Anyone else struggling with coffee? Are you able to drink it black with no sugar?
I know coffee itself is fine, but most people put milk and sugar in it. A lot of people drink more than a cup or two of coffee a day. The calories, fat, etc can all add up very quickly if you drink a couple of coffees a day, or one big coffee, with milk/cream and sugar. I tried drinking coffee with skim milk and no sugar/with splenda... it just tastes like crap. The skinniest coffee I can drink is with 2% milk and 3/4 a tbsp of sugar or so. I prefer it with whole milk and a little more sugar. I like to drink a couple of coffees a day. It's so hard for me. By far definitely the hardest thing to change about my diet. I'd rather skip a meal than not have my coffee the way I like it.
I have a problem with coffee but it's totally not the same as yours. I used to drink it a lot and now whenever I have one, I feel sick! I guess it's solved my problem, as I drink a lot more herbal tea now.
Maybe you could try cutting down on coffee and switch one out for a herbal tea? There are some great flavours, especially I'm sure for you where you live - we're limited in New Zealand so I'm sure you could find some winners!
I guess the other thing to do, and I'm going to guess it's not really a favourable option, but it's sort of sensible, is to count the coffees as part of your day - like you might have a coffee instead of a snack. Personally, I prefer to eat my calories but if you're a coffee-fiend then it might work for you to switch out a snack with a coffee!!
Sorry if I overstepped any mark, I don't know if that came off helpful or not Good luck though!
I just started drinking coffee a few weeks ago and I usually have a few cups a week, maybe a cup every other day. I drink my coffee black, no sugar or cream, and it tastes fine that way to me. I think it depends on the type of coffee you're drinking too. Something stronger is obviously going to have more bite and therefore some people may need to tone it down with sugars and creams. Try a light coffee and see if you can drink that without the extras.
Hey, I trained myself to drink coffee without sweetener, although I do drink it with skim milk. After two weeks of drinking it that way I became accustomed to it (or should I say, more resigned ) and now enjoy it that way. Maybe try cutting down gradually like some people have suggested?
Or another option if you don't mind drinking some of your calories...As I don't drink coffee at home, and would only have espresso coffee when I go out I count this as a snack. I guess that might be problematic though if you're having multiple cups and maybe cutting into your calorie allowance too much?
A few months ago I decided to cut the milk out of my coffee. Now I drink it black with two packets of Stevia. The first few days weren't enjoyable, but now I prefer it that way. I usually only drink one cup a day, sometimes two.
Maybe try some vanilla protein drink in it. I never used sugar before but love light cream in mine. Or half/half will do but the fat free is not good for you. I started putting some protein drink in mine, a little sweet for my tastes at first but if you like it sweeter, that would be perfect.
I use FF 1/2 and 1/2 and splenda, but at the same time - I prefer it that way.
Honestly, if you'd rather give up a meal than your coffee than don't cut it out. You need to find something sustainable for your entire life. If this is something that is that important to you I'd keep it in my diet and then figure out a different place you could cut back on and not notice as much.
Example: I'd rather have real butter than margarine - so I'll have one roll with real butter instead of two with margarine.
I had a little addiction to the Starbucks 16oz Doubleshot Mocha Coffee. I had to have a minimum of one every single day. At 200 calories and 26grams of sugar a pop, I had to quit cold turkey...the first few days of going without, no one wanted to be around me! haha. But I am coffee free now, have been for two weeks and counting!
If I need a pick me up, I add a Crystal Light Energy single to my water. Works great.
I kind of have the same issue as you. I used to drink coffee often. I'm in law school and the extra caffeine is often needed. I like mine with skim milk, but with a good amount of real sugar. Basically I've quit drinking it, but recently I have found that I'm okay with drinking it with truvia and a couple tablespoons of almond milk. The problem is that the coffee shops around here don't have truvia as an option-- just the standard sugar, equal, and splenda. The convenience factor is big for me, but I recommend trying it this way.
Also, I saw someone mention tea above. Another option it Mate. It has a lot of caffeine and a lot of people use it as a substitute for coffee. I treat myself to buying some at Teavana occasionally and they have great flavors and I can drink them completely unsweetened.
In my opinion the sugar in coffee is way easier to cut out than the cream/milk. Try tapering down on the sugar first until you are just drinking your coffee with cream or milk. That will cut down on some calories and then you can decide what to do (either switch out one of your coffees with tea or delete one altogether from your day).
I recommend coffee with stevia which walmart sells travel size plus a bit of unsweetened almond milk plus a little bit of real cream. Love this and in small amounts all goes well
A cup of coffee for me calls for a splash of skim and 2 Splendas. Every now and then I'll get a skinny cinnamon dulce from Starbucks, but I mostly stick to my regular coffee. Starbucks' Thanksgiving blend is super good; I just had it yesterday for the first time and it was divine!
I actually only started drinking coffee in the past year or so. I drink it with 1 TBSP of undiluted evaporated whole milk (which is even worse than whole milk) and Splenda which comes out at about 32 calories a mug. It's worth it to me and I budget it into my calories. I usually never drink more than 1-2 cups of coffee a day (if that, not much of a caffeine head) and if I'm going to have more than that, then I might cut out the milk after the 2nd cup. You can also try coffee mate as a substitute creamer or half-and-half. I find that it doesn't actually take that much (evaporated milk, whole milk, half and half or coffee mate) to cream up a coffee- 2-3 teaspoons usually do it for me.
If you only drink about 2 cups of coffee a day, then maybe you should just budget them into your daily calories and have them the way you like them. If you measure how much (whole) milk/creamer you actually use in them and cut it down to the minimum you actually need, you might not even have to cut out any meals.
Last edited by toastedsmoke; 11-06-2012 at 08:05 AM.
Anyone else struggling with coffee? Are you able to drink it black with no sugar?
Good luck though!
) and now enjoy it that way. Maybe try cutting down gradually like some people have suggested?
