LOL!

Cheryl, I am not an expert, but
My wife and I do several things when eating out. We now split most meals (add a side salad) since the portions are usually too much for one, unless you are at a high end spot. We then ask for specifics: sub veggies for potato, tell them to skip the bread, ask for a side of mushrooms. Most medium priced restaurants will fix your meal the way you want it. If we find one we like but can't get enough fruit or veggies, we plan a head and bring an apple to eat on the way home. We will also ask for a side of guacomole, we will even bring almonds for the ride home. One benefit is instead of a $25-30 dinner bill it can be $15-20, and we are in the zone.
I guess i got off track from your question....on the go meals are harder but can be done by knowing the three food groups of the zone and knowing how much of each you should have. I keep almonds and cashews close by in my car. I have stopped at the Grocery store deli to pick up and Apple, Turkey and nuts, now that is real fast food and you have complete control within the Zone. Hope this gives you a little help.

David,
Your tip sounds very familiar to me!

I have a family (hubby and 3 children). My oldest daughter is 11 1/2, and has always had a "taste" for more expensive foods, like seafood (and broiled, not breaded and fried). She is getting to be too old to be eating off of children's menus, and really doesn't like the choices that are available for children, anyway (most items are deep fried, or served with fries, etc.).

So, our solution, when we go out to eat, is that she and I end up ordering a broiled seafood selection together. The seafood is usually enough for the two of us. I am more than willing to pay extra for the extra salad and side dish, but most restaurants will not charge extra for it.

My daughter and I can easily eat healthy this way, and it is also much less expensive!

Thanks for the great ideas!! I'll use them. My weekday lunches are still a bit of a pain when I don't have time to stop between sales calls...i.e. must drive to next call during lunch time or when I give presentations during lunch (as the speaker I can't stop and eat) and have to run to next call afterwards. Several days/week I'm too on the go or will be a few hours late for lunch. I think those will just have to remain "bar" lunches. When I have time to stop for lunch or take a client to lunch...easy. It's those typical chaotic days that give me trouble. If I have time for a good breakfast, bar lunch I'm ok. Some days I just get behind. I can testify that I can get through the day on OmegaBars...they do keep the hungry headaches at bay. I do think it's all about planning. Thanks again.

Oh, that does give me more perspective on where you are coming from.

So, when you say "on the go", you truly mean "going" and you are behind the wheel! And, timing could be a big issue, too, with that lifestyle.

I think you are smart to keep the bars handy. Perhaps some shake mix, too. You definitely need things that you can eat in the car with your hands (so, no salads).

You could probably come up with some recipes that are made to be wrapped up in lettuce or cabbage leaves. I don't know if you have Jimmy John's Subs in your area, but they do make sandwiches into wraps using lettuce leaves. Since I don't have them around here very close, I have never really looked to see how a meal stacks up. But, that could be an option.

I will keep this in mind, and look for some lettuce wrap recipes, if you are interested in that.

"Emergency provisions"

I recently bought boxes of Balance bars that were on sale for about 50 cents each. I keep them in the car for when I don't have time to prepare a meal or snack.

I also keep a bottle of "emergency" protein powder in the car for when I eat with others and there isn't enough protein. I've filled little plastic bags with 5 blocks each, so I don't have to carry the whole bottle with me. Protein powder keeps for a long time and is cheaper per block than beef jerky or canned tuna.

Finally, I keep a bag of almonds for when there's not enough fat. (I have to remember to double the fat blocks with the protein powder, which has negligible fat.) Almonds are easier to manage than a little bottle of olive oil.


Controlling hunger

I've found I need a block of low-density carb block (e.g. lettuce, cabbage, brocolli) to keep me full for any length of time. But I also try to have least one high-density carb block to control gas from too much fiber. :blush:

I still have to drink a lot of water to control hunger, especially with high-density food like Balance bars.


Staying motivated

Sometimes I cheat. Then I pay for it, sometimes with drowsiness, usually with lousy athletic performance. This motivates me to get back in the Zone. Fish oil can't make up for bad diet.

Hi Everyone,

This tip might be cumbersome for some people, but it really helped me get a grasp on what I was eating.

I created a food journal using a Excel spreadsheet that would calculate the total grams of macro nutrients, calories and blocks for everything that went past my lips. It was a fairly simple thing to do but it took time because I had to manually enter the protein, carbs, fats and the units (grams, cups, tbsp, etc) into the spreadsheet as I built a small database of the typical foods that I eat. The database grows each time I eat something that I haven't added to the database already.

I divide the day up into breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks, then cut and past the food I eat under the appropriate meal, changing the units to amount that I ate. The total grams and calories are automatically calculated, and for fun, I cut and paste the formulas for calculating the total blocks for the meals and also the total daily blocks that I ate.

