I'm addicted

Yes, over 90% of Americans are addicted to drugs. What drug you ask? It's the most common abused drug and although it's legal, it has the same effects as illegal drugs. It's something you've been ingesting since childhood. Have you ever consumed soda, chocolate, coffee, prescription drugs or over-the-counter meds? Ever been addicted to any of these substances? Drugs.com lists caffeine as a poisonous substance. The FDA says if caffeine came out on the market today, they would NOT release it to the public.

Most people believe that caffeine makes you more alert and clearheaded. Think again. These substances give you a wake up jolt because they trigger a negative stress response. Your muscles tense, your blood sugar elevates for extra energy, your pulse and respiration rates speed up, and your state of alertness increases so you're ready to run from environmental dangers. You may be only sitting at your desk drinking a cup of coffee or soda or nibbling on your choco, but your body doesn't know that. It's preparing for action.

When your body is under stress it elevates your cortisol levels and your body holds onto fat especially in the belly area. So much for a flat stomach. The higher your stress levels in the body, the more you crave unhealthy foods that are high in either sugar or carbs. Caffeine also creates an acidic response in the stomach which can lead to weight gain and mucho health probs. It also acts as a diuretic which causes your body to lose water, leading to dehydration, and is the reason you should not ingest caffeine products if you are thirsty or plan to exercise. It also decreases your chances of burning fat cells and causes a loss of magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium an other minerals in the body which lead to an imbalance in electrolytes and minerals that are needed to maintain good health.

A couple years ago I started working with a client who, after our initial appointment was involved in a car accident and broke her tailbone. She was unable to workout from that point on for a couple months. She was a big Diet Coke drinker and we made a goal that while she was healing, she would completely go off all soda. I didn't have her change any of her eating habits, other than eliminating diet coke. After 3 months she was fully recovered and 30 pounds lighter!

It's a fad to take caffeine around the time you workout to give you that extra energy and help with wight-loss. It does feel like you're getting a boost for your workout, However it WILL NOT give you permanent long term weight loss.

Though there are minimal positive effects of caffeine, the negative effects should be understood. Be aware if you are in a high-risk group for severe negative effects. If you have mood disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic intestinal issues, work the night shift or are pregnant or trying to become preggers you should NOT drink or consume caffeine.

What are alternatives?

• Herbal tea is a great replacement for Coffee. (My fav's are Red Raspberry & Peppermint)
• Freshly Squeezed Lime or Lemon in water with a dash of Stevia is a great replacement for soda.