Hi, all. This is my first time on the site (first time posting, obviously) so forgive me if this has been asked a million times or I don't post it correctly. (I'm also not big with forums.)

Anyway...

I love the Zone. I was "on" this diet, following it really, for many years when I was younger. It always made me feel good and I always dropped the few pounds I wanted to lose quickly. My whole life, I have always been slim. Even after my son was born, I went right back to my usual weight: 115-120. In ONE YEAR, I gained around 30 pounds! This is not me. I don't recognize myself and I feel horrible.

Now, at 38 years old, I am back to the Zone and actually ON this diet. It is NOT working. I am familiar with it and I am doing everything right. I've been on it for almost a month and I am not losing this awful weight. I lost a tiny bit (pound or two) the first week and now have been the same weight (give or take a pound) for over two weeks! I am so discouraged, I don't know what to do. I am keeping track of my am and pm weight and everything I eat throughout the day. I have not cheated one time in this whole month. I am at my wit's end. I need help. If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you kindly,
Hali

Hi Hali,

It's not uncommon to lose only a couple pounds with 3 weeks of Zone eating. Some medications and hormonal therapies can interfere with Zone progress. If your 30 pound weight gain in one year is not the result of your eating patterns or any medication you might have been taking, you could check with your physician to try to get a handle on the cause of the weight gain. If you'd like to post your actual food diary for a day or two including how you feel 4 hours after each meal (hungry or not, focused or not), your LBM and a description of any exercise activity you perform, I'll be happy to take a look and give some suggestions.

Hali,
A food journal is sometimes very revealing. If you could provide an example of what you have been eating, and how you are feeling after your meals, that would be immensely helpful.

The fact that you gained 30# in a years time is interesting, sounds like a metabolic thing. Have you talked with your doctor about it? I am thinking along the lines of thyroid issues, or hormonal changes. Any tendancy towards type 2 diabetes in your family?

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Thanks, Sue.

I'm not hungry at all throughout the day but I eat all day. I eat 6 times (this is the way I'd always done it when it worked)...breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack...and all of these are ridiculously small portions (for me). Because I'm not hungry, I don't need to eat a lot.

My weight gain is severe in a short time, I think. I herniated two discs and, ever since then, I've just packed the weight on (and lost some height). I have other medical issues with my back and knees because of a car accident so my activity is very limited. But I don't want to go crazy at a gym anyway. I love yoga but am unable to do that right now with my medical issues. So I'd like to drop the fat first then work with the occupational therapist on toning and strengthening some walking if I can.

Typical day:

B: coffee and 1/2 zone bar
S: milk and cashews
L: salad (mostly lettuce with some low fat shredded cheese, chickpeas, olives, and a few pieces of lean chicken) or tuna with olives & grapefruit
S: Boost (label says it's zone perfect) or zone bar or 1/2 apple with cheese
D: egg whites with grapefruit (small pre-packaged container) or salmon with green beans
S: chobani yogurt or cottage cheese & 1/2 apple

I read labels and make sure they are zone perfect and I drink water ALL DAY. This is quite a change from my eating habits before this. I'm very discouraged and ready to dump this diet. I feel like I've given it some time and I have worked really hard to make sure I stick to it, eating nothing I'm not supposed to. It's depressing to see the scale in the mornings.

Thank you so much,
Hali

Oh, thank you cranberrycat! Didn't see your post. I agree that weight gain is absurd. I do have some thyroid issues in my family but I've never had any problem with that. Also, my dr. dismissed this weight gain which I find insulting and irresponsible. I am in-between doctors right now. ;-)

Thanks, again!

Hi Hali,

Without knowing your LBM or the actual amounts of food in your meals I can't tell for certain, but it doesn't look like you're eating enough food. Use the Body Fat Calculator here to track your stats and to determine how much food to eat each day. http://www.zonediet.com/tools/body-...calculator The amount you require now might not be the same as the amount you required in the past.

For closer adherence to the Zone diet, incorporate the following suggestions.

1. Switch to decaf if you're drinking regular coffee.

2. Liquid meals can prevent lowering insulin enough to stay in the Zone, so in place of the boost and milk snacks, substitute snacks composed of lean protein, vegetables and a dash of monounsaturated fat (olive oil, olives, almonds, avocadoes, cashews).

