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Coffee a culprit in preventing weight loss?
hi everyone. I am new here so if I am doing this wrong, i do apologize. I have recently heard that coffee actually prevents you from losing weight. I drink alot of coffee about 2 pots a day to myself. Could this be true on it preventing any weight loss? I do drink some water and usually maybe one pop a week.
Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
TIA, Tammy
Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
TIA, Tammy
COMMUNITY LEADER
I do not agree that caffeine is all that bad for you. Some recent studies have even shown that a certain amount is actually good for you.
Coffee, itself, causes neither blood sugar fluctuations, nor adrenal exhaustion. Lack of a steady supply of food is what causes blood sugar fluctuations; stress is the main cause of adrenal exhaustion. Coffee CAN make you feel fuller and not inclined to eat on a regular basis, which does affect blood sugar.
Unsweetened coffee will not raise your blood sugar, because it has no sugar in it, nor is it converted to sugar by the body. It's adrenalin that causes the "fight or flight" reflex, not sugar. The body does not "release" sugar as it does adrenalin. It's true that sugar is used for energy, and whatever is not used immediately is stored as fat. When we cut our calories and exercise, we hope to use those stores of fat for energy.
While I agree that too much caffeine is not good, I totally disagree that ALL caffeine is bad. Let's keep in mind, that we are all very different and our reactions to certain foods will be different from one person to another.
In addition, coffee can actually be counted in your daily fluid intake, right along with water, unsweetened tea, etc.
I, personally, have gone to "lite" coffee, which is 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaff. It works for me and is worth a try if you are trying to cut down.
Coffee, itself, causes neither blood sugar fluctuations, nor adrenal exhaustion. Lack of a steady supply of food is what causes blood sugar fluctuations; stress is the main cause of adrenal exhaustion. Coffee CAN make you feel fuller and not inclined to eat on a regular basis, which does affect blood sugar.
Unsweetened coffee will not raise your blood sugar, because it has no sugar in it, nor is it converted to sugar by the body. It's adrenalin that causes the "fight or flight" reflex, not sugar. The body does not "release" sugar as it does adrenalin. It's true that sugar is used for energy, and whatever is not used immediately is stored as fat. When we cut our calories and exercise, we hope to use those stores of fat for energy.
While I agree that too much caffeine is not good, I totally disagree that ALL caffeine is bad. Let's keep in mind, that we are all very different and our reactions to certain foods will be different from one person to another.
In addition, coffee can actually be counted in your daily fluid intake, right along with water, unsweetened tea, etc.
I, personally, have gone to "lite" coffee, which is 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaff. It works for me and is worth a try if you are trying to cut down.
Very interesting. I always knew caffeine was not good but never knew it was that bad! I had always heard that caffeine was a diuretic and therefore dehydrated you and that's why it was not good for weight loss.
Hi,
Heres an article from Nutritionist David Meniz about caffine.
http://total-patient-care.com/articles/coffee.html
I lost 97 1/2 pounds 4 years ago and have kept it off. I never gave up diet sodas of coffee. I currently continue to enjoy my coffee, however I am try to omit carbonated beverage from my diet.
The biggest help in my weight loss journey was joining TOPS (Take Off Pound Sensibly) The weekly meeting and support I got from other members did the trick.
Good luck on you journey.
Heres an article from Nutritionist David Meniz about caffine.
http://total-patient-care.com/articles/coffee.html
I lost 97 1/2 pounds 4 years ago and have kept it off. I never gave up diet sodas of coffee. I currently continue to enjoy my coffee, however I am try to omit carbonated beverage from my diet.
The biggest help in my weight loss journey was joining TOPS (Take Off Pound Sensibly) The weekly meeting and support I got from other members did the trick.
Good luck on you journey.
I don't drink coffee - and I am fiercley against Caffine as I used to drink a lot of cola and found it it caused 75% of my IBS attacks.... so I had a bit of a google moment for you and found this:
There are two basic reasons coffee is a problem for the person trying to lose weight. (It's no bargain for the person who isn't either, by the way). The first reason is psychological, the second physiological.
Psychological
Coffee fits neatly into the receptors for a brain chemical known as adenosine, which is partly responsible for calming you down. By interrupting the activity of adenosine, coffee makes you feel awake and wired. You may think that's a good thing, but consider that virtually every study of PMS has implicated caffeine as a major culprit. The added stimulation and nervousness from the coffee makes you feel edgy at exactly the time that feeling calm would be a blessing. And the blood sugar fluctuations it produces contributes enormously to cravings.
Coffee is socially connected to rituals that involve eating. Many of these eating rituals, in turn, are connected to snacks and breaks, fast-food breakfasts and desserts. (Notice that the first beverage you think of when asked what you want with your "Dunkin' Donuts" is not green tea or water.)
Physiological
Coffee stimulates the adrenals, the glands responsible for stress hormones. The constant assault on these poor glands, from coffee, sugar, stress and daily life, can ultimately lead to a condition known as adrenal exhaustion.
