Help settle an argument- coffee as a diet aid

BuiltLikeAPeep

TL;DR at the end
Before I get to the debate question, here's a little background info-
I am a 40 year old female, starting weight 340 lbs, current weight 300 lbs. I have been stuck at 300 exactly for about a month or so, but have lost several inches. I lost the first 20 lbs from about July 2019-November 2019, and then another 20 lbs since November. Since November, I have logged more, moved more, eaten less (most days, maybe 80% success rate) and unplugged from my Fitbit (I believe it was registering too many steps and/or calories burned) and I also don't log exercise/extra activity in MFP anymore. Also, my son bought me a coffee percolator for my birthday and a 30 oz coffee tumbler for christmas. Needless to say, I have been drinking A LOT of coffee since the end of November. I have replaced around 3-4 20 oz sodas per day with 30- 60 oz of HOMEMADE coffee and around 100 oz of water per day.

Here's where the debate comes in- I have a friend who swears that the coffee is the sole cause of my weight/ inches lost. It has even caused her to increase her intake of coffee without making any lifestyle changes. I believe it is the lifestyle changes I have made. I have pointed out to her that I can have a homemade cup of coffee for between 100-200 calories versus one 20 oz soda/fruit juice for about 300 calories. So 200-400 calories of coffee versus 900-1200 calories of soda. I already know the answer to this question, I just want to show her how misinformed she is about weight loss (she is the type to try every new weight loss fad she sees online).

TL;DR friend who tries every weight loss fad says my weight/ inches lost are caused only by my increased coffee intake. I say it is the lifestyle changes I have made in the last 3 months.

kimny72

Fat loss is caused by a calorie deficit, full stop. Different diets, food choices, schedules, etc can work if they make it easier for you to stay in a calorie deficit.

If switching from soda to coffee reduced your calorie intake, it would cause weight loss. The switch from soda calories being all sugar, to coffee calories being perhaps partially from protein and fat (not sure if you use milk/cream or just sugar) could improve satiety of those calories as well.

Not what you asked, but IMHO trying to convince someone that eating less/moving more is how you lost weight, especially when they are a fad chaser, is a pointless waste of time. People would rather there be a trick or product that will magically fix their problem. Just keep setting a good example and accomplishing your goals. Congrats and continued success!

BuiltLikeAPeep

@kimny72 thank you! We all know how people can be "set in their ways" and resistant to change, but I worry about my friend. I think there may be underlying issues she is going through. Sometimes she is on the right track ( Planet Fitness just opened in our city and she joined before they even opened and she goes on average 3 days a week) but her eating habits worry me. She is also the type of person who gets depressed when she sees someone else making progress and she's moving backward.

NovusDies

I lost a lot of weight before I started drinking coffee again regularly.

Also, my weight loss has been fairly predictable at around 3500 calories per pound for 2 years.

psychod787

Lyle McDonald speaks about caffeine being a stimulant and raising calorie burns by 100 calories a day or so. It also can have an appetite reducing effect in some people.

corinasue1143

My initial weight loss was largely due to replacing Coca Cola with unsweetened iced tea. Down about 1200 calories a day = 10 pounds a month. As I lost weight, I learned to eat better to keep losing. After I lost some, I felt so good I started exercising.
Good luck!
Keep going!
Keep learning!

MikePTY

I lost 45 pounds without ever drinking a cup of coffee. You are correct that if you achieved acalorie reduction from changing from soda to coffee, that would have assisted in weight loss by increasing your calorie deficit. But it is from that, not any specific properties of the coffee.

psychod787

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7369170
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23671022

kimny72

psychod787 wrote: »

Lyle McDonald speaks about caffeine being a stimulant and raising calorie burns by 100 calories a day or so. It also can have an appetite reducing effect in some people.

OP was drinking soda prior, I'd guess at least some of it was caffeinated. And we don't knowthey weren't drinking any coffee at all before, just that they drink more now.

I could see if someone went from no caffeine to a lot of caffeine the metabolic change could be a little noticable. But a 100 cal metabolic increase didn't make OP lose 20 lbs since Nov. It might have given a little boost. But there was without a doubt much more to it.

kbaconandeggs261

I wouldn't count on coffee to lose weight. I do enjoy it for the caffeine though. Also it depends on what you put in your coffee. It can make you use the restroom more so maybe water weight.

cmriverside

I would suggest that your own life will be much happier and more peaceful if you just try not to worry about what other people are doing to lose weight unless it's obvious they have mental health issues (like anorexia or binge eating, etc.) - in which case I really think all you can do is suggest counseling. I do a lot better when I stay in my own lane with things like this.

She's a big girl.

You lost weight by eating fewer calories than you needed based on your current activity level (work/school/exercise/housecleaning etc.) The coffee/caffeine may be giving you a bit more energy so you are moving more. That's how caffeine helps with weight loss - it gives increased energy so you spend more calories moving. That's why it's really popular in weight loss supplements.

