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I think one of the attractive components of the paleo diet is the fact that it is a framework for a healthy eating lifestyle. It is a fairly simple framework to eat better and manage weight.
It is my opinion your commitment to healthy living can be a direct reflection of how you take your coffee or tea?
If you’re asking yourself “What can I do to start losing weight,’ I’d ask, “how do you take your coffee?”
Here in New Hampshire I’m always amazed by the people waiting in the drive through to get their coffee.
Some of the lines I see have to be at least 20 minutes long, just to get coffee and breakfast sandwich.
Not only is this a waste of time and money, it’s a terrible way to start the day.
I think, for many, this is just a morning habit…”It’s just what I do.”
What do you drink in your morning routine? Coffee? Tea? Water?
More than likely you are drinking coffee or tea. But the question is how do you take it?
I have a relative that approached me one day about my weight loss.
She asked, “What have you done to lose all of your weight?”
I spoke with her for 10 or 15 minutes and basically gave her the framework for how I achieved my weight loss.
She asked me, “ What would you suggest, how could I get started?”
So I asked her, “What do you drink in the morning?
She said, “Well I drink coffee of course”
And I asked, “How do you take your coffee?
She said, “Oh I have three creams and three sugars in a medium sized coffee.”
I said, “Well you know both the sugar and the cream that you drink with your coffee every morning are very counterproductive to weight loss.”
I didn’t ask how many coffees she had each morning but I assume it is at least two.
If you consider three tablespoons of sugar is about 60 calories and approximately and 4 carbs,
Just the sugar in her morning coffee consumption is at least 120 calories.
As a personal rule I try not to drink my calories.
I explained to her the concept of fasting to lunch: skipping breakfast if you’re not hungry.
She told me that would be easy for her to do as she’s not hungry in the morning.
I shared with her that by consuming the sugar and creamer in her coffee she was breaking her fast and not getting the true health benefit of skipping breakfast.
I suggested she could start her morning the next day by taking half the amount of her normal sugar.
I said, “Instead of three sugars take one and half.”
She said to me, “Oh no you don’t understand. I have to have my coffee in the morning. It’s the only way I can get started”
I said, “I fully understand but if you truly want to lose weight this is the easiest way to get started. Take the small win and build from that.”
She said to me, “There is no way I am not going to change my coffee routine in the morning. She said, “It’s just too important for me.”
It struck me at that moment that she was not ready to commit to a weight loss effort. She was very overweight, diabetic and obviously quite uncomfortable in her clothes.
Not to pick on her too much, but a few months after that conversation I had heard that she had chosen a weight loss program. When I saw her nearly six months later at a family event she sought me out to tell me what she had done and how much she had lost.
She looked amazing and I was very proud of her commitment.. Since that time she has lost even more weight and she’s been keeping it off.
My exchange with her points out an important part of the equation in your weight-loss Journey:
YOU HAVE TO OWN IT!!
So about the Three Ways!.
It’s really quite simple to get started.
Step #1
Look at how you take your coffee or tea and say to yourself tomorrow and for the next five days “’Im going to reduce sugar. I’m going to take half of my sugar today, half the next day and half the next until I get to no sugar in my coffee.
Step #2
Then commit the same toward the creamer.
“I’m going to take half of my creamer today, half the next day and half the next until I get to no creamer in my coffee.
Step #3
Consume only black coffee or tea during your morning routine.
You can do it, we all can. It will take commitment and focus.
Some may find that you change your routine entirely. Cold water with lemon is a very common way for people to start their day.
In my opinion achieving this goal can move to the next point of focus with your weight loss efforts.
For me the step was skipping breakfast. Black coffee or tea and no breakfast. Now we’re fasting and we’re on our way to a healthier way of living and weight loss.
So the question is, how will you take your coffee?
