Dear Alice,
Many nutritionists encourage or even push their clients to exercise, but I notice you don’t. Why not? Isn’t exercise part of a healthy lifestyle? Shouldn’t all your clients be exercising? Don’t get me wrong, I actually don’t really like exercising, I just want to make sure I’m not doing something wrong.
Signed,
A Little Lazy
Dear Not Yet Motivated,
You are correct that I don’t push my clients to exercise at the beginning of their weight loss journey. This is because exercise, while incredibly healthy and important, tends to slow down the weight loss process in the short term. This is because exercising causes inflammation from micro muscle tears, and this inflammation makes the scale tick upwards. Additionally, exercise can build about a half a pound of muscle a week which also slows the weight loss results. Finally, vigorous exercise stimulates the appetite and can make it more difficult to stick to a proper food plan.
Therefore, if a client is already exercising, we definitely encourage them to continue their routine. However, if the entire health and weight loss journey is new, we often recommend that a client adjust to their new food plan first, and once they lose a fair amount of weight, they can incorporate a new exercise routine to round out the complete picture of health and wellness.
Best,
Alice
Chia Seed
Chocolate Pudding
Try something different
for snack this week!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup plus 1-2 packets Stevia to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions:
In a small mixing bowl, add cocoa powder (sift first to reduce clumps), maple syrup, ground cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Add a little almond milk at a time and whisk until a paste forms. Then add remaining almond milk and whisk until smooth.
Add chia seeds and whisk to combine.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 3-5 hours (until it has reached a pudding-like consistency). It may also be helpful to give the mixture an extra whisk/stir once it has been in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
Makes 2 servings. Count each serving as a snack.
Alice Harrosh, Alice Harrosh is a Nutrition Counselor and Manager at Nutrition by Tanya, with 12 locations, including one on Main street in Queens! Alice knows that making healthy choices is not always easy, as she has been through the struggle herself. As an optimistic person, Alice’s favorite quote is: “It’s never too late to start eating better. If you have a bad morning, make it a better afternoon.” For more information on Nutrition by Tanya or the TAP (Tanya-approved products) food line, please visit www.nutritionbytanya.com or call 844-Tanya-Diet (844-826-9234). For daily tips and inspiration, you may follow @nutritionbytanya on Instagram.