Caffeine

[kifl1981]

So, according to what I've read so far in DANDR, the reason we are not supposed to have caffeine is because it could trigger sugar cravings.

However, today I had to have some caffeinated coffee for the...uh...laxative effect, LOL.(sorry if that's TMI, but it's been a few days since I've had a BM, and I eat all 3 cups of veggies and drink more than 8 glasses of water.) I plan on going completely decaf once my jar of regular coffee is gone. I know I could have eaten flax meal, but being that I'm on induction and I can't eat cottage cheese or yogurt yet, there isn't really a whole lot I can stir it into.

Trouble is, I've been reading on here that some are saying caffeine will stall weight loss. Is that true? If so, I guess I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet.

I appreciate your responses!

[chadcs]

Re: Caffeine

Caffeine does mess with your blood sugar which is something that induction is trying to stabilize. You'll see many people saying they lose just fine with it, but it gets back to the how do you know how you would lose without it vs with it. You can read many diabetic resources discussing why this is a bad thing to consume.

I found a good fiber supplement to work just fine. Milk of Magnesia will also give good overnight results if that does not work. You can take it nightly just titrating the dose to what works best for you.

[EverLosing]

Re: Caffeine

You CAN use flax!! Mix up some pumpkin fluff...many different recipes here! I always add butter to soak the flax right up but I don't add butter until I'm done zapping the recipe in the microwave. Butter just soaks it right up. Plus, there's fiber in the pumpkin too!! Drink lots of water with it! OR you'll regret it! Try Mitzie's pumpkin MUP recipe.

[Georgiana]

Re: Caffeine

You can read many diabetic resources discussing why this is a bad thing to consume.

If you read Atkins Diabetes Revolution, it allows for 1-2 cups of coffee per day (with food) as long as you are not "unusually sensitive" to caffeine. From Chapter 19 there:

A study in 1993 confirmed what Dr. Atkins had long observed in many of his patients with unstable blood sugar: Caffeine in large quantities can make you feel hungry, even if your blood sugar is normal. The amount of caffeine used in the study was 400 mg, or about the amount found in 4 cups of strong brewed coffee. [6]

Two studies in 2002 suggested that caffeine can decrease insulin sensitivity. In the first study, 12 healthy volunteers were given either a caffeine-loading dose or a placebo and their insulin response was measured. When they got the caffeine, their insulin sensitivity decreased by about 15 percent. The amount given was equal to a "moderate" caffeine intake. The authors noted that the decrease in insulin sensitivity was roughly the same as the improvement in insulin sensitivity that is obtained from drugs used to control blood sugar, such as metformin. [7] The second study looked at the effects of caffeine on how well skeletal muscles took up glucose---another way of looking at the effect of caffeine on insulin resistance. Seven healthy volunteers were given doses of caffeine and then they exercised for an hour; their blood was tested for insulin levels before and after. The researchers concluded that caffeine decreased the ability of the muscles to take up glucose, although exercise can reduce the effect of caffeine. [8]

Do the studies indicating that caffeine increases insulin resistance mean you should give up your morning coffee? Not necessarily---unless you are unusually sensitive to caffeine, but it does mean you should have no more than 1 or 2 cups of caffeinated coffee a day, taken with meals.

The references are:

[6] Kerr, D., Sherwin, R.S., Pavalkis, F., et al., "Effect of Caffeine on the Recognition of and Responses to Hypoglycemia in Humans," Annals of Internal Medicine, 119(, 1993, pages 799-804.

[7] Keijzers, G.B., De Galan, B.E., Tack, C.J., et al., "Caffeine Can Decrease Insulin Sensitivity in Humans," Diabetes Care, 25(2), 2002, pages 364-369.

[8] Thong, F.S., Derave, W., Kiens, B., et al., "Caffeine-Induced Impairment of Insulin Action but Not Insulin Signaling in Human Skeletal Muscle is Reduced by Exercise," Diabetes, 51(3), 2002, pages 583-590.

I know I could have eaten flax meal, but being that I'm on induction and I can't eat cottage cheese or yogurt yet, there isn't really a whole lot I can stir it into.

You don't necessarily have to stir it into something. You can make flax crackers, flax pancakes or MiMs, for example.

Trouble is, I've been reading on here that some are saying caffeine will stall weight loss. Is that true?

No. Just because some people are stalled by it, it doesn't mean everyone is.

It's true though that Dr. Atkins mentions caffeine as a possible reason behind stalling.

If so, I guess I haven't gotten to that part of the book yet.

Chapter 15 in DANDR 2002.

[WetBanana]

Re: Caffeine

For what it's worth - I had to have an energy drink while driving overnight to my MIL's home otherwise we wouldn't have been able to drive during the night while the kids slept. I went into a convenience store about 2am, saw one that used splenda, and I'm sure a WHOLE lotta caffeine. It was only 1 carb though for the entire can, which I sipped on for about three hours.

Now then - I am also not a caffeine addict. I never drank coffee, and my soda consumption was pretty limited. I did enjoy a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccinno once a month though before I started with this WOE (but it was SWEET like chocolate lol). Whether this affected my weight loss, I'll never know - but at the time - I needed it, and I made a choice to look for something I knew would be better then what I would have normally looked for (like a Starbucks Doubleshot).

Only you can be the judge as to whether this is a trigger for you. For me, not so much. It was too sweet, tasted very syrupy, and I have no desire to get another one anytime soon. Nor did I use it as a license to fall back into my old habits of eating - even knowing that it COULD potentially happen.

Anyway - coffee tastes like dirt, blech. I will never understand why people like it so much. To me it's like smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. I shudder at the thought of having to do any of those. They all taste bad and make your breath smell nasty.

[Earl Grey]

Re: Caffeine

I love my coffee! I usually drink a half caffeine version or totally decaf in the evenings though. It hasn't caused any problems with me. I lost 40lbs earlier this year with coffee intact.

[Georgiana]

Re: Caffeine

To those in Induction:

It is difficult to say if/how caffeine affects your fat loss, because a lot of the weight lost in the first 1-2 weeks is water weight.

[nimbinpaul]

Re: Caffeine

I love coffee too!
I have it black and fresh from a plunger coffee maker. YUM!!
Hasnt affected my weight loss, we all need to try things and see how they fit with us.
I have friends who use a coffee before exercisng to get the maximum benefits, Ive tried this and it works, doesnt slow my weight loss down and it doesnt give me cravings. Caffeine is a diuretic so it makes you lose water - make sure youre getting your full water quota
All the best for your weight loss, I hope that you work out if caffeine is a bad guy for you or not.

[chinadoll]

Re: Caffeine

Coffee is something I have not been able to give up, but I did reduce the amount of caffeinated coffee I drink. Because of the diuretic effects I add equal ounces to my water intake for each cup off coffee, so instead of shooting for 100 ounces a day of water I shoot for 116 because of my 2 big cups of coffee.