Article: In order to reap the benefits of tea, you'll have to start drinking it every day, as often as possible, and plain. If it's not easy, tasty, and convenient, you won't stick to it. How can you enable yourself to drink it more? Having "tea supplies" is the easiest way to get started. If you spend 8 hours a day at the office, it's a good idea to stock up there, too -- along with having your favorite mug (or thermos) and microwave or kettle access. Ask any Brit -- tea is a drink made for company. If brewing an entire pot seems worthless to you, get others in on your action. At the workplace, brew a pot for your coworkers, too. Get the family/roommates in on the routine of a late night cup. When it's a social activity, you'll be more likely to engage in it. Start your day with a fresh cup of tea instead of your usual Joe. Tea drinkers can also save calories, especially when ordering at a coffee house. Some coffee house drinks contain hundreds of calories whereas with tea, what you see is what you get. Like mentioned above, it's important that you drink your tea straight. The addition of milk neutralizes the fat-stomping ability of tea (the flavonoids). What's more, research says skim milk is the worst! Crazy, huh? This research is on cow's milk. If you'd like to try soy or almond, do so -- but keep in mind that the same effect may or may not be had. Sugary or even diet sodas have been known to actually have the opposite effect on weight loss. The sodium in diet soda can make you retain water, so opt for the smart alternative sugar-free iced tea. Iced tea is also ideal because if you're looking for a little caffeinated pick-me-up during the afternoon, iced (or hot) tea will give you the same effect without the sugar in regular soda or the sodium in diet. Much of the "power" behind drinking tea to lose weight is because you won't be consuming anything else instead. Tea is low in calories (if you do it right), and will keep you from downing other, higher-calorie things. It's the same concept as losing weight by drinking water. Although the chips or cookies in the vending machine may be calling your name, make yourself a cup of tea instead. If you go for the tea, the EGCG properties found in green tea actually have a glucose-lowering effect, which influences cravings and may help control hunger. Moreover, the ritual involved in making tea (as opposed to shoving coins into a vending machine) gives you a welcome break from your chores or work -- and you can reflect on good thoughts, as well as making conscious choices to put good things into your body instead of empty calories from candy bars. Take a moment to chat to someone else who is in the tearoom with you. And it's a great way to unwind, stretch and socialize in the space of five minutes! Drinking one glass of tea before dinner fills up part of your stomach, which means that you'll be less hungry when it comes to food. (Of course, eating a healthy dinner is still important.) Cool tea is important, too. Cold tea needs to be heated up by the body in order to be metabolized; this expends extra calories, meaning more weight loss. Regardless of your weight loss goal, having a warm cup of herbal tea to end the day can help to relax your body and brain. Because a good night's sleep contributes to shedding weight, set yourself up for a successful sleep with tea. However, don't drink tea too close to bedtime; otherwise you'll end up having to make trips to the bathroom and disrupt your sleep, especially if you're pregnant or suffering from incontinence issues. Some experts believe that certain teas should be consumed at different times of day to reap maximum weight loss results. While drinking tea at all is good, consider drinking different kinds throughout the day to see what works for you. White tea may block fat absorption, so drink it before lunch. A tea like bilberry can balance your glucose levels, so it's most useful around dinnertime. Pu-erh, green, and oolong teas can get your metabolism going, so drink them in the morning (and throughout the day!). Too much of life these days is spent in some sort of commute. Make it more enjoyable by turning it into a chance to sit down and drink tea! Have a thermos (or two) at your disposal anytime to make it super convenient. Prepare tea well in advance for the time crunch of your day. Basically, the theme of this article is drink, drink, drink. Not only will you not have the chance to put something else in your stomach, but you won't want to -- the more you drink, the fuller you'll feel. Certain teas have caffeine in them -- sure, not like a cup of coffee does, but if you're drinking it 24/7, it adds up! While caffeine is not technically dehydrating, it does have about 50 mg of caffeine per cup. You don't want to exceed 300 mg, if you can avoid it. If you react poorly to caffeine, stick to herbal teas that don't have caffeine. While this won't be an issue for most people, some are particularly caffeine sensitive and high levels of caffeine can lead to insomnia, nervousness, and prolonged symptoms even hours and hours later.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Create good tea drinking habits. Substitute tea for morning coffee. Ask for iced tea (unsweetened) instead of soda for lunch and dinner. Have a warm cup of tea to satisfy an afternoon craving. Drink a whole cool glass of tea right before dinner. Have a cup of herbal (decaf) tea before bed. Time it right. Drink it on the go. Think about your caffeine intake.