Ok, so I am new at this, but i am here in Iceland using the metric system, and ok ounces to grams conversion is just fine. But, cups to grams does not seem to work so well, like with broccoli for my dinner tonight 2 cups=16 oz? which means I have to make almost a pound of broccoli for one block? this works out to be 454 grams which seems ridiculous. Any suggestions out there conversions? help please, I like the way the zone is treating me so far but some things seem to be silly, like 20 cups of spinach for one block? Come on I like spinach but 20 cups? how does this info come across, any ideas would be great thanks in advance

paul, cups measure volume are are comprised of fluid oz. which convert to dl and l. Grams measure dry weight, and convert dry oz and lb. (dry oz and fluid oz are two different measures). To easily convert cups to portions of a liter, you can use an online conversion tool. To make it simpler, one cup is approximately .25 liter. Even easier, use the plate method of the Zone, with no measuring needed.

The fact the it takes 20 cups of spinach to equal the amount of insulin stimulating carb in 1 Zone carb block doesn't mean that you're supposed to eat 20 cups at a time. To apply that knowledge to every day meals, it means you wouldn't need to count the spinach in you spinach salad, because a couple of cups of raw spinach would contain only a negligible amount of carb.

Sue, thanks for the input
I have made myself a cheat sheet to use in the kitchen to convert between the two systems (english and metric). I guess now my confusion is in the needs of the carbs, so say I make a meal that is comprised of broccoli, peppers, onion, peas and fish as I did this evening. Do I need to make-up additional carbs to fit everything together?

I understand the protein part pretty well, and the fats, but the carbs is where I get confused. In order to make the 5 blocks that I am supposed to eat of carbs with each meal then I would be eating more than 2/3 of the plate as veggies and such. When the lists that I am using (from this site and crossfit journal) give amounts, are they speaking in strict volumes or in weights? I understand that 20 cups of spinach and 2 cups of raw broccoli equal one block of carbs, so should I add something else to make up the carbs when I fall short with these high-fiber meals?

Any advice is much appreciated, I am new to this, have always eaten more or less around the zone, but now I am cutting out all of those 'bad' carbs that I have learned so much about recently
thanks again Sue

-Paul

You're welcome Paul!

The amount of each carb food shown on the Zone Food Block List contains about 9 grams of insulin stimulating carb. Yes, add something else, enough to give the total number of carb blocks you require in the meal (5 in your meal). For example, if the veggies in your meal tonight gave you a total of about 3 blocks of carb, you could make up the additional two blocks you need by eating an apple for dessert.

Hello!
First of all, I'm sorry about my bad english and my poor writting. This is not my native language so I'll try to do my best.
I've started the Zone diet a few days ago cause I'm training to be a Crossfit athlete.
I'm having the same problem posted before (few years ago LOL). When it comes down to measuring food, there's absolutley no problem if grams is metric sistem, but what about converting cups to grams? I get pretty confused and the numbers dont add up.

Let's use the Spinach example. 20 Cups of spinach (if we use the convertion from cups to .25 litres) it would be like.. 250 grams of spinach just for 1 Block Carb.

I know that we are supposed to mix fruits and veggies but I can't always depend that much fruit cause the veggies aumount for counting and completing blocks are so extensive.

I'm doing five meals distributed like this:

9am: Breakfast 5 blocks
12pm: Lunch 5 Blocks
3pm: Snack 3 Blocks
6pm: Snack 5 Blocks (In Argentina we don't eat dinner at 6pm!)
9pm: Dinner 3 Blocks

21 Blocks per day are lots of Carb Blocks. I love fruits but I don't think It's fair to eat so many fruit and less veggies cause the amount for completing one block carb from veggies is that large (Not all veggies, but I can't live from only few vegetables that provides me from carb blocks whitout using 20, 15 o 10 cups).

Maybe I'm having this all wrong. That's why I want to know how exactly to convert cups to grams (Yes, I have googled it and haven't found anything helpfull).

Maybe 5 block carb is simple that much veggies and I'm actually doing things wright.

Hope my doubt is clear and sorry about all the gramatical mistakes.

Thanks in advance!


Alejandro

Its hard to convert. You are trying to convert volume to weight.
Cups are a volume measurement and can be converted to metric: centilitres (cl) cc, litre, etc.
Grams are metric by weight and not volume.
USA Ounces can be confusing as ounces measure both volume and weight.
One cup USA (volume) is 8 ounces (volume) USA is: 8 us fl oz = 23.659cl
One pound (LB) USA (weight) is 16 ounces (weight) is: 16oz = 453.59 grams
One ounce USA (weight) is 28.35 grams.

Hi John! Thanks for answering.
Still don't know what to do.
I understand perfectly USA metric system.
Let's put an example: If you have to eat 10 cups of Lettuce (Romain, Chopped). How many grams of Lettuce would you eat?

Is it correct to chop the Lettuce and start filling measuring cups til' I get 10 full cups?
Let's do simple math.
1 Ounce weights 28,35 grams. 8 Ounces weight 226,8 grams.
8 fluid ounces rounds about the same number if you use 1liter=1kg (meaning 8 ounces would weight 230 grams aprox.)
8 Ounces is 1 Cup, so 10 Cups would be 80 ounces. 80 ounces of anything is too much.


So ten cups of Lettuce would be an excesive veggie amount for only 1 carb block.

I'm very sorry, I'm sure this sounds very stupid and silly but I really need to get my head clear regarding this issue so my diet doesn't depend on eating that much fruit.

Thanks!

No its not silly.
Lettuce is essentially negligible, since even large amounts normally eaten hardly register in Carbohydrates.
So, allow lettuce to help fill you up as part of a meal with adding essentially any grams of Carbs.
Vounr the other veggies in your salad, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and if like us sometimes the added small amount
of fruits like apple or orange or strawberry that we some times add.
.
P.S. IF you know the volume (US cups) to weight (US ounces or garms) conversion of lettuce,
then you can do the conversion.
BUT, the conversion for lettuce will only be specific to lettuce.
That's why id the Dr. Sears Zone food guide is in a volume measurement, it is best to stick with the volume measurement and not try so hard, or make it more difficult by trying to convert everything from volume to weight measure.
And I would never attempt to use lettuce to fulfill a 1 block requirement.
I (we, wife and I) always count lettuce as negligible.