I've been on the diet for a little over 6 weeks now and in that time, I've gained 2 kilos. I also think I've lost some muscle mass. What's going on? I've living in Japan, so it's hard to get the majority of foods listed in books such as "the top 100 Zone Foods" and so on, but I do the best I can. For protein, I eat seafood almost exclusively and chicken occaisionally. I also use soy based protien powders. For fats, I get most from macadamia nuts and occaisionally from olive oil. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I eat fruits, veggies and seaweed for my carbs, but I can never finish the amount required as I'm supposed to be eating 22 blocks a day and I cannot "gaze" as such activity is frowned upon at my place of employment and my Japanese co-workers just do not get the concept of this diet. I lift weights 5 days a week, swim 3, and play rugby on weekends, yet I keep gaining weight. I'm frustrated beyond belief. Any tips?

[quote:9255fa99fa="sensei"]I've been on the diet for a little over 6 weeks now and in that time, I've gained 2 kilos. I also think I've lost some muscle mass. What's going on? I'm supposed to be eating 22 blocks a day and I cannot "gaze" as such activity is frowned upon at my place of employment and my Japanese co-workers just do not get the concept of this diet. I lift weights 5 days a week, swim 3, and play rugby on weekends, yet I keep gaining weight. I'm frustrated beyond belief. Any tips?[/quote:9255fa99fa] I am not an expert, but I know that you are not supposed to eat more than 4 blocks of protein at any one meal, because your body can not process more than that at any one time. I just reread that in scanning back through "A Week in the Zone". So if you're having trouble grazing, then maybe your lunch is too high in blocks.

Actually, Some folks, such as elite althletes can have up to 6 blocks per meal.

Well, my lean body mass is 100 kilos and I do lift a lot of weight, so I don't see the protein as being a problem. Actually, I think I've cut down the amount of protein I eat since I started this diet.

to sensei, What is your body fat percentage? What is the approximate ratio of protein to carbs that you were consuming before? What is the ratio of protein to carbs that you are consuming now? Charlie

My body fat % when I started was 16.4% Now it's 17.6%. I can't really be sure what the ratio of protein to carbs was, but something along the lines of 60% proteins, 20% carbs, 20% fat I would suspect.

Sensei, A very quick guess. It sounds like you've been eating similar to the Atkins diet, and that you're eating too many high-glycemic carbs. Dr. Sears has pertinent comments in his books. Have you read any of them, or are you improvising with information on the website? Sue recently made a truly excellent reply to Satu in Finland. It is really worth reading several times. Notice that she commented on the value of eating enough healthy fats (olive oil, nuts). Others, please comment. Best wishes, Charlie

[quote:40924dc6d5="cduane"] Sue recently made a truly excellent reply to Satu in Finland. It is really worth reading several times. Notice that she commented on the value of eating enough healthy fats (olive oil, nuts).[/quote:40924dc6d5] Hi Charlie, Thanks for the compliment! Sue

I should have made it clear. The 60% protein, 20% carbs, 20% fat was the diet I was following before I started the Zone diet. Since I started it, I'm following the 30%P, 40%C, 30%F rules layed out in Dr. Sears's books, which I did buy. I'm using my trustly little kitchen scale along with the "Zone Runner" program to work out my meals. I try to stick to the foods Dr. Sears recommends in the top 100 zone foods, but most are unavailable in Japan. Furhter, the nutritional breakdown a lot of the stuff I'm stuck eating isn't listed on any site, so I have to guess. Stuff like kimchi isn't too bad. I use the values for boiled cabbage and chili powder, but things like tsukemono (japanese pickles), ika no shiokara (fermented squid guts), natto (fermented soy beans) and whatnot are a little harder. I've tried to cut such stuff out of my diet, but it's hard and there aren't a lot of alternatives. Man, what I wouldn't give for some cottage cheese and egg beaters right now.

