The Best 5 Healthy Weight Loss Drinks That Work

When starting a weight loss diet or regime, for most of us, the focus tends to be on the food we are eating and the calories we are burning.  However, it is quite common to forget the calories we are consuming in the form of drinks.  As they are not technically ‘food’, can be knocked back quickly and generally don’t contribute much to helping us feel full, it is easy to forget the energy they are providing that may be inhibiting weight loss.  But beware, the average American gets a fifth of their daily calories from drinks, and many popular choices can have as many calories and as much fat as the foods you avoid like the plague when trying to lose weight.

The worst offenders are the usual suspects:  Those that contribute a large amount of calories, but provide little to no nutritional benefit.  These include soft drinks, energy drinks and many sports drinks (you only really need these if you are doing some fairly intense exercise, so if you’re not running a marathon give them a miss).  Other culprits that are not so obvious are large fancy coffees, a large full cream latte with a vanilla shot will weigh in at 380 calories and 17.9 grams of fat, or the equivalent of 10 rashers of bacon!  Alcohol can also contribute to weight gain, providing a substantial amount of calories and very little nutritional benefit, and we all know how easy it is for one glass of wine to turn into a bottle.

There are also many high calorie drinks that are masquerading as healthy choices.  Juice, particularly with added sugar can have the equivalent calories to the same amount of coke, whilst smoothies and milkshakes are often high in sugar and fat from syrups, ice cream and flavours.

Best drinks for weight loss

1.  Water

Definitely the best drink for weight loss, water is calorie free but can still fill you up.  Studies have found that drinking water before eating cause people to eat less during the meal.  It has also been found that water in particular iced water in fact stimulates the metabolism, increasing the number of calories you burn.  It is thought that increasing your water intake by two glasses a day can lead to a 30% increase in metabolic rate.  It is also important to drink plenty of water for many other reasons.  Even slight dehydration can lead to lack of energy, poor skin, constipation and lack of concentration.  It´s also just about the only drink that´s free, so there´s no excuses not to drink up!

2.  Green Tea

While both black and green tea are calorie free and therefore suitable for weight loss, green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine have been found to cause thermogenesis and increase fat oxidation, which in turn may increase metabolic rate slightly. Although it is unlikely to boost the rate enough to cause significant weight loss.   Green tea also boasts a host of other benefits such as high levels of flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help fight cancer.  Studies have also suggested that heart attack risk is reduced with regular intake of green tea.

3.  Black coffee

In moderation (maximum 3 to 4 cups per day), black coffee has been shown to have beneficial effects for the health.  It contains antioxidants which may help fight some forms of cancer, and has also been associated with reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.  Caffeine is also thought to stimulate the metabolism and increase calorie burning.  On top of all this it is calorie free making it the perfect weight loss pick.  Just remember to keep it black or add only a small amount of low fat milk and don’t add too much sugar or a coffee can quickly become a high calorie beverage.

4.  Vegetable juice

Vegetable juice provides all the nutritional benefits of fruit juice but with less calories.  As vegetables are generally naturally lower in sugar than fruit, their juices are also much lower in sugar. A cup of natural vegetable juice such as V8 provides only 50 calories, whilst the equivalent in fresh orange juice provides 129, over twice as many calories.   Look for completely natural juices with pulp for added fiber that will keep you full for longer.  Alternatively squeeze your own, that way you know exactly what is going into it.

5.  Low Fat smoothies

Smoothies can be a healthy choice appropriate for weight loss if you know what is going into them. These drinks do provide valuable calcium from the milk and vitamins and fiber from fruit, however, many commercial smoothies are packed full of calories from sugar syrups, honey, frozen yogurt and ice cream.  Often real fruit is not even used, but instead a sugar fruit syrup.  The best option is to make your own smoothie at home using fruit, skim milk or low fat yoghurt and ice, this way you know exactly what is in your drink.

It is also important to remember that a smoothie is not a drink to quench your thirst, and is really a meal in itself.  When paired with a couple of slices of whole grain toast, a low fat smoothie makes an ideal breakfast option, which is perfect for those mornings you are in a hurry as it can be easily transported.  Add a tablespoon of bran flakes or oats for extra fiber and B vitamins to provide even more nutrition.

A note on diet soft drinks

Whilst swapping sugary varieties for diet versions may save on calories, there is some debate as to whether this is beneficial for weight loss in the long term.  Some studies have found that when the body consumes something sweet tasting, it expects a hit of sugar.  This means when you don’t receive the sugar in your blood, as is the case with diet sodas and other products with artificial sweeteners; you may start to crave more sweet foods.  This can lead to overconsumption of other sweet foods and overall weight gain.  If you are drinking large amounts of soft drinks in a day however, it is probably beneficial to switch to low calorie versions if you are unable to cut back significantly.

