Hello,

I am just starting the Zone diet. Currently on day 2 from the "A Week in the Zone" book. Yesterday went pretty well except for some unfocused hunger an hour after my 4 block breakfast. I also only had 3.5 hrs of sleep so I figured that may acct for the shakiness, irritability, and sudden hunger.

I had the same feelings about 3 hours after the 4 block lunch. And because of poor planning I didn't eat again until about 7:30 pm. After the 4 block dinner and a bedtime snack I felt better till bedtime.

Today I had the day 2 breakfast about 30 mins after waking. Also I got 7.5 hrs of sleep this time. Yet about two hrs later I had unfocused/hypo hunger. I pushed through the feeling until lunch. Then right after eating the 4 block lunch and dessert (cantaloupe and blueberries) I developed a mild stomachache for a half hour and have heart burn. Now it is about an hour after lunch and feel like I'm starving, shaky, tired, and irritable. Any suggestions?

Well, it takes a few days to get into the Zone, and you definitely don't sound like you are there yet.

Your symptoms sound fairly severe, though. If you can take a moment, can you tell us what you were eating? I know you mentioned cantaloupe and blueberreis for your lunch, but would need to know what else you ate (and for your other meals, too).

Cantaloupe is an unfavorable carb, so if you are struggling now, I would recommend re-evaluating your menu and choose carbs that are more favorable.

Also, I would not advise "waiting it out". You aren't in the Zone yet, and allowing yourself to go that long will not help you to get in the Zone. So, you should probably just go ahead and eat a zone snack to get you back on track.

Hi Joshua,

Even though it takes a few days of exclusively eating Zone meals and snacks to lower your insulin in the Zone, your symptoms indicate you tend to be more on the carbohydrate sensitive side. The typical adjustment for this would be to drop 1 carbohydrate block from each meal. The best things to drop would be a block of fruit or a block of unfavorable carbohydrate, such as the 1/2 bun in the lunch for day 3. It will also help you to switch any of the fruits in the menu to either favorable vegetables or berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries). This will be especially important for melon and pineapple, which are both unfavorable carbohydrate (they were changed to unfavorable after that book was written). To learn more about hormonal responses and adjusting for your symptoms, look up hormonal responses in the index of "A Week in the Zone". Also, when you have unfocused hunger symptoms, it would be best to eat at least a Zone balanced 1 block snack instead of waiting until your next meal to eat.


My responses are similar to yours when I eat too much carbohydrate, even to the point I'm unable to handle some of the favorable fruits, except in very small amounts. In spite of this, I've been very successful in the Zone, and I no longer have the symptoms as long as I stick with the foods and amounts that work best for me. The results are well worth the initial efforts you put into adjusting.

_____________________________________________________



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/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...3%20Meals/

View my classic Zone meal photos here: http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0



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/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...3%20Meals/

View my classic Zone meal photos here: http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://s531.photobucket.com/albums/...4/?start=0

Ok I am getting it now. I thought I had to be strict to not eating again until 4-5 hrs passed. But we can eat a snack or meal when hungry as long as it comprises of 1 block P/C/F? But still manage eating for the remainder of the day to not exceed my calculated 16 P Blocks?
My eating so far has been exactly according to the meal plan in A Week In The Zone Book. This morning I had plain yogurt with blueberries and almond slivers and 2 small pieces of Canadian bacon. I became hungry an hour later and had a stick of string cheese. Still hungry but waited till lunch 4 hours later.

For lunch I had tuna salad with celery pieces and oil/vinegar dressing. Also had half a cantaloupe filled with blueberries. After this is when I had the stomachache and then within an hour felt starving, jittery, kinda irritable. Now 3 hours later I feel completely empty like I didn't eat lunch at all.

Hi,

Waiting 4-5 hours to eat is not required. What's important is to get protein (balanced with carbohydrate and fat) slowly over your whole day, the "slow drip" of protein Dr. Sears referrs to in his books. Some people can't get much past 3.5 to 4 hours without becoming hungry, though once you find your appropriate balance you will probably be able to be hunger free with good mental clarity and energy for at least 4 hours.

You are not tied to eating 4 block meals. You can split it up differently as long as you eat your full block amount daily, follow Zone rules on timing (spreading it out over the whole day and not eating more than 5 blocks at one time), and always eat in balanced block units (meaning always eat protein, carbohydrate and fat in your Zone balance when you eat). Your 16 block requirement gives you a lot of leeway. You could eat 3 or 4 block meals and get the rest of your blocks in with 1 or 2 block snacks throughout the day. With a 16 block requirement you could eat 8 2-block meals/snacks throughout the day. You could even eat 3 blocks 5 times a day and plus a 1 block evening snack. I'm carbohydrate sensitive (I need to drop some carbohydrate to prevent hunger) and I require 13 blocks daily. I use Zone 1-2-3 foods, eating 6 2-block meals/snacks and adding a third block of protein to one of them to fulfill my daily protein requirement.

____________________________________________________


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

Joshua,

No, you don't have to wait 4-5 hours to eat. And, with 16 blocks to play with, I think you should be able to get a few snacks in here and there, and still come out fine at the end of the day at your 16 blocks.

I do think that you tend to be a bit sensitive to carbs, but I would not jump on adjusting the number of blocks quite yet. I think that carb choice at this point is much more important. I would recommend staying away from the unfavorables and maybe only using berries for your fruit blocks. Try to get most of your carb blocks from veggies, maybe 1-2 of the blocks per day from fruit (and try to stick with berries for now.). If you keep struggling, then you could consider adjusting your P:C ratio.

Here is my rationale behind my advice--veggies have a much lower glycemic load than fruit, and a meal made up of 4 blocks of veggies will have a lower GL than a meal with fruit. You may do just fine with the prescribed number of blocks, as long as your carbs are from favorable sources.