Diet Pit Fall.... Coffee!

I think coffee is a big issue in my diet.... mainly how I have it... real sweet, lots of cream...I drink alot during the day. I've tried just black coffee, Ive tried tea... But I lose that battle every time. Anyone else have or had a coffee addiction!?

Replies

  • jellybeanmusic
    jellybeanmusic Posts: 161 Member
    I used to drink lattes with hazelnut syrup. I've swapped to americano with a wee bit semi skimmed and sweetners instead. It's not as nice, but saves me about 200 cals a cup, so defo better. And once you're used to something different, it's fine!
  • Coffee is definitely one of the things I am missing! I've had to swap to water to free up the calories for food! Can't drink coffee unless its full of frothy milk and 2 sugars so I guess I'll have to ditch them for a while :)
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    If you want coffee, no sugar and very little milk. Try using a few grains less every time and slowly wean yourself off. Coffee makes you agitated and actually hinders your concentration and can make you crave food. You are better having tea - less caffiene and lots of antioxidants.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I have at least 2 coffees with cream and sugar daily. Sometimes 3. It's the thing I don't want to give up... that, and wine haha. Maybe one day, but I just work it in. Some people won't give up chocolate, or beer, or bacon. But try and get it to a moderate amount. 1-3 cups a day maybe?
  • sgtrowley
    sgtrowley Posts: 246 Member
    Yeah..I think the biggest thing i need to work on first is at least cutting down on the suger an cream!
  • ktied
    ktied Posts: 137 Member
    I need my coffee as well! I know its not the best option, but i use equal as a sweetner, its the best tasting ive found, and i switched from creamer to milk. Less calories and a bit more nutritional value. One cup ends up being about 30-40 cals. Not bad for my needed coffee fix =)
  • amberforlife
    amberforlife Posts: 10 Member
    Yeah..I think the biggest thing i need to work on first is at least cutting down on the suger an cream!

    I have two cups a day I pull out my tablespoon so I can add my caloires to mfp and I dont use sugar i switch for splenda I know not a great switch but better to me than nothing at all.

    I stopped soda when I got here 10 months ago and i missed the caffiene so i pick up coffee. I am not going to say it any better but I have still managed to take off some weight while drinking coffee
  • FromHereOnOut
    FromHereOnOut Posts: 3,237 Member
    Coffee is what helped me get overweight (Starbucks)! But in my last pregnancy, I got control of my habit. (I still drink it, but can switch between black or creamy at will.)

    I would advise you to cut out the sugar cold turkey and keep the cream, as much as you need, to get use to it without sugar. Eventually you will prefer it that way and gag at the thought of sugar in your coffee. Then start making the coffee weaker and weaker and less cream until none. Strong coffee has "bite" and dairy takes out the "bite", so you have to make it weaker at first and you might drink more cups to get the same caffeine, but you'll be training your tastebuds to take it weaker and with less milk. Until you find a balance of strength of caffeine that you can handle without milk. Also look into milder roasts. Here in Greece, we use instant coffee (Nescafe), and it is dark and strong unlike Nescafe in the US for example, but they have "Nescafe Gold" that is light and mild and I can easily drink it black.

    One more thing about coffee/caffeine...it can be a much bigger issue in your diet than just the calories in the milk and sugar. Caffeine artificially suppresses your appetite...but when it runs out....instant donut zombie: BAM! STARVING! MUST EAT A DOZEN DONUTS! So if you sometimes find yourself starving and binging, take a look at your caffeine intake, because it might be at fault.

    Anyway, good luck!!!
  • sgtrowley
    sgtrowley Posts: 246 Member
    Thanks everyone, and "fromhereonout" Gonna try this fightwith coffee again starting tomorrow!
  • MaggieSporleder
    MaggieSporleder Posts: 428 Member
    I do just a teaspoon of sugar. You don't need all that other stuff, or you don't really like coffee.
  • njmp
    njmp Posts: 277 Member
    I used to drink a double cream (18%) double sugar coffee. Now I do just fine with 1TBSP 10% (or even 5%!) cream, and 1 tsp sugar. I weaned off the 2nd sugar first, then the 2nd cream. Do it half a tsp at a time if you have to. But I have two every day and it works no problem with that amount.
    ****I found switching to making my own at home instead of always ordering them helped ALOT bc of the difference in cream% and what "size" their cream and sugars are.
    Good luck! No coffee lover should have to go without in my opinion!
  • I really love coffee in the mornings and was having so much sugar in my coffee before I started eating healthier.
    because I was having so many a day it was taking up a lot of my calories so I've switched to using truvia instead of sugar and have three teaspoons of coffee mate light (because I hate milk!) and my coffee is about 30-40 cals now.
  • Bobtheangrytomato
    Bobtheangrytomato Posts: 251 Member
    I use 2-3 tbsp of the 10 cal/tbsp creamer (whole foods or coffee-mate original) plus stevia. So 20-30 calories per cup. Or I drink a cafe au lait for a treat, I think 12 ounces is about 60 calories with skim or soy milk. I think the most important thing is to measure what you put in accurately. Caffeine makes me less hungry, so I consider the calories I drink with coffee worth it.
  • IsleEsme
    IsleEsme Posts: 175 Member
    I REFUSE to give up some things. One of them is coffee. That first sip every morning....ahhhhh :) However, like a previous poster said I slowly switch from full cal/fat creamer + sugar to ff/low cal creamer + little sugar. I've never done the flavored stuff but I was using 3 heaping tablespoons of the full calorie powdered coffee mate + 2 heaping tablespoons of sugar. I started by mixing the coffee mate with a store brand of the fat free/low cal coffee creamer. I couldn't really tell the difference. I eventually used less and less of the full calorie creamer to the point that I was only using the store brand low fat/low cal/low sugar creamer. While doing this I also started lessening my sugar usage. I'm now down to 1 tablespoon of the better creamer and 1/2 tablespoonof sugar. I love my coffee just as much as I always did, it just took a while to make it healthier.

