Recently, a girlfriend of mine told me about an article that was written in Marie Claire, titled- What Nutritionists Really Eat. Not sure if you came across the article or not, but I recently read it and was quite disappointed by how little, and nutritious for that matter, some of their diets actually were! These ladies are nutritionists to the stars, charging quite a hefty price tag for their expertise. Anyhow, the article gave me an idea! I got together my 6 favourite Nutritionistas and asked them a few questions (nutrition related questions of course!). I am so lucky to have these fabulous women a part of my life. They are inspiring and extremely knowledgeable. Not to mention, they are the busiest bunch of ladies I know! So read on to be inspired by the women who inspire me…………..
Question 1: What is your favorite breakfast-fueling recipe?
Question 2: Favorite indulgence? (I have a feeling most of you ladies are going to say WINE!)
Question 3: What advice would you give to someone trying to switch to a more whole-foods diet?
Question 4: How do you feel about calorie counting?
LAURIE BURROWS, RHN
Q1. My fuel begins clean and then green….lemon water with ginger or in the winter it’s my lemon/manuka/ginger and goji berry tea. This is MOST often followed (although not restricted to) my GREEN SMOOTHIE (2 cups kale or spinach or collards or bok choy), juice of 1/2 to 1 lime, mango or pineapple or pear, 2 TBS sprouted flax or chia, 1 scoop of Sunwarrior Brown Rice protein powder, 1 TBS Sea Veggies, maca powder, aloe vera juice and pure filtered water. I change the fruit often and will use wild blueberries (frozen). I also often add Vegegreens and Phytoberry and 1 TBS coconut oil. NOT hungry for hours!!!
Q2. My favourite indulgence is of course………..an amazing, smooth glass of red wine especially if organic and Californiaish!! Dark chocolate ranks up there too 🙂
Q3. Any change in lifestyle habits requires readiness. Sign a personal contract to commit, go shopping so that you are prepared and do WHAT you think you can. ONE step each week or for 2 weeks and once that becomes a “wonderful and happy” part of your life, try another. It’s about mastery.
Q4. OMG!!!!! Calorie counting ruins your relationship with food. This relationship should be a LOVE relationship. Calorie counting is tedious, monotonous, painful, and does NOT work and NO ONE that I know in their right mind LIKES it and plans to do it for the rest of their lives!!! Whole foods will satiate you so that you don’t NEED to count calories because you won’t be compelled to over eat nutrient deprived junk! I do however educate about portion sizes as I feel that is an important guideline.
YVONNE CAMUS, RHN
Q1. Upon my return from WeCare’s complex, I have switched my morning smoothie, (which comes after a cup of warm water with fresh lemon juice, ginger, cayenne). Now I simply soak sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds in my Vita mix overnight, add the almonds that I soak separately so I can drain them, coconut water, greens powder, ground flax and a little agave – yum! (It needs to be strained through a cheesecloth, but then I just eat the crumblies!)
Q2. I love Manna sprouted date nut loaf toasted with almond butter and a touch of organic honey.
Q3. I usually challenge my clients to go ONE DAY without processed foods! Then they get the sense of eating real food. I also highly recommend a food diary, even if it is just for their eyes only because it becomes more real on paper. I also suggest making one change at a time. Get a breakfast smoothie going or find one meatless meal that you know you can make work for your family.
Q4. I don’t agree at all with calorie counting or tracking grams of carbs, proteins, or fats for that matter. We were meant to eat in a way that nourishes our body and if we focus on healthy forms of whole foods, these foods will provide the appropriate micro and macro nutrients. There is just such a massive difference between good grains/bad bread and good fat/bad fat. It constantly amazes me that so many women will drink a grande latte with sugar but they won’t eat half an avocado because of their misunderstanding about fats!
JOANNE MACDONALD, RHN
Q1: Breakfast regime- water, lemon and fresh pressed ginger followed by water with 10-15 drops nascent iodine and 2-4 brazil nuts with supplements of the day. ½ an hour later- watermelon followed by fresh pressed grapefruit then smoothie, which includes- progressive whey powder, pinehedge unhomogenized kefir, PC wild organic blueberries, granny smith apple, vegegreens, sprouted flax/chia and goji berries.
Q2. My ultimate favourite moment is when I have my late morning first coffee- Vanhoutte organic fair-trade Amazonian with vanilla basmati rice milk, and toast of organic grains (quinoa & honey bread) with butter, coconut oil, almond butter, tahini and raw sesame seeds on top. OMG I love it so much it must be sinful! If anyone is around they ruin it for me! I have to be alone to enjoy it!
Q3. Start with small easy to achieve steps- ie. lemon water, raw fruit and a smoothie- for the first part of your day. Keep this first meal alkaline, organic, raw, and unprocessed and then work up from there. Do that for 3 months then work your way into snacks, then lunch and before you know it you are into dinner and almost done!
Q4. Calorie counting is unsustainable, too restrictive, negative, and doomed for failure. The commitment has to be to eat whole foods and therefore calorie counting is unnecessary. Any diet that allows cadbury caramilk frozen cake on a saved points system is fooling the client into false expectations about their state of health, because as we all know, sugar is poison… period!!
