Have you ever noticed that you can often find green tea or its extracts being sold near other weight loss products? Perhaps you never thought twice about it, but they don’t sell coffee, milk or other such beverages there, so why green tea? Let’s take a look at green tea and weight loss.

While it may not be 100% perfect (nothing is), you will see that green tea does have some pretty impressive benefits; not only on how much you weigh, but on your overall health as well. Ancient cultures have been aware of these properties for ages, but it is only recently that Western medicine and science have started to see how much this unassuming plant can do.

Before we get to the good stuff, it’s only fair to offer a few warnings. First, green tea contains caffeine, so those who can’t tolerate it, or have to avoid it for spiritual or health reasons shouldn’t drink it. Second, you should talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet. Finally, none of the information in this article is meant to be medical advice of any kind. Always consult with your doctor and follow their advice. Okay, now on to the good stuff…

Green tea contains catechin polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. These appear to be the source of a lot of the health benefits associated with drinking green tea. Furthermore, the catechin increases your metabolism. Some studies have shown that green tea can boost your metabolism by as much as 4% for a full 24 hours after drinking it. Imagine drinking a cup or two of tea and then burning extra calories for a day afterwards.

The better metabolic rate is only the start of the good news about green tea and weight loss. One of the biggest problems with going on a diet is that you always seem to feel hungry. But green tea comes to the rescue yet again! How? First it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, which play an important part in how full we feel. Next, the polyphenols in green tea may suppress the body’s production of the enzyme leptin which makes us feel hungry. So, it not only makes you feel fuller, it also makes you less hungry at the same time.

So far it’s easy to see how green tea is a natural ally in the fight for losing weight, but we’re not quite done yet. As if increased metabolism and feeling full weren’t enough, there is also some evidence that compounds found in green tea reduce how much fat the body absorbs. The catechins, caffeine and theanine work to inhibit the lipase enzymes that signal the body to store fat.

Add to all of this the fact that tea has zero calories, and there should be no doubt that green tea and weight loss go together. Just drink a cup or two every day, and you should start noticing the positive effects before you know it.

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Staying positive throughout the weight loss process can be difficult. A few setbacks and you may be ready to give up. Staying motivated throughout your weight loss journey requires focus on the goal and positive thinking but what do you do when youre feeling less than positive about your efforts?

Use these tips to help you stay positive:

1. List Your Reasons:
List your reasons for choosing to lose weight. Whether it’s for health reasons, or simply to be able to fit into your favorite dress again list it.

Then make several copies of the list, and place them where you’ll be able to see them regularly. Keeping your goals in front of you will help you remember why you’re doing all this in the first place.

2. Never Say Diet:
Don’t use the word diet if you can possibly avoid it. This conjures up images of deprivation, and you end up feeling sorry for yourself. Instead, tell yourself (and others) that youre not on a diet, but that you are trying to make healthier choices.

3. Dont Use the 3 letter “F” Word:
Avoid using the word fat when describing yourself. This includes your thoughts. Thinking about how fat you are and how bad you think you look will only bring you down and stress you out. Stress often equals eating another bag of cookies.

4. Use Positive Adjectives:
Instead, use another adjective that you prefer. Heavy, voluptuous, overweight – these all have nicer connotations than fat and will help you to see yourself in a more positive light.

5. Focus on the Positive:
Think about all the things you like about your body, as well. If you have great hair, for example, focus on that as you attempt to lose weight. This takes the focus off of the body parts you dislike, and helps to get rid of the stress.

6. Find a Role Model:
Instead of focusing on celebrities that are thin, find a celebrity that is larger and attractive, or one that is struggling with weight loss. This allows you to choose a realistic role model.

Positive body image can be difficult to find when you’re struggling to lose weight. Focusing on your positive mental and physical traits will help you to be comfortable in the body you have.

This allows you to work towards better health, instead of simply working to be skinnier. Overall, this is a much healthier approach to weight loss, and will help you stay positive throughout the process.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, nor should it be interpreted or substituted as medical advice. Prior to making changes to your physical exercise routine and your diet, you should always consult your personal physician. Better safe than sorry.

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