A Question about Coffee

ShinyWillUK
ShinyWillUK Posts: 2 Member
edited May 2020 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey Everyone,

I started taking weight loss seriously about 4 months ago and have made good progress, (down 2 stone).

I've noticed in doing that a side effect has been I drink a lot more coffee in replacement for snacking, I've read a lot online about coffee being good for diets but I was wondering peoples thoughts on 6-8+ cups a day, is that at all going to hinder my weight loss or health?

For reference, I drink black coffee, no sugar or milk. My current understanding is that this is very ideal since I'm not adding anything to it, although the caffeine is probably questionable.

I essentially drink coffee more than water at this point.

(Also important to note I only do it to replace snacking not actual meals, I'm more interested in if coffee is okay to literally drink loads of)

Replies

  • debtay123
    debtay123 Posts: 1,327 Member
    I too feel that the coffee will not hinder your weight loss- and i have heard that black coffee does have some benfits- you would have to do your won research but I think you are find with the coffee, if the caffine does not bother you.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    Tried decaf?
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,493 Member
    No impact on weight lose but 6-8+ cups.a day most likely has more than the 400mg of caffeine generally recommend as safe for most adults.
  • kiwiroz
    kiwiroz Posts: 57 Member
    I'd may be try a little decafe that amount would give me the shakes and some serious headbanging seasickness withdrawals if I had to go a day without for any reason.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    ShinyWillUK wrote: »
    ...I was wondering peoples thoughts on 6-8+ cups a day...

    My blood pressure shot up just reading that.

    I mean, in reality, there is like what, 5 calories in a cup of black coffee or something like that? So it's basically water from a caloric impact. I would absolutely have an adverse physical reaction to that much coffee, though (I drink one cup every day in the AM too), but if it's working for you then knock yourself out. No reason it will derail your weight loss.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    I would be climbing the walls of I drank that much coffee, it would be the caffeine rather than calories that would bother me.
    If it works for you though, crack on.

    Since I have been working from home the last couple of months I constantly have a thermal mug of tea on the go, helps keep me away from the biscuits. Earl grey/green tea/herbal for some variety.
  • ShinyWillUK
    ShinyWillUK Posts: 2 Member
    edited May 2020
    Appreciate all the feedback on this,

    for those who asked about the coffee, I go for, I typically buy this bag then grind it up with an electric grinder,

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Qualita-Rossa-Coffee-Beans/dp/B002PM23YC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Lavazza+Qualita+Rossa+Coffee+Beans&qid=1590261417&sr=8-2

    In my next shop I'll keep an eye out for caffeine-free versions because to be honest I've never noticed any caffeine impact and I purely drink as a way of "snacking".

    Coffee has been very important in my diet and is probably why I've had so much success, it feels pretty rewarding to the point where I can't really believe its only 5 calories and has benefits to a diet.

    I typically use coffee and those 10 calorie jelly pots (sugar free) which I'm also still skeptical on, not sure if anyone can comment on that.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I need to stop drinking coffee about 8-9 hours before I’m going to go to sleep. My BF can have a cup of coffee and fall asleep immediately.

    I drink 4-6 cups of coffee a day and am fine. He drinks 3 cups of coffee a day and is a jittery, anxious mess.

    I think that while caffeine is a stimulant, I think there’s maybe variability in response and effect. So you may be more caffeine-tolerant than some people?

    You’re drinking a lot of caffeine (as am I) but if it’s not causing you problems and you have some sort of confirmation of this (no elevated HR/breathing/“stress”/blood pressure/whatever) then have at it.

    Just do keep in mind that 6-8 cups of coffee is a lot of caffeine. If you can get the same non-snacking benefits from decaf, that’s probably a good idea.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited May 2020
    I drink sbout 30oz of black coffee everyday for breakfast; nothing else. I drink plain tea (usually black tea or oolong) to duppress my appetite during the day but mainly in the evening

    There are a lot of reported stufies touting the positive health benefits of caffeine for exercise and health generally.

    There are of course stufies w/opposite opinions but I think the that wt of the evidence is that caffeine does little harm (if not taken in excessive doses, like anything else), and can also provide meaningful health and exercise benefits

    Just Google it
  • Mrs_Addams
    Mrs_Addams Posts: 9 Member
    I drink about 6 cups of black coffee a day, but only my first cup is caffeinated. The rest I drink decaf, because I can't handle the amount of caffeine otherwise - I get heart palpitations and the shakes. There's barely any calories in black coffee without sugar, so it shouldn't have any effect on weightloss and if helps with the snacking cravings and you don't get negative effects from the caffeine then I say keep at it!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,906 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    No impact on weight lose but 6-8+ cups.a day most likely has more than the 400mg of caffeine generally recommend as safe for most adults.

    I drink about 8-10 glasses of green tea per day. That's probably a similar amount. Mind you, I generally sleep like a baby and have no side effects if I don't get my tea (vacation, etc), other than missing that huge bulky glass next to me.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,493 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    No impact on weight lose but 6-8+ cups.a day most likely has more than the 400mg of caffeine generally recommend as safe for most adults.

