I have been on the Zone for about 10 days now - and still feel pretty tired. I was on Atkins last year and had great energy - but haven't found the same to be true here. Before going on the Zone, I was a 'regular' late night eater and snacker - Have I gone too far to the other extreme? I have cut out all eating outside of the three meals and two snacks - and have kept up with my water intake. I have NOT begun taking any vitamins - because I am confused about the different fish oils - and don't really want to take the time and money to order on-line. I would prefer to just go to the store and buy something. What do you suggest?

[quote:ac5f0778a3="chubbyhubby"]I have been on the Zone for about 10 days now - and still feel pretty tired. [/quote:ac5f0778a3] Tiredness can be caused by the side effects from the release of arachidonic acid from stored body fat or pushing insulin levels to low/electrolyte depletion. If you would like to lay out your meals here, we can see what needs to be tweaking. I have some thoughts on the renal issue that I will post shortly.

Here's a general day... Breakfast - ZonePerfect Bar Lunch - Caesar Salad or Deli Turkey, Green Beens, and Cauliflower/Broccoli mix Snack - 1/2 ZP Bar Dinner - Fish with Green Beans, Salad (tomato, lettuce, cucumber, oil-based dressing) Snack - 1/2 apple, string cheese, and 3 slices of turkey Admittedly - I was overweight when I started and have been successful with dropping about 7 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I also play racquetball in the morning before work (and eat breakfast before going). Appreciate the help! Anthony

Sounds to me like you may not be eating enough. The breakfast you listed is only 2 blocks. Women need 3/meal and men usually 4. I find that ZP bars don't hold me well enough as a meal replacement, just as a sedentary snack (ie when I am driving). A Caesar salad is only an OK meal, usually it's too low on carbs, or has bad carbs (croutons). You didn't say if it had chicken for protein. How much of the veggies are you eating? You really do need to measure--I know it's tedious, but it gets easier and is worth it. 1/2 zp bar is 1 block snack, but doesn't work for everyone. Try experimenting. I've found that these are handy in a pinch, but I can't rely on them because they don't always hold me long enough. Your dinner sounds good, but I don't know portions. For example, a 1 block salad would have to have 2 tomatoes to be a block. Lettuce is 10 cups/block, so usually isn't really counted. Try adding garbanzos, kidney or black beans--I find it easy to up the good carbs with these, without a lot of bulk. Also, 1.5 cups of green beans is one block, so if you had a one block salad, you'd need 4.5 cups to make 4 blocks of carbs total. (A glass of wine is also OK as a block of unfavorable carbs.) Fish is usually 1.5 oz. per block, so 4 would be 6 oz. Your last snack sounds too high on protein--1/2 apple and 1 oz. string cheese is all you need. Have the turkey for breakfast! A good place to look for help is the Zone Resources. There is a list of favorable items and their block size (I printed it and put it inside my cupboard door--I now have it nearly memorized), as well as a list of good Zone Snacks. It sounds like you don't take much time preparing breakfast--try making it the night before (cutting fruit, cooking eggs, etc.) and just nuke and grab in the AM. If you rely on the ZP bars, you may not have success as easily. It's weird, but not eating enough can stop you from losing weight. If you have no energy, but are eating all favorable foods, you are probably not eating enough. For me, when I started I struggled with the unfavorables. I would suggest eating only favorable foods for a few weeks, and then bringing back a few of the others. That way, you know your reaction to specific foods. With favorable ones (low glycemic load) as your only energy source, you shouldn't have much trouble. It's a bit tough to get used to at first, but WOW is it worth it! :D I will happily mow down 3 cups of broccoli, 2 tomatoes and 1/4 cup garbanzos, plus 3/4 cup cottage cheese and 9 olives. Great lunch--but at first it was a lot to deal with. Hang in there! Good luck figuring it out. Write if you need help--people here are great! Ronica

Thank you so much for the advice!!! I read the book - but had no idea about the 10 cups of lettuce and the 3 cups of veggies, etc...!!!! I don't know how I can eat all that food!!! (Never thought I would say that...) Anyways - let me see what I can do about digging into more specific meal plans. I just bought the Zone Meals in Seconds book (or minutes - can't remember - I looked at them both). Again - Thank you! Anthony

You're welcome, Anthony! I felt the same way when I found out the quantities. That's why knowing a few tricks can help--like using beans or salsa as a carb block--much less to eat! Good luck! Ronica

[quote:439caad685="chubbyhubby"]Thank you so much for the advice!!! I read the book - but had no idea about the 10 cups of lettuce and the 3 cups of veggies, etc...!!!! I don't know how I can eat all that food!!! (Never thought I would say that...)Anthony[/quote:439caad685] My wife and I didn't look at it that way. Consider a salad, about two cups of lettuce, 1 tomato sliced, some cucumber, a few slivers of pepper, maybe some sliced mushrooms, and maybe some onions if you like. WhaLa you have 1 block. No need to worry about eating 10 cups of lettuce! Add some green beans and a glass of wine and you have 3 blocks (my wife). Add either 1/4 cup of black beans or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, and you have 4 blocks. Black beans are cheap. And I have them in a variety of ways, It so happens I like blck beans. Cold with a dash of (Olive) oil and vinnegar, warm or cold with some Horse Radish mixed in, warm or cold with a dash of sour cream, mixed in with the salad, mixed in with the green beans, etc. Also as a block, my wife will fry up some onions and mushrooms, in a dash of olive oil and sometimes garlic - and we'll eat over 1 cup for nearly a block. Eating a little extra green beans or black beans or even an extra ounces of wine - makes up the full block. Just some random ideas. Sometimes she fixes mashed potatoes for the kids, 1/4 cup is a block (just so long as unfavorables are kept to 25% (ideally).

