At 40 years old, my BP and cholesterol were above normal and rising. I wanted to deal with the problem through diet and exercise if possible. One of the trainers at my gym (Equinox) recommended seeing a nutritionist, Marissa Lippert. I thought only women saw nutitionists, and I was hopeful that I wouldn't be asked to radically change my eating habits and do something that would only work in the short term. Marissa's practical approach was to help me set goals (i.e. lower my cholesterol, lose weight, etc.) and establish, not a diet, but a way of eating that would help me attain those goals. She encouraged me to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. I kept a food diary (which was eye-opening when I saw what I really ate). Marissa gave me grocery lists, brands of food to buy, menus, recipes and other information (including restaurants and specific menu items to choose) that made eating right downright easy and tasty. She even helped me design a low-sugar margarita. We would plan for eating right during social events over the holidays, and we even talked about how to deal with people who were critical of my new habits (and some people were). I was surprised how many times high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar food was forced upon me, but I became good at saying ""no, thank you"" or taking a little bit and refusing seconds. I feel better, I have more energy, I lost 22 pounds, I cook at home a lot more, and my cholesterol and BP are now well within the normal range for over a year -- no prescriptions. I have referred friends to Marissa, and I am a testimony to the fact that her approach works!
Pros: Practical, sustainable approach to eating and living well.
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