Thoughts on coffee/caffeine intake?

Carpe_diem1983
Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read that coffee/caffeine intake can lead to cravings. Is this true?
I really enjoy a cup of coffee or two in the mornings and this week I cut back to just one, which was fine.
I haven't had any coffee today and now I have a headache that won't quit despite ibuprofen and a nap!
I even ate some dark chocolate to try and make it go away.
Pretty sure this is a caffeine headache, and just wondering if it's worth anything to give up coffee?
Do you find that giving up coffee has benefited you in any way?

Replies

  • FluffySandwich
    FluffySandwich Posts: 1,293 Member
    Cravings for more coffee :smiley: I'm on my third cup for the day. For me it actually helps to stay away from foods. I love coffee.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited April 2015
    Get your caffeine fix. Don't be miserable. Caffeine doesn't lead to anything other than happiness.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Nope. I had a Diet Pepsi at 5 AM this morning as I needed the caffeine and didn't feel any hungrier than normal.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Where did you read that?

    Check this out:

    thetakeaway.org/story/rest-assured-america-coffee-good-you/

    I've increased my coffee intake as I've lost weight. I drink 4-8 cups a day and rarely have cravings of any kind. My doctor says it is fine.

    If you are dead-set against coffee, try caffeinated tea. Unless you have a medical contraindication, reasonable amounts of caffeine are fine.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    Sometimes I'll want something sweet with my coffee (I don't like sugar in my coffee, but it does go great with baked treats), but I don't think it's actually causing cravings. Often it actually works as a substitute for a treat.

    The caffeine withdrawal headache will go away eventually, but if you're only giving it up because you've heard it causes cravings, but you haven't experienced cravings related to coffee-drinking yourself, I'd say go have a cup of coffee. "Perk" yourself up :D
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    Thanks for your input ladies! I like herbal teas and black tea also. I'm not sure where exactly, you read/watch so many documentaries with what to do's and not to do's diet wise it leaves your head spinning. I have cravings but I'm not going to blame it on my coffee. I just need to be more disciplined in general.
    But not giving up my coffee. On that note, I am going to grab a coffee and enjoy every sip! Tx again:)
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Get your caffeine fix. Don't be miserable. Caffeine doesn't lead to anything other than happiness.

    I need to have at least a cup before my kids get up, my lack of caffeine leads to their unhappiness! ;)
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I drink loads of coffee. I've lost weight (I lost 66lbs after my 2nd baby and am losing after my 3rd now) and it hasn't made me have cravings.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    For some people, caffeinated beverages can make them hungrier. For others, not so much.

    If you don't find yourself getting hungry faster, go for that coffee! Caffeine headaches are terrible things.

    ~Lyssa
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    I walked into a Starbucks and the smell of coffee beans was better than anything I could think of eating at that moment!
    Thanks for helping me put that diet don't myth inside my head to rest!
    Enjoying my cup guilt-free:)
    Happy Saturday!
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    rrossen wrote: »
    I walked into a Starbucks and the smell of coffee beans was better than anything I could think of eating at that moment!
    Thanks for helping me put that diet don't myth inside my head to rest!
    Enjoying my cup guilt-free:)
    Happy Saturday!

    My only caution to you is to take note of the calories in the drink you order! My favorite (white chocolate mocha) is something like 350 calories for the tall (I've tried getting them as "skinny" and it just doesn't taste as good). Usually I just go for the macchiatos these days so I can have my Starbucks fix without a huge whack at my calories for the day.

    As long as it's fitting in your calories, you are good to go! Enjoy your coffee :)

    ~Lyssa
  • FluffySandwich
    FluffySandwich Posts: 1,293 Member
    Funny story: My boyfriend and I went to Starbucks a few weeks ago and he ordered a vanilla latte. He was complaining of it tasting too sweet and that he thought they put ice in there (it was a hot drink) because when he shook it, something banged against the cup. I thought he was crazy until finally, I felt it too. When he finished it he pulled off the cap and VOILA, the cap to the vanilla shaker was in there. I guess the barista shook the thing to hard and made the cap fall off into the cup and was too embarrassed or too busy to make another one.

    But I went home that day and found out my drink was like 350 calories :neutral:
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    rrossen wrote: »
    I walked into a Starbucks and the smell of coffee beans was better than anything I could think of eating at that moment!
    Thanks for helping me put that diet don't myth inside my head to rest!
    Enjoying my cup guilt-free:)
    Happy Saturday!

    My only caution to you is to take note of the calories in the drink you order! My favorite (white chocolate mocha) is something like 350 calories for the tall (I've tried getting them as "skinny" and it just doesn't taste as good). Usually I just go for the macchiatos these days so I can have my Starbucks fix without a huge whack at my calories for the day.

