Ever wondered if those health supplements really work? Me too and that’s exactly why I thought I'd do the hard work, give them a try and let you lot know how I got on.
At the beginning of this year, I made it my mission to lose weight. I was becoming unhappy with the way I looked and it was about time I did something about it. I joined the gym and decided to significantly change my diet.
One day, I discovered 'Bootea' - a natural health supplement which aims to cleanse and detox your body. I've always been a little bit dubious of things like this but this one seemed different - it's not about taking a diet pill after every meal or substituting meals for juices - all you have to do is drink herbal tea first thing in the morning and one every other night, for either a 14 (£19.99*) or 28 day (£34.99*) stint. And I must admit they actually taste quite nice – especially the morning tea which tastes like lemons, yum!
I went for the 14 day package, which includes 14 daytime cleansing teabags and seven bedtime cleansing teabags.
NOTE: The big difference between Bootea and other detox teas is that they come in teabag form rather than lose tea - making the detox a lot less hassles free.
What does the morning tea contain? Chinese oolong tea, maté leaves, ginger root, fennel seeds, lemongrass, dandelion leaf, ginseng root, gotu kola leaves, nettle leaves.
Aim? The aim of the morning tea is to boost your metabolism, re-energise you and give you the motivation to do exercise.
What does the bedtime tea contain? senna leaves, peppermint leaves, fenugreek seeds, liquorice root, burdock root, hawthorn leaves, valerian root, psyllium seeds.
Aim? The aim of the bedtime tea is to flush and cleanse your digestive system. Note, the bedtime tea does contain natural laxatives and without sounding mega gross, the morning after you've drunk it - you really will feel the effect of it 'flushing' your system, if you get my drift.
And although Bootea suggest using their own free diet plan, I chose to stick to my own. For the two week period, I ate healthy and balanced meals and I completely cut out chocolate, bread, takeaways, cheese and alcohol. I also completed at least three intense gym sessions each week.
Just as an example, my average day would consist of the following:
Pre-gym: Banana x 1
DAYTIME TEA
Breakfast: Homemade granola (30g) with unsweetened almond milk
Lunch: Rivita x 3, topped with a chopped whole avocado; a low-fat yoghurt
Snacks: Satsumas x 2 / a peach / a plum
Tea: A chicken breast, roasted veg and chopped chorizo
Snacks (if I fancied something sweet): Rich tea biscuits x 2 / a small piece of homemade cake
EVERY OTHER NIGHT: BEDTIME TEA
Drinks: Tap water, squash, or green tea with half-a-spoonful of natural honey
As you can see, I didn't fully cleanse my diet because I know I would've found that totally boring and wouldn't have stuck to it properly. But if you wanted to, you could follow Bootea's diet plan, or comprise your own stricter regime.
Do whatever works for you but most importantly, make sure you exercise. I firmly believe that for Bootea to have optimum effect, you need to be regularly exercising – even if that’s walking the dog, or completing an exercise DVD every other day.
Anyway, back to what you've all been waiting for: the results.
I weighed myself before and after the Bootea detox and here's what I found out:
Over the two weeks, I lost a total of: 4.2lb (1.9kg) in weight, 3 inches from my muffin-top and just over 1 inch from my waist.
And that was without sticking to a mega strict diet, so I think you’ll agree it did the job. I was extremely pleased with the results and by the end of the two weeks actually did feel like my digestive system had had a good clean out.
If you’re feeling sluggish, are trying to lose a little bit of weight or just fancy spring-cleaning your body, then I would definitely advise trying out Bootea. Alongside a healthy and balanced diet, teamed with regular exercise, Bootea is sure to give you the results you want. Why don’t you give it a try? And remember, stay fierce.
Find Bootea: www.bootea.com
