Coffee is NOT Breakfast and Other Weight Loss Mistakes

My relationship with coffee goes way back. Way back to when I was a toddler. (Don’t blame my parents.) It was the late 1970’s. My babysitter gave me coffee when I was a few years old and I’ve been hooked ever since. Clearly, it didn’t stunt my growth or do any serious damage. With help from my babysitter, I hid the fact that she let me sip her morning coffee. Then one day I slipped and asked my Mom for some while we were at home. The gig was up. When confronted, my babysitter admitted to my Mom, “I told Joyce NOT to tell you.” Ooops.

I went through a pre-teen phase when I loved Black coffee with lots of sugar. It felt sophisticated to drink it. It was dark and steamy.

In high school, I’d drink morning coffee when I worked at McDonald’s on weekends. After church, I’d enjoy a cup of instant coffee with my Mom.

In college, I’d grab coffee at the university food court before and between classes.

Nothing goes better with a Long Island bagel with egg, cheese, and bacon than a coffee – light with two sugars. Every Long Island neighborhood has at least one deli where this is a standard breakfast order.

In graduate school, I was introduced to the St. Louis Bread Company and later Panera Bread, as a meet-up spot with my classmates where coffee and fresh pastries covered our table.

As a work-at-home mom, my neighborhood Starbucks became my co-working space many mornings where I’d order a tall peppermint white mocha at least once a week. I’d meet friends there. Coffee accompanied my social outings. Meeting for coffee is a cliché, yet it’s what we almost all do.

When I joined a co-working space with child care, the complimentary coffee was a huge hit among members. We’d chat it up by the Keurig machine every morning to talk about our children, our projects, work-life balance, etc.

Fast forward to post-COVID when I’m working almost round-the-clock on my blog, on my part-time job, on freelance projects, as A.J’s learning coach for his online academy, on this house we just bought, on wife-ing and mom-ing.

One of our housewarming gifts was a lovely Keurig that specializes in cappuccino and espresso. Now even A.J. has found his love for French vanilla cappuccino on weekends. When I turn it on for my morning coffee, it signals the beginning of my workday with my first-morning coffee.

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that coffee is NOT breakfast.

Too much and too strong coffee made my tummy upset.

Two cups of coffee without a protein-packed breakfast left me with an energy crash by mid-morning, followed by hunger.

In my latest effort to be more conscious of eating less, moving more I still enjoy morning coffee. But coffee is NOT my breakfast. It’s not the only thing in my stomach for the first few hours of the morning. It’s now accompanied by a few glasses of water, a high-protein breakfast sandwich or wrap, or I switch it up with yogurt, granola, and fruit.

Tell me about your morning coffee routine. How many cups, if any, do you drink? How do you balance coffee with a healthy breakfast?

I’ve been honest with myself about my weight loss mistakes – besides learning that coffee is NOT breakfast.

I haven’t been consistent.

I haven’t been accountable.

I’ve made too many excuses.

But for the last week, at least, I’ve moved more and stayed hydrated. I’ve planned my meals. Instead of eating fast food, I waited until I got home and ate a salad.