Source

24 Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Time Your Meals

Set a timer for 20 minutes and reinvent yourself as a slow eater. This is one of the top habits for slimming down without a complicated diet plan. Savor each bite and make them last until the bell chimes. Paced meals offer great pleasure from smaller portions and trigger the body's fullness hormones. When you wolf your food down in a hurry, your stomach doesn't have time to tell your brain it's full. That leads to overeating.

Sleep More, Weigh Less

Sleeping an extra hour a night could help a person drop 14 pounds in a year, according to a University of Michigan researcher who ran the numbers for a 2,500 calorie per day intake. His scenario shows that when sleep replaces idle activities -- and the usual mindless snacking -- you can effortlessly cut calories by 6%. Results would vary for each person, but sleep may help in another way, too. There's evidence that getting less than 7 hours of sleep revs up your appetite, making you uncommonly hungry.

Serve More, Eat More Veggies

Serve three vegetables with dinner tonight, instead of just one, and you'll eat more without really trying. Greater variety tricks people into eating more food -- and eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to lose weight. The high fiber and water content fills you up with fewer calories. Cook them without added fat. And season with lemon juice and herbs rather than drowning their goodness in high-fat sauces or dressings.

When Soup's On, Weight Comes Off

Add a broth-based soup to your day and you'll fill up on fewer calories. Think minestrone, tortilla soup, or Chinese won-ton. Soup's especially handy at the beginning of a meal because it slows your eating and curbs your appetite. Start with a low-sodium broth or canned soup, add fresh or frozen vegetables and simmer. Beware of creamy soups, which can be high in fat and calories.

Go for Whole Grains

Whole grains such as brown rice, barley, oats, buckwheat, and whole wheat also belong in your stealthy weight loss strategy. They help fill you up with fewer calories and may improve your cholesterol, too. Whole grains are now in many products including waffles, pizza crust, English muffins, pasta, and soft "white" whole-wheat bread.

Eyeball Your Skinny Clothes

Hang an old favorite dress, skirt, or a smokin' pair of jeans where you'll see them every day. This keeps your eyes on the prize. Choose an item that's just a little too snug, so you reach this reward in a relatively short time. Then pull out last year's cocktail dress for your next small, attainable goal.

Skip the Bacon

Pass on those two strips of bacon at breakfast or in your sandwich at lunch time. This simple move saves about 100 calories, which can add up to a 10 pound weight loss over a year. Other sandwich fixings can replace the flavor with fewer calories. Think about tomato slices, banana peppers, roasted red bell peppers, grainy mustard, or a light spread of herbed goat cheese.

Build a Better Slice of Pizza

Choose vegetable toppings for pizza instead of meat and you may be able to shave 100 calories from your meal. Other skinny pizza tricks: Go light on the cheese or use reduced-fat cheese and choose a thin, bread-like crust made with just a touch of olive oil.

Sip Smart: Cut Back on Sugar

Replace one sugary drink like regular soda with water or a zero-calorie seltzer and you'll avoid about 10 teaspoons of sugar. Add lemon, mint or frozen strawberries for flavor and fun.

The liquid sugar in soda appears to bypass the body's normal fullness cues. One study compared an extra 450 calories per day from jelly beans vs. soda. The candy eaters unconsciously ate fewer calories overall, but not so for the soda drinkers. They gained 2.5 pounds in four weeks.

Sip Smart: Use a Tall, Thin Glass

Use a tall, skinny glass instead of a short, wide tumbler to cut liquid calories -- and your weight -- without dieting. You'll drink 25%-30% less juice, soda, wine, or any other beverage.

How can this work? Brian Wansink, PhD, says visual cues can trick us into consuming more or less. His tests at Cornell University found all kinds of people poured more into a short, wide glass -- even experienced bartenders.

Sip Smart: Limit Alcohol

When an occasion includes alcohol, follow the first drink with a nonalcoholic, low-calorie beverage like sparkling water instead of moving directly to another cocktail, beer, or glass of wine. Alcohol has more calories per gram (7) than carbohydrates (4) or protein (4). It can also loosen your resolve, leading you to mindlessly inhale chips, nuts, and other foods you'd normally limit.

Sip Smart: Go for Green Tea

Drinking green tea may also be a good weight loss strategy. Some studies suggest that it can rev up the body's calorie-burning engine temporarily, possibly through the action of phytochemicals called catechins. At the very least, you'll get a refreshing drink without tons of calories.

Slip Into a Yoga State of Mind

Women who do yoga tend to weigh less than others, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. What's the connection? The yoga regulars reported a more "mindful" approach to eating. For example, they tend to notice the large portions in restaurants but eat only enough to feel full. Researchers think the calm self-awareness developed through yoga may help people resist overeating.

Eat at Home

Eat home-cooked meals at least five days a week. A Consumer Reports survey found this was a top habit of "successful losers." Sound daunting? Cooking may be easier than you think. Shortcut foods can make for quick meals, such as pre-chopped lean beef for fajitas, washed lettuce, pre-cut veggies, canned beans, cooked chicken strips, or grilled deli salmon.

