A woman credits Starbucks for helping her lose dozens of pounds.
Christine Hall, 66, thinks of Starbucks as her second home. She eats almost all of her meals there, and she said that has helped her lose nearly 85 pounds in two years.
"Losing weight is hard, but I realized I could do it," Hall said. "I found a system that worked."
Hall said she dropped the pounds by counting calories. Starbucks puts nutritional information on its packaged food, which made it easy for her to keep track of exactly how much she was eating.
"A lot of people look at the top shelf and they think it's muffins and fattening things, but look down on the second shelf and there's really healthy choices," Hall said.
Hall said she starts her day with oatmeal and black coffee, which totals 145 calories. She has a Panini or a Bistro Box for lunch and dinner, and those run 220 to 460 calories per meal.
"To get protein every now and then, I get the ham and cheese Panini and that's 340 (calories). If I go for a bike ride, I can come back and have a brownie," she said.
Registered dietician Rebecca Scritchfield said Hall may have trouble maintaining her Starbucks diet.
"What we know about diets is that they don't work in the long term," Scritchfield said.
Scritchfield warned that Hall could suffer from malnutrition if she is not careful.
"When you follow something that eliminates entire food groups or limits you to one particular restaurant, it's very difficult to be healthy and meet all of your nutrition needs," she said.
Hall said she's feeling better than ever.
"Nothing hurts anymore," she said. "I used to attribute some of my aches and pains to aging. My joints don't hurt. Nothing hurts. I don't take any medication. I feel like a kid again."
What worked for Hall may not work for you. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new weight-loss plan.