We’d like to hear from our faithful Zoners about their tips and tricks to stay In the Zone. The top entries will be published on the site as a reference for others. Please feel free to post your tips as a reply to this post.

Thank you for your participation!

Wow, all of us zoners out there can't come up with one tip?

I'm amused by that, too. :)

The one thing that has really helped me & my family stay in the zone for the last 9 months was variety.

We have the old stand by meals that are easy to make and everyone has enjoyed but we like to mix it up. We are always trying different recipes and experimenting with different creations of our own.

Keep it simple with as much variety as possible is the best tip I could give.

Matt

Thanks, Matt! I was worried for a second that no one had any tips!

I have one that's helped me - Planning. If I don't make a plan regarding what I'm going to eat for the week then I easily get put off course. I've learned to take 1/2 hour before I go grocery shopping to create a chart of what to eat. I'm not specific to the tablespoon in regards to a recipe, but rather I think through what I'll need on hand. Of course I end up buying about 5 times as many fruits and veggies as other shoppers in the store - a good thing.

A part of that is I 'talk it up' with friends and family. I tell them what I'm eating. It makes me feel like I need to follow through. Perhaps this is why they've stopped calling? j/k...

I have lots of tips! I could write a book on them-LOL!

I will try to think of a few really GOOD ones to share here.

I like the "planning ahead" tip, I think that is really important, especially in my busy life.

One neat thing about the Zone is that I can adapt different types of food to fit into the Zone. One week, I decided to make "Chinese" one night, "Mexican" another night, "Italian" on a third night, and so on. Was really nice to keep the variety going!

I also agree with the planning. I normally plan out at least 3-4 days in advance. We often go away on the weekends and I always plan out all our meals for the entire trip. So I don't have to take the entire kitchen with me I measure everything out and put in ziplocs. It works out great and helps us to stay in the zone even when away from the comforts of home.

CCat - I'm liking the sounds of those meals. If you have recipes with pictures we should get them up in the recipe section asap. Ok, before I offer up my second tip a quick note on my situation. I'm 6'1, 230lbs, 39.7452 yrs-old. I want to get under 200lbs which I haven't seen since college.

My second tip - I Focus on Energy. I think about how good I feel when I'm in the Zone. When I eat three slices of pizza, a bagel for breakfast, a sub at lunch, I feel awful, and I try to remember that feeling and compare it to how I'm feeling at ANY point in the day when I'm Zoning. When I'm Zoning I'm a happy camper. High energy, focused, less of a jerk to co-workers, etc... Energy is important to me. This is the thing - for me, focusing on weight is NOT a good enough motivator. Don't get me wrong, I realize the serious chronic illnesses lurking around the corner awaiting folks that are obese, but for whatever reason ENERGY motivates me more.

Oh, absolutely! I will obviously have to prepare them, but then I would be happy to take a snapshot! I also have pictures of some other meals that I have made, would be happy to submit those, too!
:blush:

Steve, I forgot to mention, but I like your tip about energy. VERY important. Most of us forget that weight loss is really just a side-effect from being in the Zone. And, there can be so many different factors involved in the reason why we may not lose weight, and it is easy to lose motivation if we are focusing solely on the scale, rather than on how we feel!

Here is another tip: sometimes I find certain times of the year make great "excuses" to renew my commitment to this healthy lifestyle. I look to the New Year as one of these times (being honest, but I will admit that if there is a time of year that I stray just a bit, it is during the holidays!). Renewing my commitment is kind of like renewing vows in a marriage. Of course, I am happily married, but renewing vows is really a nice thing to do to remind yourself and your partner of the love that you both share, how special it is that he/she is in your life. Well, with the Zone, it is the same thing. I already practice the Zone (for 3+ years), but taking the time to "renew" my commitment to myself is telling me that I am special and that I am "worth it".

Another time of year that I think about it has just begun--Lent! Lent is a religious event, but anyone can participate. Many people choose one thing to "give up" during Lent, but I don't think of it as "giving it up". Rather I think of it as "improving my healthy lifestyle". So, at this time of year, I analyze what I am currently doing, and whether or not it is working for me. If there is something that I can improve on, I may choose to commit myself to that change for at least 42 days (which is the amount of time Lent lasts, leading up to Easter). Then, after that amount of time, whatever I have been doing usually has turned into habit by then.

Steve

This just happened today .
A salesman walks into my store that I have not see for 6 months.
First words out of his mouth "wow! you look great, you have lost some weight, What have you been doing?".

We had 30 minute conversation on Zone nutrition before he got to the reason he came in.(sell me something)
I gave him Dr Sears web page and the food block chart.
I told him i was not the expert but was excited about what this new nutrition plan was doing for me.
He said " you are a savior, I have been looking for something to do to lose 25 pounds, and my wife has tried so many differant diets, that have all failed".
I laughed and said "I am not a savior just a believer and i am happy to pass on this information to you".
Talking it up gives others hope.

Dave

I've talked to a lot of zoners who say they tend to grab a quick snack or meal that's way out of the Zone because they're in a hurry, no time to find Zone favorable food. This will sound like a no brainer, but at our house we only buy the foods that fit the Zone (and a little Ben and Jerry's now and then). Makes it easy to grab a quick meal or snack that's in the Zone, as long as you're careful to take P, C, and F. And don't over look those unfav carbs with health benefits, things like the very high cocoa content (74% to 87%) OG chocolate, pineapple, pomegranate juice, etc. Just remember that with those, a very little goes a long way.

Another tip. When we buy fresh chicken, fish, etc., we cut it into 3 block portions, and freeze it. No tedious weighing is needed. Simply judge by sight (easy enough to do once you've been eating this way for a little while). When it's time to make a meal you take out one serving for every person. The 4 blockers get a glass of milk along with their 3 block meals.

My last tip, think out of the box when it comes to meals and snacks. Use a little imagination and creativity. If creativity in the kitchen just isn't your thing, grab a Zone book and skim through the recipes. They contain lots of veggie sides. You don't have to make an entire recipe verbatim. Use the recipe as your inspiration and make it your own. I've found lots of new and easy veggie and salad ideas in Rachel Ray's cook books too.

Oh yeah, and one more. Colorful unique plates, bowls, and glassware can add some fun to your Zone meals.

Sue, those are fantastic tips! I'm going to give this string a little more time and then try to tie it up in an article that we'll keep persistent for other folks to check out. Credit will go to all involved.... Thanks! CCat, I'm loving the commitment ideas - times when we can reflect on nutrition and get back on track. David, all good salespeople will say that you're losing weight ;-) j/k. Seriously, this company grows by word of mouth and when the Zone changes a person's life it's worth sharing!

I have another tip...

NEVER FOCUS SOLELY ON THE SCALE! (hope you don't mind the caps, but I think this is one of the biggest tips I can offer)

First of all, the Zone is about much more than just weight loss. It is about maintaining health and well-being. Weight loss is really just a "pleasant side effect" of being in the Zone (I think Barry Sears actually said that).

Secondly, the scale may not even move (or it may go up) if one is adding LBM. Additionally, if one is losing bodyfat at the same time that he/she is gaining LBM, it may appear to be a plateau (but it is not).

So, the best advice I can give here is to judge your fat loss on how your clothes fit, and not on the scale.

David, re: the salesman, wait until people you've known for years walk by without even recognizing you. That happened to me a lot for the first year after I'd lost the bulk of my wt (13 years ago I lost 100 lbs over 2 yrs time).

Sue, That would be interesting if it happens. The salesman i have know for 24 years and see 2 times a year.
My silver hair (27 years worth) will have to change for that to happen I think...lol.
I am close to my same weight as a freshman in college within 4 lbs. At 57yrs this is very exciting.
Your weight lose was fantastic you are a perfect "poster-person" for what a person can do in the zone.
Thank you for your inspiration.

David,

Ah, we're about the same age. I'll be 56 in 4 more mos. Coincidentally, Dr. Sears and I share the same birthday, June 6. (and yep, that's my real hair color, no dye job here, hehe!)

You're welcome, and thanks for the compliment.

Your Freshman in college wt, wow, pretty cool.

My husband has enjoyed an equally successful experience. He lost 67 lbs and has kept it off (down to 14 -15% body fat, his wrestling weight in high school). Then last fall he ran in and completed his first marathon, at the age of 58! To that I say...go Frank! More power to him. (and hopefully he won't decide to run another one, lol!)

a really easy one is to buy some stuff that is premeasured, like chicken sausages, or whaetver, then cube up some cheese... you know exactly what you're getting and can put a meal together really fast.

I'd love for anyone to share specific suggestions to avoid grabbing the wrong foods while on the road & in a hurry. I don't eat fast food- too gross.

On the road foods, lets see...

You can buy those tuna packages. They are a perfect 3 blocks of protein. I have also seen them come in little plastic tubs. Since they are packaged, you don't have to refrigerate. You can keep them in your car, in your desk at work, etc. At lunch, add some fruit and some almonds.

Soy nuts are fairly well-zoned. You can buy them in bulk and then divide them up into block sized servings for a quick snack.

String cheese comes individually wrapped, and keeps relatively well for a few hours without refrigeration.

Carrot sticks are also a good alternative for carb, I buy baby carrots in bulk and then divide them up into ziplock bags. Again, they keep well without refrigeration for a few hours.

Almonds are always good to keep around, too. Same thing, buy in bulk and divide up.

And, lastly, there are always Omegazone bars!

