How to Drink Black Coffee and Actually Like it

TIPS FOR DITCHING SUGARY STARBUCKS FOR NO ADDED SUGARS

It's almost 2021! Health and wellness resolutions are super common, but a lot of people usually burn out. In fact, a study back in 2019 found that 73% of people who set a fitness goal as a resolution give it up before they reach it. 

I remember when I started my weight loss journey, the biggest thing that helped me succeed was making small changes and taking it one step at a time. It can feel overwhelming and time-consuming to go all in all at once, so I always recommend taking smaller steps so that way you can work towards the bigger picture in a way that is more sustainable and helps you actually develop healthier habits. 

If one of your New Year's Resolutions this year is to cut the cream and sugar in your coffee, it's totally possible to start drinking black coffee instead of some sugary Starbucks concoction. If I can do it, then so can you - but it took me a while to switch from a White Chocolate Mocha to a black cup every morning! Here are my tips for how to switch from a sugary drink that might have coffee in it to drinking black coffee and actually enjoying it.

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1. Cut back on your creamer and try a nondairy milk alternative

Different creamers contain a surprising amounts of sugar. I recommend starting here if you're trying to transition to black coffee because it was, in my opinion, a way easier change than adding sweetener packets. I started by trying different fat free and sugar free creamers, and then eventually made the switch to unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk. It's only 15 calories for half a cup, which makes your coffee super creamy so you don't need even that much! A little goes a long way and helped me transition.

Once I decided I wanted to try switching to black, having swapped to nut milk made it even easier because it's a bit thinner than normal creamer, so it wasn't as much of a shock to the system when I cut back on the almond milk. I recommend measuring out how much you're using so you can schedule out how much you're going to scale back by.

2. Slowly cut back on your added sweeteners

If you're currently using sugar but have weight loss on your mind, start by switching to something like Stevia. This is a more natural sweetener than something like Splenda. Sometimes they'll add sugar alcohols to stevia packets, but it's largely natural since Stevia is from a plant. 

I took this one month at a time. Embarrassingly, I used to drink a large cup of coffee with four packets in it! 

Every month or two, I challenged myself to reduce by one packet so I could get used to the change in sweetness and not have it be a total shock to my senses. This really helped me adjust since my taste buds adapted. 

And, if you like using syrups, you can try Jordan's Skinny Syrups since they're sugar free. Then, you can ween off from there if you want. If you decide to stop using them once you've gone to black coffee but have leftover, they're great for baking or in protein shakes, too!

3. Start with Iced Coffee

The reason I suggest this if you're looking to make the switch to black is because of the ice. This dilutes the coffee a bit, so if you're struggling to get used to the taste of black, starting with iced before moving right into hot coffee should help!
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4. Get flavored coffee

Having a black coffee to start with that is flavored is really helpful once you're at the point where you're drinking it straight black. I personally recommend Coffee Over Cardio since they have some really nice flavors. I'm a huge fan of Messy Bun and Saturdaze (chocolate donut), and their seasonal flavors like Basic AF (pumpkin spice) are awesome too. You can get a 10% off coupon with the code 10MagicallyFit at checkout!

5. Remember that you don't need to exclusively drink black coffee

I lost the bulk of my weight still drinking my coffee with either half-and-half or almond milk in it. And sometimes, I still do enjoy adding some Stevia and almond milk into my coffee. It's not an end all be all, and there are simple swaps you can do to still enjoy it how you like it without it necessarily being a sugar bomb. 

I switched to black coffee because Anthony and I have a lot of (post-pandemic) international travel plans to some destinations famous for their coffee in different ways, and I wanted to be able to enjoy them how they were without them all just tasting like how I do at home. Ask yourself what your goals are and go from there - remember, it should be because you enjoy it, not because you feel like you have to.