Catch the 'Eating Pause'

Most people have a natural "eating pause," when they drop the fork for a couple of minutes. Watch for this moment and don't take another bite. Clear your plate and enjoy the conversation. This is the quiet signal that you're full, but not stuffed. Most people miss it.

Chew Strong Mint Gum

Chew sugarless gum with a strong flavor when you're at risk for a snack attack. Making dinner after work, socializing at a party, watching TV, or surfing the Internet are a few dangerous scenarios for mindless snacking. Gum with a big flavor punch overpowers other foods so they don't taste good.

Shrink Your Dishes

Choose a 10-inch lunch plate instead of a 12-inch dinner plate to automatically eat less. Cornell's Brian Wansink, PhD, found in test after test that people serve more and eat more food with larger dishes. Shrink your plate or bowl to cut out 100-200 calories a day -- and 10-20 pounds in a year. In Wansink's tests, no one felt hungry or even noticed when tricks of the eye shaved 200 calories off their daily intake.

Get Food Portions Right

The top habit of slim people is to stick with modest food portions at every meal, five days a week or more. "Always slim" people do it and successful losers do it, too, according to a Consumer Reports survey. After measuring portions a few times, it can become automatic. Make it easier with small "snack" packs and by keeping serving dishes off the table at meal time.

Try the 80-20 Rule

Americans are conditioned to keep eating until they're stuffed, but residents of Okinawa eat until they're 80% full. They even have a name for this naturally slimming habit: hara hachi bu. We can adopt this healthy habit by dishing out 20% less food, according to researcher Brian Wansink, PhD. His studies show most people don't miss it.

Eat Out Your Way

Restaurant meals are notoriously fattening, so consider these special orders that keep portions under control:

• Split an entrée with a friend.
• Order an appetizer as a meal.
• Choose the child's plate.
• Get half the meal in a doggie bag before it's brought to the table.

Complement a smaller entrée with extra salad for the right balance: half the plate filled with veggies.

Reach for the Red Sauce

Choose marinara sauce for pasta instead of Alfredo sauce. The tomato-based sauces tend to have fewer calories and much less fat than cream-based sauces. But remember, portion size still counts. A serving of pasta is one cup or roughly the size of a tennis ball.

Go Meatless More Often

Eating vegetarian meals more often is a slimming habit. Vegetarians tend to weigh less than meat eaters. While there are several reasons for this, legumes may play an important role. Bean burgers, lentil soup, and other tasty legume-based foods are simply packed with fiber. Most Americans get only half of this important nutrient, which fills you up with fewer calories.

Burn 100 Calories More

Lose 10 pounds in a year without dieting by burning an extra 100 calories every day. Try one of these activities:

• Walk 1 mile, about 20 minutes.
• Pull weeds or plant flowers for 20 minutes.
• Mow the lawn for 20 minutes.
• Clean house for 30 minutes.
• Jog for 10 minutes.

Celebrate

When you've kicked the soda habit or simply made it through the day without overeating, pat yourself on the back. You've moved closer to a slimming lifestyle that helps people lose weight without crazy or complicated diet plans. Phone a friend, get a pedicure, buy new clothes -- or on occasion, indulge in a small slice of cheesecake.

Comment below what some tips and tricks you've found helpful to lose weight without resorting to dieting :)


Source
http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-no-diet-weight-loss

Sources

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD on 2/, 014

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information

© 2014 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

7 BEST FOODS FOR RAPID WEIGHT LOSS

So you need to lose weight—fast!

Wouldn’t it be great if life came with a magic remote control that made the bad parts speed up and the good parts slow down? You could hit FF at the beginning of every workday, and RWD at the end of awesome date. All the vacations, holidays and parties could move at the pace of a Kenny G song, and all the endless conference calls could spin by faster than Nicki Minaj’s hairstyles.

And right up there on the FF list—weight loss. Sure, slow and steady may win the race, but who wants to plod along like a tortoise, especially when a warm weather getaway is right around the corner? Add these 7 super weight loss foods to your day, compliments of the New York Times bestseller Zero Belly Diet, to get your weight-loss goals on hyperspeed. All of them have been scientifically proven to fry flab in 6 weeks or less!

Tighten your seatbelt—in fact, you’ll soon be tightening every belt!

PROVEN TO WORK IN JUST TWO WEEKS…..

GREEN TEA

If you’re not drinking green tea with your workouts, you might be wasting your time at that barre class. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition found that after just two weeks, exercisers who sipped four to five cups of green tea each day and logged 25-minutes at the gym lost more belly fat than their non-tea-drinking counterparts. What makes the drink so powerful? It contains catechins, an antioxidant that hinders the storage of belly fat and aids rapid weight loss. And that’s not the only weight loss elixir out there: Discover more details and drop two sizes with these 4 Teas That Melt Fat Fast.

