Some of my celeb clients (like George Clooney and Stacy Keibler) sought out my delicious and balanced food cleanses which then lead to me preparing food in their home, stocking their fridge and cabinets with delicious, nutrient dense foods. Other celeb clients find me through yoga (like Gerard and a few other celebs) and eventually we connect to superfoods and cleansing foods as well.
FF: What’s your advice to people who want to get lose a few pounds and “look like a celeb”?
Focus on ingredients, not calories. Low calorie foods don’t necessarily equate to healthy items since they could be highly processed and lower in nutrients and/or higher in fats and sugars. Opt for whole, unprocessed foods that have retained the bulk of their nutritional value.
Avoid excess sugar. When sugar isn’t used by the body as energy, it transforms into stored body fat. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid sugar entirely though. Rather, eat whole fruits, which contain fiber and nutrients and relatively lower levels of fructose than processed foods (including sugary, processed salad dressings).
Eat regularly (don’t skip meals!). When you skip meals, your energy levels drop, you deprive your body of nutrients, and you may actually end of gaining weight.
Get your beauty sleep. Sleep increases fat loss and is also directly connected to your eating habits the following day. Studies have shown that those who are well-rested have better portion control and will select healthier food options than those who are sleep-deprived.
To prep for award season or any special occasion I always have my clients do a 3 or 5 day cleanse. It’s not an extreme cleanse program, in fact quite the opposite. The program is filled with nourishing soups, salads, smoothies, juices and snacks so they never feel hungry or deprived. By the end of the cleanse they feel their best, are glowing from within and have tons of energy to celebrate and have fun!
FF: Why raw food?
Only raw food contain functional “live” enzymes, and when we eat only cooked foods, the liver, pancreas, stomach, and intestines must come to the rescue and furnish the requisite digestive enzymes. This extra activity can be detrimental to health and longevity because it continually taxes the reserve energy of our organs. Furthermore, cooked food passes through the digestive tract more slowly than raw food, tends to ferment, and add toxins. All raw foods contain exactly the right enzymes required to split every last molecule into the basic building blocks of metabolism: amino acids (from protein) glucose (from complex carbs) and essential fatty acids (from unsaturated vegetable fats). This isn’t to say that you should ONLY eat raw or living foods, rather that you should try to incorporate them into your diet.
FF: Any tips for us?
A lot of us intend to eat healthy, but when hunger strikes, our good intentions oftentimes fall to the wayside. To combat hunger pangs, always keep a mixed bag of dried dragonfruit, goji berries, and almonds in your bag or backpack or an apple for an anytime-of-day snack!
