Caffeine?

melanieclark_4

I am coming to believe that the reason I have gained weight over the past couple of years and have had trouble shedding it is because I no longer have caffeine in my diet.

It's been almost two years now that I have gone from drinking 6-8 cups of black coffee and green tea every day to now, an occasional decaf during the work week.

I never put that together with my weight gain but considering nothing else has changed in my eating or activity habits, I now wonder.

For the past two days, I have started drinking one green tea (with minimal caffeine) at night just to test this out. Can it be?

Absolutely nothing else has changed, and I'd even go so far as to say that my diet is actually now leaner than before. I do have wine and a martini with my husband several times a week, but that's always been a staple at dinner time. In fact, I have been cutting most of the wine out lately in another attempt to lose the extra pounds.

So if not caffeine, I'm at a total loss to know why I've gained 12 pounds over the past two years and can't seem to shed even a half pound anymore.

True, I could exercise more. I have been a bit out of it lately; I blame the long work hours at the office. But I still try to keep my diet at a 500-cal deficit. When I go over, it's never by more than that so technically, I shouldn't be gaining weight either. At the very least, I should maintain my weight. But every time I step on the scale, I'm a fraction of a pound higher or still. What gives?

jemhh

Twelve pounds over two years is only 57 extra calories per day. It would be exceedingly easy to eat that much extra even if eating a very similar diet. That's about two tablespoons of mashed potatoes, for example.

cathipa

Could it be that you are eating the same calories now that you were a few years ago when you were working out, so you aren't burning off as much as you are consuming? I doubt caffeine has anything to do with it unless it was curbing your hunger and you are actually eating more now, but not realizing it. Unless there is an underlying medical condition its still CICO.

jprewitt1

melanieclark_4 wrote: »

What gives?

You're eating more than you're burning. That's why you gained weight. I understand that you're saying you haven't changed anything, but later on in the paragraph you say how you "have been out of it lately" with exercising. You probably moved around a lot more before and so you burned more calories than you are now. Just increase your physical activity, tighten up your logging, and you'll lose as long as you are in a deficit.

kimny72

Are you using a food scale? If not, do that for a couple of weeks. It's the most accurate way to determine your calories, and with so little weight to lose, little errors could make a big difference. Also check that the database entries you are using are accurate, not all of them are.

I was SURE I was eating @ 1500 cals a day. I got a food scale and discovered quickly that more often than not, I was actually eating 1800 or even more. Using the scale to verify my portion sizes is why I was able to lose the last 15 lbs, no exaggeration.

missyfitz1

The real benefit to caffeine in weight loss is that it can give you extra energy for your workouts, and you can potentially burn more calories that way. In and of itself, taking in caffeine doesn't cause you to burn a significant amount of fat.

T0M_K

And your weighing your food and logging your food? If it was only as simple at drinking caffeine you could market it and become a zillionaire. the caffeine diet!

A 500 calorie deficit would result in 1 pound of weight loss per week so how does a 12 pound gain work out?

Perhaps you need to rethink a bit? caffeine isn't the magic answer.

melanieclark_4

A scale is indeed on the way. I thought of that last weekend and ordered one. I'd be surprised that it is the problem though since the weight or calories of what I eat is on the package (e.g., salmon, tuna, chicken, slice of bread, smoothie pack, etc.) but we'll see. I'll certainly give it a try.

As for exercise, I have been working out almost every day for the past year or so to no avail so I doubt the fact that the past few weeks have been slow is the real reason.

Regardless, there's clearly something I'm not seeing here, whether it's diet, portions, or activity, but I'll keep trying.

Thanks for the comments!

cathipa

Tomk652015 wrote: »

And your weighing your food and logging your food? If it was only as simple at drinking caffeine you could market it and become a zillionaire. the caffeine diet!

A 500 calorie deficit would result in 1 pound of weight loss per week so how does a 12 pound gain work out?

Perhaps you need to rethink a bit? caffeine isn't the magic answer.

Someone already did...ahem...bulletproof coffee (oh wait its the magic in the grass fed butter that does it right?)

jemhh

melanieclark_4 wrote: »

A scale is indeed on the way. I thought of that last weekend and ordered one. I'd be surprised that it is the problem though since the weight or calories of what I eat is on the package (e.g., salmon, tuna, chicken, slice of bread, smoothie pack, etc.) but we'll see. I'll certainly give it a try.

