The Coffee Question
 

Hi all - I'm curious whether or not you drank regular coffee on induction, and whether or not you think it impaired your weight loss. Dr Atkins suggests avoiding it due to possible cravings, and there's also some evidence that it causes an insulin response. In real life, however, what effect do you think it has/d on you?

Hi Kristine,

I confess...never did quite give up my caffeine :rolleyes:

I only ever have 2 cups per day - one with breakfast and one after dinner.

I lost 13lbs on induction and have lost steadily all along....who knows maybe I might've lost more if I had passed on the coffee....I'll just never know ;)

Lesley

I also never gave up my caffine I drank about 1 cup of coffee per day. I lost 12 lbs during induction, I don't think it really did effect my weight loss. :idea:

I also tried to give up caffeine, the headaches were too much and after a week of suffering, I gave in. I did cut down from a pot a day to two big mugs a day. Coffee is my daily treat, I look forward to sitting back and enjoying it at the beginning and end of my day. I don't believe it has had any impact on my loss so far and if I find that it does, I would just switch to decaf before giving it up completely. I do know it doesn't trigger cravings for me though. :wave:

I've always be a java junkie... but with my recent stall I decided I would really try to cut it out. I only succeeded cutting back....and got it down to about 1-2 cups a day (from 4-5). However, I did drop some weight and broke my stall during that process. So perhaps it's whether or not you drink light, moderate or heavy amounts of caffeine that makes a difference.

I don't drink a lot of coffee, especially during the warmer months. Usually it's 2 mugs a day (one at work in the morning and one after dinner) and sometimes a bit more on the weekends. I tried going decaf for about a month to see if the coffee was responsible for my [nearly 5 month] stall and it didn't have any impact at all. I think coffee is another YMMV thing. Some people are sensitive to the caffeine and should avoid it or use decaf, some don't have a problem with it at all.

I went out and bought the Lite coffee last week (my second formal week of Induction)...I love my java but it seemed that drinking my usual 5-8 cups a day on Induction during the first week was making my "nerves" wound up too tight...I hate decaf though (used that when I was pregnant) ... so I got the Lite thinking a compromise was better than nothing. Happy to report that as of today my java consumption has dropped to 3 cups with the Lite voluntarily (*lol* drinking all that water you know--and I'm STILL not up to 8 cups a day yet) and it tastes the same to me...best yet, hubby doesn't know he's also drinking Lite--I keep the coffee can turned around in the fridge so all one sees is the main label then their usual blather....

I didn't actually vote in your poll because there wasn't an option that fit me.

I was off of caffeine at the time that I started induction so it was a moot point. It wasn't easy for me to be without coffee because I'm definately a coffee lover, but I'd given it up because of my high blood pressure.

In the last month or so, I've started having a single high test cup in the morning and it doesn't seem to have made any difference with my weight loss, however I think it's a YMMV type thing.

Marlaine

I also do the two cups a day thing. Breakfast and late afternoon. :thup: I'm sure moderation is a factor - it's not good for anyone to be chugging a lot of coffee and be constantly running on stress hormones, whether you're trying to lose weight or not.

I figured I'd do this poll to get some numbers and comments, so now, when newbies ask, "do I really have to give up coffee?" I'll just point them to this thread. :D

Coffee
 

I used to be a Starbucks Adict, just one cup a day but it was the giant cup, coffee of the day black.

I continue to drink one cup a day in the morning (not starbucks) because of the fear of constipation. It hasn't hindered me at all. But it has kept me regular.

Starbucks Coffee
 

Jersey, can you please explain what you mean about Starbucks? I love Starbucks coffee but also suffer sometimes from constipation, do you know something I don't?

I too am a coffee lover. I have but two cups in the morning.
I cut down years ago due to high blood pressure.

I don't think it affects your weight loss, it hasn't me over the years. I managed to lose 76lbs. drinking the amount of coffee I do now.

I guess I am the exception to the rule - I have been drinking coffee since I was 5 (black - no cream or sugar). Mom thought it was ok and we never drank any pop (soda for everyone else :D ). So, I have grown up on coffee - always regular, never decaf. I can drink a pot of coffee at night and go right to bed - maybe wake up for a pit stop in the middle of the night, but nothing else.

