COFFEE SHOP TIPS

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for Your Weight Loss Program

I simply love coffee shops. It's not so much about the drinks. It's the atmosphere that I find appealing. Perhaps it's the fact that plenty of young people hang out there. Anyway, something about coffee-shops helps me unwind and takes the wrinkles off my forehead. For those of our readers who share this passion, here's a few tips on how to avoid packing on the pounds:

• When having a late drink, always order nonfat milk
• Find it in yourself to skip the whipped cream on top of your drink.
• If given the option, tell them to hold the sugar. You may sweeten your drink to taste using a zero-calorie sweetener.
• Remember that, even if ordering as above, many coffee drinks bring in several hundred calories: Let's take Starbucks, for instance: A Grande Nonfat Chocolate Mocha will bring in about 340 calories, and a Grande Frappucino (without whipped cream) will bring in about 440 calories. The calorie count gets even worse at Caribou, with some drinks exceeding 700 calories.
• Reasonable Starbucks choices would be:
        - Green Tea (negligible calorie amount)
        - Single or Double Espresso (negligible calorie amount)
        - Nonfat Cappuccino (about 75 calories)
        - Nonfat Cafe Late (about 130 calories)
        - Nonfat Chai Late (about 170 calories)
        - Nonfat Green Tea Late (about 170 calories)*
  * All calorie counts are given for 'tall drinks', which are usually the smallest size Starbucks drinks (12 fl. oz.)
• Talking about reasonable choices, it also helps not having any cookies, sandwiches or snacks with your drink.
• And finally, here's the simplest coffee shop tip: Always order the small size drink, rather than the medium or the large one.

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