If you’re a coffeeshop lover, it can be tempting to throw all your good intentions out the window once you enter those sacred walls. Coffeeshops are safe spaces where we work, connect, and sometimes unwind with a good book and a good cup of coffee (or matcha- if you swing that way).
But let’s not pretend that those 400 calorie snacks and lattes don’t add up- or worse, throw you off track completely. If you’re struggling with controlling your caloric intake, try these hacks!
Side note: I talk about calories a lot in this post. Most of my readers are health and weight conscious individuals who understand this fact: weight loss is mostly black and white. Why? Outside of underlying illness, meds, and hormonal issues, a healthy person can lose weight by simply eating less calories than what they burn, so they generally want to eat a few hundred calories less.
Don’t get thrown off track
Tip #1- Pair your pastry with black coffee
This works for a few reasons. Black coffee is great for minimising hunger and has lots of benefits without the sugar. Black coffee lovers also get to appreciate the flavor of their pastry more- without worrying about the high caloric intake from a coffee AND a pastry.
Tip #2- Eat breakfast/lunch at home
If you don’t sit very well with hunger pangs, then going to a coffeeshop on an empty stomach is a bad idea. One pastry may not be enough to fill you up, and if your goal is to lose/maintain weight, 800 empty calories is not worth it unless your energy expenditure is quite high. Eating a high protein meal before leaving home is definitely going to help you stay on track.
Here’s a guide on how to eat more protein on a low carb diet.
Best Coffeeshop Menu Items
If I were on a weight loss journey, I’d opt for these items only.
- Bagels with egg bites
- Sandwiches and wraps
- Yogurt Parfaits
- Oatmeal
- Scones (lowest calorie menu item)
If I’m having only one or two of these per week but the rest of my diet is pretty good, I’d opt for any menu item that I’m craving.
However, if you really struggle with cravings daily, hi, hello, welcome!
I know that experience firsthand and these are a few tips I use consistently to get that under control and lose weight. Hint- it’s not you, it’s your brain! Read more.