I have an ice cream maker... But I prefer my crocodile without dairy :-)

Anyway JANA: I did it! Went for a run (it only rained a little) and had the yogurt and tahini before. Didn't bother me at all during the run, amazing :-O Just felt a bit odd tohave a "full" stomach. But when I had done my run (approx. 5K) and slowed to walking to cool down for the last 200 meters or so, I suddenly felt nauseated. Like vomiting, uuuh. It didn't last more than five minutes maybe and after a shower and preparing the breakfast I felt okay. Have you had that? Felt the same as after lactic acid training does (metcon workout) but the run was easy itself.

Also it was funny cause now I wasn't hungry at all after the run but I still ate my breakfast... Maybe I should postpone the "real" breakfast on these mornings, to work? That would be a snack before the run, then breakfast at work approx. 2,5 hours from waking up, is that too long gap? And it's hard to imagine I could ever eat more than half a block before a run, but you never know... Now I'm feeling so full it's funny :-D But a bit like vomiting :-/ Eeek.

Anyway, first step taken and the run went brilliantly! How's your green smoothie progressing... ? :-)

And I also suspect that the Finnish cottage cheese might be a bit different from the one you guys eat... ? There are differences, like for example the Swedish, Danish, Polish and Finnish ones are all a tad different as well as some of the Finnish ones that are very different from each other.

Meri! Way to go! Glad to hear the run itself went so well. Yes the first couple of times I felt that 'sick' feeling towards the end as well, but now it doesn't affect me. Next time you may want to cut it in half again and only have an 1/8 cup to see if that is better? Then when you've done that a few times without any nausea maybe increase it again to 1/4 cup? I know I started with just a couple of spoonfuls and worked my way up. Let me know if it gets better for you, I hope it does!

Thanks for posting the recipe. Actually, I went on-line last night and printed out a couple recipes and went grocery shopping this morning so I'm all set to try my green smoothie tomorrow morning...I'll post how I make out with it. Trust me I'm as worked up about eating pureed spinach and celery as you were about eating before running!!! LOL!!! BUT I'm definitely going to hold up my end of the challenge!

Till tomorrow.......

:-D

I'll try cutting it in half and then adding gradually, hope that'll do the trick. I liked the run and I liked that I wasn't hungry at noon. Even tho I don't live exactly in the zone but I'm taking my own route towards it.

Be brave! And add enuf banana/strawberries to sweeten it a bit :-) You'll LOVE IT! Eventually at least ;-D

sorry, I missed answering the part about not being hungry for breakfast. Yes I find that too. I used to be famished after exercising and would make breakfast before even showering but now I find I can shower, do a few things around the house and still not be really hungry.....so I delay eating breakfast until later in the morning.

If you find that the 'reflux' continues you could try to change your fat....I remember I had it more when I used peanut butter than when I switched to macadamia nut butter.

Way to go Meri, I'm so impressed!

Yeah well I actually eat after I shower and then I go to work and there I have coffee and an apple (and some almonds, usually) within the next two hours and then the lunch already at noon so... ;-D But still I wasn't hungry before lunch like usually. My rhythm (if anyone's interested, prolly not) is about the following (without the run):

6.00 get up, breakfast
08.00 coffee, apple, almonds
12.00 lunch
14.30 apple, almonds etc.
17.00 dinner (well the evening depends on the program, could be later as well but then I'll have a banana or something, and quite often I eat something maybe at 20.00)

I don't know why I'm telling this... Maybe because this is the Zone DIET website :-D But this works for me, now. As said, leaning more and more towards zone, but it's my way of making the change gradually. Always feeling whether it suits my quite hard and intense workout program.

