Coffee I Don’t Like it…I love it…. Uh-oh!!
Today after training a client I was asked a nutritional question as is the norm. It was about coffee and if there was any adverse effects to drinking a lot of coffee. Short answer: YES!
Now the issue isn’t the coffee drink itself but what is in the coffee. CAFFEINE.
Caffeine is a stimulant that when consumed changes the way the brain and body work. Caffeine’s main purpose in the body is to make you feel more awake however, it comes with numerous side effects that adversely affect the body.
Jitters/Shakes
Difficulity Sleeping
Rapid Heart beat
Uneven Heart Rhythm
High Blood Pressure
Headaches/Nausea/Dizziness
Dehydration especially after exercise
Caffeine Dependency
These negative effects all relate to your overall health and hinder your progress towards your fitness goals! Now not everyone will experience some, all, or any of these effects however, if you don’t need it then why use it. Why do most people become caffeine dependent?
They started drinking coffee because they felt they didn’t have enough energy. But as we do so often as a society we look for a quick fix rather than the root of the problem. Did you lack energy because you displayed poor eating habits, inadequate sleep, high stress, etc? All these things play a role into how your body responds.
With the amount of negative effects that come from the consumption of caffeine why do we as a society consume so much coffee? Well because coffee is inexpensive and big business. You cannot travel a mile in any direction without finding a Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, Mcdonalds, Burger King, Cumberland Farms, Honey Farms, and the list goes on.
Remember coffee is not a necessity but a business, it dehydrates you even though you are consuming a liquid and the more you consume it the more dependent upon it you are.
Wow, this sounds more like a drug….hmmm
Do yourself and body a favor and think twice about that double shot of espresso think about a decaffeinated option.
Roc!
