Hi, Everyone - I'm totally new to the Zone way of eating (just starting today). My doctor has told me it could help with my lupus, as well as with weight loss (I currently weigh 300 lbs.). I've been chronically ill for 13 years now with extreme fatigue, allergies, and other problems including diabetes. Anyway - I have a couple of questions for starters! I watched the video my doctor gave me ("Zoneperfect Nutrition made Easy") and they had cottage cheese/fruit as an example zone meal. I was looking at the label of the one I have and it has 2.5 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of protein. Am I figuring this right - this would come out to 2.5 blocks of fat, 2 blocks of carbs, and 2.5 blocks of protein? So to have a "3-block zone meal" I'd need to add to this. For lunch I added 1 Tbls. of protein powder and a few cashews. I don't know if I'm doing this right or not! For supper tonight I was planning pork roast (since I have it already) and green beans and squash. What is the best way to cook fresh green beans and squash for Zone eating? Saute in some olive oil or steam them? How do you get some flavor into them if you steam them? I've never liked "crunchy" veggies but I know they're healthier that way... But I just can't imagine eating plain steamed veggies with no seasoning or sauce or something!!! (But I'm willing to try if that's what it takes!) Is there a good sauce recipe? And it seems I need to eat a TON of veggies to be in the right ratio! 3 cups of green beans and 2 cups of squash?!! Is this right? And 3 cups of broccoli is only 1 block? Who eats 9 cups of broccoli at a meal?! What am I missing...!! :) Thanks for any tips! :shock:

[quote:6e8148697a="jackibar"] I was looking at the label of the one I have and it has 2.5 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of protein. Am I figuring this right - this would come out to 2.5 blocks of fat, 2 blocks of carbs, and 2.5 blocks of protein? So to have a "3-block zone meal" I'd need to add to this. [/quote:6e8148697a] I think you're confused about blocks. One block of protein is 7 grams, so a 3-block meal would be about 21 grams. Normally, 7 grams of protein contains about 1.5 grams of fat, so we need to add another 1.5 grams for one block (to total 3 grams of fat per block). For some foods such as protein powder, there's no fat or not enough fat, so we need to add the full 3 grams worth. For a 3-block meal, that's 9 grams of fat, total. One block of carbs is 9 grams, or about 27 for a 3-block meal. So for your meal, you have about 2 blocks of carbs, about 1.5 blocks of protein, and a little under 1 block of fat. Assuming that you need a 3-block meal (and some people need more or less fat, protein, or carbs to feel right), you'd need to add one block of carbs (about 9 grams), 1.5 blocks of protein (about 10 grams), and maybe a little fat. You don't have to be exact about the number of grams--just close. I can't eat dairy products, so I'm not familiar with cottage cheese, but maybe you could add a little more of that to increase both protein, fat, and carbs. You'd probably need to add more carbs though from another source. You also need to pay attention to the glycemic index of carbohydrates. Some people do quite well with a lot of fruit, but some of us need to get most of our carbs from other sources. As for the veggies, there are ways to supplement so that you're not eating 10 cups of broccoli. :roll: You can add tomato sauce or salsa; kidney, garbanzo, or black beans; or hummus. And there are all kinds of creative ways to insert cooked oatmeal into recipes. All perfectly acceptable sources of favorable carbohydrates. I've recently discovered frozen red and green peppers (or you could use fresh), which have a higher carb count per cup than most vegetables. And 1 cup of onions is one block of carbs. I also use frozen onions a lot in cooking. As for flavor, I usually microwave my veggies and mix them into my ground turkey, etc. But you could steam them also, or stir fry in a tiny amount of oil, but the oil would count toward your fat allotment. I usually stir fry in nonstick pans. There's no reason why you couldn't make a sauce, but of course you'd need to count the ingredients. Maybe others have good recipes. You can also flavor with herbs and spices. Good luck! :) Andrea

Thanks, Andrea, for clarifying the blocks for me! I had one of those "fried brain" days and just wasn't thinking straight! I really appreciate it and will have to go get some more good veggies to add so I don't have to eat 10 cups of broccoli javascript:emoticon(':wink:') Jacki :)

A few easy ways to flavor steamed veggies: :idea: Add Tony Cachere's Original Cajun/Creole Seasoning. (in a green can with a red lid--less than 2$.) I've never met anyone who didn't like this, and it's awesome on just about any vegetable, including broccoli! (Yippeee! Cajun Broccoli!) :idea: If you haven't done your fat yet, steam green beans, then sautée them in your olive oil plus minced garlic and liberally salt and pepper (I use kosher salt, it's easier to cook with.) This also works for frozen veggie mixes--instead of boiling, steaming or nuking, add them to a hot pan with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper (or Tony C's). Stir when you can (I use nonstick) until hot. Depending on your pan, you may have to cover for a while to completely thaw them, but they retain a lot more flavor this way. I often cook my chicken first, set it aside, do my veggies in the same pan, recombine and voilà! Dinner. :idea: Generally with the zone, you want to avoid sauces. Salsa is approved, but is also a carb that needs to be counted. Here is a quick and easy cheese sauce that also serves as your protein source. This over broccoli/cauliflower and other veggies would be good. It is a white sauce that's a little tangy, but rich and delicious, and Zone-friendly! It only takes five minutes. Ronica's Easy Cheesy Sauce 3/4 cup cottage cheese 1 t. olive oil season salt to taste (tony C's) In a small, nonstick pan heat oil and add cottage cheese. Stir over medium heat until curds start to melt and break down. Whisk until smooth, season as desired. This also holds well in the fridge. The above amount is 3P 3F, add 3 C of veggies, etc. and you have a meal. Once you are really "in the Zone" you will likely start to appreciate the flavor of veggies, and will enjoy many on their own. Remember that some types of squash are favorable, (summer squash, zucchini, spaghetti) and some are not (acorn, butternut). It really depends on how sweet they are. The easiest way to zone (especially at the beginning) is to count like crazy, or follow some of the recipes in books. If you don't have A Week in the Zone, it's a great reference, and pretty cheap ($8). It also has some pretty good recipes. Good luck! I hope you reach your goals. Keep writing! Ronica