Problem
I was having trouble sleeping. When I told my doctor I was having trouble sleeping at night, he asked me if I drank coffee. How many coffees do I drink in a day? No idea. I just drink coffee when I want to drink feel tired, tired, see somebody else have a coffee, get offered a coffee, sit in a restaurant, get free coffee with a hotel breakfast, have dinner out with friends or family or on business and want to prolong the meal.
Answer
Never mind counting how many coffees I had in the past. That can't be changed. He wanted me to limit my coffee drinking in the future.
He recommended that I should have no more than two cups of full strength coffee in a day, and have them in the morning. He suggested one cup of coffee at breakfast, one for elevenses, a decaffeinated coffee at lunch time. Then no more.
This works well if you have regular meal times.
If you are travelling on different time zones, it can be harder.
I find it easier to steer to a food than to resist one. Instead of planning to not have a coffee, I plan to have a glass of water. Before I am offered a coffee, I ask for a glass of water. That way, I am already full and not thirsty.
I have completed the transaction of giving and receiving.
Coded Cups
At home, or in a holiday home or rental home when away on business, you can code your cups. If you want to have no more than two or three cups of coffee in a day, or a 24 hour hotel stay, set out your two or three cups with the coffee capsules or teaspoons ready.
When you have drunk your coffee, wash the cup and put it aside.
Alternatively, keep the used cup upright and the unused cups upside down. (If you prefer, do it the other way. The cups waiting to be used are upright, the cups you have finished with are upside down.)
If you are at home or staying or working in a building with a kitchen with assorted cups and mugs, use a cup style system. You could have a large cup in a bright red or busy pattern for first thing in the morning, a cooler colour, plainer pattern, smaller cup for elevenses, a smaller espresso cup for after lunch (or for a decaffeinated coffee after dinner).
Cutting Coffee When Travelling
I don't drink coffee on airplanes. Not in economy class. I don't want to be kept awake when I need sleep. Nor do I find the coffee appetising.
If you are working, travelling or living alone, you can easily set up the system you prefer for yourself. If you are living with or working with or travelling with a group of regimented scientific, orderly types, they will soon get used to your system and remember it.
If not, simply write your preferences down, type them and print them and stick them on a pin board or fix them with a magnet on the communal fridge door for whoever makes the coffee.
The easiest way to control your coffee intake is to make your own coffee in your hotel room - or car, or even in a tent on a hike.
Wake-up Coffee When Travelling
You can buy compact travel coffee makers which take capsules from Amazon. This month a member of my family took a travel coffee maker on several hikes up volcanoes in Indonesia and motorbike trips to Malaysia. We had bought a compact coffee maker as a birthday present. Apparently it was a great success.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
I have several more posts on drinks, foods learning languages, and travelling and around the world. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.
I was having trouble sleeping. When I told my doctor I was having trouble sleeping at night, he asked me if I drank coffee. How many coffees do I drink in a day? No idea. I just drink coffee when I want to drink feel tired, tired, see somebody else have a coffee, get offered a coffee, sit in a restaurant, get free coffee with a hotel breakfast, have dinner out with friends or family or on business and want to prolong the meal.
Answer
Never mind counting how many coffees I had in the past. That can't be changed. He wanted me to limit my coffee drinking in the future.
He recommended that I should have no more than two cups of full strength coffee in a day, and have them in the morning. He suggested one cup of coffee at breakfast, one for elevenses, a decaffeinated coffee at lunch time. Then no more.
This works well if you have regular meal times.
If you are travelling on different time zones, it can be harder.
I find it easier to steer to a food than to resist one. Instead of planning to not have a coffee, I plan to have a glass of water. Before I am offered a coffee, I ask for a glass of water. That way, I am already full and not thirsty.
I have completed the transaction of giving and receiving.
Coded Cups
At home, or in a holiday home or rental home when away on business, you can code your cups. If you want to have no more than two or three cups of coffee in a day, or a 24 hour hotel stay, set out your two or three cups with the coffee capsules or teaspoons ready.
When you have drunk your coffee, wash the cup and put it aside.
Alternatively, keep the used cup upright and the unused cups upside down. (If you prefer, do it the other way. The cups waiting to be used are upright, the cups you have finished with are upside down.)
If you are at home or staying or working in a building with a kitchen with assorted cups and mugs, use a cup style system. You could have a large cup in a bright red or busy pattern for first thing in the morning, a cooler colour, plainer pattern, smaller cup for elevenses, a smaller espresso cup for after lunch (or for a decaffeinated coffee after dinner).
Cutting Coffee When Travelling
I don't drink coffee on airplanes. Not in economy class. I don't want to be kept awake when I need sleep. Nor do I find the coffee appetising.
If not, simply write your preferences down, type them and print them and stick them on a pin board or fix them with a magnet on the communal fridge door for whoever makes the coffee.
Failing all else, make yourself a tee-shirt. For example:
I drink one caffeinated coffee for breakfast
and
one decaff at lunch time.
The easiest way to control your coffee intake is to make your own coffee in your hotel room - or car, or even in a tent on a hike.
Wake-up Coffee When Travelling
You can buy compact travel coffee makers which take capsules from Amazon. This month a member of my family took a travel coffee maker on several hikes up volcanoes in Indonesia and motorbike trips to Malaysia. We had bought a compact coffee maker as a birthday present. Apparently it was a great success.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
I have several more posts on drinks, foods learning languages, and travelling and around the world. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.
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