Best Fitness Blog

... By Travis Webb CPT

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages throughout the world. The variety of flavors that can be sampled and combined with a wider variety of additions makes Coffee a very diverse versatile vice! Yet this delightful break time beverage has a mixed reputation! Many say that they drink WAY too much coffee throughout the day. Others may say that it makes them jittery. Your pro coffee drinkers look forward to each cup throughout their day either as a treat or a quick, “wake me up.” But what are the positives and negatives that come along with coffee?

Normally black coffee by itself can have a very bitter flavor which puts many people off. Therefore ingredients are added in order to lighten the intensity. These ingredients can either be dairy based, sugar oriented, candy, spices or syrups. So would the problem with coffee be in coffee itself or all the ingredients that can be added?? I don’t know about you but usually I drink my coffee the same way throughout the day. If the same ingredients are added to each cup the calories start to build up! It then becomes a calories in and calories out process.

The caffeine in coffee makes this beverage a diuretic, which means it helps the process of expelling water out of the body. Depending on how much water you drink throughout the day this may cause some issues. Some people get tired, lose focus, become irritable, and can develop stomach problems. Overall is coffee to blame for these negative side effects or is it possibly that other lifestyle factors contribute to the negative symptoms?

Visit one of our Best Fitness Clubs to learn even more about this topic. We have locations in Albany,NY, Tonawanda, NY, Schenectady, NY, Erie, PA, Nashua, NH, Chelmsford, MA, and Drum Hill, MA.

Is coffee a good energy boost for working out ... by Karli Taylor

I can’t function in the morning until I drink at least one sizeable cup of coffee.  Is this a bad habit?  Is Caffeine an unhealthy way to boost my energy levels? Am I an Addict?  Does it really help me get going or is it all in my head?

The risk/reward debate surrounding caffeine has been around as long as the coffee  bean itself.  There are many different angles to take with this one, but for now, let’s  focus on whether or not caffeine will help or harm a workout.
Caffeine is the most widely used substance for enhancing athletic performance, and has been scientifically proven to be highly effective at doing so. When it comes to exercise in general, caffeine may promote a desire to extend an exercise bout, decrease perceptions of fatigue or improve the quality of overall performance because caffeine can increase alertness and concentration.  Put simply, caffeine allows you to exercise harder without feeling like you are putting forth more effort!  

Studies have shown that caffeine’s most profound influence on performance seems to be on exercise lasting between 30 and 120 minutes.  For this reason, it would make sense that caffeine supplementation would be most valuable for endurance-type athletes including distance  runners and cyclists who need to perform at their peak for long periods of time.

If you do decide to drink a cup of coffee or an energy drink before exercising, there are a few caveats. Caffeine is a diuretic, so if you choose to consume it before exercising in a hot, humid environment, be sure to drink extra fluids to compensate. If you are caffeine sensitive, I wouldn’t recommend pre-workout caffeine consumption- you may experience side effects such as nervousness, upset stomach and a rapid heart rate.