Brooke,

I just binge-watched the first half of your Stop Overeating Workshop (thank you for providing that to us SCS members). Honestly, I think I may have blacked-out at one point, my mind was so blown. Still trying to process it all – but holy God. Good stuff, lady.

Before I signed up for SCS, I had started reading your “If I’m so smart…” book, so I had been trying -2 to +2 for a week or so now. I think it was a helpful exercise, in that it made me really question every time I thought I was hungry. So, although I am very excited to try the new Protocol tools I’ve learned today, I still think the last two weeks were worth doing–for what it’s worth.

Anyway, my question is a simple one… with intermittent fasting, should I also take out my morning cups of coffee? I usually have 2 cups with half and half a day (no sugar!), both before noon. I enjoy my morning cups o’ Joe, so on one hand I think you’re gonna tell me “Food/drink shouldn’t be a source of pleasure in the beginning,” but on the other hand, my coffee doesn’t have any negative side effects that I’m aware of, so I’m not sure what you’ll say. (I know some people get addicted to coffee, but I’ve experimented with that and often unconsciously go without it with zero impact on me. I simply just enjoy it.) I’m psyched about all of the hormone-wizardry you described that will result from doing IF, so if coffee would have any negative impact on that, then I’ll just go without. Would drinking it black make any difference?

Thanks again,
Heather