Q & A with Valerie Orsoni

Q: Is cereal the wrong thing to eat first thing in the morning? - Linda
A: It usually is! A lot of packaged cereals contain sugar in disguise and when dairy is added to this, it is an explosively sweet breakfast. Better alternative: slow cooked porridge with coconut milk and fresh berries.

Q: If I want to lose weight quickly can I go on a high protein diet or not? - Nico
A: No! Never ever go on a high protein diet for a quick fix because the pounds will come back with a vengeance.

Q: I don’t like exercise. What should I do to get in shape? - Marion Bodin
A: You are lazy like 99% of us. No problem, there are solutions for that. Go shopping with friends and walk 3 hours or go for a 30 minute walk on an empty stomach every morning when you wake up, or contract your glutes while on the phone, suck in your tummy while passing through a door... you can squeeze in tons of very efficient activity throughout your day. RIGHT NOW, give me 100 glutes squeezes at your desk!

Q: How can I get rid of lovehandles? - Lea Brooke
A:  This depends if you are a man or a woman. Assuming you are a woman: 4x45 min of cardio a week (I know it sounds a lot but hey! You have do what you have to do!) Walk, swim, dance or do cardio at the gym.

Q: I’ve seen green tea in lots of your tips. Is it ok to drink it daily if I’m pregnant? - Linda
A: Green tea is low in caffeine. But white tea is even lower so during pregnancy go for white tea. Also if you live in South Africa, go for rooibos!

Q: What iron rich foods can I eat besides liver? I'm anemic and I have low blood pressure, no energy and insomnia. - Tammy Booysen
A: Anemia could be linked to your low iron level but you are better off talking to a doctor. It’s true that liver has one of the highest contents of iron and most importantly it is highly absorbable. But if you don’t like it and you want to avoid supplements you can go for dry beans and dark, leafy vegetables. Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing Vitamin C along with foods containing iron. For insomnia, have you tried meditating, drinking chamomile and soaking in a warm, lavender scented bath? Sleeping tablets can help for short-term treatment but you may have problems becoming dependent on them.  

Q: My 7 year old hates veggies and taking vitamins. What would you recommend? - Tammy Booysen
A: In nature, kids always eat what they are given. However, our society bombards our kids with ads about burgers and other sugary treats. They fall prey to this message and don’t enjoy green stuff. Have you tried eating only veggies at home? A shift to veganism, for instance, might change your child’s reaction to vegetables when he or she sees everybody eating their veggies. This behavioural change could help. Never threaten your child with punishment if his or her greens are not eaten. Punishment does not work. Teach your child how to cook with you. By playing with, and being creative about what your child does not like, he will end up loving it! Cooking is the key, guaranteed!

Q: I only eat two meals a day because I can’t stomach more. Which is the best one to skip? - Lea Brooke
A: There is no rule that forces you to eat three times or five times a day. If you feel great with two meals, go ahead. Sometimes people start eating at lunch and then have an early dinner. If this works for you then keep it up! There is no “best” meal to skip, just go with what times best suit you!

Q: If I want to lose weight quickly can I go on a high protein diet? - Dave Hill
A: The short answer is No! Why? Firstly, it is dangerous. Many long-term studies have proved this. It can have irreversible consequences on your health: kidney failure, constipation, terrible bad breath, nasty mood swings, etc. Plus you lose weight so quickly that it all comes back as soon as you eat “normally” again. This also teaches your body how better to store sugar, so next time you eat sugar your body will store it more than ever before. This short-term diet will transform you into a long term yo-yo dieter as you regain it all again.

Q: Everyone tells me that to lose weight I should cut out carbs or not eat carbs after noon – is this correct? - Jen Searle
A: Cutting carbs will not help you lose weight in the long run. It is usually the contrary that happens. Instead of cutting carbs, learn how to choose the right carbs: brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa pasta etc, and ditch all empty carbs -soda, sugary drinks etc. – things we don’t really need after all!
What matters is what goes in has to go out! No matter the time of day you eat it. It’s not a problem then if you eat your pasta at 6pm rather than 12pm. You just need to make sure you will burn this pasta off with some cardio activity.

Q: What do you think of cheat days? – Isabella Conord
A: I do not believe in cheat days! They make us behave in a compulsive manner. We spend the whole week dreaming of this wonderful cheat day. I’d rather have you enjoy one cheat a day (think four squares of chocolate) than having to wait for it. This approach works extremely well in the long run.

Q: Am I doomed if I don’t like fruits and veggies? - Bedos Nadège
A: Yes you are! You need to at least like a few elements in each category.

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