My Favorite Thing Friday: Big Mugs, Green Tea, & Lemons

This week I have been full of smiles.  Yes, even with this super strict clean eating plan that I am undertaking! To celebrate, in lieu of that glass of wine that I have been day dreaming of,  I'm featuring not just one but three favorite things today. Ahh, the simple feel good things in life!  These three things also coincide quite perfectly with today's rainy forecast.

Big Mugs
I like big mugs and I cannot lie...okay, sorry just had to write that!  But for real, I love big mugs.  There's just something comforting about wrapping both hands around a big mug filled with steaming, hot green tea.  With everything in life, when you can take an every day "go through the motions" task and instead make it an experience...then you can begin to master the skills of living life with purpose and intent. Pretty deep for a Friday, eh?  While I do love the taste (and enormous health benefits) of green tea, I also thoroughly enjoy the experience of drinking the tea (or at times coffee-black) in my favorite go-to big mug - quite simply, drinking out of an ordinary coffee cup no longer has the same, "Ahhh, life is bliss", effect on my mood! 

One of my favorite green teas paired with one of my favorite mugs. 
Mug above is sentimental as I purchased it during a trip in Miami
in which my mother-in-law and I ran the 13.1 Miami Beach half-marathon!

Green Tea
"...green tea is like a wonder drug. Its anti-aging and antibacterial qualities are as renowned as its reputation for fighting cancer, combating allergies, and lowering blood pressure."  - Skinny Bitch
It seems that I have known even as a child that the consumption of green tea is good for me.  I now look at it is a "miracle" in a cup. The health benefits are numerous; ranging from lowering cholesterol, blood sugar levels and managing obesity to being a possible preventative of high blood pressure, certain cancers and neurological disorders.  Just do a quick Google search and you'll be amazed at the outpour of information and research done on green tea....the results are astonishing - in a extremely positive way!

With a regular, daily dose of green tea, you could reap hundreds of health benefits.  While it was difficult to narrow down, here are my top 3 health benefits via nutritional supplements:

1.  Promotes weight loss.
Both green tea and green tea extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower LDL cholesterol – both of which ultimately lead to a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes. The polyphenols in green tea are extremely useful for dissolving triglycerides, a substance in the liver and small intestine made up of mostly sugar and fat, and this is thought to be the reason green tea benefits fat loss. EGCG is also known to stimulate your metabolism and accelerate weight loss. When combined with the caffeine in green tea, this causes your central nervous system to release fat into the bloodstream to be used as fuel which burns your body fat off.

2. Reduces and prevents acne.
Green tea benefits acne in a number of different ways. It’s antibacterial properties attack and kill the acne bacteria while the anti-inflammatory benefits of green tea reduce the swelling and redness. Antioxidants fight against free radicals which damage the skin and make it more susceptible to acne also help to balance hormone levels to help prevent future breakouts from happening.

3.  Slows the aging process to prevent wrinkles.
One of the latest benefits of green tea is the effect it has on your skin and the aging process. It is again down to the antioxidants that prevent cell oxidation and damage that can make you look older than you really are. Studies are mixed on this particular green tea benefit as new research has come to light which suggests the full benefits can only be had by applying green tea topically to your skin. However, many people have found that potent green tea extracts do have a positive effect on their skin, leaving it softer, more supply and younger looking.

I'm a lover for caffeine green tea in the morning and as a mid-day pick me up
with and caffeine-free green tea for evening hours.
Enjoyed best with a splash of lemon!

Lemon

Many people don't realize the magnitude of health benefits reaped from adding lemon to your water (or herbal tea). I like to add lemon to my water several times a day.  Once you know the benefits, you too will want in on the prize...or prizes for that matter! 

Here are my top 5 health benefits of lemon water (via LifeMojo)

1.  Good for stomach
Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.

2.  Excellent for Skin Care
Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.

3.  Aids in Dental Care
Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.

4.  Good for Weight Loss
One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.

5.  Controls High Blood Pressure
Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.

Big Mugs, Green Tea, & Lemons ....
Good for the Mind, Body, & Soul!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat

Drink Water All Day - Each and Every Day

I'm still amazed by how many people don't drink water regularly.  When someone tells me that they struggle with drinking water or that they simply don't drink water - my reaction is equivalent to as if they told me that they are a chain smoker or an alcoholic.  We all know smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol are horrible for our health...but so is neglecting our bodies of water!   I cringe when I see someone drink a soda or Gatorade as if it's water....I can't help but think of the movie Idiocracy...how scary would a world like this be?

For those of you who wear soft contact lens, before you go to bed take out your contacts and lay it on the counter.  The next morning, go take a look at what happens the contact lens.  What do you see?  The once soft, flexible lens is now hard and brittle.  Imagine that happening to your body when you don't drink water.  Our bodies are made up of more than 70% water...70%!  Most of it is stored in our skin. So, next time you choose not to drink water, picture the cells within your body crinkling up like that contact lens.

Drink my friends, drink.
You should also note that weight loss depends on your water intake. Your body needs to be hydrated to function properly - plus staying hydrated will help curve cravings and help you feeling satisfied.  In Tosca Reno's The Eat Clean Diet Stripped, she writes, "Water regulates your body temperature, keeps joints mobile and maintains tissue health. When you become dehydrated the trillions of cells housed in your body are threatened with breakdown and damage in the face of insufficient water. You need water to survive."

Each and every day, I drink around 4 liters of water. Sometimes more!  When I wake up, I drink a liter - before I do anything else!  That's when my body needs it most.  I have a cupboard in my kitchen devoted to my water bottles (all BPA free of course). Then throughout the day, my water never leaves my side.  My husband will pick on me a bit because of my "obsession" with drinking water.  Even if we are leaving the house for 2 minutes, I will have to run inside and grab my water.  Now that I am so accustomed to drinking so much throughout the day... to be without water for 20 minutes is like "dying of thirst"! 

For those of you who hate the taste of water....
Honestly, get over it!  You were made to drink water!  It's the most basic "good" thing you can do for yourself!  Water helps flush toxins out of your vital organs, carries required nutrients to cells and provides hydration for tissues like that in your ear, nose and throat. You will acquire the taste for it...I PROMISE. If you want to be healthy...happy...and fit -- You gotta drink the good stuff.

You can enhance the benefits of water by adding lemon.  Add a couple of slices of lemon to it in the morning or mid-day for a refreshing taste and you'll also reap some other fantastic health benefits! With just a couple of lemon slices to your water you can help boost your metabolism and aid in digestion, making weight loss more efficient.  More to come on the benefits of adding lemon....

While writing this post, I have consumed a liter of water with lemon slices added.  How about you?  Pledge to do something good for yourself today:  Drink Water!!!  

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride!
MSF