    I drink about 8-10 glasses of green tea per day. That's probably a similar amount. Mind you, I generally sleep like a baby and have no side effects if I don't get my tea (vacation, etc), other than missing that huge bulky glass next to me.

    That's grear. The FDA and other health organizations still consider 400mg as safe for most adults.

    https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,906 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    No impact on weight lose but 6-8+ cups.a day most likely has more than the 400mg of caffeine generally recommend as safe for most adults.

    I drink about 8-10 glasses of green tea per day. That's probably a similar amount. Mind you, I generally sleep like a baby and have no side effects if I don't get my tea (vacation, etc), other than missing that huge bulky glass next to me.

    That's grear. The FDA and other health organizations still consider 400mg as safe for most adults.

    https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much

    Understand that. I just never looked into it. Hmm.. my glass of tea is empty again...
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    ShinyWillUK wrote: »
    Appreciate all the feedback on this,

    for those who asked about the coffee, I go for, I typically buy this bag then grind it up with an electric grinder,

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Qualita-Rossa-Coffee-Beans/dp/B002PM23YC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Lavazza+Qualita+Rossa+Coffee+Beans&qid=1590261417&sr=8-2

    In my next shop I'll keep an eye out for caffeine-free versions because to be honest I've never noticed any caffeine impact and I purely drink as a way of "snacking".

    Coffee has been very important in my diet and is probably why I've had so much success, it feels pretty rewarding to the point where I can't really believe its only 5 calories and has benefits to a diet.

    I typically use coffee and those 10 calorie jelly pots (sugar free) which I'm also still skeptical on, not sure if anyone can comment on that.

    I may be wrong but isn’t caffeine an appetite suppressant? I know nicotine is. That might be why you are seeing some advantages to your diet plan? I could be wrong though. I frequently am... ;)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    briscogun wrote: »
    ShinyWillUK wrote: »
    Appreciate all the feedback on this,

    for those who asked about the coffee, I go for, I typically buy this bag then grind it up with an electric grinder,

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lavazza-Qualita-Rossa-Coffee-Beans/dp/B002PM23YC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Lavazza+Qualita+Rossa+Coffee+Beans&qid=1590261417&sr=8-2

    In my next shop I'll keep an eye out for caffeine-free versions because to be honest I've never noticed any caffeine impact and I purely drink as a way of "snacking".

    Coffee has been very important in my diet and is probably why I've had so much success, it feels pretty rewarding to the point where I can't really believe its only 5 calories and has benefits to a diet.

    I typically use coffee and those 10 calorie jelly pots (sugar free) which I'm also still skeptical on, not sure if anyone can comment on that.

    I may be wrong but isn’t caffeine an appetite suppressant? I know nicotine is. That might be why you are seeing some advantages to your diet plan? I could be wrong though. I frequently am... ;)

    I don't know that it's universal but some people definitely find this to be true. I know I do.
  • peggy_polenta
    peggy_polenta Posts: 325 Member
    I drink 12-16 cups per day and 2 16oz green teas. and 2 litres of water . i drink coffee right up to bed many day and it has no impact on my ability to sleep. my BP is a bit low - low normal and my rhr is 61-64/min.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    No impact on weight lose but 6-8+ cups.a day most likely has more than the 400mg of caffeine generally recommend as safe for most adults.

    I drink about 8-10 glasses of green tea per day. That's probably a similar amount. Mind you, I generally sleep like a baby and have no side effects if I don't get my tea (vacation, etc), other than missing that huge bulky glass next to me.

    That's grear. The FDA and other health organizations still consider 400mg as safe for most adults.

    https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much

    While I’m not suggesting everyone go all out consuming all the caffeine they possibly can (or immediately stop consuming any), there appears to be some variability for how much is too much based on individual sensitivity, how fast an individual metabolizes caffeine and presence of (mostly unspecified) conditions. So 400mg May be a somewhat moveable target where some will have “negative effects” at a lesser amount and some at a higher amount.

    Again-not saying everyone should be pushing the envelope and trying to consume as much as possible-but the notion that some people can consume more than others without experiencing negative effects doesn’t seem all that unreasonable (based individual sensitivities and so forth).

    I’m not reading 400mg as a hard limit but rather some people will be much lower and some may be higher. And it’s where one experiences negative effects (listed out later as insomnia, anxiety, jitters, etc:) that is one’s limit. So if someone experiences those effects after 100mg-that’s their limit. 400mg isn’t safe for them.

    “4. How much caffeine is too much?
    For healthy adults, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that's about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects. However, there is wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how fast they metabolize it (break it down).

    Certain conditions tend to make people more sensitive to caffeine’s effects, as can some medications. In addition, if you’re pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, or are concerned about another condition or medication, we recommend talking to your health care provider about whether you need to limit caffeine consumption.“

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