4 Ways Coffee Can Help With Your Workout

It’s important to fuel up before your workout to maximise your results – protein bars, pre-workout drinks. There’s plenty on the market. But have you ever considered just drinking a cup of coffee before hitting the gym?

Here are four reasons to grab a cup of coffee before working out.

1. Decreased muscular pain

Research has found that those who drink a black cup of Joe before working out experienced less muscle pain during their workout than those who didn’t. This means you can complete more reps at a higher resistance during your weight training sessions, and run fast and longer during your cardio sessions.

2. Weight loss aid

Coffee has been proven to aid in weight loss, by helping to burn fat. It causes fat cells to be used as a source of energy, rather than glycogen. Research found that drinking coffee can speed up your metabolism slightly when consumed before your workout due to the amount of caffeine it contains. This helps to burn fat at a higher rate, helping you with your weight loss.

**Coffee full of sugar will not have the same effect, so make sure to avoid those speciality coffees full of syrup if you want to speed up your metabolism before you workout. Otherwise these will counteract the weight loss effects of your coffee. Yes, like the coffee featured above. It’s Christmas, I couldn’t resist the Christmas coffee!

3. Improved performance

Sports Medicine recently called caffeine a “powerful ergogenic aid” that can improve athletic performance and help people to train for longer or at a greater output. Consuming coffee before your workout can

4. Improved circulation

Drinking coffee can increase your blood flow. Your muscles need oxygen to perform well during a workout. An increase in blood flow and circulation means a better workout!

But all of this doesn’t mean you should go mad with your caffeine intake during the day. Caffeine can be addictive and cause disrupted sleep, so be sure to be consistent with your intake. Coffee is a natural laxative, but being consistent with your consumption allows your body to adjust to it, so don’t reach for 2 cups one day and 4 the next.

It’s not all bad news for coffee – Coffee lovers rejoice!

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