"Make it a great day or not, the choice is yours"
-Morning annoucments everyday at my school
-Morning annoucments everyday at my school
Starbucks is one of my absolute favorite places, mainly because I love the way it smells. Something about the smell of coffee makes me so happy! I had my students trace their numbers in coffee the other day and they did not seem to share my joy in the smell-I kept hearing them complain about how stinky it is!!
Anyways, yes Starbucks is fantastic (and expensive) but many of their drinks log in your daily amount of calories. I don't know about you, but a frappucino will not fill me up so I end up putting that on top of my usual meals. Not good for the waist line.
I usually am able to walk in and order the coffee of the day, add a little cinamon and be quite content in my choice but it is these fall months in which I find myself gazing over at all the warm, yummy choices. Pumpkin spice latte, peppermint mocha...YES PLEASE! :)
OK I am not going to sit here and tell you to order the plain old black coffee when going for a treat. It is perfectly fine to enjoy these in moderation but know what you are ordering. You can check out the website or pick up their nutritional information in stores. Don't make the mistake of ordering blindly and hitting 800 calories without realizing it (Yes, that is how many calories are in the venti white chocolate blended creme frappucino!)
Typically the frozen drinks will stack up the calories significantly! Change your drink...go for the peppermint mocha instead of the peppermint frappucino. Opt for no whipped cream and non-fat milk to save some significant calories and fat. Just ask, many of the syrups can be ordered sugar free. The peppermint mocha is my absolute favorite delight there so I get no whipped cream, non-fat milk and sugar free vanilla syrup. They have yet to make the peppermint syrup sugar free but I still have high hopes for the future!
Go for one of the non-coffee options. They have some fantastic teas that are yummy and still provide the caffeine kick you are looking for in the morning along with healthy antioxidants and lower/zero calories. I recently tried the Caramel Apple Cider and loved it! Great treat with a little vitamin c for an extra bonus!
Skip the cream cheese on your bagel and opt for jam if you need some flavor. I suggest the cinamon-raisin bagel (I LOVE anything cinamon) which has whole grains that provide healthy complex carbs. Bran muffins have low fat content and high fiber to fill you up and jump start metabolism. Try some of the yogurts or fruit options in the refrigerator when the stomach is growling, they are very tasty and fit perfect in that healthy lifestyle.
Stick to the "tall" to enjoy the flavor without overdoing it. Eat a full, nutritious breakfast before hitting the coffee shop to avoid ordering on an empty stomach.
I love Starbucks as much as the next guy, so enjoy it the right way!!
Megan
No comments:
Post a Comment