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Subject: What am I doing wrong?

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Brittany User is Offline
Posts:2
Newbie
Newbie

04/10/2009 6:42 PM
I have read through your forums quite a bit over the past few days and I think I am more confused now than when I started trying to adjust my diet. I have been somewhat on the zone for about 1 1/2 weeks now and I can't seem to get things balanced to where I don't feel weak, shaky, and become extremely irritated.

According to the calculator on this website I am supposed to have 11 blocks a day. I started my changes by splitting my blocks into a more times to eat Α-2-2-1-2-1]. I even set my alarm on my watch to remind me it's either been 4,3, or 2 hours since I'd last ate and that I need to eat again.

On top of that change I cut my carb dosage in half because I read somewhere that maybe that was the cause? But then I just read something suggesting to eat more fat....

I am really, really confused and frustrated because I have had trouble faithfully following the diet more than 2 or 3 days at a time because of the symptoms that keep coming up. I have been on the South Beach diet before and it feels like my body is freaking out thinking it's not going to get food again or something because that diet really messed me up and made my body crave carbs like crazy once I was done.

I would also like to mention that I am just now recovering from a surgery to the point where I am able to start working out again. It has all been low intensity since I still have some stitches, but I am doing about and hour between the stair stepper, elliptical, and the treadmill walking. I don't know if maybe I should be having more blocks because orginally I put the lowest activity level.

...just to give you an ideal here would be a sample meal of my day (which is pretty precise because I actually use a scale to measure the meats and cheese and measuring cups whenever necessary)

0500 3block Protein from 2egg whites,2 Eggs
2block Carbs from 2c Broccoli
and 1c strawberries
3block Fat from 3 tsp olive oil

0900 2block protein from 1 1/2oz lunch meat
and 1oz cheese
1block carb from 1/2 pear
2block Fat from 6 almonds

1200 2block protein from 2 hardboiled eggs
1block carb from 1/2 apple
2block fat from 6 almonds

1500 1block protein from 1 string cheese
1block carb from 1/2 orange
1fat from 1 macadamia nuts

1800 2block protein from 3oz ground turkey meat
1block carb from 2c broccoli
and 3/4c blackberries
2block fat from 6 almonds

2100 1block protein from 1/3c cottage cheese
1block carb from 8 cherries
1block fat from 6 peanuts


I know some of the fruits could be a problem, but I am actually in the navy and have a selective choice of foods to choose from. It just played out that this past week while I was at work veggies weren't really put out. I tried to stick to the better fruits though.

O yea one more thing...I have Celiac's disease so some of the stuff recommended I can't even consider, such as the zone bars.


I wrote a lot and I hope this makes sense. I am just basically looking to see if someone could tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I could change to keep me from feeling weak, shaky, and moody.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! Any help will be greatly appreciated!

-Brittany
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8675
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

04/12/2009 9:22 AM
Hi Brittany!


Here's a list of what comes to my mind for you to think about, check out, change, etc.


You may need more time to adjust to the dietary changes.

Recheck you protein/block requirement.

You might want to add a block (P and C and F) while your body is still healing and recovering.

Being in the midst of surgery recovery can change your body's needs which might make you require stricter adherence for the time being (I've experienced this).

Try to get enough sleep.

Your symptoms indicate you need to adjust carb by dropping 1 block from each meal. Obviously, if you eat a 2 block meal, you won't drop an entire block, but rather 2/3 block. Cutting it by half, as you've done isn't going to be providing enough carb to stay in the Zone.

Your symptoms speak to carb sensitivity so you’re correct that the fruit may be making it tougher (hummus is always a good and easy choice).

Along with dropping the carb (or in your case slightly increasing to approximate dropping 1/3 of the usual amount of carb from each meal), adding a couple more blocks of fat (1 to 2 blocks; that's up to 4 or 5 more grams in a 3 block meal) to meals will also be helpful. It can make a big difference. Don't worry; it will not be enough to prevent the loss of stored fat.

Take it easy with the egg yolk. Eliminate them or keep them to a minimum.


Keep us updated!


sue

Lost 100 lbs 14 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!


