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Help settle an argument- coffee as a diet aid

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.
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Replies

  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    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.

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,023 Member
    edited February 2020
    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.
  • 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.
  • Avidkeo
    Avidkeo Posts: 3,190 Member
    Yeah let her do what she wants. She will soon be onto the next fad.
  • BuiltLikeAPeep
    BuiltLikeAPeep Posts: 94 Member
    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.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    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. ;)

    :p
    me too
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    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
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    Fat loss = CI<CO, that's it. There is nothing magical about coffee or any other food for that matter...
  • eryn0x
    eryn0x Posts: 138 Member
    edited February 2020
    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
    vampirequeen1959 Posts: 196 Member
    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.