Thanks, Dennis, for your suggestion for a "clean" balanced snack. 4Tablespoons Almond Butter [12 g. carb + 14 g. protein] 2 oz. dates (put in chopper until almost pasty) [40 g. carb + 1 g. protein] 35 grams rice protein [4.2 g. carb + 28g. protein] Totals.. 56.2 g. carb = 6 blocks carb 43 g. protein = 6 blocks protein The ingredients mix up to a pastry crust dough consistency. Weigh to two 2.75 ounce balls for 3 blocks. Wrap and store. As Dennis said, they will keep without refrigeration because all the ingredients keep at room temps. Dr. Sears suggests eating 1 block every hour for sustained energy. Absolutely! Works for me. I love feeling good after hours on a bicycle. I've been reading all the posts and very impressed with the support Sue and Jenny offer to members who seem not to have read the books. And Dennis and Scott's scientific braininess is impressive. I really rely on all your posts. [What's the latest on your exercise machine, Dennis?] I read a couple comments about excessive exercise raising cortisol and that's bad, I presume. Does that mean my love of bicycling for 4 or 5 hours then setting up a tent, getting up the next morning and doing it all over again is not good for me. :lol: How about jogging? I used to do marathons until I got too fat.. ..[never understood why I didn't get skinny....i ate the bagels and pasta like all the skinny runners :lol: ] Thanks everyone!!

Thank you for the compliment! :D I am not an exercise guru, but I can tell you that overexercising CAN lead to increased cortisol levels. I had gone to a talk that Dr. Sears did last fall, and he also stated that there are olympic athletes who carry high levels of inflammation with them. So, I am not an expert in this area, but I hope that is somewhat helpful, and I am sure that someone else with more expertise can chime in here.

[quote:0bdff4e66e="zonefab"]Thanks, Dennis, for your suggestion for a "clean" balanced snack. [What's the latest on your exercise machine, Dennis?] [/quote:0bdff4e66e] Thanks for sharing the results of your recipe experiment. I gave a copy to my dad who is also a long distance bicyclist. Just keep checking for my reports on the exercise machine experience. It is a most interesting journey!

[quote:03147b6ee9="zonefab"]4Tablespoons Almond Butter [12 g. carb + 14 g. protein] 2 oz. dates (put in chopper until almost pasty) [40 g. carb + 1 g. protein] 35 grams rice protein [4.2 g. carb + 28g. protein] Totals.. 56.2 g. carb = 6 blocks carb 43 g. protein = 6 blocks protein [/quote:03147b6ee9] I think that the fat might be a little bit low. You did not specify the total you ended up with, but it should come to 18g for 6 blocks. There is a tad less carb in the rice protein due .5g bit of fiber, but that should not make any difference. What kind of dates did you use?

how much exercise would be too much? I work out for 1.5 hours 6 days per week including 50 minutes of cardio and about 30 of weights.

[quote:c01b05b84c="In the Zone Since 07/04"]how much exercise would be too much? I work out for 1.5 hours 6 days per week including 50 minutes of cardio and about 30 of weights.[/quote:c01b05b84c] I am pretty sure that it is discussed in "the Anti-Inflammation Zone", but my memory does not recall how much at this time! Again, I am sure there must be others who are more up to speed on this issue.

[/quote] I think that the fat might be a little bit low. You did not specify the total you ended up with, but it should come to 18g for 6 blocks. There is a tad less carb in the rice protein due .5g bit of fiber, but that should not make any difference. What kind of dates did you use?[/quote] Yes, doing the math I noted imperfect balances...1.5 gram too much carb for instance....the fat in the almond butter totaled 32 grams....or 10 blocks. I thought I was way over the fat allowance. :roll: Dates....the cheapest. From local grocery store, SunSweet from California.

[quote:1e10954ffc="cranberrycat"][quote:1e10954ffc="In the Zone Since 07/04"]how much exercise would be too much? I work out for 1.5 hours 6 days per week including 50 minutes of cardio and about 30 of weights.[/quote:1e10954ffc] I am pretty sure that it is discussed in "the Anti-Inflammation Zone", but my memory does not recall how much at this time! Again, I am sure there must be others who are more up to speed on this issue.[/quote:1e10954ffc] [color=darkred:1e10954ffc]It's explained in some detail in "The Anti Aging Zone". It's my understanding that after 45 min of weight training or intensive aerobic exercise (not a simple walk or short run, at least I don't think so) cortisol rises to levels which essentially eliminate much of what one is trying to accomplish in the Zone.[/color:1e10954ffc]

This is the figure I had in mind (but didn't have the reference for). And this is also what Dr. Sears had said in the talk that I had attended last fall. So, by exercising to that extent, you are probably changing your body's composition, but also increasing your levels of inflammation.