Great ideas Cranberrycat. I always forget about carrot sticks (in my mind they are still a not so good choice). I often carry an Omegazone bar or string cheese with an apple and nuts in an insulated lunch bag in the car-- it would melt or get gross without that. Tuna in the car may not be all that easy to eat and I'm not sure I could work with that warm/hot. This week was crazy and I just never could catch up...yes, better planning would be a more reasonable goal. Remember, all that sunshine I'm hoarding for my vitamin D keeps my car pretty hot even this time of year:-))) when it's only 75*!! Tonight, I noticed that Designer Whey Protein has singles packets at the supermarket, like crystal light and that stuff, which can be added to water for on the go protein. I may have to check into that as an option this weekend.

I've noticed that when I eat my carb blocks at the end of my meal I feel full for a loooong time. 4 blocks for 5 hours ;)

Cheril, Thanks!

Up here, I can't even leave my lunch bag in the car because it will freeze!

You could keep that tuna in your insulated lunch bag. They have come out with these new tuna cups, a perfect 3 blocks of protein. Of course, you would still need a spoon or fork. Another idea with tuna is that you can mix it with hummus for a quick meal. Of course, if you aren't a tuna fan, that is fine, too!

Thanks for the snack and meal ideas everyone. I posted on a different string and was searching around the other ones, when I found CC and Sue again! Yeah!
:laugh:

LOL!

Cheryl, I am not an expert, but
My wife and I do several things when eating out. We now split most meals (add a side salad) since the portions are usually too much for one, unless you are at a high end spot. We then ask for specifics: sub veggies for potato, tell them to skip the bread, ask for a side of mushrooms. Most medium priced restaurants will fix your meal the way you want it. If we find one we like but can't get enough fruit or veggies, we plan a head and bring an apple to eat on the way home. We will also ask for a side of guacomole, we will even bring almonds for the ride home. One benefit is instead of a $25-30 dinner bill it can be $15-20, and we are in the zone.
I guess i got off track from your question....on the go meals are harder but can be done by knowing the three food groups of the zone and knowing how much of each you should have. I keep almonds and cashews close by in my car. I have stopped at the Grocery store deli to pick up and Apple, Turkey and nuts, now that is real fast food and you have complete control within the Zone. Hope this gives you a little help.

David,
Your tip sounds very familiar to me!

I have a family (hubby and 3 children). My oldest daughter is 11 1/2, and has always had a "taste" for more expensive foods, like seafood (and broiled, not breaded and fried). She is getting to be too old to be eating off of children's menus, and really doesn't like the choices that are available for children, anyway (most items are deep fried, or served with fries, etc.).

So, our solution, when we go out to eat, is that she and I end up ordering a broiled seafood selection together. The seafood is usually enough for the two of us. I am more than willing to pay extra for the extra salad and side dish, but most restaurants will not charge extra for it.

My daughter and I can easily eat healthy this way, and it is also much less expensive!

Thanks for the great ideas!! I'll use them. My weekday lunches are still a bit of a pain when I don't have time to stop between sales calls...i.e. must drive to next call during lunch time or when I give presentations during lunch (as the speaker I can't stop and eat) and have to run to next call afterwards. Several days/week I'm too on the go or will be a few hours late for lunch. I think those will just have to remain "bar" lunches. When I have time to stop for lunch or take a client to lunch...easy. It's those typical chaotic days that give me trouble. If I have time for a good breakfast, bar lunch I'm ok. Some days I just get behind. I can testify that I can get through the day on OmegaBars...they do keep the hungry headaches at bay. I do think it's all about planning. Thanks again.

Oh, that does give me more perspective on where you are coming from.

So, when you say "on the go", you truly mean "going" and you are behind the wheel! And, timing could be a big issue, too, with that lifestyle.

I think you are smart to keep the bars handy. Perhaps some shake mix, too. You definitely need things that you can eat in the car with your hands (so, no salads).

You could probably come up with some recipes that are made to be wrapped up in lettuce or cabbage leaves. I don't know if you have Jimmy John's Subs in your area, but they do make sandwiches into wraps using lettuce leaves. Since I don't have them around here very close, I have never really looked to see how a meal stacks up. But, that could be an option.

I will keep this in mind, and look for some lettuce wrap recipes, if you are interested in that.

"Emergency provisions"

I recently bought boxes of Balance bars that were on sale for about 50 cents each. I keep them in the car for when I don't have time to prepare a meal or snack.

I also keep a bottle of "emergency" protein powder in the car for when I eat with others and there isn't enough protein. I've filled little plastic bags with 5 blocks each, so I don't have to carry the whole bottle with me. Protein powder keeps for a long time and is cheaper per block than beef jerky or canned tuna.

Finally, I keep a bag of almonds for when there's not enough fat. (I have to remember to double the fat blocks with the protein powder, which has negligible fat.) Almonds are easier to manage than a little bottle of olive oil.


Controlling hunger

I've found I need a block of low-density carb block (e.g. lettuce, cabbage, brocolli) to keep me full for any length of time. But I also try to have least one high-density carb block to control gas from too much fiber. :blush:

I still have to drink a lot of water to control hunger, especially with high-density food like Balance bars.


Staying motivated

Sometimes I cheat. Then I pay for it, sometimes with drowsiness, usually with lousy athletic performance. This motivates me to get back in the Zone. Fish oil can't make up for bad diet.

Hi Everyone,

This tip might be cumbersome for some people, but it really helped me get a grasp on what I was eating.

I created a food journal using a Excel spreadsheet that would calculate the total grams of macro nutrients, calories and blocks for everything that went past my lips. It was a fairly simple thing to do but it took time because I had to manually enter the protein, carbs, fats and the units (grams, cups, tbsp, etc) into the spreadsheet as I built a small database of the typical foods that I eat. The database grows each time I eat something that I haven't added to the database already.

I divide the day up into breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks, then cut and past the food I eat under the appropriate meal, changing the units to amount that I ate. The total grams and calories are automatically calculated, and for fun, I cut and paste the formulas for calculating the total blocks for the meals and also the total daily blocks that I ate.

What an eye opener! My daily calories ranged from about 1300 to over 4800 in that first week - Yikes! I was eyeballing everything and at times under estimating, and other times really over estimating. It was really just gross denial of what I was telling myself I was eating. I would have never believed that I had eaten nearly 5000 calories if I had not written it down.

Okay, that was long story to add this tip - Keep a journal of what you eat - at least for a period of time in the beginning to get a solid reference, and then again every so often to realign your eyesight with reality.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice and constant support you provide on this site.

Troy

The Excel spreadsheet format works for me. I created 3 Menu Plans (Plan A, Plan B and Plan C) for my meals and snacks that I rotate every two weeks. I have a total of 6 weeks to progress through Plan A, B, and C before I begin the cycle again with A. I go to the store just every two weeks, so I created a grocery list for Plan A, B and C with the items and amounts to last 14 days. Before I go to the store, I take an inventory of my "left-over" food items (canned, frozen) and then use my Excel grocery list to figure how much more of the left over food items I need. If I don't need the left overs, I save them until they appear again in the next cycle.

This method took a lot of time devise and perfect but now, there is no guess work to how many cans of kidney beans I need when the serving size on the can is different than what a particular recipe calls for.

Troy,

I have been working on EXACTLY the same thing that you have been working on! Hey, perhaps we could swap data, maybe you have some food entries that I don't have, and vice versa!

Hi Cranberrycat,

I would be happy to share my workbook and compare notes. I will add a disclaimer; some of the nutritional information came from online websites like thedailyplate.com, which is a kind of food wikipedia where anyone can enter nutritional data on food, and I've seen some "out there" numbers. It's not too hard to see what is obviously out of whack and avoid that information. Whenever I could, I used the nutritional values from the manufacturer and noted the brand name in my spreadsheet.

Where would you like me to send the workbook?

Bridget,

That is certainly something I need to consider doing. Currently I start the meal process by looking around the kitchen for Zone qualified items and I will reference one of my zone cookbooks, though I find I'm always missing one or two key ingredients. So I end up eating a lot of the same food, especially for breakfast where I rely on cottage cheese and fruit/berries as well as oats.

Did you create your ABC meal plan or did it come from one of the books?

If you are willing to share, you can send it to cranberrycat@hotmail.com. I will also share mine with you. My information mostly comes from www.nutritiondata.com. Thanks!

Hi CC, (do you mind if I abbreviate?)

I just sent you a copy with some basic instructions of how I use it. I'm looking forward to any suggestions you have.

I also forgot to mention that the list is sorted alphabetically by food type which I do manually after adding food. If anything looks out of place, the worksheet would need to be sorted by column B.

Troy

Troy,

Most of the recipes come from the Zone books and this website. I do make substitutions as there are some ingredients that I do not like how they taste. I have also "invented" a couple recipes myself. With both methods (the substitutions and the "invented" recipes) I use the block food list to be sure I am using the favorable foods and using the correct measurements for my blocks.

I essentially use the same method of creating each of my menus with my ABC plan. As an example for plan A, I use 2 breakfast recipes, 2 lunch recipes, one snack recipe for the afternoon and then repeat it for the evening and 2 dinner recipes. I alternate between the 2 recipes throughout the 14 days such as, Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner #1 on Menu Plan A. Then, on Tue, Thur, and Sat, I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner # 2 on Menu Plan A. The snacks, as I have mentioned are repeats: the afternoon snack is the same recipe as the evening snack. After the 14 days, I move to Menu Plan B that consists of a different set of recipes so I don't eat the same foods over and over. I use the same day-of-the-week schedule as with Plan A and do the same thing again with Menu Plan C. Then I start the cycle over with Plan A!

There are a couple recipes that I really find tasty and I do repeat them in my ABC plan. Example, you may see a repeat of a Lunch Recipe on Plan A and C, because I like it so much!

This plan took many hours to devise and organize but it is worth the effort when it comes to planning what to eat and what to buy-it is already figured out!

