Hi Cathe! Just wondering how my a.m. coffees affect workouts. I'm a teacher off on summer break and I've been able to enjoy a cup or two of coffee before my a.m. exercise lately. During the schoolyear, I don't have time and roll out of bed at 4:35 and go straight into your warm-ups! I do feel more energetic after some coffee, but I notice that I cramp more and definitely worry more about incontinence! x( but I wondered if there is any research on positives/negatives regarding caffeine and workouts. By the way, my tapes should be arriving any minute! Can't wait!
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Effects of caffeine on workouts
- Thread starter Jul
- Start date
I won't comment on exactly the positives and negatives of caffeine because each person will feel its effects differently. Here is how caffeine affects the body in general. It is a stimulant that helps to mobilize fatty acids into the bloodstream which is one of the reasons we get a boost of energy. Now when exercisers hear that we think HOORAY! It is also a diuretic which is not so good when we are exercising and perspiring. It also speeds up the heart rate and/or can cause irregular heart beats. Studies have shown though that one to two cups can really improve exercise performance for many people. So it really comes down to how you feel. I personally don't like the feeling of a coffee high when I exercise. I just feel jittery. It sounds like you feel pretty good though. One to two cups is pretty harmless and as long as it's not more than that, it's personal preference. Just remember to drink a lot of water. Hope this gives you a little insight. Take care, Cyndie
Thanks Cyndie! I guess I probably should mention that I have been using the "light" coffee, so my two cups really equal one cup. Sometimes I think that anything that may burn more calories HAS to be a good thing. I wonder if I really do burn more. I tend not to think of caffeine as a "real" drug. But I guess I am addicted. I am trying very hard to substitute water for pop, and I am trying to get in a full 8 glasses daily.