We all like a sip of coffee from time to time. In a America we have an abundance of coffee spots from Peet's to starbucks hipster baristas to long serving mom and pop breakfast restaurants that along with most meals a cup of coffee is just brewing a few minutes away,.
People say they drink coffee for its taste, but for a vast majority it's the Caffeine!!
This "natural stimulant" is the main ingredient used to start most if not all days. The age old question is how beneficial is coffee and can it aid us in living a healthy life.
I will confine this blog to the whether coffee is a good for working out:
Caffeine boosts energy in the short term. On the cellular level caffeine as a compound interferes with adenosine which is a neurotransmitter that aids in the sleep-wake cycle. It blocks adenosine from sending the messages to initiate the sleep cycle. As a result adenosine build up and when the caffeine wears off a rush of adenosine is in the blood and it begins to send "sleep" signals we start to get tired. Furthermore, adding sugar into the diet makes it a double whammy and you can spike blood glucose levels and when your glucose rapid drops you get "sleepy".
Most office workers consume 400 mg of caffeine which is equivalent to 4 - 5 cups of coffee daily! That is way to much!!
The key to enjoying coffee is like all things in moderation. Have a cup in the morning and then a cup sometime in the afternoon ( 3- 4 pm). By staying hydrated with water you can fulfill your fluid needs and satiety your hunger by creating fullness in your stomach. Your stomach receptors with expand as if you have been eating and as a result your drive to eat and require stimulants ( coffee) will drop.
Drinking water helps you stay energized. The more hydrated you are, the less hunger pangs you get. The less likely you are to consume caffeine related products whether its coffee , Red Bull, Monster or whatever god awful drinks that are now on the market.
If you are working out drinking a cup 10 - 15 minutes before training can help boost your energy and give you the jump you need to perform squats, pull ups or the bench press. Again, to much coffee can make you crash so don't drink to much!!
As you can see coffee in the form of caffeine can be helpful during your workouts. Consume 10 - 15 minutes before your activity and have an excellent workout!!
Next Level Fitness is a small private fitness facility in Oakland, CA. It is located in the Grand Lake area of Oakland. Next Level Fitness provides chiropractic, personal training and small group training services to these areas of Oakland 94610, 94611, 94602. We cater to " Every-Body " but specialize in fitness services for adults 35 (+).
Please join our fitness family!
A.Pigott DC