When I started this WOE, I never cut down on my coffee - I still drink a POT in the morning and a POT in the evening. I also will drink 100 oz. of water in between. For some stupid reason, I usually always have a cup of something hot (coffee or tea) as well as a cup of something cold (usually water). I am what you call a two fisted drinker! :cool:

So, guys, don't beat me up - I am losing fine and feel great. I have given up smoking, drinking, and carbs - coffee is all I have left! :daze:

Off caffein for years now
 

I did not drink caffeinated coffee on induction. For health reasons, I have aspired to be off caffein for many years. I have my recidivist lapses, of course. I don't drink soft drinks anymore but for years I only drank caffein free soft drinks: diet sprite, diet seven up, diet root beer, diet ginger ale.

The hardest thing to give up, and I failed as often as I succeeded, was my morning caffeinated coffee. I can go months w/o it and then go back on it for months.

When I started induction, I was in a decaf coffee phase, which I am still maintaining.

Surfing these forums, it sure doesn't seem to make much difference to the folks who must have their caf coffee.

But a fun poll!

On induction I was drinking 2 + pots a day (and I still am :D) and after I stopped losing I decided to cut the caffine to see if that was the cause. After 2 weeks off my coffee, my weight started to creep up and I hadn't changed anything else. So I added my beloved coffee back in and my weight loss started again.

I, too, am a coffee addict without incident. I have a mug at home in the mornings with heavy whipping cream and splenda. Then depending on the shift I am working in the evenings, I have 1-5 cups with whipped cream and Sweet N Low.

No problems. :)

My morning brew consists of about 18 oz. of good strong coffee, 3 sweet and low packets and about 2 oz. of H & H or heavy cream (a little less). Ihave a giant cup that sits with me at the computer and it's like a religious routine for me! :angel:

I never stopped my coffee...but then again I've had serious ups and downs - and barely a net loss on LC for months. But I think I'm fighting other obstacles, not the coffee. My metabolism is so slow, I wonder what I'd do without a little stimulus to start the day.

Anyhow, it's not the coffee that worries me...it's those damned lattes!! (Made with Half and Half, of course!) Even though only once in a while as a treat, they usually throw me out of the ballpark on carbs and cals.

:wave:

:p I'm one who never gave up my coffee. It hasn't seemed to affect my weight loss, although maybe I could have lost more if I had? Coffee has always seemed to surpress my appetite, and it's usually the only thing I can stomach in the a.m.. I drink 3 cups in the morning(black), and in the afternoon I'll have a cup or two of instant coffee with heavy cream and sweetener. The first thing I do in the morning is get my cup of coffee and my 34 oz. bottle of water out of the fridge. Then sit down at the computer and check all the message boards and see what I've missed overnight! I don't post often, but I sure learn alot. Janine

I gave up caffeine on 08/12/02 because I thought it would help me lose faster. Occasionally I have a diet coke (if I go to a restaurant - because there are no other diet sode choices) but this is rare.

I don't think it's helped my loss at all - maybe it hasn't been long enough.

I miss coffee every single day. The only reason I haven't started again is because I went thru bad withdrawls when I quit and I'm still hopeful that it will help.

Just this week I started drinking 1 cup of decaf in the morning and that seems to help a little with the cravings.

I think I will wait a while longer and if my losses don't improve I may consider going back.

I'd be interested in knowing if anyone HAS seen losses improve after giving up caffeine.

Summer

I started Atkins again last week. I found that when I used sweetener in my coffee that it would make me crave sugar. Now, I only put cream in my coffee. It tastes good and I don't have cravings for sugar anymore. I am trying to work my way to drinking black coffee straight... but I'm not ready yet :yum:

I am loosing weight so, I will keep going this way!

Coffee
 

Well, I am on day 12 of induction and when I weighed after week one I had lost 7 pounds, which I thought was pretty good even thuough it was probably mostly water. I feel very strongly that I cannot be expected to give up everything I like. I LOVE my strong black coffee fix first thing in the morning, I have to admit it is my vice. I feel that if I am giving up alcohol, grains and chocolate I should still have something I love or this task might be impossible. I drink 2-3 cups each morning, however we are all different so I think this truly may be one of those YMMV things.

