So the other day I had this wicked "aha!" moment. I have been working out at the gym (Fitness for $10) and working my way into losing my first goal of 10 pounds. So far I have been faithful until today. I have an excuse for today, but that is not what the post is about. If you stick around, I'll share that part last. Where was I? Oh yeah...goals and whatnot. Besides working out to lose weight, I have also been trying to cut down on the snacking, drink more water and the like, but the one thing I have not done yet is give up coffee.
For the most part I just don't want to. I love coffee. It has been my love since I was 18 and working my first morning shift where there happened to be a kiosk with THE tastiest coffee ever. Ahhhhhh memories. It was the stuff really. Anyway, I figured that I really didn't need to give up coffee IF I worked off the calories. So at the gym I would put in extra time to get off some of the java. I had kind of round about guessed on how much I needed to work off until the other day when I went to MyFoodBuddy.com and their coffee calorie counter and looked up how many calories are in my usual coffee.
I drink two 16 oz coffees with cream and sugar (2 +2). This adds up to 190 calories a day. This is just a small piece of the puzzle though. At 2 coffees a day, at 190 calories total, that is a potential of over 69000 calories in a year and potentially a 20 lb weight gain over a year! That makes me rethink everything. The fact is there really comes a time where you need to look at your calorie numbers and ask yourself "Is it really worth it?" Unless you want to maintain where you are, and I certainly do not want to do that, you are most likely going to have to cut some calories out and not just workout your way to even. I'll be honest, I am not ready to drop the coffee altogether, because again, I love the stuff, and I also don't want a killer caffeine withdrawal headache (I've been there before...it is not a friendly place to be), but I do need to do something.
So here is my dilemma. Do I cut down to one cup of coffee with cream and sugar a day giving myself 95 calories to work off? Or do I drop the cream and sugar and keep my two cups of java? Still thinking on this one. I'm thinking flavored coffee like Green Mountain's Wild Mountain Blueberry with cream. This way I am cutting out the sugar but it still tastes yummy. We'll see. I'm a bit of chicken when it comes to these kinds of changes. Which is probably why I'm in this dilemma.
Sigh. I love chai lattes too but I limit myself to no more than 2 per week and get the smallest size. So true but I do drink my green smoothies and surprisingly I'm not hungry afterwards.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from the blog hop. Great to meet you.
oh my! I do not even want to think of my calories then. Very recently, I cut down to 2 cups of coffee a day with triple, triple cream and sugar. And No, don't tell me how much is that calorie wise! :( Just like you, I was always a fan of coffee and used to drink at least 4 cups a day before having kids. When I got pregnant, I became highly diabetic and was forced to reduce taking anything that could jeopardize my sugar level. Taking this much of coffee was 'No No' according to Doc. But now I am managing to take 2 cups with triples. No, I won't think about the consequences... :( Thanks for sharing your dilemma. I think since you are a coffee lover (like me lol) you should stick with 1 cup with cream and sugar double (or make it single) and work out. Just a thought! Good Luck! :)
ReplyDeleteStopping over from the hop :) I'd definitely cut one coffee!...albeit slowly! I just wouldn't enjoy coffee as much without the cream ans sugar!
ReplyDeleteI am not an expert but I think cutting out cream and sugar is the best way to go. I pray you find what's right.
ReplyDeleteHave a super blessed day!
Love
I say neither. Find something else that you are able to do without. I could never cut out coffee! :)
ReplyDeleteKatie~
I do love my coffee!! But fortunately I love it just plain, but I also do love those lattes and I haven't looked up those calories yet:( Even if I do the skinny version I am sure they are more than I need.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can do one without and one with:) I believe in compromise:) Thanks so much for stopping over at Freedom Fridays and hope you can hop back over for
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ReplyDeleteHi Kelly! Thanks for visiting & commenting on my Diana Rambles blog. I am now following you. You certainly do have a dilemma! I'd say try the flavored coffees and cut the sugar if possible! I woe the day that I might have to give up coffee!
ReplyDeleteI have a similar relationship with soda. I'm trying to drink more water too and have been getting daily exercise in, but I really love pop and don't want to give it up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by today!
Hi Kelly and thanks for visiting my website the other day... but now on to you. First of all, congrats on working out and your weight loss! Kudos to you. Second, don't cut out the coffee, cut back on the sugar. Have you tried the different sweeteners out there? I'd look at the calorie count of sugar vs. agave, Splenda or some of the others. I know some of them taste like poo and ruin whatever they are put into, but perhaps if you started s.l.o.w.l.y. and did, like, 1 1/2 teaspoons of real sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of (or whatever the equivalent is) of the alternative sweetener and work to eliminate all sugar slowly. As for the cream, try the same thing... cut back on the cream and slowly substitute half and half, or soy milk and then milk and then 2%. You get the picture. You are doing all the right things... but it is all about portion control and what we put into our bodies. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly and thanks for visiting my website the other day... but now on to you. First of all, congrats on working out and your weight loss! Kudos to you. Second, don't cut out the coffee, cut back on the sugar. Have you tried the different sweeteners out there? I'd look at the calorie count of sugar vs. agave, Splenda or some of the others. I know some of them taste like poo and ruin whatever they are put into, but perhaps if you started s.l.o.w.l.y. and did, like, 1 1/2 teaspoons of real sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of (or whatever the equivalent is) of the alternative sweetener and work to eliminate all sugar slowly. As for the cream, try the same thing... cut back on the cream and slowly substitute half and half, or soy milk and then milk and then 2%. You get the picture. You are doing all the right things... but it is all about portion control and what we put into our bodies. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteI have tried Stevia and it is too off sweet for me. Like it is a weird sweet. I don't want to use anything with aspartame because I found out it is an excitotoxin and really bad for you. I do use half and half now and I have been using skim for the past couple of days. I can't do soy unfortunately because it is bad for my thyroid (it is goiterogenic). Thanks for your tips. I totally appreciate them. Thanks so much for visiting too!
DeleteI cut out the sugar...cause I gotta have my coffee!! I love the pure bitter taste of the coffee anyway.
ReplyDeletegood luck!!
I have tried to go down to one sugar and two creamers so far. Next week I'm hoping to quit the sugar entirely. A lot easier with the blueberry coffee. I am with you. I've gotta have my coffee! :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI love my coffee! I usually drink it black but if I am in the mood for something sweet, I will add sugar free flavored creamers and a packet of stevia and it tastes just as good. Thanks for following, I am following you too! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat is my goal for next week Theresa. I am going to just try it black. One of my coworkers does that. I can't imagine it yet, but I drink my tea black so why not coffee? :) Thanks for the follow and for visiting!
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