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Subject: Just starting the zone and need help.

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Lance User is Offline
Posts:1
Newbie
Newbie

05/04/2009 5:09 PM
Hello everyone

I am new to the zone and am having some problems so I will give you my story and maybe you guys can help me out. I apologize for the length; I just want to give you some background so you can give me the best advice.
I am a 27 year old male, 5’8”, 136 pounds, with about 15-17% body fat. I have always been pretty skinny and have always just eaten what I wanted, which usually is whatever is convenient. Like dominos pizza, Taco Bell, Wendys, TV Dinners, Frozen pizza, basically any fast food or processed food. I never really over eat; in fact it’s very rare for me to finish my plate, which is probably why I am not 300 pounds. I am also a recovering alcoholic (I know I’m only 27 but I really had a huge problem with drinking). I quit drinking two and a half years ago and started working out shortly after, mostly running and strength training. It always seems to be pretty hard for me to a put on much significant muscle mass so I will get frustrated after a month or two and take a month off of strength training and just stick with running. I think my diet probably has a lot to do with my inability to gain muscle. However I am still in great shape compared to 2 years ago before I started working out.
About 5 months ago I decided to train for a marathon, and about 2 months into my training I overworked myself and got ITBS, which is more or less a knee injury. It’s now 3-4 months later and I still can’t run on it, I can do some cycling but no real running. It is looking like it will need surgery to fix, but I can’t get that for about 3 months.

Since I have not been able to run I have become pretty lazy and have notice my stomach seems to be growing quite a bit, so I decided that while I am waiting for my knee I would work on starting a healthy diet and strength training. I would really like to drop my body fat % to about 8% so my abs will show but I want to do this in a healthy way.

So a week ago I started doing a lot of research on how to eat to gain lean body mass and just generally healthy eating. So I stopped eating all of the crap that I used to eat and switched to eating a lot of lean meat, like chicken and fish which I cooked on the George Forman grill (So easy to use and it taste great every time, I love that thing). For carbs I was eating mostly 7 grain cereals and brown rice and fruits like bananas. For the fats I was eating mostly almonds, sunflower seeds, and natural peanut butter. I used thedailyplate.com to track my calories and tried to eat a balanced meal that was about 30% carbs, 40% prot, 30% fat and about 2000 cals. Also I have been drinking a lot of water; I have been careful to make sure my urine stays mostly clear throughout the day, hope that’s not too much info ; ) and about 2 cups of green tea a day. I drank almost no caffeine before starting this diet, no soda, no coffee, just a redbull once a week or so. However I did drink about 3 gallons of 2% milk a week, I love milk.

Almost immediately I started feeling awful; I have headaches off and on all day, my head is really cloudy, my stomach is upset. I just generally feel not so good. Plus I was having a hard time trying to figure out what I could and couldn’t eat so about 3 days ago I started the zone, I had heard about it from some crossfit guys and it sounded like it was pretty close to how I was trying to eat already. So today is my 3rd day on the zone the zone calculator puts me at 11 blocks. So I have been eating 3 for breakfast, 3 for lunch, 1 for a snack, 3 for dinner, and 1 for a bedtime snack. As an example meal this moring I had, 2 blocks of egg whites, a teaspoon of olive oil, a block of yogurt (which I think is a prot and a carb block) and and orange. The meal was good and it filled me up pretty well, but I still feel pretty awful. I have been reading the forums and I see that this could be AA being released in my body but it has been about a week and I still feel this way. Yesterday I took 4 softgels of fish oil since Sue mentioned that the oil can help. Its not the zone fish oil it will take me a bit to get some of that. However it does have epa and dha in the exact same amount as the zone fish oil, but it has not been rated a 5 on the fish police website.

Also in the past week I have lost 3 pounds which is crazy for me because my weight stays very very constant normally. However I don’t really want to lose weight, just body fat. I have been doing some HIIT and some full body strength training, like squats (should make Matt happy).
I know I have only been on the zone for a few days but I have been eating kind of on the zone for about a week now and I feel just as bad as when I started. To make matters worse I am leaving on a camping trip in the morning and I don’t know what to do. Should I try to eat in the zone on the trip? Should I go back to how I normally eat for the next 5 days while I’m gone? If things continue this way the trip is going to be pretty awful for me.

Any advice you can give would be great, and if I should keep eating in the zone on the trip what are some good ideas for easy camping zone meals. Things I can cook over the fire, or things I can eat raw.

I am sorry this post was soooo long, but I really wanted to give you all the hints I could so hopefully you can help me out. Maybe this just is my body detoxing; but it has been a while and I don’t feel any better.

Thanks
-Lance

Cranberrycat User is Offline
Posts:5313
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

05/04/2009 6:50 PM
Hi, Lance!

First thing, I would not recommend that you eat 11 blocks. I think you would do better with more blocks. I would go with maybe 13 blocks, or more, based on the fact that you are fairly active. Have you plugged in your stats into the calculator? See what you get there.

I am guessing that you were losing LBM, but if you get to the point where you want to stabilize fat loss, then you can add more fat to your meals/snacks.

A good idea for you would be to record your stats, and then keep track of them periodically, to track for changes.

I love camping! Definitely eat in the Zone during your trip, but I can tell you that it isn't easy to pack all of those veggies! Use the plate method, don't worry about measuring things out. Also, are you "roughing it", or what kind of cooking facilities do you have? If you are cooking over the campfire, I like grilling veggies in a grilling basket. Or, make foil dinners and cook veggies in the foil packs. The possibilities are even better if you use a camp stove. I usually use one of these in the mornings for omelets. Speaking of breakfast, sometimes I get a bit lazy in the morning and I don't want to do a lot of cooking, so I will also bring a long a box of kashi go lean. It is closely zone balanced, with the addition of some slivered almonds for extra fat. Just stay away from the s'mores!

Cranberrycat

We don't own the earth; we borrow it from our children.


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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.

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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

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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

 

 

 

 

 

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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.

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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.

 

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Advantages

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*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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