And about the nut butter: there's a cashew butter I simply ADORE! I could eat the whole thing just straight from the can :-P That's why I forbid myself to buy it all the time hehehehe. Macadamia butter I don't know if you can get from Finland but I'll search O_O

Good Morning Meri. I just had my first green smoothie!!! And you know what? it wasn't that bad.....actually, it was pretty good! I made the one you mentioned originally with spinach, 2 celery stalks, strawberries and 1/3 banana. I opted for the banana instead of avacado so I could keep the fat blocks to add to my cottage cheese. As Cranberry and Janet mentioned earlier the North American cottage cheese tastes better with something added to it so I put the macadamia nut butter in the cc and it was good as well (first time I've tried it without fruit too).

So there you go....you've introduced me to something new...and I liked it! I never would have tried without this website and your encouragement. My DD came in the room as I was drinking it and her face got all disgusted and said 'what is that??!!!'....she looked like she was going to be sick just from the sight of the green drink. I told her its actually pretty good and tried to get her to try some but no way. She said 'why would you even think of trying something like that'...I laughed and said I was challenged by a lady in Finland....

I had never heard of macadamia nut butter either until I started following this forum....Sue K uses it a fair bit so I searched until I found it in the organic food section at the grocery store. I've never tried cashew butter...will have to search for that one too.

Your timing looks very similar to mine...except I have a 1/2 - 1 block snack before workout (depending on hunger levels and what type of workout I'm going to do) at 6 am and then 2 - 2 1/2 block breakfast afterwards and then nothing until lunch. I know you've mentioned that you are gradually getting into the Zone but don't you have any protein with your snacks? I used to just have fruit and nuts for snacks too but now have added protein too since starting the Zone.

Your picture is great Meri!

Hey, your pic is awesome!

OK, so I definitely have some catching up to do here. And to think I was doing well by merely printing out the "recipe", and you gals are already into it! So, I will definitely try a green smoothie this weekend, just so that I can come back here and post that I did it. And, I can't wait to see the look on my kids faces!!! :-)

I love green smoothies. You really don't taste the greens, unless you put a whole lot in. I haven't made a Zoned green smoothie yet, because I'm just back in the Zone after a long time away. I'll have to experiment.

You can also use kale as your green. It's very nutritious, and this is a way to eat it raw. Cut the leaves off the hard stem, and discard the stem. Don't use too much as it may affect the flavor.

Faith

Jana, haHAA!! That's why I also LOVE good (read: people sincerely interested in the same things) web communities, they have such power to encourage to try new things, sharing great advice and best practices and tips and even to empower and build hope. Sniff. A special moment. :-)

I rarely use avocado in my green smoothie in the morning, usually it's just berries or the banana bite, but later on the day I sometimes make another green smoothie and I like it to be more like "food" (what ever that is) so I make it like a salty cold soup, a bit like gazpacho. Then I might choose the avocado. And I still have to get you to try the Green Angel and -tadaa!- the crocodile mousse, if you like chocolate mousse at all! CC as well (I like the similarity between you, CC, and cottage cheese :-P and remember I LOVE cottage cheese, you should get some Finnish one)

And nice to hear that my day rhythm sounds okay. Actually there's a thing with the apples and protein. I have a loooong (and rather painful) history with some stomach problems, they've been looked into several times and been through all the investigations such as couple of gastroscopias if you what that is, but luckily there is nothing seriously wrong with it. I do have lactose intolerance but I manage with the sour dairy like cc, quark, yoghurt and hard cheese doesn't have any, there's also a wide variety of low lactose and lactose free products in Finland, and besides the intolerance my problem's diagnosed as a "functional problem" which means they don't quite know what it is (but it's nothing serious-serious).

Anyway due to my experience and years, I think ten, of struggle with my stomach pain and such I learned what I can eat and get away with and what I can't. One thing is fruit. I can eat a fruit separately from other food and it's okay, but to combine say an apple with a lunch salad is a baaaad idea. And I just LOVE apples, there were many years I hardly ate them at all cause of this problem. But now that I've eliminated the things that make me feel bad from my diet (like beans, cabbage, peas, sugar) I've discovered that I can eat apples separately from other food but only if I eat it with a very little something else or nothing else. Couple of nuts or almonds is the best I can do, so that's why no protein with the apples.

