Me + Coffee: A Love Story
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When I first started seriously considering bariatric surgery, I quickly learned that giving up coffee would be part of the deal—at least for a little while before and after surgery. I was so committed to making this work, though, that I was even willing to let go of my daily caffeine fix. Shocking, I know!
I started weaning myself off my afternoon iced coffee habit first, sticking to just one glorious morning cup. As surgery got closer, I switched to decaf a few days a week to ease into the caffeine-free life. And then, a few weeks before surgery, I quit altogether. Cold turkey. Was it easy? Absolutely not. Did I survive? Barely—but only after powering through those brutal withdrawal headaches.
Turns out, I didn’t miss coffee as much as I thought I would… after about three days of feeling like I’d been run over by a truck. For me, it wasn’t really about the caffeine (okay, maybe a little); it was more about the ritual and comfort of that morning cup. But with so many other things demanding my attention post-surgery, coffee didn’t feel like the priority it once was.
Even when I got the all-clear to add it back into my diet, I hesitated. Can you believe that? Me, not drinking coffee? Wild. But then I discovered the magic of adding protein to my morning brew, and it was game over. Coffee and I were officially reunited.
Now, every morning is a little ritual of joy. I pull a couple of shots of espresso with my trusty Nespresso machine, froth about 10 oz. of Fairlife 2% milk in my Aeroccino, stir in two scoops of Vital Proteins collagen, and sip my way to protein-packed happiness. And let me tell you—it’s even better than before.