Coffee plays havoc with your blood sugar. The body treats a coffee jolt as a "stress response" much like the adrenals shooting a jolt of adrenaline into the system. This adrenaline response was a survival mechanism for our caveman ancestors; it signaled danger from a woolly mammoth and told the body to prepare for fight or flight. It signaled the body to release sugar into the blood, to be used as fuel for the muscles (which would be either clubbing that mammoth or climbing the nearest tree). But nowadays, it just signals the release of sugar. With no ensuing flight or flight, the sugar signals a release of insulin, and before you know it, after a couple of hours of jitteriness, your blood sugar is in the toilet, and you're crashing and burning and reaching for ... guess what? I'll give you a hint: It's not Brussels sprouts and steak.
Coffee also increases urinary secretion of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium and uses up a fair amount of vitamin B1. Not only that, the coffee plant itself is a virtual repository for toxins such as pesticides and other harmful chemicals. (If you still insist on drinking it after reading this article, consider buying organic). And it can raise blood pressure and interfere with sleep.
Although in the short run it may suppress appetite, over the course of a day most people find it stimulates cravings more than suppresses them.
One of the best reasons to give up coffee comes from my colleague, Dr. Barry Sears, who points out that if you are "running on empty," getting your "energy" from artificial stimulants like caffeine, you never really get to understand the effect your food is having on you. You never know whether your food is producing energy and alertness or tiredness and fatigue. You're masking the effects of your eating style with an overpowering stimulant. And that's keeping you from valuable knowledge about what foods work for you and what foods you ought to stay away from.
by Jonny Bowden
http://www.ivillage.com/does-coffee-habit-slow-weight-loss/4-n-142436
There are two basic reasons coffee is a problem for the person trying to lose weight. (It's no bargain for the person who isn't either, by the way). The first reason is psychological, the second physiological.
Psychological
Coffee fits neatly into the receptors for a brain chemical known as adenosine, which is partly responsible for calming you down. By interrupting the activity of adenosine, coffee makes you feel awake and wired. You may think that's a good thing, but consider that virtually every study of PMS has implicated caffeine as a major culprit. The added stimulation and nervousness from the coffee makes you feel edgy at exactly the time that feeling calm would be a blessing. And the blood sugar fluctuations it produces contributes enormously to cravings.
Coffee is socially connected to rituals that involve eating. Many of these eating rituals, in turn, are connected to snacks and breaks, fast-food breakfasts and desserts. (Notice that the first beverage you think of when asked what you want with your "Dunkin' Donuts" is not green tea or water.)
Physiological
Coffee stimulates the adrenals, the glands responsible for stress hormones. The constant assault on these poor glands, from coffee, sugar, stress and daily life, can ultimately lead to a condition known as adrenal exhaustion.
Coffee plays havoc with your blood sugar. The body treats a coffee jolt as a "stress response" much like the adrenals shooting a jolt of adrenaline into the system. This adrenaline response was a survival mechanism for our caveman ancestors; it signaled danger from a woolly mammoth and told the body to prepare for fight or flight. It signaled the body to release sugar into the blood, to be used as fuel for the muscles (which would be either clubbing that mammoth or climbing the nearest tree). But nowadays, it just signals the release of sugar. With no ensuing flight or flight, the sugar signals a release of insulin, and before you know it, after a couple of hours of jitteriness, your blood sugar is in the toilet, and you're crashing and burning and reaching for ... guess what? I'll give you a hint: It's not Brussels sprouts and steak.
Coffee also increases urinary secretion of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium and uses up a fair amount of vitamin B1. Not only that, the coffee plant itself is a virtual repository for toxins such as pesticides and other harmful chemicals. (If you still insist on drinking it after reading this article, consider buying organic). And it can raise blood pressure and interfere with sleep.
Although in the short run it may suppress appetite, over the course of a day most people find it stimulates cravings more than suppresses them.
One of the best reasons to give up coffee comes from my colleague, Dr. Barry Sears, who points out that if you are "running on empty," getting your "energy" from artificial stimulants like caffeine, you never really get to understand the effect your food is having on you. You never know whether your food is producing energy and alertness or tiredness and fatigue. You're masking the effects of your eating style with an overpowering stimulant. And that's keeping you from valuable knowledge about what foods work for you and what foods you ought to stay away from.
by Jonny Bowden
http://www.ivillage.com/does-coffee-habit-slow-weight-loss/4-n-142436
Hi Tammy,
The coffee itself wouldn't be the problem if it is plain, black coffee. If it is a latte, cappuccino, macciato etc, yes that could be the problem. Do you use cream or sugar? Even zero calorie sweeteners? Cream, milk, or fat free, sugar free or low calorie whiteners? Do you use flavored creamers, etc? Please let me know and I may be able to advise you further. If you do use them, please give me an approximation of how much. With a few small tweaks, you may be able to stop the sneaky diet saboteurs! The more info you can provide, the more I can help!
Fitfreak
The coffee itself wouldn't be the problem if it is plain, black coffee. If it is a latte, cappuccino, macciato etc, yes that could be the problem. Do you use cream or sugar? Even zero calorie sweeteners? Cream, milk, or fat free, sugar free or low calorie whiteners? Do you use flavored creamers, etc? Please let me know and I may be able to advise you further. If you do use them, please give me an approximation of how much. With a few small tweaks, you may be able to stop the sneaky diet saboteurs! The more info you can provide, the more I can help!
Fitfreak
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