Avidkeo

Yeah let her do what she wants. She will soon be onto the next fad.

BuiltLikeAPeep

kimny72 wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Lyle McDonald speaks about caffeine being a stimulant and raising calorie burns by 100 calories a day or so. It also can have an appetite reducing effect in some people.

OP was drinking soda prior, I'd guess at least some of it was caffeinated. And we don't knowthey weren't drinking any coffee at all before, just that they drink more now.

I could see if someone went from no caffeine to a lot of caffeine the metabolic change could be a little noticable. But a 100 cal metabolic increase didn't make OP lose 20 lbs since Nov. It might have given a little boost. But there was without a doubt much more to it.

Yes, plenty of caffeinated beverages and coffee. 3-4 sodas a day, monster java, starbucks in a can, red bull, you name it and an occasional (maybe 2-3 per week) homemade coffee.

psychod787

BuiltLikeAPeep wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Lyle McDonald speaks about caffeine being a stimulant and raising calorie burns by 100 calories a day or so. It also can have an appetite reducing effect in some people.

OP was drinking soda prior, I'd guess at least some of it was caffeinated. And we don't knowthey weren't drinking any coffee at all before, just that they drink more now.

I could see if someone went from no caffeine to a lot of caffeine the metabolic change could be a little noticable. But a 100 cal metabolic increase didn't make OP lose 20 lbs since Nov. It might have given a little boost. But there was without a doubt much more to it.

Yes, plenty of caffeinated beverages and coffee. 3-4 sodas a day, monster java, starbucks in a can, red bull, you name it and an occasional (maybe 2-3 per week) homemade coffee.

I got a sugar buzz just reading that!🤣

cmriverside

BuiltLikeAPeep wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Lyle McDonald speaks about caffeine being a stimulant and raising calorie burns by 100 calories a day or so. It also can have an appetite reducing effect in some people.

OP was drinking soda prior, I'd guess at least some of it was caffeinated. And we don't knowthey weren't drinking any coffee at all before, just that they drink more now.

I could see if someone went from no caffeine to a lot of caffeine the metabolic change could be a little noticable. But a 100 cal metabolic increase didn't make OP lose 20 lbs since Nov. It might have given a little boost. But there was without a doubt much more to it.

Yes, plenty of caffeinated beverages and coffee. 3-4 sodas a day, monster java, starbucks in a can, red bull, you name it and an occasional (maybe 2-3 per week) homemade coffee.

Well, when you cut 1500 calories a day out of your intake, yeah, you might just lose some weight. That's a lot of sugar.

*wavng at psychod787*

gothchiq

You're cutting calories by drinking coffee rather than soda. Coffee itself isn't a diet aid per se. This is the same as eating green beans in place of potato chips or something like that. Let's just say that if coffee were intrinsically a diet aid, I'd look like a supermodel.

mbaker566

gothchiq wrote: »

You're cutting calories by drinking coffee rather than soda. Coffee itself isn't a diet aid per se. This is the same as eating green beans in place of potato chips or something like that. Let's just say that if coffee were intrinsically a diet aid, I'd look like a supermodel.

me too

lemurcat2

I love black coffee, and always had some at home in the morning even when I was overweight. I also usually had some during the day. I did find it helpful when losing, as one of the things I did was get a cup of coffee instead of having a snack or free food in the breakroom or if I felt like a break or a bit like having something. I'd also get it at a restaurant instead of dessert if others were having dessert.

I ended up drinking more coffee than I like, so I quit it for a period of time, and my weight loss did not change, so of course -- as others have said -- the coffee itself did nothing. However, I do think for some, maybe many, it's helpful in that it's low cal, a satisfying alternative to eating something sometimes, and can in some cases satisfy hunger. Also -- and certainly this is you -- if you were drinking higher cal beverages switching to a low or no cal beverage can certainly make cutting cals easy.

Re your friend's idea that coffee is some magical weight loss beverage, it's wrong and kind of silly, but for a magical weight belief it seems pretty harmless, and people are just going to believe silly things about how weight loss works.

J72FIT

Fat loss = CI<CO, that's it. There is nothing magical about coffee or any other food for that matter...

eryn0x

I would only say that coffee can take the edge off when I am really committed to reducing food intake, but echo that it is not a magic cure for lack of will power. You deserve credit for your changes. I understand how frustrating it can be to listen to friends who insist that 'other' factors are in your favour but not theirs, to manage their weight. Don't let anyone diminish your amazing accomplishment. You did what they have yet to do!

vampirequeen1959

I drink black coffee all the time. I use it to take the edge off my appetite when I'm in snacking/craving mode but I think the volume of liquid in my stomach makes the difference not the coffee. It sounds like your friend is grasping at straws. You have put a lot of hard work into losing weight. She wants an easy option that doesn't exist.