Troy,

Rereading your post I want to add, I devised the Menu Plan ABC myself (I did not find this plan in my Zone book)and reading my previous post, you can see where I found the recipes.

Thanks Bridget,

That's a very well managed plan. I have never thought about managing my grocery shopping with this kind of efficiency. If we run out of something, it goes on the list until we can get to the store, which probably means I'm making extra trips. First, I need to put together a list recipes, instead of shooting from the hip all the time!

Thanks for the info!

Troy

Hello Troy,

Arrr, extra trips to the grocery store, such a time-waster! I like to step into a grocery store once every 14 days. When it comes to my diet and exercise routine, I am a control freak, don't like to deviate from my standard ways of doing things, like to compartmentalize things into an organized system and I am very focused. This ABC plan may seem rigid and predictable but it is a roadmap to keep me on track so I don't have to "whip up something" when it is time to eat with whatever is lying around (and possibly eat too much of an unfavorable because that is all that is in the cupboard). I thrive on efficiency and order, though I must say my boyfriend (we cohabitate in his house) is "helping" me to be more flexible with the way the house and my lifestyle is arranged. He is truely someone who is spontaneous and is not concerned with the way his surroundings are organized.

Oh, and you're welcome and Keep On Zoning!

Hi Troy!

Yes, it is fine to abbreviate-LOL!

I just peeked into my mailbox and saw your message. I am not at my home computer now, but as soon as I am I will send my copy to you. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the Zone website, although not terribly new to the Zone. I've been "Zoning" for about the last year and, when I'm doing it faithfully, feel energetic and focused.

I'd love some help here...up until last year I was a teacher. I moved to a district job in the fall which is a nice change, but I travel much more for work than I did before and that is when it gets difficult staying in the Zone. Next week I'm at a conference all week in a hotel, and I'm frankly worried about staying on track. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for us, dinner is on our own. Any ideas on staying zoned during hotel stays? I'd appreciate any and all input.

Thanks, and I've been enjoying reading everyone's posts.

Eileen :D

Hi Eileen!

Say no to the bread basket or complementary chips, and choose fish or poultry with veggie sides. Ask for extra sides if needed. Zone books recommend that when you recieve the meal you ask for 1/2 the protein portion to be wrapped right away, so you won't be tempted to eat all of it. In one book, Dr. Sears wrote that if you really want a dessert, eat the protein portion of the meal but no carbs, then split one serving of the dessert with a friend. Breakfasts are pretty easy if you choose eggs and fruit (be sure it's favorable fruit). A block of oatmeal will be a good addition. Keep your other carbs in the breakfast favorable, since the oats are most likely going to be rolled oats (unfavorable). Most places will give you a big bowl of strawberries, even though it may not be on the menu. An easy lunch is a chicken caesar salad, black bean soup and fruit. Pack some Zone bars. If you're in a situation where there's just no way to eat a Zone favorable meal, eat 1 1/2 bars instead. To find out more, check out the Zone info about eating in restaurants.

Have fun at the conference!

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?

:cool:hi
i have a tip it helps me a lot and so may help others .

try to keep as busy as possible after you have eaten ,right up untill your next meal , that way your not thinking about food all the time, and also time goes faster
lynn

[quote]Posted By Eileen on 04/17/2008 2:56 PM

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?[/quote]

Regular Balance bars are supposed to be 40-30-30. ZonePerfect bars are more like "Zone close"- not exactly 40-30-30. Clif Builder's bars are closer. There might be other bars or other foods- just do the math with the Nutrition Facts. Remember to subtract fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbs (I try to avoid sugar alcohols). It's tedious, but you'll gradually accumulate a list of Zone foods that will give you more flexibility.

Some of the best deals are online (amazon, ebay, google). Since you don't have time to order online, you might try Sam's Club, Costco, Smart & Final, Wal-mart, Target, or dollar stores. Average prices are about 50 cents per block (e.g. $1 for a 2 block bar).

If you want to eat more normally instead of subsisting on bars, you can bring ziploc baggies of protein powder in your purse. When food is provided, carbs and fat are usually in abundance, but you probably need to bring your own protein. Protein powder is convenient and easier to measure than other sources of protein. You can buy a jar from Wal-mart and scoop enough for one meal (probably 3 blocks) into each baggy, so you don't have to bring the whole jar with you. If some protein is provided, eyeball how much (if any) protein powder you need to supplement with. Remember to double your fat blocks for each block of protein powder if the protein powder doesn't have any fat.

For dinner, if you want to be more precise than eyeballing at a restaurant, you can go to the grocery store for deli meat and fruit. 1.5 oz. of deli meat is 1 protein block. An apple, orange, or pear is 2 carb blocks. A peach, plum, or kiwi is 1 carb block.

Cottage cheese is really nice in vegi soups, it melts down and becomes a bit stringy. It doesn't really add flavour, but is good when you're wanting a healthy protien source but have run out of other options.

I also bought some venison meat the other day, and it was really nice in a stir-fry. It's really high in vitamins, protien, and low in fat. I can also buy venison meatballs and meat patties at my supermarket (in New Zealand). They have some bread in them (1 carb block) but are a perfect 3P portion.

[quote]Posted By Eileen on 04/17/2008 2:56 PM

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?[/quote]

Hi Eileen,

I don't have other bar suggestions. Zone Labs bars are the only ones that have ever worked.

Margaret, I have never thought of adding cottage cheese to a soup. That sounds like a really good idea!

The mention of adding fat to protein powder if it contains none, bring a question to my mind. I use Horizon organic non-fat plain yogurt and often have 1/2 cup for my afternoon snack. I've just been adding 1 fat block (usually a madadamia nut). Should I be adding two fat blocks instead?
Janice

The mention of adding fat to protein powder if it contains none, bring a question to my mind. I use Horizon organic non-fat plain yogurt and often have 1/2 cup for my afternoon snack. I've just been adding 1 fat block (usually a madadamia nut). Should I be adding two fat blocks instead?

The mention of adding fat to protein powder if it contains none, bring a question to my mind. I use Horizon organic non-fat plain yogurt and often have 1/2 cup for my afternoon snack. I've just been adding 1 fat block (usually a madadamia nut). Should I be adding two fat blocks instead?

Yes Janice!

I deleted my post which was not appropriate for this thread.

Hi,
I am using a zone diet food delivery service.
The food is fantastic, and you dont have to worry
about figuring out your food every day.

Janie,
I have heard some good, some not so good things about the food delivery. I don't think that there are any that are endorsed by Sears, at least not in my area. However, I don't think it HAS to be endorsed by Sears in order for it to work for you. Some people have really great success with the service!

Please keep us posted on how you are doing, and how you are enjoying your meals!

I used to visit a forum in which there was one gal who started zoning by using one of the food delivery services, and the meals she had sounded delicious! She posted her daily menu every day. And, she had good results from it!

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but I like to take a couple sticks of string cheese and an apple with me when I know I won't be able to get home for a regular meal. A couple peaches, a pear or any of the other favorable fruits could be used instead of the apple.

Does the tuna have to be "albacore tuna" or can it be other "light and canned in water" tuna?

these forums are great for tips.. i've known about the zone and believed in Sears' principles for a good dozen years, but though i am frequently close since i started trying more earnestly in the last 6 mos or so, i don't really maintain a strict zone diet or schedule.. and i *don't* need to lose weight.. i have both tips and questions - thanx in advance! :)

tony & bridget: as for planning shopping trips, im not sure where you are, but a lot of grocery and other store websites these days have some helpful tools in that regard, like click-to-add to a list from the weekly ad, plus notes of your own entered online or after printing, and meijer very recently started a new thing they call mealbox - it lets you plan meals from their recipes or yours, and automatically builds a shopping list (well-organized, too) based on the ingredients, plus it will add coupons if there are any... they have good deals and products in general around here. if they are near you, id recommend checking it out. frankly, i could see it being useful for what it does whether you shop there or not... have fun!

i've always liked halvah, but can't find anything on it here, nor much on sesame seeds. i use it to add fat, particularly for snacks or 'dessert' but am not certain how this form would be considered zonewise...many bars are about 9 blocks and some brands are organic, which means 1/3 bar can be dessert for a fat-free meal or cutting it into 1 block pieces (wrapped in tin foil worked well; i kept them in an ice tray in the fridge for easy grabbing) makes a great alternative to nuts for snacks - e.g., string cheese, halvah piece and favorite carb (fruit, usually). if it's berries, i can put all three in a snack-size ziploc and just take it with me.

i would also like to use dried/roasted soy nuts more for protein and in snacks but have found i can't eat more than a bite or two by themselves, no matter the flavor. they are an excellent way to add protein to otherwise carb-heavy and fat-adequate commercial snack mix or granola. my favorite, though, is one i made myself - soy nuts are very dry, but i found the green, roasted kind, which are bigger than the brown nuts. i split the bag into 1 block portions and put them in snack-size ziploc bags. then i checked the total carb and fat grams in a package of chocolate-covered sunflower seeds (much smaller & better than m&m's or chocolate chips!) and added a little less than 1 block to each bag - just a pinch, really, thumb and two fingers. a pinch of dried blueberries, cranberries and macadamia pieces topped them off, and i instantly had grab-and-go 1 block snacks, a little salty, crunchy, sweet, and not too dry! great to keep me from munching on something else on a long drive or to take on an airplane. the bags fit anywhere, keep well and don't melt easily. i know it's not exactly the best, but i'm much more likely to snack better if i have something easy already with me, and i'm sure most of you know it's easily modifiable to include whatever you like!

