I gave up caffeine the first 6 weeks, then decided it was too great a loss of pleasure in my life. Didn't make any difference at all. Coffee can stimulate cortisol, which tends to promote belly fat, but tea does not (catechins in the tea protect you). Green tea has MORE of these catechins, which are also antioxidants. Green tea is also mildly thermogenic, so drink it all day long if you wish.