subject: Affects of Caffeine on Weight loss [print this page] Affects of Caffeine on Weight loss
Caffeine (as in coffee and some regular or diet sodas) has been shown in studies to contribute to insulin resistance which makes it harder to lose weight. It also increases appetite and contribute to food cravings. In those studies, even decaffeinated coffee (which still has some caffeine in it) is shown to be detrimental to weight loss.
Being insulin resistant causes many people who lose weight to only gain it back again. If you are insulin resistant (many people are unaware that they are), using caffeine will further affect your metabolism.
Avoiding caffeine will increase your natural metabolism. You can naturally increase your metabolism by combining healthy eating (including avoiding refined/processed carbs) and adding exercise to increase fat loss and lean muscle. It's the lean muscle that is your metabolic furnace that will burn extra calories/energy 24 hours daily and not just when you are exercising.
Caffeine also interferes with GABA which have calming effects on the body. This then increases physiological and psychological stress (often associated with both overeating and difficulty adhering to a weight loss plan). Those who are trying to lose body fat would do well to avoid caffeine or at least reduce their caffeine consumption.
Since caffeine is an drug (a stimulant) it can also interfere with prescription medications. It can cause headaches, anxiety, agitation, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and stunt growth in children. It is possible to become caffeine dependent ('I can't think until I have my morning coffee'). If you have caffeine dependency, it would be best to gradually come off the caffeine. For example, drink one cup of regular coffee or soda and then only decaffeinated for the rest of the day.
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Look at food labels for caffeine. If caffeine is added it will be listed as an ingredient but if it occurs naturally in the food/beverage it may not be listed. Chocolate and coffee flavored items also contain caffeine. It can be difficult to cut caffeine completely out of your diet but lowering it will help lower your appetite, cravings, and moodiness.
Caffeine has so many effects on the body and metabolism that reducing it will go a long way in any weight loss plan. It is one of the favorite drugs in America possibly the world. It is often served at AA meetings and in rehab clinics and we all know about coffee shops being so prominent in our country today. I hope to one day see caffeine listed by milligrams on all food/beverage labels so that we can calculate and reduce our consumption of caffeine.
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