To view my before/after pics and meal photos scroll over this picture and click when the link appears.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
Christina User is Offline
Posts:355
Zoner
Zoner

04/12/2009 10:25 AM
Hey Brittany,
I have been on the Zone Diet for 5 weeks and have lost 17 pounds. I must mention that I am doing it via a delivery service, which is all fresh. (Delivered daily) If your having a problem with the blocks, you may want to consider this service initially. I have learned so much regarding portion sizes and how to integrate different types of food. I do have all the books and recipes and read plenty of helpful tips here on the site. I have gone out to dinner and was able to make the proper choices, again with the help of the info on the site. I am also able to eyeball my portions, when out. I live in NYC and use "The Fresh Diet', which allows you to choose your meals and they can take out items that you dislike. I have a friend in California who uses "Freshology," this one is more famous, but I am very happy with "The Fresh Diet," for the simple fact I have options. I know these 2 cater to many areas in the US. I will start to ween myself off the delivery service slowly, but only after I have lost the majority that I need to. The only issues I have had was with the supplements. Although Sue has given me plenty of help, there are so many types. So now, (since last weeek), I take 4 Eico and 4 Omega fish oil caps a day, a multivitamin, a Zone poly tab, and 2 weightloss Zone tabs per tab. So, I will keep you posted. I felt amazing right fom the very first week, but I do know that having the delivery service makes it easier. But, it is worth the investment in myself.

3/9 Start 245, 3/16- 240lbs, 3/23 -237lbs, 3/30 -234lbs, 4/6-231lbs, 4/13-229lbs, 4/20-227.5lbs, 4/27-225lbs, 5/4-223lbs, 5/11-223lbs, 5/18-221lbs, 5/25- 220lbs, 5/28-219pounds, 6/1- 217lbs, 6/6- 216, 6/15-216, 6/18 -215 (yeah 30 pounds), 6/25-- 215, 7/6- 218 (Ugh), 7/13- 213, 7/21- 211, 8/10- 210.5, 8/15- 208, 9/8--211, 9/16 - 207, yeah 11/9- 215
Nicole User is Offline
Posts:5
Newbie
Newbie

04/13/2009 4:47 PM
Hi Christina!
I absolutely LOVE the Fresh Diet! I was on it for 5 weeks and lost 12 lbs! The food is just amazing and how great is it not to have to cook a thing! I would have loved to have stayed on the Fresh Diet but it is quite expensive. My issue has been since weening off and doing the Zone on my own, I have not lost any weight! I havent gained any either but not sure what is going wrong. I have noticed that my portions are larger than the fresh diets, even after measuring everything. Sue has been amazing and I have now ordered the Eico supplements so I am hoping that will help me lose my last 5 lbs and maintian it.
Brittany User is Offline
Posts:2
Newbie
Newbie

04/13/2009 7:40 PM
I just wanted to say thanks to both of you for writing and helping me out. I have adjusted my carb consumption to 2/3 and I am already feeling much better today.

I will keep you guys updated and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again I really appreciate your help!

-Brittany
Sue K User is Online
Posts:8675
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

04/13/2009 7:46 PM
That's great Brittany!

sue

Lost 100 lbs 14 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil!


To view my before/after pics and meal photos scroll over this picture and click when the link appears.

Zone Dinner Party (link)
D User is Offline
Posts:17
Aspiring
Aspiring

07/08/2009 1:48 PM
What is the Fresh Diet??
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Dr. Barry Sears, PhD.Dr. Barry Sears is a leading authority on the dietary control of hormonal response. A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his research efforts over the past 30 years to the study of lipids. He holds 13 U.S. Patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

A turning point in his research occurred in 1982. That year, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for discoveries of the role that specialized hormones, known as eicosanoids, play in the development of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. Since eicosanoids are only generated from dietary fat, Dr. Sears reasoned that one could apply intravenous drug delivery principles to nutrition in order to control these exceptionally powerful hormonal responses with laser-like precision. In essence, his approach treats food as if it were a drug.

