I just started being strict to zone. I've now done more research and am giving it a serious shot. The reason I say I'm skeptical is I've been running in a thousand calorie a day deficit diet and that’s not counting the crossfit workouts so I'm even further behind I lost about 10 lbs but am now deadlocked at 223lbs and wont move now for about 4 weeks. The body calculator on this sight says


Body Fat %: 25.00
Body Fat Weight (lbs): 56.25
Lean Body Mass (lbs): 168.75
Daily Protein Requirement (g): 118.12
or # of Blocks of Protein: 17
# of Blocks of Carbohydrate: 17
# of Blocks of Fat: 17

I've been making performance gains during work outs but zero wt loss or seeming body composition change.

I just started and all I say is wow I don’t even know how to eat this much food. I'll have to move to some of the poorer quality food sources to keep the food volume down.

I'm hoping the wt scale will show me something different.

How is your mental clarity? What kind of energy levels do you have?

If you are having good performance gains something is working keep it up.

I lost my 1st 70 lbs on zone eating & walking alone in 10 months.

I lost around 10 lbs more since I started working out almost 4 months ago. My performance gains have been phenomonal. I increased by a couple blocks and am just now at 17 blocks.

At 14-15 blocks I was a little stricter on what carbs I ate, mostly vegetables. Now I am eating a little more fruit than before to get those additional blocks. My mental clarity is excellent and my energy is higher than ever.

How long does it take to put on those extra pounds? It should take some time to take them off.

Keep up the good work and you will be rewarded.

Matt,

It told me 17 blocks so if I want to cut more wt should I reduce my blocks?? I think I could pretty easily do that if needed. I would like to lose 20-25lbs in the next few months.

I'll let you know on the energy I really just started. The gains I made were with the calorie restricted diet I just can’t seem to lose any more fat on it or change my body composition but I still seem to be able to get strong on it I'm just a strong fat ass though. I need to cut through that and make the break through I'm hoping this will do it.

FWIW I'm 6ft 225lbs

Thanks

Hi Monty!

Welcome!

I think this might be the answer to your little dilemma. You're probably not be eating enough. (I know...not what you're expecting to hear!) Looks like you're using an activity level of 0.7. I think that's probably too low.

Cutting blocks further will not reduce your excess fat. Just the opposite. It will put you at a standstill (right where you are now). When you don't eat enough, your body is wired to perceive starvation. When this happens, the body slows the metabolism and becomes more efficient . Its the body's way to try to save it's stored fat, thinking it will need it to survive a time of famine.

To lose the excess stored fat, you've got to eat enough protein to support your LMB at your current activity level, and complement it with the appropriate Zone balanced amounts of carb and fat. This will most likely mean you'll be eating more than you are now. As Matt posted, carb choices will also effect your results.

Here's my husband's Zone experience. He's 6'1", around 150 pounds LBM (almost 20 pounds less LBM than you have), weighs about 180, is an avid runner (ran a marathon 6 mos ago), does no strength training except about 30 push-ups daily, and eats 16 to 17 blocks a day. He lost 67 pounds, a number of yrs ago when he started eating the Zone Diet (same number of blocks he eats now).


Stay with it. Adjust to suit your particular needs and you'll see the results you'er looking for.

Cheers!

sounds good I will try to eat all the block for each day. What do you mean activity level of 0.7 I'M not sure what that means. I used the moderate level on the calculator. If I bump it up it has me eating 19 blocks of each per day.

I do crossfit and that includes a variety of work including strenght training and cardio. I love the variety of it.

Sue- by your calc how many blocks should I eat?

Am I reading the food list right 3cups of broccoli = one block of carbs so to eat 4 blocks I need to eat 12 cups worth?? This seems like a silly amount of food.

Also is the an explaination on the site on how to read lable and convert it to block values??

I was eating a prepacked sushi tray everyday for lunch and I'd like to see where it falls in the mix and see if I can keep eating it or what I have to add to it to balance it out.

Thanks

[quote]Posted By Monty on 05/08/2008 11:04 PM

sounds good I will try to eat all the block for each day. What do you mean activity level of 0.7 I'M not sure what that means. I used the moderate level on the calculator. If I bump it up it has me eating 19 blocks of each per day.

I do crossfit and that includes a variety of work including strenght training and cardio. I love the variety of it.

Sue- by your calc how many blocks should I eat?[/quote]

Hi Monty,

If you were to calculate your daily protein/block requirement by hand you'd multiply your LBM times an activity level factor (refer to the formula in Zone books). The activity factor represents the grams of protein you'd require for each pound of lean body mass. At the moderate level it happens to be 0.7 gram. (Active level = 0.8; Very Active = 0.9; Eilte/Professional Athlete = 1).

In order to make a daily block amount suggestion, I'd need more info. How much time do you spend per week doing aerobic activity and how much time doing anaerobic (resistance, weight lifting, etc.)? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume your Crossfit workouts are of high intensity, regardless of the amount of time you spend doing them, correct? BTW, without even knowing the amount of time you spend, I'd say you most likley require at least the 0.8 activity factor.

I've read up a little on the CF. It is very intensefrom what I can tell. I would say you should use the .8 factor just from the WOD I have read.

Yes that is an insane amount of Broccoli. I am not very carb sensitive which works out well for me. But a typical dinnercould be your protein with a plate full of Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash with onions, peppers & mushrooms. I then have 1-2 blocks of beans kidney, black or garbanzos. I then add in 1-2 blocks of berries for dessert. I like to switch it up so this is just estimates, I like variety.

I have read & heard that the top CF guys eat in the Zone.

Good look, I think you will be amazed at the results youwill have following the Zone and doing the workout you have been doing.

Sue,

That explains it to be honest I've not read the book. I've read stuff off this site and talked with people on the diet. To be honest between 2 full time jobs wife, kids and working out I just dont have time to sit and read a book unless it directly has info that helps me make more money. I was hopeing I could get the info from the site, forum and talking to people. Crossfit has a mix of stuff but there is alot of cardio mixed with strength training. For instance todays work out I did

21-15-9 reps of:
225 pound Deadlift
35lbs dumbell shoulder press

done for time as fast as you can do them followed by 15min run I usually cover just over 2 miles.

I would say the crossfit work are intense but usually pretty short.

I'll bump up the blocks it sounds like.

Thanks
Monty

Matt,

Yea the crossfit guys are big on the zone diet.

I will try to expand what I'm eating more I wish I liked a bigger variety of the veggies. I do like some so I'll load up on those.

thanks
Monty

Hi Monty,

Thanks for providing the additional info. With the heavy weight lifting, I'd say a minimum of 20 blocks. If the lifting is daily, then 22 blocks.

Sue,

The sched usually runs 3 days on 1 day off.

some days will just be cardio though but the longest run I've seen so far is 5K or about 3miles. Most of the time seems to be broken down like 4 800 meter runs each for time.

Below is a list of stuff from the quick start snack section I have to ask whats the difference between "sliced meat" and "Deli meat". I mean the deli meat you can have 50% more of so whats the deal?? I've been eating the 1.5oz is this to much??




PROTEINS

• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 ounce part-skim or "lite" mozzarella
• 2 1/2 ounces part-skim or "lite" ricotta cheese
• 1 ounce sliced meat (turkey, ham, chicken)
• 1 ounce tuna packed in water
• 1 string cheese
• 1 1/2 ounces deli meat

Deli-style meat usually contains less protien per ounce than a regular piece of meat you'd cook because it has water and other things added

Ok got it I've been getting turkey from the deli but I dont think it qualifies it is not very wet and seems pretty dense. I'll give itthe regular value.