Coffee Aids Weight loss

Recent Studies Show that Drinking a Few Cups of Caffeine Each Day Can Help You Lose Weight.

Sep 27, 2006
Tracy Rose

Spill Your Beans - Amanda Lee

Discover the health benefits of coffee and how it can help in your weight loss efforts.

A hot cup of coffee is how many people like to start the day. Some people swear by it and wouldn't think of beginning their day without a fresh cup. Others drink it by the pot. But is it safe? And will it help or hinder your weight loss efforts?

Research has been back and forth on whether a few cups of coffee a day is a healthy habit or not. The latest research shows that it is not only safe to consume several cups of coffee per day, but it can actually help you lose weight.

How Drinking Coffee Helps:

Coffee reduces the risk of type 2 Diabetes.
Coffee gives you more energy for a tougher workout that lasts longer, making it possible to burn more calories.
Coffee does not contribute to heart disease as we previously thought.
Caffeine speeds up your metabolism making it easier for us to burn more calories --- even while at rest.

What To Watch Out For:

Avoid fancy drinks from places like Starbucks that are loaded with hidden ingredients and additional calories. Frappacinnos and Mocha Lattes are not going to help you lose weight.
Don't add cream and sugar to your coffee. These only add extra calories and make you crave more sweets.
Don't give into the donuts, muffins and other similar goodies when you stop to grab a cup of coffee. A donut can add another 200-300 calories (and who can eat just one?) and a muffin can range from 450-700 calories depending on the size and type.
Don't try to cut out coffee and reduce calories all at once. Gradually reduce your intake to phase it out if that is your goal.

Overall, coffee has been given a bad reputation and as long as you don't fill it or pair it with sweets it is a healthy way to start your day and kick start your weight loss.

Tracy Rose - Tracy Rose is a powerflifter who holds the state record in deadlifting and has had success in her own weight loss journey.

Comments

Oct 10, 2008 10:26 PM

Guest :

I've noticed that when I drink several cups of coffee it makes me urinate constantly.. I’m talking 4-5 times in the hour. To me I always considered this a good thing because even though I have a fast metabolism I seem to retain water easily and when I drink coffee all that water weight pours out.

Oct 22, 2008 1:00 PM

Guest :

i got up in the middle of reading this and got a cup of coffee. haha And I may very well chug it and get up for another cup after reading this other person's comment. water weight is my biggest enemy.

Oct 29, 2008 10:51 AM

Guest :

water weight is not the weight you should be trying to lose....

Nov 25, 2008 8:45 AM

Guest :

Coffee is a natural diuretic...it will make you shed water weight but, be careful because you can easily get dehydrated and it causes you to have frequent bowel movements. I did notice that it is helping me shed the extra weight.

Nov 28, 2008 9:23 AM

Guest :

I don't think coffee is horrible. I like this article, but you really need to match the amount of coffee you drink with water. Yeah, you are urinating a lot, but I bet it's not clear urine. Thats actually not good. Caffeine pulls fluids from all of your body and pushes them through your kidneys. Well, your kidneys are filters and you don't want a too much waste going through them at once. This in time, will cause problems with your kidneys.

Jan 12, 2009 11:59 AM

Guest :

When you are a diabetic you have to be careful as coffee sometimes can make your sugar go high. Dietians for diabetic tell you to drink only decafainted coffee but you still must be careful as for this type of coffee still my sugar high.

Mar 13, 2009 6:53 AM

Guest :

Great article! I always wonder why after a cup of coffee I would have to go so many times shortly after, now I know why... It makes lots of sense that you have to match up your coffee intake with water, that's something I wasn't doing, I will now... you definitely do not want extra waste filtering thru your kidneys. but I love the fact that it helps in shedding extra water weight.
"B"

May 15, 2009 3:39 AM

Guest :

I woke up thinking of losing weight and my fancy coffee drink from Starbucks. I was drinking a large one everyday with extra carmel and not a lot of water. I will now take in more water and I have only one large fancy coffee every 3 days. This article is very helpful. Thank you.