[quote:a1517a8fa8="sensei"] Furhter, the nutritional breakdown a lot of the stuff I'm stuck eating isn't listed on any site, so I have to guess. Stuff like kimchi isn't too bad. I use the values for boiled cabbage and chili powder, but things like tsukemono (japanese pickles), ika no shiokara (fermented squid guts), natto (fermented soy beans) and whatnot are a little harder. I've tried to cut such stuff out of my diet, but it's hard and there aren't a lot of alternatives. Man, what I wouldn't give for some cottage cheese and egg beaters right now.[/quote:a1517a8fa8] Hi, The book I recommended to you in reply to your other post (The Complete Book of Food Counts" by Corinne T. Netzer) contains nutritional values for kimchee, natto, arame, hiziki, kombu, nori, wakame, squid, shoyu, cellophane noodles, diakon, lotus root, lychee, and the list goes on. Sue

Sensei, things to think about If your body has been accustomed to a high protein diet, and you don't like gaining weight on a P30, C40, F30 diet, here are some suggestions: 1) try a P/C ratio of 1.0 instead of .75 - ie P35, C35, F30 2) emphasize strictly low glycemic carbs - ie, avoid grains, rice 3) consider increasing your fat calories, something like P25, C25, F50 If you have been gaining fat, excess insulin may be a key factor. These suggestions show a strategy for reducing the carb consumption and theoretically staying Zone-friendly. There could also be problem with getting enough healthy fats. If you are getting too much saturated fat from your protein sources, that also could contribute to weight gain. Apparently your body can produce saturated fat to meet its own needs, but cannot produce unsaturated fat. And you want to be consuming monounsaturated fats (olive oil or canola oil ) in preference to polyunsaturated fats (corn oil or safflower oil). :o Guys, correct me if I'm wrong! I believe Dr. Sears has written about the tendency of people on high protein diets to gain weight sooner or later. Something about cells becoming "fat magnets." Also see what he says about the Atkins diet. The experts can kick these thoughts around and correct me. I've tried to pitch in and help because your initial question went unanswered for a while. Best wishes, Charlie

[quote:9e009ec193="cduane"]Sensei, things to think about If your body has been accustomed to a high protein diet, and you don't like gaining weight on a P30, C40, F30 diet, here are some suggestions: 1) try a P/C ratio of 1.0 instead of .75 - ie P35, C35, F30 2) emphasize strictly low glycemic carbs - ie, avoid grains, rice 3) consider increasing your fat calories, something like P25, C25, F50 If you have been gaining fat, excess insulin may be a key factor. These suggestions show a strategy for reducing the carb consumption and theoretically staying Zone-friendly. There could also be problem with getting enough healthy fats. If you are getting too much saturated fat from your protein sources, that also could contribute to weight gain. Apparently your body can produce saturated fat to meet its own needs, but cannot produce unsaturated fat. And you want to be consuming monounsaturated fats (olive oil or canola oil ) in preference to polyunsaturated fats (corn oil or safflower oil). :o Guys, correct me if I'm wrong! I believe Dr. Sears has written about the tendency of people on high protein diets to gain weight sooner or later. Something about cells becoming "fat magnets." Also see what he says about the Atkins diet. The experts can kick these thoughts around and correct me. I've tried to pitch in and help because your initial question went unanswered for a while. Best wishes, Charlie[/quote:9e009ec193] IMO Charlie, you are right on the money with your comments. The results are a consiquence of the previous high protein diet. This will be corrected in time and the suggestions provide a transition path that will minimize the damage. If you stop and think about it, doubling carbs was always going to have an adverse effect on insulin. White Light

[quote:b47578b1aa="cduane"] And you want to be consuming monounsaturated fats (olive oil or canola oil ) in preference to polyunsaturated fats (corn oil or safflower oil). :o Guys, correct me if I'm wrong![/quote:b47578b1aa] Yes Omega 6 fatty acids ie soybean oil, safflower oil should be avoided like the plague in the Zone. They are actually worse that trans fatty acids for knocking a person out of the Zone.

<<Yes Omega 6 fatty acids ie soybean oil, safflower oil should be avoided like the plague in the Zone. They are actually worse that trans fatty acids for knocking a person out of the Zone.>> Can you clarify A-M? Small amounts of omega-6 are needed for the production of "good" eicosanoids. GLA is an omega-6. Trans-fats gum up all eicosanoid synthesis, inhibit D6D activity, and are a manufactured product (unless you are referring to the small amount of natural trans-fats found in some animal products?) I would say that trans-fats should be avoided like the plague whereas "small" amounts of omega-6 are required. Though I would agree that omega-6 oils should be avoided since the small amounts of linoleic requirements are met through low-fat protein selections or the trace amounts of GLA in oatmeal.

Sensei-- I believe the reason you are gaining weight is because you are eating 22 blocks!!! :shock: A typical male should be eating 14 blocks a day. 4 Blocks for breakfast, 4 blocks for lunch, 1 for snack, 4 for dinner, and 1 for snack. Am I the only one that caught that :?: --Kitty

I'm fairly new at this but 22 blocks seems out of line to me.