particularly for those who need tips for traveling, on the go, in the car, no time - this kind of mix and zone bars are the easiest to keep with you at all times, and to have several for a trip just in case. they pack small and easy and aren't liquid, which i think about since i don't check luggage anymore if i can help it. i keep bars in the fridge if i plan to take them on a trip, so they don't melt so fast. snow peas are an easy carb to go - i'm not certain, but i think a snack-size bag stuffs full with about a block. cold edamame is good too. blueberries and string cheese are good - and i love cherries as well. for car trips, i grab a bag of soy chips, which means at least 3 blocks worth of basically balanced snacking i don't have to think about. if i make up the whole package of turkey bacon (3 slices between paper towels on a plate for 2 min), the slices can be folded or broken in half and portioned out in those snack-size ziplocs (can you tell how cool i think they are for making up stuff to go?) for easy protein to go.. they don't really need to stay cold to go. also, the single-serve size deli meat packages are good if you will be eating it quickly or can keep it cold..

this is long - ill continue with another post..
:) adrien

(cont) - sorry, i know this is long too. guess i had more to offer than i thought.. :)

i, too, find whole flaxseed easy to mix into smoothies, yogurt or on other meals. ive also discovered that if i scramble it into my eggs (i like them dry to start with), they add such (texture?) i can make practically an egg pancake or patty which is then easy to stack with sausage or cheese, make into an open-faced sandwich (or use for the "bun") or use in a wrap. i first used it in an omelet, then tried with just eggs and had to cut back on how much i used because of the way it added bulk/form. i just bought a bag of ground, thinking it would be easier to add to some things, but after sue's info, won't get it that way again.

i am taking fish oil. i'm not sure i can take as much as i'd like to consistently (at least 4-5g/d?), but with capsules (3), i've been managing about 1 gram of epa and 822 mg dha a day, but i just got a bottle of liquid to try. is there a minimum good dose to aim for? do i calculate on epa knowing the dha comes with, total epa+dha, total omega-3? if the last, does it count extra to get more from flaxseed, or other omega-3 enriched foods?

i do enjoy soy chips as a ~balanced snack. sometimes i have to keep from eating too much, but i feel better about them, since i've considered them pretty even on blocks... what, exactly, do folks usually add to these if they are not truly balanced alone? i also found tortilla chips with soy and flax that are nearly balanced and are quite tasty. for a fun snack, i'll put some on a baking sheet, cover with shredded mozzarella and pop in the oven just till it melts..

i'll wrap up for now, but aside from the above, i hope the suggestions keep coming, because i _don't_ eat/like a number of the most commonly used foods that make the zone easy....specifically:
oatmeal, olives (have/use oil, just don't eat them), tofu, beans other than green/waxed/jelly/soy, cottage cheese;
i can't stand plain yogurt, so i only use vanilla or fruit, and i do have protein powder, but i don't add it every time. for milk, i use almost exclusively chocolate soy milk, but will sometimes keep vanilla or DHA- or fiber-added (not sure if they are plain or vanilla) for mixing. i have been counting one serving of yogurt or soymilk as 1P and 2 or 3C, depending on the label info. does that sound reasonable? does anyone have tips for blending protein powder in yogurt or milk? i have been using a magic bullet and it always sticks to the sides and clumps...whether i put it in first, middle or last. if i try mixing with a spoon a bit beforehand, it sticks to that... any tricks? it ends up being enough effort, i don't make as many mixes as i would if it were easier.

by the way, most of my meat is salmon, tuna, chicken or turkey - some of the best and most convenient things i've found are tuna and salmon in single-serve cups, pouches and marinated, cooked, microwaveable salmon/albacore/ahi steaks in pouches - they taste great!

thanx for any input. hope something here can help someone else!
:) adrien

(and i know i'm a bit late to the discussion, but i'd be interested in either/both of those excel sheets from april - i have a couple templates some folks might find handy just for planning or recording as well... ajkant@gmail.com)

Hi adrien!

It's always interesting to hear what someone else is doing. Thanks for telling us about your meals and snacks!

Halvah isn't a better choice for the Zone because it's loaded with carbs. You really don't need to be eating all the sugar that's in it, on a regular basis. Sesame seeds are ok, even though they're not primarily a monounsaturated fat, because they contain some anti-inflammatory properties.

The fish oil recommendations in regard to the Zone are expressed as the sum of EPA and DHA in the dose. The basic dose is 2.5 grams of combined EPA and DHA. Dr Sears recommendations are for an ultra-refined fish oil with a 2 to 1 EPA to DHA. No, don't count other types f omega3 (flax, for example, contains short chain omega 3, not the same as fish oil's long chain).

I'm not familiar with soy chips.

Try Zone Protein Powder. It mixes right in. Others I used to use did also (Jay Robb's and Designer Whey).

Good luck!

I have been stuffing little Zone bars in every travel bag I own. I always have something when that little pange of hunger comes upon me. I will be in the middle of teaching a class and as long as I have one of those Zone bars I can easily get through the class until the break or end of the class. I have been preparing meals on days off and freezing left overs for meals during the work week. This has helped me stay in the Zone on those rush around kind of days.

Cheril, in a REAL pinch on the road (hungry, nothing packed, etc), I'll have some nuts...not any honey/sugar coated but plain ol nuts, which most gas stations have. I figure it gets me some whole food calories and isn't TOO far off base...like, say, a granola or candy bar.

My Little Black Book-Daily Food Diary helps keep me on track, they also have a Personal Choice Menu template that is a FREE download to carry with you everywhere.

The tip that is key is to have that list of your chosen "Yes Foods" with the serving size and calorie count so you make a good choice for you when you are on the fly!

This gets you past that..."What the heck I'm in a hurry I will just get something quick."

What ends up happening is you actually get hungry for the good choice. It works!

Adrian,

Noticed you are fond of using flaxseed in particular in yogurt.

Here's a favorite snack along those lines :


Cheap item I really like :

Dannon "Light & Fit" Yogurt combined with [ for me ] about 1 tblsp of ground flax seeds.

I don't know why but the combination of the flax's "nuttyness" and flavor with this yogurt is incredibly delicious and the nutritional balance is "right on".

Talk about convenient and easy – I mix in the flax right in the container and eat !

I found a little lid that snaps right on and often I mix up a few and have them with me for emergency “Zone Snacks” when at an “UN-Zoned” event.

First of all it is "Zero Fat" - so when you add in a tblsp of flax you end up adding in just about the right amount of “good fats” to “balance” the snack – I make it you end up with about 2 g of fat.

It gets better yet : adding the tblsp of flaxseed adds about 1 g of protein so, when you add 1 g of Protein you end up with :


Fat 2 g, Protein 6 g, and carbs 9g, "Close enough for government work to exactly one Zone Snack" [ If anal add an olive or almond on top]

*Sugar 7g


* As far as I can tell this is the lowest amount of SUGAR in any of the brands of “Lite” yogurt – some have double this amount.

So - baddabing baddabang - you have morphed an ordinary inexpensive food item into as "balanced" for Zone purposes a quick cheap delicious nutritional snack as possible !

It is also usually the lowest priced per oz !!!!! Except for the “generic house brands” which, as usual, have hyped up the sugar content.

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Found this BREAD product the other day and personally it scares me ...

BECAUSE - I am a "grain junkie" and always have been and as anyone knows that's familiar with the Zone Eating Plan and "balancing" - you CAN consume grains but, and you have to understand a "grain junkies" way of thinking, the amount you can consume in an amount that would start to please ME - way exceeds that which would enable me to balance the meal.

... as in maybe 4 big fat slices of Rosemary/Olive Oil whole grain loaf !

HOwever - I have come across this product which is quite remarkable :


FLAX, OAT BRAN & WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR PITA BREAD

These are the "smaller" pitas - about 8" in diameter.

6 "Loaves" = 1 package = 8 oz total

Here's the nutritional analysis :

ONE PITA

Cal = 60

total fat =2 sat = 0, trans fat = 0

chol = 0

total carb = 8g

fiber = 4 g

sugar = 0

protein = 6g


Actually MORE PROTEIN THAN CARBS !

INGREDIENTS :

Water,wheat Gluten, Corn Starch, flax, oat fiber, whole wheat flour,Oat Bran, Yeast, Isolated Soy Protein, Soy flour, Soy Oil, Sesame Flour, Salt, { several preservatives sodium based ] Sucralose




How about that ?

Anyone have any opinions on the ingredients ?

I am always unsure about "gluten" - good, bad, both, neither ? ?

Rather not be consuming sucralose but it's the last ingredient so how much can there be ?

It is made by :

Joseph's Middle East Bakery Inc
Lwrence MA 01843

No mention of web site on packaging.

Their products are widely distributed around here in any market :

New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusettes, Connecticut.

no idea how far beyond that they go.


from the "END" Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Venison is a staple at the house, I also raise beef, lamb, and goats as well. Luckily I have some freinds that do a lot of deep sea fishing so I trade what I have for sea food, crab, salmon. Also keep a garden.
We have a pretty diverse menu at home.

My original point of my post was to recommend that you talk to friends or family that fish and hunt and you would have a source for the best proteins.

Really good point, Paul!

I just hope that Dad can bag that buck this year!

Personally, while I respect the fact that people actually do hunt and fish to feed their families, I prefer to think that protein comes from little packages that come from the meat counter at the grocery store. I personally buy organic meats, hopefully they are telling me the truth. I am at their mercy. If I really thought of the facts of what it truly was I am eating, I would become a strict vegetarian. ACK!

Linda wrote :

If I really thought of the facts of what it truly was I am eating, I would become a strict vegetarian. ACK!


... do yourself a favor and don't ever read the best seller Fast Food Nation.


... from the "Food Processing" Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Another book NOT to read: Skinny Bitch. I could not eat meat or dairy for a month after reading this book.

