Coffee drinkers...HELP!

callsitlikeiseeit

my coffee and creamer are the first thing logged every day. They are non negotiable.

TheresaM787

WaterLily82 wrote: »

I am a coffee drinker. Not tea. Not soda. Coffee! I need my shot of caffeine in the morning like I need air to breathe! However, I absolutely despise drinking my calories! Why drink them when I can EAT them!? I’d rather chew and savor and enjoy my calories rather than slurping them down.

But. I. Cannot. Do. Black. Coffee.

I need creaminess. I need some sweetness. I need the jolt to get me moving.

I’ve been trying for a months to find a solution. First I thought about the health benefits of tea and thought I’d give that a try. I tried tea, black. I tried tea with just milk. Tea with a little cream. Tea black with a Splenda or Truvia. I’ve tried different kinds and flavors of tea. No. No. No.

I’ve went back to my tried and true coffee, this time black. Ick! Coffee with milk only. Nope. Coffee with fat free creamer only. Eh. Coffee with fat free creamer and Splenda or Truvia. Ehh. Coffee with no sugar added flavored creamer. Ehh.

Now I’m back to my flavored coffeee with a good spoonful of sugar and enough cream to make it a dark caramel color. Delicious! Hits the spot! Makes my whole morning!!! BUT....it’s something like 150 empty calories!

Is there any solution or am I destined to learn to enjoy drinking hot, liquid dirt for the rest of my life?

I completely understand. I used to put heavy whipping cream and sugar in my coffee. Mmmm. I couldn’t believe how many calories my morning cup of coffee was. I slowly started easing off the sugar (down to half a tsp now). Next I switched from heavy whipping cream to half and half, but noticed I needed twice as much half and half to get to the flavor that I liked (still used 1/2 tsp sugar). Two weeks later, I heated 1/4 cup of skim milk (gasp) for 30 seconds and then frothed it with the sugar. I added a dash of cinnamon sugar on top of the froth also. I couldn’t see the color of the coffee, but it tasted great. Now, that’s all I drink. It took awhile to get from heavy whipping cream to skim milk, but for me it was worth it.

Now, wine and beer- not switching those up. I factor in the calories in the morning, to ensure I will not go into a calorie surplus.

You need to do what works for you. If it’s staying with your favorite coffee, then enjoy.

JustSomeJD

Quitting sugar in coffee is like quitting smoking, just quit, deal with it, and get over it. Embrace the bitter.

skelterhelter

If you don't mind non-dairy, Silk unsweetened cashew is nice and mild in flavor. You can have a LOT of it for 25 calories. Nut Pods is another non-dairy creamer you can have a LOT of for only 10 calories! I prefer the seasonal flavors myself (you can order online or find at natural food stores). Also, I find the 2 TBSP serving of fat-free half and half for 20 calories more than enough to cream up my coffee, if non-dairy isn't your thing. I also don't mind Equal in my cup, but you may like Jordan's skinny syrups for flavor. Personally, I prefer sugar-free Torani flavorings over Jordan's, but you may feel the opposite.

I had this idea that maybe I'll try Flavor Gods seasonings in my coffee soon. They have flavors like cinnamon bun, gingerbread, chocolate donut, etc. Might be good to sweeten up a coffee and give it flavor for next to no calories.

spyro88

If you enjoy your coffee that much, have tried other ways but really can't compromise, then surely you just need to find a way to work it into your diet?

There is really no point in making yourself miserable, it's just not sustainable.

If this is a treat you need then have it! Just do it in moderation and cut back elsewhere to make up for the calories.

arisjr94

I drink my coffee with a little bit of protein powder. However, you have to be careful because some protein powders do not mix well with hot liquid. In fact, some protein powders become down right nasty when mixed with hot liquids. So what I do is mix the powder with just enough cold water to blend it, then pour the hot coffee in. Otherwise I drink it black. Good coffee beans makes all the difference when drinking black coffee.

bebeisfit

Ditch the keurig. Do try an alternative, like a french press or the Aeorpress. I switched to a french press and it makes a great cup of coffee. Also, buy good beans. IMO, Starbucks is the worst. I go to a local store that roasts their own (coffee and tea exchange in Chicago.) I have the beans ground for my french press and it makes a wonderful cup of coffee. I just don't want to grind them myself, but that would increase the taste factor.

I used to buy Brazillian which is a medium roast, but now I buy Steve's blend which they use in their lattes.

I also use milk and sugar and have decided I like it too much to switch. I just drink one cup in the morning and savor it. I used to drink a pot or two of black coffee and after decades of that my stomach did not like that anymore.

I've also had some oat milk at a friend's house and it was pretty good.

r4inb0w_in_th3_d4rk

There's already been a lot of great suggestions and I just wanted to throw in the idea to make your own cold brew coffee. I don't know all the coffee science and junk behind it, but it's something about how the cold brewing process gives you a coffee that's much less bitter than regularly brewed hot coffee.

It's super easy, you just need a pitcher and some coffee filters. I use sugar-free vanilla syrup in mine and do a tablespoon of creamer. It's not AS sweet as loading up a regular cup of coffee with french vanilla creamer, but it gets the job done and tastes good for about 35 calories.

goal06082021

I also love making incredibly strong cold brew. I got a nylon mesh bag meant for making cottage cheese, and I basically use it like a giant teabag, except filled with coffee. I use about a cup of coffee grounds to about 2 quarts of water and let it steep for at least 48 hours - I think my latest batch steeped for 72-80 hours (Thursday morning to Sunday afternoon). My husband and I have well-developed caffeine addictions so we drink it as-is, plus creamer (it's the only coffee I add anything to), but normal people should probably dilute it at least a little. My local roastery has developed a blend meant to be cold-brewed that I keep meaning to try; I think I'll make a batch with that and see if it needs anything. In the past I've used the Folgers/Maxwell House/whatever for cold brew, reasoning that I'm going to put creamer in it anyway. I feel like using less coffee would make it too weak, but I bet if I used fresh-roasted beans I wouldn't need to use as much.

JustaNoob

More investigating (very serious about my coffee lol)... previously, I tried Premier Protein in my coffee because everyone was doing it but I just didn't love it. Which was a downer because I normally drink those for a quick breakfast.

Today, I saw that they have a cinnamon roll flavor and decided to give it a try! Super yummy and a gamechanger.

MostlyWater

why can't you just drink the coffee you love?

riffraff2112

I drink 5 or so cups a day. Used to have 2 sugar and cream. Over the course of a year or so I reduced it to just cream. It was not easy, as yourself I can't do black. I am not a fan of flavors either, so I just had to slowly cut it back. The calorie hit from sugar was really adding up and I knew I had to cut that back!
Artificial sweeteners were not the answer for me, their taste was not working for me

MidlifeCrisisFitness

5% cream
Good quality beans don't need sweetener
Smaller portion

and tada you are there.

penguinmama87

I just make room for half and half in my calorie budget, and gradually reduced sugar. But I refuse to drink it black. I had a dentist who recommended against drinking it black because black coffee is harder on your teeth, especially if you drink a lot of it. So there's something else to consider, too!