What to do about coffee...

xJocelynx87 · Post by **xJocelynx87** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:11 pm

I'm in college, so it goes without saying that I've developed a strong liking for coffee, especially Starbucks. I love a latte, iced or hot (Just espresso and milk, none of the syrapy sugary junk...except for once in awhile, like on an S-day!). Normally I force myself to make coffee at home in order to have it WITH a meal (breakfast). But I've been noticing that because I'm eating other things, I barely touch my coffee. I really do love it, but it does take up room in the stomach, so I always find myself leaving half, sometimes more, of my mug of coffee. Would it be wise, in all of your opinions, to allow myself to have my ONE coffee any time of day that I choose, as long as it's only one? That way, I still get to enjoy it, but don't let it sabotage my results. What's the consensus?

Thanks!
Jocelyn

flipturn · Post by **flipturn** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:20 pm

Hi, Jocelyn -- I think that you are more concerned about the milk than the coffee, so I will address that. I have my milk with a heaping amount of steamed milk and consider it a part of my breakfast. I generally only drink coffee with milk in the morning. As you probably know, Reinhard says to drink a glass of whole milk if you are extremely hungry and can't wait until the next meal. Therefore, are you drinking coffee for the caffeine or because you are starving? The general rule might be to make the coffee at home during the week and treat yourself to a Starbucks version on an S day.

blueskighs · Post by **blueskighs** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:20 pm

Jocelyn,

I suspect you will get many replies

I would say, what do you think will work best for you in building your No S habits? if having one during the day is the best answer for you, go ahead. if you think it will "throw you off" keep it with breakfast and just make a smaller cup?

as long as you're keeping the syrupy/sweet drinks for S days, I don't think its a big deal unless somehow it is a big deal for you,

since i don't drink coffee and my chai tea lattes have as much sugar as a can of coke

I keep them for S days,

Blueskighs

xJocelynx87 · Post by **xJocelynx87** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:24 pm

Thanks you two.

I guess I am hesitant to allow myself the coffee at any time of day because it may feel too much like a snack and tempt me to keep eating. Unless someone else's answer really convinces me otherwise, I think I'll keep my coffee with breakfast.

gingercake · Post by **gingercake** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:16 pm

I keep my coffee with breakfast most of the time, but will sometimes get an au lait in the afternoon. (no syrups or anything) Most of the time if I need a caffeine boost at non-morning times of the day, I go with green or black tea with nothing added. Does the trick for me! But I do think that if it's just coffee and milk, you don't have too much to worry about. If you really want it, have it, as long as it doesn't turn into one of those "gosh a chocolate chip cookie would be really good with this..." things that makes your good habits a struggle.

Dawn · Post by **Dawn** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:59 pm

I drink one cup a day and it's around 100 cal with the sweetened cream I put in it. I drink mine just after I get the kids out the door and I can sit at my desk and begin work. I don't think there is anything on the planet that I enjoy as much for only 100 calories. Then I have breakfast when I get hungry. I do keep my breakfast to around 250 calories since I did have the other 100 already. The coffee really helps with my AM sweet tooth. I used to have something sweet with the coffee but now I am happy to just have the coffee. This is easy and it works for me and causes no problems. That's how I know it's OK for me.

Mavilu · Post by **Mavilu** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:50 pm

xJocelynx87 wrote:Thanks you two.

I guess I am hesitant to allow myself the coffee at any time of day because it may feel too much like a snack and tempt me to keep eating. Unless someone else's answer really convinces me otherwise, I think I'll keep my coffee with breakfast.

If it feels like a snack to you and it makes you think that, as long as you have already broken that S rule for the day, what the hey, let's keep on breaking it, then I would reserve coffee without meals as an S food, yes.

Mistress Manners · Post by **Mistress Manners** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:38 am

I buy an iced coffee (I add my own milk) on the way to work, and sip it all morning till lunch. (Actually, about half the time I drink an iced green tea instead). It helps me push lunch a bit later and keep from snacking.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:46 am

I think coffee with nothing more than milk and a reasonable amount of sugar is okay FOR ME... but I can see it being a borderline/trigger thing.

They don't tempt me much, though, b/c I make cafe au lait at home in the morning, and just hate paying $3 or so for a latte that's not that much different....

