Am I skinny yet?
Previously, the big one was Oolong tea, lately it's been a lovely fad called SkinnyMe tea. Just a quick google search will tell you that it was ripped of it's Instagram profile for being accused of being "pro-anorexia" saying that it was for "extreme dieting" and had a lot of unrealistic before and after photos. However, it has also had some people posting on various forums claiming that it has some good results. This could also be due to the fact that the site recommends a clean diet and exercise in addition to the tea.
Now before I get slammed for being "anti-detox" that is definitely not the message I'm sending home here. I am all for detoxes, sometimes your body needs them. In saying that, there are certain ways to do them healthily, which I will get to shortly. And if you want to use teas, that's fine. Just be careful what tea it is you are going to use for a detox.
You see the thing about SkinnyMe tea is that it's kinda shitty. Literally. The thing comes with a colon cleanse to be done as frequently as every two days and also contains Senna root which can be harmful in large doses. It will actually make you run the to toilet when you might not need to go and give you horrid cramps. It does recommend you take electrolytes such as hydrolyte or coconut water as you will get dehydrated, mostly from constantly evacuating your bowels.
It is also marketed as a mix of "natural health and weight loss nutrients". This is somewhat true in that it does contain all natural ingredients. This is not always a good thing. Lead is also all natural, but I don't really want to drink that either.
It also blatantly says that it will "naturally cleanse & detoxify system by removing built up toxins in the stomach and digestive tract".
Great! That's what you want right? Hmm, not quite. They go on to say that "elimination" (or as I like to call it, "project poopsville") is a key component of their detox as it helps to rid toxin build up which causes water retention. This is partially true, however what it is also doing is dragging out all your food with it, not giving your body the change to absorb the necessary nutrients, turning it all into waste.
The product is poorly marketed, as it definitely gets rid of a lot of water weight, leaving you very parched and dehydrated from all the shaking hands with your toilet. It doesn't actually get rid of any fat. Weight loss, sure. But not fat loss - which is ultimately what you want. This then means that as soon as you come off that tea, that weight will pile straight back on.
That's not to say all detox teas out there are bad. The purpose of a detox of course has it's benefits if it is only used as a detox - not as a permanent diet. Generally speaking, I wouldn't be using a detox for more than two weeks.
One tea I do recommend (that I am about to try myself) is a detox tea called "yourtea" which have a tiny teatox (props for the pun, guys). Yourtea does the complete opposite of SkinnyMe tea. Where SkinnyMe tea turns everything into waste and doesn't let your body absorb, well, anything, Yourtea removes the gunk and allows for your body to perform as it should by nourishing your digestive system, happily nomming up nutrients without clunky toxins getting in the way. There is zero laxative effect of the tea, especially as they seem to know what they're talking about in terms of how laxatives do nothing for you long term. It does help you go to the bathroom a little more, but more as a regulator than a laxative, similar to how fibre works.
It also has very little caffeine which gives you the option to add caffeine supplements as other aspects of your training. SkinnyMe tea is packed full of a variety of caffinated extracts such as green tea, which is a perfectly good detox and stimulant on it's own. Only thing is that you then lose the option to add other stimulants to your fitness/nutrition regime, unless heart attacks are your thing.
Yourtea also do other teas to help bulk and every day teas to help if you're feeling gluggy and sluggish.
Of course, other good detoxes include just drinking a lot of water and two days on a vegan, gluten-free, minimal acid (as in, little tomatoes) diet will also leave you feeling fresh and great.
Have you had any experiences with "diet" teas? Tell us in the comments!
-MM
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