I’ve done a lot of dieting over the years. I’ve done some smart things. And some not-so-smart things. I’ve bought expensive stuff. I’ve tried the cheapie generic brands of the expensive stuff. I don’t enjoy the process of losing weight. However, I just had another baby and want to lose the weight. So, I jumped at the chance when the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review The Ultimate Tea Diet by Mark “Dr. Tea” Ukra.

Before the book came in the mail, I was trying to figure out what the heck it could be about. I was hoping the book wasn’t going to say, “Drink tea only. Don’t eat. Just drink tea!” I figured that would also aid in some unhealthy weight loss but, as much as I love a glass of iced tea or a cup of hot tea, I also dig me some food. So I was pleasantly surprised to know that this book is not about cutting food out of your diet and replacing it with a beverage. It’s about adding tea to a health choice of foods and getting off your rear end.

Apparently tea has three super awesome things that, when placed together, make you lose weight. I’m sure you know one. Caffeine. You’ve gotta read the book for the other two. (I’m awful, no?)

I enjoyed reading this book. As a long time tea drinker, I enjoyed learning the history of tea, some really interesting facts and other information about tea. I learned what is and is not a tea. You know that chamomille that I used to drink before bed in college? Totally not a tea. It was a history lesson without feeling like “learning.”

What I really enjoyed were the recipes and meal plans in the back of the book. I’m not always that inventive in the kitchen so having new stuff, easy to make, right at my fingertips was a great resource. It takes this book from being a fad diet to a usable guide to weight loss! Of course, I can’t have the cinnamon roast hot todtea because I’m allergic to cinnamon but not every recipe called for cinnamon. Just for tea! That’s right. Every recipe, whether it is for breakfast, lunch or dinner, calls for you to add some tea. It’s an interesting way to look at cooking. Chicken tea soft tacos. Eggplant and sun-dried tomato tea chicken. Quick and easy tea hummus with whole-wheat pita. Those are just three of ones I’m most interested in!

To be honest with my readers, I haven’t yet made any of the recipes nor have I started the diet. I’m still too soon after birth to really get “in” to a diet. I’m thinking after he turns three or four months that this will be my first stop on the weight loss trail. Other than the gym. But just because I haven’t tried it doesn’t mean I think it’s a waste. The book offers a simple to follow plan. And this important advice:

If you say you can, you will; if you say you can’t, you won’t.

Amen. That’s advice to live by! I hope to come back by my brother’s wedding in August and tell you that The Tea Diet combined with normal exercise got me into that bridesmaid dress and made me feel awesome. I guess that will be my “final” review at that time. Until then, pick up the book and get cooking. And brewing some tea.

Tags: weight loss

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 24th, 2008 at 8:24 am and is filed under Beauty & Health, Book Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.