In theory, it is an easy concept: burn more calories than you take in. Putting this into practice is a different story, however. Our metabolisms are as individual as we are. Our physical compositions – muscle versus fat, endocrine function, and sex are just a few of the many factors that can affect weight loss. Sometimes, we just need to examine our lives to see what works for us.

Throughout our lives, we have heard that we should drink eight glasses of water per day. This amount changes from study to study and when considered with other foods, such as juice and milk. Getting plenty of fluids is the one rule of weight loss that seems to be what everyone can agree on. I inadvertently put this rule into practice this last month. I’ve always drank a lot of water when working out. Hard exercise makes me crave water. However, I can’t stand water when I’m sick and my throat is sore. Water makes it feel raw. I had the displeasure of working around this problem earlier this month when I had tonsillitis, and again this week with a bad cold complete with sinus problems.

Tonsillitis: Blessing In Disguise?

I spent six days resting and drinking plenty of fluids during my first and only bout of tonsillitis. I had a sore throat from day one and went to the store to buy a variety of herbal teas to ease the pain. For a week, I rested and drank tea all day. I drank at least six to ten glasses per day and my appetite lessened due to the pain. For two days, my diet consisted of soup (no solid food) and a little ice cream. After those two days, I began eating solid food out of desperation, but my throat was still sore. I chewed my food more thoroughly than I ever have and I had to prepare myself to swallow, since swallowing saliva alone was even painful. I lost five pounds that week – and kept it off.

Drinking different herbal teas may help alleviate or shorten cold symptoms. It is a great way to get the fluids necessary for fighting illness.

One Doozy of a Cold Virus
I got a slight sore throat the day after Easter. It turned into a horrible cold by Wednesday. I’m still fighting this cold and I’m fighting it with tea, once again. Unlike with the tonsillitis, I am eating solid food, and loving it. My diet consists of yogurt with fruit; spaghetti topped with pesto, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese; salads with homemade dressing; eggs (it is the week of Easter); and dark chocolate. I’ve lost three pounds so far this week, and that is without exercise. The only thing I can think of, other than eating well, is the tea. I’m drinking a lot of tea throughout the day while getting plenty of rest.

Tea and Weight Loss

There are studies showing that various types of tea are linked with weight loss, and some studies discrediting the aforementioned studies. My theory is based on personal experience: instead of searching my kitchen for in-between-meal goodies, I am filling up my tea cup and mindlessly sipping it in front of the TV. We’ve all heard that mindless munching in front of the television causes increased caloric intake. However, mindless tea-sipping is calorie free. Rather than loading on the calories, it is a major source of water. If you drink herbal teas, like I do, it may also ease your sore throat, boost your immune system with echinacea, or ease you into bedtime with calming chamomile.

Incorporating It into Your Day

If you are like me, you have a tendency towards laziness. If something is not convenient, you won’t do it. Warming up a glass of water in the microwave each time you want tea can be that extra step you don’t really want to deal with, especially when you do it about eight times a day. I’ve simplified this so that I also have hot water waiting for me. I run hot water through my coffee pot and let the burner keep the water hot as I drink through a few tea bags.

If you don’t have a tea kettle, a coffee pot is a great way to quickly warm up enough water for several cups of tea.

Eco-friendly note: In an attempt to be more eco-friendly, I am going to start pouring the water into an insulated carafe and unplug the coffee pot to save energy.

Successful weight loss is easier by making one change at a time. Fluid intake is extremely important to weight loss and drinking tea is a great way to increase it.

I’ve seen this question asked twice on cycling forums. Some of the die-hard feminists scoff at those who do wear makeup while riding. Some have a somewhat valid excuse: they put it on for work.

While people respect my reason for wearing makeup while riding, it is not valid to the die-hards. I have acne. I’ve had horrible acne since I was about fifteen years old. I’ve tried a lot of different things. Just when I thought I had it under control, I found I didn’t really. It probably has something to do with the timing. I probably tried new products just after my favorite time of the month, and the flare-ups would happen just beforehand. I would have a window of about two weeks of peace. In reality, this peace probably had more to do with my hormone levels than the skincare products I was using. Last October, I counted eighteen new blemishes. It was horrifying! I had a mountain range running from the valley of my cheek to the plateau of my chin.

Evidence from my fight with acne lingers on my cheeks. Six months ago, these scars were large, painful blemishes.

I can only imagine how much I’ve spent on facial products. I’ve tried different cleansers, gels, creams, moisturizers, toners, wipes, pore strips, and masks. Averaging about $5 a product, it really adds up. Acne is like obesity, it is a major money-maker for those producing these miracle products.

The only thing I did not try is Proactiv. I have a very good reason for it. One cannot buy it in stores. I won’t do business with a company that won’t allow me the satisfaction of the best part of buying something: shopping therapy. The act of going into the store, grabbing something off of the shelf, purchasing it, and taking it home is a wonderful occurrence for people all over the world, and Proactiv will not allow us that satisfaction with its product. That’s not to say that I don’t occasionally shop online, but I prefer going to the store, especially for medicinal products. My other reason is that it uses the same main ingredient that every other product does. I know people who swear by it, but I’m tired of paying a lot of money for an extra step in my morning routine.

There have been many casualties in my fight against acne. I’ve lost many shirts. Many of the creams will bleach clothing. You won’t notice it right away. It is usually after washing that you’ll notice a white splotch on your shirt where your chin touched your shoulder when you turned your head.

I was fighting asthma and sinus congestion for over two years. I read about doing different detoxes in one of my mother’s books and how they could restore your health and get rid of conditions such as my chronic cough. While perusing through the selection of tea at the local co-op, I came across the Celestial Seasoning’s Detox A.M. Tea. I remembered what I read and decided to try it. What could it hurt?

I had an interesting reaction the first day I drank the tea. As the day progressed, I found myself becoming fatigued and acquiring a headache. The symptoms subsided by the next day when I drank another cup. I had no symptoms the second day. I decided to keep drinking it for a couple weeks to see if it would have any positive affects on me. The result was pleasantly surprising. My face was clearing up!

Celestial Seasoning’s Detox A.M. Tea cleared my skin of painful acne.

The theory behind the tea is how it affects the liver. While the FDA has not approved any health claims to herbal remedies such as this (if you’re like me, the FDA’s word is no good to you, anyway), the detox tea clears toxins out of the overtaxed liver. The theory is that the liver is so busy detoxifying the blood of the toxins we are constantly taking in that it doesn’t have time to properly detoxify itself – it gets overloaded with detoxification. As a result, the skin, another organ that excretes wastes, exhibits this process in the form of acne.

I started using the Detox A.M. in January and saw results within the first two weeks, unlike the over the counter products that require about three months for results. I may get a couple of very small blemishes each month, but it’s nothing like the large, painful and numerous blemishes I was getting beforehand. I enjoy a cup of this tea almost every morning before breakfast. Unlike the creams, the tea tastes good and is part of something I have to do anyway: drink. This is the best skincare regimen I’ve ever had.

I am waiting for the scarring to resolve, and this process takes a while, so I will continue to conceal the scars with makeup. Yes, I wear makeup when I ride, but I hope that this will no longer be necessary in the near future.