[quote:c2d43f77f5="RBrownson"]You're welcome, Anthony! I felt the same way when I found out the quantities. That's why knowing a few tricks can help--like using beans or salsa as a carb block--much less to eat! Good luck! Ronica[/quote:c2d43f77f5] One other trick I always use. I almost always measure the unfavorable carbs, when we have them. Otherwise you can get portion/size creep. Like when we have mashed potatoes (she fixes for kids). I always measure only 1/4 cup. I find that if I start eyeballing it, after a period of time, it may get larger over time. So I stick to measuring, at least the unfavorable carbs, when we have them.

[quote:36920764fa] I almost always measure the unfavorable carbs, when we have them. Otherwise you can get portion/size creep. Like when we have mashed potatoes (she fixes for kids). I always measure only 1/4 cup. I find that if I start eyeballing it, after a period of time, it may get larger over time. So I stick to measuring, at least the unfavorable carbs, when we have them.[/quote:36920764fa] Only 1 person in 4 or 25% of people are the unlucky ones to be affected by unfavorable carbs. Therefore 3 people in 4 are not necessarily affected by unfavorable carbs so why are you so strict with unfavorable carbs. Do you actually know for sure you are one of the unlucky 25%? I ask this because I see so many act so fearful of carbs as if they are poison and they act as if they know for sure positively it is the unfavorable carbs making them fat when 3 in 4 people are not necessarily affect by unfavorable carbs and therefore their insulin is not compromised by unfavorable carbs and they just might have more success at lowering body fat another way. A great many people are not having success with appetite control & fat loss by the method promoted here day after day. Maybe they are following the wrong path and recommending tweaking constantly may be erroneous.

[quote:81ba4f58e7="chubbyhubby"]Thank you so much for the advice!!! I read the book - but had no idea about the 10 cups of lettuce and the 3 cups of veggies, etc[/quote:81ba4f58e7] this brings up something I've been wondering about. any tips for measuring lettuce? :roll: I guess since it takes so much lettuce to make up one block of Carbs that this may be a mute point, but i am curious to hear how others handle this. -Susan

[quote:380771f9c7="Muriel2b"][quote:380771f9c7] I almost always measure the unfavorable carbs, when we have them. Otherwise you can get portion/size creep. Like when we have mashed potatoes (she fixes for kids). I always measure only 1/4 cup. I find that if I start eyeballing it, after a period of time, it may get larger over time. So I stick to measuring, at least the unfavorable carbs, when we have them.[/quote:380771f9c7] Only 1 person in 4 or 25% of people are the unlucky ones to be affected by unfavorable carbs. Therefore 3 people in 4 are not necessarily affected by unfavorable carbs so why are you so strict with unfavorable carbs. Do you actually know for sure you are one of the unlucky 25%? I ask this because I see so many act so fearful of carbs as if they are poison and they act as if they know for sure positively it is the unfavorable carbs making them fat when 3 in 4 people are not necessarily affect by unfavorable carbs and therefore their insulin is not compromised by unfavorable carbs and they just might have more success at lowering body fat another way. A great many people are not having success with appetite control & fat loss by the method promoted here day after day. Maybe they are following the wrong path and recommending tweaking constantly may be erroneous.[/quote:380771f9c7] You may not be happy with ZONE and that's fine for you. I am quite happy. Doing well, and I am a very strong advocate of the ZONE!!! By-the-way I believe that you have it backwards. Only 25% are lucky with carbs and NOT the other way around! 75% are unlucky, and I think I know myself better than you. I know what years of bread and pasta have done to me. do not have a problem with appetite control. Just the opposite. I am eating more than I ever did, lost weight, now maintaining, very healthy and free of any worry and/or guilt about my weight and my eating habbits. Thank you for your concern, however.

Regardless of lucky or unlucky, 25% or 75%, poison fear of carbs or what have you-- If I eat 3 cups of broccoli and an apple with my protein and fat, I am not hungry until 5 hours later. If I eat 1 1/2 pieces of white bread, I am. Therefore, it doesn't work for me and I will continue with my current eating plan. Frankly, the only thing I am afraid of, food-wise, is hot dogs (and I'm not discussing that one again.) I will occasionally eat 'bad' carbs, in small amounts, but I know what they do to me when I don't watch them. I have several size-14 pants in my closet that will attest to that. (My current size-8 rear end thanks me for the broccoli.) The Zone is not about fear. That's the American media doing what it does best. Have you noticed the increase in "Low Carb Mentality" since Jan. 1? It's crazy. The Zone is about science and understanding and learning how your body works. Mine works better with broccoli. But, the occasional chocolate into my life must fall. :) And I am not afraid to admit that, nor do I feel guilty. Ronica