Just give me your thoughts? Also there is no right or wrong answer but just tell me how it affects you or doesn't affect you while trying to lose weight?

Well I started drinking coffee again in October 2009, I had quit drinking coffee for a couple of years. But I was going over my stats from 2007 and I noticed that my weight loss was sporatic and not consistant when I was drinking coffee. Also I was breastfeeding during that whole time so I was not drinking alcohol either.

This is my 2007 stats:
5'4"
pre preg-190
delivery-228
4 days -217
2weeks -202
4w4days -207.3 ( I got serious about WW after this WI)
7weeks -204.5
7w3days -203
10w6days-201.5
12w4days-198.8 woohoo I weigh under 200 lbs!!!!
13w4days-198.2
14w4days-197.3
16w4days-198.4
17w4days-200.7(I put on muscle,I was running my butt off)
18w4days-197.1
19w4days-197.5
20w4days-197.0
22w4days-196.0(I quit coffee after this weigh in)
23w4days-194.9(my hubby left for school this day, and Halloween is tonight)
24w4days-191.4
25w4days-189.8
26w4days-187.9
27w4days-186.3(Thanksgiving has just passed, I still lost weight woohoo)
28w4days-186.4(oh well I maintained)
29w4days-we had a horrible ice storm,WI was cancelled.
30w4days-184.6(started running again)
31w4days-184.7(started lifting weights again so maybe it is muscle)
32w4days-185.1(started my period yesterday, great timing I know)
33w4days-183.8(not bad for the holidays)
34w4days-182.3(my size 14 pants are getting loose)
36 weeks-179!!!(I have not weighed 170 something in years)

These were my stats from 2007 and mind you they were after I had given birth but still I think I can learn from these stats even though it was years ago. I was doing WW online and running, I didn't stick with it but thats not the point Im getting at. Also I wasn't drinking alcohol. But after looking at this I realize that I probably do need to stop drinking coffee. Plus I think Im starting to have side effects with it. This isn't to bash anyone that drinks coffee I just want to know what others have experienced while drinking coffee daily. I only use 1 tbsp of folgers instant coffee a day. I stopped drinking alcohol 2 weeks ago, so Im just waiting to see whats gonna happend when I cut I both things

I just want to know if it affects others or doesn't affect others attempts at weight loss?

[Mrs Snark]

Caffeine does not seems to affect my weight loss, I've lost weight at about the same pace with caffeine in my diet and without.

[ladyrider72472]

I would like to say that it does not affect my diet, however I am reading a book that insists that it does. I am toying with the idea of giving it up.... not sure yet...... I know I have to give up my beloved Almond Joy Latte--- b/c of the calories......

I am interested in what you find out.

[Gracie789]

When I started my lifestyle change caffeine was one of the first things to go, mainly because of all those extra little calories and sugar in soda/coffee. Now since I rarely have caffeine (at most a glass soda once a month or a cup of coffee) I notice it's effects more (it tends to make me jittery and hungry). The few times I've had soda/coffee it wasn't reflected on the scale, but I've found it is easier for me to follow my diet without worrying about hidden calories or cravings.

Originally Posted by Gracie789

I notice it's effects more (it tends to make me jittery and hungry).

Yay my side effects are feeling jittery, high, anxiety, depression, grouchy, insomnia. This is what happened when I started drinking coffee after giving birth in 2007 it usually took a while for me to start having side effects and I actually developed post partum depression and Im starting to feel the same exact way now. I can't believe it took me so long to realize it

[Shmead]

I think a common diet mistake is to cut out everything that might be a problem, a sort of puritanical approach to what is a question of biology. I blame our culture, which attaches so much moral baggage to diet/weight. Lots of people have a knee-jerk reaction that anything that feels good must be bad. Controlling your weight involves giving up so much and is so difficult that I don't think people should give up anything that doesn't actually help.

Now, caffeine does affect different people differently, so I think it's important to try to see if it's creating an impact on an individual. But I'd be careful about it--it's a rookie diet mistake to give up everything pleasurable "just in case", and that doesn't lead to sustainable change. Make your sacrifices count.

