Monday, April 26, 2010

small changes. big changes.

after weeks of eating out, vacationing
and celebrating my daughter's birthday,
i literally ate 1/4 of this cake by myself.
i can't help it,
i love buttercream frosting sooooo much.

it was time to get serious
about buying a bikini
and getting back into bikini shape.
i went to the library to pick out some
lifestyle/healthy eating books.
i looked through a few, too hard, too many rules,
too limiting...
and then started on this book.
the ultimate tea diet.
i love it so much.
it's easy, informative
and life changing so far.

i'm not one to diet,
well, not one to stick to a diet,
i should say,
but the idea behind this book is easy.
first you learn all about the amazing benefits of tea
{i immediately kicked my coffee habit cold turkey}
and then drink it all day long to boost your immunity
and stop your cravings for junk food.
and i can honestly say, that after just four days, it's working.
i've lost a few pounds and i'm happier.
{at least that's what my family will tell you,
once i got past the two days of migraines,
i am much more pleasant to be around
without the 'coffee' bitchy-ness.
coffee seriously makes me edgy, but not in a good way}.


here's what dr. tea says about tea:

"Tea has been widely recognized for its amazing health benefits.

It can help:

Boost the immune system
Lower blood sugar and cholesterol
Prevent cavities and tooth decay
Slow the aging process
Decrease high blood pressure
Prevent arthritis
Sharpen mental focus and concentration
Reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, cancer,
and more ...

Now, it's time for tea to be recognized, not only for all of these wonderful health benefits, but also for its ability to help tea drinkers lose weight.

The Ultimate Tea Diet harnesses tea's incredible weight-loss potential in a straightforward plan for losing weight in a safe and healthy way. Simply find a tea you love, drink it all day, follow an easy food plan, and see the pounds fall off.

Tea's ability to encourage weight loss comes from the synergy of its three main ingredients: caffeine to stimulate, L-theanine to neutralize the harmful side effects of caffeine and act as an appetite suppressant, and EGCG, which causes you to burn fat faster and more efficiently. In other words, tea reduces your appetite and stimulates your metabolism."

oh, oh, and while i was at the library,
i picked up this pretty, little book.
organic and chic.



there's a recipe for crisp, crumbly shortbread
that you can make with
a 1/4 cup of dried tea leaves of your choice
and a little food color to make them pretty.
i'm going to go with chai tea and add a few red drops.

pink tea cookies with a beautiful cup of hot tea...

i am so there!

what about you?

do you prefer coffee or tea?

would you be willing to switch?