Most of us have a love-hate relationship with Starbucks. Yes, they are conveniently located, always handy when you are in desperate need of a bathroom and provide you with free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning, but their coffee is also over-priced, burnt-tasting and a ‘tall’ is really a ‘small’.
For Beautiful Existence, from Seattle, Starbucks is a lifestyle. She has chosen, I repeat, chosen, to live on nothing but Starbucks food and drinks for an entire year. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
Head to Toe Wellness: What is the reason/motivation behind this challenge?
Beautiful Existence: There are a million reasons anybody can do anything (ego, popularity, discovery, benefit, etc.) Life is curious. Life is unique. Life is about asking questions, no matter how small, silly or profound so that you can find out what is TRUE for YOU and sometimes see if its true for others as well.
So how can eating only one company’s products impact me or anybody? Well, Mr. McDonald’s already proved that question years ago with his documentary and Mr. Subway did his take on the losing weight portion of the food challenges too. But, when I watched those guys doing their thing I asked myself, “where are the WOMEN challenging themselves in the world?” “Where are the effects being shown on a woman’s culture?? A woman’s diet, weight, fashion, checkbook, community and world through challenges?” “Where is HER VOICE on how an international company is directly or indirectly impacting everything from her waistline to her bottom line and every other woman’s, man’s, child’s, societies and planets world with their presence?”
A year seemed like a great starting and ending point for my own personal brand research and also for people to follow a fun and hopefully informative timeline about what it's like to live "For 1 Year Of My Life".
Head to Toe Wellness: Why did you pick Starbucks? Are you being paid by Starbucks in any way?
Beautiful Existence: No, Starbucks doesn't pay me. In fact I've had to save all my gift cards for a while to do this challenge. Basically, it's as simple as my sister. She has been and still continues to be my inspiration for this year’s challenge! She has been a partner for over 7 years and Starbucks has always been a good company to her & my nephews. While drafting my challenges (I have 20 years of them in sight!), I was going for companies & organizations that I believed had stronger community, environmental or social missions outside their regular scope. Starbucks has had such policies and focuses in place for quite sometime and I knew about some of them already because of my sister is a partner.
I had already completed couple of eating challenges and I couldn't have picked a better focus for 2013... Starbucks has SO MANY new choices coming out this year! And so far, their level of new product has taken a significantly delicious and nutritious jump in everything from Evolution Fresh and Tazo Tea in the last year to its recent partnership with ‘La Boulange’.
For Beautiful Existence, from Seattle, Starbucks is a lifestyle. She has chosen, I repeat, chosen, to live on nothing but Starbucks food and drinks for an entire year. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.
Head to Toe Wellness: What is the reason/motivation behind this challenge?
Beautiful Existence: There are a million reasons anybody can do anything (ego, popularity, discovery, benefit, etc.) Life is curious. Life is unique. Life is about asking questions, no matter how small, silly or profound so that you can find out what is TRUE for YOU and sometimes see if its true for others as well.
So how can eating only one company’s products impact me or anybody? Well, Mr. McDonald’s already proved that question years ago with his documentary and Mr. Subway did his take on the losing weight portion of the food challenges too. But, when I watched those guys doing their thing I asked myself, “where are the WOMEN challenging themselves in the world?” “Where are the effects being shown on a woman’s culture?? A woman’s diet, weight, fashion, checkbook, community and world through challenges?” “Where is HER VOICE on how an international company is directly or indirectly impacting everything from her waistline to her bottom line and every other woman’s, man’s, child’s, societies and planets world with their presence?”
A year seemed like a great starting and ending point for my own personal brand research and also for people to follow a fun and hopefully informative timeline about what it's like to live "For 1 Year Of My Life".
Head to Toe Wellness: Why did you pick Starbucks? Are you being paid by Starbucks in any way?
Beautiful Existence: No, Starbucks doesn't pay me. In fact I've had to save all my gift cards for a while to do this challenge. Basically, it's as simple as my sister. She has been and still continues to be my inspiration for this year’s challenge! She has been a partner for over 7 years and Starbucks has always been a good company to her & my nephews. While drafting my challenges (I have 20 years of them in sight!), I was going for companies & organizations that I believed had stronger community, environmental or social missions outside their regular scope. Starbucks has had such policies and focuses in place for quite sometime and I knew about some of them already because of my sister is a partner.
I had already completed couple of eating challenges and I couldn't have picked a better focus for 2013... Starbucks has SO MANY new choices coming out this year! And so far, their level of new product has taken a significantly delicious and nutritious jump in everything from Evolution Fresh and Tazo Tea in the last year to its recent partnership with ‘La Boulange’.
Head to Toe Wellness: As you just mentioned, you are also eating/drinking from Starbucks-affiliated companies such as ‘Evolution Fresh”, “Tazo Tea”, “Roy Street Café” and “La Boulange”. How much does this broaden your eating/drinking options?