ALMONDS

Think of each almond as a natural weight-loss pill. A study of overweight and obese adults found that, combined with a calorie-restricted diet, consuming a little more than a quarter cup of the nuts can decrease weight more effectively than a snack comprised of complex carbohydrates and safflower oil—after just two weeks! (And after 24 weeks, those who ate the nuts experienced a 62% greater reduction in weight and BMI!) For optimal results, eat your daily serving before you hit the gym. A study printed in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that almonds, rich in the amino acid L-arginine, can actually help you burn more fat and carbs during workouts. Fill up, but don’t fill out: Use these Eat This, Not That!-recommended 10 Daily Habits That Blast Belly Fat.

PROVEN TO WORK IN JUST FOUR WEEKS...

PISTACHIOS

Stephen Colbert may be on to something. UCLA Center for Human Nutrition researchers divided study participants into two groups, each of which were fed a nearly identical low-cal diet for 12-weeks. The only difference between the groups was what they were given to eat as an afternoon snack. One group ate 220-calories of pretzels while the other group munched on 240-calories worth of pistachios. Just four weeks into the study, the pistachio group had reduced their BMI by a point, while the pretzel-eating group stayed the same, and their cholesterol and triglyceride levels showed improvements as well.

AVOCADO OIL

What if we told you that you could make 20 percent of your belly disappear this year—poof, just gone? Penn State University researchers compared those who consumed avocado oil with those who consumed a flax-safflower oil blend. Those on the avocado oil diet—just three tablespoons daily did the trick—lost nearly 2 percent of their belly fat in just one month. For more ways to enjoy big, bold flavors, burn flab with these 8 Fatty Foods That Make You Skinny.

LEGUMES

It’s time to focus on your lentil health. In one four-week Spanish study, researchers found that eating a calorie-restricted diet that includes four weekly servings of legumes aids weight loss more effectively than an equivalent diet that doesn’t include beans. Those who consumed the legume-rich diet also saw improvements in their “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and systolic blood-pressure. To reap the benefits at home, work lentils, chickpeas, peas and beans into your diet throughout the week.

VITAMIN D-FORTIFIED YOGURT

How would you like to take all the great weight-loss results you’ve just read about—and double them? That’s what happens when you supplement your diet with a combination of vitamin D and calcium, according to a Nutrition Journalstudy. Just four weeks into the 12-week experiment, subjects who had taken these two nutrients—found in abundance in some yogurts—lost two times more fat than the other group! To get similar results at home, start your day with one of these Best Brand-Name Yogurts for Weight Loss.

PROVEN TO WORK IN JUST SIX WEEKS….

GRAPEFRUIT

Like a marathoner stretching before the big run, eating half a grapefruit before a meal can enhance your body’s fat-burning performance. A study published in the journal Metabolism found that this “warm-up” tactic can help whittle your middle—by up to an inch—in just six weeks! The scientists attribute the powerful effects to the grapefruits’ fat-zapping phytochemicals. The fruit can interact negatively with certain medications, so as long as you get the green-light from your M.D, plan to have half of a grapefruit before your morning meal and add a few segments your starter salads to reap the benefits.

If you're looking to lose more weight rapidly, then add these quick tricks to your daily routine.

Comment below what you think! I love hearing from you guys! xx





Source
http://www.eatthis.com/10-best-foods-rapid-weight-loss

The Best Natural Supplements For Weight Loss

If you are looking for natural supplements for weight loss, then without any shadow of a doubt green tea is best option. There has been much research on the impact of green tea in the weight loss process including the various health benefits this tea provides. The green tea has proved to contain many nutritional qualities that allow its regular consumers to prevent risks of many diseases and thus allowing leading a healthy disease free long life.

Certainly, if you are looking for weight loss supplements like diet pills or something similar, always consider the adverse health effects all these diet pills can have. In this way, if you are losing weight without having a healthy lifestyle, then there is no point in doing it. A weight loss program should contain healthy weight loss diet including healthy natural supplements like green tea.

The tea comes from the camellia leaves that are found mostly in the eastern parts Asia like China and Japan. Therefore, the green tea consumption has been a part of the cultures of the people of that part of the world for thousands of years where they have always celebrated the beneficial qualities of green tea.  Now green tea is a worldwide phenomenon with rising popularity among those who wants suitable means of losing weight supplements.

The substances present in green tea such as polyphenols play a vital role in the fat reduction process inside our body. This substance creates enzymes that prevent the excess production of triglyceride substances that can cause us to gain weight due to its fat storage capabilities. This triglyceride absorbs the fat and sugar substances that are being passed on into our body to store it and increase the transformation of food into fat.  In this way, the sufficient control on the amount of fatty food items in your diet while drinking green tea on a regular basis would help significantly in the fat reduction process.

