howcaniloseweight
Caffeine
Caffeine Review.
Can You Lose Weight With Caffeine?
One ingredient that is most likely to be found in a wide range of fat
burning and weight loss supplements is caffeine. Because it acts
as a stimulant it is added to these pills for that quick energy boost
it gives. But does caffeine really help you lose weight?
Consuming caffeinated products to lose weight seems counterproductive when you consider what foods and drinks contain this substance—soda and chocolate to name a few. These foods and drinks are high in calories and sugar which makes it unlikely that they can help you lose weight, right?
So how can caffeine in a pill help you lose weight?
What You Should Know
Caffeine is a stimulant that targets the central nervous system and the heart, which is why it causes a short term spike in blood pressure. It gives you a short term boost in energy, generally followed by a huge decline in your energy level.
In general weight loss supplements contain more caffeine than you would get by drinking a few cups of coffee, which is why proponents argue that this energy boost will help you burn more calories. In fact, for many dieters this substance may have the opposite effect, depending on how often you consume caffeinated products.
[You already drink a cup a day…where are the results?]
How Much?
There is no designated amount of caffeine that we need but certain populations like pregnant women shouldn’t consume more than 200 milligrams each day. For the rest of us, our intake should be dictated by how each of our bodies reacts to caffeinated products.
If you don’t regularly consume products that contain caffeine you should start with low levels to see how your body will respond. If you notice side effects, which we will talk more about in a moment, then you should stop taking this stimulant and find another (healthier) method to aid weight loss.
Sources
It is important to know that you can get caffeine in your diet from sources other than coffee or soda, however coffee provides you with the largest amount per serving. Here is a list of how much of it is found in common caffeinated products in milligrams;
- Instant coffee (1 mug) – 100mg
- Filtered coffee (1 mug) – 140mg
- Tea (1 mug) – 75mg
- Soda (1 can) – 40mg
- Dark chocolate candy bar – 50mg
- Energy drink (1 can) – 80mg
- Milk chocolate candy bar – 25mg
The important thing to remember about using caffeine to help you lose weight is to count the additional calories. While coffee and tea have no calories, the things we put in them like cream, milk, sugar and syrup can really increase the calorie count which is not what you need if weight loss is your ultimate goal.
Side Effects
Consuming too much caffeine can result in unwanted side effects, particularly for those who aren’t frequent consumers of caffeinated products. If you have a sensitivity to it you may experience side effects that include nausea, jitteriness, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, irregular heartbeats and irritability. If any of these symptoms occur, stop your intake and find another stimulant.
One of the major side effects for consume a lot of caffeine, regardless of how much you generally consume it, is the inevitable energy decrease that comes. This is particularly true of fat burning supplements that contain large quantities of stimulants as they generally contain more than 200mg of caffeine. This dose is usually taken more than once each day.
[Too much caffeine and this might be you between sets.]
This type of energy increase and then decrease can cause cravings as well as an increase in highly caffeinated drinks in order to maintain that current level of energy.
Caffeine has a diuretic effect and if too much is consumed you may feel dehydrated. If you consume too much you need to make sure you’re consuming enough water in your diet each day.
Does It Work For Fat Loss?
Yes you can lose weight with caffeine but you should know that studies have indicated that it could be modest weight loss if this substance is your only weight loss tool.
Caffeine does increase metabolism modestly, but you would need quite a lot of it to enjoy any real fat burning effects. Without regular exercise and a regulated diet, caffeine will not help you lose any significant amount of weight. Because it is a stimulant it does make you feel like you have more energy but there are healthier ways to do this, such as eating more fish.
Another way in which it may help stimulate weight loss is because it can help suppress your appetite. However this is mostly because caffeinated products tend to fill your belly with empty calories, making you feel less hungry. However because they are empty calories, you will not be satisfied and you will be hungry later.
Since most of us already consume caffeine on a fairly regular basis, if there were any significant weight loss possibilities we would notice it now. The only way that it can work even a little is if you take up a healthy lifestyle that includes frequent physical activity and a healthy diet.