# Is coffee/caffeine good or bad for belly fat loss? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602 "2016-03-20T00:09:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/41 "2016-03-21T15:46:19Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > You know, if you spent half the amount of time you spend searching for self-affirming internet “news” blurbs by going for a walk instead you would lose that belly fat in three months. He could lose it in two if he cut calorie intake. Exercise will make you fit, but it’s not as efficient as caloric restriction at making you slim. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/42 "2016-03-21T16:04:17Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > He could lose it in two if he cut calorie intake. Exercise will make you fit, but it’s not as efficient as caloric restriction at making you slim. But I don’t need to hear his nit-picking about what he should eat (based on something he reads on an entertainment or woo-woo website). We know him, he is unlikely to just try “Cut everything you eat by half for three weeks.” ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/43 "2016-03-21T21:43:32Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > You know, if you spent half the amount of time you spend searching for self-affirming internet “news” blurbs by going for a walk instead you would lose that belly fat in three months. Remember in the OP I found THREE links that claimed that coffee/caffeine was bad for weight loss. And I didn’t come across Christian Bale’s info through searches with coffee/caffeine. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/44 "2016-03-21T21:47:55Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > Remember in the OP I found THREE links that claimed that coffee/caffeine was bad for weight loss. And I didn’t come across Christian Bale’s info through searches with coffee/caffeine. What are your criteria for judging the trustworthiness of information you find on the internet? ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/45 "2016-03-21T21:50:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > One more time: _Celeb press releases are not scientific studies._ So are you saying that coffee/caffeine does lead to a bigger belly? If so, how did he get down to 121 lbs / 54 kg… ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/46 "2016-03-21T21:51:40Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > What are your criteria for judging the trustworthiness of information you find on the internet? Well there were links on both sides of the debate so that’s why I asked here for a factual answer. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/47 "2016-03-21T22:15:49Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > So are you saying that coffee/caffeine does lead to a bigger belly? If so, how did he get down to 121 lbs / 54 kg… I am saying the words that I typed. Are you having trouble reading and understanding the words that I typed? If so, please re-read the words that I typed and try again. If not, please tailor your answer to _fit_ the words that I type. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/48 "2016-03-21T22:21:19Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > So are you saying that coffee/caffeine does lead to a bigger belly? If so, how did he get down to 121 lbs / 54 kg… No. Fat builds up if your caloric intake is higher than you caloric expenditure. There is no magic food or drink. If you drink coffee and eat too much you will gain weight. If you drink coffee and eat much less you will lose weight. Coffee is neutral. Fat is fat, your belly will get smaller with weight loss. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/49 "2016-03-21T22:27:16Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > So are you saying that coffee/caffeine does lead to a bigger belly? If so, how did he get down to 121 lbs / 54 kg… One loses weight by burning more energy than they take in. Add up the calories he would have been taking based on the diet that it gave. Look up the amount of calories a human being uses in a day. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/50 "2016-03-21T22:35:23Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > One loses weight by burning more energy than they take in. > > Add up the calories he would have been taking based on the diet that it gave. Look up the amount of calories a human being uses in a day. If you put the word “Miracle” somewhere in there and “Diet!” at the end, you might get a direct response. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/51 "2016-03-21T22:56:12Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > We know him, he is unlikely to just try “Cut everything you eat by half for three weeks.” Too bad, because that’s the _real_ “one weird trick”. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/52 "2016-03-21T23:21:24Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > …and an apple a day for four months… That’ll do it. Coffee or no. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/53 "2016-03-21T23:31:13Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > If so, how did he get down to 121 lbs / 54 kg… By not eating. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602/54 "2016-03-21T23:45:01Z")
> [@JohnClay](#): > > This thread was meant to be about coffee/caffeine only but people have been debating belly fat loss in general. I tried making a thread for the debate but now that has been closed since people wouldn’t reply in the other thread instead of this one. And I’m closing this one, since the OP clearly is only talking about coffee/caffeine. Which, IMHO, has been answered. Sorry if you don’t like the answer. You’re welcome to start a different one. **samclem** , moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-coffee-caffeine-good-or-bad-for-belly-fat-loss/749602.md?page=2)