3. Change the chick peas in the lunch salad to vegetables that are less dense in carbohydrate, like bell peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, green beans, etc.

4. Remember to add a dash of fat to meals and snacks. Be more generous with that dash of added monounsaturated fat when you choose low fat proteins.

5. Don't become too reliant on cheese as your protein source (it's not the best protein for insulin control).

6. Making sure the labels are in perfect balance is not always the bottom line. The ingredients and how the meal made you feel a few hours later are both very important considerations.

7. Eat more veggies and less fruit. One way to jumpstart stored fat loss with the Zone diet is to have all of you carbohydrates from vegetables, no fruit. Once the fat loss kicks in add a little fruit at a time to the amount you find you can tolerate while still maintaining fat loss..

8. Berries are your best choice of fruit for the Zone. Berries stimulate insulin production less than most other fruits

Wow, that's a lot to think about. Not eating enough? I kept cutting back the portions and driving myself crazy wondering why the pounds are melting away. Thank you so much for the tips. I really want to continue with this particular diet and this will allow me to (with some adjustments). I will try these tips and see how it goes.

Much appreciated!

"...why the pounds AREN'T melting away..." is what I meant, of course. :blush:

Hali,

It would be interesting to see the actual amounts of what you are eating.

Have you checked your stats against the bodyfat calculator? Doing this will reveal what you should be taking in, per your stats.

Are you getting any exercise? I find, personally, that I just DON'T have diet success without balancing it with exercise. I can maintain like crazy, but it is easy for me to gain and hard for me to lose, despite eating well in the Zone. Exercise seems to push me through. Weight loss is slow, but it happens when I put this all together.

Also, when you first started, did you take any measurements? Have you noticed the measurements changing despite the scale? Scales are sometimes very inaccurate and it is difficult to see short-term progress. However, if you take measurments, or even just take note of how clothes are fitting, you may realize that you are successful.

Looking at your diet intake, I would also recommend similar as Sue. I won't knock the coffee, if it is only one per day and you aren't having any hunger/appetite issues. My personal experience has been that I have difficulty losing weight when I rely on bars and processed foods. Try replacing some of the processed foods with whole foods and focus on getting more veggies, 1-2 fruit servings per day, limit legumes to once per day, and limit your "liquid" dairy.

My current eating patterns: I generally get at least 1/2 of my carbs from vegetable sources (definitely lunch and dinner are loaded with veggies). My breakfast is a home made smoothie, and my snacks vary but generally one snack is a veggie-based snack and the other snack is a berry-based snack. I used to use legumes quite a bit, but have moved away from using them regularly, so if you rely on them a lot, you may want to switch them out for another veggie. I also struggle when I use too much cheese for my protein, and so I limit hard cheeses to once per day--if that. Cottage cheese is better, but still just once per day.


Please check back in and hopefully you can give some more amounts on your food intakes, check your stats, and let us know about exercise.

You're welcome, Hali. It's important to eat your full block recommendation every day (from the calculator), even if you don't feel hungry. If you eat less than you require, even if it's Zone balanced, your body will sense it's in a time of famine. It thinks it's starving and compensates by trying to survive on less energy (on fewer calories) and at the same time tends to hold onto all the stored fat it has to provide for future needs. It's the body's attempt at self preservation.

Also, keep in mind that the m\aximum weight loss expection for the Zone is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per week.

Please keep us updated!

Hali,
I would like to recommend the book "Wheat Belly" which is changing my life. I incorporate the principle of the zone diet w/ a "Wheat Belly" approach. I hit my plateau & could not get off until I read the wheat belly book by Dr Wm Davis. I use strict zone principle, however, have cut the wheat out of my diet. Read his book & it might make sense. It worked for me & at 54 y.o. I plan on becoming the healthiest I have ever been in my life. And... hunger free, highly focused & energetic as I have ever been. Check it out... george

Hi Hali, I was just reviewing your typical day and from what I can see, your body is in starvation mode! You're really not eating very much. I've been
using the " at a glance method" and I've literally been stuffed the whole time.

