If you’re like me and practically swoon when the drive up window at Starbucks opens and the delectable smell of roasted coffee wafts out then let’s talk coffee beverages.

The sad truth is that unless you’re drinking black coffee, an Americana, straight espresso, or coffee with just one sugar and a light splash of cream; you might be getting more calories in your drink than you think even if you’re nixing the whipped cream, opting for nonfat milk and asking for a “tall” (Starbucks jargon for a small – 12 ounce size).

Case in point – Starbucks white chocolate mocha latte (my favorite).

The small size made with nonfat milk and without whipped cream topping has 270 calories. That’s more calories than a McDonald’s hamburger.

Mmmm, Starbucks

And honestly, I go to Starbucks several times a week and seldom see anyone ordering a small latte. The medium (grande) and large (venti) are much more popular. The medium white chocolate latte sans the whipped cream and with nonfat milk is 350 calories; the large is 450 calories – the amount of calories in an entire meal for many people who are dieting! And if a person goes whole hog and orders the large white chocolate latte with whole milk and a cloud of whipped cream on top, it’s 620 calories! Add a blueberry scone at 460 calories and the calorie total is teetering on the brink of 1,100 calories and that’s just breakfast! (Cue the lumbering elephant and world of elastic waist pants). Good luck getting through the rest of the day and sticking to that 1,200-1,500 calorie diet plan.

And if you’re thinking the calorie hit for McDonald’s frappes aren’t that bad, think again. A 12 ounce caramel or mocha frappe (small) is 450 calories and a whopping 20 grams of fat. That’s for a drink blended with ice! Splurge on a large and you’re saying hello to 680 calories. No wonder our nation keeps getting fatter!

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are delicious coffee beverage choices that won’t wreck your diet. And even the high calorie white chocolate mocha and frappes from McDonalds can be worked into a diet as an occasional treat. It’s all about knowing exactly how many calories you’re consuming and to adjust your food and beverage consumption accordingly along with seriously considering working a little harder and longer in the gym, on that bike ride, or morning run.

Here’s some do’s and don’ts to help you navigate the coffee shop menu and to have a delicious beverage and/or snack without wrecking your diet and packing on the pounds.

COFFEE SHOP DON’TS (I’ll keep it short)

• - Don’t order a “large” anything that’s not black coffee
• - Don’t opt for whipped cream
• - Don’t eat an entire muffin or scone. Share, take half home, or opt for a mini size if available. Or skip it entirely

COFFEE SHOP DO’S (mix and match)

• - Opt for sugar free syrup or ask for “half” the normal amount of syrup if you hate sugar free or if it’s not an option
• - Order a small or medium and skip the large or extra large unless your jaw is wired shut, you’re on a liquid diet, and want to consume a lot of calories at one sitting; or if it’s a built-in splurge day
• - Ask for nonfat milk, soy milk, or almond milk.
• - Order your latte iced instead of hot – the addition of ice means less calories
• - Try something different. If you’re a large latte addict, try ordering a black coffee with a shot of syrup; then add a splash of milk for a large drink containing around 100 calories.
• - Instead of whipped cream ask for extra foam. It adds frothy goodness without adding calories and fat.
• - Sip slowly so it’s not gone before you know it. My trick is to order my drink extra hot. Then I’m forced to sip very slowly (and carefully at first because the drinks do end up being really really hot!) or risk burning my lips, tongue and throat. That way even a small drink lasts a long time.

How do the tips I gave you add up to calorie savings at the coffee shop? Here are some examples (calorie counts are from Starbucks):

Large white chocolate latte with whole milk and whipped cream: 620 calories

Small white chocolate latte with whole milk and whipped cream: 390 calories

Small white chocolate latte with nonfat milk, no whipped cream: 270 calories

Small iced white chocolate latte with nonfat milk, no whipped cream: 230 calories

Large mocha latte with whole milk and whipped cream: 450 calories

Small mocha latte with whole milk and whipped cream: 290 calories

Small mocha latte with soy milk, no whipped cream: 190 calories

Small mocha latte with nonfat milk, no whipped cream: 170 calories

Small iced mocha latte without whipped cream and with nonfat milk: 130 calories

Small blended ice mocha (frappe style) with nonfat milk, no whipped cream: 100 calories

Large latte with whole milk, flavored syrup, no whipped cream: 360 calories

Small latte with 2 percent milk, flavored syrup, no whipped cream: 190 calories

Small latte with soy milk, flavored syrup, no whipped cream: 180 calories

Small latte with nonfat milk, sugar-free syrup, no whipped cream: 90 calories

Small iced latte with nonfat milk, sugar-free syrup, no whipped cream: 60 calories

Single shot of espresso topped with whipped cream: 30 calories

Americana (espresso and hot water) 25 calories

Large black coffee with sugar free sweetener: 5 calories

You say you’re not a coffee fan but instead indulge in tea at your favorite coffee shop? If you’re drinking brewed tea you have nothing to worry about because they are virtually calorie free. The danger lies in tea lattes and blended ice tea beverages. That calorie free brewed chai tea turns into 150 calories when it’s ordered as a 12 ounce chai tea latte with nonfat milk. It’s not a horrible calorie count but it’s a far cry from 0 calories.

If you turn your nose up at both coffee and tea but instead love to indulge in smoothies, plan on spending more than 200 calories from your daily calorie bank. Starbucks orange mango smoothie is 260 calories; the chocolate one is 270 calories and the strawberry one is 280 calories (who would have thought a strawberry smoothie had more calories than a chocolate one?)

If your mind is now spinning from all the information I’ve given you, let me break it down into 4 easy things to remember the next time you walk in the door at a coffee shop:

1) Small (small drink means smaller calories) – just might mean a smaller you; plus it’s less expensive than a large one which is a bonus for both you and your pocketbook!

2) Skim milk (skim helps make you slim)

3) No whipped cream (a dieter’s dream?)

4) Brewed and plain is completely sane (nearly 0 calories)

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3. WEIGHT LOSS TIP OF THE DAY – Shop the Perimeter of the Grocery Store
4. What I Ate Today – Example Healthy Diet Foods And Recipes
5. Diet Buster Restaurant Sandwiches Unwrapped