Biting the Bullet

I’m giving up Starbuck’s on May 1st. That’s my official quit date. I am going to quit it the same way I quit smoking. My ten years and thousands of dollars are going to pay for more activities, vacations and better dress sizes.

Rest in peace my Peppermint Mocha!

Glad to know there’s another Peppermint Mocha addict out there.  I don’t have access to it anymore, thanks to living in a rural community. But I hear you! So many foods become our comfort foods, our crutches, our turn-to-it-to-feel-good foods. Take it one day at a time Heather and don’t give in. Cravings go away if you ignore them. They really do!

Jeanne,

Thanks. It was funny, I was thinking about it the other day and how I needed to just cut it out. It’s like with smoking, I was cutting back, cutting back, but never quitting. Quitting sucked for a week and then it was great.  So I want to do the same thing with the mochas and when I think of the fact I will save 700+ calories every time I don’t drink one. 

Not bad!

Wow, Heather, that is really brave of you. Are you going to have one last peppermint mocha on April 30th?

I go to Starbucks only occasionally. There’s no way I could afford it every day! So my occasional treat doesn’t make me feel so bad, especially since I don’t get triple shots and all that like some people I know.

But you’re right about the calories. You can lose a few pounds without doing much more than giving up these high-calorie drinks.

Thanks Del. I probably will. I’ve tried to cut back on them before, but I am horribly addicted to them. I actually slowed down on drinking them when I quit smoking because it was always grab a mocha and a cigarette. But now it’s just go get a mocha. So it’s better to just go cold chocolate as it were and I’ll be keeping track, cutting off that additional 5,000 calories a week should make a HUGE difference in my weight loss which will make it all work it.

Oh boy, is it really 5,000 calories a week? What do they put into those things, liquid fat? I know I’m addicted to the whipped cream. When I worked in Manhattan, I always had to have my fix. Sometimes being far away - or keeping something out of the house entirely - does indeed work to keep it off of the menu! Good luck, Heather!

I am having my farewell peppermint mocha now. So tomorrow—we begin the burn. I’ll be tracking my progress. I expect to report at least a five pound drop between April 30th and May 30th.

Heather, if you can drop that much just by giving up Starbuck’s I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give up my daily treat - my one can of cola or two cookies or my one cup of icecream.  That should shave off about as many calories as your Starbuck’s treat.  So if you’re successful, I’ll try it next month!

You’re on! I’ll go ahead and post updates over the next four weeks so you can see how I’m doing. Today hasn’t been bad at all. And each time I think, oh a mocha sounds great, I remind myself of how many calories are in one and then I don’t want it!

Hi Heather,

Did you get through day 1? It’s amazing how things become a habit rather than a treat. A treat is something we do once in awhile when we “treat” ourselves. I am proud of you for taking this step toward change for your diet and your pocket book! Way to go.

Donna

I got through Day 1 just fine. I figured it would be harder, but then I have a basis for comparison. Truthfully, I did find myself thinking about wanting one and I reminded myself each time of the 725 calories I was saving by not having one. I made myself hot lemon tea instead and it really hit the spot with a couple of drops of honey.

And yes, what was a treat became a habit. Most things, in moderation, are fine, but I wasn’t having my mochas in anything resembling moderation anymore. So thanks for the support!

Believe it or not, I found myself overdoing it with frozen grapes. They started out as a healthy snack alternative, and the next thing I knew I was going through four bags of them a week. That was not moderation. The funny thing is I don’t find them a temptation if they aren’t frozen, so I only freeze them in small amounts now. That way, even if I’m tempted, I have to wait for more.

Donna

I believe it, Donna. I think anyone can overdo anything. It’s how we get into these positions in the first place. Soda was a treat once upon a time then it became a daily or hourly drink. Mochas were a treat once in a while and they became a daily drink. The same is true with all kinds of foods and drinks that are not good for us—treats aren’t treats anymore.  It’s day 3 and I’m not doing too bad without my mocha, it helps that I’ve had a horrible head cold since Friday but I would typically really want one while I was sick and I haven’t—so this is a good thing!

You are so right. The treat thing turned daily ritual is my downfall. I start treating myself and pretty soon it’s a regular thing.

Heather, you’re on!  As of May 1, I am officially off my two treats - a glass of wine on the weekends and soda (regular, I am allergic to diet sodas).  I’ll do it for a month and see if it speeds my weight loss.

To be fair, I have been dieting carefully since March 24 and have lost 7 pounds, so that is about one pound a week.  If I lose more on average in the next month, I will say it is thanks to Heather’s suggestion!

Wow, 5000 calories a week! I had no idea that peppermint mochas were so high calorie. Since 3500 calories equal one pound, you’ll probably easily drop at least five pounds this month. I’m looking forward to your updates and progress.

Congratulations, day three! Whoo-hoo. That is a big accomplishment. I hear it takes 21 days to establish a new habit, so each day is a baby step to the ultimate goal. I’m actually on day two of the Lemonade Diet—which is really the Master Cleanse. Figure it’s time to do spring cleaning for the body! While I do this detox, it always brings to light how much I usually eat when I’m not really hungry. All those little extras that I eat do my diet in!

Donna