So I get asked very frequently what are your thoughts on
teatox’s more specifically SkinnyMe Tea. “Isn’t all so bad yada yada yada”. Well
infact no. Now this is my opinion which will differ from other health
professionals but keep in mind I’ve read the ingredients, tried the product and
compared it to others.
SkinnyMe tea isn’t a meal replacement program nor is it
marketed this way. It is designed to work autonomously with your existing lifestyle
however, they do suggest beginning a more healthy lifestyle (which is never a bad
thing). The ingredients are natural and preservative
free also; which I would much prefer my clients to be having then highly artificial
products marketed to weightloss consumers. No one seems to mind when people are
guzzling down $100+ pre and post workouts supps that have little to no effect
on the general population (if not introduced in line with training regimens,
diet and timing) yet a tea can cause some much controversy.
I frequently suggest to my clients introducing tea into
their diet whether it be green tea to reduce sweet cravings or Chinese blends
for complexion. SkinnyMe tea is exactly this. They are pre blended for you. Now
I’m not suggesting everyone should go out and purchase it if you prefer to go
to the local shops and mix your own save 10 bucks than that’s fine but if you can’t
be bothered then there is no harm in purchasing a pre-prepared product.
Another good aspect is beginning
the program itself. A lot of clients struggle progressing through the trans-theoretical
stages of change ie. Yes I want to get fit > actually changing their diet
and lifestyle. So beginning a teatox program often gives them that extra boost
in beginning, committing and acting on the lifestyle changes. It doesn’t require
intense gym sessions or calorie restriction just a simple tea morning and night
(and I like the taste). Usually when people commit to a particular short term specific
program (such as teatox, soup diet, pre made meals) they become more mindful of
the choices they are making (i.e. less maccas, treats or fast food) which is
great because it’s often hard to break the negative habits in the initial
stages. By investing money people are also usually more committed.
I feel a lot of the negative publicity surrounds the name
its self “skinny me”. I guess it all comes down to context. For some reason it
has now become acceptable to criticize the use of previously normal words such
as skinny, diet, thin, lean and associate them with pro-ana choices. For instance,
I use the word ‘diet’ everyday but it relates to the food I eat at every meal
not a calorie/carb restricted choice. The media is somewhat responsible for
this; Just because the average Australian women is a 12-14 doesn’t mean that
size is healthy. Everybody’s healthy weight range is different and dependant on
a lot of factors but it is not okay to increasingly encourage people to except being
unhealthy and pass it off as being ‘big boned’ (and yes I’m doing air quotes). Being thin should be just as acceptable as
being curvy. Both words represent a large percentage of women that are often criticised
for a body shape they can’t control. We should be encouraging people to embrace
a healthy lifestyle and accept whatever body shape comes with that. 50-60% of
the adult population in Australia is overweight and obese, if people created initiatives
and focused media resources at decreasing this statistic (and the multi-billion
dollar, yes I said Billion, medical strain on the government) and less on the
choice of a small percent of the population drinking tea twice a day then Australia
would definitely be in better shape (rant over).
Lastly, I’ve tried the product myself. I was coming back from
an injury and was feeling really lethargic, bloated and downright gross getting
back to my previous lifestyle (clean diet, 1-2 gym session/day). I didn’t achieve
any weight loss (however that wasn’t my goal) however I did find an increase in
my energy levels, a decrease in bloating (which I think every girl wants),
decrease in appetite (I’m a massive snacker), my body was more responsive to my
diet (digestion) and I was able to sleep better which means I woke better.
For me personally, and for my clients these types of changes
are the most important to me. The emphasis should never primarily be on the
scales. It should come down to how nourished you are, how you feel, your energy
levels and mentality.
If teatox’s are a step in this direction then who are you to
criticise.
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