There are lots of ways to?fuel up for your work out, from protein shakes to sports drinks – but have you ever considered coffee??Whether you?re totally new to the gym or you?re a long time strength trainer, coffee is one of the most effective drinks to have before your workout. You may not be able to find the caffeinated beverage on the shelves of sports shops, but they’re actually packed full of fitness benefits.
Interested? Here is how coffee can help you with your work out.
Coffee Helps With Weight Loss
One of the most significant fitness benefits of coffee is that?it can help to burn fat.?Research found that when people consume coffee before they exercise their metabolism speeds up slightly, helping to burn fat at a higher rate. So if you want to speed up your weight loss in a healthy way, add a daily cup of coffee to your diet ? although avoid adding sugar, as this will counteract the fat burning benefits.
Coffee Can Reduce Muscle Pain
If the worst thing about your work outs is the muscle pain, a cup of coffee may help you. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that people who drink coffee before exercising?experienced less pain during the work out. This is perfect for people who always end their workout early due to muscle pain.
Coffee Can Improve Performance During A Work Out
Another useful fitness benefit of coffee is that it can?help to improve performance during a workout.?Several studies back up this theory, and a recent report in Sports Medicine called caffeine a ?powerful ergogenic aid? that can be used to improve athletic performance, as well as helping people to train for longer.
No Coffee Maker? No Problem
If you don?t have a coffee maker, don?t worry about it. You don?t need to splash out lots of money on an expensive coffee maker; you can make coffee without a coffee maker?using the Cowboy coffee method. Simply heat up hot water in a pan and add coffee granules and milk to taste! This method may seem simple, but many people actually prefer the taste of Cowboy coffee.
Coffee is normally seen as a drink that is bad for your health, but in reality it comes with lots of fitness benefits, including increased athletic performance and reduced muscle pain. Coffee lovers rejoice.
Contributed by?Jess Walter, Freelance Writer
Click here for full podcast playlist.
