Seriously - my breakfast was double what I would normally eat and I was not very hungry at all 4 1/2 hours later and then I couldn't finish all of my lunch.

I do 3 blocks for breakfast/lunch/supper then a 1 block snack late afternoon and a 2 block snack in the evening (we eat supper at 5:00ish). Is it okay to have a 2 block lunch or breakfast and have a 2 block snack to make up for it?

I am also having a problem getting all my protein in - just the thought of more meat is making me nautious! I'm not a huge fan of yogurt or cheese... which I'm finding to be a problem.

I love the fact that I'm not hungry between meals but I want to try to stay on a regular eating schedule too. Help please!

Shauna,

It sounds like you are having 12 blocks per day, am I correct?

You can shift your blocks around like you asked about, instead of having a 3 block meal you could have a 2 block meal and a 2 block snack...I believe Sue does this sometimes?

I am a little concerned though - your protein amount should be probably around 3oz of lean meats...Is that what you are trying to eat, or are you trying to eat a larger portion?

Also, you don't have to have all of your blocks from the same item...So you don't have to have 3 blocks of broccoli for your C blocks - You could do 1 Block of Broccoli, 1 Block of Apples with Cinnamon for dessert, and maybe add something to your lean protein like Hummus (I did this yesterday) in order to boost your carb count

Fulfilling your blocks from different items seems to sometimes cut down on the amount of food you have to eat, and you get variety

Hi Jennifer and thank you for replying!

I'm at 11 blocks per day (3/3/3 then two 1 block snacks). Yep that is what I'm doing for the lean meats... just more of an issue with lunch and breakfast. I did a smoothie yesterday and am gonna do that for breakfasts I think. Sandwiches are good for lunch but 3 oz of fat free deli turkey is a LOT for me. I'm thinking if I can drop my lunch to 2 blocks and increase one of my snacks to 2 blocks that will really help.

Yes, you can eat 2 block meals/snacks throughout the day if you like, as long as you get eat your full block requirement each day. I'm now doing the SuperZone and usually eat about 12 blocks daily, most all in 2 or 2.5 block meals and snacks.

Also there's no need to eat cheese or yogurt to be in the Zone. I rarely eat more then a sprinkle of cheese, when I choose to eat it at all (I use it more for flavor), and I eat yogurt infrequently.

Okay YAY! I'm feeling a bit better about that now that I can split up the blocks a bit more! Thanks ladies! YOU ROCK!

Shauna, glad to help. Have fun with it!

Hi,
You mentioned that you don't eat much dairy products.
May I ask what you guys eat for breakfast? I'm kinda at a loss...
Thanks!

Hi L,

I'm eating ZoneFast 1-2-3 foods now. Whenever I add milk or cheese, I substitute soy milk or cheese. I eat yogurt sometimes and also a teaspoon of grated parmesan, or a little fat free feta, now and then. My husband is eating some ZoneFast meals and some traditional Zone meals. For breakfast he eats things like omelets filled with hummus and veggies, smoothies, ZoneFast 1-2-3 foods, etc. He uses both milk and soy milk. My son eats mostly omelets and scrambled egg dishes with fruit for breakfast, or sometimes ZoneFast 1-2-3 granola, and he drinks milk.

Steel cut oatmeal mixed with protein powder and slivered almonds (or peanutbutter) is a great Zone breakfast which doesn't require milk or dairy.

You can check out my Brownie Batter Smoothie recipe on the first page of this thread: http://www.zonediet.com/Community/F...fault.aspx

You can also check out my two photo albums of my Zone meals (the photos in my signature below are links to the albums)

My typical breakfast is a strawberry smoothie (I make it with plain yogurt and cottage cheese).

Another breakfast is steel cut oats with either some chocolate protien powder and peanut butter, or maybe will have some eggs with it.

This is an interesting thread! It brings another peice to the puzzle for me. Also, I've been eating breakfast all these years and still find myself asking "what should I have", and I guess I'm not alone. I'm starting to think that a 3 block breakfast may be a little large for me now and may cut back a bit. Looking forward to getting my protein powder.

