Everyone at the GO!Greenbar

The first thing I thought after my interview with Tessa was: Can I chat with this woman every week from now on? Tessa is a health coach and nutritionist. Now I really know a lot about food and I am super happy with my health and how I look, but holy moly Tessa really knows a lot. And when you see her, you want to do exactly everything she does. A killer body, the most beautiful hair and skin, and an energy (yes sorry, I like to talk in energies) that makes you incredibly happy and calm. I was already a fan of her Go!Greenbar, but now also of Tessa herself. At this moment she is on vacation in the Caribbean (she chooses her vacation destination based on the local cuisine, and there you have incredibly delicious and healthy food), but luckily she gave me a crash course in happy healthy living just before her departure.

Tessa is a health coach and nutritionist. A killer body, the most beautiful hair and skin, and an energy (yes sorry, I like to talk in energies) that makes you incredibly happy and calm.

Tessa, that bar you produced... Everyone here at the editorial office was so happy that you can eat as much of it as you want without feeling guilty.

“Ah that's nice to hear. First of all, this bar is not a meal replacement, okay? It is really meant as a snack. I take it for example at eleven or four o'clock. Usually at the end of the afternoon, you also crave something sweet, then I choose the chocolate variant. You know what it is, each bar contains enough of all macro nutrients to feel satisfied. By that I mean fats, proteins, sugar, and so on. That is very different from a Snickers. There is nothing else in it than sugar and that's why you just want more afterwards.”

 Okay, so you are really super healthy, I am too, but I really can't resist my dear grandma's apple pie. I hope you can't either?

“That's very simple. I never cheat, because everything unhealthy can be made healthy. If I crave an apple pie, I make one from oatmeal sweetened with dates. Craving chocolate mousse? Then I throw a banana, coconut oil, and raw cocoa into the blender and my dessert is ready. You don't have to eat bad chocolate or pizza, you can easily make a healthy version that I find just as tasty.

 You coach people towards a healthier lifestyle. How does that work?

Food is your medicine and medicine is your food. Anyone who wants to get fitter, has digestive issues, is training for a marathon, or wants to lose weight can come to me and my colleagues. After an intake, I create schedules. A lot of schedules. From the moment you wake up until you go to bed. Even with the number of tablespoons and measured in grams. People want me to think of everything for them and write it down. After a while, they start doing it themselves, you understand.

Food is your medicine and medicine is your food.

 So you don't just guide overweight people?

“No, certainly not. A few years ago, I even helped Halina Reijn lose weight for a role in the film Isabelle. She was already incredibly slim, but had to become extremely thin and she couldn't do that without guidance. A few weeks before the shooting days began, she came to me. That was a really fun challenge because there was a lot of time pressure. And yes, that indeed involved a lot (or actually very few) leaves of lettuce and carrots. It is certainly not the normal course of affairs and I will never give someone a weight loss plan if they are already very thin, but this was a different story.”

In April, you will be seen as a nutrition coach in the program Obese. You teach people with massive overweight to eat healthily. Then the kilos will definitely drop off?

Phew yes, there is one lady who is 1.68 meters tall and weighed 225 kilos. I help people create a new nutrition plan. Some had never heard of an avocado or broccoli.

But you know, there is always an emotional problem behind it, so they are also guided by a mental coach.

 You also have your own practice where you do a lot of tests with blood and stool. Why is that important to know?

Measuring is knowing. I prefer to test everything. How is your liver doing? Are you lacking minerals? Are your intestines working well? Can you not tolerate sugars? Do you have a food allergy?

January is the busiest time in my practice. Everyone wants a sort of check-up. Based on the results, I create a nutrition plan. .

 Do you have a million-dollar tip on how to start a healthy lifestyle?

Nutrition is definitely more important than training. 80% nutrition and 20% movement. Always pack a healthy snack in your bag, otherwise, you'll go for the axe and grab something unhealthy. I am also really an advocate of vitamin D. This is seriously one of the most important vitamins you need. In the summer you get it from the sun, but now it is important to take drops. It is good for immunity, your mood, your bones, and for losing weight. I don't believe in a winter dip, you just lack vitamin D.

Nutrition is definitely more important than training. 80% nutrition and 20% movement.

 You are leaving for the Caribbean in a few days? Any tips against jet lag?

That's very simple. Prepare your own food and drink nothing but water (without bubbles). I always take two boiled eggs, self-cracked coconut pieces, raw nuts with superfoods, and spelt crackers with me. Never ever a jet lag.