My diet mostly consist of raw vegetables,some fruit,nuts,lean protein,the size and thickness of my palm and I been mixing rice vinegar(they have it with garlic or basil) in my olive oil for the dressing with a little shake of italian seasoning. I'm starting to eat cooked vegetables now for variety. I'd watch out for the milk and the boost, these liquids can throw you off balance. I think once you start eating the pounds should start coming off. Also 30 minutes of exercise helps, I started out with just walking because I was really out of shape,now I'm going to give this stair master a shot , but I'll start off slow(very slow). Wish me luck, you take care :)

Hali, I use the Zone At-a-Glance method too. It's the way I lost 100 pounds. It's easy and it works great!

cranberrycat: I don't know the exact amounts of what I'm eating. "Not much" is very subjective but that's what I think.;-) I just kept cutting my portions down. Plus, on this diet, I'm full all the time. FULL. I want to skip snacks and even meals but I don't...I make sure I eat a little 6 times a day. But I am constantly so full that I feel bloated. It's awful. I don't know how I could possibly eat more. What kinds of things should I eat more of? Everything? As for exercise...I don't exercise at all. I'll be starting physical therapy (again) next week for my injuries but I'm don't allowed to do anything right now. That's probably one of the reasons I gained so much weight so quickly. I know I'm getting older but I always lost pounds on this diet when I was younger without exercise. I waited until I lost the fat and then I toned up what was left. It always worked well. Things are different now, I guess. You're right about the number on the scale. I actually got rid of my scale about 10 years ago. I just bought one for this diet about a month ago. I have always paid more attention to how my clothes fit me. The answer now is: they don't. Thank you, again, for all your help. I will definitely skip the "liquid" protein and see how that goes. I'll also cut out the cheese as primary protein sources (although I'll probably eat a little cottage cheese maybe once a day). I used cheese a lot throughout the day for snacks and even lunch sometimes.

Sue & Gail: I have heard of bodies going into that mode. I did used to eat large quantities (I love food). :-) But I've never had a problem with my weight. Ever. I ate whatever I wanted. This is very difficult and new for me. I will try to eat more, but like I said to cranberrycat, I am so full all the time it's all I can do to eat what little I do for snacks. It's weird. I feel bloated. Is the "at-a-glance" mode a book or a link on here or...? I will try that. Thank you both. (Good luck, Gail!)

george: I will definitely check out "Wheat Belly". I've already looked up the book and the website and it looks interesting.

Thanks, again, to all of you for your time and advice. I really appreciate it. I'll let you know how it goes...

Best,
Hali

Hi Hali,

Here's a link http://www.zonediet.com/tools/zone-classic

One very apparent dfference for you now is you higher level of inflammation due to your injuries. Increasing your fish oil dose would help. The goal of the Zone is to lower inflammation and to gain hormonal control. Weight loss is enhanced when inflammation levels are low. When you're pumping out inflammation it's not going to be as easy to lose the stored fat. Understanding more about how the Zone works and how to tweak it for your needs can help to alleviate your frustration. I highly recommend reading the most recent book by Dr.Sears, "Toxic Fat". It gives the whole picture. BTW, when you follow the Classic Zone you should basically be eating a wheat free diet. Dr. Sears suggests weaning off breads, pastas, etc over the first couple weeks of the Zone diet. Oen day at a time, Hali, or one meal at a time. Whichever it takes, you can do it. :)

Hali,

I didn't realize you were suffering from an injury. I agree with your thoughts on that.

So, just go back to the basics, lean protein, monounsaturated fats, and veggies. Try the dropped carb/increased fat approach, and that will help you to get some quality carbs in as well as reduce the size of your meals. Keep us posted!

Hi Hali;
I know you use the Glance method; however, you might consider using the Block method, at least for a while.
By weighing/measuring/reading the labels and counting blocks - it gives you a real sense of serving sizes and proportions.
Something worth considering and done properly, the Glance method works well, too.
.
Just cutting out grains, especially wheat, helps a lot. My wife did not do real well as i have,
though honestly, she did not follow Zone guidelines as closely as I did. But, after I suggested cutting out grains, especially wheat,
she was able to lose last 15-20 pounds and maintain.

