Starbucks Addict!!

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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HistoryTeacher
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:18 am

Starbucks Addict!!

Post by HistoryTeacher » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:44 am

I started no-s-ing almost 2 weeks ago, I've done very well (with 1 day where I slipped up in the first week), I've had no problem not having seconds, I've started listening to my stomach when it's full. I've banned my scale for the first three weeks, knowing that I will look at the scale, not see instantanious results and chalk this up to another failed diet and go back to eating what made me turn to no-s in the first place. I haven't had a whole lot of problems with the snacking or seconds part of the no-s, the sugar is only a problem in one situation STARBUCKS!!!!

I'd love to say that I could just kick my habit but I have to commute 60 miles each direction through downtown traffic to get to the school where I teach, meaning that I have to wake up around 4:30am to get to school by 7am, this wouldn't be bad if I wasn't also the girls tennis coach, meaning that I leave school until about 6:30pm at the earliest. Barring any major weather or traffic issues, I generally arrive home around 7:30, make dinner, grade some papers and maybe get to watch the news to check and see if a blizzard is coming (April in Colorado, yesterday it was almost 80, today I have 3" of snow outside my window). I usually get to bed somewhere around 9 or 10 (if everything goes well). I then get to wake up and do it all again the next day.

The problem is now that I have become addicted to Starbucks, I've tried making coffee at home but a full-on cup of coffee makes me sick to my stomach, soda does the same thing. I'm in search of a solution to my dilema, I have downgraded my drink from one with 50g of sugar to one with 25g. I'm hoping someone has a suggestion that can help me out.

blueskighs
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Location: California

Post by blueskighs » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:48 am

May favorite treat hands down is a chai tea latte from Starbucks. This is one of the things No S has allowed me to have guilt free and full of pleasure on S days.

I am not sure what you are drinking and whether or not it actually constitutes a snack or a sweet, the chai tea latte definitely does, but I HEAR YOU! My drinky things are my FAVE,

Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey

joasia
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Location: California

Post by joasia » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:51 am

teachers unite!!! I kicked the coffee habit 4 years ago, and have not missed it since.


joanna
The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they feed themselves. Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

wosnes
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Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA

Post by wosnes » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:55 am

I've been making my own cafe au laits. It's not the real thing, my milk isn't steamed. You could make this any size you want. Heat enough milk so that 2/3 of your cup/mug/travel mug is hot milk. Fill with double strength coffee. Add sugar to taste. For a 12-ounce mug, I use 1-2 teaspoons.

I use a Mellita single cup manual drip coffee maker and just make one cup of double strength coffee.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

HistoryTeacher
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:18 am

Post by HistoryTeacher » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:59 am

Until I became a teacher I hadn't had any type of caffeine product in more than a year. I know I'll be fine in the summer when I rediscover sleep, but until then I've tried skipping a day here or there and have nearly fallen asleep on the road.

I've dropped from a grande white chocolate mocha to a light white chocolate mocha frappachino. I can't wait to move back to the civilization of Denver and maybe have a normal schedule again!!!

tracey
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Location: Philadelphia, PA

Post by tracey » Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:20 am

Why not try one of their teas? They have hot and cold. Avoid the tea frapps as they are loaded with sugar too.

They have a hot chai which is tasty if you add some half & half for richness. It is different than their chai tea latte since it's an actual chai tea bag in water, not the heavily sugared mix chai.

If you can go without the SBUX for a week then I think you'll find that they are too sweet for you anyway.

Things that wouldn't normally hit my radar as sweet are tasting sweeter by the day.

lola628
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:04 pm
Location: New York, NY

I drink lotsa coffee too!

Post by lola628 » Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:08 am

I feel you. I used to drink up to six espresso shots (in all combinations per day). I usually drink Jack's Stir Brew or Mud coffee in nyc (or Joe, Art of Coffee or Cafe Grumpy) but sometimes I'd go to Starbucks for a quick cappuccino fix.

My answer to getting off caffeine was black tea. Tons of it. Strong black tea preferably Assam or anything the Brits export. Then I started having one cup of green tea per day mixed w/ rooibos tea.

I've actually written to Starbucks and complained about their food being too sweet. Even their bagels are chock full of sugar -- that multigrain bagel, it's so sweet. Why ?? It's ridiculous.

I wish you the best, perhaps have a strong venti black tea with one of their breakfast sandwiches (although I heard they are phasing those out now.)

lola628
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Location: New York, NY

Post by lola628 » Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:15 am

If you wanted to make your own coffee drinks at home I would recommend the Bialetti stove top espresso maker along with one of those milk frothing wands. Heat the milk in the microwave and whip it up with the frothing wand (it's truly amazing.). Be sure to buy the good organic shade grown stuff. I always recommend Jack's Stir Brew coffee (they have a website), then make your own cappuccino. I guarantee, it will taste so much better than Starbucks. (aka: Charbucks)

good luck! I wish I could be there to help you, trust me, my friends and I are coffee geeks, we've studied all alternatives. There is even a website called coffeegeek.com

drswife
Posts: 50
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Post by drswife » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:56 pm

Okay I can relate 100%. I've been doing this a couple of weeks too and starbucks is my only problem. I drink a venti mocha everyday and I have been for like 10 years. It is really engrained in me and quitting is not going to be easy. Substitions just dont work. It's a gratifying ritual for me.

