Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Green Tea - Four Ways Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight

Four Ways Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight

The green tea phenomenon is spreading like wild fire these days. It’s not really about the tea itself, but what it can do to your weight. And apparently, they say that it’s the new miracle treatment for dieters worldwide.

But the question that remains in everyone’s mind is this: How does it work? And more importantly, Does is really work? Here are some facts to help you get started.

First, drinking green tea can turbo-charge your metabolism. There’s a study by the American Journal of Nutrition which stated that green tea extract can boost the metabolism by 4%, which consequently increases the caloric expenditure of a person. It’s hard to explain how it works, but in layman’s terms, the large quantities of catechin polyphenols that are found in green tea intensifies fat oxidation and thermogenesis (it’s how fast your body burns calories).



Second, green tea can stop fat absorption and regulate glucose levels in the body. The reason for this can still be attributed to the catechins found in green tea. It helps in slowing down the blood sugar after you have eaten a meal, which then prevents any erratic insulin spikes (too much insulin can promote fat accumulation) from happening in the first place.

Third, green tea reduces your appetite. Good news for those who can’t control their munching. According to the scientists at the University of Chicago, green tea caused their lab rats to lose 21% of their entire body weight. This is because they consumed up to 60% less food than they would normally eat.

Fourth, drinking green tea can aid you in cutting back the calories from your favorite coffee. Let’s face it: There are societies who are addicted to many things. In our society, the usual addiction is that cup of java that is seduction in itself. Be it the frapuccino, mocha, espresso, regular, double cream, decaf, ½ skim, no cream, and double sugar, the calories you get from indulging in coffee can wreak a lot of havoc in your waistlines.

Therefore, if you want to save the calories and still get a bit of caffeine fix in your morning drink, then try to substitute your coffee with green tea. Or if you need to pep up in the afternoon, take a cold glass of iced green tea instead of that 700 calorie mocha dream you’ve been slurping around for months now. You will definitely see an improvement in your weight in just a few weeks.

If you want to take advantage of green tea’s weight-losing benefits, the general agreement is 3-5 cups. Taking this standard can help you burn 70 calories per day, which is not bad if you see a decrease in 7 pounds per year. And the best part is you didn’t even sweat out in the gym to lose your fat.

However, for those who find drinking the 3 – 5 cups is more tortuous than going to the doctor for some drilling, you can take green tea extract or pills instead. The results will still be the same.

Four Ways Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Green Tea - Three Ways to Boost The Weight-Loss Effect of Green Teas

Three Ways to Boost The Weight-Loss Effect of Green Teas

There are many weight-loss benefits of green teas. Here are the reasons why.

First, according to some studies, drinking green tea can increase your metabolism. A study that was made by the American Journal of Nutrition stated that green tea extracts can boost the metabolism by 4%. This consequently increases the caloric expenditure of a person. In layman’s terms, what happens is that the large quantities of catechin polyphenols that are found in green tea intensifies fat oxidation and thermogenesis (it’s how fast your body burns calories).

Second, green tea can decrease the fat absorption rate and regulate glucose levels in the body. This can be attributed to the catechins found in green tea. Catechins helps in slowing down the blood sugar after you have eaten a meal, which then prevents any erratic insulin spikes (too much insulin can promote fat accumulation) from happening in the first place.



Third, drinking green tea can help you cut back the calories you get when drinking your favorite coffee. Let’s face it: There are societies who are addicted to many things. In our society, the usual addiction is that cup of java that is seduction in itself. Be it the frapuccino, mocha, espresso, regular, double cream, decaf, ½ skim, no cream, and double sugar, the calories you get from indulging in coffee can wreak a lot of havoc in your waistlines.
If you want to boost these weight-loss benefits of green teas, try to follow these guidelines.


Aerobic Exercise
Yes, no matter how effective your green tea is, if you eat more than what your body needs, then you will still be fat. The best antidote for this is to do some aerobic exercise to burn off excess calories. Try some exercises that are designed to keep your heart rate within 65-80 percent of your maximum heart rate. This range is commonly referred to as the “zone, “and you get it by subtracting your age to 220. Then, you get 60 to 80 percent of the difference. The reason why it’s important that you keep your heart rate steady during training is that the body becomes more efficient in burning fat when its heart rate is kept in a steady “zone.” Among the best aerobic exercises are brisk walking, jogging, cycling, and rowing. They should also be maintained for at least 20 minutes.



Resistance Exercise
Building a muscle is important to losing weight. This is because resistance exercises can actually increase an individual's active muscle tissue. And when you increase them, the result is a much higher resting metabolism that can lead to greater fat loss. The best resistance exercises are swimming, weight training, use of exercise bands, pilates and isometric exercises.

Acai Berries
Yes, these berries are becoming popular, thanks to well-known celebrities, such as Oprah, who sings praises for its health benefits. These berries of the Amazon rain forests are loaded with healthful nutrients, such as vitamins, anti oxidants, trace minerals, omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, and amino acid. They are also an excellent source of fiber, which is critical for proper elimination and weight loss.

Three Ways to Boost The Weight-Loss Effect of Green Teas