Numerous scientific studies have shown that tea drinkers, especially green tea drinkers, lose weight more easily. It's time to put away your gym bag and pick up the kettle! Here's how to lose weight by drinking tea.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: General Look
Step 1. Choose a quality of tea based on its effectiveness and your personal preferences
The best thing is to drink a tea that you like, but which at the same time is known for its slimming properties. More effective:
Green, white or oolong Moderately effective:
black Less effective:
decaffeinated or infusions Dangerous in excessive doses:
sweet tea, slimming tea
Step 2. Drink tea every day, starting a daily routine
Find ways to create a healthy tea drinking habit. This is easier if you can make "tea time" a normal thing. You can drink a cup in the morning and one in the afternoon, then a decaffeinated or herbal tea in bed, as they are still somewhat effective even without caffeine.
- Replace your morning coffee with a cup of tea.
- Prepare some tea in advance and cool it to always have iced tea on the hottest days.
Step 3. Do not add anything to the tea
Milk and sugar destroy any possible slimming effects of the tea. You have to get used to drinking your "straight" tea, without putting anything in it.
Step 4. Drink tea to fight hunger pangs
Tea is great for helping to regulate your metabolism, but for best results, start drinking it when you feel like you're craving something sweet or unhealthy. Often a cup of hot tea is enough to clear your stomach and avoid temptation.
Part 2 of 4: Choosing Suitable Tea and Accessories
Step 1. Find a tea variety you like
Although many studies focus on green tea, it is important to find one (green or otherwise) that you enjoy drinking. Some green teas have a very intense aroma and may not like it, especially at the first bites; others, on the other hand, are real delights even for beginners. Green and white tea: leaves with little processing, available in numerous flavors and varieties. Read our guide for more details.
Black tea: these leaves are subjected to a strong processing, which transforms useful elements (theaflavins and thearubigins) into more complex forms, which are always present but less effectively.
Oolong: specially processed tea that can boost your metabolism even more than green tea.
Decaffeinated: any of the qualities mentioned above, after a part of the theine has been removed. Theine is useful for weight loss, but these varieties still contain other useful elements.
Herbal teas: Any infusion made with leaves other than those of the traditional tea plant. They are usually less effective, but are still a good option instead of high calorie sodas.
Step 2. Be careful with weight loss teas
Although their taste may be similar to that of black tea or herbal tea, weight loss teas often contain laxatives; it is therefore good not to abuse it, especially if there are elements such as: halo, senna, rhubarb, castor oil. Experts warn us against the abuse of these teas so as not to develop physical discomforts, such as vomiting, nausea, persistent dysentery, abdominal cramps, fainting and dehydration.
- The concept of "slimming" tea is a kind of misleading advertisement: any natural, unsweetened tea can promote weight loss. Some teas can act as a laxative or fat blocker which is why they are marketed as such. However, laxatives only cleanse the colon (you have already used up the calories). You can lose some fluids at first, but the moment you drink something, they come back right away.
- One cup is enough. Seriously, you might regret it if you drank more.
Step 3. Read the ingredient label
There are many types of tea on the market and it is difficult to know where to start; a good place to start is to read the ingredients list: if you have added sugar or sweeteners, put it back on the shelf.
That doesn't mean you should avoid flavored green teas - some have sugar added but others haven't and if you take one that contains only natural ingredients, so much the better for you and your waistline
Step 4. Make it easy
Many find that making tea is not as easy as they would like, although it cannot be considered a real obstacle. In addition to the possibility of heating a ceramic cup full of water in the microwave for a couple of minutes and then adding the chosen sachet, there are many others:
- Buy an electric kettle. It is readily available, simple to use and you can find really cheap ones. Just fill it with water and turn it on. It will be possible to put the sachet to infuse directly into the cup or add a good number of them to the kettle. Also get a thermos for hot water and keep it handy, after filling it with hot water or tea, to be able to use it whenever you want.
- Purchase an iced tea maker. During the hot season you can combine or replace hot tea with glasses of refreshing iced tea. In this case, all you have to do is pour water into the machine, add ice and tea bags (read the instructions carefully). Turn it on and in a few minutes your iced tea will be ready to drink.
- Prepare the iced tea well in advance. If you know you won't have time the next day, do it the night before and store it in a jug in the refrigerator. Instead of carrying a couple of cans to work, fill a thermos with iced tea and enjoy it throughout the day.
Part 3 of 4: Develop a Daily Routine
Step 1. Create a daily tea routine
To reap the benefits of tea, you need to start drinking it every day as often as possible. If it's not easy, tasty and affordable, you won't get used to it. How can you make sure you drink more?
