Morning Cup of Coffee

Ahhh . . . there is nothing like a hot, aromatic and smooth cup of coffee first thing on a Sunday morning. Oh and a Monday morning to get you going! I love to mix my grinds with a few dashes of cinnamon. It gives it a nice tasty kick to your cup of java. But now, my mother has ruined it for me. She told me today that she read a study, article, something, that stated if we just stopped drinking coffee daily, we could lose 10 pounds! Is that decaf or caffeinated? Because I only drink decaf. Maybe that doesn’t count.  I don’t know, let me weigh this . . . being able to actually hold a conversation with my colleagues on a Monday morning by 10 a.m. or fitting into a pair of size 10 jeans. Such a tough decision!  I think I may go for the jeans! I may be a little less sociable in the morning, but I’ll look good as I walk by grouchy!!   

So I am not sure how much truth there is to this, but it’s worth a try. Let’s face it, we all know that once you add the flavored cream and/or sugar to the coffee, the calories have gone up. And if you are a latte or mocha kind of girl, then you are already looking at 300-450 calories and 20-30 grams of sugar. Let us not forget the whipped cream.   

Many of us already know that caffeine really isn’t good for us. It’s been linked to several women’s health issues such as infertility, osteoporosis, and low birth weight babies. So for those of you who drink caffeinated coffee regularly, the news may not be so great. You too, may want to go for the  jeans. In the bit of research I did, I found that caffeine can increase hunger and therefore making it more difficult to lose weight. No wonder every coffee shop has delectable pastries just begging for you to buy them. I have also heard that coffee can increase the level of toxins in your body, again making it harder to lose weight as your body is attempting to push the toxins out to decrease fat. Definitely some food for thought.

As you sip on that morning java while reading this, you may want to think how your body responds to caffeine.  Is it the best thing for you and your health? Try replacing it with something like a skim, hot chocolate or green tea. They are definitely less addictive choices. I will let you know in 6 weeks if giving up coffee really helps you lose 10 pounds.  I can feel the withdrawal already, wish me luck!