And I don't buy the fancy frappa-mocha-chino-iced-whatevers, even on S days. I don't WANT to like something that caloric and lacking in nutrients... and I just might! So, I treat them like drugs and "just say no."

ThomsonsPier · Post by **ThomsonsPier** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:45 am

I drink coffee whenever I feel like it and it hasn't been a problem, but then I drink it black. Tea, however, I do drink with milk; about five cups a day. That hasn't been a problem either.

I try to avoid it with meals, since it usually overpowers, or goes very badly with, the flavour of what I'm eating. Since you said you end up leaving half of it anyway, I can't see any reason for concern.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:29 am

I drink coffee -- either black or with milk -- all day long. The coffee with milk is consumed when I'm tempted to snack on something else. It certainly doesn't increase my urge to snack.

sbay301 · Post by **sbay301** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:42 pm

I drink black coffee on N-days and save coffee with milk and artificial sweeteners for S-days. Sweetened and creamed coffee is not a trigger for me but it's something I want to be as a treat.

Everyone does what works for them. Good luck on making a decision and remember to trust your instincts.

mime · Post by **mime** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:44 pm

Hi Jocelyn,
Everyone is different, but I am a coffee lover. I have 2-3 skim milk latte's a day that I make at home with an inexpensive express/cappuccino machine ($59 Krupp machine). I am able to control the amount of milk I add, and have made a point to reduce the amount. I top my coffee with cinnamon and it a dessert for me! I have only stopped coffee when pregnant and nursing, and happily resumed when able. I have read the pros/cons of coffee drinking, and lately there is just a lot of pro stuff -- anti-oxidants and decreased heart disease in women! Right now my choice is to continue indulging.

Post by **reinhard** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:24 pm

If there's no (or little) sugar in your latte you can drink it between meals.

I stick with black coffee, usually, but I also drink whole milk. So essentially I do drink lattes, just separated out into component parts.

Still, if it feels like a snack, and leads to more snacks, then declare it one. Calls like this are very individual -- and very important. Just be careful not to jump the gun -- the temptation to over regulate is perhaps the single greatest danger in diet.

Best of luck, whatever you wind up doing,

Reinhard

anovelgirl · Post by **anovelgirl** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:48 pm

Just to chime in here with my 2 cents....

I live in the north, where even in the mornings in the summer, it's very cool. Coffee isn't just a "drink", it's a warm blanket!

But I've run into the same problem you described, Jocelyn - I started having a breakfast meal with my coffee (I normally had coffee and then several hours later, ate lunch), and now, I can't seem to finish it alongside my oatmeal or granola or whatever.

I made the decision for myself to have my coffee after my meal, and before lunch. I sip it slowly, I drink less than I did (a smaller mug), and I sweeten it MUCH lighter than I used to. I don't *need* the heavy creamers that I used to use to keep my hunger down until lunch. I don't think of it as a "treat", just an extension of my morning, if that makes any sense. It' a staple to me.

So...it's very much a personal decision (as Richard pointed out), but I'm one example of one way to do it. So far, my decision has worked out perfectly for me; not causing me problems.

Now, Starbucks, is a totally different story. I can't have a 'bucks unless it's an S day. To me, that's a treat.

xJocelynx87 · Post by **xJocelynx87** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:11 pm

I think I'm having a change of heart actually. After not enjoying my coffee AGAIN this morning, I've decided to allow myself one plain latte with whole milk and a teaspoon of sugar per day, either from Starbucks or other coffee chain, or made at home. This way, if I'm rushed in the morning (college), I can choose to grab a latte in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon when I have some time. I'm going to add a one coffee per day limit to my HabitCal, and monitor it for a month or two. If I feel it's a problem, I'll consider cutting back. Thanks so much for the suggestions, everyone!
1.5 days until an S-day! Keep on truckin'!

Best,
Jocelyn

3aday · Post by **3aday** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:40 pm

I love coffee with half and half!
Some days I have one cup...some days I have three....
But, I stopped drinking lattes during the week and just stick to regular coffee and half and half or hot tea.
I'm originally from up North and where I lived everyone drank coffee, light and sweet with a Portuguese buttered roll!
Yuuummmmm!
It's my favorite up North breakfast!
I would take a roll from Jersey over pancakes any day!