November with Večernica Tereza

Terezka is a nutrition expert, mother of one-year-old Jonášek, wife of a pediatric neurosurgeon. I had the opportunity to meet her in person only recently, but she caught my eye from the first minute. It was only thanks to her Instagram that I understood how important a proper and balanced diet plays in our lives.

Terka, how did you get to your topic? I have always been close to movement, which is also related to food, because fuel is needed. Then I wanted to understand all this more and I threw myself into studying the field of nutritional therapist, which led me to my own consulting practice. In my free time, I always enjoyed creating: baking, cooking and then serving food so that it was also visually appealing. So, over time, I learned to take pictures, and the hobby became partly my job.

What do you enjoy most about your job and what is challenging? With the advent of motherhood, my workload has changed a lot. I like to work and I want to work, but somehow adequately. I don't need to chase something right now, but it's good to occupy my head in other ways. So my nutritional counseling is currently on hold. But I devote myself to what I enjoy the most: writing educational articles or recipes. However, it is sometimes difficult to coordinate everything with them. Thinking, buying ingredients, cooking, and now in the fall, finding suitable light for photography or filming. It is not as simple as it may seem at first glance.

Do you perceive a shift in society in the way Czechs deal with eating? Hard to say. I would like to be an optimist. The truth is, I live in a bubble that kind of naturally cares about its diet, so I'd like to say yes. On the other hand, I still see what people fill their shopping carts with. And that's not always a pretty sight. I think the increase in food prices has played a part in this, and for many it may mean a step back.

What would you say is our biggest eating disorder? In my eight years of experience in consulting, many clients have passed through my hands, mainly women. I perceive slacking off or not eating enough, which subsequently results in frequent and hard-to-manage sweet cravings. What a miracle it is that cravings disappear when we start to think at least a little about balance and regularity. But at the same time, it's nice to say that it's perfectly fine to have a reasonable amount of sweets in your diet.

Can it be said that some nations have the most nutritionally rich menu, for example Japan due to the amount of fish? I wonder if it can even be generalized like this. Coincidentally, my husband and I traveled to Japan a few years ago, and I have to admit that I wasn't too impressed with the menu there. Said fish is often compensated with fried food. At the same time, fresh vegetables or fruit, a wider range of dairy products are less available. I must admit that I suffered quite a lot towards the end of our trip there and I still remember how much I enjoyed eating a freshly coated bun at the airport in Vienna.

What if someone thinks that a balanced diet is about spreadsheets, counting calories and simply too complicated and doesn't have time for it, but would still like to do something with their diet? What is the first thing you would recommend to him to start? Try to think about food, plan ahead a bit. Equip the fridge and pantry with basic ingredients. It may seem annoying, but in the end it saves time and money. It will lead to better choices and more variety in the menu.

You have become our Večernica, MOONIA is a local brand, I work with selected materials, I would like to know what is your relationship to a responsible lifestyle? What works for you? I'll take it a little from a different end. I am quite proud of the fact that we practically do not waste food at home. I have to throw something away. I shop carefully, I plan my meals a few days in advance, so I can make the most of everything. It may come as a surprise to some that the most waste is in households, which I find scary. The management of food and foodstuffs is in our hands. And I'll continue by saying that thanks to the birth of Jonáš, I'm thinking more about sustainability when it comes to clothes. I discovered a lot of Czech and Slovak creators, whom I would much rather support than fast fashion chains.

And I will also ask you for your FUN FACTS:

I rest when: I really rest, I don't run around and I don't let myself be disturbed. With a book, cooking, baking, in the silence of nature. This is something I've been trying to work on lately, as time for myself is both a rarity and a necessity.

I am most proud of: Jonáška.

My favorite place: our home. I really like it here. Then Brno: for me it is an ideal place to live. It has all the advantages of a bigger city, but at the same time, the surrounding area offers plenty of options if you want to escape from the hustle and bustle.

I secretly dream that there are more than 24 hours in a day.

When I was little, I wanted to be a professional skier.