Forget rigid rules. Dietitian Dr Joanna McMillan says healthy eating comes down to a handful of foundations you can take anywhere, even to lunch.
Dr Joanna McMillan’s approach to food is built on one idea: get the foundations right and the rest follows. Her Dr Joanna Plate is a simple model for building any meal, whether you’re cooking at home or ordering from a menu.
“Once you have my plate model in your head, it works anywhere,” she says. “You just understand food. It’s a lifetime model.”
She has no time for extreme diets or finger-wagging. “I enjoy a glass of wine, I have a day where I skip my exercise; it’s not about being perfect every single minute of every day.”
Her eight foundations
- Don’t smoke.
- Drink the European way. If you drink, have a glass or two of wine with a meal rather than bingeing on weekends.
- Move every day. Aim for at least 30 minutes of brisk movement such as walking, plus two or three harder sessions a week if you can.
- Fill up on plants. Eat at least five serves of vegetables and a couple of pieces of fruit a day.
- Choose good fats. Use extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds rather than processed “fat-free” products.
- Go wholegrain. Choose wholegrains and legumes, and cut back on refined grains and added sugar.
- Sleep at least seven hours.
- Make time for joy.
Be wary of “sugar-free”
McMillan warns that many “sugar-free” recipes simply swap cane sugar for another sugar, such as brown rice syrup. “Why is it different to extract sugar from one plant and not another?” she asks.
Everyday superfoods count
You don’t need expensive powders and berries. “Basil is as much a superfood to me as goji berries and kale,” she says. “It’s more about your total diet and diversity.”
It’s not just about weight
“If you are slim, it doesn’t mean you are off the hook and diet doesn’t matter,” McMillan says. Get the foundations right, she says, and your weight looks after itself over the long term. Your brain works better, you can exercise more, and your fertility improves.
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