The first week I was on the Zone I felt great. I was doing weights 3 days a week and cardio 3 days a week and seemed to lose 2 lbs. I was eating 12 blocks per day. The second week I started to eat 13 blocks a day because I was getting more hungry after 2 to 3 hours after a meal. I gained the weight back, it must be water retention. I'm still always hungry and weak feeling. I started to do more cardio because I need to lose fat. My body fat is about 25 to 26%. I've been trying to lose weight for about 6 months now on different programs. I'm starting to get really frustrated. My goal is to be between 20 to 22%. I'm not far off, but I'm afraid to drop a carb block from my meal when I'm always hungry. I'm quite sure my meals are balanced properly. I measure everything and read labels and keep a log. One time I binged and ate a peanut butter sandwich and all my energy came back, but I was bloated. Help! Andrea

These are some general observations, worth only about 2 cents. If you look at the Zone as the healthiest thing you can do for your body and your longevity, then with some patience, the weight thing will work itself out. Look at Barry Sears' description of exercise in the different zone books, and you'll see how exercise intensity has hormonal effects on your body, just like food. Dr. Sears doesn't supply an exercise book, but The Maffetone Method by Phil Maffetone has some really good suggestions about easing into a lifetime exercise program. You might look at your warmups and initial exercising in terms of how you gradually get your blood pumping everywhere, and your body increases in temperature 2 or 3 degrees. Then look at how your exercise session keeps you breathing deeply, but not so that you must stop and catch your breath. If you taper off after exercise in a similar way, then you've conducted a nice fat-burning session and you're reinforcing the same aspect of balanced nutrition. Regarding being hungry, dropping carb blocks, etc. What you were eating before could have a lot to do with how you're metabolizing food now, so any comment involves some guesses. If you want to drop a carb block, then you might replace it with a fat block. I'll probably catch hell for this, but do not knock yourself out about eating one or two additional balanced blocks. Some Zoners say they do not "count" the pre- and post-exercise snacks. You might do a search on Sue's posts ("silknorr"). Just about everything she writes is worth considering. If you're not drinking sodas and you're avoiding high-glycemic carbs, that means that you have very little sugar and flour products in your nutrition. Which leaves vegetables and fruits. If you're sticking mainly to those low-glycemic carbs, things should work out. Vegetables and fruits have so much volume, they give a feeling of fullness, at least temporarily. Broccoli is like a freebee in that it has a lot of fiber and you can eat almost as much as you want of it. A last thing you might consider, is eating smaller amounts at shorter intervals. Some Zoners eat a balanced snack or meal every two or three hours, and adjust the quantities accordingly. Best wishes, Charlie

Thanks for all your advise. I have been lifting wieghts for a long time now so I probably don't need to adjust to that. I just noticed that as soon as I started the zone I was feeling more tired. I've been on low calorie diets for the past 6 months. Before I probably wasn't quite getting enough protein and hardly any fat. I was eating alot of low fat carbs. Now I know that was the wrong thing to do. I started this program because a friend of mine just lost alot of weight on it. Do you know how long I will have to wait until my metabolism speeds up? I'm beginning to think that I must have some sort of thyroid problem or something. Andrea

This is just my take, but it seems like you have 2 or 3 yo-yo type things going on. While you're "fixing" one thing, something else is going on. The Zone is the state where your metabolism performs the best, heals the best, etc. How you get there and stay there is up to you. The tools offered by Barry Sears can help you do that, no matter what your best macronutrient ratio is. This is a lifetime approach to wellness, a way of keeping your metabolism "in whack" instead of "out of whack". Can you post your most recent cholesterol results and your food diary for a day or two? I'm sure people like Sue, Anne-Marie, Scott, White Light, AdamH, Phil, jaydpii, yikerzikers will help if you post the answers to my questions. They all have a knack for seeing things that you hadn't noticed. Now I'll get off the soapbox, Charlie

