Hello everyone, just wanted to ask on forum how you share zone food with coworkers, friends when you eat together.
For me was never a problem to follow zone diet. I like to cook and try new recipe. My husband support me and follow for many years with zone. I try to buy organic food or good quality food which is not cheap at all. But when I eat with people who are not support your interest and not interesting in a healthy life style its really hard. At my work for ex. coworkers buy food from Pompey for $20, invite everyone, share together, or pizza. When it comes to me I feel guilty to eat alone or if I bring some my food, they eat it, but its never enough. They don't eat small portion. Or they are very surprised when I eat cooked chicken breast. Yes, they talk a lot how to loose weight and look good, but...no change.
When I invite my family they feel that there is not enough food and my food is not tasty at all(burger is dry, fat is not dripping, quiche without crust and so on...). I already got used to eat, but I want to hear some your advices..how you deal with it.

Hi Janneta,

I don't think you will be able to satisfy people with just zone foods in this situation. I deal with this quite a bit because my husband who is a very, very fusy eater will not eat everything zoned. I think what you should do is make a ham or turkey and plan your meal around that. Have a few of there favorites around but only in moderation. For example, I make a salad a lot and then add the zoned coutons on top and my husband will eat that. I make the pizza and give him a slice etc. 100 foods in the zone I think has some of the best receipes. I enjoy making a chicken dish with lentils slow cooked. If you look at Sue's photo bucket she has really leant how to cook zoned. Yet, they all look great. I always serve the shrimp appetizer after viewing and more zoned ideas. Just looking at past posts people make up a lot of zoned receipes. Again if you can get them to feel better eating healthy I think that is the only way to go.

Janetta,

Here are some more ideas. You can find similar foods in most any grocery stores.

http://www.zonediet.com/tabId/130/i...-easy.aspx


____________________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Lost 100 lbs 16 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

Thank you for response, but actually I was writing that I spend much more money for food than my friends and coworkers to be in the zone and to be healthy. And I want to be with them and eat together. Meal together brings happiness to everyone and I like it so much, but I can't effort it every time. I want to hear from zoners how you deal with it?

Janneta - this is just my personal take. Eating the meal together and enjoying the companionship does not inherently mean that you need to eat the same food. If I'm understanding you correctly you all take turns bringing the food. So on the days when it's your turn to bring food - get what they like to eat for them and still bring your own zone meal. On the days when they buy still bring your own zone meal. The point is not in convincing them to eat your way, but to enjoy the meal as a group. You can do that without eating the same thing. If your friends are not supporting you in your efforts - I would ask the question, are they really your friends? You can also bring their type of food one time and Zone food another - this may be a way to invite them to try without having it be a constant issue of them not liking your food. It also gives you a way to try out new Zone recipes. I am curious about one thing - for the most part I usually have a hard time eating all the food I'm required as opposed to not having enough - what type of meal are you bringing? I hope this helps in some way!

Thank you Christie, your advice is very helpfull. Zone food is enough for me but not enough for not zoners. Ex. I eat 1 string cheese and they can have 2-3 each. If i buy fruits from Whole Foof market I eat just one and they eat a lot. And so on.

I know the feeling - I have a 16 yr old son yet at home who can pack away food like his Dad. My husband is 6' and weighs 175-180 lbs and looks just like he did in high school, yet eats mass amounts of food. To be fair, he is a very healthy eater but still it's amazing.

Janneta,

I would probably bring something that they like, and something that is good for me to eat. You can partake of the unfavorable stuff, just keep your portions smaller, and load up on the more favorable foods.

I don't know if this compares, but at our Thanksgiving dinner, we all took turns bringing dishes. Not everyone eats the way that I do, so I brought dishes that were more compatible with the Zone, while other people brought their favorite things. When it was time to eat, I ate some of the other dishes, but just small portions. I ate larger portions of the stuff that I brought.

Thank you everyone.
Sue, I like Trader Joes store. I buy a lot there too. I like collection of low fat cheeses. I always check total fat not more than 4g. Now I have Lite Havarti, Feta cheese(eat with Spinach and Walnuts). I buy Uncured Turkey Bacon(cook with cabbage-delicious), organic eggs, Hummus, organic milk(I make yogurt and Farmer cheese my own). Frozen berries are amazing, specially raspberries.
Greens - fresh packed, always check expiration date and all other fresh veggies. Pesto(cheap and small can) is good to add little to your green salad for smell. Olive oil - is the best price(if you want good quality).
For frying I use 100% Pure Imported Olive Oil and grape seed oil. There are good collection of tea, beans in a can, spices, nut butter. I like frozen petite peas(just take amount what I want cover with hot water and wait 15 min, add to salad), frozen chicken breast and tenderloin, frozen fish. Now they have chicken patties I tried and its very good.
Also I buy Frozen cakes from France and other frozen desserts for my guests and keep it in a fridge, so when they come I have treat for them. For my dessert I buy apple sauce unsweetened,with apricot also, berries, yogurt with cacao powder and almonds. My husband likes it too. Also cream cheese with oranges around. Silk tofu with cacao powder and almonds. Let me know if you want to know more......

I hope your family understands that you prefer to eat differently and not give you guilt for doing that. it's a personal choice to eat what you choose to eat and you shouldn't feel guilt or need to eat what they're eating. You can however still enjoy most social eating engagements if you order the food and eat the food in a way that satisfies your zone meals.

I usually order a Grilled Chicken Salad. I'm not sure what you can do if they're splitting a pizza, but most Hamburgers can be roughly zoned if you dump the Mayo and Top bun portion.

Dr. Sears classic suggestion for eating out at a pizza restaurant: Take 2 slices of pizza. Remove the toppings from one slice, add them to the other slice and discard the leftover bread.

____________________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Lost 100 lbs 16 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