Caffeine is extremely present in our instant fix society today. There are places (Astor Place in New York) where you can literally see, without turning your head, two or more Starbucks or other cafes. Nearly 52% of Americans over 18 years of age drink coffee every day.

Caffeine can creep into our diets in other ways too. Caffeine is a popular additive in weight loss pills. With all this caffeine around us, do we really know how it affects our bodies?

Define: Caffeine

Caffeine exists naturally in certain plants and can be synthetically generated. It is a central nervous system stimulant and diuretic. This is why people drink espresso and coffee for energy and why drinking too much results in many trips to the restroom. According to nlm.hih.gov, caffeine is absorbed and distributed quickly, it then passes into the brain. Caffeine does not accumulate in the bloodstream, nor is it stored in the body.

Even though caffeine is popular, that doesn’t make it good for you. Caffeine is added to weight loss pills because it is a stimulant - it speeds up your body. This is no way to lose weight or diet. A healthy, sustainable lifestyle is necessary to achieve your dieting goals. It’s better to take off, and keep off, pounds naturally, right? This can be accomplished by eating healthy foods and maintaining an active lifestyle.

I, and beYOU.tv, do not recommend caffeine for weight loss. Here are just a few of our reasons:

Caffeine And Weight Loss

Caffeine Elevates Stress Hormones - Caffeine elevates the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Big fancy words, but the outcome is simple; this stress can disrupt your normal metabolism and negatively affect weight loss. People who are prone to stress or have a stressful lifestyle should avoid caffeine.

Increased Cortisol Levels Leads to Abdominal Obesity - Increased blood cortisol level, the same one I just mentioned, may lead to a buildup of fat in the abdominal area, where most people are trying to lose it. This type of fat buildup occurs when blood cortisol levels are chronically elevated.

Stress and Caffeine can have a Synergistically Negative Effect - Caffeine can make the everyday stress in your life more intense. As stress increases you are at greater risk for heart attack or stroke. Stress can also lead to over eating.

Dehydration - Caffeine and exercise will both dehydrate you. Consuming caffeine prior to working out will increase dehydration.

There are so many other natural and holistic options available. Remember that active lifestyle I mentioned above? Well, you could try a new exercise such as: Yoga, Tai Chi, Basketball, Running or Weight Lifting.

Once you’ve established a healthy diet and active lifestyle, you are ready to boost your weight loss plan - naturally!

Boost Your Diet Naturally

Water - Water, yes plain old water, can have profound weight loss benefits. Water maintains proper kidney function, which increases the liver’s fat burning ability. Increased water intake reduces water retention. If your body is deprived of water, it will hold on to what it has. Drinking more water will actually allow your body to release water.

Grapefruit - Research at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla in California shows that grapefruits are effective at curbing appetites and preventing overeating. Eating grapefruits, the fruit itself not drinking the juice, is the most effective way.

Oolong Tea - For those of you that absolutely need some caffeine, try Oolong Tea. It still contains caffeine, but in smaller doses than coffee and Oolong tea has the unique ability to block the fattening effects of carbohydrates. It has been effectively used for weight loss.

I’ll say it one more time, you need a healthy diet and an active lifestyle for healthy, sustainable weight loss. To achieve this you can start a new exercise program from home with Pilates videos and Yoga videos.  Switch to a healthy diet and an active lifestyle now and you’ll look great by summer, when it really counts!

Medical Disclaimer

Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.