I like my coffee SWEET and I MUST have my coffee. I use around 4-5 tablespoons of sugar a morning. (I drink a whole pot). This is the one thing I have not been able to give up. I have my box of Spenda in the cupboard, but I have yet to open it.

So. Go ahead and let me have it. Tell me WHY I must give up my morning sugar. I know many of you know the science behind sugar and many of you have given it up.

Inspire me to have a sugar-free coffee tomorrow please!

5 tablespoons of sugar equals 232 calories. If it's worth the calories to you, plan for them, account for them, and eat the sugar.

If you can think of a better way to spend 232 calories than either cut out the coffee or learn to love artificial sweeteners

Only you can decide what is more important to you!

i'm not a coffee fiend, and the sugar thing i get, but going cold turkey on anything that you're that attached to? nope!

how about just using 3-4 tablespoons sugar tomorrow morning, and for the next few days? then, maybe in a week, go to 2-3 tablespoons. and so on. why make things intentionally hard on yourself?

I used to be a big coffee drinker, too. I like mine light and sweet, so I'd have it with cream and sugar. I've basically weaned myself off coffee completely, and when I do have the occasional cup I'll have it with skim milk and Splenda. There is a difference in taste, but I'd rather have it that way then having to account for those extra calories.

Give it a try- you just might like it.

When I started cutting out more and more sugar I found sweetened coffee was just overwhelming, especially in the morning. Now I just have it black.

Maybe this will happen for you, maybe not. If you must have sugar I'd recommend cutting back. However if you find it becomes a trigger (those that always have sweets with coffee) you might have to consider eliminating it.

It's all about what works for you. Good luck.

Another thought- maybe you can go half and half with the sugar and Splenda?

Hon, exactly WHY are you wanting to give up the sugar in your coffee???

I'm just wondering the reasoning, because I do WW where if we have something we really, really like we can plan it into our days. There are just some things I can't (read won't!) give up, so I choose to plan them in.

So I'm just wondering why, if you like it so much and can plan it in, and it is a controllable thing for you, why you are trying to give it up? Not judging, just trying to get to your reasoning, so I can give better advice!!!

Kira

I do like my sweet coffee.... Very gradually, over the course of a year or so, I lessened the amount of sugar I put in my coffee, as my taste buds adjusted. I found that for the second cup of coffee, because my taste buds had adjusted, I actually needed less sugar than for the first cup. Now, I have two cups of coffee a day, a teaspoon of sugar each, so 30 extra calories, not a big deal. I want _some_ sweetness in my coffee, so I'm not willing to cut further. I don't like fake foods, like artificial sugar -- I'd rather just have less of the real thing.

I support you in your efforts! You don't have to go cold turkey -- just lessen it, little by little.

My thoughts exactly. Very well put, Rebound

That's a lot of calories (or WW points if that's what you count) for a morning beverage. I totally understand that you enjoy it and are fighting giving it up. There are proponents of both the cold turkey and the gradual cutting down methods. For me, gradual works better. I don't like artificial sweetners, so I'd go for the less each day method, but something else may work better for you. Good luck, you can do it!

Thanks for all the advice, ladies. I think I will try 50/50 sugar/splenda in the mornings and see if I can't wean myself.

Kira, good question and I do see your point. There have been several things I refuse to give up (cheese, for example. I just use less rather than eat the fat free varieties). My concern w/the sugar in the coffee is I'm still having to FORCE myself to eat breakfast and I usually have to be awake for 2 hours just to choke down a cup of yogurt. Coffee, on the other hand, is brewing while I'm wiping the sleep from my eyes! I'm being careful to make sure there is some protein in all my snacks and meals (since I'm exercising more) and I'm worried that 200+ calories of pure carbs in the morning is a bad idea.

hhhhmmm. seems I already knew it was. I'm just new to all of this and feel like I'm facing a STEEP learning curve and it helps to hear other's opinions.

Thanks again, everyone. Can't wait for the day when *I* can share some wisdom.

I don't know that you *have* to give it up. Different things work for different people. For me, giving up daily sugar broke it's hold on me. Now I can have dessert once a week and not be wanting it all week.

For what it's worth I used to drink a lot of coffee...all day long. I always had it with a teaspoon of sugar, 2 for my 20 oz. cup. My ex-wife always had hers black, it always tasted bitter to me. I cut out the sugar for a "trial" basis, mostly on the advice of my dentist, after a few days it seemed like coffee with no sugar was the way I always had it. I would never had believed it. It has been around 10 years now and every now and then I will put just a little in a cup that is extra bitter (Starbucks sometimes) and to be honest I hate the sweet taste now.

Bonus ~ I lost 4 pounds in two weeks! remember...I drank A LOT of coffee.

Good Luck.

Because of diabetes.

I am a serious coffee drinker too - I work at a cafe and have access to aaaaaall sorts of sweet stuff My father had his coffee like you, too, and it brought him very close to the edge. He had no choice but to cut down - so he drank less coffee. I opted to change my sugar intake gradually to zero. My excuse is snoberry - you can really taste the uniqueness of the coffee, the distinctness of its roast and its origins. (I also spend 8 bucks for a pound of Costa Rican fair trade coffee. I love it and it makes my day, the wallet ouchies are really worth it.)

You could make coffee milder - I drink a lot of less-strong-but-delicious coffee, and have it black.

You could make a sort of caffe latte with skim milk. I have an easy shmeazy stove espresso maker and a metal milk frother that lets me heat milk on the stove. The milk sweetens it (a bit) and offers me calcium and protein that I wouldn't otherwise have.

Make yourself a coffee protein shake? You could refridgerate cold coffee, use a bit of splenda.

Just fyi--consumption of sugar CANNOT directly cause diabetes. There's a LOT more going on in the body of a person who has diabetes.

That said, if you have a family history of developing type 2, it's a wise idea to be careful.