackers, and arranged for an Arbonne consultant to attend and give us facials. I was admittedly a little wary, as I always am with companies like Rodan & Fields and LipSense that people not-so-subtly push on social media. I didn't want to be forced into buying something I didn't need or put in the awkward position of having to say, "thanks but no thanks." (I think there's a part of me that doesn't want to be told what I need by anyone other than myself, but that's a deeper issue..!) 

Anyway, I wanted to support my friend and catch up, so I showed up for girls' night. I hadn't realized that nutrition was part of Arbonne's portfolio and was immediately more interested in the protein powder and fizzy drinks than I was the skin care as Lisa passed samples around the table and dabbed creams on the back of our hands. 

I have a somewhat established skin care routine and didn't want to uproot the whole thing and commit to a new, expensive regimen. But adding some protein powder to my morning smoothies, swapping coffee for fizz and wine for tea seemed easy—not extra things I would need to buy, but healthy swaps for the things I already eat and drink to make me look and feel better.  

So I took home some samples for the heck of it and for the past week, I've been rising and shining with energy fizz sticks instead of coffee! The powder packets are a mix of green tea, guarana and ginseng, plus B vitamins and antioxidants to boost energy, balance blood sugar and make you feel HAPPY! You just pour them into a tall glass (or bottle) of water, stir (or shake) and go. There are two flavors: citrus and pomegranate, and they taste good! I've had no issues with switching energy sources and prefer my new wake-up call because I'm always thirsty and chugging water in the morning anyway. 

I've been going strong for nine days without coffee—even ordering tea at Caribou and at brunch last weekend—and I gotta say, it feels good. I think it works for me because I still have something to "fix" and drink right away in the morning, rather than just cutting out coffee and not replacing it with anything. The fact that coffee stains my teeth is just one more reason I'm happy to find an alternative. 

When I'm hanging at home at night, I've been occasionally replacing wine with tea, which is a nice switch. I don't feel compelled to do Dry January or deprive myself, but saving drinking for social activities is a realistic and good challenge. Plus, reducing my alcohol intake would probably improve my skin and help me lose a few pounds, which I wouldn't hate, especially with a wedding coming up. The Arbonne Herbal Detox Tea supports the liver and kidneys, helps digestion, removes toxins and decreases inflammation—a better way to relax than downing a glass of shiraz during The Bachelor. 

And rather than the frozen fruit + orange juice + spinach + yogurt smoothie blend I've been used to that is probably too high in sugar, I've started making Chocolate Mint and Pineapple Greens smoothies with chocolate and vanilla vegan protein powder, respectively. The protein helps support muscles and gives me more vitamins and minerals—with no added sugar or flavoring. Plus, they definitely keep me from needing a 10AM snack. (Get the recipes here.) 

SHOP THE POST: Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks in citrus and pomegranate (c/o) | Arbonne Herbal Detox Tea (c/o) | Arbonne Protein Shake Mix in chocolate, vanilla and chai (c/o) | SHOP ALL ARBONNE NUTRITION | This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. Photos of me by Jackie Saffert. Product photos by me! 

So, after a little more than a week (and without setting out to quit my morning joe), I think I'm sticking with the coffee-less life! The bitter brew has honestly lost some of its appeal. My only hesitation is the price of the fizz—how much is too much to spend on healthy choices? 

Arbonne offers a 30 Days to Healthy Living program that I'm thinking about trying as a next step—it's kind of addicting! It feels good to integrate new healthy habits into my life and feeling the positive effects only motivates me to do more. Beauty truly works from the inside out, starting with what we put into our bodies, and it makes sense to me to pay more attention to that side of the equation, rather than focusing only on lotions and serums that attempt to correct imbalances from the outside. 

I've been getting my fizz, tea and protein from Lisa, who is great! If you're interested in trying anything, send her a note and mention The Accessorist in the message portion of the form to receive 20% OFF your order! Get in touch with Lisa here.

I'm curious: how do you take your coffee? Have you ever tried cutting back or is your morning coconut milk latte non-negotiable?

I hope your week is off to a good start! I made this one-pot creamy tomato tortellini soup last night and it was so good! A new favorite for sure. And tonight, Chris, my sister and I are heading downtown to check out all the Super Bowl shenanigans and—oh yeah—zip line across the Mississippi! Check my Instagram stories later on to catch some of the fun!