Hello is it ok to eat let's say 2blocks of protein powder with 2 blocks of oatmeal (quaker) every day after training? Or oatmeal every day is not a good think since it is a medium rate carbo will it get me out of zone?

I am training 2 times per day. IN my first training i use Dr sears shake but for my second one i try to find something else because i can't afford 2 shakes every day ...Any suggestions?

i think its fine taking in that oatmeal and your protein but remember that the oatmeal also has some protein hidden in it so read the labels and do your math remember that 1 block of fat is 3g. 1 block of carbs is 9 grams and 1 block of protein is 7 grams.

I don't have an issue with oats every day. I make muffins out of nothing but oats, protein powder & peanut butter that I have replaced my bars with. The keep me in the zone perfectly.

My understanding is Steel cut oats & Barley are the only grains acceptable in the zone. Don't worry about any protein in the oats. Worrying about all the hidden macro nutrients could drive you crazy.

I would make sure you double up on the fat for this snack since most PP has less than 1.5g fat per block.

thanks i'll keep on with my 2 blocks of oatmeal everyday. It tastes so good also.
One think that bothers me also is that due to the streneous workout ( i drink my zone shake with water) the 2 blocks post exercise snack fells like nothing. I am still hungry and need food. Should i have my shake with milk or something?

the zone shakes they sell here..........how many blocks are they worth???
what about the zone bars???

matt can u tell me how u do ur oatmeal muffins i would love to try those?? do u eat them as a snack or a meal??
how many blocks are those worth???

Oats contain GLA. Dr Sears states in the Omega Rx Zone that "The building blocks of many of the good eicosanoids is gamma linolenic acid (GLA). Taking high doses of fish oil can sometimes decrease the activity of the enzyme that is needed to produce GLA. You can, however, get GLA into your diet. All you have to do is eat two bowls of slow-cooked oatmeal (not the instant kind) every week...With any more than the very low levels (1 to 5 mg per day) I recommend, there is a good chance that this extra GLA will be metabolized into excess arachidonic acid...and destroy all the hormonal benefits you are trying to produce." (p 88). He also states elsewhere for athletic performance taking a supplement containing about 10 milligrams of GLA every day (p 215). This level of GLA is for athletes with the highest activity factor who "burn off" the added GLA in their frequent intense work outs. In his earlier work, Enter the Zone he recommends "...three to five bowls of oatmeal per week. This is because a Zone-favorable diet increases the natural production of GLA, so only small amounts of additional GLA are needed as a sort of insurance policy." (p 131) He also states that you need to add 50-100 times more EPA if you add GLA supplements to your diet. I read elsewhere, I believe it was The Anti-Aging Zone, that a bowl of oats contains 1-2 mg of GLA. So Sears has gone from recommending 3-10 mg of added GLA/week through oats, to 2-4 mg of GLA/week for "the average Zoner." Obviously you can overdo it resulting in excess arachidonic acid, pushing you out of the Zone.

Hi, I'm new to the Zone and am going through serious hunger issues. My meals are balanced and I'm taking in about 18 blocks a day (low BF and high workout activity). Does anyone know if it takes a few weeks for your body to adjust to using fat as the primary energy as opposed to carbs, like a withdrawal from carb intake, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

Aaron

Hi Aaron!

By the end of the first week your will most likley eliminate hunger. The things to recheck would be you LBM, activity level, block requirement, meal balance, types of carbs you're eating and overall P, C and F balance of you meals.

I couldn't suggest what to change without some more info from you. I'll be glad to take a look if you'd like to post your LBM, your actual activity and total amount of time spent on it one week (broken down separately by time spent on aerobic and time spent on strength training), and a sample menu of a typical day of your meals and snacks including timing and specific foods and amounts.