Thank you for the link. That is a little easier to follow. I did this diet so long ago. Yes, I have severe inflammation. I don't take fish oil...there are three on here for sale. Do you suggest one over the others? Yes, I really do need some time to tweak this and address my needs. I do have a feeling that will help with a lot of the frustration. (Re: wheat...I actually don't eat any grains right now at all. Absolutely NO pasta, rice, bread. Even the high protein pita pockets I got I gave to my husband. I also got Kashi Go Lean cereal and don't eat that. I'll get those again once I've lost some weight because they seem really good.) Thanks for all the info and support!

Hi John. Thanks for writing. :-) I haven't tried the glance method yet but I will look at both that and the block method. I haven't weighed food yet but maybe I should do that just once so I can see what 3 oz looks like so I can eyeball it in the future. I don't eat any grains at all right now. We'll see how it goes. Thanks!

Cranberrycat: I'm going to keep at it for a while and try really hard not to become so discouraged and depressed about this. With everything else going on, it's difficult not to want to give up completely. No weight loss again today. Not even an ounce. I'll keep you posted. Thank you, again.

Best,
Hali

You're welcome, Hali. Yes, I'd recommend Omega Rx. The capsules are most ocnvenient. The liquid is exactly the same thing for those who prefer taking a liquid over a capsule. The amount of Omega Rx you'd take daily depends upon your degree of wellness. It's explained in TOXIC FAT as follows (grams refer to total amount of EPA and DHA combined).

To maintain wellness, 2.5 g/day (4 caps; 1 teaspoon liquid).

For overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, or before starting a diet, 5 g/day (8 caps; 2 teaspoons liquid).

For chronic pain, 7.5 g/day (12 caps; 3 teaspoons liquid).

For existing neurological conditions 10 g/day (16 caps; 4 teaspoons liquid).

Excellent! Thank you!

Don't worry, it will come.

I go in and out of ruts myself, but in the long run it does turn itself around. And, to be honest, each time I go off (thinking that this thing isn't working), I learn very quickly how much better I feel in the Zone, even if I am not losing weight. So, basically I just try to put wellness in the forefront, and let weight loss happen as a pleasant side-effect!

Thank you. I am desperate to lose this weight but I do have to admit I feel so much better on this diet so I will try to keep that in mind. :-)

Hi Hali, please don't get discouraged,you're still recuperating from an injury, and if you are on any meds, that could be effecting you as well. whether you use the block method or at a glance, it's still better than the traditional american diet that's very lacking in the nutrients you need.

I used to be thin when I was younger, then I had my son at 38. after that it seems like all I had to do was just smell food and I would gain weight
i would try diet after diet where either your constantly hungry or craving something you shouldn't eat. and I just had no energy.

this is the only lifestyle change I've tried (diets don't work) that actually gives me energy . I'm 50 and I feel like it did in my 20's. Just to be able to feel good again can be a silver lining in itself but the icing, is that eventually you will start to loose weight once your inflamation subsides.

Take care of your self and eat well, it's good for you :)

Thanks so much, Gail. :-) I'm trying. It's so much with recovering and this being the first time I really need to lose a lot of weight...it can be depressing. But I really do want to stay on this diet because I feel so good when I eat the Zone foods. I'm really going to try to concentrate on that. Also, I am desperately waiting for the inflammation to go down and that might take awhile. (Hee..."...all I had to do was smell food and I would gain weight...".) :-D

Thanks for your response.

Best,
Hali

I enjoyed reading all these posts, it's been 38 weeks and I am stuck at another platau. Nice to be reminded and encouraged to stick with it!
Good luck Hali and my only advise to you is to stop calling the zone a diet, and look at it as a way of life!

Tracie, excellent advice!

Hali, hang in there. Best wishes to you. :)

Tracie,

You're right...it's more a way of life. I was just referring to it as a diet because it is a way of eating (aka "diet") as the site is called "The Zone Diet". :-) But, yes, you're right. It's not your typical diet. I know what you mean. I have changed my way of eating as well as what I eat and I feel so much healthier. Good luck with your plateau...I'm sticking with it, too.

