Hello, my name is Jackie and I am in California. I am 5ft 2in and weigh a whopping 266lbs.:w00t: I haven't always been heavy, in my teens and twenties I varied from size 5 to size 8. But with my first child I gained 100lbs. and he is now 11 years old!!! I have since tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, Healthy Inspirations, etc. etc. etc.....nothing really gets me past a 30lb weight loss, then the scale moves back up because I start feeling like I can cheat here and there, then before I know it I'm back up to where I was when I started.....So, I have decided to try the Zone after seeing it on a documentary about an 800lb man in Mexico that over the course of 6 months had lost almost 50% of the weight he needed to lose. But the most intriguing element to me is the hormonal balance they spoke of. So, I went out and picked up "Enter the Zone" and "Mastering the Zone". I am still in the first chapter and am going to start the zone on Monday, May 14. Are there any tips or suggestions for a newcomer? I would love all of them....

Hello Jackie,
I am also starting the zone diet. Im trying to make a list for the store so i can get started. I was reading your post and I am pretty much in the same boat u are... im 5'5 220lbs. and have tried almost everything and i just cant seem to get this weight off. The funny thing is ....I also was watching the man from mexico and thats what inspired me to do this diet also...anyways I just wanted to welcome you and wish you luck on this diet
Melissa

Hello ladies!

I highly suggest you both pick up Dr. Sears' book "A week in The Zone" witch is the basic book as far as the diet goes. This is what really helped me get started and keep going. I started in February and I have already lost about 20 lbs. Baby weight is the worst, especially when out Metabolism and hormones are all over the place. But not only that, weight loss has not been the only improvement, My asthma has completely disappeared after being declared Chronic by Doctors and my levels of energy have improved in such a way...
I really wish you ladies the best and let us know how it goes...
If you have any questions, feel free to drop a note!

Hi Jackie,

Two tips.

1. Some carb block amounts been revised since the books you haev were prited. Here's a link to the newer version: http://www.drsears.com/foodblockguide.page


2. To calculate daily protein requirement/block requirement for an individual of your height and weight, Dr. Sears usually advises to assume 50% body fat and 50% LBM (in you case that's 133 lbs lbm) and also to assume one or two activity levels above you actual. As you lose wt you can adjust the number of blocks down as needed when putting your stats into the Body Fat Calculator you begin to see yourbody fat % going below 50%.

To simplify, let's assume you take walks for exercise, light activity, with a factor of 0.6. We then up that to 0.8 (two levels higher). Then multiply it times your LBM of 133 to get your daily protein requirement. 133 x 0.8 = 106.4 grams of protein needed daily. Then divide 106.4 by 7 (7 grams of P to one block) which equals 15.2, rounded to 15 blocks per day.

You could break this up however you want, as long as you don't have more than 5 blocks at one meal and you spread the blocks over the entire day according to Zone guidelines.

Thanks for the response, I have just finished Enter the Zone and am so very excited to begin on Monday. It makes so much sense! Keep me posted on your progress, I know we can do it!!!!

Sue, what an amazing accomplishment you have achieved and continue to maintain! Thank you for your tips, I really appreciate you breaking it down for me! I was off by 2 protein blocks. I am going to check out the new carb counts on Dr. Sears' new website. Thank you again for your help, I am so excited to get started....

Hi Yvette, I will pick up that book this weekend. Are there new tips and calculations in that book or is it pretty standard from Enter the Zone? I am so happy that you are feeling so great, it gives me great hope and optimism for my own health! Thanks again, and I will let you know my progress! Take Care.

The are very different books. 'A week in the Zone' is the best startimg book for newer zoners. It summarizes very clear all Zone Programme, a little of science, suplements, testimonial, anti-aging Zone, exercise, mental meditation. It summarizes all, except maybe the terrific properties of fish oil. A week in the Zone can be read by every person in just one afternoon.

:O I gals!
I´m also getting started in the zone past week! I´m a 5´5 170 lbs and with a lot of questions, first with my calculations I should take a total of 77 grams of protein in 11 bloks and I am wondering about the amount of protein fat and C in the "healthy brands" (hint, Im living in mexico)here an example turkey bacon:2 g P/ 2.5 g F. turkey ham (per slice) 2.5g P/ 1.5g C 0.5g F :blink: so do I count these grams also? or just take as Protein? totally clueless! hahaha
thanks

Hi,

I'd suggest you count the fat in the turkey bacon, since it's on the high side. If the info given is for one slice, then 3 slices would give be 1P and 4 blocks F in addition to the F normally "hidden" in a P block. If you wer using it in a 3 block meal, you wouldn't need to add any mroe F to the meal. That turkey ham is a bit high in C for a P source. IMO you'd want to count the C in it. 3 slices of it would be counted as 1P, and 0.5C.

Hey ladies!
I wish I had seen the thing about the man in Mexico... I got inspired by my cousin...he's a Maryland State Trooper and couldn't get the weight off and he did it and got in GREAT shape. I've got the attention span of a gnat, so he had to explain it to me - and it worked!! After 5 long years, going back on it, and my hubby is doing it with me. I'm 5'7" and 251 lbs (still haven't gone back up to my original weight after 5 years but gained a little after having my son...)- and my goal weight...170. I know it can be done....and this is my first step back.
Good luck to all!!
Lisa