For me, tea and coffee both make me feel energized and sated. I eat less at a meal if I have coffee with it, and if I am out for drinks or dinner with friends I can order coffee and not feel deprived or socially awkward. But there are things I can't do, like chew gum, that seem to help other people.

Alcohol and now coffee are the only things that I have cut out of my diet. Everything else is moderation and staying within my 1800-2000 calorie range.

[kaplods]

Some research suggests that caffeine can help weight loss (it is a stimulant, and an ingredient in many "natural" weight loss supplements). High doses of caffeine has some unfortunate side effects, though as well.

There's also been some recent research that has found health benefits to foods which naturally contain stimulant compounds like caffeine. Whether it's the stimulant effect or the antioxidants that are causing the benefits is less clear.

Coffee and tea have been shown to have health benefits, but I've not seen research suggesting that diet Mountain Dew has the same benefits.

I don't drink coffee (don't like it) and am drinking more tea (it hasn't become my favorite beverage yet), but I still do drink caffeinated (and uncaffeinated) diet beverages like Crystal Light and diet sodas.

I avoid most heavily-processed foods. In the scheme of things, I'm not worried about the small amount of artificial sweetener, and the moderate amount of caffeine I use. Everyone has to decide their own comfort level, in that regard.

I think that caffeine shouldn't be seen as friend or fo of weight loss. For good or bad, it's a drug. I don't have a problem with it being a drug (it's a pretty mild one, in the doses I'm using. I'm sensitive to NSAIDs which cause asthma symptoms for me, so an aspirin is more dangerous to me than caffeine).

I think caffeine is friend to some, fo to others, and completely neutral to others.

If you're concerned, give it up and see what happens. If you feel better without it, you've got your answer. If you decide it's not worth giving up, again you've got your answer.

[shannono]

I think caffeine is wonderful at keeping me alive on the road. I wish I was getting more sleep instead. It feels like I drink coffee instead of choosing a great nutritious breakfast instead. Will TRY to slow down....

[LizR]

I drink coffee in moderation and I don't notice any weight loss effect. I have given up diet soda because I think the artificial sweetness gives me food cravings and it keeps me from drinking the large amounts of water required by my diet plan.

[Summer2010]

I hav been drinking coffe regularly for at least 15 years...I love turkish black coffee and try to make it once a day. I take it black with a couple of cubes of sugar. It's my reward and it seemsto help with supressing my appetite. I also drink regular instant coffee in the morning one cup and another cup in the afternoon (if I don't make turkish coffe). The instant coffe I take with FF milk and no sugar...sometimes this coffee makes me bloated and I feel like I want to eat more with it...I don't think I could give up coffee, dieting or not...it's widely popular in my culture and it's a social as well as a personal thing for me..

[Lizaly]

Coffee helps me to end a meal. I have it after I have breakfast in the morning and I have it after lunch. If I didn't have the coffee then, I would keep snacking. Also, I tend to think I need food when I feel tired and coffee gives me new energy.

Besides that, coffee is a comfort food for me. Well, comfort drink. It makes me feel... good, maybe even happy.

[summerlove]

Originally Posted by Lizaly

Coffee helps me to end a meal. I have it after I have breakfast in the morning and I have it after lunch. If I didn't have the coffee then, I would keep snacking. Also, I tend to think I need food when I feel tired and coffee gives me new energy.

Besides that, coffee is a comfort food for me. Well, comfort drink. It makes me feel... good, maybe even happy.

Yup. I drink it for this reason; it helps me feel full, I love the taste, and if I'm out with friends it's a good drink to have if I want to curb snacking..except chocolate...damn chocolate tastes good with coffee...*ahem*.

[randomcards]

I vote friend.

It really helps me get going and provides that jolt to get my body flowing. I have not noticed anything negative interms of its affect on my eating...

[Altari]

I drink [black] coffee like water. If I'm completely on plan, I notice no difference between coffee and non-coffee days. In fact, coffee helps keep my plumbing working correctly. That aside, if I don't have my coffee I'm a raging ***** all morning. Soo...I vote friend as well.