Unrelated tip: I found that Target carries their own brand of Zone bars. They were on sale this week for $3.50 for a box of 6. Both Zone and Balance bars were much more. My grocery store sells Zone bars separately for $1.69 with an ocassional sale of 10 for $10.00.

I tried the Target bars and they were good. Not quite the assortment of flavors as Zone, but definitely worth a try. According to the label, they are absolutely zone friendly.

Hope this helps someone,
Jill

Jill,

[You wrote]

Another book NOT to read: Skinny Bitch. I could not eat meat or dairy for a month after reading this book.

About 98% of the "diets" - and I hesitate to use that word to describe the majority that show up on a daily basis across America - come from the Diet INDUSTRY. Now we are all in trouble when we have something called an "industry" that has GROWN IN PARRALEL WITH THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC in America, which, that "industry’s" sole purpose for existence is to ELIMINATE , REDUCE, OR , ONE WOULD HOPE, AT THE LEAST, KEEP FROM GETTING WORSE - OBESITY.

Ironically the % of clinically identified "overweight" population is about 70% in America - AND RISING.

The Diet "Industry" is about a 60 billion $ business - and GROWING.

SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY HERE - DOESN'T IT ?

The ZONE DIET - and for totally different reasons I also hesitate to use the word "diet" to describe The Zone Eating Plan because in the sense of what the word "diet" has come to be perverted to mean in the U.S. over the last 20 years - a "DIET" IT IS NOT.

Dr.Sears and his Zone nutrition concepts was NOT aimed or designed for the "world of diets" at all. It was the product of extensive biochemical research into, among other things, the control of the blood chemistry of diabetics WITHOUT THE USE OF DRUGS - that is - through the use of diet ALONE.

The attempt was to control their blood insulin levels in a ------------- ZONE.

Not too high, not too low. [ Get the idea of where all this "ZONE" business comes from now ?

Remarkably - he was able to do it !

Just as, if not MORE, remarkably, it was later found that by controlling people WITHOUT diabetes' insulin levels in a "ZONE" - a whole array of positive health benefits followed, and, perhaps much to people's disappointment who come to The Zone for "weight loss" - it was found that one of the "SIDE EFFECTS" of following The Zone Eating Plan was - CONSISTENT, CONTROLLED, PERMANENT, [ if you STAY on The Zone ], WEIGHT LOSS.

[ We encounter those who "fall in The Zone door" looking for the weight loss on a daily basis - and we welcome them. Why shouldn't they come to us this way ? The multi billion $ Diet "Industry" spends millions and millions of $ every day in every way to attract people to the latest "miracle" diet that will do ONE THING - TAKE ALL THEIR EXCESS WEIGHT AWAY WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST INCONVENIENCE OR EFFORT.]

As I said - The Zone Eating Plan comes from a TOTALLY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT - the world of biochemical research by respected members of the medical research community aimed at overcoming a most common disease.

This world bares no resemblance or connection with the Diet "Industry".

This is WHY the FIRST BOOK was aimed at the medical community - specifically a general practitioner. Sears thought he was really on to something [ and he WAS ] and being a member of the medical research community.
It was natural for him to pursue that direction. This was a medical research finding - NOT yet another version of some "magical" combination of foods that promised INSTANT weight loss that that come to the "diet" scene in a constant unending stream.

I've had college level chemistry and I found it difficult to read that first book. I thought what he had to say about "insulin regulation" was fascinating but kept wondering why he was going into so much detail about the biochemical reactions - I could barely follow them.

The book was literally going nowhere when per chance he was interviewed on an L.A. radio program where he innocuously mentioned that in addition to all the wonderful health benefits of his "diet" you would also experience constant regulated weight loss.


All of a sudden book stores in the L.A. area were taking his book off of the "sale" table and putting it "out front" on the "you heard about this on radio _ _ _ _" - the rest as they say is history.

If you read the first book you will note that at times it gets very technical. This is because it was not aimed at the person on the street but at someone with a medical background to be reading it.

The "medical community", specifically the general practitioners, were not interested. They weren’t' then - and they are still not now. The Zone Concepts are all about PREVENTION through NUTRITION. Unfortunately for you and I the nature of how medicine is practiced in North America is INTERventional - NOT PREventional - and that is how our medical professionals are thoroughly educated and trained.

INTERventional medicine -by the way - is NOT all bad. I suddenly had a heart attack one night with no warning signs. INTERventional medical procedures saved my ass.

However, when it came time for me to figure out how to PREVENT one from happening again - I soon found out I WAS ON MY OWN - until I found : The Zone.

Interestingly - I also "stumbled in the Zone door" for reasons other than what it was intended - I was teaching myself al about nutrition and what was good and what was bad AND WHY to prevent another heart attack. I had discovered that such PROTEINS as egg whites and soy were very good for you. I went to Barnes and Noble looking for information on Soy. Sitting on one of the shelves was The Soy Zone by dr.Barry Sears. I took it home and soon found out there WAS A LOT MORE THERE THAN JUST WHAT WAS SO GOOD ABOUT SOY !

... and I consider that day one of my most fortunate in life.

Perhaps you will find the same rewards too.

... from the "COMFORT OF THE" Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've pasted in below just a SMALL TINY SLIVER of the biochemical process involving the processing by our bodies of glucose - which occurs as the result of you and I ingesting carbohydrate.

A plan of nutrition designed to in some way control this process is FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, FAR, removed from some half baked "diet" [ and I cringe when I use the word in this way ] that in the mere span of a couple of weeks will, among many other things, remove every trace of unwanted fat.

OK - here you go - there will be a quiz on Friday after the class lecture.


Structure and biochemistry


Glycogen is a highly branched polymer that is better described as a dendrimer of about 60,000 glucose residues and has a molecular weight between 106 and 107 daltons (~4.8 million).[citation needed] Most of Glc units are linked by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds, approximately 1 in 12 Glc residues also makes alpha-1,6 glycosidic bond with a second Glc, which results in the creation of a branch. Glycogen does not possess a reducing end: the 'reducing end' glucose residue is not free but is covalently bound to a protein termed glycogenin as a beta-linkage to a surface tyrosine residue. Glycogenin is a glycosyltransferase and occurs as a dimer in the core of glycogen. The glycogen granules contain both glycogen and the enzymes of glycogen synthesis (glycogenesis) and degradation (glycogenolysis). The enzymes are nested between the outer branches of the glycogen molecules and act on the non-reducing ends. Therefore, the many non-reducing end-branches of glycogen facilitate its rapid synthesis and catabolism.


Synthesis
Main article: Glycogenesis
Glycogen synthesis differs from glycogen breakdown. Unlike breakdown, synthesis is endergonic, meaning that glycogen is not synthesized without the input of energy. Energy for glycogen synthesis comes from UTP, which reacts with glucose-1-phosphate, forming UDP-glucose, in reaction catalysed by UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. Glycogen is synthesized from monomers of UDP-glucose by the enzyme Glycogen synthase, which progressively lengthens the glycogen chain. As glycogen synthase can only lengthen an existing chain, the protein glycogenin is needed to initiate the synthesis of glycogen.


Breakdown
Main article: Glycogenolysis
Glycogen is cleaved from the nonreducing ends of the chain by the enzyme glycogen phosphorylase to produce monomers of glucose-1-phosphate that is then converted to Glucose 6-phosphate. A special debranching enzyme is needed to remove the alpha(1-6) branches in branched glycogen and reshape the chain into linear polymer. The G6P monomers produced have three possible fates:


G6P can continue on the glycolysis pathway and be used as fuel.
G6P can enter the pentose phosphate pathway via the enzyme Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to produce NADPH and 5-carbon sugars.
In the liver and kidney, G6P can be dephosphorylated back to Glucose by the enzyme Glucose 6-phosphatase. This is the final step in the gluconeogenesis pathway.

As far as all the bars that have been talked about - Zone, Balance, Clif, Perfect Zone, and the Target brand Zone bars - are they all the same serving size?

You would have to look at the wrapper. I think that most of the Balance bars and the Zone Perfect bars are the same, but not sure of the others.

[quote]Posted By Kimberly on 08/22/2008 11:02 PM

As far as all the bars that have been talked about - Zone, Balance, Clif, Perfect Zone, and the Target brand Zone bars - are they all the same serving size?[/quote]


Hi Kimberly,

Keep in mind that Dr. Sears Zone bars were studied in diabetics and results showed they keep insulin within the Zone range. Dr. Sears has patented them in this regard. That is one major difference between Dr. Sears Zone bars and others. Barry Sears has referred to the other bars sold in retail stores as "glorified candy bars" . They will not usually provide the insulin control that a Dr. Sears Zone bar does.

[quote]Posted By Sue on 08/23/2008 8:31 AM
Keep in mind that Dr. Sears Zone bars were studied in diabetics and results showed the keep insluin within the Zone range. Dr. Sears has patented them in this regard. That is one major difference between Dr. Sears Zone bars and others. Barry Sears has referred to the other bars sold in retail stores as "glorified candy bars" . They will not usually provide the insulin control that a Dr. Sears Zone bar does.
[/quote]


Sue,

If this is true, then why are diabetics not encouraged to eat bars and shakes all day long? Sounds like you are saying that bars and shakes are a "miracle cure" for type 2 diabetes.

Kimberly,

While it is true that Sears has developed these bars to be more "favorable" for diabetics to use in their diets, there are also other brands that claim that they have a low glycemic response, which would make them a good choice for diabetics, as well--if what they say is REALLY TRUE.

I guess I am skeptical of any of these bars really being what they SAY (including Zone bars) because I really have never actually seen the proof. What they ARE is a nice tasty treat! But, I must go out on a limb and say that I am not sold on the idea of using bars and shakes as meal replacements.

