Splurges in a Cup

Confession: I gained something close to The Freshman 15 when I went to College and most of it was before Thanksgiving break!

What's puzzling - I didn't drink alcohol at all. So where did all those empty calories come from? Thanks to the historically data below, you can know exactly how it happened (in pie graph form):

As you can see, the biggest culprit was high calorie coffee drinks (which were covered under my generous meal plan). I was getting up for three hour long, 8 am lectures at a time when Starbucks was promoting something called 'white chocolate mochas'. Whaaat? These are delicious AND they keep you awake?!?!  Little did my 18 year old body know, they contained half my day's caloric intake.

Since then, I've grown a lot (in nutritional knowledge, not waist size). I have a true love for coffee and tea - blessedly low calorie beverages, that I drink daily. But I still allow myself some splurges.

Four times a year I drink hefty, sweet, decadent drinks. One of those times was today so I'll keep sharing (before I crash off this sugar high)...

1.  The White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha - when it feels blistery cold and wintery and I need a pick me up.

f*ck yes I want whipped cream

2. The McDonalds Shamrock Shake - for that magical, limited time in March when this drink hits select McDonalds and I'm lured in - every year.

so artifically green and so elusive

3. The Chai Tea Frappachino - for the first day that really feels like spring, when I can walk outside with this drink (without a coat) and feel sunshine and warmth

with extra cinnamonamon

4. Pumpkin Spice Cappuchino - for the first day that really feels like fall, when I can walk outside with this and I need a sweater and the air is crisp. (I insist upon getting the gas station kind here - the ones from a machine with the powder and the button you release when 3/4 full - it's sooo good)

don't forget the sludge on the bottom

And now that I only give myself these four fancy drinks a year, I find I look forward them more, enjoy them more, and move on.... I still have a Hoagie consumption issue but that's for another time.

 I'm curious do you have special splurges? certain vices? strange annual ways of coping with them?