So here's what I've been doing. I limit myself to one drink per meal and I just count my coffee as part of my breakfast meal eventhough I usually drink it a bit later. I also don't get whipped cream on it anymore except on s days. Instead of fighting against this habit I've decided to incorprate into the rest of the plan and see how it goes. Since sweets is so not an issue w/ me (it was snacking ALL day) I'm not worried that this will trigger sweet eating for me.

Now I plan to slowly cut down on the # of pumps of chocolate and possibly size if I still thinks it's getting in the way of weight loss, but at this point my caloric intake has dropped so significantly from just the no snacking rule that I'm not worried about continuing this habit. I have about 50 # to lose so I'm sure my caloric intake has reduced enough to start my weight loss. As I get closer to my goal I may have to rethink it but for now that's my plan. If I do want coffee w/ another meal though I make sure it's a latte and not completely sugary drink like the mocha.

Hope that helps...let us know how you decide to handle it. :)

flipturn
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Location: Cincinnati

Post by flipturn » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:08 pm

I'm sorry, I seldom go to Starbucks, but then again, I work part-time (No S is a fantastic procrastination-enabler for me!) and drink coffee at home. I will put on my thinking cap and try to come up with a solution for you. I did buy a milk-steamer several years ago and love it. You put it directly on the burner and after 5-10 minutes push and pull the top about 30 times (a shovelglove warm-up!) and the milk is frothy and makes wonderful cafe au lait. I bought it at Sur la Table for around $20.

lola628
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:04 pm
Location: New York, NY

Post by lola628 » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:44 pm

Those ideas (above) are all great ideas -- cutting back on the mocha pumps and getting the home frother....etc. I also agree about incorporating our coffee drinks with meals, I"m trying to do that with my caps....but sometimes I have one at 3pm. I agree with DrsWife too - just cutting out the snacks has made a big impact!

Yes, please keep us posted on what you decide to do!

kccc
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Post by kccc » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:10 pm

I make a simple cafe au lait at home - fill a BIG mug about 1/3 full of milk and microwave, pour in regular coffee to brim, add 1 tsp. sugar. It's part of my breakfast, and guilt-free.

Hope you find something that works. :)

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:28 pm

Nothing wrong with coffee -- unless you pour a ton of sugar in it (unlikely unless someone else is pouring for you, which I guess is the case with some of these "coffee-drinks"). Coffee has a ton of fiber and antioxidants. And to paraphrase from "sideways," it tastes so, ahem, good.

I drink mine black (and cheap -- either free at work, or bought in bulk and home brewed).

Reinhard

TingTing
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Location: New York City

Post by TingTing » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:35 pm

I can only drink Starbuck's coffee with 5 packets of sugar and alot of milk. Starbuck's coffee is too strong and very acidic and the only way I can drink it is with too, too much sugar! After awhile, I started getting sick from the strong caffeine and it felt really corrosive to my stomach. I had to quit Starbuck's. As much as I love the caffeine surge, it was killing my stomach.

I suspect the reason why you also put so much sugar into Starbuck's coffee is because the coffee is too strong to drink without the sugar. I think, if you can, try going to Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's for coffee. Their coffee doesn't seem to need as much sugar and it's less acidic.

Maybe you need to eat something along with your first drink of coffee in order for you not to get sick.

I've been trying to beat the coffee habit for awhile now and so far it's been kicking my butt. One day I'll succeed, but it's going to be a long time before I can! :)

HistoryTeacher
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:18 am

Post by HistoryTeacher » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:54 pm

I think I've decided what I'm going to try. I took today off so I feel no need for Starbucks or coffee really. I do know that tomorrow I will feel the need to stop by Starbucks to not fall asleep on my way to work (and maybe hold on to a little more patience with my high school students).
I'm going to start with just warming up some milk and mixing it with my coffee and some sugar-free chocolate. If my stomach can handle it, I'll look into getting an espresso machine.

My husband keeps telling me I need to keep a vice anyway, I don't smoke, drink or do any type of drug beyond advil, I actually enjoy running, and I've decided that other than green chile from my favorite mexican restaurant, I don't particularly care for meat so I've also gone vegetarian along with No-S-ing.

I'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow! Thank you all for the great advice and letting me know I'm not the only one addicted to Starbucks.

I've always felt like I was the only one who was constantly obsessing about food and what I could have, couldn't have, should eat, shouldn't eat, and asking myself if I was really hungry or just bored. I finally feel like I have something I can stick with!

tgp157
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Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:55 pm
Location: Alabama

Post by tgp157 » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:57 pm

I also have a problem staying awake while driving. I have a sleep disorder. My doctor says we're not suppose to get sleepy during the day if we're getting enough sleep at night. I always thought it was normal. I now take medication to help me stay awake while I drive (I commute as well). I can say it has saved my life. Talk about misery, trying to fight sleep on the road--yew. Can get scary, too.

Is it the caffeine you need or is it you need something to do? For me--I needed something to do to keep me awake.

You may need to talk to your doctor to see why you can't stay awake.
Pam
A Success Story in the Making
NoS-ing since 6/1/09

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