Category Archives: Who’s had too much coffee?

Keurig Krazy

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Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee.
~Stephanie Piro

I love coffee. The warmth, the smell, the way it warms my throat and scatters the sludge from my brain. I enjoy my first cup every morning snuggled on the couch with the two pups while I check email, Facebook, etc. Prior to (bariatric) surgery, I enjoyed Starbucks every day, sometimes twice a day. My caffeinated drug of choice was a Venti White Mocha with a calorie content in the neighborhood of 600 calories each. Initially after surgery, I gave up my coffee. I didn’t need the acidity in my sensitive little stomach pouch and I struggled quite a bit to get my fluids in every day, so no caffeine undoing the hydration process. After a few years though I began venturing back into the wonderful world of coffee.

I like frou-frou coffee. You know what I mean, the calorie laden, barely beige beverage topped off with a mound of whipped cream drizzled in caramel or chocolate. However, neither my wallet or my waistline enjoy those frou-frou drinks purchased at stores with Mermaids hanging around outside so I’ve spent quite a bit of time investigating how I can have my type of coffee without drinking hundreds of liquid calories.

Flavored coffee beans (or flavored ground coffee) have essentially no calories, <5 per 6 ounce serving (seriously? who actually owns and uses a 6 ounce coffee cup????) Some people are strong enough to just enjoy the flavored coffees black (I'm not one of them, not enough hair on my chest to drink black coffee!); however, I've discovered so many ways to add little to no calories to these flavored coffees resulting in drinks that rival Starbucks. My pre-Keurig favorite was the Millstone Caramel Truffle coffee combined with Splenda and Sugar Free Vanilla Caramel Coffeemate.

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to the wonderful world of Keurig. I had coveted the Keurig for quite awhile and the week after Christmas 2010, it was destiny. The machines were 40% off at Macy’s. I bought the big industrial strength one with the water reservoir for home and the single mini for the office. This opened a whole new world! All those funky flavored coffees I had wanted to try but didn’t think hubby would like I could now try. Single serve, fresh brewed whenever you want it. There are many, many, MANY options available and the best deal is at Amazon. I discovered Gloria Jean’s butter toffee flavor combined with splenda and SF caramel vanilla is as good as any toffee nut latte I’ve had at SB for less than $1.00 and less than 50 calories. I thought I had reached coffee nirvana.

Oh, the best was yet to come…I finally caved in to peer pressure and decided to try the Torani’s sugar free syrups. Oh my! I’m sure the baristas think I have died. I’m quite sure I’ve died and gone to coffee heaven. Between going crazy with the Torani SF sampler and the sample packs of K-cups at Bed, Bath and Beyond, my counter now looks like we run a corner coffee shop! Below are some of my new favorite discoveries (warning, I like my drinks to taste sweet, you may be fine without adding the splenda.)

Start with this K-cup Add this Torani SF Syrup Add this SF Creamer +Splenda
Gloria Jean’s Mudslide Peanut Butter Plain or White Choc Caramel
Gloria Jean’s Butter Toffee English Toffee Vanilla Caramel
Green Mountain Gingerbread Gingerbread Gingerbread
Green Mountain Hazelnut Hazelnut Hazelnut
Van Houtte White Chocolate Mint Peppermint Peppermint Mocha

Those are just a few of my favorites, the combos are endless and just to add another usage for those wonderful SF syrups, try mixing it in with Fage 0% Greek Yogurt for a high protein, low calorie breakfast. Now the pups are fully awake, I’ve had two cups so I’m fully awake, so it’s time to get on with the day. Next dose of caffeine slated for 2 PM at work. You know, I must keep the caffeine level therapeutic at all times to function properly! Share your favorite low cal coffee combo below.

BariBelle

Tall Americano with a shot of SF Cinnamon Dolce Syrup and Room, please

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I just discovered this drink a couple of nights ago when our bariatric (weight loss) surgery support group wound up meeting at Starbucks. A bariatric meeting at Starbucks? I’m sure you’re thinking what I was, that is a far from ideal situation. We spend a LOT of time counseling our patients about liquid calories – basically, don’t drink them and also avoiding simple carbs (if you live on Pluto and have never been inside a Starbucks, you are surrounded by carbs screaming, “eat me, eat me”.)

Our group meets regularly on the first Monday night of the month. January 2nd, it was cold, cold, cold in middle Tennessee and there was a mixup with our meeting place which is right across the parking lot from Starbucks. Our options were go home or meet at Starbucks so we headed for the warmth. After navigating the endless maze of 13-15 year olds with frappacinos bigger than they were, we found the nice large community table free. Since it was cold, we all got something to drink. You know what? not a one of us made choices that weren’t on our program. I normally get their regular coffee with a shot of one of their SF syrups, but I learned something new Monday night. SB does not brew decaffeinated coffee after 12 noon. Call me crazy, but wouldn’t the afternoon and evening be when you want to drink decaf? Oh well, they offered a decaf Americano which is decaf espresso and water to which I added a shot of SF syrup, splenda and a splash of skim milk. For a great article on how much caffeine is too much caffeine, please check out this article by my friend and fellow OAC board member, Ted Kyle.

It's always coffee time!

We had a GREAT meeting and we had it in a calorie laden social setting. You know the type where you typically cave under peer pressure and have “just one” or “just a bite.”  We were able to practice something else we preach. Make the social setting be about the socializing, not the food. 

On that note, I’m heading to the kitchen for my second cup of fully caffeinated coffee. Want to join me?

BariBelle

Cinderella's Castle at Disney 2001 (before) and 2011 (after) Gastric Bypass

In the Beginning…there was my first post!

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After talking about it for a long time (mainly to myself), I decided to stop talking and start blogging. The final push to motivate me? A dear friend and one of the busiest women on the planet has recently found the time to start running (gasp) and to begin a personal blog. I rationalized if this super busy lady can find the time to share her perceptions and realizations with us, I need to stop procrastinating and do the same. If you would like to check out the most fabulous Dr. Jacqueline Jacques blog about running, please check out “Not born to run.“

Of course me writing it and anyone reading it, well that’s two different things. If anyone finds my idle ramblings, (composed primarily of stray thoughts I have while driving to and from work) insightful, funny or enlightening then that will most definitely make me smile.

Where will my thoughts take me and this blog? Well, my husband and I recently adopted a one year old shelter dog, Geordie. He is quite honestly, the cutest and smartest dog on the planet, so there will be some Geordie tails (yes, I meant to spell both his name and tails that way.) I love, Love, LOVE to shop, so there will be some adventures in shopping. I am a bit of a coffee freak, so there will be coffee comments. I am also a bariatric surgery patient. I had gastric bypass surgery March 2nd, 2001. I lost 160 pounds. In 2004 I was fortunate enough to begin working with other bariatric patients, so there will be many references, ideas, hints, tips, and resources related to bariatric surgery. Most exciting for me, on January 1st, 2012 I will begin my role as Chairman of the Obesity Action Coalition, so there will be many updates and announcements about this wonderful organization.

Thank you for checking out my first post. Hopefully, you’ll cuddle up on the couch with your own warm puppy, hot cup of coffee and come back to read more.  That’s how I’ll be writing.

BariBelle