Beautiful Existence: It broadens it more than most people realize. I'm helping introduce brands, products that will be on the market soon and are amazing! Starbucks has expanded Evolution Fresh’s vision to include a natural menu full of good-for-you choices at their stores no. Next was the tea-revolution with ‘Tazo Tea’ and ‘Teavana’, to give the rest of the non-coffee drinking world their options and now Pascal Rigo's culinary masterpieces filled with natural, organic and even gluten-free options are about to be released. The Starbucks palate this year just went from gallery to Louvre level and everybody will get to experience its culinary significance relatively soon!
Head to Toe Wellness: Do you have a budget that you are sticking to? If not, approximately how much are you spending a day?
Beautiful Existence: I watch my spending and go "light" with no lattes or extras on normal days, so, that, when promotions and special occasions come up, I know I will spend a bit more. I snack on the cost-effective nut packs or bistro boxes most days but splurge in cost (and calories) for a Starbucks Evening or Frappuccino Happy Hour here or there. I'm still averaging around $500 a month or a little over $16 a day.
Head to Toe Wellness: What would a ‘typical’ day’s food consist of?
Beautiful Existence: Depending on the day, I will snack on veggies, fruit and cheese from a bistro box with some hard-boiled eggs from Evolution Fresh and a couple of almond packs thrown in and then enjoy a Panini or I get soups, salads or rice/noodle bowls for dinner. Then, for a special occasion (such as a birthday or girls night out), I stay with the lighter eating options throughout the day and then splurge and get the Beecher's cheese plate at Roy Street Coffee or a Truffle Mac n' cheese plate at a Starbucks Evening.
Head to Toe Wellness: Have you noticed a change in weight since following this plan?
Beautiful Existence: Yes, I lost weight in January/February after speaking to and following Christine Hall's Starbucks "Diet" suggestions - (http://www.today.com/health/librarian-claims-she-lost-nearly-80-pounds-starbucks-diet-997537).
I've since been maintaining this weight loss with exercise and by selecting lighter eating options most days and only splurging on higher calorie items once a week or so.
Head to Toe Wellness: You’re over halfway through your challenge. What has been the hardest part of sticking to this regime?
Beautiful Existence: It's actually been easier than I'd imagined due to all the new Starbucks affiliates opening. There are options available now that I had no idea were on the schedule when I started. They have been a very welcome gift this year!
Evolution Fresh has a special summer menu and La Boulange launched on June 4th, so this year was one of the best years I could have picked to only eat/drink Starbucks!
Head to Toe Wellness: What do your friends and family think? How do they accommodate your needs?
Beautiful Existence: They are all very supportive - as they have been for every years challenge. My first challenge was inspired by my life-long thrifty mom, and now my family knows I'll be bringing new Starbucks items down to the farm or family gatherings to try, so they look for the positive in my experiences to share with me. My challenge has introduced more of my family & friends to Starbucks products and they send their questions to me too.
Head to Toe Wellness: How do you handle social situations such as parties, weddings, holidays etc.?
Beautiful Existence: I've attended birthday parties (including my oldest son's), Easter, Passover and community events so far this year, and it's been just fine. I just bring my Starbucks items to the event or wait to eat until after we leave but so far everybody has been accommodating. I just choose not to attend events that are centered at restaurants and instead are held at galleries, theaters, parks, etc.
Head to Toe Wellness: Any particular recommendations? What’s the worst thing you’ve tasted?
Beautiful Existence: I could recommend SO MANY items that its hard to pick just one or two! I love each brand offering for different reasons. Evolution Fresh's natural, health-focused cuisine, Starbucks new beautifully-created salad bowls & deli sandwiches and now, Pascal's La Boulange artistry.
They have already removed my least-favorite item - the chicken, salsa & tortilla bistro box.
Head to Toe Wellness: What are you most looking forward to eating again once this challenge is over?
Beautiful Existence: I already have a list of my favorite local restaurants but I've also had new (to me) chefs & restaurants contact me, so I think I might have to wait till December as things do change. I also have a funny feeling that some personal wagers might be coming into place by December about what my first item to eat/drink will be, so I'm waiting to decide and loving the mystery and possibility of it all until then.
Head to Toe Wellness: You’re known for your ‘unusual’ challenges. Any plans for 2014 yet?
Beautiful Existence: Yes, I've already started drafting the site, logo, tag lines, etc. for 2014's challenge and I actually have the next three years’ worth of challenges drafted out... but I will be saving the announcement of 2014 till the last moment because I don't want to distract from my Starbucks year in any way. The only thing I will tell you are that my challenges will be showcasing Pacific Northwest (PNW) companies and organizations. I've decided to focus on our local brands this way because PNW does produce a great deal of good through our brands, products, ideas & people so why not turn the world's attention back to the place I happily call my home! The limelight of the PNW is alive and well through our music, culture and for me brands and challenges.... and I couldn't be more thrilled to be apart of its knowledge and appeal!
Follow Beautiful’s caffeinated adventures at - www.for1yearofmylife.com.
