Today is day 1, and before I go any further, I just want to confirm that I am doing this correctly (yes, I need some hand holding, please!).

So here is what I have eaten and plan to eat:


Breakfast: 1 Zone Bagel with 1/2 tbsp of Smart Balance spread

Lunch: 1 Zone sandwich roll, 2 slices of deli ham (~ 1 oz), 1/2 tbsp of yellow mustard

10 strawberries
Diet Doctor Pepper (I drank a 20 oz glass of water to make up for it)

Snack: 1 Zone cookie (will consume the rest a little later in my studying!)


Dinner: Zone Recipe for the margarita pizza and a salad


Should I be adding another snack after dinner? I feel like I am eating a lot, which seems weird, because it doesn't look like a lot when I write it down.

I have also drank my fair share of water...at least 1 QT, as of right now.

Hi Mel,

You've got the right idea.

Smart Balance spreads usually contain soybean oil (omega 6, which we try to avoid in the Zone) so It would be best to switch to real butter, or light cream cheese, or even a drizzle of olive oil.

You can work in more veggies if you like, also (refer to the Grocery Additions list, http://www.zonediet.com/GroceryAddi...ult.aspx).

You don't need another snack after dinner. On the other hand, if you prefer an evening snack, you could eat 1/2 of your dinner selection and then eat a snack later (I do that). For more ideas, you could check out my ZoneFast meals in the link in my signature below. Note that I eat closer to the men's recommendation because my daily protein requirement is higher than the average woman's.

You'd want to increase to more than a quart of water a day. The recommendation (refer to the Grocery Additions list) is 1 ounce of water for every pound of your weight.

Have fun with it!


____________________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

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!

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'm not sure what I should do when I am on the go. I work full time, and I go to school full time, and some days I don't have a chance to come home. Maybe I should invest in more of the sandwich bread, so I can have something that easily travels.

Today for lunch I had a salad with feta cheese, cucumbers, romaine lettuce, hardboiled eggs, chicken, bacon bits. So I couldn't count, but I would guess that I ate more then I needed to. So what can I do to make it up later? Or do I just chalk it up to a mistake, and move on?

I wouldn't write it off as a mistake until you know how you felt after that meal.

You were probably heavy on protein, maybe heavy on fat, and probably light on carb. But, not knowing the amounts of the ingredients, it is hard to say for sure.

So, see how you feel in 4 hours. If you stayed in the Zone withno hunger and good energy/focus, then maybe it was a good meal for you.

I am a full-time worker and I also am a mother of 3 kids, and my hubby is gone all week at work, so he isn't around for help; basically I am playing the role of single mom all week. So, things can get hectic. I pack a lunch every day, along with a snack (and I don't rely on zone 1-2-3 foods to do this, either). It does take a bit of organization, but it works out well for me. Sometimes it is as easy as making extra for dinner the night before, and saving an extra serving for my next-day's lunch.

Hi Mel,

You're correct that Zone foods are the perfect answer for a busy person on the go.

It's also important in the Zone to choose lean protein sources and than add some monounsaturated fat. Bacon bits, whole hard boiled eggs and cheese together in one meal gives you a bit too much of the less healthy type of fat (re inflammation).

____________________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

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!

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

Hi Mel,

In my comment to you I was referring to omega 6 fat and AA, which Dr. Sears considers to be more harmful than saturated fat.