    Ps, it took a while to get to this point. I only drink coffee in the morning. It's been a while since I switched over but I want to say it took me about 2 months to get to the point it's at now. If you're going to mess with something like that first ahhhhhh......sip of coffee it better be in Baby steps! ;)
  • jchester71
    jchester71 Posts: 124 Member
    Try drinking good quality coffee black (and note Starbucks is not good coffee - not even close). Find somewhere near you that roasts their own beans and try different varietals black. You'll probably find something you'll like. There are a lot of subtle flavors in coffee depending on the variety and region of origin that get crushed by commercial roasting. I truly enjoy drinking fresh roasted & ground coffee black, but I have to put 1/2 & 1/2 in starbucks like coffee to enjoy it, so I make the effort.
  • syrklc
    syrklc Posts: 172 Member
    Have you tried the coconut milk creamer?? I am a big coffee drinker and this works for me :)

    Nutrition Facts

    Serving Size 1 Tbsp (15mL)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 20
    Calories from Fat 0
    % Daily Value*
    Total Fat 0g 0%
    Saturated Fat 0g 0%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Cholesterol 0mg 0%
    Sodium 0mg 0%
    Potassium 0mg 0%
    Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
    Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
    Sugar 4g
    Protein 0g
    • Vitamin A 0%• Vitamin C0%• Calcium0%• Iron0%
  • Onaughmae
    Onaughmae Posts: 873 Member
    I drink it all day long!

    I use Truvia for sweetner and a tablesppon of sugar free vanilla creamer. One thing that helps is that I use sugar free coffee syrups. My favorite is salted caramel (yummm) adds a wonderfully sweet flavor for no added calories!
  • Artificial no calorie sweeteners allow me to drink my five cups of coffee a day.

    I bloody love aspartame.
  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
    I do just a teaspoon of sugar. You don't need all that other stuff, or you don't really like coffee.


    I had to chuckle at this! Brings back memories of my grandfather, who brewed a cup of coffee so strong that I swear a spoon would stand straight up in it. He insisted that coffee be strictly that ... coffee. I drink mine black to this day and miss his sludge terribly.
  • SaShmy1022
    SaShmy1022 Posts: 38 Member
    I don't often drink coffee anymore, but when I have a craving for it, I brew my own. I use organic coffee grounds, a tsp of coconut palm sugar and either coconut coffee cream OR 2 tbs of organic half n half.
  • kpierce7188
    kpierce7188 Posts: 41 Member
    <<<<<<Toal Coffee addict!! I have a hard time drinking it plain, I'm in the same boat I load mine up with creamer and when I get to school I detour to the Starbucks....
  • pattycake118
    pattycake118 Posts: 44 Member
    I would drink coffee all day if it wasn't horrible for my bones. I love my coffee black, and it has to be good quality coffee if you're making the switch from the candy coffee to real coffee. I personally love Guatemalan coffee, but if there is a different region or roast that you love, buy that and start brewing it. Spend some time in the grocery store sniffing the bags and see which ones smell delicious to you.
  • Virginia90
    Virginia90 Posts: 317 Member
    Try making coffee with a french press. Seriously. It'll taste so much better, and you won't have to doctor it up as much. Coffee isn't supposed to be bitter and nasty, and when it's made properly, it's wonderful. I drink mine black with just 2 tsp raw sugar in it. Even my mom is able to drink coffee black with just a little sugar when made in a french press, and she used to pour tons of vanilla creamer in it.
  • coffee_rocks
    coffee_rocks Posts: 275 Member
    I used to drink a large double-double, but cut it to a large regular. Still 110 calories, but if I make it with half and half instead of cream, a large is just 70 calories, even with real sugar. I just make sure I can fit 140 calories of this into my day so I can enjoy two coffees every morning!

    Love the french press idea, too. It really does make a great cup of coffee.
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    YEP - love my coffee - I was reasonably lucky - never had sugar in it before - so I just had to learn to cut the milk....

    I still have one "flat white" - coffee with milk, but then have another one or two "long blacks" - straight black coffee (what you in the US call an americano)...
    It took me around 2 years to really get my head around actually appreciating the coffee without milk - but I got there in the end....

    Still better than giving it up altogether ;-)
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I'm not human without coffee. I drink 5/6+ cups a day. I use equal & fat free creamer-22 calories a cup. Drink on!
  • djdube525
    djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
    I used to add a fair amount of Half and half, and then 4-5 equals per medium Americano. Come the new year, I switched to just black coffee - cold turkey.

    One thing I've noticed... When I heavily doctored my coffee, I would go through several... Now that I'm taking it just black, I tend to sip more, and it lasts a hell of a lot longer.

    Quit diet sodas at the same time... Cravings have been bad some days... But aspartame free for over 2 weeks now... I'll be much happier if I can get through the month.