Beautiful Existence: It broadens it more than most people realize. I'm helping introduce brands, products that will be on the market soon and are amazing! Starbucks has expanded Evolution Fresh’s vision to include a natural menu full of good-for-you choices at their stores no. Next was the tea-revolution with ‘Tazo Tea’ and ‘Teavana’, to give the rest of the non-coffee drinking world their options and now Pascal Rigo's culinary masterpieces filled with natural, organic and even gluten-free options are about to be released. The Starbucks palate this year just went from gallery to Louvre level and everybody will get to experience its culinary significance relatively soon!
Head to Toe Wellness: Do you have a budget that you are sticking to? If not, approximately how much are you spending a day?
Beautiful Existence: I watch my spending and go "light" with no lattes or extras on normal days, so, that, when promotions and special occasions come up, I know I will spend a bit more. I snack on the cost-effective nut packs or bistro boxes most days but splurge in cost (and calories) for a Starbucks Evening or Frappuccino Happy Hour here or there. I'm still averaging around $500 a month or a little over $16 a day.
Head to Toe Wellness: What would a ‘typical’ day’s food consist of?
Beautiful Existence: Depending on the day, I will snack on veggies, fruit and cheese from a bistro box with some hard-boiled eggs from Evolution Fresh and a couple of almond packs thrown in and then enjoy a Panini or I get soups, salads or rice/noodle bowls for dinner. Then, for a special occasion (such as a birthday or girls night out), I stay with the lighter eating options throughout the day and then splurge and get the Beecher's cheese plate at Roy Street Coffee or a Truffle Mac n' cheese plate at a Starbucks Evening.
Head to Toe Wellness: Have you noticed a change in weight since following this plan?
Beautiful Existence: Yes, I lost weight in January/February after speaking to and following Christine Hall's Starbucks "Diet" suggestions - (http://www.today.com/health/librarian-claims-she-lost-nearly-80-pounds-starbucks-diet-997537).
I've since been maintaining this weight loss with exercise and by selecting lighter eating options most days and only splurging on higher calorie items once a week or so.
Head to Toe Wellness: You’re over halfway through your challenge. What has been the hardest part of sticking to this regime?
Beautiful Existence: It's actually been easier than I'd imagined due to all the new Starbucks affiliates opening. There are options available now that I had no idea were on the schedule when I started. They have been a very welcome gift this year!
Evolution Fresh has a special summer menu and La Boulange launched on June 4th, so this year was one of the best years I could have picked to only eat/drink Starbucks!
Head to Toe Wellness: What do your friends and family think? How do they accommodate your needs?
Beautiful Existence: They are all very supportive - as they have been for every years challenge. My first challenge was inspired by my life-long thrifty mom, and now my family knows I'll be bringing new Starbucks items down to the farm or family gatherings to try, so they look for the positive in my experiences to share with me. My challenge has introduced more of my family & friends to Starbucks products and they send their questions to me too.
Head to Toe Wellness: How do you handle social situations such as parties, weddings, holidays etc.?
Beautiful Existence: I've attended birthday parties (including my oldest son's), Easter, Passover and community events so far this year, and it's been just fine. I just bring my Starbucks items to the event or wait to eat until after we leave but so far everybody has been accommodating. I just choose not to attend events that are centered at restaurants and instead are held at galleries, theaters, parks, etc.
Head to Toe Wellness: Any particular recommendations? What’s the worst thing you’ve tasted?
Beautiful Existence: I could recommend SO MANY items that its hard to pick just one or two! I love each brand offering for different reasons. Evolution Fresh's natural, health-focused cuisine, Starbucks new beautifully-created salad bowls & deli sandwiches and now, Pascal's La Boulange artistry.
They have already removed my least-favorite item - the chicken, salsa & tortilla bistro box.
Head to Toe Wellness: What are you most looking forward to eating again once this challenge is over?
Beautiful Existence: I already have a list of my favorite local restaurants but I've also had new (to me) chefs & restaurants contact me, so I think I might have to wait till December as things do change. I also have a funny feeling that some personal wagers might be coming into place by December about what my first item to eat/drink will be, so I'm waiting to decide and loving the mystery and possibility of it all until then.
Head to Toe Wellness: You’re known for your ‘unusual’ challenges. Any plans for 2014 yet?
Beautiful Existence: Yes, I've already started drafting the site, logo, tag lines, etc. for 2014's challenge and I actually have the next three years’ worth of challenges drafted out... but I will be saving the announcement of 2014 till the last moment because I don't want to distract from my Starbucks year in any way. The only thing I will tell you are that my challenges will be showcasing Pacific Northwest (PNW) companies and organizations. I've decided to focus on our local brands this way because PNW does produce a great deal of good through our brands, products, ideas & people so why not turn the world's attention back to the place I happily call my home! The limelight of the PNW is alive and well through our music, culture and for me brands and challenges.... and I couldn't be more thrilled to be apart of its knowledge and appeal!
Follow Beautiful’s caffeinated adventures at - www.for1yearofmylife.com.