I screwed up - but I learned a valuable lesson

tlwshaw
tlwshaw Posts: 32 Member
edited December 2 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Now that summer is here, I don't drink much coffee. So, over the past several days, I have been making iced coffee drinks in the morning to replace my normal coffee. Problem is, I drink regular coffee black, but the iced drinks have sugar and milk (I like the real stuff, not low cal or artificial). That might not sound bad, but in looking back, I have been adding them to my regular calorie intake, not taking anything out to keep my calories down. Now, I have gone over my weight range. Not much and not extended period of time to make it real weight gain, but enough to make me stop and think. So, now I will replace my coffee with water, and only have an occasional iced coffee, but make sure it fits into my allotted calories.

Live and learn. I am just glad I now have to tools to make corrections before things get out of hand.

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Great you learned that. It's the small things that make a difference.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I understand lessons learned well.

    However, is there anyway to work the iced coffee into your calorie goals?
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    I hardly ever drink soda anymore - used to be ALL I wanted on a hot day!
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 1,305 Member
    Live & learn. No biggie! The important thing is you realized your mistake & didn't ignore it.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    When I REALLY want it I'll do iced coffee with skim milk and sweet 'n low. I know artificial sweeteners aren't for everybody (and some say they shouldn't be for anybody...) but it hits the spot on a hot day.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
    I'm the same way. Black for hot coffee, milk/sweetener for iced. I started using torani sugar free syrups and almond/coconut milk for my iced coffee and I have a nice big glass for under 50 cal.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    I start every day with 32-ounces of iced coffee (half-caf). It's just black coffee with ice in it, and sometimes a little soy milk.

    Why not just make yours without the sugar or milk?
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    Have you tried your iced coffee black? I actually really enjoy my iced coffee black now, perfect for summer.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,184 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    I understand lessons learned well.

    However, is there anyway to work the iced coffee into your calorie goals?

    I agree. I drink my coffee with 2 tsp sugar and 2 tablespoons half and half. Each cup is 70 calories and I work in 2 cups everyday. For me it is worth giving up 140 calories somewhere else.
  • Fridaywed
    Fridaywed Posts: 10 Member
    A lot of my prior weight gain was from tea, So I understand completely. I now drink mine with one teaspoon of sugar and two tablespoons of milk if I feel like it and I limit it to two-three times a day so it only adds up to an extra hundred at most so I just pass on snacks now to make up.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Run a couple extra miles, or whatever your exercise of choice is, to fit in your iced coffees :smiley:
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    Run a couple extra miles, or whatever your exercise of choice is, to fit in your iced coffees :smiley:

    This.

    I can drink a Pepsi/Coke or wine with lunch on weekends because I have more time to do more running/walking.

    I do enough exercise every day to fit in a chocolate milk before bed, as well as some form of dessert.

    The rest of the time, I eat what I most feel like that day, and all within my calorie limit.

