The Ugly 'D' Word.. Dieting.

Since JB left in October, I have been on this crazy diet/workout binge. I have tried every diet you can think of with the exception of the ones on tv where food is delivered to your door. Now, THAT I do not believe in. I have tried the special K diet, the no carb diet, the ALL carb diet, the protein diet, the smaller portion diet, the no sugar diet and came close to the vegan diet but I love my chicken too much. I have tried many weight loss exercise programs too. The Nike Training Club (which I previously posted about), pilates, even the old Tae Bo. Now I have succumb to the gym and special K diet, again. It seems to be working. I have lost about 12 lbs since I started keeping track in February. Little slow for my taste but at least I am losing. I have lost about 1 inch off my waist, 3 off my hips and about 2 around my thighs.

I have learned a few things during this whole "weight loss trial". I learned about food choices and the fact that eating is better than not eating. I eat 7 times a day. Every 2 hours. Snacks consist of fruits and nuts. I only drink water with the exception of green tea in the morning. It boosts metabolism and is better for you than coffee. Trust me, I LOVE my coffee but green tea is more beneficial than coffee. Here is a list I compiled.

1. Aids in weight loss- The polyphenols in green tea are extremely useful for dissolving triglycerides, a     substance in the liver and small intestine made up of mostly sugar and fat, and this is thought to be the reason green tea benefits fat loss.
2. lower cholesterol-Researchers believe that green tea lowers your cholesterol levels by reducing its absorption in your digestive tract and increasing the rate of which it is excreted.
3. Boosts your immune system-as one of the main benefits of green tea, EGCG has been highlighted by a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology as being able to prevent infections, including the HIV virus. EGCG binds with CD4 immune system T-cell receptors and stops HIV from doing the same to reduce the risk of infection. While it is still way too early to peg green tea as a cure for HIV, an Egyptian study has shown that combining antibiotics with green tea significantly boosts the effectiveness of the antibiotic. In fact, when tested against 28 disease-causing microorganisms, green tea enhanced the bacteria killing power in every single case.
4. Lowers your risk of cancer-Although the studies of how green tea affects cancerous cells are still in their infancy, there have been human trials which indicate that it does inhibit cells from developing cancer. EGCG in green tea regulates and inhibits cancer growth by killing cells that are growing inappropriately. In Japan, a study of 500 women with Stage I and Stage II breast cancer found that increasing their green tea consumption before and after surgery significantly lowered the risk of recurrence. Another analysis of 22 studies of the correlation between green tea and lung cancer concluded that by increasing your intake of green tea by two cups a day may reduce the risk of developing lung cancer by 18%.
5. Fights the cause of allergies in your body. Methylated epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been shown to block a cells receptor involved in producing an allergic response. By blocking the production of histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE), two compounds in the body that are chiefly involved in triggering and sustaining allergic reactions, EGCG could very well be the compound which prevents you from having watery eyes, sneezing and coughing.

Now, this is just a small list as you can see the explanations are long. If you would like to read more on it. You can click here.