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So there were a lot of elements to my body transformation. Part of it was getting things out of my life and part of it was allowing the right things in.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and I didn't want to get healthy by any shortcuts. If you haven't gathered by now my base is NOT to diet and not to lose weight for the sake of it. I saw what I was eating, shortcuts I was taking, and I was also dealing with some health issues that knocked out almost all forms of exercise except walking. This took a lot of control away and that's hard - especially at 25.
So! One thing I could take charge of was my diet. No, I didn't cut carbs or buy fat free or calorie free or any of those marketing tools. It was a good and wholesome lifestyle change that meant reading labels, making sure I got everything in the right portions, and adding lots of whole foods - fruits, vegetables, and grains.
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1 - An electric kettle
Tea is your friend. Tea is your best friend. Say it... Say tea is your friend. Feels good, right?
There are so many layers behind this I could go on for days. Hydration is the key to health - honest. It gives your body the medium to run its natural filter to clean your blood, it helps with digestion, it (of course) hydrates your skin and keeps you from drying out, AND (the key is always getting enough of what you need) when your body is fulfilled with fluid - it aids in weight loss.
Do you drink a lot of soda? Do you think you're doing better by drinking a store bought tea or juice? When you have REAL tea or juice there is no comparison.
I'll break down the prices for you later, but you will save some major bills by making your own tea or coffee rather than buying it (or soda or bottled water) at the store.
The Key to Tea:
If you want sweet, it's ok. We all like sweet things. So feel free to indulge in some sweeteners in the beginning or try fruit-teas. Have fun in the tea isle. If you have any large store or chain it will be overwhelming! But just think of the flavors you like. You'll find cherry, lemon, blueberry, raspberry, etc. I suggest pairing it with green tea in a pot, carafe, or french press so you get a higher volume of liquid. Two tea bags steeped for about 10-20 minutes will yield A LOT of tea. And the price is miniscule. A nice box of tea will run about $3 but have 30 bags. Think about 10 cents a bag, two bags, and getting about 6 cups. That's about 3 cents a cup! Does your three dollar tea look a little silly now?
So invest in an electric kettle to heat the water quickly and at the press of a button. No waiting for the stove. And get a tea pot or hot-water-safe carafe or a French Press to hold more liquid.
I don't sweeten mine anymore. I used honey or sugar in the past, but the fruit teas are plenty sweet for me since I don't drink much else. Otherwise sugar, agave syrup, or honey if you eat it. Have fun! Test it out.