A few months back, after my third baby was born I decided to swear off caffeine. My biggest reason being was that I felt like a jerk telling my five year old that she could not drink while I had my Coke can in hand. So in order to set the right example (and because I promised myself that I would never be a “do as I say, not as I do” parent) I gave up that sugary goodness. I’ve never been a fan of coffee, so soda was the primary source of my caffeine consumption. Having an infant at home when attempting to go cold turkey was a mixed blessing.

If you have kids, you know that no amount of caffeine will make you feel like you are well rested. Getting up every three hours really takes a toll on your body. So when I gave up my caffeine, I was tired, but it was easy to rationalize that I would be tired anyway. The first week was by far the hardest. I got caffeine withdrawal headaches. They absolutely sucked. However each and every week after that got easier. I have been caffeine sober for about five months now, and I have to admit that I feel amazing.

Here are the things that I have noticed being different. For starters, I haven’t had one breakout since that fateful decision. Not a single one. Since I am still thirsty and have replaced sodas with water, my skin is getting the nourishment that it craves. I’m using less lotion. I used to suffer from eczema on my arms and forehead. Both are gone. My favorite discovery is that I am sleeping more soundly, which is making me feel more rested. Being more rested has made me not want or need those jolts of caffeine in the afternoons. Then when I consider all of the calories that I am not consuming I get kind of teary eyed. By my calculations, I could lose 10 pounds this year without having done an ounce of exercise.

-Stephanie Wright