Flourish: Going Green

Every family gathering we have, there always seems to be someone who feels the need to comment about my weight. My father is the biggest culprit. They ask why don’t I eat? Am I starving myself? Frankly, food is just too good to let it go to waste like that. So, of course, I do eat. I began to lose weight without knowing how. So then what’s your secret they say?

2013, is the year I finally dropped a jean size. I would give thanks to the 101 stairs I climb every day at UCT upper campus. But also, I found a new addiction… GREEN TEA! Don’t get me wrong, it tastes terrible but with the numerous health benefits it has, I couldn’t give it a miss. I found a box full of it at home and thought ah, why not. So slowly but surely, I started to lose weight - without even trying!

Green tea aids in the increased ability to burn fat fast, reducing cholesterol. In addition, it naturally boosts the rate of your metabolism. So, along with regular exercise and healthy eating (bear in mind, this does not mean dieting) – green tea will just give your weight loss challenge an extra kick start. I really don’t believe in dieting. Salads are not appetising. There are only so many times that leaves could taste good. Ten-to-one, you’re going to end up eating regular food sooner or later so why begin to go through the torture? It’s really all about cutting down and cutting out. I started off with cutting out take-aways. I waved goodbye to McD’s long ago. But every now and then I go to Nando’s, Kauai or even Subway. That’s real good food, the healthy way. Another thing, I stay away from gassy cool drinks. It’s loaded with sugar and tends to make me feel bloated and uncomfortable. However, everybody’s body is different, so just try and see what works best for you. One thing I learnt about weight loss is that you shouldn’t be viewing your body under a microscope. Don’t measure yourself and step on the scale every day. That’s like watching a clock and expecting time to move by fast. The less you pay attention to how much you’re losing, the more surprised you’ll be. To track your progress, go according to how your body feels and how you fit into your clothes. That’s how I began to notice a difference. There is no over-night weight loss secret. Give yourself a couple of months to see some results.

As a university student, sleep is a privilege so I always relied on my daily, delicious cappuccinos from the cafeteria, but then I realised that my green tea actually enhanced my energy levels, naturally. Apparently it also eliminates the excess water stored in your body and suppresses food cravings, making it easier to burn that fat! The antioxidants in green tea helps flush out all the bad toxins that kind of make us feel … “bleh”. Your skin will thank you as well as the detoxifying agents prevents you from signs of aging - like wrinkles. In addition, green tea is packed with nutrients and vitamin C that will help strengthen your immune system by destroying bacteria in your body, making it easier to fight against infections.

Boom.

Great body, great skin and a healthy immune system… why have you not put the kettle on already?