Starbucks

I never order any drink larger than a tall (12oz), and you can get a short as well (8oz), even though it is not on the menu any more. always hold the whip... and always order non-fat. The taste is still there and it opens up more choices under the 200 cal mark..

I realized how many calories and how much money my wife and I were spending at Starbucks and the other coffee places and stopped buying them. For our birthdays last year (which are 10 days apart) we bought an expresso machine at Starbucks. Now, we make them at home. Figured it out, within a year, we more than paid for the machine.

Now, I drink a skinny latte using two shots, 1/2 cup skim milk, and a shot of sugar free coconut & almond syrup.

I too love Starbucks! I always get an iced coffee w/ sugar free hazel nut and add non fat milk with a splash of half & half. It's about 110 calories and tastes super yummy!

Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte... it's like 240 calories and soooooo delicious.

I used to get a grande House blend, but then they stopped carrying anything but Pike Place and flavor of the day. So I buy house blend whole beans (and breakfast blend, yum) and make it for myself everyday at home. When I go to the store with colleagues or forget my coffee thermos at home I'll get a triple espresso. No sugar or cream for me.

i switched to and Iced Venti Green Tea with 3-4 splenda's and no water.

It is strong, tastes good, and is better for you! i love tea. It helps to suppress my appetite, costs 1/2 the cost of a grande latte, and once you get off of the coffee, you don't really miss it. I can't drink coffee any more. I too used to work at Sbux, and i developed some sort of intolerance to coffee. Lets just say it is like taking 3 laxatives on top of drinking a coffee for me. It is the worst stomach ache, and it lasts almost all day! Worst ever, so now i only drink 3-4 ounces of coffee at a time if I am having something really sweet, and then, i dont do that very often, so less coffee for me.

Switch to the Green Tea. Sometimes I also ask for 1/2 black, 1/2 green tea.
Finally, when i really want something coffee related, that is a treat I have a tall frappucino , and I tell the barista "make it as skinny and sugar free as you can!"

P.S. If you can't give up the coffee, give up the size. Do you know that there is 2 shots in the Venti, and 2 Shots of coffee in a Grande? It is the same amount of caffeine, (same amount of coffee) but you pay almost $1.00 more for it, and all you get are extra calories.

Another thing to try, is to use your coffee as a reward for yourself. "If I work out 3 day s in a row, or 5 days in a row i can have a Starbucks"

Just some thoughts

I love the starbucks double shots...no, not the ones in the can...if you go in and order it, it's two shots of espresso, shaken with ice and whatever sweetener you order and then a drizzle of milk (whatever you choose) so you get an iced creamy sweetened beverage....i ask for a tall double shot with one splenda and non fat milk. If you really like it sweet ask for two splendas. You can also ask for sugar free vanilla or hazelnut for a little bit extra. Otherwise I just ask for turkish ground dark roast coffee (sumatra, gold coast or anniversary or christmas blend if they have it) and use a pour over open face mellita. Add non fat evaporated milk and splena at home. A pound usually lasts us 4-7 days. but is less than 1 trip to starbucks so it totally saves you money

I like the tall nonfat caramel macchiato; it's only 140 calories. You can also try a sugar free one, which is only 90 calories.

I started drinking my coffee black to cut calories.. takes some getting used to if you're used to the milky or sweet varieties, but definitely an easy way to cut calories. Only two calories a cup in a black coffee!

I haven't been since I started my diet 18 months ago but I used to order those Grande double choc chip frappucinos, which I don't even dare check how many calories are in there :laugh:

What a good thread! I don't drink Starbucks because I am used to Caribou Coffee (yay Northern Light Coolers!) but now I moved somewhere where there is only Starbucks... *is shocked* and I actually haven't had any because I don't know what to order!! That is probably a good thing... hehe but I like the idea suggested in this thread for "if I work out 5 days this week, I can have a Starbucks"

Using it as a treat for motivation is a good idea! I absolutely cannot hold back on whip though If I am going to have a blended coffee drink that costs me almost US$5, it better have whip on it!!

I worked at starbucks for a while and am here to tell you, be careful!! The lowest calorie options at Starbucks that I get are black coffee and tea (I get iced passion no water, no sweetner so it is extra tart). When you are getting a milkier drink take advantage of their choices -- non fat milk, sugar free sweetners, light frapp mix. You will save hundreds of calories by saying those words. They will do anything you want. One of the things I used to do was steam plain apple juice, or ice blend a diet fruity bottled soda.

And whatever you do -- look at the nurtition facts before you buy food there. Some of their things are small, but more than 1000 calories.

either a skinny vanilla latte or skinny cinnamon dolce latte. both are about 100 calories.