Or do I?
I could go on a mission to try and find some alternatives that I really like in my coffee. A couple of things have been suggested. {Thanks for all the ideas!} Unfortunately, most of them I have already tried and rejected. I am super picky. Stevia and Truvia did not pass my taste bud test. Equal used to work for me but now it just leaves a bad, bitter aftertaste in my mouth. I absolutely can not stand Splenda. Icck! I tried the sugar free syrups and none of those really impressed me either. Not just any sweetener is suitable for my coffee.
I know. I know. I need to lighten up.
Agave is the one thing suggested that I haven't tried. It seems like I can get away with less calories from Agave, even though it is the same amount per tsp. as sugar, because it is 1.5 times sweeter. The question is--will it have some nasty weird taste? If it doesn't then I just wonder why everyone doesn't use it in everything. There has to be a catch. We will see. And if I'm still going to be consuming calories from a sweetener (that might not be quite the same), wouldn't I just rather drink less coffee and continue having it the way I like it?
In the long run, I am just wondering if this is going to be worth it. Coffee the way I like it has been a special treat for me. And having special treats, as we all know, helps us feel like we are not being deprived. I just LOVE coffee with real sugar in it. My goal is to stay under 200 empty calories per day and for the most part I have been able to do this easily while still enjoying a few cups of coffee (the way I like it). I think there was one day last week when I went over on ECs. And I blamed the coffee creamer. Poor coffee creamer! It doesn't have control over how much I use--only I do. This seems like a cruel and unusual punishment for
For the most part, I have proven that I can have coffee the way I like it and still stay in control. That's the important thing, right?
I think what is happening here is that I'm trying to talk myself into picking a different habit to break for February. I don't know if I'm ready for this. I don't WANT to give up coffee the way I like it forever. I don't even want to do it for 30 days. For a few days? Maybe. But not really. I really don't even want to go through this day without having it. So does that mean that I should attempt to break this habit, all the more!?
Or just pick something else that would be a better habit to break? Like biting my fingernails.
I don't know.
I just think that if this is wrong...
Then I don't really want to be right.
I ♥ coffee, ya'll. The way I like it. Does that make me a bad person!?
Circle one: coffee the way I like it or biting nails
Photo via Deliciously Organic
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20 comments:
Keelie. You can do this. I know you can. Before Thanksgiving I went on a "sweets sabbatical" and started drinking my coffee with just half & half, instead of flavored creamer. It was really hard for a few days, but then it became just the way my coffee was. Even after the "sweets sabbatical" ended, I kept drinking my coffee with just half & half. It became the way I like it! If I can do it, you can do it.
My breakfast every morning is an Atkins vanilla protein shake in my coffee. On days I was actually eating breakfast AND having the coffee I'd just use a little bit of the shake. It's 160 cals per shake and only 1g of sugar so if you stretched it out over 4 days or so it wouldn't be so bad. I also add a little bit of Walden Farms caramel syrup. It's so yummy! Worth a try!
I used to use Agave, and in my opinion it has no funny aftertaste. It was like liquid sugar, like maple syrup without the flavoring, and nothing like Truvia. I got mine at Walmart, and I think it was around $5.00. =)
It's a small portion of the calories you consume everyday and it makes you happy. I say keep the creamer and cut out something else.
I can not give up my coffee either. I usually have a cup in the morning and in the afternoon. I LOVE it, but I don't use real sugar and I use powder creamer so my calories are a little less. I don't think you should give this up if it is something you really enjoy and is your treat.
Are you putting it in front of God? Does it effect your relationship with God?
Does it cause you to fail in your daily health goals or your walk with God?
If not then I say keep it and stop biting your nails.
Also, what if you made the habit of having it only if you had your QT with God that day or the day before??
Just some ideas. Have you tried light cool whip with only 1T of creamer for flavor?
Hazelnut flavored Splenda for coffee is what I use..and I love it. The flavor of hazelnut does tend to hide the Splenda part of it. And it comes in other flavors...I also like the French Vanilla.
Enjoy your coffee!! :)
Definitely don't skip the creamer, especially if it's something you look forward to every morning. My advice would be to go for the sugar-free Hazelnut creamer and the hazelnut Splenda combo. Or if you have to have real sugar, at least switch out the creamer for sugar-free creamer. Don't deprive yourself of something you really enjoy because you'll find yourself allowing yourself to indulge in other areas because you gave your beloved sugar/creamer up, which will probably be more detrimental in the long run.