The high caffeine contents of green tea make them to produce a lot of antioxidants that aids the boost of metabolism. The increase in the metabolic rate of your body will assist more physical activities in form of regular exercises and so on which is highly important for efficient weight loss. Moreover, the anti-oxidants help to make the fat storage in your body to be transformed into energy that can be broken down to ensure sufficient weight loss in the quickest manner possible.

However, to ensure the effectiveness of green tea, having a well-balanced diet with lots of natural fruit and vegetables and other healthy meals is very important. The diet should also be supported by regular exercises and if implemented the plans properly, the effectiveness of green tea will be incredibly high where you will able to lose a lot of pound at a very short time.

Source
http://ifeellight.com/one-best-natural-supplements-weight-loss/

Green Tea For Weight Loss

Green Tea for weight loss has been recently a very popular phenomenon. A lot of people who want to lose weight fast are including green tea in their diet plans most commonly with their breakfast meals. Certainly, without any doubt it has lots of amazing qualities that helps to lose weight and stay healthy, preventing the risks of many diseases making green tea the healthiest beverage on earth in the process. For this reason, the sales and distribution of the green tea products is rising enormously throughout the world providing many people with the necessary diet supplement needs in the healthiest and natural ways possible.

History of Green Tea

The consumption of green tea is being practiced for around five thousand years that originated manly among the people of China. Green tea generally comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant that can be found in East Asian regions of China and Japan mostly. For over many centuries, green tea consumption has been an important part of the Chinese and Japanese cultures where there were many variations that had been made on the tea leaves preparing the tea in many ways to make people enjoy the drink. Japan for many years has developed the tea consumption process into an art form where there were many tea drinking ceremonies in their culture that are still being practiced today. Without any doubt, this is the reason why most of the green tea products do come from Japan.

Health benefits of green tea

The green tea is loaded with healthy nutrients that allows people to stay disease free and lead a long life if consumed on a regular basis. The bioactive compounds that are present in the green tea make sure of such healthy nutrients. The polyphenol contents in green tea such as flavonoid and catechins act as strong antioxidants that help in increasing the metabolic rates of our body. Such antioxidants help to prevent damage cells and molecules from our body keeping us disease free all the time. In this process, a lot of risky diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney failures, Alzheimer’s diseases and several other harmful old age diseases can be prevented.

Because of its high caffeine contents, the green tea can also help you to increase your brain functions and thus make you active all the time, especially during work where your productivity might increase. Certainly, the caffeine contents work as stimulants that assist faster brain functioning allowing you to make faster decisions on anything while increasing physical performance at the same time. 

Assisting the weight loss process

As mentioned before, green tea has high concentration of caffeine which raises the metabolic rate of our body. Because of this, our physical activities may see a boost in performance where you may feel to have gained more stamina and perhaps strength during exercising burning more fat in the process due to the high metabolic rate of your body caused by green tea. The polyphenol contents of green tea helps release certain enzymes in your body that prevents the excess amount of triglyceride to enter into the bloodstream that causes fat. Although triglyceride is an essential substance that several parts inside your body needs to function properly, excess amount of such substances in your system generally may cause you to gain weight by transforming into fat and thus the polyphenol contents of the green tea fights such excess triglyceride to control your weight in an effective manner.

Therefore, the benefits of drinking green tea on a regular basis are endless where along with a proper workout routine and diet plan; you will be able to lose sufficient weight in the fastest ways possible.

Source
http://ifeellight.com/green-tea-weight-loss/

Foods that increase weight loss

Kidney beans

One of several varieties of beans to make the list, red beans offer protein and fiber (more than 5 grams per serving!). Kidney beans are also rich in Resistant Starch; a 1/2-cup serving packs nearly 2 grams of this slimming carb.

Almonds

Nuts are another superfood rich in healthy fats that help you slim down.

Almonds in particular can help you shed pounds: In one study, people who added a daily helping of the nuts to a low-cal diet lost more weight than people who followed the same diet but swapped almonds for a carb-heavy snack like crackers.

Green tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.

Lentils

Lentils are a great source of satiating protein and fiber. A half-cup serving delivers 3.4 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat

Bananas

Bananas are a slimming superfood at the heart of Health's CarbLovers Diet. A slightly green, medium-size banana will fill you up and boost your metabolism with its 12.5 grams of Resistant Starch. Even a ripe banana still ranks high on the list of foods containing RS, with almost 5 grams.

Eggs

Eggs get a bad rap when it comes to weight loss. But the breakfast staple is loaded with protein that will curb your appetite. One study found that overweight women who ate egg breakfasts lost twice as much weight as women who started their days with bagels.

And don't worry about cholesterol: The study found that egg eaters don't have higher bad cholesterol or lower good cholesterol than bagel eaters.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers, rejoice! A nibble of dark chocolate here and there can slow down digestion so you feel full longer and eat less at your next meal.