This area of his research led to various patents in the area of hormonal control by essentially using food as an oral drug delivery system to modulate eicosanoids especially for cardiovascular, diabetic, and neurological patients.

The impact of Dr. Sears’ revolutionary work in the dietary control of hormonal response began with the publication of his landmark book, The Zone. Since its publication in June 1995, The Zone has sold more than 2,000,000 hardcover copies, and became a #1 best seller on the New York Times book list. In addition, The Zone has been translated into 22 languages indicating a worldwide response to Dr. Sears’ research. His second book, Mastering the Zone, published in 1997, also became a New York Times bestseller with hardcover sales in excess of 500,000 copies to date. His third book, Zone Perfect Meals in Minutes, published in 1997, quickly became one of the best-selling cookbooks of 1997 and an another New York Times bestseller. The Anti-Aging Zone was published in 1999 and provides the molecular insights into how the Zone Diet can reverse the aging process. The Omega Rx Zone, published in 2002, explores the molecular foundation of chronic disease and how high-dose fish oil can dramatically reverse it. His latest book The Anti-Inflammation Zone discusses how to combat silent inflammation in order to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and many other inflammatory conditions—and how to reverse these conditions if they are already present. To date more than 5 million hardcover copies of his Zone books have been sold in the United States.

His research has elevated food from more than simply a source of calories to being recognized as an exceptionally powerful drug. Because of his revolutionary research, Dr. Sears has been a frequent guest on many national programs such as 20/20, Today, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News, CNN, and MSNBC.

Dr. Sears continues his ongoing research as President of Zone Labs, a biotechnology company in Danvers, MA as well as the President of the non-profit Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA. In addition to continuing research on the hormonal effects of food, Dr. Sears has expanded his research in developing innovative dietary approaches to treating cancer and neurological conditions, as well as his on-going work in treating cardiovascular diease and type 2 diabetes.

I have been taking the Fish Oil for over 3 years now. I am 44 playing hockey and working out. The Fish oil helps with the pain that I get from playing hockey. It greatly enhances my performance on the ice and while working out. I have noticed a big difference in my energy, attentiveness and memory. If I miss a day for whatever reason, I notice a huge difference and it feels like something is missing. Anyway that is my short little story and it comes from the heart.

– Carter B.

 

I am a nutritionist and Ph.D. doctor of health and nutrition. For Dr. Sears to figure out balancing fat, carbs and protein, is really beyond brilliant. It is a milestone in diet history. I go over people's diet/emotional journals. Mostly all the time, we discover that the fatigue, irritability, unstable emotions were due to the imbalance in their diet. Using the Zone to balance them out, helps control weight, roller coaster emotions and gives them energy. Dr. Sears is so right when he says food is medicine. He has figured out the most powerful drug combination going, called The Zone.
Best and healthy wishes,

– Elaine W., Ph.D., N.C., M.A.

 

I have a very exhausting job as a flight attendant. I read the "Omega Rx Zone" about 4 years ago and started taking the fish oil. I am 47 and have been flying for 22 years. I am very active, I run and lift weights. But combining lack of regular sleep, a physically demanding job, and irregular eating patterns this job takes a toll on the body. Since taking the fish oil, I have noticed that I do not get exhausted. I get tired, but not exhausted. I stopped taking it for a couple of months and then started taking another company's fish oil. I started getting exhausted again. I came back to Zone Labs and will continue with the fish oil for the rest of my life. I believe in the product and it makes a huge difference in my life. It makes a difference with my running as well. I also bring the bars and shakes with me on the road. It is almost impossible to eat the way I should at work. I haven't found the right secret. At least I have my Zone fish oil, bars, and shakes.

– Kathryn S.

 

I have been in the Zone, for about 1 month now. I wanted to share with you how wonderful I think this program is. I have been a personal trainer for almost 10 years and actively compete in numerous athletic activities. The Zone program has helped me to achieve a better awareness of my nutritional needs and the results I have seen are amazing! I have lost nearly 13 lbs since I have been in the Zone. I feel more mentally alert, more focused at work, have greater intensity during my training, have made significant strength gains, and just feel better over all. With that said, I would like to thank you for helping me in my quest for "super-health"!
Thank you!

