caffeine
 

Does any one else notice that the more coffee you drink, the more you eat? I tried to deny it, because I love coffee, but I definitely seem to get less hungry without it, like today, I normally eat a ton on Mondays, but I only had one cup of coffee today, and my appetite was very small. I think I will experiment and see if no coffee for a while gets my weight down. Anything is worth a try!!!

do you use nutrasweet in your coffee? that might actually be the culprit as i was the same way with diet coke. i battled getting off the diet coke for years -- on again, off again --- until i did some serious research on aspartame (nutrasweet, splenda, etc.) and found out what i was actually drinking/eating. this product should not even be on the market! there are SO many health problems associated with it; weight GAIN being one of them. consumption of aspartame actually increases your food cravings.

most people that use aspartame are also addicted to it -- if you can get yourself to cut it out for 1-2 weeks and replace it with water, you will be fine. if you get headaches from the caffeine withdrawl, take some excedrin which contains caffeine in a small dose for the week while your body is detoxing -- i promise you will feel better! if you don't like water, and even if you do, i recommend adding fresh lemon juice (or you can get fresh squeezed bottled from somewhere like whole foods) and mix it with your water. not only does it taste great, it contains natural antioxidants that improve your skins radiance and texture -- it also helps clear up acne.

I also find that nutrisweet makes me hungry and moody, but I think that coffee actually helps me to refrain from food as long as I don't drink so much coffee that I get shaky.

asta

Coffee is an important tool, for me. It takes the edge off my hunger, it satisfies a craving for something rich, and it gives me a lowcal hi protein snack in the afternoon or midmorning in the form of skim latte. A good cup of coffee or skim cappucino can also replace dessert when dining out. It also enhances athletic performance. This all assumes, of course, that it's taken in moderation (1-2 cups a day). Maybe the culprit IS the sweetener, or maybe it's the jittery feeling that is mimicking hunger.