Dark chocolate is full of MUFAs; studies show eating a diet high in these healthy fats can rev your metabolism to burn fat and calories. It may also help by curbing cravings for salt, sweet, or fatty diet-wreckers.

 

Wine

Resveratrol, the famed antioxidant found in grape skin, stops fat storage. Studies show that moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less belly fat than liquor drinkers. Downing a glass can boost your calorie burn for a good 90 minutes.

Oranges

At only 59 calories, you may not expect much from an orange, but thanks to a hefty dose of fiber, it ranks highest among fruits on a list of 38 filling foods put together by Australian researchers. Feeling full can help you eat less throughout the day.

Potatoes

True, potatoes are high in carbs, but they are three times as filling as a slice of white bread, and top all the foods on the same satiety index as oranges. Plus, potatoes are also rich in Resistant Starch, which helps your body burn fat.


Source
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20475957_0,00.html

How to drink tea to lose weight

Numerous scientific studies have shown that tea drinkers, specifically green tea drinkers, lose weight faster than those who don’t. Time to stow away the gym bag and get your kettle on! Here's the skinny on getting skinny with tea.

Method 1 of 3: Choosing Teas and Supplies

1. Find a tea you enjoy. 

While many studies focus on green tea, it's important to find a tea (green or otherwise) that you enjoy drinking. Some green teas are quite strong in flavor and can be unpleasant if you're not used to the taste. Others are truly delightful even for a beginner in green tea drinking. Here are some options to try:

• Flavored green teas. Both green and white (which has antioxidant properties as well but is more expensive) are offered in a bevy of flavors. For best results, consider choosing a green or white tea that contains caffeine (according to research, a caffeine-based tea provides maximum calorie burn).
• Herbal teas. Herbal teas come in a variety of delectable flavors ranging from spicy orange to jasmine. Rooibos (red tea) is another good herbal tea choice. Since herbal teas are typically decaffeinated, they can be used as a late night treat or in between drinking caffeinated teas.
• Black tea. It's actually from the same plant as green tea, but the processing it goes through is different. As a result, those weight loss blasting chemicals (theaflavins and thearubigins) are more complex. They're still there, but the simpler the better. In other words, green tea may get you thinner more quickly, but both are good.^[1]
  • Although black tea can be obtained in a decaffeinated form, trace amounts of caffeine may still remain, which can have an impact on those who want to fall asleep at night.
• Oolong tea has been reported to increase your metabolism by as much as 10%. Green tea reportedly only increases metabolism by 4%. Both are great, though!

2. Be careful with diet teas. 

While diet tea tastes similar to many black or herbal teas, diet teas may contain a laxative element, so you should drink these teas in moderation -- especially if your tea contains senna, aloe, agarwood, rhubarb root, buckthorn, or castor oil. Experts warn against drinking too many cups of diet tea because you could develop vomiting, nausea, persistent diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and even fainting and dehydration.

• The concept of "diet" tea is sort of false advertising -- any unsweetened, natural tea can promote weight loss. Certain teas may act as a laxative or fat-blocker and that's why they're marketed as such. However, laxatives just clean out your colon (you've already consumed the calories). You may lose a little bit of water weight initially, but the second you drink something, it'll come back.^[2]
• One cup is enough. Seriously. You'll regret drinking more.

3. Read your ingredient labels. 

There are so many types of teas on the market it's hard to know where to start. A good place to start is by reading the ingredient list on the back label. If it has added sugar or sweeteners, put it back on the shelf.^[3]

• This doesn't mean you have to avoid flavored green teas. True, some have added sugar, but others don't. And if you can stick to all-natural ingredients, all the better for you and your waistline.

4. Make tea brewing (and drinking) easy. 

One hurdle some people face is that brewing tea, while not an incredibly arduous process, may not be as easy as they’d like it to be. While you can brew a quick cup of tea in the microwave (pour water into a ceramic cup and heat for two minutes until boiling, then add your teabag), you can make the process even easier:

• Purchase an electric teakettle. Electric teakettles are readily available at many bath and kitchen stores, ranging in price and are extremely easy to use. All you have to do is fill it with water and push a button or lever to bring it to a boil. You can brew tea by the cup or add several tea bags to the entire pot once the water has boiled. Keep a thermos as well for the additional boiled water. Fill with water, add the green tea and keep by the kettle or your desk for ease of pouring a tea when needed.
• Buy an iced tea maker. During warmer months, drinking hot tea may not sound like fun; however, you can still consume just as much tea by using an iced tea maker. Like the electric teakettle, simply fill the machine with water; add ice (according to the manufacturer’s directions) and teabags. Turn it on and begin drinking fresh iced tea in a matter of minutes.
• Brew iced tea the night before for quick access during the day. If you don’t have a few minutes to brew your iced tea that day, make it at night and keep a pitcher of tea in your refrigerator. Instead of bringing a few sodas to work, consider filling a large thermos with iced tea and keep it on hand throughout the day

Method 2 of 3: Developing a Daily Routine

1. Create good tea drinking habits. 

In order to reap the benefits of tea, you'll have to start drinking it every day, as often as possible, and plain. If it's not easy, tasty, and convenient, you won't stick to it. How can you enable yourself to drink it more?