Best,
Hali

I don't get it. I'm so frustrated and discouraged. I'm doing everything right. I'm still not eating any starchy carbs, no candy (obviously), nothing I'm not supposed to eat. I'm eating the same things I mentioned. I'm up and down. I got down for two days now I'm back up TWO POUNDS! How did this happen? I'm not asking to lost 20 pounds overnight. I'm being patient...all I want is SOMETHING. If I can lose one stinkin' pound a week (which is taking a lot of patience for me) I'll take it. But this back and forth for over three weeks is really getting to me. Again, I haven't introduced anything new specifically because of this back and forth. I don't want to add anything new until I can quickly see what the culprit was on my diet log. Right now, I'm doing everything right and I'm not losing. Or, rather, I did lose but I keep gaining it back then losing then gaining...all on the same foods! I really want to dump this diet and try something else then come back to it for a long-term healthy lifestyle to maintain...not to lose. Obviously, it's not working for my body. Has anyone done a weight loss program then gone back on the Zone to maintain? Thank you.

Hali

It is sometimes a bit frustrating. I have not been a fast "loser" in the Zone, either. But, stick with it! Sometimes I will go weeks and weeks and then all of a sudden I will lose a bunch all at once. Then, I will stick at the same number for awhile, and then drop a bunch again.

Sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees, but just keep focusing on the big picture.

Also, although we don't focus on calorie-burning in the Zone, it might be helpful to check a few of your meals out to see how they are falling in terms of calories. Even in the Zone, excess calories will turn to fat, or might be the cause of stalled weight loss.

I really shouldn't write on here when I'm upset. ;-) Thanks, Cranberrycat. I still am not sure this diet is working with my body. Everyone is different. I might have to go on another one to really lose the weight then come back to the Zone for maintenance. But I'll stick it out a bit longer.

As far as calories, I think you're right. If you eat a too many calories, no matter what diet you're on, you're going to gain weight. At first everyone said I wasn't eating enough but I think the amounts for the Zone are way too much to lose a lot of weight. I'm going to scale back again and see what happens. I'll try to be more patient. Like I said, this is the first time I've really have to lose weight and it's so frustrating and discouraging. I appreciate your post. Sorry about my ranting.

Hali

Don't feel sorry! That is what this place is here for--support and motivation!

Sometimes I would become very frustrated because I would feel so stuck in a rut and not losing weight. So there have been times that I have strayed from the Zone. But, I always seem to come back!

I have found, through the years, that even if I wasn't losing weight, I was still successful because I wasn't GAINING and I was healthy. I just have to accept that sometimes the weight loss is secondary to all of the other benefits.

What I have found going to other diets, is that they don't work well for me because I was always hungry and could not stick with it long-term. And, I ended up gaining instead of losing, and I didn't feel good either. So, each time I have strayed from the Zone, I returned so that I could get back into the Zone and feel good. And, if I am not gaining fat, I have learned to accept the fact that this is ALSO a success!

Hi Hali,

Heres' a blog I was writign today on another website. I thought it might help yo to read this. :)




When you feel frustrated, consider this. The more successful you are at lowering inflammation, the easier it becomes for your body to burn its excess stored fat. Your excess stored fat isn’t just sitting there making you look plumper. It’s also pumping out inflammation. That inflammation is is working against you in a couple of ways, 1. It's keeping you fat, and 2. It’s making you unhealthier. You’ve might have heard the saying that goes something like this ‘weight loss is the pleasant side effect of Zone Diet’. The Zone Diet addresses inflammation on many levels. It consists of using Omega Rx fish oil (it's the best fish oil available today) to lower the level of inflammation you currently have, it prevents formation of additional inflammation with the eating plan and polyphenols (the polyphenols in Zone supplements are both antioxidants and anti-inflammatories) and it gives you a nutrient sufficient calorie restricted diet that provides excellent hormonal control. Nutrient sufficient means, among other things, that you will not lose your all-important muscle mass and you will be giving yourself the gift of good health as you shed the unwanted excess fat. The hormonal control of the Zone diet supports long term optimal health as well as gives excellent appetite control, making the sustainable for a lifetime.

As for how to put all of that into practice in real life, here are some basic tips, things to do to support your efforts to lose the excess weight for good.

