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There’s a lot of weight loss advice on social media. Some of it comes from genuine medical and health professionals with a proven track record of helping people achieve their body goals.
But a lot of it is unhelpful at best—and dangerous at worst.
TikTok is full of weight loss trends, hacks, crazes…whatever you want to call them. And, one of the most viral of them in recent years is the coffee lemon weight loss hack (no, your eyes don’t deceive you).
If you’re on TikTok and have an interest in health and fitness, you may have seen people screwing up their faces as they sip this bitter beverage while singing about its body-boosting power.
But does the coffee lemon weight loss hack work?
Or is another fad offering false hope and delivering broken promises?
Let’s explore.
What is the TikTok lemon coffee weight loss hack?
The TikTok Lemon Coffee Weight Loss Hack is simple: add some freshly squeezed lemon into a cup of black coffee every morning and gulp it down. TikTok influencers claim this combination can boost your metabolism and burn belly fat. The theory behind the trend lies in the thermogenic properties of both coffee and lemon. Apparently, this unlikely combo increases the internal temperature of your body, which in turn, boosts metabolic rate, improves fat oxidation, and, as a result, fat burn.
Caffeine caffeine is known to boost metabolism and improve exercise performance temporarily. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which support digestion and metabolism.
So, the theory does make sense.
The drawback?
For many, it tastes pretty horrible. Although, you may be willing to overlook that lip-curling fact if it could really help you lose weight.
Does the lemon coffee hack aid weight loss?
While the TikTok coffee and lemon trend has gained immense popularity, there’s no real scientific evidence to show that coffee and lemon, when drunk together, can lead to significant weight loss.
Coffee and lemon could have a small impact on your metabolism (although this varies from person to person), but drinking them together has no real benefit.
But, if prior to trying the lemon coffee hack, your morning coffee has been a tall latte with lots of milk and syrup, then switching to a black coffee will bring down your calorie consumption and could lead to weight loss.
What about hot lemon juice?
A similar weight loss hack is to drink a cup of hot lemon water in the morning. Similar to the coffee lemon hack, there’s basically no evidence to suggest that this leads to weight loss.
But what it might do is to encourage you to drink more water.
Staying hydrated is important to ensure your body can continue to burn fat more efficiently. You may find you enjoy your hot cup of lemon water in the morning, meaning you drink more than if you were to simply pour a glass of cold water. Both have a similar effect on hydration, but anything you can do to help you remain consistent with your water intake is a bonus.
Lemon is also full of nutrients, especially good old vitamin C. So, your cup of lemon will do you plenty of good even if it doesn’t directly lead to weight loss.
What are the best ways to sustainably lose weight?
Quick fixes, fads and trends just don’t lead to sustainable weight loss. To remain consistently slim, you have to adopt a long-term healthy lifestyle that you work on consistently.
To reach your weight goals, you can try weaving these things into your everyday life:
- Eat a healthy, calorie-controlled diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole foods
- Increase protein intake to help you feel full and build muscle. A higher muscle-to-fat ratio helps you burn more calories even when you aren’t exercising.
- Control your portions and pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating. Eat slowly and chew your food well. Your body can take some time to realise it’s full.
- Stay active to increase your calorie burn and feel good. Running and high-intensity workouts are great, but the little things you do throughout the day often have more of an impact on your overall calorie burn. Go for walks, get up from your desk regularly and even do a little housework to get your metabolism fired up.
- Drink plenty of water to support your metabolic processes. Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking.
- Quality sleep is crucial for overall health, including weight management. A lack of sleep can disrupt hunger hormones and lead to increased cravings and weight gain.
- Stay relaxed and avoid feeling stressed: the stress hormone cortisol encourages the production of belly fat.
- Use a safe and effective high-quality weight loss supplement like PhenQ. This popular supplement suppresses your appetite, boosts your energy, supercharges fat burn and regulates your mood.
You’ll find that the best changes you can make are the small, and consistent changes that can be maintained over time, which will ultimately help you lose weight and keep it off.
Should I be drinking lemon coffee?
There’s no harm in trying the lemon coffee hack as long as you limit your coffee consumption (too much caffeine can be dangerous).
If it means swapping out your usual sugary morning drink, it will help you lose weight because you will be consuming fewer calories. Lemon also has many health benefits. That said, there’s no proven value in using these two ingredients in your morning cuppa.
If you really want to lose weight, keep consistent with a little something we like to call the Three S’:
- Stick to a healthy diet
- Stay active
- Sleep well
Embrace a holistic approach to weight loss, and with a little patience, you can achieve your goals while enjoying a healthier and happier you.
Oh, and if you need an extra helping hand, try the PhenQ weight loss supplement. It’s packed full of the best ingredients that suppress your appetite and boost fat burn while improving your mood and giving you more energy.