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You can eat healthy and exercise daily but that doesn’t mean you’re shedding extra pounds. You need to put real thought into all of your decisions. Having salad every night for dinner isn’t a direct route to slimming down. What you put into your body really matters and can have an effect on how much energy you have for meaningful workouts. Belly and back fat really stinks. These two areas cause us tons of grief. But when we really focus on foods that can effect changes, ginger tea was a big winner.
“Ginger decreases hunger and bloating,” says Dr. Marizelle Arce, a naturopathic physician. Freshly grated ginger is a sweet and spicy, anti-inflammatory food that aids digestion and helps metabolize excess adipose tissue (that’s a fancy word for fat). Sip ginger tea after a meal, or chew on a slice of fresh ginger, to balance out your stomach acids and prevent nausea from overeating. It stimulates your GI system so it’s ready to work. Food won’t linger in your gut and cause cramps and bloating when ginger is on the job. Steep a few pieces of fresh ginger root in hot water or use store-bought tea bags. Add a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of honey.
Sometimes gas is the cause for puffy areas. When your belly inflates at a rapid pace it’s often a result of bloating from too much sodium, carbonated drinks or excessive gum chewing – yes, taking in all that air can lead to a puffy middle. That’s when you might want to turn to a natural method for de-bloating like ginger tea. The combo of ginger and water is powerful. “Water does wonders for your digestion and for keeping your hunger under control,” says Colette Heimowitz, a nutritionist at Atkins Nutritonals. It’s really easy to get dehydrated. You might think you’re drinking enough water over the course of a day but maybe you’re not. Being dehydrated can slow down your metabolism. Research found that people don’t start to feel thirsty until they lose 2% of their body weight in water.
So ginger tea quenches and also provides an anti-inflammatory effect? Tell us more! Internal inflammation can lead to weight gain and a sluggish metabolism but ginger can stave off these negatives. It’s also thought to suppress the body’s production of the hormone cortisol. When you get totally stressed your body sometimes springs into action by making more cortisol. And just your luck, excess cortisol can lead to excess belly fat.
Here’s another vote for ginger tea: it’s sort of like your morning cup of coffee but without the added sugar and calorie-loaded cream. It’s an herb but also a stimulant. With some extra gingery pep in your step you might have more energy for CrossFit. You might feel extra focused in yoga or determine to run an extra mile. All of this can help burn more calories and eliminate belly and back fat.