1. The pounds on the scale don’t always show the entire picture even if you’re using a body fat % scale (hydration makes a difference in those results). Monitor your LBM and body fat %. Determine progress with fat loss from the body fat % on the calculator, not from the pounds on the scale.
2. If you don’t use it already, start taking Zone Omega RX, or switch to it if you use a different brand. I had no results with other fish oils. The switch to Omega RX gave me results.
3. Shift your focus to insulin control and the elimination of omega 6 fats. This is the key. The shift in my mindset allowed me to drop 100 pounds.
4. Think out of the box at meal times keeping #3. (above) in mind. If you need ideas, check out the link in my signature below.
Good luck!

Hali,

Please disregard the reference to a link in my signature. I didn't realize it had been modified. :)

Wow, after several months - they finally adjusted your signature, but it seems they removed all the pictures and all the links,
and just left some text - which also still refers to the ZoneFast 1-2-3 foods.

Hallo,
I was reading with interest Hali's posts as I am facing the same problem: non losing the weight.
I have changed my training recently, hiring a personal trainier and I have changed my shape a lot, expecially in the upper part of my body. I can see muscles in my arms and shoulders and back I thought belonging to everyone else but me!!!
But, following the diets she gave to me, mainly proteic, I got confused and gained weight. I know it sounds absurd. Now I weight more than when I started the Zone the first time and I feel more and more confused. I wanted to follow my ideas and going back into the Zone, but it is no more working. First I recalculated the blocks and I should eat 13. Now, following all the advice and eating as little fruit as possible, it is hard to stay on the 13 block of carbs. I do not eat any grain, so 13 blocks of low density carbs is really a huge amount if I cut off fruit. There must be something I am doing wrong. Moreover today I found myself surfing the net in search of other possiblities and I don't like it. I trust the Zone. I lost a lot two years ago and I felt great. I know this is the right programme for me.
In my confusion I wonder what happens if don't eat all the 13 blocks.
I should do with some help.

Hallo,
I was reading with interest Hali's posts as I am facing the same problem: non losing the weight.
I have changed my training recently, hiring a personal trainier and I have changed my shape a lot, expecially in the upper part of my body. I can see muscles in my arms and shoulders and back I thought belonging to everyone else but me!!!
But, following the diets she gave to me, mainly proteic, I got confused and gained weight. I know it sounds absurd. Now I weight more than when I started the Zone the first time and I feel more and more confused. I wanted to follow my ideas and going back into the Zone, but it is no more working. First I recalculated the blocks and I should eat 13. Now, following all the advice and eating as little fruit as possible, it is hard to stay on the 13 block of carbs. I do not eat any grain, so 13 blocks of low density carbs is really a huge amount if I cut off fruit. There must be something I am doing wrong. Moreover today I found myself surfing the net in search of other possiblities and I don't like it. I trust the Zone. I lost a lot two years ago and I felt great. I know this is the right programme for me.
In my confusion I wonder what happens if don't eat all the 13 blocks.
I should do with some help.

Congrats on you training results, monia! It's important to eat the full13 protein blocks each day, but you could try dropping 1 carbohyrdate block from each meal if you want. If that makes you hungry, go back to you usual balance. You can add some medium and higher density carbohydrate to meals as long as it doesn't result in early hunger. Keeping a food diary will be of great help when experimenting with different food and amounts.

Monia,

A couple of thoughts for you...

You might need to just focus on how your body is changing, rather than how the scale is responding. Sounds like your training program is going very well for you!

If you are truly not losing fat, then you can try dropping a block of carb from your meals. Keep in mind, you are still eating 13 blocks of protein and fat, but just drop one of the carb blocks from each of your meals.

Also, keep doing what you are doing by not eating any grains, and eating mainly low-density carbs. You can try some fruit, but focus on berries rather than other fruits.

Thanks to both Sue and Cranberrycat! I have already started this morning with my breakfast of 4 eggs' white (2P), 90 grams apple (1C) and 6 almonds (2F). I am taking my 2,5 grams of fish oil and i hope it is enough. Where an I post my food journal? I think at the moment it can help me.

