How to Cut Calories from Your Morning Coffee Fix

There is absolutely no doubt that we live in a coffee crazy culture. From drive through Starbucks to caffeinated everything, most of us wake and live thanks to a java buzz. However, between frappacinos and cappuccinos, the calories in many popular coffee or espresso based beverages can really add up. If you're watching your weight or trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, drinking six to eight hundred calories (mostly calories from fat, I might add) with breakfast can really set back you goals. Here are some tips to cut your coffee calories without sacrificing your AM caffeine boost.

Be Conscious of Your Milk and Sugar

Thank goodness: a cup of regular ole' black coffee has zero calories. However, a cup of regular ole' black coffee after a generous splash of cream and a few whopping teaspoons of sugar has upwards of two hundred calories, as much as a regular can of cola. Many people don't even think to count these calories, but if it's going to pass through your lips it definitely counts towards your caloric intake, no matter what venue it's consumed in. Consider switching to a non-calorie sweetener such as Splenda. As for your cream, consider switching to skim milk instead of whole or two percent. A friend of mine who was raised on whole refers to skim milk as "white water", but the bland taste will be far less noticeable in a cup of coffee. Or, consider purchasing a fat free coffee creamer from the freezer aisle. In yummy flavours like vanilla and hazelnut, these delicious creamers won't set you too far back at only thirty calories a serving.

If you're looking to make your morning latte a little more calorie friendly, there are just a few things you need to remember. A latte is steamed milk with a shot or multiple shots of espresso, and most people order flavoured lattes, which are made by adding a few pumps of a flavoured syrup. As with your coffee, request that your latte be made with skim milk - most coffee houses will use two percent unless you tell them otherwise. The espresso is zero calorie just like coffee, so you're in luck there. The flavoured shots pack a whopping average of one hundred calories per pump, and most barristas use a heavy hand when adding flavours to your beverage. Luckily, almost all major and independent coffee houses offer sugar free shots, in yummy flavours like vanilla and caramel. Packing absolutely no calories, these shots may taste a bit too "diet-y" at first, but you'll be surprised at how shortly before you don't even know the difference.

Consider Alternatives

For many people, giving up coffee would be a fate worse than death. However, remember that you can still get your morning caffeine fix from teas such as Earl Grey or green. The weaker taste may take some getting used to, but most teas pack a huge punch of antioxidants, making them a far better alternative to java. I also highly suggest Slim Fast's Cappucino Delight Shake, a diet shake that tastes just like a Starbucks bottled frappucino, but is loaded with vitamins and minerals that will give you a huge energy boost in addition to the caffeine.