Diet and well-being go hand in hand, and more and more people are choosing to forgo unhealthy options in favor of healthier choices. But building new healthy routines can often feel costly, time-consuming, or simply out of reach. But does reality really have to be like that? The answer is no.
We got a moment to sit down with diet counselor and author Ulrika Davidsson, where she talks about her views on simplifying cooking, how she creates food joy and builds a healthy lifestyle, and how she has worked over the years with smart and simple recipes and diet plans that anyone can use.
If this sounds exciting to you - keep reading and we'll dive right in.
- Hi Ulrika, nice to have you here! For readers who don't know yet, can you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, nice to be here. Absolutely! My name is Ulrika Davidsson and I am a cookbook author, recipe creator and diet counselor. For several years I have helped thousands of people to a healthier lifestyle. Since 2006, I have written and published just over 30 books on diet and health, which have sold nearly one million copies in Sweden.
- Have you always been passionate about diet, exercise and cooking?
Not really, actually. It took me a little over 30 years before I realized that "you are what you eat" and started my journey where I managed to lose 30kg in 2002.
I realized that the secret to a healthy diet didn't have to be so complicated. Just cutting down on fast carbohydrates in the diet and replacing the unhealthy with delicious vegetables made an enormous difference. When I both saw the difference and felt how my well-being improved, cooking suddenly became much more fun.
Cooking became like a puzzle to solve. I removed pasta, potatoes, rice and bread to replace them with side dishes such as vegetable gratins, flavorful salads, oven-roasted and stir-fried vegetables. The result was more joy in cooking at home with the family and a lighter body with more energy!
- Definitely, diet doesn't have to be overly complicated! But what exactly is cooking joy to you?
Food should do good for the body and give you an experience for the eyes, mouth and sense of smell. A meal should give energy, not take it away from you, and you should always enjoy the food both during preparation and at the dinner table, while feeling satisfied afterwards.
- How did you get into diet counseling?
It wasn't something I had really planned, but it was actually my own weight loss journey that sparked my interest in nutrition. I realized that my previous diet was far from optimal for my way of life, which led me to dive wholeheartedly into new research and information in the health field.
After quickly both feeling and seeing results from my new healthy choices, I also wanted to help others find a healthier lifestyle. That led me to a training as a diet counselor in 2004, where I learned all the necessary knowledge to build low-carb diet plans for all needs and wishes.
Today, I am completely unique in Sweden with my way of working and recommending different diet plans. Recipes that are easy to cook, healthy and provide cooking joy are my specialty. I want my customers to have several different choices, and that way it is easier to find which method they feel best about and find most enjoyable.
- How do you find inspiration and motivation for a good diet?
Sooner or later, everyone realizes the importance of eating a natural diet to feel good. There are no shortcuts to that; you simply have to come to that realization yourself.
A dietary change usually occurs when you become ill or experience symptoms in your body that you don't want to live with. High blood pressure, diabetes, or other bothersome symptoms such as fatigue, poor sleep, pain, stomach problems, or hormonal changes are common reasons why people make a dietary change to alleviate symptoms and feel better. If this is done correctly, you always see a very significant change with good results.
- If you were to give 3 concrete tips for getting started with home cooking, what would they be?
1. Find 10 recipes that you enjoy and are eager to cook - This makes the experience both much more fun and easier.
2. Buy groceries and spend more time in the kitchen - It's never fun to delay cooking because you're missing ingredients. Make sure you have a well-stocked kitchen, both with ingredients and utensils.
3. Cook more portions so you save time and make your lunch box for the next day - Many people cook sporadically and rarely have leftovers for the next day, which means more time than necessary is spent in front of the stove.
- You have a course that has received a lot of attention and become very popular, tell us about it!
Yes, “66 Day Challenge with Mediterranean Food”. After coaching thousands of clients for many years, I saw that the biggest reason for a poor diet is often a lack of time. I immediately saw the need to plan and prepare for my clients so they could create a healthy diet that makes a difference without having to spend half the day in the kitchen.
I created ready-made meal plans that are super easy to follow with accompanying recipes every week. The entire course idea is based on a scientific study which suggested that 66 days is what it takes to break a bad habit and create a new good habit. There was of course a great recognition in this study because many people think that it takes less time to change their lifestyle, which simply isn't true.
It takes 66 days, and then you want to make sure you're prepared for that too!
My course, “66 Day Challenge”, is a guide for those who want to change their lifestyle with diet, exercise and relaxation for 10 weeks. And after receiving very positive feedback on the course, it also became a book that has now sold almost 40,000 copies and has also been the basis for the sequel “66 Day Challenge with Mediterranean Food” which was recently released with the same great interest.
I want to make health simpler for my customers. When I simplify meal plans, create inspiring and easy-to-cook recipes, and provide tips on how to plan and simplify everyday life, it brings me great joy when I see how it makes a difference.
- The 66 Days Challenge is time-limited, what should one do after this course?
After completing my 10-week meal plans, I am convinced that you will have changed so many habits in your life and achieved noticeable and visible results that you will want to maintain. Your motivation will then be much higher to continue when you have gained new insights and a new interest in cooking.
The result is not only that you are healthier for 66 days, you build a whole new lifestyle for the future!