Jul 5, 2009 4:43 AM

Guest :

I find that the days I drink the most coffee are also the days I eat the least. Coffee fills me up so much that I forget to eat. Obviously it is FAR from healthy to live off coffee and almost nothing else so I do try to remind myself to eat some healthy meals throughout the day, but I just find it interesting that coffee acts as such an amazing appetite suppressant.

Aug 18, 2009 11:03 AM

Guest :

Water Weight doesn't really matter?? because as soon as you drink something else you will get it right back. The reason coffee makes you lose weight is because it increases your metabolism and gives you more energy so you are more active.

I also agree that coffee acts as sort of an appettite suppressant. I know when I drink a couple cups I don't eat nearly as much for lunch as I do normally. This makes me eat a big dinner, which for me is good because I usually eat junk for lunch and a MUCH healthier dinner.

Sep 24, 2009 2:12 AM

Guest :

Great article...So many diets ban coffee,tea and juices.Coffee is 98 percent water the way i look at it,and i agree if you grab that Starbucks big guy, you get up to 1200 calories a cup. Ask for their nutritional chart the next time you visit, you will be blown away. I am raising my cup of chocolate macadamia from maui, plain, no sugar or cream.Stay away from the artifical sweeteners. The body still thnks they are real sugars, and mice hated the stuff anyway, but then too with research, Mice were never intended to drink coffee.Moderation, and common sense prevails..Bravo on the guest comments....

Oct 11, 2009 2:44 PM

Guest :

I'm losing weight by drinking starbucks mocha drink every morning. That keeps my hunger in check up to 2-3pm. also, eating less calories and exercising 3 times a day helps a bit. :)

Dec 23, 2009 1:26 PM

Guest :

I love coffee, it has been helping me loose weight for the past three months!! Love my cafe!!!

Dec 27, 2009 7:04 AM

Guest :

Thanks for this article. There has been so much mixed reviews about coffee, but i think this will help me.

Jan 5, 2010 1:39 AM

Guest :

I have always drank coffee to shed some few pounds, and this time i stuck to it and lost almost 10 kgs in 45 days accompanied by healthy diet and exercises, GREAT stuff.

Jan 10, 2010 2:29 PM

Guest :

Coffee is a natural laxative. That is why people constantly urinate/excavate when they drink large amounts of it. It is also one of the reasons it is good for weight loss (you will release much of what you eat). The other reason being the bit about it speeding up your metabolism but you must NOT pair it with sugar because that will reverse the effect. So, the safest way to use coffee within a diet is to watch the sugar and be sure to drink the same amount of, if not more, water as coffee each day to maintain your body's fluids and don't drink coffee if you are sick 'cause thats when you need those fluids most. :)

Jan 27, 2010 10:24 AM

Guest :

I think a lot of people are underestimating the importance of "water weight." Our bodies are made of 80% water. Being dehydrated, as caffeine will induce, does not do your system any favors. you may feel less bloated with less water in your system but it's temporary and harder on your system which leads to more energy drain and consequently a larger appetite to make up for the deficiency. So you eat more. Congratulations you have just gained more weight by trying to lose it the wrong way. Be kind to your body and you will feel better and function better and lose the weight you want but only if you stop abusing your body to get what you want and start treating yourself with some much deserved TLC.

Feb 12, 2010 10:56 PM

Guest :

I have to say that coffee for me really works to lose weight

Feb 16, 2010 1:21 PM

Guest :

well i know that coffee works for a fact and unlike energy drink there is no sudden crash once your little boost of energy kicks in its the one drink that if you could defintely consume it as part of a diet you should

Mar 19, 2010 12:35 PM

Guest :

it's not the coffee that makes you urinate - you urinate as much as you need water out - drink -pee- drink -pee coffee or juice almost same... haha
cofee is good but don't spoil it with fancy additives, few drops of low fat milk is good enough.... I want some now....

Mar 23, 2010 6:35 AM

Guest :

I drink about 2 cups of coffee daily but otherwise I drink lots of water. Coffee is also good for asthma and it helps boost my metabolism and gives me the strength to get through those tough workouts.