Cran, you are exaggerating what Sue has said. If fact, you are spinning her words into something that is not even there. What's your agenda anyway?

Thanks for the advice and tips. I have been under the false impression that all protein bars were good for us. I guess that's why it is always good to read the labels.

My pleasure Kimberly!

Thanks Cici!

[quote]Posted By Cici on 08/23/2008 10:31 AM

Cran, you are exaggerating what Sue has said. If fact, you are spinning her words into something that is not even there. What's your agenda anyway?

[/quote]

Hi, Cici!

Thanks for your opinion. I don't really think I am exaggerating what Sue had said. Rather, I am hoping that she would clarify her response. If, in fact, the zone bars and shakes were designed to keep the insulin levels within the Zone range (between 5 and 10), then isn't that-in essence-a cure for diabetes?

I don't really have an agenda. I guess I just don't want to see people "fooled" into believing that the Zone products are nothing less than miracle cures.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the bars, and just received a shipment today, which I have already broken into and divided up between myself and my husband (that is the only way I can keep him from eating up all of my bars!). Just an example, I order my bars so that I get a shipment every 2 months. My last shipment was at the end of June, and I still have 3 bars left. I use them primarily for the "emergency stash".

Any tips on the grocery shopping for the first time as far as "must-haves"?

I stock my kitchen with these basics: extra virgin olive oil, light olive oil, toasted sesame oil, almonds, Macadamia nut butter, peanut butter, low fat canola oil mayo, white wine or apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, protein powder, eggs, firm or extra firm tofu, garlic, our favorite dried herbs and spices, alcohol free vanilla and almond flavorings, onions, carrots, canned black beans, canned chick peas, canned diced tomatoes , canned plain tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, salsa, hummus, cocoa powder, Celtic salt (gray sea salt), chicken stock/broth and berries. You can put together tons of different meals and snacks from these items plus some added protein and veggies. As for the bulk of your P and C choices, it really depends upon your tastes.

Have fun shopping!

Hi Kimberly!

One tip that I think is highly important is to stay away from the aisles, as much as you can. Most of the foods that you need will be in the produce section, the meat department, dairy, perhaps the deli (but watch out here, read labels), and the frozen foods.

I watch for meats to go on sale, and then stock up my freezer. I buy some chicken breast, extra lean ground beef, etc. I also like seafood, and so I buy a lot of wild-caught salmon, tuna steaks, and I like to do white fish. I also enjoy shrimp and I occasionally do scallops. A lot of this, again, has to do with what is on sale.

In the produce section, I generally stock up on mushrooms, zucchini, onion, green pepper, tomatoes. I also try to buy what is in season.

The frozen foods are a wonderful place to save money when shopping for veggies. I think every store has a bit of a different variety, depending on the brands that they carry. But, shopping for frozen veggies will definitely be a way to add some color to your meals, without spending an arm or a leg.

Cottage cheese and plain yogurt are staples for me from the dairy section. I also keep eggs handy (not really a dairy product, but that is where you will find them!).

Hope this helps!

SUBJECT: LOW FAT TASTY CHEESE

I went to the internet to get a comparison of low fat cheeses in regard to their taste. Lo and behold I found out that "Cabot" makes a low fat cheddar which is delicious. They make a 75%, 60% and 50% low fat cheddar and they are all delicious. I found a bulk quantity (maybe 2 or 3 lbs.) at Sam's Club. Sam's also offers a bag of individually packaged Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar and each prepackaged piece is 1 oz. For the 50% reduced fat individually wrapped cheddar there is 6g of protein, less than 1g of carb and total fat of 3.5g. I don't have the wrapper any longer for the 75% or 60% reduced or low fat cheddar cheeses.
These are great for snacks, great for lunch or dinner and if you buy the bulk 1-2 lb. you can grate it and weigh it.

Hope this is helpful.

Graceful Lady

Margo,

Good advice. I love cheese, so I will look for that brand.

Sue, I can't believe you haven't entered your foil meals as a tip! I can't think of anything more time saving, yet delish. No, they aren't for the road......but save time at home. You should definately get a nod for that tip. I am like you now, eat them several times a week!

Hi Texas T!

I can't take the credit for that. I got my idea from the Zone recipes for meals in foil. :)

Hi, I guess I posted on the wrong thread somehow. Does anyone have any tips for taking the fish oil? I was able to drink the brain shake this morning for my breakfast, but I need to figure out how to get my 17 daughter to take it. It is kind of yukky. Thanks

Hi Kathleen!

I've just replied to this qn in the other thread in this forum where you posted.

Cheers!

I've been of the Zone for 1.5 years and I sill eat bread and I love it! Try sprouted grain breads!!!

Would some one fill me in on what the meals in foil are? Thank you. 2 days in the Zone...and trying to comprehend it all.

Sue has a meal that she did on the grill, I think it was ground turkey or ground chicken and she put the veggies along side and cooked it on the grill. I'm at work so I can't get to the link right now but if you don't get a replie, I will post it when I get home this evening.

Stick with it, Joan! It sinks in eventually! :-) Lots to remember and figure out, isn't there? I'm only in my second month and I can say that it gets a lot easier after the first week or two! Ask away here as well. Everyone is SUPER helpful.

Hi Joan!

If you scroll over the photo of the meal in my signature and click on the link that apopears, it will bring you to a photo album of some meals. One of them is a meal in foil that can be cooked either on the grill or in the oven.

Hi Sue,

I am trying to get to some of the recipes in your photobucket. Am I missing something? I am only getting to the pic and there are no recipes?? Should I be creating a login and password?

Thanks
Suzanne

Suzanne, I had the same questions regarding the recipes in Sue's photos. Below is what I posted and then her response.


"Sue, I went through your pictures. You look FANTASTIC! And what a beautiful family ... I'd be proud, too!

I have to say I'm glad I wasn't hungry. YUM! YUM! If I didn't live in Texas, I'd be knocking at your door! A few questions:

1. Cabbage soup. Is this in the recipe section under popular links? If yes, is it the eclectic cabbage soup recipe? If not, may I have the recipe please?

2. For the chicken stir fry wraps, do you just stir fry veggies with chicken and add soy sauce?

3. I've never had tofu before, but it looks delicious. What seasonings do you use? What type and brand name do you like?

4. Kale sausage soup. Is that the kale & bean soup with turkey sausage recipe in the recipe section? If not, may I have the recipe please?"

Sue's response:

"I don't usually stick exactly to recipes. Some of the meals you see in my photo album were loosely based on recipes, from Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, Zone books etc. Others I just came up with on the spur of the moment, depending what was on hand in the fridge.

About your questions:

1. It was adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe. I don’t remember all of the ingredients. My best guess: ground turkey, chopped onion, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, canned diced tomatoes, steel cut oats, bay leaf, paprika, allspice, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, olive oil and water.

2. This was taken from a Martha Stewart recipe. Yes, any Zone balanced stir fry would do. For chicken stir fry wraps I usually season the stir-fry with sesame oil tamari and vinegar with a pinch or two of fructose.

3. I use tofu (usually firm tofu, the cheapest OG non-GMO brand I can find; Usually Whole Food brand at about $1.50 a tub) for all kinds of things from breakfast to dinner to dessert, savory to sweet. The slab of tofu in my signature was probably seasoned with chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

4. That kale and sausage soup was thrown together from leftovers.

Sorry I'm not of more help with those recipes. As you can see, I kind of do my own thing being sure to keep it Zone balanced. I begin by jotting down the amount of protein I start with (usually enough for 4 or 5 three block meals; 12 to 15 blocks) and then keep track of the approximate amount of C and F as I add it, so the blocks balance. When it's all cooked I usually dish out the appropriate number of 3 block meals so there's no guessing involved."

Suzanne, I hope this helps. Perhaps Sue can help further on the dishes I didn't ask the recipe for.

Happy Zoning!
Karen

Thanks Karen...

They looked so good I thought that maybe I could get a couple yummy recipes...The stir fry lettuce wrap is what got me!

Thanks
Suzanne

Oh, Suzanne, I know exactly what you mean! YUM! I've had them a couple of times ... I've used both butter lettuce and tender cabbage leaves. I liked it both ways.

Happy Zoning!
Karen

Hi Suzanne!


I don't have any recipes there, just photos. I don't use many recipes, just cook what comes to mind with the ingredients I have on hand at the time. :-)

Hi Karen!

Thanks for posting the info from my previous response!

You're welcome, Sue! I was hoping I wasn't stepping on your toes, but I had bookmarked your response to me so I thought I'd share it. I found your information helpful!

Happy Zoning!
Karen

I have been using theiPhone application LeanMe for a month now. it is a little more expensive than the others (I tried out several before I found this one) but all I can say is WOW! It makes keeping track of what you eat a breeze. It allows you to custom enter food and keeps track of the percentages.

You can actually build meals they call them "cards" with it to keep as a reference and all the calculations are done for you. Then you just add that card to your day.

It also has a very nice progress log where you track your weight, BMI and measurements. A+++

http://www.leanme.net/leanme/Overview.aspx

I go ahead and subtract the fiber from the carbs when I enter a food so the percentages are pretty close.

I have found that logging what I eat and my exercise is crucial and this makes it so easy I had to share.

Also, I have found that using a digital scale helps in the kitchen to learn what a "portion" really is.

Laurel, I think I remember someone else posting a tip similar to yours. Was that you a few weeks ago?

Thanks! I don't have an iPhone, but if I did, I would most certainly utilize this application. Thanks for sharing that!

Yes, I posted when I had just gotten it and then again after a few weeks of use. I think it also works with the iPod Touch...

