Help! I’m fasting, but I’m not losing

Q:

Lately I’ve been trying intermittent fasting to drop the stubborn 10 pounds around my middle. I’m having a few cups of black coffee in the morning and eating breakfast later, but it’s been weeks and the scale hasn’t budged. Any advice?

A:

You’re smart to try intermittent fasting: This strategy of eating meals in a shorter window of time has been shown to boost fat loss by 50%, according to research from the National Institutes of Health. And calorie-free black coffee is usually approved to drink during your fasting period.

You may just be drinking too much.

A recent review in the Nutrition Journal found that just 5 mg. of caffeine can cause a slight reduction in insulin sensitivity, which over time can increase blood-sugar levels. And a second review found that caffeine keeps blood-sugar levels higher for longer. So consuming too much caffeine can pull you out of the fast, counteracting its slimming perks. Since coffee typically contains 95 mg. of caffeine per cup, we advise cutting down to one in the morning then switching to decaf to keep your body in a fasted state until you eat.