As for exercise, I have been working out almost every day for the past year or so to no avail so I doubt the fact that the past few weeks have been slow is the real reason.

Regardless, there's clearly something I'm not seeing here, whether it's diet, portions, or activity, but I'll keep trying.

Thanks for the comments!

Packages can easily be wrong. Like I said, it only takes 57 extra calories a day for two years to gain 12 pounds. That's not much food at all. In addition, if you are using cups instead of grams to measure solids, you can easily "lose" 57 calories a day. Here's a picture I made showing how 1/4 cup of almonds compares to 28 grams of almonds. Both are listed as the serving size on the package and yet there is a 46 calorie difference between them.

socalkay

I recommend you click the Message Board "Home" link (above, left) and go to the "Getting Started" section. Read through (at least) the 'Most Helpful Posts' section. Lots of great info and ideas there. Good luck!

campdawson

Many women experience weight gain as they enter menopause. I started battling the bulge during my late-40s, increasing activity but not altering my diet. Eventually I hired a trainer who recommended a food diary; that's when I learned why my weight was on a continuous increase. I ate and drank with abandon since I was working out 6 days a week, not realizing that my metabolism was slowing down. I found MFP shortly thereafter and have been logging and using a scale ever since.

GiddyupTim

I believe caffeine is an appetite suppressant, though it has not been shown long-term to aid in weight loss.

campdawson

jemhh wrote: »

Twelve pounds over two years is only 57 extra calories per day. It would be exceedingly easy to eat that much extra even if eating a very similar diet. That's about two tablespoons of mashed potatoes, for example.

Love this fact

campdawson

Packages can easily be wrong. Like I said, it only takes 57 extra calories a day for two years to gain 12 pounds. That's not much food at all. In addition, if you are using cups instead of grams to measure solids, you can easily "lose" 57 calories a day. Here's a picture I made showing how 1/4 cup of almonds compares to 28 grams of almonds. Both are listed as the serving size on the package and yet there is a 46 calorie difference between them.




[/quote]

This visual is everything!

melanieclark_4

jemhh wrote: »

Packages can easily be wrong. Like I said, it only takes 57 extra calories a day for two years to gain 12 pounds. That's not much food at all. In addition, if you are using cups instead of grams to measure solids, you can easily "lose" 57 calories a day. Here's a picture I made showing how 1/4 cup of almonds compares to 28 grams of almonds. Both are listed as the serving size on the package and yet there is a 46 calorie difference between them.

Never thought of that. Thank you! I do use cups when it's not provided on the package. Hopefully, the scale will shed some light on all of this.

A lot of info indeed socalkay but I was training for a fitness comp 7-8 years ago and backed out at the very end, so I know the basics. I just can't figure out what's next without reverting back to that strict of a lifestyle in terms of macros, supplements, and exercise routine.

campdawson

tufel wrote: »

I believe caffeine is an appetite suppressant, though it has not been shown long-term to aid in weight loss.

I agree and many I know attest to that fact.

AnnPT77

There could be a combination of tiny things, too, adding up to the slight extra edge of calories consumed vs. calories burned.

For example, if you've been working long hours at a sedentary job for two years, and exercising less, you may've lost some muscle mass (common as we age, in general). That, too, would cause you to burn very slightly fewer daily.

Combine that with a small increase in consumption, and perhaps some decrease in activity (exercise or just general moving about, if you were even marginally more active with your extra hours outside of work, previously) . . . and it's super easy to get to 50, 100, 200 calories net increase in consumption vs. burning.

melanieclark_4

campdawson wrote: »

Many women experience weight gain as they enter menopause. I started battling the bulge during my late-40s, increasing activity but not altering my diet. Eventually I hired a trainer who recommended a food diary; that's when I learned why my weight was on a continuous increase. I ate and drank with abandon since I was working out 6 days a week, not realizing that my metabolism was slowing down. I found MFP shortly thereafter and have been logging and using a scale ever since.

Could very well be part of the issue as well since I just entered pre-menopause.