– Rob Y.

 

I read 'The Zone' and as exactly as I could followed the advice for diet. I noted weight loss progress. Over six months, I lost 33 pounds. One year has passed since then. I have maintained the new weight, guided always by Zone concepts. The Zone is powerful - I have found it fantastic and I am very grateful to Dr Sears.

– Lyn S.

 

Before I stumbled across the Zone I was weighing close to two hundred pounds and I was depressed. I used to be a gymnast as a young man. I would think, "look at me now," when I looked in a mirror. The day I found 'The Zone' book, I was intrigued and as I read it the science made sense and so, I began to follow the "treatment". I began to lose weight and I was feeling way more energetic. I am forty two years old, I am very active and my weight is down to 162 lbs, 38 pounds lost on the Zone. I cycle, walk, jog, swim and I can now perform some of the more simple gymnastic skills I did twenty years ago...I literally feel like I have turned back the clock.
Thank you!

– Jack J.

 

I have been on the Zone diet for 7 years. I did not go on the diet to lose weight necessarily; but fairly quickly I lost 25 pounds, going from 190 to 165; from a 36-inch waist to a 32-inch waist. I primarily did the Zone to live healthier. My health is excellent now. I just turned 62 years old. My Zone is my eating lifestyle now; I seldom stray; and I do not miss anything. It is The Good Life.

– Curtis Y.

 

My wife's doctor told her to read "Enter the Zone" and to do the diet, so I told her I would do it with her. After only one week on the plan we went on a strenuous hike (the first of the year), and when we stopped at our favorite coffee shop on the way home I was able to get out of the car and stand upright and walk into the place without pain or stiffness. The Zone had eliminated all the inflammation that had always forced me to stumble all humped over into the coffee shop any time we skied or hiked all day.
Thank you, Doctor Sears.

– Larry C.

 

I used to have a lot of knee pain when I walked or ran. I have been taking Omega Rx for almost a year now, and rarely have any pain. I believe it is the anti-inflammation action of the oil. I feel smarter as well. Thanks for developing such a superior oil!

– Joe W.

 

Prior to following the Zone Diet, my body fat was around 15% and my weight around 153 pounds. No matter what I did, my weight and body fat did not change much. I regularly cycled 20-30 hours per week logging well over 400 miles. That had little impact on body fat or weight. Diet also seemed to have little impact on body fat or weight. Within a couple of months of following the zone diet, my weight dropped rather quickly to 142 pounds and body fat to about 8%. I still regularly cycle up to 20 hours per week (during the summer). I have also started strength training. I eat about 16 blocks per day. I take 3.6 grams of fish oil per day, along with Vitamin E, Alpha Lipoic Acid, CoQ10, and B & C vitamins. I also take GLA, which in my opinion, has significantly reduced fatigue and improved recovery times after exercise.

– Jeremy S.

All polyphenols have antioxidant properties than can be measured by their Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC), but not all polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties. The polyphenols in Dr. Sears’ Zone Polyphenol Plus have been carefully chosen to have both.

Polyphenols are the phytochemicals that not only give fruits and vegetables their color, but also help regulate inflammation. In addition, polyphenols also activate the key enzyme (AMP kinase) that helps restore cellular ATP levels. Polyphenols also help regulate the activation of inducible inflammatory proteins (such as COX-2 and inflammatory cytokines).

There are more than 4,000 known polyphenols, and the richest sources are fruits and vegetables. In general, the more color a fruit or vegetable has, the richer the polyphenol content.

Why OmegaRx From Zone Labs?

Certified Purity and Proven Potency

Zone Labs’ Ultra Refined Omega-3 Concentrates are three times fresher and contain less than 1/10th the mercury than what is allowed by the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standard

Zone Labs adheres to the International Fish Oil Standard (IFOS), an independent third party validated laboratory quality standard that is more rigid than any other global standard for purity.

