Starbucks Calories: |
Starbucks Calories...A Latte to Love
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I have a new name for Starbucks...
..."Start-buckets..."
...as in "start you day with buckets of calories."
Stopping for a cup of joe every day might not be as innocent a habit as you think!
If you're trying to lose weight, you need to know that calories matter...
...all of them...
...even Starbucks calories.
Many people have critcized McDonald's for contributing to the obesity epidemic. Does anyone ever stop to think about the fact that Starbucks has managed to add a new meal (or two) to the day?
- Breakfast
- Starbucks
- Lunch
- Starbucks
- Dinner
At least fast food replaces a meal you would have eaten otherwise! (See my fast food nutrition guide to learn how to make the best choices.)
Starbucks calories interspersed throughout the day can really be the equivalent of eating 1 or more extra meals if you're not careful. A venti Caramel Frappuccino is 500 calories for goodness sake!
Why should you care? If you're trying to lose weight, excess calories translate into excess pounds.
According to Starbucks...
When you consider milk options, number of shots, various syrups and the choice of "whip" or "no-whip," there are up to 87,000 different drink combinations. That's 87,000 opportunities for extra calories to sneak into your day.
So what's a coffee lover to do?!
You're only fooling yourself if you don't!
If you indulge regularly, develop some awareness as to how much damage you may be doing. Until the day comes when the calories are listed on the menu alongside the prices, it's up to you to look up how many calories are in your favorite Starbucks drink.
Take measures to reduce calories if you are trying to lose weight
See the chart at top right for ways to cut back on Starbucks calories.
How to reduce Starbucks calories
The chart at the top right of this page has seven strategies for reducing your calorie consumption at Starbucks. Of course, there's an eighth way...
Even small cutbacks make a difference
Look for small ways to reduce the calories in your coffee drinks:
Substitute a tall nonfat latte for your daily grande nonfat latte and save 30 calories. You likely won't miss those extra 4oz and the 30 daily calories saved translate into a 3 pound weight loss over the course of 1 year.
If you MUST have mochas, stick with the original mocha vs. the white chocolate mocha. This will save you 140 calories, or ~15 pounds/year if you have a daily mocha habit. (Note that a grande lowfat mocha with whip is no dieter's dream with 330 calories!)
A tall nonfat latte vs a tall lowfat latte/day saves you 50 calories, or about 5 pounds/year.
A tall "skinny" vanilla latte (which is made with nonfat milk and no whipped cream) ordered in place of a regular vanilla latte saves you 60 calories or ~ 6 pounds in 1 year.
See my Starbucks nutrition guide. It will help you avoid having a nutritional nightmare at Starbucks!
Read about other hidden calories in your diet.
Contact me if you want to discuss your nutritional habits in greater depth!!
Back to Personal Nutrition Guide Home.
