Green Tea and other tricks I use

I hate the idea of dieting! I HATE it! I hate the idea that I can't eat things that I want to eat. I know this is something most people hate. However, I also know that there are plenty of foods I really enjoy that are also low fat or low in calories. So instead of focusing on what I can't eat, I am trying to focus on what I can eat.

I also know that for a while, I will not be able to eat anything I want. There are foods that are way too high in calories for it to be worth it. I need to be honest with myself. I am on a diet, not some crazy diet, but I am trying hard to lose weight, and not just break even. This means eating differently then I have been, since the way I have been eating has kept me at the same weight for three years.

Green tea has the reputation that it can help you lose weight. So I decided to look a peer reviewed journal article that deals with this kind of research. One that was conclusive in mice was found at International Journal of Obesity, titled "Acute effects of epigallocatechin gallate from green tea on oxidation and tissue incorporation of dietary lipids in mice fed a high-fat diet." This study concluded that the mice had more energy, and that in their intestines they did not absorb as many lipids, otherwise known as fats. So maybe it does help you lose weight! But I also found some medical advice that said you have to drink around four cups a day for this to work on a human. I am not going to do that! But I know for me, a cup of hot tea can help me make better food choices. If I want to eat a second helping, or I feel like snacking for emotional reasons, I can drink a cup of tea, feel a bit more satisfied and try to move on. Also, green tea has antioxidants and other benefits.

Other great ideas and foods that help!

• Sugar free hot cocoa
• Veggies! If there are vegetables that you like, stock up on them. This can get expensive, which is really frustrating, it is nice right now that a lot of summer veggies are in season, and less expensive. I like cucumbers, green beans, spinach, eggplant and others.
• Fat free refried beans. These have less calories than ground beef, and are better for you then red meat, but are really meaty feeling when you eat them.
• Low fat pudding cups, anything pre-portioned is great. Though I do have qualms about how much plastic we buy and bring into the house
• Spices!!!! I love spicy food.