I started drinking green tea in the AM and lost 4.5lbs in a week!!!

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Alatariel75
Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
A lesson in correlation =/= causation.

A couple weeks ago I remarked at work on how much more pleasant my very chilly morning walk to the train station has been since I got a travel mug and could have a cup of tea on the way. A discussion started about what type of tea we all drink (I'm known for having variety of teas in my drawer) and I said that in the mornings I have been drinking green tea.

Fast forward to last Friday, and I had weighed in and lost 4.5lbs! I mentioned this to a workmate/friend, who I often discuss weight loss with, and got overheard by another workmate who jumped right in to tell me without any hesitation that the reason I lost that weight was because I'd started drinking green tea in the morning, because it is a "proven fat burner". She started recommending to others that they get on the green tea bandwagon, and touting me as an example (she's a little… let's say overwhelming, this lady).

Now the prior week, I had recommitted to counting calories and had tightened up my allowance, had not used the weekend as a reason to eat everything under the sun, had tweaked my macros, had home cooked every meal rather than guesstimating at bought lunches, had put in an hour of exercise a day without fail, and had stayed away from wine.

But it was totally the green tea.

I just thought this was a really good example of how people really want to believe that a product, supplement, or other advertised woo was going to make them lose weight, there is little logic that seems to deter them. It's the prime example of how "…when used in conjunction with a calorie controlled diet and exercise" completely fails to resonate with some people.

Very rarely will someone who jumps on a new miracle weight loss product ONLY start using that product and not do anything else. Even subconsciously they may eat less, make better choices, whatever. And when they start to succeed, OMG it's the product! But it is a total placebo effect. And if that works for you, great, but don't be misled – your habits, and not the magic tea/pill/wrap determine your success.

For the record, there are now 3 people drinking green tea in my immediate vicinity. I have a latte.
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Replies

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Haven't you heard about the Lose Lard Latte?

    Green tea is so yesterday...

    :)
  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
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    Nope. It is totally the green tea majik.


  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Good post. People are dumb and gullible.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Better latte than never!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Drinking green tea is part of a diet I was did....*smh*

    Not a fan of green tea but found one I do like...Earl Grey flavoured of course.

    Congrats on being down 4.5 tho
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Drinking green tea is part of a diet I was did....*smh*

    Not a fan of green tea but found one I do like...Earl Grey flavoured of course.

    Congrats on being down 4.5 tho

    I don't like plain green tea, the one I have has lemon myrtle in it and the citrus makes it much tastier. Earl Grey sounds great though, I love early grey black tea - green would be nice.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
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    I changed the toilet I pooped in and have lost 4.6 in less than that!
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
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    lol the title drew me in

    well done :mrgreen:
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    +1
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    pint_gt.gif

    Totes magic.
    YBNp3.gif
  • Forty6and2
    Forty6and2 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I seriously got tired of people giving me a disappointed response when I told them that I eat less and exercise more. So now I told them that I burn more calories by masturbating. That really shuts people up, lol

    But congrats on the loss and you should try green tea with mint. It's amazing!
  • Mapalicious
    Mapalicious Posts: 412 Member
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    :( This is how my mom approaches food. She's obese and diabetic.

    Her doctor said that nuts have the "healthy" kinds of fats that she "should" have - now she's convinced herself that she has been medically prescribed handfuls of nuts everyday, and she has no concept of "serving." I can't say anything or it becomes a train-wreck, no matter how gently I do it.

    I wish I could talk to her doctor to tell her how to change her messaging!
  • cmcdonald525
    cmcdonald525 Posts: 140 Member
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    Excellent post! I came in expecting a train wreck and was so happy to see this instead. I applaud you!
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Forty6and2 wrote: »
    I seriously got tired of people giving me a disappointed response when I told them that I eat less and exercise more. So now I told them that I burn more calories by masturbating. That really shuts people up, lol

    But congrats on the loss and you should try green tea with mint. It's amazing!

    So did @tincanonastring and he got flagged numers times.

    Ooop! Numerous that is
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Funny how exercising more and eating less works all the time . . .
  • spatulamom
    spatulamom Posts: 158 Member
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    Oh, my gosh, this made me smile! After a few months of being inundated with invites for shakes and wraps and food portioning programs (something I'm accomplishing with my plain old Gladware) and hearing what 'miracle' cures they are for people, I'm realizing more and more that my basic (or not so basic) calorie counting and exercise is working just fine for me :). No need to spend $50-100 for a quick fix that may not do any good. I'm happy to be off of the bandwagon :).
  • tessmarye
    tessmarye Posts: 3 Member
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    People keep asking how I've lost all this weight and gotten so much healthier... they would much rather hear it's green tea than counting calories and working my butt off every single day. Well done on the post- you can make millions :)
  • faithyang
    faithyang Posts: 297 Member
    edited June 2015
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    zyxst wrote: »
    pint_gt.gif

    Totes magic.
    YBNp3.gif

    That is the All Spark. Helped me lose 30kg. Its got green tea in it so its got antioxidants!!
  • Justifier
    Justifier Posts: 336 Member
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    There are no fat tea drinkers. Also, if you drink tea, you will win the Nobel Prize.

    b78a2dbdec4e0ca216ec7b98f1241192.jpg