At the end of the day, you're talking about 35ish calories, I'm sure you could just drop and do 10 pushups while the coffee is brewing and it would help negate those calories!
Just my two cents. Long time reader (I'm talking since you started your journey, I have no idea how I found your blog) but I've never commented until now. No blog of my own, just read everyone elses and love them!
-Kathryn.
How about you try to cut back on the amount you use rather than cutting it out completely? I mean if you just cut it back by teeny amounts each day or week or whatever, then you might not realize you're getting used to less sweet coffee rather than trying to completely change up your method of sweetening. That said, I use creamer in my coffee (although I don't drink it every day) and I have no intention to stop. As long as you can stay within your daily calories and continue to make progress, then who cares.
There's some things that you get used to over time. One thing is maybe instead of going cold turkey on the sugar. Measure it out and lessen it a little bit each day! You might end up being used to not having as much sugar in it.
Agave tastes good but I'm not sure how it would taste with coffee.
I can't give up coffee. I have to have 1 cup a day. I drink it in latte form though with skim milk.
Switch to unsweet hot tea...?
Drink your coffee. I still drink mine, no weight gain from my 40 pound loss. It makes me happy, gets me going for the day, and it's not like you're having a Venti frapp. :)
"Coffee the way I like it has been a special treat for me. And having special treats, as we all know, helps us feel like we are not being deprived."
The dictionary defines a treat
An event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure.
Are you having the coffee your way everyday? If yes... it is not a treat. This is what has really changed about the way we eat now compared to how our parents or grandparents ate. A treat was really that a special occasional treat not something they indulge in every day.
From what I gather, you don't drink, you don't smoke, you exercise your heart out, you eat healthily, is this the one vice that you really need to give up? Is this where you really need to pare the caloric intake? Can you decrease the amount you use by just a little bit each week, but still use it in your daily pleasure? Can you use that special coffee additive just on weekends, as a 'guilty' pleasure, and switch to just plain ole milk instead?
I didn't read all the comments - I probably should have. I am at the point that what I am doing is for life - It's not going to end. Do I want to give up sugar for the rest of my life? For somethings - yes. Do I want to learn what I REALLY want and what I can live without? I think you should enjoy sugar - real sugar in your coffee. I know evil :) Enjoy it and skip the cookie or doughnut or cake. Check it off mentally and let it be ok.
If it is your one vice and consumed in moderation, I say have it the way you like it and truly savor it.
I assume you've ruled out other hot beverages to work into your morning ritual to minimize the intake?
I only do coffee on the weekends now when it used to be daily with creamer/sugar. I just drink water, but do have green tea handy if I really need a warm-up.
I totally get this. I am a coffee LOVER!
To help with my cream addiction, I bought a frother, now I have fat free creamer, froth the hell out of it, and it looks so lush.
Now, I'm not a sugar in coffee person, so I can't helpo you there, but I can relate! Fingers crossed agave works for you!
I totally get where you're coming from. It took me a long long LONG time to get used to my coffee with skim & splenda as opposed to light & sweet(cream & sugar). I still can't drink my iced coffee with skim & splenda. And I am an iced coffee addict. Not just any iced coffee, Dunkin Donuts medium iced caramel mocha light and sweet to be exact. A small one has 4 WW Points, I didn't even bother to figure out how much a medium has. It's a tough habit to break. I make it a point not to even drive past DD's anymore, and it kills me.
I think it's all in the "why". Why did you originally think you needed to break up with sugar and creamer? Jamie asked some awesome questions about you and God. If you truly feel that sugared coffee has too much power over you and hinders your relationship with God then you should stick with your goal of breaking that habit. If the answer is no to the above, then I think you could find other ways to cut back or exercise more for continued weight loss and enjoy that cup in the morning.
I'm sure I don't have nearly as sensitive a palate as yours, but have you tried sugar free hazelnut creamer? I'm pretty sure International Delight and Coffee Mate both make one. Even if you don't care for whichever artificial sweetener they use, it would be mitigated by the hazelnut flavoring and the (strong, in your case) taste of the coffee.
But I think it's fine for you to enjoy your coffee the way you like it, too.
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