May 16, 2016
The answer is yes, IF YOU FOLLOW MY 10 TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR OVERALL HEALTH (because healthy bodies don't like to carry excess baggage!)
TIP # 7: A LITTLE BIT OF CAFFEINE GOES A LONG WAY!
Caffeine helps stimulate your metabolism so for most people 1-2 cups a day is NP!
There are a number of schools of thought about the best times of the day for caffeine but most exercise gurus feel certain that a small caffeinated beverage before you workout gives a little metabolic boost, helping you do a few more repetitions and thus build a bit more muscle.
Coffee also helps mobilize fats in the body and the caffeine in coffee stimulates the production of the hormone epinephrine (or adrenaline). As the epinephrine travels through the blood, it sends a signal to break down the mobilized fats and release them into the blood so lots of folks I trust advocate a cup of plain old black coffee right before your workout. That being said, I’m a BIG fan of coconut and think everyone should consume a bit of unsweetened coconut every day…since consuming a bit of fat before you workout can also signal the body to burn fat rather than carbs for fuel, it seems to me that adding coconut milk to your pre-workout coffee might be an even bigger bang for your buck! (Plus adding a bit of coconut milk to your coffee is SOOOOOOOOO yummy you might never miss the cream and sugar…BONUS!!!)
Green tea is also a great pre-workout choice because it’s not only caffeinated, it’s loaded with anti-oxidants which can speed the post-workout recovery process as well.
Caffeine definitely falls into the “less is more” category, however, because too much can also create insomnia, increase stress levels, contribute to inflammation in the digestive tract, and even cause kidney stone formation.
So go ahead and enjoy that cuppa two of joe or tea a day…your health AND YOUR WAISTLINE will thank you for it!