Also, I don't remember the last diet I was on that I was actually thinking wow this is a lot to eat, I don't think I can eat it all! That's why the Zone is a way of life, not a diet for me!

Breakfast: 1/2 cup lo-fat, organic, plain yogurt = 1p, 1C, 1/2F
3/4 cup Thawed, frozen, wild blueberries = 1C
1/2 cup thawed, frozen, strawberries = 1C
2/3 scoop plain, natural whey protein powder = 2P
Olive oil & Chia seeds = 2-1/2 F
3 block breakfast
Sometimes I'll have it as a smoothie, and some times I'll have it in a bowl.
Sometimes I'll make it a 4 block meal by adding an organic, free-range egg for 1P,
and 1/3 cup All Bran Buds, extra fiber for 1 C.
Or sometimes I'll make it a 4 block meal by adding some lo-fat, organic, non ultra heated pastuerized milk into the smoothie, instead of filtered water.

John, my yogurt this morning was greek yogurt. 1 Cup has 23g of protein and 9 carbs if I read it right. I used 1/2 c because 1 cup seemed like so much, and counted it as 2 p and 1/2 c. Add to that 1/2 cup milk or 1/2 p..1/2 c. 1/3 c unsweetened applesauce, didn't have any berries today, 1c, 6 almonds and a few bites mixed nuts, 3 f and a sprinkle of Fiber one. I think it's pretty close. It's going to be interesting to see how I feel without the typical egg whites, canadian bacon...etc protein. Still tweeking! Looking at this I sense I should have 1/2 p more. Maybe I'll have a bite of cold chicken.....good grief!

YES, Greek yogurt does have more protein and less carbs.
BTW, you can make you own version.
Some times we will with our organic, lo-fat yogurt.
Simply place the yogurt in a strainer with a coffee filter or similar liner,
over a bowl. And in the refrigerator, let the liquid drain out.
It will taste like Greek yogurt and have more protein and less carbs - though hard to determine amounts.

Hi there,

please could you assist me. ive been on the Zone diet for 4 days. So far so good, have got allot of energy!!!, i have a few questions though.
i love yoghurt for breakfast, but have u tried the Dr Sears the zone cereal yet?, if so how much of it could one have in the yoghurt?

Also what is the story with Tea and coffee?, i know one isnt supposed to have coffee because of the caffeine, but can u have it say once a day? with low fat milk? or a occasional cappacino?

I live in south africa so we dont get all bran buds and chia seeds, what r they?

please let me know

Thanks

Belinda

hi there,

Is this full cream greek yoghurt you are talking about??, We only get the full cream version here in south Africa.

Hi Belinda,

Congrats on your progress!

It's best to use a reduced fat yogurts, or even fat free, but if you only have full fat available just eat it in moderation. Also, for each block of full fat yogurt you eat, you would not need to add the monounsaturated fat block for Zone balance because full fat yogurt already contains enough fat.

You can have the coffee in the forms you mentioned, but keep in mind it may be working against your Zone efforts (the caffeine, as you mentioned). Regular teas and herbal teas would be better choices because they contain less or no caffeine, depending on the variety of tea. The Zone suggests drinking 1 extra cup of water for each cup of coffee or tea you drink because of their diuretic effect.

There's no need to have concern about not being able to find Bran Buds and chia seed because neither of those foods are Zone friendly (both are "unfavorable" for the Zone). Bran buds is a cereal made by Kellogg's . The first ingredient is wheat bran, which is an insoluble fiber that is harsh on the digestive system, and the second ingredient is sugar. Basically you are consuming a bowl of sugar when you eat Bran Buds. Chia seed contains plant omega 3's (short chain omega 3's) which Barry Sears does not recommend eating for the Zone. In the book THE SOY ZONE, Barry Sears details why plant omega 3's are not Zone friendly. If you decide to eat chia seed, do so with moderation in the Zone. The same goes for flax seed, for the same reasons.

I just can't imagine eating so much either! I personally eat to satisfy my appetite, not to feel so uncomfortably full.