Otherwise I'm quite precise that I get enuf protein, been exercising the whole of my life and like to keep my muscles :-) Ooooh it came out like a long story but I hope it enlightens the situation ;-D

Thank you for the photo compliments, that's me in Dahab, Egypt this April, went freediving there with my bf, BEST trip! <3 So relaxed. Like lil buddhas. :-D

And have to thank you for including me like this, I really feel like I am a part of the Zone community, makes me feel good. :-) Now some Saturday morning breakfast (the usual, I'm keen to my routines) and the morning paper, then off to summer cottage by the lake! Take care girls, have a great weekend!

OK, I tried the green smoothie. As expected, I got a lot of weird looks from everyone. I put some spinach, cucumber, and banana in mine, along with blending in the avocado, cottage cheese and a bit of protein powder. Should have stopped there!

I tried it, and I thought it was OK. My DH tried it and he didn't like it at all. I don't know why, but I thought I would blend in a stick of celery, just because I used the stick to push down the ingredients in the blender, and I think the celery made it taste bitter. So, it wasn't a huge hit. But, I am open to trying some more modifications.

Oh, and BTW, you are DEFINITELY a part of our community!

There's a delicious green drink that Oprah has on her site (or at least had, at one time; haven't looked lately). I've tried it; tastes very good! I'm almost sure it's one of Dr. Oz's recipes.

Oprah has a delicious green drink on her site (or at least had one ther at one time; I haven't looked lately). I've tried it; tastes very good! I'm almost sure it's one of Dr. Oz's recipes.

Here's a copy and paste of the Dr. Oz/Oprah green drink (copied from: http://hitsusa.com/blog/277/dr-oz-g...n-drink/). A tip, remember that it's juice, an unfavorable carb for the Zone.


<<
Dr. Oz is on Oprah for a two-part show on eating healthy and getting more raw foods packed with nutrients into your body.

Dr. Oz preferred method is a green juice drink made from fresh greens and vegetables. Beginners may want to include more fruits like apples to add sweetness to what can sometimes taste like swamp water to the uninitiated.

Dr. Oz Green Drink Recipe

• 2 apples, cored
• 2 big handfuls of spinach
• 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled
• 1 lemon - juice only (use peel slice for zest)
• 1 medium cucumber

Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

The green drink has a strong taste and if you are used to drinking soda or sweet tea, the taste will take some getting used to. Dr. Oz suggests adding other items at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste.

Green drink - Optional ingredients:

• 2nd cucumber
• raw carrot
• unsweetened fruit juice
• banana

And that’s the recipe for the Dr Oz Green Drink.

Tags: dr oz, dr oz green drink, green drink, health, oprah>>>

Thanks for the additional recipe Sue. Are you saying that the green smoothies are unfavourable or just Dr. Oz's recipe? I thought they would be fine because we aren't juicing just pureeing and it turns out very thick just like the fruit smoothies. I found the one I tried kept me in the Zone very well until lunch (I had my protein and fat on the side)

CC - maybe you tried to put too many different ingredients in yours? I just put spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 1c frozen strawberries and 1/3 banana....I ate the cc and fat on the side. You have to let it blend a good long time to get it into a smoothie

Meri - you are right good web communities have the power to teach, learn and share great ideas! I'm glad you stopped by and started participating!!

I started the Zone because I have lots of stomach issues as well (another thing in common!) I have always eaten well and exercised regularly too but have always had various problems even still. Since starting the Zone I feel soooo much better! No more bloating, gas, heartburn, etc, etc. And loosing some weight to boot has been wonderful!

This week I will definitely try the Green Angel and Crocodile Mousse....you've convinced me and I'll gladly try the next level!

Any. You'll have to try them to see if they works for you.

