Hi! I've been on the Zone for almost 2 weeks. I have not weighed myself since I started, but I can tell I've lost a little. I'm a vegetarian but am finding this program very easy for me. My problem is I can't seem to eat w/in one hour of waking. Sounds silly, but it's true. Some mornings I work out and I leave for the health club at 5:40 in the morning. Do I eat something on the way to the club? When I get home from the club I should just eat my breakfast but I find myself rushing getting my daughter ready for school...etc. Anyway, I feel so good now that I'm actually eating PROTEIN! Who would have thought! :lol:

Welcome, Eemah! I think that someone a while back posted something similar, about working out and not eating within an hour, but that was likely on the old site. If I remember right, some gave advice such as eating a 1 block snack (1/2 zoneperfect bar is an option) before you work out, and then adding 2 more blocks when done. I think they also mentioned drinking water. I am sure others know more about this. :) Good luck! ronica

Thanks for the welcome. I definitely drink water before I leave for the club. I also think from now on, I will eat half a Zone bar on the way home, and then finish breakfast soon after I get home. It's a matter of organizing my time better. Yay! :roll:

[quote:359c211e74="eemah"]Thanks for the welcome. I definitely drink water before I leave for the club. I also think from now on, I will eat half a Zone bar on the way home, and then finish breakfast soon after I get home. It's a matter of organizing my time better. Yay! :roll:[/quote:359c211e74] Hi, To stay in the Zone you'd want to eat the 1 block snack[b:359c211e74] before [/b:359c211e74]exercise, [b:359c211e74]not [/b:359c211e74]after. Then after the workout you can eat your breakfast. Many Zoners start their day in this manner. Sue :D

Sue, thanks for the tip. For some reason, I thought eating half a zone bar that early would throw me off. Sometimes I think too much. :wink: Well, I was supposed to wake up this morning to work out, but I didn't. I was so tired so I stayed in bed. I had a feeling I would not go because I worked out yesterday and I am working out tomorrow morning. Have a good day![/quote]

[quote:24347eb203="eemah"]Sue, thanks for the tip. For some reason, I thought eating half a zone bar that early would throw me off. Sometimes I think too much. :wink: Well, I was supposed to wake up this morning to work out, but I didn't. I was so tired so I stayed in bed. I had a feeling I would not go because I worked out yesterday and I am working out tomorrow morning. Have a good day![/quote:24347eb203][/quote] Hi, It should work well for you, as will any one block Zone snack, prior to exercise. You mentioned you were tired this morning. If that is the usual for you, you may need to add a block or more daily. It's just something I picked up on in your post. It wasn't clear, but I though you might have been making a connection between the tiredness and your exercise. Sue

eemah...I was wondering about the same thing. I still have a nagging question - Dr. Sears recommends eating 30 minutes before working out - right? Well, I get up at 5:45 and am at the gym by 6:00...That gives me less than 15 minutes to start processing... Aren't I still technically in The Zone from my late evening snack? Help! And please, no one suggest that I get up any earlier - it won't happen. :D Thanks - Rachael

[quote:8c3864e3f5="rachaelwalden"]eemah...I was wondering about the same thing. I still have a nagging question - Dr. Sears recommends eating 30 minutes before working out - right? Well, I get up at 5:45 and am at the gym by 6:00...That gives me less than 15 minutes to start processing... Aren't I still technically in The Zone from my late evening snack? Help! And please, no one suggest that I get up any earlier - it won't happen. :D Thanks - Rachael[/quote:8c3864e3f5] Hi, IMO, you will be fine eating a one block 15 min before you go to the gym. The beginning of your gym time will be spent warming up, not doing your most strenuous activity, so it should be fine. No, I don't think your bedtime snack will hold you in the Zone through your entire workout the following morning. :( Sue

slknorr, thanks for your wonderful advice regarding the morning work-out/what to eat question. I have not checked this message board in weeks so I never read your latest tip until tonight. Thank you!!!!!!!

I think where the confusion comes in is the difference between current research and Dr. Sears' methods. When some people say to eat before working out, it is using Dr. Sears' advice to keep hormone levels and blood sugar stable. Remember that is the key to the Zone. Recent (a few years old) research suggests that you will lose more weight if doing aerobics first thing in the a.m. before eating. The reasoning for this is that if you don't have carbohydrates in your tummy, your body doesn't have glycogen to burn and goes straight to burning fat. Personally, as a past (and soon present) bodybuilder, I don't worry about this. Recent research also shows that you should do any weight lifting exercises prior to aerobics. Since I do this, I burn off any muscle glycogen prior to aerobics. I find it beneficial to have a meal prior to hitting the gym, therefore, and still feel I am burning maximum fat without burning available carbs first.