I am reading up on the Zone diet and think that over time it will all make sense though feel a bit lost at the moment. Therefore I think I need to follow some of the sample plans initially to get the hang of it. Are there any zoners out there who are also coeliacs like myself. Can I substitute any gluten free bread/roll with wheat products noted in the meal planners? I also can't eat oats which makes the breakfast option of porridge impossible, how are coeliacs managing this type of thing.

Tnaks
Trish

Hi Trish,

I don't have Celiac's disease, but before I switched to the ZoneFast 1-2-3 plan last year I ate the Zone diet for about 15 years and rarely included any foods containing gluten, not for the sake of avoiding gluten, but rather because of my poor response to the carbohydrates they contain It was very easy. Also, I did not use any gluten free substitutes.

Be very careful to keep gluten free baked substitutes to a minimum because most are rich in unfavorable carbohydrate and have high glycemic loads. They will work against your efforts to lower insulin into the Zone. Maintaining low insulin levels is crucial for successfully staying in the Zone. The rule unfavorable carbohydrate should not be more than 25% of all the carbohydrate in your meal.

Fortunately for you, classic Zone meals do not really include grain products other than oats and a little barley sometimes, and they can be easily be avoided if you need to. Same goes for any condiments that include gluten. The 28 day menus in Toxic Fat provide an excellent example of how to eat in the Zone. You'll note there that Barry Sears writes he has included a little bread in the at the beginning of the 28 days with the intention to gradually wean you off bread altogether. You can also check out these 7 day meal planners, and substitute some fruit or veggies for any foods containing gluten: http://www.zonediet.com/Tools/MealP...fault.aspx

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sue

Lost 100 lbs 15 yrs ago, off BP meds, thanks to the Zone diet and Zone fish oil. ZoneFast 1-2-3 is the best!

Consultant of Zone Labs

Certified Zone Affiliate

View my Zone fast 1-2-3 meal photos here: http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...3%20Meals/

View my classic Zone meal photos here: http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0

I have not been diagnosed celiac but found I am sensitive to gluten, by elimination (cut it out and joint inflammation cleared up, and when I added it back in I had joint inflammation again). I also have Hashimotos and a gluten free diet is recommended for this.

The Zone is very easy to do if you are gluten free.
I stick to vegetable and fruit for carbs. I agree with Sue - don't go for gluten free substitutes. Over the years (15 that I have followed Zone) I have become very sensitive to the feeling that excess carbs gives me and the gluten free ones are very dense, and put my blood sugar up too much. (I have reactive hypoglycemia) If I feel like a treat it will be half a slice of bread or 1/2 cookie as part of a meal. But my tastes have changed and I rarely feel like my old treats now. Usually a square of dark chocolate is my treat now.

I stick to meat, seafood, poultry for protein, (eggs would be good - but I'm sensitive to them too) lots of non starch veggies, a little starchy veg and maybe 2 servings of fruit a day.

I've been attempting to follow the Zone diet for 3 years. A few months ago I proved to be gluten sensitive. I find it even harder to follow the Zone diet now. Sure, it avoids grains and has lots of vegetables. However, I'm poor, can't afford much fresh food, and convience items tend to be gluten contaminated. Adapting recipes to stay in the Zone makes my head hurt, and it got worse trying to be sure gluten wasn't involved.

lauren,

Shop sales (bogo, or buy 2 get one free, etc.), farmers markets, farm co-ops, and places like Sam's, Costco or BJ's. You can find lots of budget conscious Zone friendly foods out there. The best way to stay gluten free and in the Zone at the same is to keep it simple. Here's a sample budget conscious and gluten free menu for a day:

Egg white omelet with olive oil, filled with salsa and black beans; fruit in season in the side (in season is cheaper)

Lunch: black bean, veggie and tofu chili (easiest made ahead from scratch, inexpensively, and frozen in meal sized portions to reheat in the microwave)

Snack: 1/2 cup plain yogurt with peanut butter and vanilla flavoring stirred in

Dinner chicken breast, green beans with olive oil, and an apple (or a cheaper seasonal fruit)

Snack: Hardboiled egg whites and hummus


_________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Lauren, to save money, I use frozen veggies in place of some fresh veggies, and definitely shop the sales.

I know this is an old thread, but I've been talking to a friend, who for years has been telling me she can't lose weight because she 'can't afford' fresh fruits and vegetables to change her diet (of course she 'can afford' video games, 'treats' of sugar-laden cappucino drinks, eating out two or three meals a week (junk food, of course), and a whole array of disgusting processed sugar garbage like Ding-Dongs and Twinkies, but I digress). I've showed her several times how I buy whole, minimally processed foods (including lots of good fresh fruits, veggies, and meats) for about $2 more per day than she pays for her basic groceries (sans Twinkies and eating out), but she's claimed that extra $60 per month is just out of the question. Now, she's just had to have surgery to correct an orthopedic problem brought on by her obesity and her part of the bill after the insurance came up to just over $1800. In addition, she's just been put on statins to 'correct' her high cholesterol, and she already was taking blood pressure drugs. She's just emailed to tell me that she figured out that her surgery cost would pay for two and a half years of my 'extra' grocery cost, not counting the meds. She says she's going to Zone.

Well, maybe she is finally waking up! Better late than never!