The example plate is the number-one tool for putting together a healthy meal
Feeling bloated and dealing with an increased waistline after the festive season… Does this sound familiar? Eating even slightly less can help and is good for your health. It is worth starting a lighter diet by re-examining the example plate familiar from nutritional recommendations, which makes putting together a meal simple.
Put light options on your plate
Fill half of the plate with vegetables and salad that are naturally low in energy, so the energy intake of the serving is reduced almost without noticing. A quarter of the plate is reserved for potatoes, pasta or rice, which contain carbohydrates giving you a kick for the day. If you choose wholegrain pasta or rice, the meal will also contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Good alternative side dishes include rice-multigrain mixtures rich in fibre, whole cereal grains, wholemeal noodles or couscous.
The fourth quarter of the plate is filled with a source of protein, i.e. meat, chicken, fish or eggs or, for vegetarians, beans, lentils, tofu or other soya products. A glass of skimmed milk or sour milk and a slice of wholemeal bread covered with a vegetable fat spread are suitable accompaniments to a meal. If rye bread upsets your stomach or you simply do not like it, there are white bread alternatives that are rich in fibre. It is worth looking at the fibre content on bread packaging and choosing bread with minimum fibre content of 6 grams/100 g.
For those eating more lightly, a soup made with a clear stock is lighter than the creamy alternative. A starter salad increases the amount of vegetables. For pasta meals use pasta rich in fibre and add vegetables to the tomato sauce served with meat or fish.
Pizzas also fit the example plate if the base is thin and the fillings low in fat, such as tuna fish, prawns, cooked ham, mushrooms or vegetables – and a modest amount of light cheese. A serving of salad is also required. Follow the healthy example plate also when eating in your personnel restaurant or restaurant buffets.
Eat a little at a time but regularly
If you get too hungry between meals, it is easy to eat a lot more than is necessary. Continuous snacking during the day easily shows on your waistline. When it comes to eating you should focus on main meals and healthy snacks but leave out the extra munching.
A suitable meal rhythm is an individual matter, although the traditional model with breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and evening snack breaks up the day in suitable intervals of three to four hours between meals.
When eating lighter, choose a substantial salad, a light soup or porridge with good bread and a glass of milk instead of a steak or serving of pasta, for instance. Easy and quick snacks for all are, for example, all fruit and vegetables, a sandwich, Karelian pasty, instant porridges and skimmed milk products.
Even health-conscious eaters are allowed to indulge in good food now and then; you need not be excessively disciplined. If chocolate is your greatest passion, it is pointless trying to cut it out completely. Forbidden treats often grow in the mind into something uncontrollable and result in uncontrolled eating. In other words, enjoying treats once in a while keeps the mind happy and does not detract from healthier eating habits!
Keep in motion
Losing weight through exercise alone is difficult and requires the exercise programme of a professional athlete. Exercise combined with a lighter diet, however, helps to keep the extra kilos under control and is beneficial to the health of the heart and blood vessels. According to research, from a health perspective it is better to be slightly overweight and fit than normal weight and unfit.
According to current thinking, the so-called "fat burning rate" does not exist, but every step we take and every movement we make uses up energy. The more people move about, the more energy is used! Half an hour's exercise per day is a good goal to start with. Regular exercise is what counts. Even a little exercise repeated frequently is better for health than longer lasting exercise but only a few times per week.
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