[quote:ca3cf1245c="zonefab"][quote:ca3cf1245c] I think that the fat might be a little bit low. You did not specify the total you ended up with, but it should come to 18g for 6 blocks. There is a tad less carb in the rice protein due .5g bit of fiber, but that should not make any difference. What kind of dates did you use?[/quote:ca3cf1245c] Yes, doing the math I noted imperfect balances...1.5 gram too much carb for instance....the fat in the almond butter totaled 32 grams....or 10 blocks. I thought I was way over the fat allowance. :roll: Dates....the cheapest. From local grocery store, SunSweet from California.[/quote:ca3cf1245c] Oops. I misread that as 4 teaspoons --you put in 4 Tablespoons of almond butter. Yes that is too much fat. For the normal Zone balance it would be 2 Tablespoons of almond butter. However, as an energy source for continuous exercise, it is not out of the question to have double fat blocks to keep the calories vs excess protein balanced. Berry Sears noted that extreme athletes may need twice the fats to get enough calories. If someone wanted to use the recipe as just a substitute for bars in a regular snack, then the recipe should be rebalanced to give the 40/30/30 ratio.

Dennis said...Oops. I misread that as 4 teaspoons --you put in 4 Tablespoons of almond butter. Yes that is too much fat. For the normal Zone balance it would be 2 Tablespoons of almond butter. However, as an energy source for continuous exercise, it is not out of the question to have double fat blocks to keep the calories vs excess protein balanced. Berry Sears noted that extreme athletes may need twice the fats to get enough calories. If someone wanted to use the recipe as just a substitute for bars in a regular snack, then the recipe should be rebalanced to give the 40/30/30 ratio.[/quote] The problem with that is the mixture stays in a "crumbly" state due to lack of binding/moisture properties. For example...the almond butter used in the last batch was from a new jar and had more oil on the top. I used the last of that jar yesterday and the almond butter was much dryer. The mixture is crumbly. Nothing wrong with that....just can't roll it into a ball to easily carry. Point is, 4 tablespoons is needed to get the consisty to shape into a ball. Extra fat adds more calories but does not alter the positive benefits of the protein/carb balance. Could add water to get desired consistancy if i'm going to eat them the same day. Also, need to throughly distribute almond butter oils by stirring all together in a bowl before adding required amount to dates and rice protein.

You could also take the entire jar of almond butter and blend it up in a food processor or blender, to get the fat evenly distributed.

[quote:2e48f24eb8="zonefab"][quote:2e48f24eb8]Dennis said...Oops. I misread that as 4 teaspoons --you put in 4 Tablespoons of almond butter. Yes that is too much fat. For the normal Zone balance it would be 2 Tablespoons of almond butter. However, as an energy source for continuous exercise, it is not out of the question to have double fat blocks to keep the calories vs excess protein balanced. Berry Sears noted that extreme athletes may need twice the fats to get enough calories. If someone wanted to use the recipe as just a substitute for bars in a regular snack, then the recipe should be rebalanced to give the 40/30/30 ratio.[/quote:2e48f24eb8] The problem with that is the mixture stays in a "crumbly" state due to lack of binding/moisture properties. For example...the almond butter used in the last batch was from a new jar and had more oil on the top. I used the last of that jar yesterday and the almond butter was much dryer. The mixture is crumbly. Nothing wrong with that....just can't roll it into a ball to easily carry. Point is, 4 tablespoons is needed to get the consisty to shape into a ball. Extra fat adds more calories but does not alter the positive benefits of the protein/carb balance. Could add water to get desired consistancy if i'm going to eat them the same day. Also, need to throughly distribute almond butter oils by stirring all together in a bowl before adding required amount to dates and rice protein.[/quote:2e48f24eb8] That is one of the reasons I originally said that you might have to use a little bit of honey for part of the carbs --to get the consistency right. Making a recipe is an art. However, if you have a formula that works for you... good enough!

Can you guys reprint the recipe that you are using? I was a bit confused as I was following the thread. Thanks!