- Having a "supply" of tea is the easiest method: if you spend eight hours in the office, it is a good idea to have what you need to make tea there too (the thermos or your favorite mug and a microwave or kettle).
- Drink it with other people: tea is a drink made for being in company. If boiling a whole pot just for you seems pointless, get other people involved in this activity. In the workplace, make tea for all your colleagues and at home involve family members and / or roommates by drinking a cup of tea together before going to bed; if it becomes a social activity it will be easier for you to engage.
- Cream, milk and sugar shouldn't be part of this routine: unfortunately, to lose weight by drinking tea, you have to pay attention to these things (at least most of the time). Tea is no longer tea if you add sugar or milk to it: sorry, England!
Step 2. Replace your morning coffee with tea
Start the day with a cup of freshly brewed tea. In case you are used to drinking a large cappuccino with sugar and cocoa, you will also save a lot of calories.
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As mentioned before, it is important to drink tea as it is: adding milk neutralizes the tea's ability to stop fat (flavonoids). Plus, according to research, skim milk is the worst! Incredible, huh?
This research was done on cow's milk; if you want to try soy or almond milk, go for it (but keep in mind that you may not get the same effect)
Step 3. At lunch and dinner, replace your usual fizzy drink with a glass of unsweetened iced tea
We all know that carbonated drinks, including the light ones, are a bitter enemy of losing weight and they make us get the exact opposite effect. The sodium contained in soft drinks can, in fact, make us retain water inside the tissues, so why not choose a healthy and intelligent alternative? A glass of iced tea will also give you that small amount of caffeine that will get you through the work afternoon with a little extra energy.
Most of the "power" of tea to make you lose weight is that when you drink it instead, you are not consuming any other food or drink. Tea is low in calories (if you do it right) and will save you from taking other high calorie things. It's the same concept as losing weight by drinking water
Step 4. If you feel hungry in the afternoon, drink a cup of hot tea
Even if the vending machine's sweets seem to be chanting your name, make yourself a steaming cup of tea. The EGCG properties contained in tea have a beneficial effect on lowering glucose and can positively affect your craving for food.
In addition, the ritual of making tea (as opposed to putting coins in a dispenser) allows you to distract yourself from tasks and work for a few minutes and allows you to focus positively on yourself and on your healthy and important choices. Take a moment to chat with someone and relax. It's a great way to relax, recharge and socialize in just 5 minutes
Step 5. Have a nice glass of iced tea before dinner; it fills part of the stomach, so when it comes time to dine, you will be less hungry
Of course, healthy eating is essential, but iced tea is also important: it must be heated by the body to be metabolized, so you will burn more calories and lose more weight.
Step 6. Before going to sleep, drink a cup of herbal tea
In addition to helping you lose weight, a hot cup of herbal tea at the end of the day will help relax your mind and body. In fact, you must know that even a good sleep promotes unnecessary weight loss.
However, try not to drink a few moments before going to bed, so as not to risk having to interrupt your sleep with a night visit to the bathroom (especially if you are pregnant or suffer from incontinence)
Step 7. Drink at the right time
Many experts believe that some teas should be drunk at different times of the day for maximum weight loss results. Drinking only one type of tea is fine, but try drinking different types at various times of the day to see which one works for you.
- White tea blocks fat absorption so drink it before lunch.
- Tea such as cranberry tea can balance glucose levels, so it's best to drink it around dinner time.
- Pu-erh (Chinese), green and oolong teas activate the metabolism, so you can drink them in the morning and throughout the day!
Step 8. Drink on the go
Most of life today is spent in a kind of commuting; make these moments more enjoyable by turning them into a chance to sit and drink tea! Always carry a thermos (or two) with you to make it easier and make tea well in advance to relax during these moments.
Basically, the concept of this article is drink, drink, drink; not only do you not have the ability to put more food in your stomach, you don't even want to. The more you drink, the more full you will feel
Step 9. Think about your caffeine intake
Some teas contain caffeine; certainly, not as much as a cup of coffee contains but if you drink tea all day and every day, it multiplies! While caffeine does not technically dehydrate, there are around 50 mg of it per cup; try not to exceed 300 mg if you can.
You can decrease the brewing time (so that less caffeine remains) or simply drink herbal teas, which do not contain it. While it doesn't cause problems for most people, some are particularly sensitive to caffeine, and taking too much can lead to insomnia, nervousness, and prolonged symptoms for several hours
Part 4 of 4: Staying Motivated
Step 1. Balance your tea drinking habit with a balanced diet
Let's get back to reality for a second: when you don't see immediate results with a diet, you no longer feel like following it. While drinking tea is a great idea, you will get more results if you combine it with a healthy diet - this combination will give you strength to be reckoned with!
