Ey up,
It’s that time of year again…
Pumpkin spice latte season. Which will be followed shortly by ‘seasonal drink’ in every cafe on your high street.
And look, before we get into this, you KNOW I’m not saying don’t ever have them.
I’m not a joyless robot, and if you follow me on instgram you’ll have seen me eat and drink my fair share of treats like this. I don’t deny myself the food I enjoy, and neither should you.
But pretending those 400–500 calorie “little treats” don’t matter or don’t count? That’s where people fuck it.
Here’s the thing about drinks: they don’t fill you up. At all.
Your pumpkin spice latte, festive hot choc, or iced frappe? That’s the same calories as a chicken and rice lunch. Except one of those keeps you full for hours and the other just makes you want a muffin to go with it 👀
☕️ Autumn = but PSLs are back
🍫 Easter = but creme eggs are only around once a year
🍹 Summer = but everyone’s getting cocktails after work
🥞 Christmas = but the Christmas market crepes smell good
You see the problem?
There’s always something. If you lean on “seasonal” as an excuse, you’ll spend the whole year overeating.
The balance bit (yeah, I said it)
Just look at the sugar in Starbucks’ seasonal drinks; it’s dessert in a cup.
I’m not saying never have them. I’ll have the odd overpriced dessert in a cup too.
But if you’re serious about fat-loss, you can’t be surprised when you’re stuck in neutral if you’re necking 3–4 seasonal drinks or treats a week on top of everything else.
It’s about picking your spots.
One drink you actually enjoy? Cool.
One slice of cake that fits in your macros? Also Cool.
Three drinks because “they’re limited edition”? Not so cool.
That’s just marketing rinsing you.
What to do instead
✅ Pick the one seasonal item you really want, enjoy it, and move on.
✅ Don’t fall into the “every week” trap. Once or twice across the season is plenty.
✅ If you do want it more often, balance it. Swap a high-calorie snack, or adjust dinner that day.
✅ And remember: it’s never the one-off that ruins progress, it’s the pattern.
If you’re someone who can’t stop at one, just don’t have it.
When I’m dieting, I don’t have any sweets, chocolate, crips in the house because I know that if it’s there, I will eat it. So I avoid the temptation altogether. Make things easy for yourself.
Cheers,
Sheep 🐏
P.S. If your fat-loss has stalled and you’re sick of spinning your wheels, my coaching will show you how to enjoy life AND see results without crying into your MyFitnessPal on a Saturday night. Book a free consultation if you’re ready to start.