I love stir frying a big handful of spinach and break open 3 egg whites on it with a few pieces of any low fat meat or other vegetables, let it cook and turn it. Delicious and with a half a grapefruit I am in the zone for a lovely morning. And supper a package of extra firm cubed tofu stir fried in soy sauce and just add the vegetables of my choice (or yours)puts me square in the zone. The zone is fun, exciting, and so very healthy....every meal is a wonderful challenge.... been at it several years now Iris Crockett<img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/smile.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Smile' align='absmiddle'>

Sounds delicious Iris! Thanks for the tip!

Sounds delicious! I have done this with other veggies, basically take a bag of frozen mixed veggies, stirfry until cooked through, and then break open the eggs as you described, along with some meat and maybe some cheese.

I have a question...how do you really know you are in the zone...I have been eating my blocks everyday...and I have not lost a pound.

Has this happened to anyone else?

In the Zone, you will experience a feeling of energy, good levels of alertness, mental focus. You will not be hungry for 4-6 hours after a meal, and you should not feel any cravings. That is basically how you will know.

Fat loss is secondary; that is, it is one of the results of being in the Zone. But, you may lose bodyfat and not lose scale weight, if you have actually gained lean body mass.

mmm, Iris, and CC, sounds like an easy brkfst.....

I have my small tip since we eat a lot of veggies and fruits and they have pesticides (its not possible to buy always organic). When I bring them from supermarket I put them in a big bowl,cover with water and let it stay for appr.30min,than I dry them and they are ready to use.Also I do the same with greens, berries but right before using them.I think its even make taste better.Sorry for my English.

Ive really enjoyed reading this thread. Ive been an "on again off again" zoner.....but am really serious about making it a lifestyle now. I was really interested in the Excel worksheet that Bridget talked about. She said,

The Excel spreadsheet format works for me. I created 3 Menu Plans (Plan A, Plan B and Plan C) for my meals and snacks that I rotate every two weeks. I have a total of 6 weeks to progress through Plan A, B, and C before I begin the cycle again with A. I go to the store just every two weeks, so I created a grocery list for Plan A, B and C with the items and amounts to last 14 days. Before I go to the store, I take an inventory of my "left-over" food items (canned, frozen) and then use my Excel grocery list to figure how much more of the left over food items I need. If I don't need the left overs, I save them until they appear again in the next cycle.

I wonder if I could get a copy of the format she used. It sounds really helpful and I like the idea of going to the store every 14 days.

Keep the tips coming!!!
Barbara

Hello... I have just started the Zone... I saw a show where some guy in Mexico who weighed almost a half a ton was put on the Zone and lost weight even though he was bed fast.. so I work in an office and live a fairly sedentary life.. I am 61 years old so a lot of the gymnastic exercises are beyond me... I have found that YOGA works quite weill, it mostly tones the muscles and you only have to do what is comforable. Also I have created a listing of the foods that I cook with the nutruition value on the inside of my pantry door. So when I start putting things together, all of the numbers are there,,, I just have to add up and divide by the number of servings it makes and puts them in the freezer for quick.. "GRAB AND GO" meals. Since I have had one stent put in and take cholesterol lowering medication, I am looking for protein alternatives to the cheese and eggs for snacks... I have found that protein powder in my oatmeal waffles to help balance out the Zone. I stay away from Aspertame, using Stevia instead.

I know I'm posted as a newbie. That's just because I have never posted before. In reality...

I have been doing the zone for 6 years and I hate cooking so I purchase all my lean meat for the week and grill it all at the same time. Then I put it in the fridge.

Example meal: Then for lunch I toast a piece of organic Eziekle bread,2oz of chicken cold, 1 slice of fat free cheese, a little lite mayo,some almonds, steamed veggies or strawberries and no fuss! Dinner microwave some of the pre cooked meat,olive oil for fat, or nuts, add veggies and a glass of wine, done!

For other meals I use meal replacement shakes or protein/zone bars. And 1 day a week. I designate that to be pig out day! I go off the zone and eat anything I wanted to have during the week that I craved. It satisfies the need to have what you want and it helps you remain disciplined the other 6 days of the week.

I have been eating 6 meals a day with one pig out day for over 20 years now and it really helps you stay on your program.

Joanne and Bobbi.....thanks!
bobbi, your approach to cooking makes it sound awfully easy...I like it!

I am new to this forum. My friends told me about this then I saw it. This forum is dedicated to who wants Healthy but delicious-recipes. I think this forum is useful to every one. I think Health is Important to do any thing to every one. If we have unhealthy we can't do any thing and we should maintain proper food to our body and we maintain balance our brain. I think this site will be the better one when compare to other. I fully recommended to all people.
===========================
[url=http://www.naturallynovascotia.com]Natural Vitamins[/url]

Thanks, Leo ! We agree!

If you buy a salad at the deli, ask to see the ingredients. They have the containers right back there and I did that today and was shocked. My 3 bean salad's first ingredient was corn syrup. <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/sad.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Sad' align='absmiddle'>

A great kitchen tool to use instead of a blender is hand-held immersion blender. I have a food processor and a blender too, but I've been making my Zone smoothies with a hand-held blender for years. I find they give you a lot more control over the finished product, and clean-up is fast and easy. I've had a few different ones, and have found that the Kitchen Aid is the best by far (heavy duty, metal stalk and blade so it's more durable, multi speeds and relatively inexpensive at Target). I especially like that it gives me a lot more control over the texture. I find you can have a thick silky smooth finished product and at the same time leave some bits/chunks of fruit in it if you like, all depending on how you manipulate the hand blender in the blending cup (leaving some pieces of fruit is better than totally liquefying when it comes to staying in the Zone with homemade smoothies and shakes, re insulin control).

test, sorry

Hi Everyone!

My tip for the day, Thermos vaccuum insulated stainless steel food jars,the ones that say "TherMax MAXIMUM INSULATION", are great for carrying a hot Zone lunch just about anywhere. I use them a lot. They're designed to keep food hot for 5 hours, or cold for 7 hours. I usually put hot food into one around 7 AM and it's still nice and warm at lunch time. Today I had a doctor appt. in Boston, about 1 1/2 - 2 hrs away. I brought a heated pasta sauce and sausage lunch in one, and some cold, sliced strawberries for dessert in another one. They fit easily into a large purse or any sized tote. You can see them here: http://thermos.com/product_catalog....ewAll=true

Delicious tea (decaf): Celestial Seasonings' "Sweet Coconut Thai Chai". I drink it wth a dash of soymilk added.

The classic Zone snack of hard boiled egg whites filled with hummus are a favorite snack at our house. I have a serving scoop from Pampered Chef that holds 1T and makes it very easy. It’s the type of scoop where you squeeze the handle and the contents of the scoop drops right out.

Two things I had such a hard time finding...for one reason or another. You need them to get started!! - lol

Easy to use chart:
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pd..._May04.pdf

Calculator:
http://www.zonediet.com/BodyFatZoneBlockRequirementCalculator/tabid/159/Default.aspx

Hi brandy! Take care when using the list at that address. Page 3, which appears to be what the author(s) of it consider to be favorable Zone foods, contains a lot of poor Zone choices. About half of the fat choices listed on page 3 should actually be avoided for the Zone, as well as a fair amount of the protein choices. Also there are some unfavorabel carb foods included on the list on that page.

Those TherMax thermoses are pretty snazzy!

I've been wanting this one for my salads:
http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-Lunch...B001CRBTQY

I use a Fresh & Fit container which is ok.

I have been using the CrossFit PDF block list as my daily reference, along with this site/internet. Being the health nut I already am, I already avoid those bad fats listed on page 3. If most people have common sense and have read the books, they know that lard just ain't food for ya! In fact, I didn't even know which fats were being discussed here, so I had to look at my sheet. That's how much I've not even considered them.

Love mine! Shannon, I was looking at the Lunch and Go photo and thinking if they switched the pita for some chicken, it would make a nice Zone lunch. I want someone to make it for me, lol!

Hi
was wondering if someone can help I live in New Zealand and I have not heard of "string cheese" can some one explain what this is?

In USA, pre-packaged cheese (RE: Highly processed) into individual (virtually tasteless) tubes about 1/4in in diameter and about 6 inches long. It can peel off in bits, like string, the length of the tube. At least, that's the form I am familiar with. Though as a snack for American kids, it does beat potato chips and such. And we in USA wonder why our health costs are so high . . .

Thanks John
New Zealand makes alot of cheese for our size and processed types are usually almost rubbery and are pressed into slices for sandwiches (and MacDondalds Burgers ) to my liking it is not very nice full of emulsifiers and colouring.

Our regular cheeses like cheddar. edam, tasty, colby don't have any of the addeds so will stick with them. Here they are widely available in 1 kg (2.24 lbs) blocks about the size of a large brick, and about NZ$7 - 10. This is why we are getting fatter, plus no exercise etc

Due to my hate of exercise and love of reading...one of my co-workers suggested audiobooks. I only hear them when I'm on the threadmill or bike and it really helps. You get into the story telling and before you know it..you are done. If anyone has other tips regarding this, please share.

I listen to podcasts.

At one time I use to walk on the treadmill and read a book. But I can no longer use the treadmill because of back problems. Instead I use DVDs by Leslie Sansone ("Walk at Home") in which I can walk approx 2 miles in 30 minutes. It gives me a good workout - and strength training is also included with the walking. She has numerous DVDs available so I don't have to get bored watching the same DVD everyday. If anyone is interested, you can check it out on her website.
Marge

Posted By FlaSk4o on 2/10/2008 3:44:48 PM
Subject: RE: Have a helpful tip?
Message: I've noticed that when I eat my carb blocks at the end of my meal I feel full for a loooong time. 4 blocks for 5 hours <img src='desktopmodules/ntforums/images/emoticons/wink.gif' height='20' width='20' border='0' title='Wink' align='absmiddle'>

Hello all, thanks for making this forum so useful. I am "newborn", just a few days old. Trying it keep it simple for now but reading through many of the forums. So this comment was very interesting to me. Do others have similar experiences with the diet when eating their blocks in a specific order. I know about the effect of fat on the satiety response of the brain and for me eating a little bit of peanut butter first (as an example) really triggers it.
Laura

Welcome Laura!

