Happy National Pink Day Everyone!

As you all know from my previous post, my husband and I are on a one-month restaurant diet, giving up spending money at all dining establishments, including Starbucks (Gasp! Can this be true!). 

Well, yes it is and let me tell you, giving up Starbucks for a month is like breaking up with your best friend – and that is hard to do. It’s been 9 days, and counting, since I had my last Starbucks. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about running to the green mermaid with open arms. Does she miss me as much as I miss her? Now I know how smokers feel when they are trying to quit.

A sad day in Starbucks land...

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Nearly every day of the week I would pass by at least 3 Starbucks on my way to work. I would not say that I felt tempted, because Starbucks was not a treat, it was a necessity in the morning for me. Now, I still pass by those same three Starbucks, whimpering a little as I fail to turn into that familiar parking lot. The first few days were extremely difficult, with extra stress at work combined with less and less sleep at night. During business meetings, I would see team members with Starbucks cups and think they were tormenting me. I seemed to want Starbucks all the time, but that feeling became less and less prominent by the end of the first week.

TRYING TO COPE WITH A STARBUCKS LOSS

On one tough morning, I even tried replacing my frozen frappuccino  with the bottled liquid version you can buy at the grocery store. But, who am I kidding, it’s just not same. It’s almost like a tease, they make you think you are getting a frap by putting the name on the bottle, but then give you a second-rate drink – kind of a bait and switch.

Also, my husband I would frequent our local Barnes and Noble, which happily, and quite conveniently sells Starbucks’ addictive java concoctions. We used to love going there to just be among the books and, of course, enjoy a hot chocolate and a double chocolate chunk cookie. Although I have been to that same B&N in the last week, I passed right by the cafe without stopping or looking in the general vicinity of the counter. I wonder if the people behind the counter, who know me by face, are sneering at me because I’m not making my usual stop??

Fueling my Starbucks addiction at Barnes and Noble Cafe...

CAN A BREAK UP HAVE BENEFITS?

Ok, enough griping. I’ve been telling you all about the hardships of giving up Starbucks, but now I want to share the good things about breaking my Starbucks habit. 

To compensate for my loss, I’ve been trying to replace my Starbucks habit with other, healthier habits. Before, I would eat breakfast at home, then stop at Starbucks on my way to work. Getting the Starbucks was automatic even though I wasn’t very hungry after breakfast. Now, I get to work a little earlier and treat myself to a more relaxed, slow breakfast of Greek yogurt with gourmet – but less expensive than Starbucks – tea, or something equally as yummy.

Taylors of Harrogate English Breakfast tea - A Starbucks replacement.

And, because I’m not eating breakfast at home, followed by a “second breakfast” at Starbucks, I don’t crave sugar for the rest of the day like I used to. And, those yummy giant chocolate chunk cookies I used to buy at B&N have been replaced with smaller, but still oh-so-yummy homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. With these new habits, I’m actually saving more than a few dollars, a few hundred calories each day, and have lost a little weight in the process. But, unfortunately, when you make 4 dozen cookies and eat them in 5 days, it kind of has the opposite effect on your weight. 

Now, for those of you who are still addicted to Starbucks and wonder why I’m putting myself through this grief – take heart! I haven’t given up Starbucks completely. If someone were to offer to buy me a tall mocha frap – I would be happy to oblige in his or her generosity.