What an eye opener! My daily calories ranged from about 1300 to over 4800 in that first week - Yikes! I was eyeballing everything and at times under estimating, and other times really over estimating. It was really just gross denial of what I was telling myself I was eating. I would have never believed that I had eaten nearly 5000 calories if I had not written it down.

Okay, that was long story to add this tip - Keep a journal of what you eat - at least for a period of time in the beginning to get a solid reference, and then again every so often to realign your eyesight with reality.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice and constant support you provide on this site.

Troy

The Excel spreadsheet format works for me. I created 3 Menu Plans (Plan A, Plan B and Plan C) for my meals and snacks that I rotate every two weeks. I have a total of 6 weeks to progress through Plan A, B, and C before I begin the cycle again with A. I go to the store just every two weeks, so I created a grocery list for Plan A, B and C with the items and amounts to last 14 days. Before I go to the store, I take an inventory of my "left-over" food items (canned, frozen) and then use my Excel grocery list to figure how much more of the left over food items I need. If I don't need the left overs, I save them until they appear again in the next cycle.

This method took a lot of time devise and perfect but now, there is no guess work to how many cans of kidney beans I need when the serving size on the can is different than what a particular recipe calls for.

Troy,

I have been working on EXACTLY the same thing that you have been working on! Hey, perhaps we could swap data, maybe you have some food entries that I don't have, and vice versa!

Hi Cranberrycat,

I would be happy to share my workbook and compare notes. I will add a disclaimer; some of the nutritional information came from online websites like thedailyplate.com, which is a kind of food wikipedia where anyone can enter nutritional data on food, and I've seen some "out there" numbers. It's not too hard to see what is obviously out of whack and avoid that information. Whenever I could, I used the nutritional values from the manufacturer and noted the brand name in my spreadsheet.

Where would you like me to send the workbook?

Bridget,

That is certainly something I need to consider doing. Currently I start the meal process by looking around the kitchen for Zone qualified items and I will reference one of my zone cookbooks, though I find I'm always missing one or two key ingredients. So I end up eating a lot of the same food, especially for breakfast where I rely on cottage cheese and fruit/berries as well as oats.

Did you create your ABC meal plan or did it come from one of the books?

If you are willing to share, you can send it to cranberrycat@hotmail.com. I will also share mine with you. My information mostly comes from www.nutritiondata.com. Thanks!

Hi CC, (do you mind if I abbreviate?)

I just sent you a copy with some basic instructions of how I use it. I'm looking forward to any suggestions you have.

I also forgot to mention that the list is sorted alphabetically by food type which I do manually after adding food. If anything looks out of place, the worksheet would need to be sorted by column B.

Troy

Troy,

Most of the recipes come from the Zone books and this website. I do make substitutions as there are some ingredients that I do not like how they taste. I have also "invented" a couple recipes myself. With both methods (the substitutions and the "invented" recipes) I use the block food list to be sure I am using the favorable foods and using the correct measurements for my blocks.

I essentially use the same method of creating each of my menus with my ABC plan. As an example for plan A, I use 2 breakfast recipes, 2 lunch recipes, one snack recipe for the afternoon and then repeat it for the evening and 2 dinner recipes. I alternate between the 2 recipes throughout the 14 days such as, Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner #1 on Menu Plan A. Then, on Tue, Thur, and Sat, I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner # 2 on Menu Plan A. The snacks, as I have mentioned are repeats: the afternoon snack is the same recipe as the evening snack. After the 14 days, I move to Menu Plan B that consists of a different set of recipes so I don't eat the same foods over and over. I use the same day-of-the-week schedule as with Plan A and do the same thing again with Menu Plan C. Then I start the cycle over with Plan A!

There are a couple recipes that I really find tasty and I do repeat them in my ABC plan. Example, you may see a repeat of a Lunch Recipe on Plan A and C, because I like it so much!

This plan took many hours to devise and organize but it is worth the effort when it comes to planning what to eat and what to buy-it is already figured out!

Troy,

Rereading your post I want to add, I devised the Menu Plan ABC myself (I did not find this plan in my Zone book)and reading my previous post, you can see where I found the recipes.

Thanks Bridget,

That's a very well managed plan. I have never thought about managing my grocery shopping with this kind of efficiency. If we run out of something, it goes on the list until we can get to the store, which probably means I'm making extra trips. First, I need to put together a list recipes, instead of shooting from the hip all the time!

Thanks for the info!

Troy

Hello Troy,

Arrr, extra trips to the grocery store, such a time-waster! I like to step into a grocery store once every 14 days. When it comes to my diet and exercise routine, I am a control freak, don't like to deviate from my standard ways of doing things, like to compartmentalize things into an organized system and I am very focused. This ABC plan may seem rigid and predictable but it is a roadmap to keep me on track so I don't have to "whip up something" when it is time to eat with whatever is lying around (and possibly eat too much of an unfavorable because that is all that is in the cupboard). I thrive on efficiency and order, though I must say my boyfriend (we cohabitate in his house) is "helping" me to be more flexible with the way the house and my lifestyle is arranged. He is truely someone who is spontaneous and is not concerned with the way his surroundings are organized.