It helps me if I start with the protien. I don't necessarily eat all of the protein portion before the carb, and many of my meals consist of protein mixed together with carb (stir-fry, salads, etc.). Incidentally Dr. Sears writes in his books to being your meal with protien for the best results.

I was reading about sequential eating on another website recently. There was a Dr. who did research on the length of digestion of certain foods. He recommends eating the opposite of the Zone. It's weird. He says that you should eat fruits first since they digest the quickest, because if you eat them last, then they have to stay in your stomach and wait until your meat digests, and while waiting, they ferment and cause gas and bloating. Here's a link talking more about it. It's interesting, but I don't think its accurate, at least not for everyone.

http://drbass.com/sequential.html

My tip of the day: I found individual packets of guacamole. They are 8g of fat each. Six to a pack. Made by Wholly Guacamole. They are so perfect for Zone meals. I love making Mexican Zoned meals with chicken breast strips that are virtually fat free, so adding the individual packets of guacamole are perfect.

I love that stuff (Wholly Guac.), and use it a lot! :-)

Thanks Sue,
After a few days of reading I'm now feeling very overwhelmed, the more I read in his books the worse it gets. I'll have to trust this becomes second nature. Since I started, I haven't been feeling hungry at all and find myself almost not wanting to eat the snacks, ( and I have been a chow hound ), and definitely not the amount of food which would represent the whole volume of the carb blocks. I'm not used to feeling this way! Do regular grocery stores sell "Wholly Guacamole" sounds good for my purposes. Shall use the protein suggestion.
Best, L

Becki-
I am very familiar with the system of food combining. It is based on the idea that proteins and carbs require different chemical mediums to be broken down. For instance, fruit is not digested in the stomach at all, but passed quickly into the GI track, but proteins like meat are broken down in the stomach, so if fruit is eaten at the same time it gets caught up and is
believed to ferment there. I have eaten this way and while this may be correct in relation to optimal digestion but one would not necessarily be getting the benefits of the protein/carb/fat. I don't know Sears commment on this if any...
Best, L

You're welcome L. Yes, it becomes second nature, easy in fact. You're doing very well by the sounds of it. Try to take it one day at a time. The more experience you have eating in the Zone, the more the info you read will sink in. To keep it simple you can use the plate method. It works very well. It's the way I lost the 100 pounds.

Yes, I've bought that guacamole in regular grocery stores.

Good luck!

I have tried this because it is so easy. Do you like mashed potatoes and miss them because of all the carbs the really don't go with the zone diet. Well, I found an awesome way to replace them. I know it may sound weird and I was very skeptical at first but when I tried it I really loved it. Try making mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. They come out way smoother and taste the very similar. I eat them all the time now. Here's what I do, and the process is very similar to making mashed potatoes.
Boil head of cauliflower
Strain and then press with a plate in the colander to get the excess water out. (Very Important)
Place Cauliflower in food processor or mash by hand or whip with whipping machine really doesn't matter.
Add just a little low fat milk and a little bit of what ever you use for butter. Just a little of each no need for a lot.
Then blend however you like.
Serve.
You will not be disappointed and they are some much better for you than mashed potatoes. Enjoy.

Great tip Kelly! We eat this at our house and love it. You can also dress it up with all kinds of things, like chopped turkey bacon, garlic, shredded cheese, scallions, etc. Makes a delicious side, and a good substitute for a "loaded" baked potato.

Thanks for the mashed cauliflower and other tips. I am wondering if anyone uses a web site like formulazone.com to help plan meals, etc. Seems like it could be helpful. If so, what sites or programs? I am new to the Zone approach to eating and feel like I need some help getting a handle on it.

I think there has been a few comments about Formula Zone, both recently and in the past.
Try a search on the terms.

<div class='NTForums_Quote'>Posted By Steve on 02/07/2008 9:09 PM

Sue, those are fantastic tips! I'm going to give this string a little more time and then try to tie it up in an article that we'll keep persistent for other folks to check out. Credit will go to all involved.... Thanks! CCat, I'm loving the commitment ideas - times when we can reflect on nutrition and get back on track. David, all good salespeople will say that you're losing weight ;-) j/k. Seriously, this company grows by word of mouth and when the Zone changes a person's life it's worth sharing!

I have a question. Can you use grounded flaxseeds with the Zone Diet if so what block is it and how many?

Per info previously given by Barry Sears, it's ok to sprinkle a little flax seed into your Zone meals, and there's no need to count it.

I've been on the Zone since July 1, 1999. I measure everything and place different foods in plastic baggies to take to work.

I'm glad Zak brought this thread back up (and Zak, nice to meet another long time zoner). At my house we eat only a partial package of food, especially when it comes to protein foods. I freeze the unused portion in a Ziploc bag, taking care to keep each piece of food spaced individually, apart from the others, so they can easily be removed one at a time when they're frozen. Tonight, for a treat for dinner, we had low fat hot dogs with slices of low fat cheddar cheese. Since we don't eat these foods often, I froze the unused pieces in this individual manner. Doing this makes it easier to keep your inflammation levels under control too, because you're not trting to eat up the leftovers of a less Zone friendly food for several days in a row.

Hi,

I have a few tips I do to help me follow the zone. I need things easy so I usually hard boil six eggs at a time put them in the refrigerator. When I am ready I peel them cut them and put the hummus in the middle. I eat two and it makes a good snack. I also do the protein cornbread muffins from enter the zone. I like this type of stuff since it is ready made. The receipe is 1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix, 2 Tablespoon protein powder, 2 eggs, 1 cup low-fat milk and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Blend the ingredients, fill the muffin tins, bake at 300 for 35-40 minutes. I do the breakfast strawberry drink. Hope someone tries one.

Posted this on another thread, and thought it would go well here, too!

I have read several comments in the past few years about how devastating the grocery bill can be. We were also having this same discussion in a diabetic group that I was participating in. Many people are just not able to afford produce. Processed foods are much less expensive.

Some inexpensive foods to keep you in the zone are:
-frozen veggies/berries instead of fresh
-dried beans instead of canned (although canned beans are not too bad)
-fresh fruits/veggies that are in season
-eggs are an inexpensive source of protein
-lean meat goes on sale in a cyclical pattern--watch the sales at the supermarket and stock up on the good buys that come up once per month.
-yogurt and cottage cheese are inexpensive sources of protein
-buy nuts in bulk, and keep them in the door of the freezer

and many more ideas can be found as you read through the threads. Thought I would put some ideas out there that have helped me and my family eat healthy on a budget.

Have you ever wanted a salad with you meal and wondered what to use for dressing because the meal you made already contains enough fat? White balsamic vinegar is a good alternative in place of oil and vinegar dressing. One of my favorite quick and easy side salads is mixed lettuces and diced tomato with a splash of white balsamic vinegar and a light sprinkle of S&P.

Hi,

I have a question. If fish oil is a blood thinner, wouldn't 10-15 grams a day be a little risky?

Excessive Bleeding – From The OmegaRx Zone by Dr. Barry Sears (an awesome read all about the miracle of high- dose fish oil)

While it’s true that fish oil thins the blood, I haven’t seen any evidence that it poses a danger in terms of excessive bleeding from cuts or injuries. This concern may have cropped up from the observation by European explores that Eskimos who were shot tended to bleed more readily than Europeans. More controlled trials have yet to confirm this interesting observation. On the more scientific side, we do know that there is no difference in the time it takes for blood to clot after a wound (bleeding time) between those who take 2-3 grams per day of long chain omega-3 fatty acids and those who take no fish oil. Studies using 7 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids to prevent restenosis (the closing of an artery after an angioplasty) reported no increase in bleeding times. Even when fish oil was combined with aspirin or Coumadin (a blood-thinning drug used to prevent clot formation), there were no adverse effects on the bleeding time.

In one study by Garrett FitzGerald at Vanderbilt University, normal individuals who took 10 grams of EPA per day had the same bleeding times as those who took a single aspirin. Another study by Gary Nelson of the USDA demonstrated that consumption of 6 grams of pure DHA per day had no effect on the bleeding time. It’s true that Eskimos have, on average, a longer bleeding time than Danes (the Eskimos also have much lower levels of heart disease); but when Eskimos and Danes both took an aspirin, the Danes’ bleeding times exceeded those of the Eskimos. In fact, the Eskimos’ bleeding times decreased!
The only study that found even a slight increase in bleeding times was one in which the participants took more than 20 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids per day. That study, done 20 years ago, used health-food-grade fish oils, since pharmaceutical-grade oils weren’t available then. A more recent study using 18 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in cancer patients found no increase in bleeding times. In our studies of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which I will describe in chapter 10, we found no increase in bleeding times with pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, even though some patients were taking 25 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids per day.

Frankly , there just isn’t any good evidence that taking high-dose pharmaceutical-grade fish oil will have any more of an effect than taking an aspirin per day.

L, I have some very recent personal experience related to you question. a member of my family recently had a planned major surgery and was informed by the surgeon (actually by both surgeons performing the procedure) to continue Omega Rx fish oil dosage as usual, that's prior to, on the day of and on the days immediately following the surgery.

Sue
Consultant of Zone Labs