• Having "tea supplies" is the easiest way to get started. If you spend 8 hours a day at the office, it's a good idea to stock up there, too -- along with having your favorite mug (or thermos) and microwave or kettle access.
• Ask any Brit -- tea is a drink made for company. If brewing an entire pot seems worthless to you, get others in on your action. At the workplace, brew a pot for your coworkers, too. Get the family/roommates in on the routine of a late night cup. When it's a social activity, you'll be more likely to engage in it.
• Cream, milk, and sugar should not be part of your tea routine. Unfortunately, to lose weight with this habit, it's gotta be had plain (at least most of the time). Tea is no longer tea when you add milk and sugar

2. Substitute tea for morning coffee. 

Start your day with a fresh cup of tea instead of your usual Joe. Tea drinkers can also save calories, especially when ordering at a coffee house. Some coffee house drinks contain hundreds of calories whereas with tea, what you see is what you get.

• Like mentioned above, it's important that you drink your tea straight. The addition of milk neutralizes the fat-stomping ability of tea (the flavonoids). What's more, research says skim milk is the worst!^[4] Crazy, huh?
  • This research is on cow's milk. If you'd like to try soy or almond, do so -- but keep in mind that the same effect may or may not be had.

3. Ask for iced tea (unsweetened) instead of soda for lunch and dinner.

Sugary or even diet sodas have been known to actually have the opposite effect on weight loss. The sodium in diet soda can make you retain water, so opt for the smart alternative –– sugar-free iced tea. Iced tea is also ideal because if you're looking for a little caffeinated pick-me-up during the afternoon, iced (or hot) tea will give you the same effect without the sugar in regular soda or the sodium in diet. 

• Much of the "power" behind drinking tea to lose weight is because you won't be consuming anything else instead. Tea is low in calories (if you do it right), and will keep you from downing other, higher-calorie things. It's the same concept as losing weight by drinking water

4. Have a warm cup of tea to satisfy an afternoon craving. 

Although the chips or cookies in the vending machine may be calling your name, make yourself a cup of tea instead. If you go for the tea, the EGCG properties found in green tea actually have a glucose-lowering effect, which influences cravings and may help control hunger. Moreover, the ritual involved in making tea (as opposed to shoving coins into a vending machine) gives you a welcome break from your chores or work -- and you can reflect on good thoughts, as well as making conscious choices to put good things into your body instead of empty calories from candy bars. Take a moment to chat to someone else who is in the tearoom with you. And it's a great way to unwind, stretch and socialize in the space of five minutes

5. Drink a whole cool glass of tea right before dinner. 

Drinking one glass of tea before dinner fills up part of your stomach, which means that you'll be less hungry when it comes to food. (Of course, eating a healthy dinner is still important.) Cool tea is important, too. Cold tea needs to be heated up by the body in order to be metabolized; this expends extra calories, meaning more weight loss

6. Have a cup of herbal (decaf) tea before bed. 

Regardless of your weight loss goal, having a warm cup of herbal tea to end the day can help to relax your body and brain. Because a good night’s sleep contributes to shedding weight, set yourself up for a successful sleep with tea.

• However, don't drink tea too close to bedtime; otherwise you’ll end up having to make trips to the bathroom and disrupt your sleep, especially if you're pregnant or suffering from incontinence issues.

7. Time it right.

Some experts believe that certain teas should be consumed at different times of day to reap maximum weight loss results. While drinking tea at all is good, consider drinking different kinds throughout the day to see what works for you.

• White tea may block fat absorption, so drink it before lunch.
• A tea like bilberry can balance your glucose levels, so it's most useful around dinnertime.
• Pu-erh, green, and oolong teas can get your metabolism going, so drink them in the morning (and throughout the day!).^[5]

8. Drink it on the go. 

Too much of life these days is spent in some sort of commute. Make it more enjoyable by turning it into a chance to sit down and drink tea! Have a thermos (or two) at your disposal anytime to make it super convenient. Prepare tea well in advance for the time crunch of your day.

• Basically, the theme of this article is drink, drink, drink. Not only will you not have the chance to put something else in your stomach, but you won't want to -- the more you drink, the fuller you'll feel.

9. Think about your caffeine intake. 

Certain teas have caffeine in them -- sure, not like a cup of coffee does, but if you're drinking it 24/7, it adds up! While caffeine is not technically dehydrating, it does have about 50 mg of caffeine per cup. You don't want to exceed 300 mg, if you can avoid it.^[6]

• You can either shorten the brewing time (giving it less chance to caffeinate) or just stick to herbal teas that don't have caffeine. While this won't be an issue for most people, some are particularly caffeine sensitive and high levels of caffeine can lead to insomnia, nervousness, and prolonged symptoms even hours and hours later.

