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Subject: New to all this. Requesting instructions.

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Matthew User is Offline
Posts:6
Newbie
Newbie

10/17/2007 11:13 AM
Hello, everyone. I'm Matthew and would've been called Matt if only there wasn't already a Matt here. ;)

It seems like something of a trend for newbies to make threads regardless of the fact that these threads, which seem to ask the very same questions, seem to pop up at the same time every week.

Now I recently read "Enter The Zone", you know, that old bugger back from 1997 or so and I found Dr. Sears' arguments to be quite persuasive. I understood the science and biology (for the most part) behind all of it, but as soon as we got to the back of the book it all started getting slightly mathematical and that's my weakness.

So I'm here asking for just a little help on this issue. My stats are as follows (I wonder if I'm the youngest member here?):

Sex: Male
Age: 21
Weight: 130 lbs
Height: 69.5"
Waist: 29"
Wrist: 6.5"
Activity level: Sedentary

So I calculated all this according to the book and used the site to check into it and found my body fat percentage to be 5%, my protein requirement to be 77 grams and my number of protein blocks to be 11.

Now, on to my two questions.

I've scanned www.drsears.com/foodblockguide.page and I understand the principle of having the four meals and two snacks a day over the course of time, but once we go into this whole block business I get somewhat confused. Intuitively I should have 11 protein blocks a day. So if we were to keep things simple and assume I only had, to quote the chart directly, "Beef (range fed or game)1 oz.", does this mean I'd have to have eleven times that throughout a single day? Moreover, does this refer STRICTLY to the protein count? Is the protein count an anchor to weigh carbohydrates and fats against?

For example, if I were to quote that chart directly, for breakfast I could have 3 oz. of beef (protein) plus 1 and a half apples (carbs) and nine almonds (fats) and all this would constitute a zone favourable diet and be 3 protein blocks, hence I'd still have to have 8 (11-3=8) more blocks to manage throughout the day. Is this true, or do I need to consider the specific weights of each of the foods until I get that correct ratio established? You see, it's just once we get into the numbers that this all gets a bit too much for me.

Now you're probably wondering what such a tiny bastard is doing trying out the zone. :laugh: Here's the catch. I'm going to start working out moderately from now on and I want to PUT ON weight. The correct kind, of course. I'm the arch-enemy of people on this board, for you see, I can eat as much as I like and I don't put on any weight whatsoever. I know this results in me posting in the wrong part of the forum, but there's no 'gaining weight' section, of course and I'm certainly not an athlete, so I figured I'd drop a line in this department. I just want to adjust myself to the zone as I begin exercising, hopefully for maximum output and best results.

Well, I've said my piece and I'm sorry if this is a little too wordy for your tastes, but I'd really appreciate some advice or comments.

Nice to meet all of you. Thanks for reading!
Matt User is Offline
Posts:306
Zoner
Zoner

10/17/2007 1:00 PM
It sounds like you have the blocks down from the breakfast example you used.

Yes it sounds like you need to put on some muscle.

I'm not an expert but I have done some training in my days. You will need to increase your blocks as you start to increase training. You could use some form of weight training along with the zone to put on muscle mass. It won't happen over night. It will take a lot of work and dedication.

Have you set any goals? You should have short & long term goals. Make sure they are not unrealistic goals.

Good luck,

Matt

Primitive CrossFit
Where Fitness & Nutrition Evolve
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Matt User is Offline
Posts:306
Zoner
Zoner

10/17/2007 1:09 PM
Also look at the protein calculator again and play with the activity level. With your same measurements and adding the activities you will require more blocks.

Primitive CrossFit
Where Fitness & Nutrition Evolve
fat Photobucket
Alene User is Offline
Posts:305
Zoner
Zoner

10/17/2007 5:55 PM
Hey Matt, i.e. Matthew! lol

Ok, I dont know anything about the muscle stuff. .. so I defer to Matt on that one! But, I've been on The Zone for basically 7 months, and to simplify the block thing.......
3 blocks, or 4, whatever you're at would constitute that many oz. of lean meat or meat and cheese.(3 oz. of meat is approx.the size and depth of a deck of playing cards)

3 blocks of carbs would be, using the food blk guide, measurements adding up to that many blocks, such as 1/2 cup grapes, 2 cups broccoli, 2 cups cole slaw with dressing made from good fats, and a cup of carrots.....for example.

What I found is that, for me, breakfast was the easiest...the other two meals are an adventure in seeing what adds up to 3 carbs. The fats are easy too. Almonds, cashews, olive or canola oil, olives, avocado,etc.

You eat 3 meals a day plus an afternoon snack and bedtime snack. Your 3/3/3 will vary because of your weight lifting like Matt said.....like I said, I dont know about that.

