Starbuck's Diet

Here is an article and video from the Today Show about a woman who dropped nearly 80 pounds eating only food from Starbucks.  She has been doing this for nearly two years.  Believe it or not, it doesn’t sound like she tried to do this to get Starbucks attention for a quick buck.  There are actually some great tips to pick up from this diet.

This diet was most successful because she counted calories.  She watched everything she ate and never exceeded a certain total. She used an online diary to assist her, and when she was eating at a restaurant or fast food place, she chose the healthier option.  For instance, rather than a Frappuccino, she chose a black coffee.; instead of the muffin for breakfast, she got oatmeal. 

Another part of the article talked about the factors that led to her changing her diet.  This particular quote was both shocking and quite disturbing.

Hall said her weight never came up at checkups, though she reached a high of 212 pounds in November, 2009. But it did become an issue when, at 200 pounds, she was rejected as a kidney donor.

“The kidney doctor was the first who had the nerve to say, ‘Let’s talk about your weight,’” Hall said.

All the while she kept gaining weight and her doctors never even talked about her obesity as a medical problem! Maybe doctors are too afraid to tell their patients they are fat.  These days, people don’t want to be insulted and they may find a new doctor.    

All in all, this was a great article about a woman making positive changes to improve her health.  I am curious to see the changes in her cholesterol levels, glucose and blood pressure following the weight loss.  Although I admit that at first glance it sounded like another silly gimmick in the vast world of ridiculous diet plans, she actually lost weight in a smart way.  By reducing her caloric intake and making healthier food choices, she was able to lose a significant amount of weight.  Of course, you don’t have limit your foods to a certain brand or food chain.  You can apply this same strategy while preparing your own foods.  Just ask yourself before embarking on any diet plan, is this something I can do the rest of my life?