I didn’t start drinking coffee before exercise because I had read some perfect fitness formula online.
I noticed it myself.
on days when I had a small coffee before running or working out, I often felt more ready to exercise. my mind seemed a little more awake. getting started felt easier.
and somehow, I enjoyed the workout more.
that last part matters.
exercise can be good for us and still feel like something we’d rather postpone for another twenty minutes.
for me, coffee sometimes changes that feeling.
I’ve also noticed that, when I repeat the same workout for roughly the same amount of time, the calorie number on my tracker can be higher after having coffee than on days when I don’t.
but I don’t want to turn my experience into a rule for everyone.
there is some interesting science behind the habit, though.
research has found that caffeine can improve several aspects of exercise performance, particularly endurance, although the effect varies from person to person. moderate doses are among the most consistently studied.
there is also research looking specifically at fat oxidation during exercise. a systematic review and meta-analysis found that pre-exercise caffeine increased fat oxidation during submaximal aerobic exercise in the studies examined. a later review found a similar effect when people had eaten before exercising, although the size of the effect depended on factors such as caffeine dose, fitness level, and habitual caffeine use.
so perhaps my little coffee ritual isn’t entirely imaginary.
still, coffee isn’t a magic fat-burning drink.
and more isn’t necessarily better.
caffeine affects people differently. too much can leave some people feeling shaky, uncomfortable, or wide awake when they actually need to sleep. the research also shows plenty of individual variation in how people respond.
for me, the interesting part isn’t the number on the calorie tracker.
it’s the feeling before I start.
a small coffee. some time to wake up. shoes on.
then I go.
maybe that’s what I like most about the ritual. it doesn’t make exercise effortless.
it just makes beginning feel a little easier.
and sometimes, that’s enough. ☕🤎