[quote:d2d429c32b="Android"]Thanks for all your advise. I have been lifting wieghts for a long time now so I probably don't need to adjust to that. I just noticed that as soon as I started the zone I was feeling more tired. I've been on low calorie diets for the past 6 months. Before I probably wasn't quite getting enough protein and hardly any fat. I was eating alot of low fat carbs. Now I know that was the wrong thing to do.[/quote:d2d429c32b] Absolutely! If you were trying to build muscle, you know that low protein, low fat and high carbs is not the way to do it. [quote:d2d429c32b]I started this program because a friend of mine just lost alot of weight on it. Do you know how long I will have to wait until my metabolism speeds up? I'm beginning to think that I must have some sort of thyroid problem or something.[/quote:d2d429c32b] Please do not focus so much on the scale. The Zone is a lifestyle focusing on insulin control and one of the side effects is that the body will burn fat for fuel. However, this is a low process and anyone that is losing a lot of weight on the Zone quickly is not following it correctly. I have concluded that you need approximately 12 blocks based on your height and activity levels. Check to make sure you are consuming enough fat as this is one of the biggest mistakes new Zoners make. For every 3 block meal you consume you require 9 grams of fat (that is counting hidden fats in low fat protein sources). I would also try to eat smaller, more frequent meals as Charlie has suggested. This will help speed up your metabolism and that way you will be eating every 3 hours so should not be hungry. If you find that you are hungry within 2 hours of eating you might need to adjust your hormonal carburetor. Check out this link: http://www.anne-marie.ca/finetuning...ezone.html I hope you find the above helpful. The Zone is a fantastic lifestyle. Please be patient as the rewards are truly amazing.

[quote:9edb5bb213="a_blacker"][quote:9edb5bb213="Android"]Thanks for all your advise. I have been lifting wieghts for a long time now so I probably don't need to adjust to that. I just noticed that as soon as I started the zone I was feeling more tired. I've been on low calorie diets for the past 6 months. Before I probably wasn't quite getting enough protein and hardly any fat. I was eating alot of low fat carbs. Now I know that was the wrong thing to do.[/quote:9edb5bb213] Absolutely! If you were trying to build muscle, you know that low protein, low fat and high carbs is not the way to do it. [quote:9edb5bb213]I started this program because a friend of mine just lost alot of weight on it. Do you know how long I will have to wait until my metabolism speeds up? I'm beginning to think that I must have some sort of thyroid problem or something.[/quote:9edb5bb213] Please do not focus so much on the scale. The Zone is a lifestyle focusing on insulin control and one of the side effects is that the body will burn fat for fuel. However, this is a low process and anyone that is losing a lot of weight on the Zone quickly is not following it correctly. I have concluded that you need approximately 12 blocks based on your height and activity levels. Check to make sure you are consuming enough fat as this is one of the biggest mistakes new Zoners make. For every 3 block meal you consume you require 9 grams of fat (that is counting hidden fats in low fat protein sources). I would also try to eat smaller, more frequent meals as Charlie has suggested. This will help speed up your metabolism and that way you will be eating every 3 hours so should not be hungry. If you find that you are hungry within 2 hours of eating you might need to adjust your hormonal carburetor. Check out this link: http://www.anne-marie.ca/finetuning...ezone.html I hope you find the above helpful. The Zone is a fantastic lifestyle. Please be patient as the rewards are truly amazing.[/quote:9edb5bb213] While I agree with everything, In addition adequate water in zone is crucial, please ensure at least half your weight in gms of water is consumed daily White Light

I have to agree with Charlie about not being too concerned with post exercise snacks. Exercise and especially strength building exercise effects an enzyme called glycogen synthetase. One and a half to two hours after exercise your body uses this enzyme to help convert food into short term energy. So food you eat 90 minutes to two hours after exercise is more likely to be turned into energy rather than fat. So how can you make the most of this chemical change in the body after exercise?  Eat food after exercising. Your body should turn most of the food into energy instead of fat.  If you know you’re going to eat a meal higher in carbohydrates or sugar (e.g. a special occasion) try to exercise an hour or so before the meal. Again more of the food you eat should be turned into energy instead of fat. Remember that up to two hours after exercise your body turns more food into energy. Of course better still would be to follow the zone diet to the letter but this is useful information for those who break the rules and still want to lose weight. You do still have to think about the health issues if you start eating snacks high in carbohydrate. Kindest regards, Andrew Cavanagh

Thanks for all your help. You guys are great! I will try to be more patient with the weight loss. It's just frustrating is all. I've gained 5 pounds of muscle in the past 6 weeks and lost 2 lbs of fat the last 3 weeks. All my clothes are too tight now, so I'm waiting for the extra pounds to come off so I can fit into my old pants again. I think that 13 blocks is perfect for me. My lean body mass is 102 lbs and I am fairly active. I know that in the long run I will be more healthy for sticking to this "diet". Thanks again. Andrea

What is the ratio of your strength work to your aerobic work? The weight lifters always say: to build muscle mass, don't run. In that case, you might want to tip the scale the other way. Charlie

Charlie, [quote:dbdc849a0f]The weight lifters always say: to build muscle mass, don't run. In that case, you might want to tip the scale the other way. [/quote:dbdc849a0f] I think I may have the same problem. I do weights for 1 1/2 hours and follow with 30 min of aerobics three times a week. And I have gained a few pounds - mostly muscle but I'm not losing the fat. Thus, I've just started adding 2 to 3 extra days of cardio. Do you think that would reverse cycle by burning more fat and I guess I would have to live with a little less muscle? Rosebud