Hi Monia,

I assumed your meals were at least 3 blocks. I interpreted your question to mean you had difficulty eating 3 blocks of vegetabloes at one sitting. Dropping one entire carbohydrate block from a 2 block meal is taking the carbohydrate amount too low to still be considered Zone balanced. Also, since eggwhite is fat free and the block method assumes each P block contains 1.5 g fat, you will need to add at least two more fat blocks to that meal. If you took the fish oil with breakfast this morning, the fish oil would have provided some fat, but typically fish oil is considered supplemental and is not counted as dietary fat for Zone balance.

right, that means I am making mistakes. I will change into a 3 block breakfast, lunch and dinner and I will reach the 12 blocks(according to the block calculator in the site they are 12 and not 13) with snacks. And I can drop one block C from the three blocks meal, right? Yes, one of the issues is that three blocks of vegetables is sometimes hard to eat and I turn to fruit. But according to some posts I have been reading I learnt that too much fruit is not advisable as it is high density carb. Furthermore I assumed fruit is not indicated if I need to lose weight, what I need, right? So I could eat a two blocks C with veggies or one veggies and one fruit.
Than yes, I do take my fish oil for breakfast and my breakfast is almost always eggwhite and some fruit, generally berries. I understand I should increase my amount of fat with it. Fat has always been the only thing i have never been able to calculate in the Zone, but I also know they are important so I would like to adjust my intake.
Thank you so much Sue. I really nedd advice as I WANT to refine my Zone.

Hi Monia, You'e selcome. :)

Eating a 2 block breakfast is fine as long as you eat enough carbohydrate with it, about a block and a half, as I mentioned, and you eat all 12 blocks throughout the day. Using the 4 hour hunger test will help you know if you need to adjust. The goal is to eat to maintain a more stable blood sugar level in order to allow your insulin level to lower. Vegetables stimulate the blood sugar less than fruit, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fruit. AA Zone meal should contain a minimum of 3 g fat fro every 7 g protein. Using the block method, if you choose a fat free protein, double the number of fat blocks you add. If you choose a fatty protein, then add less or no fat blocks accordingly.

Thanks, all! Much appreciated. I know it's not Zone Perfect but I cut down on the amounts I'm eating but keeping the ratio in the Zone. Also, I'm still eating 5-6 times a day. And I'm finally losing the weight!!! :-) *HAPPY DANCE* Plus, I feel really healthy.

Good luck, Monia. It sounds like your exercise is working really well. Focus, if you can, on how good you look (and feel) rather than dealing only with the number on the scale. If you're gaining muscle and looking better, it doesn't matter as much what the scale says. And doesn't muscle weigh more than fat? So you'd be gaining a little anyway but looking good. :-)

Best,
Hali

One more question (for now!!!). Is the pre bed snack still advisable?

Yes, but it should be part of your total blocks.
The idea that since you are essentially fasting from your last meal until you eat at Breakfast ( hence its name break fast),
and you want to try and keep your blood sugar stable, and not wake-up hungry.
That's why Dr. Sears advises a pre-bedtime snack about an hour before retiring for the night.
And why he suggests eating within an hour of waking.
Since your body is not expending a lot of eenrgy while sleeping, that's why only 1 block or two, depending on your schedule and routine is all you need.

Good job, Hali! Just be sure that you aren't shorting yourself and putting yourself into starvation mode. Eating too few blocks won't give you the necessary protein, and you could start breaking down lean body mass instead of tapping into your fat stores.

Monia, I hear what you are saying, you are concerned about making better carbohydrate choices, and I totally agree with you that it is best to eat the lower-density carbs (like the veggies) and to limit fruit intake. You can still eat fruit, but I would recommend no more than 2 blocks total throughout the day, and best to choose berries for your fruit choices.
If you are eating 2-block meals, you can still drop some carb from those meals, but I would advise 1/2 carb dropped rather than a full carb block.
And, as I said earlier and what Hali re-iterated, try to focus on how your body is changing, rather than just the number on the scale ;)

If you want to post a food journal, you can create a new thread and just title it "Monia's Food Journal", and then if you would like some critique on it, we veterans would be happy to jump in and help you out!

Thank you to everyone who helped, supported, and advised me. :-) I'm gaining again and I'm really tired of the yo-yo. I'm going to try something different as I think the Zone is a wonderful, healthy, maintenance program for me but, clearly, not a weight loss diet (which I need). I'm sure I'll be back to it once I lose all this weight. Again, thank you to everyone for the support and tips. Best to you!