CC, like Jana, I suspect yours had a bit too many ingredients... That's the reason also I like to have my cc separately... Not you of course ;-) But the protein! Hope you will try again, I know how it is, I've made my mistakes with too many or simply wrong" ingredients for my taste buds. I'm sure you'll manage to put together a version you like, being such a cook <3

Jana, oh yes, I've also conquered much of my past tummy issues but not all... Still I'm glad I'm not a celiac (is that how you say it? being unable to handle gluten), it's still easier to deal with these things. Moderation and routines work for me, combined with the right food and especially the absence of the wrong foods. It's also important to eat often enuf, otherwise I end up not just very very cranky ;-) but hurting in stomach as well. Yesterday had some pain for eating an ice cream (serves me right! :-D) but before that can't remember when *knock on wood*

Will be superduper to hear about your guys on-going experiments with the smoothies! Oh and have a ever eaten gazpacho? That's also a sort of green smoothie even tho it's red. :-)

And I quite don't get it how come all the green smoothie would be not favourables.... ? I think people are allowed to drink fruit smoothies aren't they? Just depends on the ingredients?

Thank you Sue K. for some new recipes! :-)

I tried mine the next day without the celery, and it tasted much better. I think it was the celery that threw it off.

I have seen Dr. Oz's recipe, as well. Someone forwarded it to me a few days ago via email.

I actually enjoyed the cottage cheese in it. On my second blend, I blended the produce first, then tasted and added the avocado. No bitter taste, so added the cottage cheese. No bitter taste with that, either. So, I do think it must have been the celery.

It was about as effective as one of my strawberry smoothies. So, I would say that a green smoothie will work similar to other smoothies, in that some may tolerate them better than others.

It is very convenient to put all of those ingredients into a smoothie drink, but the bottom line is that when we blend it all together, in essence we are processing it, and causing the glycemic load to go up. But, this is true of all smoothies and blended drinks.

Anyway, thanks for the wonderful idea!

thanks Sue (and CC) for clarifying about the 'unfavourable' green smoothie....I concluded that on my own after I posted last night. For some reason when I initially read your post I was thinking that the regular 'fruit' smoothies were ok and couldn't figure out why the veggie/fruit ones wouldn't be....then I remembered reading that it the processing that makes it faster to digest which means it may not keep everyone in the zone. This hasn't been a problem for me so far so I guess I sort of 'forgot' that smoothies are unfavourable for some.

CC - glad your second attempt worked out better. By any chance did you have your celery in the fridge for a few days? I find it gets a bitter taste if it isn't completely fresh. I didn't find my smoothie bitter at all with the celery, but I added both banana and strawberries, so that could be why I guess

Meri - the green angel smoothie....do you still add the other veggies (ie spinach, celery, etc) wth the banana and avocado or is it just the 2 and that's it? Going to try that crocodile too....I'll see what I'm in the mood for in the morning

No Meri, I have never tried gazpacho....do you have a recipe that you can share?

Also, try organic celery. It usually has a better flavor.

Laura, it's better not to use too much fat. Cooking over medium heat with the amount of oil needed for Zone balance will prevent your food from sticking.

Also, remember not to cook with extra virgin olive oil (some fo the beneficial parts can become toxic when heated). It should only be used for cold applications, or for adding to cooked foods after they are removed from the heat. Use light (refined) olive oil for cooking.

talking about cooking oils... is canola right for cooking in the zone??/ (that's the one I';ve been using... ha)

Jana, no, my celery had not been in my fridge very long. However, one can only imagine how long it was sitting in the grocery store! Too early in the season for home grown celery, and we don't have an organic veggie section in our grocery store, not anywhere near us. But, that is OK, I am content with how I did it the second time, and I am up for trying other concoctions, as well!

Canola is acceptable, but is only considered a "fair" fat choice for the Zone.

What would be best for cooking in the zone?? I use to cook a lot.. and do not like spay oils...
Thank you for the advise....
I bet.. being at the beach.. sitting on the rocks... should be a lot of relaxing... I need that...
Vacations are coming soon... for automotive industry... I should go to the beach then. Congrats !!