In the 40-plus years they’ve known each other, Miriam and Richard Morgan, M.D., have shared thousands of meals.

And not many of them were alike.

But, when you’re married to the food editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, culinary experimentation comes with the territory.

“When I ask her what’s for dinner, I never know what to expect, except that it will be something I’ve never eaten before and delicious,” Dr. Morgan says.

• The Morgan's healthy eating rules

In her 13 years working for the food section of the Chronicle, Miriam has spent countless hours reviewing, editing, cooking and tasting the results of recipes.

“I can pretty much tell you just by reading one if it’s going to work,” she says.

Yet, as much as they both like to eat – everything from mac and cheese to the latest West Coast multicultural culinary creations – they remain slender and fit at ages 60 (her) and 62 (him).

“We exercise as much as possible, because we do enjoy food, and I never waste calories – especially when it comes to dessert,” she says. “If it’s not wonderful, it’s not worth eating.”

While Miriam has made a career of turning people on to food, Dr. Morgan has focused a significant part of his trying to convince people to eat less of it.

“Many of my patients have had that 2- to 4-pound-per-year weight gain during midlife, and come to me 15 to 20 pounds overweight – which does put them at a higher risk for certain health conditions,” says the primary care physician and internal medicine specialist.

Yet, the couple insists their jobs have more in common than people might think.

“It’s all about education,” Miriam says. “We’re teaching people about good food – about quality versus quantity. At the Chronicle, our readers hold us accountable for fat content and calories.”

Dr. Morgan agrees that food has been getting a bad rap.

“It’s not food that’s making us sick,” he says.

“The weight problem and associated illnesses in America are probably in part related to stress. Food is a pleasurable way to seek comfort in times of stress, but exercise and stress management techniques provide more health benefits.”

He tells his patients the “Dr. Morgan diet” would be to write down all the foods you love and stop eating them.

“And that’s exactly why diets don’t work,” he said.

“Imagine two banquet tables. The one on the left has all the foods you love, while the one on the right has the foods you are supposed to eat. So you are eating from the right, while gazing longingly to the left.

“After a week or two you feel so punished that you march over to the table on the left and gorge yourself.”

So, go ahead and eat the doughnut, he says. But make it a small doughnut on occasion. In other words, mix foods from the left with foods from the right.

“Guilty pleasures are okay,” he stresses. “One of mine is a few spoonfuls of premium ice cream after dinner several times a week during warmer weather.”

Behavior modification and portion control seem to work best, according to the doctor.

“And the only way to keep the weight off long term is to make the changes long term.”

Whereas Dr. Morgan grew up around fresh foods and home cooking (his father was in the produce business and his mother an avid cook), Miriam first learned about cooking from a college roommate.

Native Southern Californians, the Morgans moved to the Bay Area in the late 1960s, married in 1970 and moved to San Mateo in 1978. Their children, Daniel and Joanna, who were raised on culinary adventures, have
become foodies themselves as adults.

“We’re fortunate to live in an area where nature and geography favor an innovative food culture. The trends start here, travel to New York and then spread to the rest of the country,” Miriam says.

“The next big wave is sustainability. Some restaurants are already incorporating this and others, including sushi chefs, are starting to get on board.”

Although they enjoy eating out, the couple is most likely to meet at home after a day of teaching readers and patients about the pleasures and pitfalls of food – for a meal, and Miriam does the cooking.

“If she asks me what we should have for dinner, I almost always answer ‘Whatever,’ ” Dr. Morgan says.

“It’s a little like me asking her what I should take for my headache.”

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The Morgan's healthy eating rules

1. Shop seasonally, eat seasonally – foods taste better, are less expensive and better for the environment
2. Make meals low in fat
3. Focus on healthy fats – snack on nuts
4. Eat a lot of vegetables
5. Eat whole grains
6. Avoid processed foods
7. Put holiday chocolates out of sight – bring them out on occasion
8. Know how to cook – even simple meals can taste good and be satisfying, making portion control easier
9. Don’t waste calories on food that doesn’t taste great
10. Ask the chef at your favorite restaurant about sustainable ingredients
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