Plate method: how to apply it to control your weight effortlessly, according to nutritionist Adriana Oroz

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Paradoxes: when it comes to shopping we have more and more food options available, but that does not make us eat better, quite the opposite.

"The lack of

nutritional

education , motivation or time and fatigue, laziness, stress or anxiety lead to eating out, ordering food at home or throwing away pre-cooked and processed products, many of them of low nutritional quality, high caloric density and great flavor, which generate

addiction

, but do not satisfy", explains

Adriana Oroz Lacunza

(Pamplona, ​​1992), graduated in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Navarra and author of the book

'How to apply the plate method'

(Zenith Libros) , a useful guide to follow what has been proven to be one of the simplest and most effective systems to maintain a healthy diet that ensures all the nutrients and no fat, which also allows us to get rid of the extra kilos we have. .

It seems easy.

It involves

dividing

the plate into two equal parts, and one of them, in turn, into two others.

We will fill the largest part with fruits and

vegetables

and in the remaining parts we will place

proteins

and

carbohydrates

.

It is the very famous Harvard Plate.

The challenge is how to do it when you barely have time to cook.

And this is precisely what Adriana Oroz teaches in her book, which includes practical tips that allow you

to plan

your meals weekly and organize your purchases so that following this healthy plate method becomes a habit without costing us.

"The diet is not a restrictive plan that is followed for a

short

period of time with the aim of

losing weight

, changing the body or improving a specific aspect of health. On the contrary, it is a healthy,

balanced

and personalized eating pattern, based on on the needs of the person, which can be maintained over time," says the

nutritionist

.

And those who are overweight should not improve their habits, "the fundamental reason for becoming more conscious," says Adriana, but not the most important: "If you base your motivation for change on weight control

and

you do not obtain the desired reward, you will return to bad habits."

In any case, you have to

learn

to eat, but everything that entails can be very lazy, from thinking about a

menu

and making the necessary purchases to cook it to getting to the stove.

And this is when Adriana comes to the rescue.

This is your

helpful guide

to easily apply the plate method.

Plate method: what foods and how many

This method is a guide that consists of preparing, in a single dish, all the portions of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates and fats necessary to ensure complete nutrition in each meal that also allows us to control our weight.

The frequency of food consumption will depend "on your goal, your tastes and even how the week presents itself," says Adriana Orozco, but this indicative table is the best way to get started.

• Vegetables and vegetables.

  Minimum 2 servings a day.

  150-200 g/serving

• Fruit.

  Minimum 3 servings a day.

  150 g/serving

• Legumes.

  3-4 servings a week.

• Nuts and seeds.

  1 serving per day (20-30 g)

• Cereals and tubers.

  Daily, depending on the proportions of the dish.

• Whole dairy.

  From 0 to 3 servings a day;

  one is equivalent to 200 ml of milk or vegetable drink, 2 yogurts, 80-125 g of fresh cheese or 40-80 g of cured cheese.

• Meat.

  From 0 to 4 servings per week (130 g/serving).

  Red meat, maximum once a week.

• Fish and seafood.

  From 0 to 4 servings per week (125-150 g/serving).

• Eggs.

  From 0 to 7 servings per week (1 or two eggs per serving).

• Vegetal protein.

  From 0 to 4 servings per week (100-125 g/serving).

• Olive oil.

  4 tablespoons a day.

Shopping list

Once we know what to put on the plate, it's time to know what to put in the refrigerator.

"How many times have you made a shopping list without being aware of what you need?" asks the author.

Well, not one more, because this is what cannot be missing, depending on the season and season, the expert points out.

They will be added to the pantry basics, among others, legumes, spices and condiments, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, whole grain pasta and rice.

• Fruit.

  Kiwis, bananas, blueberries, oranges or tangerines, pears or persimmons, apples, strawberries or grapes, pineapple, peaches or nectarines, melon or watermelon.

• Healthy fats.

  Avocado.

• Vegetables/vegetables and tubers.

  Basics: garlic, onion, zucchini, leek, red, yellow and green pepper, carrot, mushroom, eggplant and potato.

  Alternating: broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage, chard or green beans, spinach, lamb's lettuce or green sprouts, tomato.

• Eggs and fresh meat.

  Mainly lean: chicken and turkey.

• Milk and derivatives.

  Semi-skimmed milk or vegetable drink without added sugar and enriched with calcium and vitamin D, natural or soy yogurt, fresh Burgos type cheese, alternating with mozzarella, feta, ricotta and cured or semi-cured.

A quick and healthy dinner

Dinner is a critical time;

Tiredness and the desire to prepare something quickly to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen make it easy to fall into the temptation of doing anything.

But a simple preparation can also be very healthy.

"Planning the purchase and organizing the pantry well will help you combine foods to put delicious dishes on the tables without many complications," adds Adriana Oroz.

These are the basic foods for a quick and healthy dinner.

• Fresh and canned

  vegetables to make a quick salad.

• Frozen vegetables

  to microwave or sauté with oil in the pan.

• Egg,

  one of the star foods for dinners.

  An omelette or scrambled vegetables takes no time and is very satisfying.

• Canned

  fish: including a can of tuna, bonito or anchovies in a salad or any preparation is easy and convenient.

• Dairy.

  Fresh cheeses are a source of quality protein.

• Humus

  , whether homemade or purchased, is a source of plant protein.

  Take it with carrot, tomato...

• Jars of quinoa,

  rice or bags of potatoes for the microwave;

  They ensure a source of carbohydrates in the plant in less than three minutes.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Weekly planning example

Whether you are a

batch cooking

lover or not, the key to easily applying the dish method lies in learning to organize yourself to save kitchen time.

"Unifying recipes, using the same ingredients and cooking more helps," says Adriana Oroz, who advises

organizing

meals from Monday to Friday and leaving the weekend free, "because plans usually arise."

She always has an indicative scheme in mind that includes vegetable creams, sautéed or baked vegetables, boiled eggs, legume stews with vegetables and cereals (rice, pasta or quinoa) and cooked tubers to complete the dishes.

Specifically, in her weekly

planning

example , she cooks on Sundays for the first two or three days of the week, spending two to three hours.

And this is what must be achieved.

• Minimum two or three preparations of vegetables.

• One or two side dishes of carbohydrates based on tubers or cereals.

• A vegetable protein preparation based on legumes.

• A protein preparation based on fish, eggs, shellfish, meat or vegetable derivatives (soy, tofu, seitan...) that preserves well (stews, stir-fries, stews...)

And what comes first, the weekly menu or the shopping list?

"To start, I recommend creating a weekly menu in order to have an example of a healthy shopping list. Then, over time, it will no longer be necessary

to create a menu,

because you will already know what you need to buy," concludes the nutritionist.

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