Coffee causes stalls?
 

Just read this today. Is it correct? For the last month I've been fighting off the same 2 lbs. Surely it's not the 2 cups of coffee I have a day? (Please say no!~!). Don't think I could live without my coffee :cry:
Cheers
Pam

I'm not a coffee drinker---but yes, caffeine can cause slower weight loss or stalls according to the "diet" books.

Maybe try some decaf and see if it knocks off those couple of pounds.

"T" :)

I think it really depends on the person. I was never able to completely give up my coffee, and have had a cup a day nearly every day since I started this WOE. I did cut out the sweetener, but still use half and half in it. It doesn't seem to have slowed me down or stalled me, although I have heard it can for some people.

Robin

I posted this over in the tips and stalls section.. dont know if you read this or not but hope it helps :)

"Drinking caffeine in large amounts as coffee over a short period of time has been shown to raise blood sugar. Caffeine does this by enhancing the effect of two hormones (adrenaline and glucagon). These two hormones release stored sugar from the liver resulting in high blood sugar... "

for some people it may cause a stall (although im sure some of you already know that)

LINK to more info

HTH!!!

Scientifically - caffine does effect weight loss. However; I think it varies person to person. For the first 2 month of eaing this way, I had my cup of coffee every day and I lost over 20lbs. The last few weeks I've only had maybe 2-3cups a week and my weight loss has slowed down. I know it didn't slow down due to not drinking the coffee but it certainly didn't hurt the first 2 months.

I think sometimes people who want to lose more and stop a stall will adjust their menu and then they lose and blame coffee as the culprit.

To each his own!

There is a lot of conflict re: coffee causing stalls. I have drank coffee - lost. Stopped drinking (experiment) - didn't lose any faster/slower. Drank Decaff...same. So for some, perhaps coffee is a problem...I find it makes no difference to me. I drink 2 cups every morning w/cream & splend FYI.

I drink 5-7 cups of coffee every day, and managed to drop 40 pounds in my first 9 weeks of Atkins dieting. That's me...like any drug, caffeine has different effects on different people.

Considering that you've been making good progress during the last 3+ months while drinking coffee, I think it's unlikely that caffeine is the cause of your current stall.

Although I am hardly an expert, I would ask if you have added any foods in the last month that you were not allowing before, changed your exercise routine in any significant way, or reduced the amount of water you are drinking.

If the answer to all of these questions is "no", then you may have "fallen out" of ketosis, or gone into "starvation" mode. There are several threads on this board that discuss these issues (and their remedies) in detail, and you can certainly find good information by searching these keywords.

Realize also that the closer you get to your goal, the slower your body is to respond. Many years ago I used a low-carb approach to shed about 80 pounds. My recollection is that the last 10 pounds took forever to depart.

I only allow myself one cup of decaf a day. I was a major coffee drinker before starting atkins and I desperately needed to get off the caffeine. I have Graves disease and the stimulant was definitely affecting the thyroid function. I failed many times at trying to stop the caffeine. Believe it or not, after going on Atkins, I didn't crave the caffeine anymore! I think all the carbs and sugar fed my cravings for coffee.

I've only been on atkins for 2 weeks. The first week, I lost 8.5 lbs and won't weigh for the end of week 2 until tomorrow. The scale wasn't moving last week, however, there's a remarkable difference in the way my clothes fit and people are noticing the weight loss in my face.

When I first started Atkins I cut caffine out completely. I now add back in regular coffee mixed with decaf on occasion. The difference is for one, I now longer need that regular coffee in the morning, it's a choice. I broke the origional addiction. Coffee does have carbs, and it can cause uneven blood sugar. Remember the less weight you have to lose the slower it comes off and the harder you have to work at it. There will probably be many times you will have to adjust your eating habits before you reach maintanance to get your body back on the losing track.

There are also times though when they body just takes a break. It can be after alot of loss when the body may need to catch up, maybe it stops at a weight you were for years because it's comfortable, or maybe it just needs to be reved up. Try adding a little more activity such as more walking or another small physical change. Look at the rest of your menu and see what you could try cutting out for a bit to see if it works.

I found when I cut out the caffine I no longer had nervous energy and had a more even midlevel energy throughout the day instead of peaks and crashes. The withdrawl was murder though and I had a low grade headach for the entire first week. It almost made me give up this WOE :)

Interesting thread
 

I'm (was) a coffee nut, I LOVED the BEAN... :thup: , but I kicked the habit. After reading somewhere that it only takes 2 weeks to get over the effects of caffeine withdrawal (all of you addicts know what I mean, after 12 hours without a coffee, it's motrin pain baby). But here's the thing, I now drink decaf, and I don't even notice the difference anymore. Except when I go to my usual coffee spot and ask for a large decaf, the staff just stare at me in disbelief. :confused: Anyway, I just thought I'd throw it out there. BTW, I take an artificial sweetener in my coffee, and I like it more!

I used this WOE as a good excuse to cut out my afternoon and night time coffee habit (I could drink coffee right up to midnight, and go straight to bed without having problems sleeping), so I'm not too sure I would have had the success I've had if I kept drinking that much coffee, but I DO have a big mug of coffee each morning, and on weekends, sometimes two or three. It's had no significant effect on my weight loss.

I decided that when I started this WOE that it had to be something I could do for life, and I couldn't see a life without coffee! I never gave it up. I still have a pot in the morning and 1/2 a pot in the afternoon. I haven't had any problems, but like with sugar alcohols and nuts and sugar-free jello and cheese....it depends on the individual.

The first week of induction, I lost 5 lbs, drinking regular coffee... everyone screamed, so I switched to decaf... 2nd week of induction no loss ??? Same with hubby.

I think I'm switching back to regular and see what happens.

I also drink 2 cups a day, more like 2 mugs 12 oz each.

Good luck, let me know what happens.

I am also recording it all in fitday and doing everying that I'm supposed to be doing, including exercise.........OY !

I'm giving this one - 2 more weeks on this diet...sigh~

quitting coffee
 

If you do decide to quit "real" coffee, do it gradually and save yourself a lot of headaches. Try cutting back a little each week until you get to zero.