MARLA SHATZ, RHN
Q1. I always start my day with lemon water. Breakfast depends on whether or not I go to the gym in the morning. If so, I follow my workout with a breakfast smoothie – coconut or almond milk, berries, brown rice or hemp protein, liquid minerals (if I’ve taken hot yoga), handful of greens or green powder, ground flax seeds, tsp of fish oil (great way to hide the taste if you’re like me and can’t quite stomach throwing it back!), sometimes banana, sometimes organic cocoa, sometimes mango or pineapple (depends on what is in season). Everyday is a little different which leads to a wider variety of nutrients. If I’m strapped for time, I often have a bowl of organic granola that I make myself (so I can limit the sugar and can include my favourite nuts, seeds and fruit) or a gluten free rice/millet cereal with fresh berries and almond milk.
Q2. Favourite indulgence? Well, I do like a nice glass (or two) of red wine on the weekend! I also “indulge” in chocolate (70% or higher) and the occasional gluten free/vegan baked good. This weekend, I made bagels! Other weeks I make cookies or muffins or cakes, although I try and limit my “sugar” intake.
Q3. Take it one step at a time and try not too look at it as deprivations, but as a lifestyle shift with the end result of feeling better, sleeping better and thinking clearer. Some switches are easier then others, for example, rice, almond, oat or hemp milk instead of cow’s milk; rice or quinoa pasta instead of white pasta, or adding more greens and vegetables to each meal.
Q4. Calorie counting does not work and all calories are not created equal. Paying attention to nutrients will inherently lead to a healthier body that wants to be at its healthy weight.
JESSICA WITT, RHN
Q1. My breakfast really varies day to day but I always like to start the day with lemon water. My go-to “fuel” breakfast has to be a smoothie. I can pack all sorts of goodness in there – organic kefir, hemp or sprouted brown rice protein powder, some greens, berries, banana, ground flax, sometimes I put some oatmeal in there too. One of my favourite smoothies has kefir, vegan protein powder, cacao, avocado, almond butter, banana and a touch of agave. It’s like dessert for breakfast!
Q2. My family is a pretty tight-knit bunch and it’s not odd for us to have a family dinner or celebration on a weekly basis. This is my big splurge meal and it always includes wine and dessert!
Q3. It’s all about baby-steps, otherwise it can be too overwhelming. Start with some easy substitutions for some of your go-to staples (rice or almond milk instead of cow’s milk, brown rice or kamut pasta instead of wheat pasta, brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice, dark greens instead of iceberg lettuce, sprouted whole grain breads instead of white or whole wheat bread). Increase the amount of veggies you eat at each meal and consider incorporating one or two meatless days in your week. Choose veggies, fruit, raw nuts and seeds as snacks instead of cookies, granola bars, or chips (or anything in those 100 calorie serving sizes…ACK!). Eventually, these choices will feel like second nature and you’ll be on your way to tackling more “advanced” healthy eating principles.
Q4. I don’t do it and I don’t counsel people to do it. Calorie counting = diet and I’m not about diets or ways of eating that you “go on” and inevitably fall off. Calories are only part of the whole picture and calories are not created equal. For this same reason, I don’t count carbs or fat either. I prefer to focus on making the right food choices (whole, natural foods) and eating the right amount of those foods. If you do that, you don’t need to count calories, you will reach your healthy weight and actually BE healthy too.
SUSAN SCHROETER, RHN
Q1. Green smoothies are a staple but I have to say I really enjoy a breakfast of 2 soft-boiled organic free-run eggs with toasted 100% rye bread topped with organic butter. The eggs only take 7 minutes to cook! So yummy sprinkled with a little French gray sea salt and fresh ground pepper! And I always start my day with a nice big glass of water, with either lemon, chlorophyll or chlorella.
Q2. Hard to choose just one indulgence…. I LOVE food! Top of the list would be:
1.King Crab with organic garlic butter for dipping, 2. Enjoying a glass of red wine with great food and friends, 3. Starbuck’s Chai Latté (half sweet), and I have to confess I’m really passionate about local, organic produce!
Q3. My advice would be to focus on making small changes over time to avoid becoming overwhelmed. People are often surprised at the level of impact small changes (like drinking enough water) can have on their health and vitality. Also, be patient with yourself, set realistic goals, and focus on your successes. It can be enlightening when you start paying attention to how you feel; energy levels, mental focus, etc. after consuming different foods. I also believe that many people can be misled or confused by all the so-called “healthy” messages coming at them from processed food manufacturers and the media. I recommend anyone with a desire for change seek the help of a Registered Holistic Nutritionist to gain awareness of what will work best for their own body and lifestyle circumstances.
Q4. Calorie counting is not something I recommend. If low calorie were healthy for us, a can of zero calorie soda pop would be a better choice than a handful of raw almonds at 160 calories. I don’t think many would agree with that! We should be focusing on the nutrient density of the foods we consume. I believe in a diet of natural foods that give our bodies a balance of the healthy protein, fats, and unrefined carbohydrates we need for optimal health. I do recommend portion control, especially for my weight loss clients.
WOW! Amazing information! I can’t thank you ladies enough for sharing your knowledge. And there you have it Holistic Wellness readers…..calorie counting a big No-No, and YAY to Whole Foods! 🙂