Apr 15, 2010 7:48 AM

Guest :

I seen where one of the guest said that they were drinking a star bucks mocha every morning and then not eating again until 2 or 3pm. Coffee will speed up your metabolism and that is great for fat loss but eating that many hours apart is really putting a hold on your fat loss. You may lose lots of weight at a time but for every ten lbs you lose on a diet like this then over 50% of the weight is muscle. You will end up looking like a smaller chubbier version of yourself now. Once you do give into those cheat foods then your metabolism will have slowed down and the excess calories will more than likely be stored as fat. My advice is to eat every 2.5-3 hours. This will help speed up your metabolism and aid in fat loss.

Apr 20, 2010 6:21 PM

Guest :

CAFFEINE MAKES YOU GAIN WEIGHT NOT LOSE!!!!
Caffeine initially causes your cells to become insulin resistant. Your pancreas then excretes more insulin in order to do its job, which is to control blood sugar levels (which caffeine increases). This will cause more blood sugar to be lost than is normal (the afterward crash) and your body will tell you to eat food in order to increase your blood sugar. Then you'll eat high fat and high carb foods in order to achieve this, thus causing a gain in weight...NOT A LOSS!!!

May 14, 2010 7:19 AM

Guest :

I didnt start drinking coffee till January and believe me when I say I went from 190lbs to 179lbs as we speak because I drink a cup before my work out in the morning and wow is all I can say. Coffee is not bad the way people see it(my cousin even thought it was stupid when I told him about how people think coffee is bad for you) but too much of it without water will mess you up. I think for everything you eat or drink, in this case coffee, you have to balance it out.

Jun 6, 2010 7:09 AM

Guest :

Sorry to butt in but..i think your missing a little information..Coffee as stimulant stimulates our cortisol!!!giving signal to our liver to jolt more sugar in our blood stream for use to use it in our fight or flight situations...this is good in a shortrun giving you excess energy to do workout but!After the work out you may encounter enormous energy level drop!!and guess what after that all of the foods the you'll be eating will not all be digested...your body would store all the glucose it can and store it as fat as a replacement for the massive amount of sugar you lost...Also high level of cortisol will make use store more fat in the belly area..because our belly area contains may cortisol so please think twice...Increasing your metabolism for a moment migh make burn more calories...but after that your body wont be able to repair your muscle tissue cause your liver will be as greedy as it can be to restore the lost glucose....leaving your muscle to be sore and to shrink....

im a 14 years nurse..its just a matter o anatomy and physiology...
hope i helped...

Jun 7, 2010 2:49 AM

Guest :

in the last month i have lost 10pounds, and just because i started drinking anywhere from 1-5 cups of coffee a day (:

Jun 8, 2010 10:20 AM

Guest :

I have recently seen an ad on TV talking about coffee and weight loss. So i've started drinking it. I thought that caffine was bad for your heart, so I stayed away from it. Now I drink 1 cup a day but I add sugar and milk. So now that I've read this article, I guess I'm loosing the milk, that sugar gradually

Jun 30, 2010 12:47 AM

Guest :

im 17 and i just starded drinking coffee everyday for the past week it used to put me to sleep or make me sleepy now all of s sudden it wakes me up puts me in a geat mood and full of energy i love it plus i used to put 6 sugers in my coffee now 1 idn coffee is amazing as long as u dont add acup of suger to ur coffee lol im glade to finaly join the group

Jun 30, 2010 9:18 PM

Guest :

I believe this article is very true! I am a medical student and there are some negative side effects but the positive outweight the negative. Fat contains water, so if you are losing 'water weight' then that must be having some effect on the fat cells. I drink 4 extremely strong cups of instant coffee a day- no sugar only a drop of milk to cool it down and I feel amazing during the day- I do have to go to the toilet a few more times than I used to but I am also mentally more alert, have more energy and have noticed a reduction in cellulite. I also drink at least 4L of a mixture of 1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of honey, 50mls roughly of cider vinegar and then I add that to a 750ml bottle and add water. Cayenne pepper boosts metabolism and blood circulation, honey has multiple health benefits and also adds a healthy sweetness so you dont crave refined sugars and cider vinegar helps metabolise fats. Remember before you go on any diet or change a regime make sure you consult your doctor. And you will only put on weight from coffee if you add sugar and high cream milk.