    Glad you (OP) made the realisation before things got too out of hand. Good job.
  • lizzy_satellite
    lizzy_satellite Posts: 112 Member
    Managing my iced coffee habit was one of the first things I tackled when I decided to take the weight off last year. I love sweet iced coffee (in contrast to my usual unsweetened black java), and I either work it in, or talk myself out of it. If I manage to get up early and run off a couple of hundred calories before work, I'll pick one up on the way in and have a smaller breakfast. So basically this means I'm down to one a week :)
  • jrwms714
    jrwms714 Posts: 421 Member
    It's funny how little things can make a difference. If I want something like iced coffee with sweetener and some form of milk, I just delete some other calories from my day or put in extra time at the gym. It really all depends on what you want ... we don't have to give up everything as long as we adjust for it. On the other hand, if it's a habit you want to break, that's another story and go for it!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I use sweetener, and not much milk, in mine. keeps calories down.
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    Weird. I drink my hot coffee with half & half or whole milk, but my iced coffee I take black with Splenda.
  • shrinkinsista1
    shrinkinsista1 Posts: 256 Member
    The one thing I appreciate about when I have a slip is that I usually learn something valuable to help me on this journey!
  • bigguyreed
    bigguyreed Posts: 64 Member
    How's that old saying, If I knew then what I know now I'd be in better shape. I've found that out first hand and playing catch up. But I think now that I can see my calories before they hit my lips. Thanks to MFP calories counter I can plan out what I'm going to eat. For a year I was eating things that I thought were good for me and weren't. I started back to gym a year ago after about 20yrs of sitting on my butt. As I said I started walking about 3yrs. ago and lose 35 to 40lbs. So I was ready to lose more by joining gym in Jan. 2015 but I didn't lose like I thought. From week to week I'd go from 280 then back up to 286. It went like this until Dec 2015 I started getting discouraged I'm stuck at this weight I guess. March 2016 Dr. tells me your sugar is going back up what are you doing different? I haven't been going to gym. Why he asks? I'm still around the same weight as last year. I'm discouraged I told him I feel like I'm not getting anywhere. You have a lot of muscle and your doing weights again. So muscle weighs more than fat don't worry about your BMI. Keep with your program just to keep your sugar down. So last week a friend told me about MFP and by tracking my foods I'm hope that can stop me from yo yoing.
  • elaineamj
    elaineamj Posts: 347 Member
    It's something we know, but in day to day life, it is easy to rationalize away. Good for you for figuring it out! I'm currently on a maintenance break and doing fine on it - but I have been eating too many treats. Yes, I'm still in maintenance but I really could use those calories for nutritious food. I'm ok with some treats but aiming for 80-20. Right now it's more like 60-40 (nutritious food vs empty calories).
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    Do you like unsweetened iced tea? I find a big glass of that on ice in the morning during the summer is amazing. It really wakes me up!
  • x_Vicky_x_86
    x_Vicky_x_86 Posts: 37 Member
    tlwshaw wrote: »
    Now that summer is here, I don't drink much coffee. So, over the past several days, I have been making iced coffee drinks in the morning to replace my normal coffee. Problem is, I drink regular coffee black, but the iced drinks have sugar and milk (I like the real stuff, not low cal or artificial). That might not sound bad, but in looking back, I have been adding them to my regular calorie intake, not taking anything out to keep my calories down. Now, I have gone over my weight range. Not much and not extended period of time to make it real weight gain, but enough to make me stop and think. So, now I will replace my coffee with water, and only have an occasional iced coffee, but make sure it fits into my allotted calories.

    Live and learn. I am just glad I now have to tools to make corrections before things get out of hand.

  • x_Vicky_x_86
    x_Vicky_x_86 Posts: 37 Member
    I'm a coffee lover and have one every morning after my porridge & green tea, just how my routine is, but I make it with 10ml skimmed milk & sucrolosed based sweetener so it keeps the calories to a minimum, and as its summer I've been making iced coffees also but pretty much the same way, maybe a tad extra coffee as once ice is added it waters it down a little at times but my iced coffees are lovely and there are barely any extra calories to them as no calories in ice! X
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    Maybe find a recipe to make an iced coffee at home, and add less chocolate or just make it straight up black :D
  • rastyk
    rastyk Posts: 3 Member
    My workaround for this is cold-brew coffee. It's a longer brew time (20 hours in the fridge) but the result is less bitter, but cold coffee. I get a 1-quart Mason jar, add about a cup of coarse-ground coffee, and fill it up with water. Then i cap it and put it in the fridge overnight. Later, I wet paper towels and cover a wire strainer with them and pour it through this (give it a few minutes) to another pitcher. (Or use a coffee filter). I cut out the sugar and limit my creamer, but I can drink this stuff mixed with equal parts of ice and water. Or maybe you'd get by with less sugar.
  • indoorsy_
    indoorsy_ Posts: 180 Member
    have you tried cashew milk in your iced coffee? i use the unsweetened original, or the unsweetened vanilla, add 1/2 cup to a packet of starbucks via and half cup of boiling water. add ice cubes and give it a few mins to melt. there is a subtle sweetness to both those cashew milks and they are very creamy for a NDB. only 12.5 calories for 0.5 cup.

    if i have low calorie or non caloric sweeteners i am hungry for the next 4-6 hours and want to eat.all.the.things. it took a while but i was able to train myself to drink coffee with no added sweet taste, real or fake.

    also pick a lighter roast coffee so the flavour is less acidic and you will find less sweetener is needed. i've also heard real ice coffee pros will make ice cubes from coffee so as not to dilute the drink!
  • chimearas
    chimearas Posts: 9 Member
    For those wanting to shift to black iced coffee that can't quite seem to get there:

    1. Use a blond coffee...they tend to be less bitter
    2. use a french press instead of a pot so you can control temperature of the brew prior to adding ice. Reduce the water temperature at which you brew the coffee to reduce the bitterness. (reduce to below boiling point)
    3. reduce the grind time (create/use a larger grind) to lessens the extraction to prevent bitterness
    4. Don't let the coffee sit...brew and immediately put over ice...fresh coffee is better
    5. do not over-steep your coffee in the french press
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