Goal: Cut back on coffee to 2 cups per day, increase tea to at least 3 cups per day.
Coffee plays all sorts of tricks on our body, some of them are good, but some are not. Coffee can increase cortisol production and make our blood sugar dip low. Drinking tea after our coffee can help even this out due to the ECCG in the tea. Whenever you have coffee, drink tea immediately after.
Excess cortisol can also make us feel very stressed, it can trigger our flight or fight response, which makes us feel very off balance emotionally as well. This depends on your sensitivity to blood sugar dips. This makes consistent exercise difficult, because we feel wired and then we feel tired.
Bulletproof coffee is where you add coconut oil or butter to your coffee and can be helpful. I have tried the Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil and I do like it. Something to keep in mind is that women do process fat at a slower rate then men and it could hinder your weight loss if your metabolism is impaired. (Overall, I do think coconut oil is preferable to other vegetable oils, except pure olive oil.)
If you tend to gain weight from your waist up, you may have an excess cortisol issue, especially if excess fat is gathered around your waist and under your neck and upper back. This is one of the more difficult things to change, so you will have to be diligent.
I want you to try to cut back your coffee to two cups per day, if you drink Starbucks you should know their coffee contains much more caffeine than average coffee, they have specially cultivated beans that contain extra caffeine. Its addictive and it also makes you want to buy pastries ;) One Grande is about the same as 4 regular cups of coffee.
I want you to start training yourself to crave tea when you have a sugar craving, it will take some work. The best way to get into this habit is to start regularly drinking tea and have it before you have a craving. Adding stevia to your tea when you crave sweets can also help, I recommend Sweet Drops Liquid Stevia, there are also many flavored versions.
An affirmation may help you here, sometimes I repeat something until it stick, like "I love me, so I drink tea." Don't under estimate the power of repetition on your subconscious mind!
Don’t drink caffeine after 3pm, it may interfere with your sleep.