Jul 12, 2010 10:21 AM

Guest :

On top of peeing coffee also makes me have to poop almost immediately after finishing a cup. Not a bad poop (diarrhea), just a good ol fashioned poop. I would assume this a good thing for losing weight.

Jul 12, 2010 1:44 PM

Guest :

i love the coffe, and telling me that can cause me loose weight its more lovable, the only thing i have to change is to drink coffe without sugar.

Aug 12, 2010 5:20 PM

Guest :

I've never been much of a coffee drinker, but I've been trying to lose weight, so I though drinking coffee in the mornings might help. I like ice coffee, so I make a pot at home, and only add ice cubes and light soy milk. I have to say it's been helping curb my appetite quite a bit. No sweeteners, no fat creamer or milk.... so far so good!

Sep 1, 2010 7:44 AM

Guest :

I did my research about coffee and decided to give it ago. I don't normally drink coffee either. I was drinking 1-2 sometimes 3 really strong (3 tea spoons sometime 4) black instant coffees (no sugar) a day. I did this for about a week and a half, however some days I may have only had 1 strong coffee. I started at 60kg (which is actually alot considering my height) and in a week and a half I lost 8kg and weighed 52kgs! I accompanied my coffee with healthy eating mainly baked beans and only drank coffee and water.. i didn't even excersise! seriously try the coffee! it gave me so much energy, and when it came to eating I was full after just eating half the amount I normally would! I don't reccomend doing this for longer than a week, my kidneys did start to hurt towards the end,, but subsided when I drank water, and careful not to make the coffee too strong, I tried 5 tea spoons one day and after I was coming down from my 'high' and I felt really nausious!

Sep 1, 2010 12:40 PM

Guest :

I am walking proof that coffee does help with weight loss, I drink 1 cup in the morning and do not consume any heavy meals during the day except salad or fruit and then have a healthy balanced supper.

Oct 1, 2010 12:46 PM

Guest :

I've noticed also that drinking coffee 2-3 times a day helps shed off my weight faster and didn't crave much of food and of course i also make sure that i'm drinking at least 8 glasses of water...I usually put a little amount of condense milk about a teaspoon just to taper off the bitter taste but overall, coffee works well in my diet!

Oct 28, 2010 10:14 AM

Guest :

Filtered coffee that you get in coffee shops or the one you make at home has very little negative effects (most of the cafestol gets filtered out). There's enough studies out there which show the tremendous benefits of coffee for weight management, stimulation, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

I add instant coffee to my protein powder shake and have that for breakfast - its a great meal replacement. I found a company that has a pre-mixed version of this but the product is not available yet. its called kotu pro.

Nov 13, 2010 12:04 AM

Guest :

i have never drank coffe but a few weeks agoi thought id have a fancy store brough powder mix, and i had one a day until the sachets were gone, so 8 day and during that timemy hip measurment went from 110cm to 105 cm and my waist isat 84cm down from 89cm. i stopped drinking it for a couple weeks and have maintained the 105cm and today have started it again for anothe 8 days:)

Dec 29, 2010 4:25 PM

Guest :

After visiting Italy I noticed how much esspressos everyone there drank and how skinny Italians were. After coming back home I bought a stovetop Moka pot and its helping a lot. When I drink these mini esspressos I lose interest and cravings for food and I feel so full of energy. I have read coffee actually helps you extract fat from you stored fat cells and into energy.... which is great since I am trying to lose weight. Also, I traveled between several different countries in Europe and whenever I returned back to Italy I would lose weight. Esspressos are great everyone in America should drink them to reduce obesity!

Jan 11, 2011 9:41 AM

Guest :

Drink coffee from a french press, get a sweet-notes grain so you don't have to add any sugar, milk, cream, etc.. just plain coffee. Drink no more than 12oz a day, preferrably 6 only. Do keep a healthy, balanced diet and do exercise.

Everything in excess is bad for us. Coffee brings a lot of benefits when it is prepared and ingested the right way.