Interesting subject for discussion, depending on your priorities. I'm not really qualified to answer. I can mention this anecdote. I had been making my walking more difficult by carrying a 40-lb pack for 3 miles. And I noticed myself gradually gaining weight. (This happened in previous years also). So I made 15-lb pack and walked faster. About 45 mins for the 3 miles instead of 55 mins or more. Now my weight is gradually declining. Since Thanksgiving, something like 2 to 4 pounds. That's what I mean about tipping the scale. Charlie

Hi everyone! I'm new here and new to the Zone. So, I don't feel I can help alot with the blocks, but I am an AFAA Certified Fitness Instructor, so I can probably help with the exercise side. I would say you definately need to add cardio to your program, if you want to lose some body fat. I have clients who come to me and say that they want those washboard abs and they are doing 5,000,000 (ok, I exaggerated here - lol!) crunches, but aren't seeing results. I tell them that they have the six pack, it is just hidden under a layer of body fat. (It is tough to try and say this delicately!) Unfortunately, they can't spot reduce the fat off of their midsection. They need to add cardio to lose the body fat, all over their bodies, porportionately. The same is true body weight lifters. You are building muscle, but to lose the body fat, you need to do cardio. If you could squeeze in even 20 minutes before your weight lifting session, I think you would see great benefits. Jackie

Charlie, You're right this is an interesting topic and confusing. So many weight trainers believe that muscle burns more fat than cardio and that to achieve a more sculpted body and higher fat metabolism, weight bearing activities achieve the best results - even if the scale says otherwise. You stated: [quote:144cfe40d2]I had been making my walking more difficult by carrying a 40-lb pack for 3 miles. And I noticed myself gradually gaining weight. (This happened in previous years also). [/quote:144cfe40d2] Was your weight gain primarily muscle? Did you lose or maintain your fat? i.e., did you look heavier while retaining fat? And when you lost weight while using less weightbearing forms of cardio-walking, did you lose fat and retain some lean muscle? As you know, you can gain muscle and have a compact body (fit into a smaller size) than if you have more fat at the same weight. I do hope we can start a discussion about this. Rosebud

I think Jackie really articulated the trade-offs well. Regarding my backpack exercise, with 40 lbs versus 15 lbs, I simply think I've discovered the line that I can cross back and forth with more anaerobic on one side, and more aerobic on the other side. My back became stronger with more pack weight, but my other muscles lost some tone. It seemed that I was gaining both muscle (back) and fat (waist). My body fat hangs around 10%. I went toward more cardio to get more lean. Regarding muscle, there are two kinds that I've heard about. Training for strength, and training for muscle mass. A baseball coach explained it to me best. The bulked-up ball players could only run in straight lines. They lost some versatility and range, and became injury-prone. Now the emphasis of weight training is to develop strong and wiry bodies. Again, I'm no expert. Best regards, Charlie

Jackie and Charlie, [quote:b7376876e5]If you could squeeze in even 20 minutes before your weight lifting session, I think you would see great benefits. [/quote:b7376876e5] Jackie, I always do cardio with weight lifting - but I follow rather than precede with weight lifting. (for about 30 min). I always read that for fat burning, it's better to precede with weight lifting. Also Andrew wrote me that exercising more than an hour in one session builds abdominal fat. What has your experience been? I've tried to cut down on my time at the gym but it's difficult. I've recently modified my routine to weight lifting for 30 to 40 min prior to 40 minutes of aerobics - still over an hour but not the 2 to 3 hours I used to spend at the gym three times a week. And on days I don't go to the gym I'm now power walking on the beach. What do you think? [quote:b7376876e5]Regarding my backpack exercise, with 40 lbs versus 15 lbs, I simply think I've discovered the line that I can cross back and forth with more anaerobic on one side, and more aerobic on the other side. My back became stronger with more pack weight, but my other muscles lost some tone. It seemed that I was gaining both muscle (back) and fat (waist). My body fat hangs around 10%. I went toward more cardio to get more lean. [/quote:b7376876e5] That's very interesting Charlie. It's almost as if building one area makes you fat in other areas! :evil: Do you do any weight training in addition to walking with back packs? And at 10% body fat, I don't see what you have to worry about. :D Idelle