    As long as it's fitting in your calories, you are good to go! Enjoy your coffee :)

    ~Lyssa

    I totally can relate Lyssa- I don't know if they have Aroma Joes where you are, but I was kind of addicted to this Irish Kicker espresso drink there, and couldn't find out why I wasn't losing any weight a couple mos ago while being very diligent in tracking and exercising. Come to find out my Irish kicker wasn't 200 cal like I thought, but the actual site said it was 800 glorious calories!!! Can you believe that!? I stick with plain old homemade coffee cream and sugar and got a medium grande at Starbucks today. Talk about diet sabotage! Tx for sharing:)
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    FluffySandwich wrote: »
    Funny story: My boyfriend and I went to Starbucks a few weeks ago and he ordered a vanilla latte. He was complaining of it tasting too sweet and that he thought they put ice in there (it was a hot drink) because when he shook it, something banged against the cup. I thought he was crazy until finally, I felt it too. When he finished it he pulled off the cap and VOILA, the cap to the vanilla shaker was in there. I guess the barista shook the thing to hard and made the cap fall off into the cup and was too embarrassed or too busy to make another one.

    But I went home that day and found out my drink was like 350 calories :neutral:

    Ugh kinda creepy but at least it was just a cap and not something gross! Haha. Yes have to be careful with what you order with those sneaky drink calories for sure!
  • queen_of_disaster
    queen_of_disaster Posts: 61 Member
    If anything I find it does the opposite for me--it suppresses my appetite. I'll sometimes have it as a "snack" if I want to save calories for later or if I'm out of the house but don't want to spend too many $$$ on food.
  • jiigglybutt
    jiigglybutt Posts: 345 Member
    I drink up to 4 monsters a day :/
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    Bunch of ADDICTS! J/K. I drink like 2 Monsters every day.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    Carpe_diem1983 wrote: »
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    rrossen wrote: »
    I walked into a Starbucks and the smell of coffee beans was better than anything I could think of eating at that moment!
    Thanks for helping me put that diet don't myth inside my head to rest!
    Enjoying my cup guilt-free:)
    Happy Saturday!

    My only caution to you is to take note of the calories in the drink you order! My favorite (white chocolate mocha) is something like 350 calories for the tall (I've tried getting them as "skinny" and it just doesn't taste as good). Usually I just go for the macchiatos these days so I can have my Starbucks fix without a huge whack at my calories for the day.

    As long as it's fitting in your calories, you are good to go! Enjoy your coffee :)

    ~Lyssa

    I totally can relate Lyssa- I don't know if they have Aroma Joes where you are, but I was kind of addicted to this Irish Kicker espresso drink there, and couldn't find out why I wasn't losing any weight a couple mos ago while being very diligent in tracking and exercising. Come to find out my Irish kicker wasn't 200 cal like I thought, but the actual site said it was 800 glorious calories!!! Can you believe that!? I stick with plain old homemade coffee cream and sugar and got a medium grande at Starbucks today. Talk about diet sabotage! Tx for sharing:)

    Nope, can't say that we do, but one of my favorite things is the signature hot chocolate from Panera Bread which comes in at a whopping 530 calories!!!! That's just under half of my calories for the day just in a drink! Now that I know this, I make sure I'm moving extra if I indulge in one of those. Geez louise. And you know if I get the drink, I'm getting a bagel and cream cheese, too, at the very least, so there goes another 300+ calories, easy.

    I do mostly coffee + cream these days, too. I honestly think I like it better, now. Plus it's only about 45 calories a cup then.

    I've made myself a coffee drinker and I can't say I'm too upset!

    ~Lyssa
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    Agreed
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Love me my morning joe!
  • ajff
    ajff Posts: 986 Member
    Coffee is my unrestricted pleasure. I made it free. I don't count the 5 calories per cup (I like it BLACK!) and I drink as much as I want. And I buy the good stuff. It is my freedom and joy when I feel like other "treats" are restricted. It has worked wonders!
  • cmcdonald525
    cmcdonald525 Posts: 140 Member
    jiigglybutt wrote: »
    I drink up to 4 monsters a day :/

    That's what I do. Even my 4 year old knows not to talk to me until I've had one in the morning
  • jsilvernagel
    jsilvernagel Posts: 6 Member
    Coffee is fine to drink basically as much as you want as long as you're drinking it black. It's low in calories and gives you the caffeine you want and some studies show it actually has antioxidants in it which can help ward off illness. I make iced coffee and mix it with gold standard mocha cappuccino protein powder in place of creamer and I love it. I get my caffeine in the morning and my protein supplement.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    If anything I find it helps to curb cravings. Drinking coffee fills me up and satisfies me when I'm bored or a bit peckish (when I'm most likely to be craving something!). Diet coke/pepsi etc. is sweet enough that it helps to curb any cravings for chocolate etc. for me.
  • Carpe_diem1983
    Carpe_diem1983 Posts: 83 Member
    Thank you all for sharing:). I do enjoy my diet coke/pepsi from time to time and def happy to keep my daily coffee for my caffeine fix!
  • dimitriaxo
    dimitriaxo Posts: 2
    I hate soda, but I need coffee/tea in my life, especially when I want something sweet. I mean... I'm half italian. I can't help but love me some caffeine.

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