  • No company in the worlds runs more tests with IFOS than Zone Labs
  • Zone Labs receives a 5 out of 5 star IFOS rating for every batch it tests
Standard IFOS Standard for a 5-Star Ranking Council for Responsible Nutrition European Pharmacopeia Norwegian Medicinal Standards
Peroxide < 3.75 meg/kg 5 meg/kg 10 meg/kg 10 meg/kg
Totox Levels < 20 meg/kg 26 meg/kg NA NA
Lead < 10 ppb 10 ppb 100 ppb 100 ppb
Mercury < 10 ppb 10 ppb 100 ppb 100 ppb
Dioxans and Furans < 1 ppt 2 ppt 2 ppt 2 ppt
PCBs < 45 ppb 90 ppb NA NA

 

 

 

 

 

"IFOS – THE TOP GLOBAL PURITY STANDARD FOR OMEGA-3 FROM FISH"

Zone Labs products show no detectable lead or mercury when tested down to 10ppb, which is 10 times below the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standard limits.

Zone Labs products are three times fresher than the minimum allowed by the Norwegian Medicinal Standard and European Pharmacopoeia Standards (based on average peroxide values).

 

Zone Labs starts with only wild, small fish from pristine Chilean waters and ends with proprietary validation and testing processes to achieve an IFOS certified 5 star rating.

8-Step Manufacturing Process - Quality Assured

Testing to specification all raw materials, bulk products, packaging material and finished products – always using stringent internal standards and in-process testing.

  1. Extraction of fish oil
  2. Winterization – remove limited amounts of saturated fats
  3. Absorption – remove heavy metals
  4. Preliminary Molecular Distillation – refining “touch up” to reduce contaminants
  5. Oil conversion to ethyl esters
  6. Ethyl ester thermal fractionation – remove additional saturated fats
  7. True Molecular Distillation – final refining to remove pcb’s and long-chain monoenes
  8. Rigid Processes – proprietary validation, inspection and encapsulation methods. Independent lab verification of IFOS requirements and certified 5 star rating

 

Clean Sources

No farmed fish. No large fish. Pristine waters.

Zone Labs starts with wild sardines & anchovies fished from cold, pristine waters off of South America where there are less environmental impurities.

 

A recommended serving of Zone Labs Ultra-Refined Concentrates delivers 8 times more omega-3’s than a typical retail fish oil supplement.

Most fish oil supplements have 30% or less of the healthy omega-3s EPA and DHA, with the remaining 70% of the capsule containing unbeneficial, lesser refined fatty acids that contribute to their bad taste and gastric side effects.

 

Getting a clinically valid dose of omega-3’s is easy with Zone Labs’ Ultra-Refined Omega-3 Concentrates.

Typical Retail Dose = 300mg omega-3

Standard Zone Dose = 2400mg omega-3

 

A serving of canned tuna has 12 times less omega-3’s than
Zone Labs Ultra-Refined Omega-3 Concentrates

Commonly consumed fish and shellfish in the United States

Mercury Source: Food and Drug Administration, FDA 1900-2004, “National Marine Fisheries Service Survey of Trace Elements in the Fishery Resource". Omega-3 Level Source: American Heart Association Website.

  Mercury level
in parts per million (ppm)
Omega-3 fatty acids
(milligrams per 3-oz. serving)
Zone Omega-3 Products < 0.01 2400 (standard 4 capsule serving
Salmon (fresh, frozen) 0.014 1200
Flounder or sole 0.050 480
Pollock 0.041 450
Crab 0.060 400
Scallops 0.050 290
Shrimp ND* 290
Catfish 0.050 270
Clams ND* 250
Cod 0.095 210
Canned Tuna (light) 0.120 200
* ND: Mercury concentration below detection limit.

 

OmegaRx®

Zone Labs’ leading product. OmegaRx delivers all of the benefits of Zone Labs’ ultra-refined omega-3 concentrates.

Advantages

  • Delivers clinically proven health benefits from the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA*
  • Promotes a healthy heart, healthy brain, healthy immune system, healthy circulatory system, healthy joints, healthy moods, healthy triglyceride levels and a healthy pregnancy*
  • Combats silent inflammation

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

 

 

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