Hey all! 
I am a level 1 certified crossfit trainer, and with the help of my trainers and others from our Crossfit Box, I have started getting into the zone. I am currently Training for the Crossfit Games in March. I plan on maintaining this blog up until then. I am logging all of my meals on my beyond the whiteboard, along with all of the Crossfit workouts I do. I will cover how i feel during workouts, how I felt after workouts and throughout the day. I started this to motivate and help others in the gym, but I figured I could extend it to all readers on the forums.
I have picked 2 benchmark workouts and 2 1 rep max lifts to do at the end of October, December, and February.
I will update the blog every two days, unless people would like more.
BTWB link will be posted in this evening's blog.

EDIT: I PROBABLY should have linked to the blog...sigh, I may be an idiot.

http://smoothiemike.blogspot.com/

Looking forward to your posts. I am a CrossFit member as well and just started the Zone two weeks ago. Thanks for sharing with us!

Good luck, I too am trsining for the Games and am recommitting to the Zone. will be watching your progress, and will add my own.

Hey do you only count the fat in peanut butter, or do you count the carbs and proteins as well. Thanks

James, yes, just count the fat.

Confused about something. On this site, according to the Bodyfat Calculator, it is saying I should have 19 blocks per day. On the Crossfit Journal Issue 21 May 2004, it says I should consume 17 blocks.

I have never really paid attention to diet. Just ate what I wanted. I have been on the Zone for about 3 weeks. I LOVE IT! The performance increase alone is awesome!

Id love to lose some bodyfat I am not sure I have been on the diet long enough to really lose fat yet.

Thanks for the help!

Marc

If you want specifics, you could post your stats and your current activity level here. But, if you are feeling well doing what you are doing, then it is likely that you have hit the nail on the head. Sometimes it is hard to see actual results in such a short time, but your body is changing and it will be evident.

Keep us posted!

Marc, I'd defer to the result from the Zone Bodyfat Calculator. Take care not to over estimate your activity level. The typical Zone calculator activity level for CF is usually Active or Very Active. You'll be burning fat to produce you energy "in the Zone". If you eat less fat than your body will be burning to meet you energy needs (this would acheived byeating be the typical Zone P, C and F balance) then some of the fat you burn will be stored body fat.

Marc, to qualify my previous reply, I mean to say I'd defer to the Zone calculator in general. Without knowing more details such as your LBM, frequency of CF sessions and other possibility of other athletic activity, it would not be possible to give an opinion on whether 19 blocks is appropriate for you at this time.

Marc,

If you eat too little, then your body will tell you so, and you probably won't have the energy to perform at the leve that you are expecting. If you eat too much, you will be OOZ and/or you will gain bodyfat, and your performance again will be affected.

If you are experiencing symptoms of being in the Zone and are not adding any bodyfat, I would say you are right where you want to be.
The zone is just that... a zone. Not an exact spot, but rather a range.

Thank you for the replies.

I have been in the 200 to 205lb range forever. At least the last 10 years. I am 69"

The calc says my bodyfat percent is 17% which is consistant with my 15% esitmate.

I workout 3 days on one day off. Plus I run and walk with my dog which I really dont count as exercise. I am in Law Enforcement and Military. I ruck with my backpack too which means I could exercise 3x a day.

You can look at www.crossfit.com and see what a typical month of training looks like.

I do sometimes feel hungry. I feel pretty great. I reckon since I am measuring for my zone portions any overages with put me in that 17 to 19 block range...

I am really into the Zone for performance. This quote sums it up for me:

"CrossFit’s best performers are Zone eaters. When our second tier athletes commit to “strict” adherence to the Zone parameters they generally become top tier performers quickly. It seems that the Zone diet accelerates and amplifies the effects of the CrossFit regimen." Coach Greg Glassman

Thank for the feedback!

Marc

Marc, you're welcome, and thanks for posting your additional info. 19 blocks is not quite enough for you. You need more like 22 blocks daily, based on the activity you've explained and assuming 170 LBM (200 lb with 17% body fat to 205 with 15% body fat gives you LBM in the range of 166 to 174 pounds). Even though you don't consider the running and other activity to be exercise it is none-the-less the type of activity that should be taken into account when determining your daily protein/block requirement. You've chosen to use too low an activity level in the calculator. "Very Active" would be more appropriate. "Very Active" gives you .9 grams of protein for every pound of LBM; .9 X 170 = 153 grams of protein daily. Each protein block contains 7 grams protein daily. 153/7 = 21.9, rounded to 22 blocks daily. IF you eat too few blocks you'll eventually see a decline in LBM. One goal of the Zone is to eat to maintain your current LBM (or increase it, if desired). Good luck!

Marc,

thanks for supplying the additional information.

You stated that you do feel just a bit hungry but otherwise pretty great. That tells me that you are close. I am not sure i would go out on a limb and recommend 22 blocks, but rather try increasing what you are doing by 1-2 blocks to see if your hunger goes away while maintaining your performance. Try that for a a few days, at least 3-4, and if that doesn't do it, then try increasing another 1-2 blocks. Keep this up until you hit that sweet spot of no hunger and excellent performance.

If I eat higher quality carbs I feel more full. I didnt really think about the formula for the protein. Good point Sue.

I have been trying to eat 2 blocks of veggies (i.e. broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) every meal. It works keeping the hunger down.

I normally have a HUGE sweet tooth. I have been having a coke zero as a dessert. I have not forgotten dessert but I do not really crave it anymore.

I set up a cheat meal every now and then. I hate to cheat though because I feel good

Glad I addressed the protein in you meals then. It's the basis of each Zone Meal. In fact Barry Sears explains in his books that results can be enhanced by eating the protein portion of your meal first.

I come from a long line of huge sweet tooth's (sweet teeth? ha ha). My daughters and I joke about having (being cursed with) the "Grandma Shindler stomach", my grandmother who had to have a sweet dessert with each meal. The has Zone changed it all for me, no cravings anymore and no real desire for dessert.

Hi Marc

Have you ever read the ingredients on a can of Coke Zero? I found this http://www.thezeromovement.org/coke...ients.html One of the ingredients is aspartame - http://aspartame.mercola.com. THE worst sweetener in the world. You should steer clear of anything with aspartame in it. Why not have a piece or two of dark chocolate for dessert. The higher the cocoa content the better - antioxidants.

Thank you Margaret!

I dont want to get old and die of nothing... LOL

Greetings everyone! I am new to this Zone program. I'm in the military and was weight lifting for size, but the Army wants Soldiers to be lean machines. So I started the Crossfit program. OMG, this is awesome. I was 240 Lbs and now I'm dropping weight like crazy, as of today my current weight as of today is 230 lbs with 27% body fat. I'm trying to get my BP down to 23% BP. My coach put me on to this Zone diet, but I don't really understand it but i'm going to give it a try along with Crossfit. I hope to achieve my goal by next month. Any advice.

Sean

We are here to help you. Call 800-404-8171 and request to speak with a Zone Coach. The Zone coach will be YOUR PARTNER until you have a good understanding of the diet. We also recommend you grab a copy of Dr Sears book " A week in the Zone". The diet is much easier then you think. We look forward to hearing from you Sean.