Life Fit with Laura Lewis: Perk Up Your Weight Loss Plan
Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. Or check out "Ask Laura" every Friday for answers! For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.Coffee is a ritual ... a morning ceremony. The smell of coffee first thing in the morning, the sound of it percolating on my stovetop espresso maker, the warmth of the first sip -- coffee is a simple joy in my life that brings a sense of contentment to the start of each day. And for those of us who love our coffee, I offer you good news ... coffee not only has health benefits, but can also contribute a perk to a weight loss plan.
Health Benefits. Coffee can lower your risk of developing diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver disease, and cancer. Coffee can perk up your mood (don't even talk to me before I have my morning cup!), treat headaches, and lower your risk of cavities (who knew!?). And, coffee is a leading source of antioxidants. As a matter of fact, Dr. Joe A. Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, found that the average American adult consumes 1,299 milligrams if antioxidants daily from coffee.
Weight Loss. A 2006 study in BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that green coffee beans actually promote weight loss. The discovery mirrors earlier research on green tea, which was found to slightly increase metabolism and to speed up the body's ability to burn fat. Green coffee beans appear to have a more potent effect than green tea. Hiroshi Shimoda, the lead author of the study, discovered that people who consume 2.2 pounds per day of food containing .35 ounces of green coffee bean extract for 14 days could suppress their body weight by as much as 35 percent. Caffeine increases fat lipolysis -- an action that increases free fatty acid utilization. Free fatty acids are an important source of fuel for many tissues because they can yield large quantities of energy.
- Do not consume more than two cups of coffee daily.
- Drink coffee with food to avoid elevating cortisol and blood sugar.
- Drink organic coffee, and buy Fair Trade when possible.
- Always drink fresh ground coffee in order to get the highest dose antioxidants.
Action Tips
Perk up your mood, your health and your weight loss program with coffee.










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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-27-2008 @ 7:40AM
neil maycock said...
Im gonna have to disagree with you here. I used to a keen coffee drinker but found since I stopped my headaches have gone and I am concentrating better. For me the best way to keep fit is exercise, diet, and supplements if needed.
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5-27-2008 @ 11:55AM
Vishaal said...
Well, Niel, some people are just somewhat allergic to caffeine, so they get a headache. I think the whole I need coffee in the morning before anyone talks to me is also just a mental thing. Don't get me wrong, I'm one of those who needs the coffee to get me going mentally, but I think it's more of a ritual that gets me going. Just brushing my teeth signals me to wake up, the coffee does the same. It all depends on the person. Wine is another good example, it's health benefits are astounding, but it's just not for everyone.
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5-28-2008 @ 1:10AM
Laura Lewis said...
Some people just cannot handle the dilation of blood vessels that occurs in the brain, which sends more blood flowing. There also may be other reasons you were having headaches. Did you ever try drinking organic? Perhaps you were sensitive to pesticide residue? There are so many components in coffee that it may be hard to identify the cause. Most of the time, if you follow the guidelines I present above, especially the part about having with food instead of drinking on an empty stomach, side effects such as headaches may be avoided.
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