I am just finishing my first week in the zone. I've been doing well and am interested in getting some of the zone foods to expand my menu. I am following the classic zone..and am trying to learn how to figure my meal blocks...As far as the zone food goes..how are these foods figured?
bagels-how many c,f,p blocks?
pretzels?
and how many blocks are the zone bars??are they meant as a meal substitute or a snack? do I need to add carbs or protein??
and lastly the pizza bread??
thanks to anyone who can help.

also, are there any stores that sell zone food products (i'm talking about the breads,pasta,bagels,etc..) the shipping is sooooo expensive!!

If you are following the Classic Zone than you have a limited selction of breads you can eat. In fact, it is recommended you do not eat breads and pastas. They are very unfavourable. As far as I rememebr, 1/4 of a small bagel is 1 black of carbs. I also follow the Classic Zone and I practically stopped eating pastas and breads. If I do, it will not exceed 1 carb block. I may have 1 crispbread or 1/2 of a small low-carb tortilla and the 2 remaining blocks are veggies and berries. Or oat bran pancakes for breakfast - oats are OK.

Instead of pasta I use bean sprouts - in fact my husband (who doesn't follow zone) prefers to have my zoned bolognese or meatballs with beansprouts rather than regular spaghetti or pasta. Instead of potatoes I often use fried/grilled courgettes (zucchini) and red onions and peppers. Instead of rice, I often have 1 block worth of cooked lentils which I fry with red onion, cherry tomatoes and coriander (cillantro)

As for the zone foods, I think that most of the products are listed in 2-block servings, all inclusive of the protein, carb, and fat. I agree, shipping is expensive and the overall cost of the products is prohibitive for many. I can't feed my family on that food! You can't buy the products in stores.

I did find some sprouted grain hamburger and hotdog buns at Whole Foods. I can't give out product information (forum rules), but these buns are really nice because there is 10g protein per serving, and only 8g net carbs per bun. Sprouted grain is supposed to be better because the glycemic load is lower, which makes it a better choice in the Zone for those who need some occasional bread.

Suzanne, congrats on a successful first week in the Zone! Zone foods are an excellent addition to Classic Zone meals. The pizza crusts, orzo and fusilli contain 4P, 4C & 4F per single serving package. The rest of the varieties contain 2P, 2C & 2F per package. Each Zone bar contains 2P, 2C & 2F and are good for both snacks and meals (a 1 block snack would be 1/2 bar, a 3 block meal would be 1 1/2 bars). They are only sold on this website. You can order directly from the Shop page here or by calling a Zone representative at the 1-800 #. Enjoy!

_____________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Been in the Zone for 16 years, lost 100 pounds and no longer have high blood pressure.

thank you all for the tips. after completing my first full week on the zone and staying in the zone, i've lost a little over 5 lbs. Whoo Hoo!!! i've enjoyed every recipe that i've tried from the week in the zone. i looked at the book with over 150 recipes (as it is easier for me to allow someone else to figure out the blocks right now), and they all looked good-but they were 4 blocks each--food for thought--write a new zone book with 3 block meals and for 1 block snacks...

Suzanne, you can make the whole 4 block recipe, setting aside 1/4 of the finished product for later(that’s a 3 block meal plus a 1 block snack), or you can eliminate 1P block, 1C block and 1F block as you make the meal to yield a 3 block meal. Even easier is to use the plate dividing method instead of counting blocks. It’s the method I used to lose 100 pounds "in the Zone" and it works great. Take lean protein the size and thickness of your palm, load 2/3 of you plate with vegetables and fruit, and add a dash of monounsaturated fat.

_______________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

i'm terrible at "eyeballing" the correct amounts of food. most people take too much, I take too little. I tried it with some lean chopped beef the other day, I put some into my palm and figured it was as thick as a deck of cards--when i weighed it it was 2.10 oz. so for now, I'm ok with measuring. I did think about making the 4 block meal and setting some aside for a snack, but for now..I like my variety of having different meals and snacks daily. I just started to make more than one portion and freezing it for days that i can't spare the time to cook--but i get bored easily with the same food over and over. I've got the book entering the zone-which has some 3 and 4 block meals to try..I'll give it a try (making the 4 blocks) after a few weeks under my belt. I just want to feel more comfortable with getting my ratios right.

but i have to say..I AM SOOOOOO HAPPY WITH THIS NEW WAY OF EATING!!! I'm satisfied with my meals. I've been to town festivals and haven't felt the need to eat all the fried foods and junk..I've been so happy with the variety, and that I could have wine and cheese. so far, I'm your biggest fan!!
thanks for all your help.it's good to know someone with some knowledge is a note away..

It's great Suzanne, that you're noticing the difference. :) Keep up the good job, and keep in touch!

[quote]
Posted By suzanne on 14 Jun 2011 01:47 PM
i'm terrible at "eyeballing" the correct amounts of food. most people take too much, I take too little. I tried it with some lean chopped beef the other day, I put some into my palm and figured it was as thick as a deck of cards--when i weighed it it was 2.10 oz.
[/quote]

I wouldn't say that was terrible if the meat was already cooked. Keep in mind that 3 blocks of cooked meat is closer to 2.25 oz rather than 3 oz for raw meat.