I do things like a cheese stick (protein and fat) with half an apple or 1/2 cup grapes for a snack. Or, the Zone bars are good for a handy snack too.

I appreciate the fact that you are putting on weight the "good" way. I hope the best for you.
Have a blessed day!
Matthew User is Offline
Posts:6
Newbie
Newbie

10/18/2007 8:17 AM
Thanks for the answers, guys.

Let me just be crystal clear on this before I commit culinary suicide.

It says I need 11 protein blocks a day, leaning towards 12 if I increase my activity level.

Now, looking at this food block guide and its various contents, are these measurements assembled in such a way that they form single blocks? For example, would Bass (freshwater) 1 oz. + 6 Peanuts + 8 Cherries constitute a single block? So would that mean I'd have to have 11 times this throughout a single day?

Two more queries. Is there a more extensive food list (obviously listing bad and good foods) around here? This block guide's a little limited and, finally, when they mention 'cups', I assume these are measuring cups, what quantity would this suggest? Is there an approximate weight for, say, half a cup?

Thanks.
Sue K User is Offline
Posts:8551
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

10/18/2007 12:48 PM
Hi,

Yes, your block example and needing 11 (or 12) times that daily is correct. Remember that you'll want most of your carbs to be from favorable veggies. Here's the most extensive favorable list (unfav lists can be found in some of the Zone books): http://www.drsears.com/foodblockguide.page

Yes it refers to measuring cups, 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces. Since fluid ounces measur volume, not weight, and weights of various foods differ, you couldn't really assign a weight in dry oz or grams to 1/2 cup.

In regard to you body fat, I agree you need to gain weight. You should aim for increasing your body fat %. Barry Sears writes in "The Anti-Inflammation Zone" that 15% body fat is good, and 12% ideal, for a male. He advises people who are too low in body fat to increase the number of added monounsaturated fat blocks (as in double or triple them) until body fat increases to the appropriate level. Then drop back to the usual recommended fat blocks. In other words control your body fat % with the monounsaturated fat you add to meals adn snacks. If you wish to add muscle too, then you'd do some strength trinaing and at the same time increase total blocks by adding one balanced block (1P, 1C, 1F, really 2 or 3 F in yor case) more than the body fat calculator shows for your particular LBM and activity level (the extra block provids the P needed to gain additional muslce).

BTW, you're probably not the youngest here. A couple of teens have posted in the past. Also, you'd probably be surprised to know that many people who are not overweight eat the Zone diet for the health benefits alone. My son, age 21 and has neven been oveweight (he doesn't post here), has been eating this way since he was about 10 years old.

Let us know how you like the Zone.

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)
Matt User is Offline
Posts:306
Zoner
Zoner

10/18/2007 1:08 PM
Your example is 1 block of protein, 1 block of fat & 1 block of Carbs. So yes you would need 11-12 portions equal to this every day. Or an easy method is eyeballing it. For dinner use a regular dinner plate. 1/3 should be your protein. You'll find that a 4.5 oz piece of fish or a 3 oz boneless chicken breast will be very close to the 1/3 of the plate. Fill the rest of your plate with veggies. Many times you will fill your plate with veggies and there aren't enough carb blocks so have a 1/2 a piece of fruit as a dessert.

You can't use weights to convert to cups. Cups measures volume and since everything varies so greatly there is no conversion. 1 cup of lettuce weighs a lot less that 1 cup of squash.

Keep reading is all I can say. There is a lot of information here and in the various books. What list are you using? http://www.drsears.com/foodblockguide.page Is a pretty good list. This list has all favorable foods. If it is not on the list it is probably unfavorable. Many of the books have a listing in the back of both favorable & unfavorable but the online version is most current.

It can seem over-whelming but just keep at it and make the decision based on what you have learned as you go. Hell I was using pineapple for a long time since it was favorable in one of the books I had. The current info is it should be unfavorable. I was still losing weight and felt great doing it.

Just keep at it and you will feel the difference.

Primitive CrossFit
Where Fitness & Nutrition Evolve
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Steve User is Offline
Posts:5009
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

10/18/2007 4:04 PM
FYI - The Food Block Guide is now available in the 'Quick Start Guide' section on ZoneLiving.com. I believe it is also available as a download.
Sue K User is Offline
Posts:8551
Zone Expert
Zone Expert

10/18/2007 4:29 PM
Thanks for the info Steve. Great that it's finally been put on this site, because many people ask about it here. Also good that some of the common unfav carbs are included in it.

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)
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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.

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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.

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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.

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Commonly consumed fish and shellfish in the United States

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