The Eat Well Plate

Many books, websites and magazines tell me how and what to eat (and not to eat) in order to stay healthy and slim.

I am slightly overweight and would like to become slimmer. However, I don't want to try Atkins, GI diets, do the Apple Diet, or start any other weight removal program. Although apples are healthy, eating just apples all the time isn't healthy in the long run. Besides, I want to eat pasta, potatoes, bread and all kinds of food.

Weight can sometimes be lost by reducing food intake and increasing exercise. At present, I don't bother counting calories. Instead, I concentrate on eating according to the Swedish Plate Model.

Yesterday, my main meal consisted of rice, bread, a satsuma mandarin, chopped tomatoes, and a Japanese-inspired ground meat mix. (I drink milk, fruit juice, water, wine or low-alcohol beer during my meals. What I choose to drink depends on several factors - what day of the week it is, what I am eating and so on.).














The Ground Beef Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
serves 2

* 250 grams ground beef
* 1 onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped
* vegetable oil for frying
* 50 ml Japanese soy
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 50 ml water
* ½ -1 tablespoon honey
* a pinch of black pepper
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

METHOD:
1. Preheat your frying pan on medium setting.
2. Add the oil to the pan when it is hot, and then the ground beef.
3. Using a wooden spoon. mash and stir so that it gets broken up.
4. Brown together beef and onion until onion is soft, 3-5 minutes.
5. Pour in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Season to taste, adding more honey, pepper and ginger, if you like.

The plate model.

This "Food Circle" helps me to get all the nutrients I need. It has only three categories. Imagine your plate divided into the letter "Y". Eating an item from each of the following three groups every day ensures a variety of nutrients.

*Yellow:
The first category includes foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bulgur, bread...
*Green:
The second category consists of vegetables, leafy greens, root vegetables, fruit, berries..
*Orange:
The third and smallest part, approx. one-fifth of the plate, includes meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, leguminous plants..

This plate model says nothing about how much I should eat. My hunger guides me. It is not necessary to consume the same quantities from each of the three groups every day.

For those who want to lose weight, the vegetable section has to be larger at the expense of rice, pasta, and potatoes, and those who want to increase their weight do the opposite. If you have a physically strenuous work, or if you exercise a lot, you may need to increase the amount of pasta, rice or potatoes to get the energy your body needs. You need calories otherwise you will get tired.

Candy, soft drinks and other sweet things are considered unhealthy. But I don't think it is dangerous to set aside one day once a week and treat myself with something sweet.  We deserve a treat now and again!