One of my problems from the past has been when I tried to lose weight I hit the diet soda a bit too hard to make up for the lack of sweets in my diet. I would drop a few pounds and then stop. After reading in Dr. Atkins book, he suggests that caffeine from soda, coffee, tea, etc. inhibits weight loss. This study that came out today confirms that.

Drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages won't do you any good in your efforts to lose weight and keep it off, the Mayo Clinic says.

Caffeine acts as a diuretic, causing the body temporarily to retain less water. But there's nothing to suggest that these effects are permanent, and the stimulant does nothing to reduce body fat.

The best way to lose a few pounds and maintain a healthy weight is to get enough exercise and eat a proper diet.

This is a story from HealthDay, a service of ScoutNews, LLC.