Hello everyone! I would first like to apologize for any "noob" that might come through here. I am new to the zone as well as triathlons. I come from a Track and Field background (400m) with coaches that gave us bagels and pasta on comp days; so much of this is new to me. I am fortunate enough to work with someone that knows the zone very very well. However, I find myself being a little lost. I understand the concept of blocks and the 40-30-30 but I seem to be struggling with caloric intake. My schedule is very erratic with a full time teaching job, coaching, and graduate school and training. I know for a fact I am not getting enough rest. I find myself getting very tired between the hours of 12-2, it is like clockwork! I don't know if this means I am not taking in enough calories earlier in the day. With my training schedule being all over the place, I also feel like I may be taking in too many calories on certain days but not enough on others. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can better understand my caloric demands and portion control? Thank you!

Hi Tom,
First off you have to stop worry about calories. We do not monitor calories. We monitor the three macro nutrients.

For anyone to make any guesses at what is going on with you we would have to see a day in the life of Tom. What and when are you eating with # of blocks, when are you waking and when is your exercise.

Lay out a day or 2 and you might get some good suggestions on where you might tweak. The wonderful thing with the zone is the adjustablity.

Have you used the calculator to get your block requirements?

Thanks Matt! As far as my blocks go. I used the calculator and found that I need 19 blocks. As far as my schedule, right now its pretty crazy. Depending on my teaching schedule, I train 2 to 3 times a week on the track doing intense speed work. (alt MWF, TR). I then teach until 3:15 where I then go to track practice and coach. After that I have graduate classes until 9 which gets me home around 9:45. Workout mornings I wake at 4:30. If I do not have class I am home around 7 and in bed by 10 which gets me about 8 hours of sleep if I don't have a workout in the morning. If the weather permits I will ride my bike into work on a AT or AR day. It is 12 miles each way. That about sums it up I think. In July things will change as I will be lifeguarding on the weekends but leaving the week open to all of my training ( I hope 2 or 3x a day). I really hope that wasn't too confusing. Thanks again for any help everyone!

That is a hectic schedule but, I was looking for what your diet is. Telling me 19 blocks was good, but if all your carb blocks are from moderate to unfriendly carbs that could explain more.

Give us examples of what and when you are eating to go along with that crazy schedule.


Mat

Sorry for the confusion there mate. For breakfast I generally eat one or two pieces of fruit, 2 2% string cheeses and 3 or 4 almonds. I'll have some Greek yogurt with some fruit in it and maybe a touch of honey for a snack. For lunch I'll try and eat some veggies with a protein like chicken or sausage and another 3 or 4 almonds. Dinner is always kind of up in the air with the schedule and all. Again I'll try and have some veggies with chicken or fish, sometimes beef. A couple times a week I'll have a bowl of fruit sorbet after dinner. I try and stay away from sweets and bread as much as possible. My girlfriend works at starbucks so vente chi lattes are a weakness for me. Trying to stop that habit as well! I hope this helps and thanks again for the guidance!

-Tom

From what I see you are not getting a balnced breakfast. Not enough protein only 2 blocks and depends on the type of fruit you could be getting 4 blocks of carbs. 3 almonds is only 1 block of fat.

Here are some examples of my breakfast.

1 cup of low fat cottage cheese, 2 cups mixed blueberries blackberries, 12 almonds.

2 string cheese, 2 hard boiled Omega eggs, an apple, 24 almonds. I'm short carbs so I add fat.

4 eggs scrambled over peppers onions mushrooms topped with salsa & avocado 1/2 an apple or orange.

1 cup cooked steel cut oats, 1 cup strawberries, 4 blocks of chocolate protein powder, & 4 blocks organic peanut or almond butter.

All of theese meals hold me very well without a crash.

I am also juggle many schedules. Work, training others, kids, self training, certifications & seminars. I don't get enough sleep day to day but I also don't get that crash mid day when I am staying in the Zone with my meals.

I would keep a food journal for a few weeks. It is a great way to see what meals are working and which are not.

In that journal document what you eat and when. How you feel before your next meal, how much water you consume. What is your mental clarity or energy levels. All of these are things that can be dialed in with the proper intake for you. You need to write down everything that passes across your tongue.

You also need to find some time for snacks. 19 blocks is a lot of food almost 5, 4 block meals. You do not appear to be getting any where near enough blocks from what you stated.


Protein & fat are your friends.

Matt,
That was huge buddy! Thank you! I've started keeping a journal as of this morning, so we'll see how I'm doing in a couple of days! Thanks again! All the best to you and the Fam.