Oh, and you're welcome and Keep On Zoning!

Hi Troy!

Yes, it is fine to abbreviate-LOL!

I just peeked into my mailbox and saw your message. I am not at my home computer now, but as soon as I am I will send my copy to you. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the Zone website, although not terribly new to the Zone. I've been "Zoning" for about the last year and, when I'm doing it faithfully, feel energetic and focused.

I'd love some help here...up until last year I was a teacher. I moved to a district job in the fall which is a nice change, but I travel much more for work than I did before and that is when it gets difficult staying in the Zone. Next week I'm at a conference all week in a hotel, and I'm frankly worried about staying on track. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for us, dinner is on our own. Any ideas on staying zoned during hotel stays? I'd appreciate any and all input.

Thanks, and I've been enjoying reading everyone's posts.

Eileen :D

Hi Eileen!

Say no to the bread basket or complementary chips, and choose fish or poultry with veggie sides. Ask for extra sides if needed. Zone books recommend that when you recieve the meal you ask for 1/2 the protein portion to be wrapped right away, so you won't be tempted to eat all of it. In one book, Dr. Sears wrote that if you really want a dessert, eat the protein portion of the meal but no carbs, then split one serving of the dessert with a friend. Breakfasts are pretty easy if you choose eggs and fruit (be sure it's favorable fruit). A block of oatmeal will be a good addition. Keep your other carbs in the breakfast favorable, since the oats are most likely going to be rolled oats (unfavorable). Most places will give you a big bowl of strawberries, even though it may not be on the menu. An easy lunch is a chicken caesar salad, black bean soup and fruit. Pack some Zone bars. If you're in a situation where there's just no way to eat a Zone favorable meal, eat 1 1/2 bars instead. To find out more, check out the Zone info about eating in restaurants.

Have fun at the conference!

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?

:cool:hi
i have a tip it helps me a lot and so may help others .

try to keep as busy as possible after you have eaten ,right up untill your next meal , that way your not thinking about food all the time, and also time goes faster
lynn

[quote]Posted By Eileen on 04/17/2008 2:56 PM

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?[/quote]

Regular Balance bars are supposed to be 40-30-30. ZonePerfect bars are more like "Zone close"- not exactly 40-30-30. Clif Builder's bars are closer. There might be other bars or other foods- just do the math with the Nutrition Facts. Remember to subtract fiber and sugar alcohols from total carbs (I try to avoid sugar alcohols). It's tedious, but you'll gradually accumulate a list of Zone foods that will give you more flexibility.

Some of the best deals are online (amazon, ebay, google). Since you don't have time to order online, you might try Sam's Club, Costco, Smart & Final, Wal-mart, Target, or dollar stores. Average prices are about 50 cents per block (e.g. $1 for a 2 block bar).

If you want to eat more normally instead of subsisting on bars, you can bring ziploc baggies of protein powder in your purse. When food is provided, carbs and fat are usually in abundance, but you probably need to bring your own protein. Protein powder is convenient and easier to measure than other sources of protein. You can buy a jar from Wal-mart and scoop enough for one meal (probably 3 blocks) into each baggy, so you don't have to bring the whole jar with you. If some protein is provided, eyeball how much (if any) protein powder you need to supplement with. Remember to double your fat blocks for each block of protein powder if the protein powder doesn't have any fat.

For dinner, if you want to be more precise than eyeballing at a restaurant, you can go to the grocery store for deli meat and fruit. 1.5 oz. of deli meat is 1 protein block. An apple, orange, or pear is 2 carb blocks. A peach, plum, or kiwi is 1 carb block.

Cottage cheese is really nice in vegi soups, it melts down and becomes a bit stringy. It doesn't really add flavour, but is good when you're wanting a healthy protien source but have run out of other options.

I also bought some venison meat the other day, and it was really nice in a stir-fry. It's really high in vitamins, protien, and low in fat. I can also buy venison meatballs and meat patties at my supermarket (in New Zealand). They have some bread in them (1 carb block) but are a perfect 3P portion.

[quote]Posted By Eileen on 04/17/2008 2:56 PM

Thank you Sue. That's what I'm thinking, but it's nice to have someone to bounce it off of. Now a question about the Zone bars. I don't usually use them but I do know there are lots of things that call themselves "zone" out there. Any suggestions on how to find the best ones since I don't really have time to order them from the website?[/quote]

Hi Eileen,

I don't have other bar suggestions. Zone Labs bars are the only ones that have ever worked.