I've been zoning for almost 2 years now, and still weigh my protein when I am doing the cooking. Just gives me peace of mind. Though if I'm making more than one portion, I will eyeball the portion amounts.

I am terrible at eyeballing, too! But, I typically will take too much!

hi, the meat wasn't cooked, it was raw...But like I said, I'm ok with measuring..it gives me peace of mind.

after making the pizza, orzo or fusilli should i save 1/4 of it for another time???

Not if you are following the Zone food 1-2-3 plan.

what is the difference between the "classic zone" and the 1-2-3 plan??

i can't find too much info on the classic zone plan. However, there is info on the 1-2-3 plan and the zonefast plan...Are the zone 1-2-3 and zonefast plan the same?? I notice that each encourage the daily essentail, omega and poly...
I also can see by the recipes, that they have incorporated the zone food products into these plans..
The books that I have (which are a week in the zone and entering the zone and mastering the zone) talk about the importance of the essential/omega/poly.
but the classic recipes don't include the zone products or much bread/rices/pastas.
Are these the differences??Or am I missing something??

Assuming you mean what is the difference regarding how you put them into practice, Zone Fast 1-2-3 is based on eating Zone foods and small to moderate amounts of grocery additions (veggies, fruits and monounsaturated fats; a little dairy or lean meat if you desire for flavor but not necessary). It doesn't involve counting blocks or grams. Here's the sample list of grocery additions. http://www.zonediet.com/plans/grocery-additions

To give you an idea, for breakfast today I had a toasted Zone cinnamon bun filled with a chocolate nut butter recipe that I created, then 1/2 package granola for a morning snack (the small morning snack because I have more LBM than the average woman and I strength train regularly, which gives me a slightly higher daily protein requirement than the average woman). My lunch was some leftover risotto that my husband made the other day. It contained Zone orzo, onions, zucchini, garlic, chicken broth, tarragon parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. I finished the meal with a few strawberries for dessert. I just had an afternoon snack that consisted of 1/2 package of plain Zone bagel chips (they're delicious!) with a fresh tomato basil salsa for dipping, 1 Zone chocolate chip cookie and 1 small fresh apricot. Dinner tonight will probably be half a Zone pizza crust topped with fresh spinach, mushrooms and some Trader Joe's bruschetta topping, plus a sprinkle of parmesan for flavor ( I mostly avoid dairy and meat), and I'll have a brownie sometime in the evening. I love it! You may wonder why I’ll be only half a pizza, when I just posted to you there’s no need to set some aside. It's because I usually prefer to keep my evening meal the same size as the rest of my meals and also eat an evening snack, which typically you would not eat if you had a whole pizza for dinner.


______________________________________________

sue
Consultant of Zone Labs
Certified Zone Affiliate

Hi Suzanne, I hadn't yet seen you second post when I wrote the previous reply. Yes, you're correct that the 3 important parts common to both plans are the 1. Diet, 2 Fish oil, and 3 Polyphenols. 1-2-3 and Classic Zone will both allow you to be in the Zone. It all depends on what you feel is the best fit for you. As I mentioned already, I chose to switch to 1-2 3 because I've had improved results with it, due to the lack of AA, and because I maintain better appetite control now than I was ever able to with the Classic Zone (I'm carbohydrate sensitive, which meant I had to constantly make adjustments, doing a very tight balancing act with my classic Zone meals). Zone foods have also allowed me to thrive on fewer calories than I was eating with the classic Zone. Eating fewer calories in the long run is linked to more anti-aging benefits. Plus, they're easy and the meal possibilities are endless. It's a win/win for me.

______________________

sue

i did order some products..the pizza crust, sesame bagels, hearty buns, pretzels and pastas. But honestly, I could definitely NOT afford to order on a regular basis.
I tried the bagel this morning with 1 tbsp of creamcheese and tomatoes. It did taste pretty good. however, about 20 minutes after consuming it, I was overwhelmed
with a feeling of getting a fever..I got the chills and my skin was hot to touch. I started to sweat a bit. I didn't know if it might be
the bagel or not. I ate the pizza crust last night , and no side effects (and it was delicious).
I enjoy the recipes of the classic zone, but I thought I might incorporate the zone foods once in a while to starve off any desires for those
nasty bread carbs...Would that be a problem if I used the products sparingly??And I only used 3 blocks worth??

Separate issue: I've been speed walking 5-6 times a week. usually I walk btweeen 2.2-4.4 miles just about daily...sometimes more.
Within the last 3 days--about 30 minutes into my walk, I get the chills all over my body. Now this is odd-because I usually don't sweat until
the 3 or 4th mile. My body is warmed up and where I live the temps are between 70-80. Could this be a side effect of being in the zone.
I follow the book with the recipes/ measure everything..so i know I'm not off. I also have no hunger between meals..another indication
that I'm in the zone. the chills pass fast. and there don't seem to be any lingering effects. So i'm just curious. Don't want to have to go
to the doctor to report i have momentary chills while i'm speed walking...

Hi, it's fine to combine Zone foods with Classic Zone meals. If you do and you're strictly counting blocks, then consider the P, C and F in Zone foods in your block count. It's always best to consult your physician regarding physical symptoms that concern you. Good luck! :)

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sue