Have a great day!

Nope, I did not give up my coffee. I did change from powdered cream to heavy whipping cream but didn't cut back on my pot in the morning.

I've given up smoking, soda, carbs and bearly drink alcohol.

The coffee stays! ;)

Coffee talk
 

I use heavy cream in my coffee - faithfully measured so as not to have more than 3 - 4 T of cream per day. I used to heavily sweeten my coffee, now I find that just a sprinkling of sweet and low is plenty.

I found that when I want a change, or I am over my cream limit, Atkins vanilla shake in place of cream is great.

Yea! I'm so glad to be in such well-caffinated company!
 

Hello. My name is Ginger & I'm a coffee addict.

I quit cold turky both times I was pregnant - at first. My 1st pregnancy back in '94 I drank much, much more coffee than I do now. They used to call my coffee mug the "cooling tower" at work (worked for the NRC). Anyway, a few days after I found out I was pregnant & stopped drinking coffee I started getting mind splitting headaches. Nobody could figure it out until I saw the midwife at the practice. She said - drink your coffee girl! Have 1 watered-down mug a day & see if you notice the difference. Blamo. No more headaches. Isn't that something? After major "morning" sickness with pregnancy #2, I started drinking a watered down mug per day & experienced no more headaches.

Currently, I have no idea what happened to the cooling tower, but I do tend towards a couple of nice freshly ground cups of coffee per day, usually in AM. If I'm feelilng particularly "rich" I'll cough up the $1.78 for a Venti 1/2 decaf 1/2 regular at (where else) StarTrekBucks.

Great poll, Kristine. :thup:

Coffee
 

Generally, I dringk 3-4 cups a day. I have not seen any problem with coffee, even during induction. Because I am so fond of Starbucks, I had to find a drink that would not be terribly high in carbs. For a treat, I order a sugar-free vanilla breve (half and half) latte. A great drink.

Re: Coffee
 

I tried my first-ever Starbucks breve today (also with sugar-free vanilla), and it was SOOOOOO good! Thank goodness the Starbucks isn't close to where I live, or I would be there all the time--at $3 a cup, I can only afford it as an occasional treat! Maybe if I got a part-time job there.....

G.P.

I drink 1 cup a day. I will not give it up!
A client of mine roasts coffee locally and I look forward to this every morning before my work-out.

I do use a bit of half and half and splenda. I drink so much water that I am not concerned about dehydration or ill effects of this cup-a-day.

I had to give up the caffeine!

I'll give a brief example: When I'd go out to breakfast I'd usually have 2-3 cups of coffee. Two hours later I'm hungry and I'd have the shakes. I wouldn't know what was wrong with me, for I am not a diabetic nor do I have high blood pressure!

I pretty much knew it was the coffee, so I decided to drink only decaf. It worked better for me. I don't miss the caffeine and I don't get hungry right after a meal and I don't get the shakes when I am hungry.

GOOD-BYE CAFFEINE!! :wave:

One cup or two?
 

I had already reduced my caffiene intake before starting Atkins and cut back to just 2 cups a day, something I am still doing. I drink freeze dried instant coffee, not fresh from beans, and so it is weaker. I've never been a strong coffee lover and now that I've learnt to drink it black it needs to be week.

However, the last couple of weeks whilst I had a cold I had a few more cups of coffee and also some caffiene tablets. I'd forgotten that this was a good way to help a cold by stimulating your body. It certainly did that and helped me to feel better. It certainly did not have a negative effect on my weight loss as was able to go down a pound this week. However, this was a stop gap measure and am back to my usual 2 cups a day, the second of which I have just finished.

Oh, how we love our morning boost!

I actually started cutting down on caffeine about 6 months ago (the old hot-flash problem), but switched to decaf when I started Induction on 9/23. The only thing that makes it palatable is to get a really good, tasty brand--Starbucks does it for me.

I'll give up a lot of things (bread, pasta, sugar, etc.), but please don't take my coffee!!