My schedule over the next 2 weeks is going to be ridiculous.  I literally have to speak on five separate occasions over a five day period, including twice in my Lose It Fast, Lose It Forever class, once on a conference call with Biggest Loser contestants, and twice at the University of Michigan, once to graduate engineering students and once at a career conference.

Then the Biggest Loser Casting Call and the Call Backs come to town. That means hundreds of my folk will be lining up to to become the next victims of Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.  For me this means volunteering four more 10+ hour days in support of the Casting Directors in the hopes that more Michigander’s make it on the show. Plus regular stuff like an all day financial review of my business the day after casting calls and working on my product launch. You get the point.

So at this moment I am on my laptop in the gym and I have zero energy. Zero. I do not want to work out at all and I need to figure out why?

So, I do what I always do.

I evaluate.  This is the E in my S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals process that I teach when I speak publicly.

My conclusion is that I am low on sleep, somewhat stressed about this upcoming 14 day period and eating super clean (IE no processed carbs or ‘protein’ bars).  All which leave me in the state I am in. Listless.

So now I have evaluated the source of the problem and now I need to find a solution – thus the title of this post.

In my studies on caffeine I have discovered two basic findings:

• Caffeine in people who are obese can cause insulin resistance (this is bad). Of course we obese folk also load up our caffeine / coffee with sugar and creamer which produces an undesirable insulin response (spike) that contributes to our weight problems as well.
• Caffeine in people who are fit can cause a boost in energy which can be beneficial. Its thermogenic properties can be very helpful in pushing through a workout.

Now, as I do with everything I study, I have applied this to me personally and have discovered that coffee does indeed give me a boost when I take it about 30 minutes before working out.

So I am having two cups of coffee while typing this post and I plan to kill it in the gym.  My workout will relieve a good deal of my stress and I will address the rest issue by paying more attention to my sleep patterns. I am feeling more alert as I type.

In a future post I will delve more deeply into caffeine for weight / fat loss. To properly address the whole subject you really need to consider some of the following;

Purpose – Why are you taking caffeine?  Hopefully not for massive weight loss.

Delivery – How are you ingesting the caffeine?  Pill form, liquid, iv of coffee?

Additive / Stacking – What is included with your caffeine? Asprin, guarna, sugar, creamer etc.?

I am drinking coffee today for one reason and one reason only; to give me a energy boost to power through my workout.  You should only be using it for the same purpose.  You burn off enormous amounts of fat with your workouts. Not with the shivers.

In conclusion ask yourself these questions and send me your suggestions / comments.

1. What do you do in times when your energy levels are very low and
2. Are you using caffeine correctly or have you even thought about the subject before?

Talk to you soon and remember,

There’s a Winner Within You!