Hello!
I have been doing the zone very strictly since april. but recently i hit a wall and fell off of the being so strict. I was still careful about what i ate I just wasnt measuring and doing all that to a T. I think I got burnt out on the same stuff over and over. It wasnt just with the food I also let my workout routine change as well. I am getting discouraged...but I just started again today because as they say with the zone its like falling off ur bike just get back on...make sure ur next meal is balanced...

any inspiration or words of wisdom would help!

Burning out sometimes happens when we put too much importance in doing it right. Kind of the "do it right or not at all" philosophy.

Don't worry about measuring things to a tee. The Zone is just that, a zone. There is room for error. It is a zone, not an exact point (just like a parking space).

Same thing with working out. As for me, sometimes I feel as if I MUST put in my time or else it isn't worth it. So, if I can't do 30-45 minutes, then I tend to not do it at all. But, really, each minute counts, and it is better to do some than none at all.

So start small and work towards your goals.

... AND . . . life happens. I was on a routine of working out Tuesdays and Fridays late afternoon.
Life happens! I was not able to work-out last Friday, and I knew I would not be able to work out this week on Tuesday, so Monday afternoon came, and I was just pooped and needed the rest, esp. knowing what was coming up this week. (Plus a 4 hour commitment on Monday and Tues evening and a 3 hour commitment on Thursday evening, not home until 10:00PM.) So I finally went today (Wednesday) at noon. No worries about being off the routine I had established . . . . . Ahh, can't wait until Friday evening, we're both out then, too - but as a fun night making (red) wine at Incredibrew. And Saturday morning, sleeping in this week, will be a luxury.

Ahh thank you so much...sometimes its just nice to hear from people who are also zoneing it! and I agree with you about the zone...its a zone! and john! amen! thats what I was getting caught up with....I was too focused on zoneing and not involved in my own life! I agree I need to calm down and let life happen! thank you

You're welcome! I used to focus too much of my attention on molding my life around the Zone. It drove me crazy and eventually led to many derailments. Once I learned to INCORPORATE Zone living into MY life, I no longer felt RULED by diet. I now mold the Zone around my life instead of the other way around. Kind of like what John said, "life happens".

excellent way of putting it! thank you so much!

You're welcome! Glad to help.

hi
i am also new to the zone, i have read dr. sears first book. i have a few questions:
1.my zone blocks worked out with the "enter the zone" book,does not match the website?
2.i like to exercise first in the morning before i eat,is that ok, or does it affect weightloss (my goal)?
3. do the meals have to be seperated as explained,like eg.11= 3,3,1,3,1 or can i adjust it according to my lifestyle? i,according to the book need 10 blocks,so i set up my day like this; by the time i finish exercise in the morning,i eat at about 9am (4 blocks), then lunch at 2pm (3 blocks) and then supper at 7am (3 blocks),i don't put in snacks because there is no time, otherwise, i eat too late, or i do 4,2,1,3 and if i'm going out for dinner i will leave 4 blocks for that, is eating 4 blocks too much at a meal? does it inhibit weightloss?
4. my sister and i have both started the zone and it's been 3 weeks and we haven't experienced any results, must we just be patient or are we doing something wrong?
5. another thing is we have a relax day on sunday (where we don't count anything and give into cravings in moderation) and then detox on monday by just having fruit and then the rest of the week is the zone,is this why haven't had results?
6.if you don't included the fat,does it make a difference?
7.does spices,vinegar and tabasco added to the food make a difference?
8.do you take the hip measurement at the widest part of your butt and the abdomen measurement at the smallest part of your waist (about 1.5 inches above belly button)?
9.is 1 salmon block 1oz or 1.5,because i looked it up and its 6g protein per 1oz?
10.is a tahini block 1/2 a tsp or tblspn, because i also looked that up and it seems to be 1/2 a tspn?
please can someone help, both my sister and i,we need to seriously lose weight, especially my sis, as she has back problems.
thanx

Hi Tina, and welcome!

Here are some answers.

1. After the book was written Dr. Sears set an 11 block daily minimum for adults. The most updated info is found in his most recent book, "Toxic Fat", and on this website.

2. For hormonal control you'd eat before exercising first thing. You can eat a 1 block snack, then exercise. Reduce one of you meals by 1 block, so you don't go over your daily protein requirement. Many people do this in the Zone.
3. It’s fine to split your blocks differently as long as you follow balancing and timing rules, and eat you full protein/ block requirement daily. Determine your daily requirement using the calculator found here: http://www.zonediet.com/Tools/Calcu...fault.aspx

4. Review your Zone info to be sure you’re following it correctly. If you’d like to post a sample day of meals and exercise, I’ll be happy to take a look. Please include specific foods, amounts and timing, plus the type of hunger you have 4 hours after meals, if any. Also please refer to my reply to qn 5.

5. It can take up to 4 days of eating Zone meals and snacks 24/7 to lower insulin into the Zone. If you are not eating Zone meals and snacks for 2 days out of every 7 days, then depending on how long it takes your body to get back into the Zone, you may not be spending very much time in the Zone each week. This would be enough to prevent progress with the loss of stored body fat.

6. Yes, it makes a difference. It’s necessary to eat the minimum recommended amount of monounsaturated fat to be in the Zone.

7. Spices are fine in condiment amounts.

8. The waist is taken at the belly button and the hip at the largest part of your hip. Please refer to the calculator instructions.

____________________________________________


sue

Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil. ZoneFast 1-2-3 is the best!

Thanx so much for your help Sue!