Jan 15, 2011 10:29 AM

Guest :

Well since I cant drink it without sugar and cream seems I shouldnt be drinking it. But I have started a gym and drinking at least three to four liters of water a day. I stopped drinking all sodas. But still drink my coffee with sugar and cream . But rarely over a cup a day three at the most on some days. Some days none. But I have lost weight, nine pounds the first week I stopped drinking sodas. I am still gonna drink my few cups of coffee and be happy with loosing what I am. I love my cup of instant coffee on a cold day ! I dont do fresh ground anymore since inlaws passed away and me and hubby rarely drink alot at home anymore. Hope I helped someone.

Jan 28, 2011 9:32 AM

Guest :

Ah so many different beliefs of the effects of coffee. I've started drinking it this past week because I have to wake up at 6 in the morning for school. I wouldn't mind the weight loss benefits though, being that I am getting married in 7 months. I have noticed that coffee makes me more hungry BUT for smaller portions. Is that normal? Also I was wondering is a little bit of flavored creamer THAT bad? If so what's a good alternative because I can't drink it black.

Jan 31, 2011 1:40 PM

Guest :

Great arrticle, I used to have about 10 cups per day with 1 sugar! since I have cut out the sugar and started eating more healthy foods I have lost 1 stone in weight!!!

Darren
http://www.ukelvistribute.co.uk

Mar 15, 2011 6:03 AM

Guest :

Unless you are retaining quite a bit of water, water weight is NOT what you want to be losing. Water weight is not bad for you and if you lose too much, you risk severe dehydration.

Mar 16, 2011 1:55 AM

Guest :

There are 3 in 1 coffee now being sold in the market. What's your stand on that?

Mar 21, 2011 12:58 AM

Guest :

i drink like 4 cups of coffee a day and am thin as a rail...also a pack o smokes a day also
im trying to gain weight and i think i may quit

Mar 25, 2011 6:52 AM

Guest :

well heres my story...at 22.fairly average not skinny person but ate a ton of fast food without excersiing so eventually im 6'1 ..i weighed 233..on nov 2nd i started excersise biking an average of 5-6 hours a day and actually did about 7 hours of total gym a week..however..i always drank coffee'ss b4 my workouts..so i mean probaly about 2 a day on average...by chrismas time i lost 50 pounds exact....i took a few weeks b4 it seemed i made any progress...but anyways maybe my story wil help sum1...i kno its not normal to sit on a bike that long but if ur occupied with tunes and xbox..lol..its all worth it..and of course i ate good.usualy.but whenever i didnt it had no effect in the long run caus i kept doing hours and hours...but without coffeee i couldnt have done any of that~!

Apr 2, 2011 4:05 PM

Guest :

amen

Apr 7, 2011 11:35 PM

Guest :

The trouble is assuming everyone is the same. For some people coffee is a benefit, for others a poison.

Water weight is common from people that are protein deficient. It might not be how much you eat, but rather the amount you can absorb due to your intestinal gut flora state. For one red meat might make it good, for another it might make it poor.

You will lose the game of health if you think everyone is the same. How stupid, truly could one be to think that?

Right or wrong many doctors today recognize this, and do not have much for answers. The only person - again right or wrong - that is trying to discern this is Dr. D'Adamo.

Apr 20, 2011 9:01 PM

alexis white :

I think it was a AMAZING article even though people who do or don't drink coffee find the real diffrence between the weight loss coffee and the star bucks coffee and other people who don't drink coffee and want to lose weight try the weight loss coffee and eat right and exercise and you will see a difference in your body hope it works out for you cause it is for me!

Sep 18, 2011 6:51 AM

Guest :

hello i have type 2 diabeties and am very obese and trying really hard to loose weigh,t i have drunk tea with no sugar for many years now and just recently i have started to drink coffee with 2 sweetners, now ive found while drinking tea is nice i was craving sweet things all the time, now that i am drinking coffee with sweetners im not craving sweet things at all and i have loads more energy, and have started to loose some weight so there must be something in this as i have tried every diet going and nothing has worked .

50 Comments

Coffee Aids Weight loss

Recent Studies Show that Drinking a Few Cups of Caffeine Each Day Can Help You Lose Weight.

How Drinking Coffee Helps:

What To Watch Out For:

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