Help! Today is my first day on the Zone and I did ok. I know there will be harder times, like I found out tonight we are going to my very favorite Pizza place on Thurs for my SO's birthday. Suggestions?

Also, I keep seeing references to cooking oatmeal in slow cooker or in a thermos, can you share?

Thanks for you experience!
trfic2

Hi!

One of Barry Sears long time suggestions for pizza is to take two slices. Place the toppings from the second slice onto the first and discard the crust of the second slice. The other option would be to order a more Zone balanced meal and skip the pizza.

Those oat suggestions are from one of the eariler Zone books. For the slow cooker method put 1 cup steel cut oats and 4 cups water into a 1 1/2 quart crockpot and cook overnight. Makes about 12-13 blocks of cooked oats. You can frezee it in 1 block amounts and reheat in the microwave (adding a little water when reheating to prevent stickiness). For the Thermos method add 1 part dry oats to 4 parts boiling weater, cap it and leave overnight.

Cheers!

Terri,

I am [ still am - but, don't practice my addiction any more ] a PIZZA addict and in addition to Sue's suggestion - which is a truly excellent one by the way - here's an excerpt from a really great article in Health Magazine where they went out and quite thouroughly evaluated major chain restaurants for a "health conscious" menu.

There are actually TWO related articles that sound similar - and they are - but you want to access both of them.

The results will surprise you. I have printed out the articles and keep them with me in the car.

In particular - consider yourself to be fortunate if there is a Uno's Chicago Grill within reach. Their "flatbread" pizzas, among other things, are wonderful - and - with a little care - quite "Zone Friendly" [ make sure you have a protein source like chicken as one of the ingredients ]

Uno's is happy to combine/modify anything on the menu for you. For example, the other day I ordered a salmon dish but just the salmon from it and not the rest and substituted all the "sides" from another salmon entree that I didn't like the way the salmon came.

They will take a Caesar salad - large and excellent - and put any "entree" on top of it.

ONe caveat before I post the excerpts and links - if you can NOT consume pepperoni on any pizza you will be way ahead. I once was in the Pizza business and the fat content of pepperoni is about as grim as possilbe - and - almost always - the tastier and more delicious the pepperoni - the greater the fat content !

Suggest you follow the two links to the entire articles :

http://eating.health.com/2008/04/23...staurants/

America’s Healthiest Restaurants: Shining Examples of Fast-Food Fare




http://eating.health.com/2008/04/23...o-eat-out/


America’s Healthiest Restaurants: Our List of the Best Casual Dining Spots


Uno Chicago Grill
unos.com

If you haven’t been to your local Uno’s recently, you’re in for a great surprise. Sure, its famous deep-dish (read high-fat) pizzas still hold court, but nutrition has become the word of the day with a completely trans fat–free menu and plenty of grilled entrees (including antibiotic-free chicken). Adding to the healthy variety: whole-grain pasta and brown rice, organic coffee and tea, and flatbread pizzas that have half the calories of deep-dish ones. Plus, you can add a salad to your pizza for half-price because, according to the menu, “We want you to get some greens in your diet.” Now that’s a blue-ribbon commitment to health. Another reason Uno’s is at the top of our list: You know what you’re eating. In the lobbies of most of the restaurant’s locations, there are Nutrition Information Centers that detail ingredients, fat and sodium contents, and calories and fiber of every item, in addition to gluten-free options.
Danger zone: Deep-dish pizzas can pile on the fat.
We love: The Penne Bolognese—just 16 grams of fat (well within the daily recommended max of 65 grams of fat for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet).


One last "pizza trick" - if you can - and I have great difficulty doing because I LOVE the crust of ANY pizza - is not eat the crust left over near the outer edge of any pie slice beyond the ingredients.

Good Luck

... from the "END" Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Pizza!

The thinner you go with the crust, the better off you will be!

E. Wally has suggested Uno's, but if you don't have one of them (we don't here), just stick with the thinnest of crusts. If you can access the nutritional information before you go, try looking at several styles/varieties of pizza. I think that the information will be very telling! You will definitely see a difference in the amount of carb between thin and thick crust.

Thanks all, great tips. And I will read those links too. I feel like I can celebrate and still Zone! Thanks

CranberryCat,

" ... Uno's, but if you don't have one of them (we don't here),... " you responed

______________

You must really be livin out there on the Wisconsin Tundra !

Uno's shows locations in WI :

http://www.unos.com/location.html


... from the "END"Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Terri,

[response]
If you can access the nutritional information before you go, try looking at several styles/varieties of pizza. I think that the information will be very telling! You will definitely see a difference in the amount of carb between thin and thick crust.

____________

Truer words never spoken !

Uno's or any pizza place's crusts offered.

Any "deep dish" type crust will typically be LOADED with processed carbs - off the scale.

For example: Pizza Hut's - and Uno's.

If the crust almost "melts in your mouth AND on your hand on it's way to your mouth" - pure spike to your inslulin levels.

... from the "END"Zone

E.Wally

ewally@verizon.net

Well, after I followed your link, I found that out! LOL!

Can you believe it, I didn't even realize we had them here.

I guess that I am not that big into pizza and tend to stray away from pizza joints.

Except, I think we went to the Uno's in Wisc. Dells last winter while visiting one of the water parks. I didn't have pizza, but something else from their menu which zoned very well.

So, I guess I learned something new today!!! ;)