Method 3 of 3: Staying Mo-tea-vated

1. Balance your tea habits with a healthy diet. 

Let's get real here for a second: If you don't see results with a new diet fairly quickly, you're not going to stick with it. While drinking tea is a great idea, you'll get faster results if you have a healthy diet, too. The two combined will make you a force to be reckoned with!

• You know what tea goes great with? Whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low-fat dairy products. Since you're brewing your own tea, why not cook your own food while you're at it? Cutting out processed goods and making everything yourself means you know every little thing you're putting in your body.

2. Avoid getting bored. 

Your taste buds may get tired of drinking just one type of tea. Would you want to eat only one food for every meal? In order to stick to your routine, mix it up and try different teas, flavors and enhancements. It can be a lot of fun making a tea selection in your home or office cupboard, allowing you to choose a tea flavor according to the mood you're in.

• Add honey or rock candy sticks to your tea. Keep in mind though that doing this will go against your initiative to lose weight –– but a little honey or sweetness may make the tea taste better. Perhaps as an occasional treat, this one won't hurt.
• Try a splash of fat free flavored cream or a squirt of lemon for a zestier tea. A slice of lemon can help improve the flavor. Plus, one study found that those who drink black tea with lemon peel have 70 percent reduced likelihood of developing skin cancer.^[7]

3. Explore new tea flavors. 

The sky is the limit when it comes to trying different flavored teas.There are many brands and many sources of tea, and it's unlikely you'll ever taste them all. Learning about new tea varieties, flavors and styles is a lot of fun for the tea enthusiast.

• Here are some more interesting teas to consider, all of which claim to promote weight loss:^[8]
  • Star anise tea: promotes digestion and can actually soothe an upset tummy
  • Peppermint tea: controls appetite and speeds up digestion
  • Rose tea: prevents constipation and contains loads of vitamins
  • Pu-erh (poo-air) tea: shrinks fat cells (so drink it in the morning)^[5]
  • Chickweed tea: reduces bloating and is a mild diuretic (stick to one cup)
• In order to stay true to your diet; only select tea you have to brew yourself instead of a pre-made tea. Some of the pre-made coffees and teas have a tremendous amount of sugar –– not diet friendly.

 

4. Drink tea mindfully. 

Dieting is often about overcoming your mind's tendency to crave and to feel deprived. Mindfulness can help to restore conscious eating habits and can help you to remain calm and in control about your food choices. Even if you're not craving tea, try keeping it around to fight off those temptations.

5. Know your stuff. 

According to a study by Abdul Dulloo, from the Institute of Physiology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, the plant compound EGCG found in green tea, plus caffeine, increases thermogenesis by 84 percent. Thermogenesis is the generation of body heat that occurs as a result of normal digestion, absorption, and metabolization of food. Green tea also increases your levels of norepinephrine, which prepares your body to burn fat for the "fight or flight" response. Knowledge is power, people! It's also motivation!^[9]

• While not every researcher believes that green (or other) tea drinking is a “magic bullet” for weight loss, every weight loss expert would agree that flooding your system with water or drinking tea versus eating a candy bar or drinking soda can help move the digestion process along quickly and perhaps distract you from munching snacks that aren't healthy. Regardless of whether it's magical or not, it's a good idea

Sources and Citations

 SOURCES

1. ↑ http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/green-tea-weight-loss.htm
2. ↑ http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/herbal-diet-teas-weightloss-mdash-herbalicious
3. ↑ http://blog.womenshealthmag.com/dish/green-tea-weight-loss/
4. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1370459/How-drinking-tea-helps-lose-weight--just-long-dont-add-milk.html
5. ↑ ^5.05.1http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/best-teas-weight-loss-pt-2
6. ↑ ^6.06.1http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/NU00600/NSECTIONGROUP=2
7. ↑ Susanna Lyle, Eat Smart, Stay Well, p. 270, (2009), ISBN 978-1-86953-733-3
8. ↑ http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-14/diet/29900183_1_green-tea-egcg-rose-tea
9. ↑ Susanna Lyle, Eat Smart, Stay Well, p. 271, (2009), ISBN 978-1-86953-733-3
10. ↑ http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm

• http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20000322/drinking-green-tea-may-help-you-lose-weight – research source
• Susanna Lyle, Eat Smart, Stay Well, (2009), ISBN 978-1-86953-733-3 – research source
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/410595-how-much-green-tea-should-you-drink-to-lose-weight/ – research source
• http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/herbal-diet-teas-weightloss-mdash-herbalicious – research source
• http://nutrihealth.in/food/curb-cravings-with-green-tea-helps-the-body-burn-fat/ – research source
• http://www.guardiannutrition.in/weight-management-fat-burners-c-24_59.html - products

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