Caffeine

Someone new to resistance training recently asked me what they should eat after a workout.

I was actually quite impressed that the question was even asked, for it showed that this person at least had a basic understanding of the significant role food plays in the 20 to 30 minutes right after you've lifted your last weight.

Many people enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning to start their day with a little extra "pep." The same is often true of many exercisers, who throw back a cup of Starbucks or a diet Red Bull before hitting the gym. There's little debate that doing so will provide some extra vitality, but new research shows that caffeine may also help workouts in an entirely different way.

I enjoy the taste of straight espresso, and have been through seasons of drinking a couple of double espressos each day.

However, I have learned that under times of stress - it is time to cut the caffeine out, and give my body's adrenal system a rest.

There is much argument as to whether there is such a thing as a caffeine addiction. However - caffeine dependency is very real, and it can be very difficult to wean yourself out of the habit.

Here are some tips that I have found extremely helpful when it is time to stop drinking coffee.

Starbucks is renowned for having some fairly calorie-dense drinks (think of the holiday special Pumpkin Spice Crème at 500 Calories).

However, until recently, caffeine amounts have been somewhat of a mystery. Here is a handy table comparing caffeine for the various drinks.

A newly released study has proposed a combined benefit of exercise and caffeine consumption in the prevention of skin cancer.

If you are moderating your caffeine intake - it's worth noting that most diet soft drinks have as much (or sometimes even more) caffeine than their sugar-filled counterparts.

Diet Coke in particular has 30% more caffeine than regular Coca-cola.

Here is a list of the most caffeinated diet soft drinks.

You've heard of fat-burning sunscreen - but what about fat-burning tights?

How much coffee? That is one of the great modern debates. The pendulum swings every few months or so. Recently there has been talk about the anti-oxidant levels in coffee.