[quote:e006141dd8="rosebud101"]Jackie and Charlie, Jackie, I always do cardio with weight lifting - but I follow rather than precede with weight lifting. (for about 30 min). I always read that for fat burning, it's better to precede with weight lifting. Also Andrew wrote me that exercising more than an hour in one session builds abdominal fat. What has your experience been? I've tried to cut down on my time at the gym but it's difficult. I've recently modified my routine to weight lifting for 30 to 40 min prior to 40 minutes of aerobics - still over an hour but not the 2 to 3 hours I used to spend at the gym three times a week. And on days I don't go to the gym I'm now power walking on the beach. What do you think? [quote:e006141dd8]Regarding my backpack exercise, with 40 lbs versus 15 lbs, I simply think I've discovered the line that I can cross back and forth with more anaerobic on one side, and more aerobic on the other side. My back became stronger with more pack weight, but my other muscles lost some tone. It seemed that I was gaining both muscle (back) and fat (waist). My body fat hangs around 10%. I went toward more cardio to get more lean. [/quote:e006141dd8] That's very interesting Charlie. It's almost as if building one area makes you fat in other areas! :evil: Do you do any weight training in addition to walking with back packs? And at 10% body fat, I don't see what you have to worry about. :D Idelle[/quote:e006141dd8] Hi Rosebud. It really doesn't matter which you do first, cardio or strength training. It is personal preference and what you want to focus on the most. If you are really into body building and are looking to gain muscle strength, you should probably hit the weights first. I, personally, feel that if I do my cardio first and get my heart rate up, I can stay at my "fat burning level" longer, so I am receiving cardio benefits while I am weight training. If I were you, I would do my cardio first one time, and then switch next time. See which one you prefer. That is the main thing with any program. Find something that you like and that works for you. Everybody is different. I'm not saying that Andrew doesn't have something to back up his theory about abdominal fat after 1 hour of exercise, but I haven't read or heard anything that would substantiate that statement. I, as well as many other fitness instructors that I know, often teach more than 1 class a day. Have you tried Pilates? It is awesome for developing core strength and developing long lean muscles. I teach Pilates twice a week. I make sure that I don't do strength training on that day, just cardio and PIlates. Strength training (which will build muscles) and Pilates (which works to lengthen the muscle) on the same day would be counter productive. However, any aerobic activity (like Spinning or Kickboxing) is great combined with Pilates. I am loving the Zone! I teach my first class at 5:45 am on Monday and Wednesday mornings, and I find that I eat 3/4 of my breakfast blocks around 4:30 am, and then the rest when my first class is over. I then have about 1 1/2 hours before I do the next class. My students remarked this past week about my increased energy level. I hadn't told them that I was doing anything different before that, so I was suprised. It makes sense though, I was teaching on an empty stomach (except for 2 cups of coffee!). I admit I feel wonderful, even at the end of my class. Good luck, let me know how this works for you!

Rosebud-Idelle, at the moment I'm training for hiking, but in the last week I've worked in some Pilates and Tennis. I like to exercise twice a day, even if only for 20 minutes. Charlie

[quote:e54fb3f568]I'm not saying that Andrew doesn't have something to back up his theory about abdominal fat after 1 hour of exercise, but I haven't read or heard anything that would substantiate that statement. I, as well as many other fitness instructors that I know, often teach more than 1 class a day. [/quote:e54fb3f568] Jackie, I think the point of 1 hour of exercise is to not do more than 1 hour at a time without resting for a period of time. Do you teach several hours in a row? [quote:e54fb3f568]Have you tried Pilates? It is awesome for developing core strength and developing long lean muscles. I teach Pilates twice a week. I make sure that I don't do strength training on that day, just cardio and PIlates. [/quote:e54fb3f568] Aren't long lean muscles better than short muscles developed with weights? Can I get enough strength benefits with exercises like Pilates without resistance training? Does Pilates work the upper body? I spend more of my weight training working on upper body since the legs and glutes seem easy to work on with only a couple of weight bearing exercises coupled with cardio. What do you think of the Total Gym - which to me seems similiar to Pilates but adds resistance due to the slant. And finally, do you need a Pilates platform machine and/or Total Gym with Pilates attachment to get the best benefits from Pilates? Thanks again and congratulations with your success on the Zone diet!! Idelle

Charlie, How do you like Pilates? Do you find it works your upper body or only your core and legs? Do you use a Pilates machine? Thanks, Idelle

[quote:02cbc7298b]I, personally, feel that if I do my cardio first and get my heart rate up, I can stay at my "fat burning level" longer, so I am receiving cardio benefits while I am weight training[/quote:02cbc7298b] Jackie, I thought it was the other way around. If I start doing weights first, then my heart rate is already up when I start cardio. So if I do cardio for 30 min, I might get the same fat burning benefits as 45 min at the beginning of a session.

