Using coffee for weight loss is a popular idea that ranges from fad diets, special drinks and even results backed by studies. But is weight loss coffee safe to try out?
As an avid coffee drinker who can’t get enough of the stuff to sometimes my own detriment I was very surprised to hear that a lot of people use coffee as a weight loss tool. Of course I was very interested in the idea so I had to do some research and break down if it was really safe and what exactly it is.
Is weight loss coffee safe?
Using coffee for weight loss will generally be a safe activity if you follow some basic caffeine guidelines. These include adhering to the FDA 400 milligrams daily limit of caffeine for a healthy adult, avoiding drinking coffee 7 hours before bed to avoid sleep disruptions, and not drinking coffee if it’s dehydrating effects will be detrimental.
Some side effects that can occur Because of too much caffeine intake include headaches, poor sleep, irregular heartbeats, headaches and nausea.
Now it’s important to know that these guidelines are made for the average normal person and everyone else is different.
Always be sure to ask your doctor about any concerns or questions and follow their directions if advised differently.
Now that you know if weight loss coffee is safe, keep reading for more important information on how to use it to keep it that way.
Can I just drink coffee and lose weight?
Weight loss boils down to a simple concept, you must burn more calories than you consume. Because of this, it takes more work than just simply drinking coffee to lose weight. You need to have a diet that is geared towards your goal and an exercise plan.
For example, weight loss occurs at a 1 pound a week pace by being in a calorie deficit of 500 calories each day.
If you want a better visualization 500 calories roughly equates to about 40 to 60 minutes of running or a little less than your average fast food sandwich.
Coffee by itself won’t create that deficit. Although I do admit that would have been awesome and it makes me sad that it’s not true.
What is the coffee that helps you lose weight?
Believe it or not there are tons and tons of different caffeine options from energy drinks to sugary mixes and fat kind of scammy ones.
Without going into all of the details of those and furthering any kind of confusion you may have there’s one option you can really go with to great effect.
If your main goal is weight loss, then black coffee would be a great option to drink. Black coffee has virtually no calories, making it fine when aiming to be in a calorie deficit.
Yes, having some cream and sugar is fine when you take it into account with your overall diet, but it makes the process of eating less more difficult.
Liquid calories aren’t as filling as other foods, making you less satisfied and more likely to overeat.
Now consider something like a sugary Starbucks drink which can have hundreds of calories. Those calories could have gone to a filling meal, but now they just left you with a short energy spike.
Coffee that isn’t too low in caffeine is also ideal as well. Of course avoid going over the recommended 400 mg a day, but stronger coffee helps boost your performance and energy throughout the day and help you avoid reaching for sugary snacks when you feel exhausted.
So when it comes down to which coffee to use for weight loss, avoid the fluff and keep it simple.
How much weight can I lose with black coffee?
Although coffee shouldn’t be your main tool for weight loss as we already discussed, it does have several benefits that can aid you.
For one, coffee can increase your body’s energy use according to an in depth study by the Mayo Clinic.
And according to dailycoffeenews.com. This increase is roughly 75 – 120 extra calories burned per 100mg of coffee. It is important to note however that this decreases as your body adapts to the caffeine and becomes severely less effective.
Basically what that means is if you aren’t an avid coffee drinker you can have an occasional calorie burning boost.
Next, coffee can indirectly aid in weight loss by improving your energy during exercise. Being able to perform with more energy and at full output is the difference between an effective fat burning workout and a waste of time.
A coffee might be all you need to get energized for a morning walk, an activity that could burn a couple hundred calories itself.
How much coffee should you drink to lose weight?
Finally now that you know that weight loss coffee plan is safe, and can in fact help your weight loss, how much should you be drinking?
Well this depends on how you intend to use coffee for your weight loss goals.
If you would like to use coffee’s ability to increase your energy use, drinking close to the 400 mg daily limit will help you achieve that although not for long because your body will soon adapt.
Going this route means you can drink up to 4 cups of coffee A-day because each cup contains roughly 95 mg of caffeine.
On the other hand if you want to use coffee as a way to improve your exercise performance and thus burn more calories, You should drink caffeine about 45 to 60 minutes before your scheduled workout according to headline.com. It will help make sure that the caffeine in your body has reached its peak effectiveness as soon as you start hitting the weights.
Drinking 0.9 to 2.7 mg of caffeine per pound of your own body weight will lead to the most bang for your buck.
As for others who really just need the coffee to stay energized,to keep working hard and to stay away from all the junk food that exhaustion cravins can lead to, Space out your doses throughout the day and make sure you stop drinking 7 hours before bed.
Conclusion
Coffee is an essential part of most adult lifestyles because it provides energy motivation and motivation and a nice tasty treat that can brighten your day.
To my surprise and I’m sure as yours as well coffee is a great weight loss supplement if used correctly.
Make sure you stay within the general guidelines to keep a weight last coffee approach safe.
And always talk with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet and health lifestyle choices.
Be sure to share with someone who would love this information!