Do you know what tea goes perfectly with? Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. Since you're making your own tea, why not cook your own meals while you're at it? Preparing and cooking every single product on your own means that you know exactly what you are putting into your body
Step 2. Try not to get bored:
drinking the same type of tea every day may tire you; would you like to eat the same thing every day? To stick to this routine, try and mix different types of teas, flavors, and additions. It can be a lot of fun to make a tea selection at home or in the office, so you can choose a tea flavor according to your mood of the day.
- Add honey or crystal sugar. Remember, though, that while a little sweetness can make the tea even better, this choice will go against your desire to lose weight. Maybe use them only rarely to pamper yourself a little.
- Try adding a squeeze of fat-free cream or a few drops of lemon. According to some studies, a slice of lemon not only makes the taste very pleasant, for those who drink black tea, it can also reduce the development of skin cancer cells by 70%.
Step 3. Explore new flavors
There are no limits when it comes to trying new tea flavors. There are many brands and as many different types and it is impossible that you have tasted them all. Learning about new tea varieties is a lot of fun for aficionados.
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Here are several interesting tea proposals and all of them make you lose weight:
- Star anise tea: Aids in digestion and can actually soothe stomach ache
- Mint tea: controls appetite and speeds up digestion
- Rose tea: prevents constipation and contains a lot of vitamins
- T is pu-ehr: reduces fat cells (so drink it in the morning)
- Centocchio tea (stellaria): reduces swelling and is a mild diuretic (one cup is enough)
- To follow the diet well, choose only teas that you need to prepare instead of taking the soluble ones: they have a lot of added sugars that do not go along well with your diet.
Step 4. Drink tea consciously
Weight loss diets often tend to make us nervous, hungry, and make us feel deprived of something. Instead, it is important to be aware of your eating habits in order to remain calm and control our choices with intelligence. Even if you're not thirsty, keep tea on hand to combat temptation.
- Read these tea ritual articles for more ideas. People have been drinking it for thousands of years for a reason!
- Also read how to meditate while drinking tea for more information. Tea and meditation? Have you ever said the words "I feel almost too relaxed"? Well, you are about to.
Step 5. Stay informed
The study by Dr. Abdul Dulloo, from the Institute of Physiology of the University of Friborg (Switzerland), says that the EGCG compound found in green tea, along with caffeine, increases thermogenesis by 84%. Thermogenesis is the generation of heat by the body and normally occurs during the digestion, absorption and metabolization of food. Green tea also increases levels of norepinephrine which, like adrenaline, prepares our bodies for "fight or flight". Knowledge is power, people! It motivates you!
While not all researchers are convinced that drinking green tea (or others) is a "magic formula" for weight loss, every expert agrees that hydrating our system by drinking water or tea, instead of eating candy or drinking soda, can speed up. digestion process and keeps you from munching on sweets that are not healthy. Regardless of whether it's magic or not, it's a good habit
Advice
- Many teas have health benefits: for example, they protect the heart, teeth, raise the sense of well-being and the immune system, etc. Learn about the specific properties of each variety.
- Reduce your daily intake of calories to see concrete results.
- Drinking 3-5 cups of green tea a day can burn around 50-100 calories.
- Drinking hot or lukewarm tea does not slow digestion, like iced tea or other beverages do.
- Follow your diet by drinking plain tea or adding fat-free milk or a sugar substitute.
- Research from the Medical University of Maryland suggests drinking 2 or 3 cups of green tea a day to see beneficial results on our health and / or in unnecessary weight loss.
Warnings
- Excessive tea consumption can interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron.
- Tea has a shelf life: Don't drink old, stale tea and consume what you already have at home before trying the one you just bought. Buy them a little at a time so as not to risk drinking old tea or having no more space to keep it.
- Caffeine can interfere with sleep: do not consume caffeine at least three hours before bedtime.
- Some herbal teas can be harmful to some people, so it is important to always know the ingredients. Avoid those containing comfrey (banned in some countries), as they contain alkaloids that are harmful to the liver.
- If you've become a tea lover, space can become a problem. Make space in your kitchen or pantry within certain limits.
- If you suffer from insomnia, avoid taking caffeine after 4pm and don't drink more than one cup of tea a day. In any case, do not drink coffee or tea in the last hours of the day.
- Drinking more than 3 cups of tea a day can cause dental problems (staining them, for example) and affect sleep.
- Excessive tea consumption can stain your teeth. Be prepared to use whitening products if you like to have a white smile.
- Before changing your diet or starting a new diet, consult your doctor. Each individual has different needs and it is important to know their own.