[quote:93a741abd4="rosebud101"][quote:93a741abd4]I'm not saying that Andrew doesn't have something to back up his theory about abdominal fat after 1 hour of exercise, but I haven't read or heard anything that would substantiate that statement. I, as well as many other fitness instructors that I know, often teach more than 1 class a day. [/quote:93a741abd4] Jackie, I think the point of 1 hour of exercise is to not do more than 1 hour at a time without resting for a period of time. Do you teach several hours in a row? [color=red:93a741abd4]If a person is already aerobically conditioned, they are more than capable of exercising for more than 1 hour. However, that hour shouldn't be maintained at the maximum heart rate. I have actually taught three one hour classes in a row before, with about 15 minutes rest in between. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, but sometimes we are not good examples to our students. It wasn't three hours of intense aerobics, but rather step, weight training and then step again.[/color:93a741abd4] [quote:93a741abd4]Have you tried Pilates? It is awesome for developing core strength and developing long lean muscles. I teach Pilates twice a week. I make sure that I don't do strength training on that day, just cardio and PIlates. [/quote:93a741abd4] Aren't long lean muscles better than short muscles developed with weights? Can I get enough strength benefits with exercises like Pilates without resistance training? Does Pilates work the upper body? I spend more of my weight training working on upper body since the legs and glutes seem easy to work on with only a couple of weight bearing exercises coupled with cardio. What do you think of the Total Gym - which to me seems similiar to Pilates but adds resistance due to the slant. And finally, do you need a Pilates platform machine and/or Total Gym with Pilates attachment to get the best benefits from Pilates? Thanks again and congratulations with your success on the Zone diet!! Idelle[/quote:93a741abd4] There isn't a "better" muscle - it is all personal preference. If you are a dancer or basketball player, long lean muscles would be what you want. However, a linebacker would probably want the muscles developed with weights. However, Pilates would be an advantage for them too, it is just harder to get them to agree. Alot of professional athletes are using it for rehab and injury prevention. [color=red:93a741abd4]I think the Total Gym is great. I've got my father working out on one 4 times a week. It is perfect for him. I like it, too. I haven't used the pilates attachment for the Total Gym, so I can't comment on it. The Pilates that I teach is matwork, so you don't need any special equipment, just the floor.[/color:93a741abd4]

[quote:3f2919b718]There isn't a "better" muscle - it is all personal preference. If you are a dancer or basketball player, long lean muscles would be what you want. However, a linebacker would probably want the muscles developed with weights. However, Pilates would be an advantage for them too, it is just harder to get them to agree. Alot of professional athletes are using it for rehab and injury prevention.[/quote:3f2919b718] Can you get enough of the weight bearing benefits (for bones, etc.) with lengthening exercises like Pilates or Total Gym? I want long sculpted muscles. I don't want to look like a linebacker!! :roll: Also, my original question is whether Pilates can build your upper body (pecs, lats, arms, shoulders) as well as it works ower body? If not, what are good lengthening exercises for upper body? Thanks again, Idelle

I like the matwork exercises of Kellina Stewart's "Pilates for Beginners". Strengthens abs and back, increases overall flexibility, removes stiffness. C.

Sorry, Rosebud, I got a little carried away! Pilates does work your total body, not just the lower body. It strengthens your core muscles (your trunk area), but also will give you an upper body workout. The Total Gym does the same thing, it can work your whole body. If you are wanting to work your arms, get some hand weights and do bicep curls (to work biceps), overhead extensions (to work triceps), flys (to work chest), and kickbacks (also works triceps). You could do 3 sets each (start at 5 reps and work your way up to 10 reps for each set) and you will be toned in no time. Again, I highly recommend Pilates for total body sculpting. It is awesome.

[quote:13e2703c13] Have you tried Pilates? It is awesome for developing core strength and developing long lean muscles. [/quote:13e2703c13] Hi Jackie, I apologize if I come across as condescending, but this I hate to see information like this distributed. It is impossible to develop "long lean muscles". The length of a muscle is genetically determined and cannot be improved appreciably. You can decrease the tonicity of a muscle and hence loosen it, but you can't make it (appreciably) longer. Furthermore, to say that Pilates develops "lean" muscles is redundant, because all muscle tissue is lean. With regard to changing the appearance of a muscle or improving its functional characteristics, there is nothing special that Pilates can do other than strengthen it and make it more flexible, both of which can be achieved far more directly through other methods such as weight training, stretching, etc. Again I apologize if I come across as condescending because I know you were just trying to help, but the claim that Pilates (or any other exercise) develops "long lean muscles" is fitness lore.