Where on the website could I find the info about the min blocks being 11?
I read that when you do exercise at the right intensity you do get into the zone,so wouldn't that be fine instead of eating a snack because don't you burn more fat if you exercise before you eat?
A sample of my day: I exercise for 1hr every morning Monday to Friday, which is 30min cardio and then body weight strength training for the remainder 30min, my sister doesn't exercise.
Then I eat breakfast at about 9am:if I need it I have 4 blocks:chicken breast deli style 1.5oz
:egg white 2
:fat free yoghurt 1 cup or 300g (according to the labels)
:almond butter 2 tspns (added to the yoghurt)
:strawberries 1 cup
:blueberries 1/2 cup
I mix the almond butter with the yoghurt and the fruit with some cinnamon
I don't get hungry until 5 or 6 hrs later, so lunch is about 2pm:which is 3 blocks of chicken and salad and tahini (is it 1/2 a tbls or tsp?) or 2 blocks of cottage cheese,fruit and slivered almonds and then 2hrs later 1 block of cottage cheese again.
And then I have supper of 3 blocks at about 7pm:salmon 3 oz (is it 1 oz or 1.5oz?)
:broccoli 1 cup
:cauliflower 2 cups
:zucchini 1 cup
:tahini 1 1/2 tspn
So can we have a cheat day and then leave the detox day?or should we get rid of both?
Is the fat 1.5g or 3g a block?
We also take 200iu vit E and 1 capsule of fish oil,which is 164mg EPA and 110 DHA everyday,are these the right supplements?
If we use the block method or Zone 1,2,3 which is better? I don't really know what the zone 1,2,3 is?

Thank you for being so helpful and sorry for all the extra questions

You're welcome Tina. :-)

You can confirm the 11 block minimum by putting you stats into the Zone calculator on this site. If you require further confirmation, you could get if from a phone representative at the phone number at top of this page. http://www.zonediet.com/Tools/Calcu...fault.aspx

I'm not aware that exercise puts a person into the Zone. Exercise is not a substitute for a balanced Zone snack. It's of the utmost importance to eat your entire protein requirement each day.

It’s a good sign that you’re not hungry after breakfast. Your breakfast contains 3 protein blocks and 4 carbohydrate blocks (1 cup yogurt usually contains 2P and 2C). I’d suggest eliminating one of the blocks of berries.
The cottage cheese snack needs some carbohydrate and fat added to it.

Your supper is a balanced 2 block meal with a little extra fat. 1.5 oz salmon + 1 P block. http://www.zonediet.com/Tools/Quick...fault.aspx

Re cheat day/detox day, get rid of both. Dr. Sears’ cheat recommendation is one meal per month.

A fat block contains 1.5 grams of fat. 3 grams of fat is needed to balance each block; 1.5 g fat is “hidden” in the P block, and the other 1.5 g fat is in the F block (1.5 = 1.5 = 3). When your protein is fat free, you double the number of 1.5 gram fat blocks you add.

Your fish oil does not have the EPA/DHA Dr. Sears recommends. The amounts of EPA and DHA in your product show that it is not an ultra-refined fish oil concentrate. It is not safe to ingest, and you would not receive much benefit from it. You can read more here, http://www.zonediet.com/Shop/Omega-...rates.aspx

Re blocks, vs 1-2-3, both are good. Most people who eat classic Zone meals do fine with the plate method. It’s easier than counting blocks and works great. It’s the way I lost 100 pounds. Personally have the best results with ZoneFast 1-2-3. You can read all about it here: http://www.zonediet.com/Home/tabid/...fault.aspx

No need to apologize for asking questions. It’s a great way to learn, and you questions also help other readers here. Have a great weekend!

_____________________________________________________

sue



Consultant of Zone Labs

Certified Zone Affiliate




Lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to
the Zone diet and Zone fish oil. ZoneFast 1-2-3 is the best!

Thank you Sue!
I apologise for repeating my questions on another forum,I was just anxious to start eating correctly.

You're welcome Tina. No worries. :-) I was away last week for a couple days, and then again for the past few days, or I would have replied sooner.

Here's how I see things and what keeps me motivated:

1.I've noticed that food quality makes more difference in my health than getting hung up on having exactly balanced meals. I only ever do the "that'll be about right, eye hand method" now. The better the food quality the easier the zone is and the better the results.

2. Treat eating like you would other things, we are weird about food IMO. If we are late for work or mess up with something, we don't go - Oh well I'll just be late everyday now! We just try and do better next time. Go for percentages not all or nothing - If you've done 80% thats an A pass. Don't sweat the mess-ups, just go for doing as many meals well as you can.

3. Find a vision that inspires you. What you do now will make a difference in 20 years time, not just the next few hours. Healthy old age? Being around to see great grand-kids and play with them? Having amazing vitality when you are 90?

4. Get everything else in your life in place to support you:
Minimise stress
Do physical activity
Do what you love
Sleep - 7 - 9 hours a night, in a pitch black room and wake without an alarm
Have good relationships
Get sunlight (or Vit D)

All these things affect weight loss and health, if they are not in place it's hard to stick to an eating plan.

That is really great advice, Julianne!

I posted back in August on this thread, this is what I posted:

"I used to focus too much of my attention on molding my life around the Zone. It drove me crazy and eventually led to many derailments. Once I learned to INCORPORATE Zone living into MY life, I no longer felt RULED by diet. I now mold the Zone around my life instead of the other way around."

Thanks Julianne! Love your posts !

Laurie