Hali

Hali, best of luck to you!

Hali, you post on May 21 that you're doing better and losing weight. Then, not two days later, you say you're gaining weight and are going to find another diet. Shoudn't you wait more than two days before making such a decision? From my experience, weight can fluctuate from day to day based on nothing more than metabolism, water retention, when was the last time you used the bathroom, etc., etc. That's why, in the past, I've found it more useful to not weigh myself more than once every two weeks, by which time you can see a trend. Otherwise, the fluctuation will drive you crazy.

Good luck in finding another diet to lose weight. From my experience, though, such diets usually only provide you with a quick initial water loss (that looks like fat loss, but isn't) or screw up your metabolism so much that, the minute you switch the maintenance (even according to Zone principles), you'll quickly regain every pound plus more. Personally, I'd stick with what was feeling good to you, and only check your weight periodically. If you find, after a couple of weeks or a month, that you're gaining weight, then it might be time to consider alternatives, but not after two days.

[quote]
Posted By Sue on 02 May 2012 12:54 PM

3. Change the chick peas in the lunch salad to vegetables that are less dense in carbohydrate, like bell peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes, green beans, etc.
[/quote]

Sue, sorry if I'm confused here, but the Zone food guide found here on this site, as well as the one found in the books I own, specifies chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzos) as one of the favorable low-density carbs. As a matter of fact, not only are chickpeas themselves included, but so is hummus, the middle-eastern chickpea paste. Has that recommendation changed? If so, where can I find a chart of Zone blocks that includes the most up-to-date information?

James,
also in my list of food from Italy chickpeas/garbanzos are favourable. Just 20 gr. dry for a block C, but still Zone friendly along with broad beans, green beans and some other beans. I sometimes get confused myself...

Hi James,

Legumes, even the "Zone favorable" ones, are sometimes too carbohydrate dense for a more carbohydrate sensitive individual.

Sometimes legumes can be confusing, and perhaps a change to the list SHOULD be made.

The list does list them as Zone favorable, yet if you read the Zone literature, you will find that Dr. Sears recommends somewhat limiting them, due to the fact that they are higher density than veggies are.

I have mixed feelings about them, myself. I find that sometimes I need something in my meal with just a little bit more density, and a 1/2 -1 block of legumes sometimes will turn a meal into a solid zone meal for me. An example, using beans in a salad is good because everything else in there is very low density. So, adding some chickpeas helps me to feel sustaining satiety.

[quote]
Posted By cranberrycat on 03 Jun 2012 08:48 AM
Sometimes legumes can be confusing, and perhaps a change to the list SHOULD be made.

The list does list them as Zone favorable, yet if you read the Zone literature, you will find that Dr. Sears recommends somewhat limiting them, due to the fact that they are higher density than veggies are.

I have mixed feelings about them, myself. I find that sometimes I need something in my meal with just a little bit more density, and a 1/2 -1 block of legumes sometimes will turn a meal into a solid zone meal for me. An example, using beans in a salad is good because everything else in there is very low density. So, adding some chickpeas helps me to feel sustaining satiety.
[/quote]

I'd have to agree. Personally, some "low-density" carbohydrates can be too **** low. For example, if I'm making a four-block salad, and stick to the non-legume varieties of vegetables, I'd be looking at ten cups of romaine, two cups of green peppers, four cups of broccoli, and four cups of mushrooms. One of the benefits of the Zone block system, granted, is that you can eat a filling amount of food and stay healthy, but I don't think I could even get through that much, and, if I could force it all down, by the time I was done, it would probably be four to six hours later, and time for another meal! ;) Fortunately, so far, it looks like I'm not so carb-sensitive that having legumes as part of those blocks is a problem for me, but I can see how it might be for others.

I find that if my meals are TOO low density, I may have trouble finishing the meal, and yet will still become hungry soon after. So, by adding in a little moderate density carb helps to extend the life of the meal. So, for me, even being somewhat carb sensitive, I feel like my Zone is best achieved when I add a little bit of moderate/high density, without adding to much overall carb to the meal.