Many years ago I bought a book called The Zone Collection - it contained A week in the zone, mastering the zone, and zone-perfect meals. I read some of it, seemed to make sense and even made a few of the meals and enjoyed them. Then it seems I just dropped off of it and the book was misplaced.

Despite that I lost about 70 lbs and kept it off for years due to an increase in activity level now that I live on a farm. Still not as slim as I could have been to have a correct BMI but much improved. About a year ago my weight started creeping up again (activity and food didn't change - I just started gaining like my metabolism changed or something) and I'm up almost 40 lbs. :crazy: At this point my mother reminded me that we have both diabetes and hypothyroidism running in our family. Another Yikes! I have to do something before this becomes serious.

Well funny thing is - I found that book at the bottom of a bin. Started reading it again a few days ago and hope to get on the program and give it a real try this time. But I was surprised at finding how much packaged food is being pushed now on this website. Do I have to buy it to succeed? Or can I just use the recipes I have in the book and the eye ball method using my hand and the other 2/3rds of the plate veggies? Has anyone successfully lost weight just using the meals on not the other packaged foods on this site?

Also, how often do you guys weight yourself? In the past I've heard you should just put the scale away and not look at it for a long time while on the other hand I've heard to weigh on a consistent basis just to make sure you are on track. I do know I weight myself way too much right now - I'm addicted to it!

Jessie,

No, you don't have to buy any of the products in order to succeed! All of my food comes from our local grocery store. I have used some of the recipes in the books, and have also come up with some of my own. I am also doing this in part to prevent diabetes.

I weigh myself daily, but really only rely on one weight per week as my official weight.

Jessie I just started the zone diet and am using all my own foods. It has only been a week but I have lost 2 lbs and feel lighter. I am doing this not only to lose weight, but to get away from all the sugar and fat that I have realized I am addicted to. I also have diabetes in my family and would like to prevent it for as long as possible. I am trying to be good and only weight myself once a week. I tend to get very obsessive over it.

Thank you both Cranberrycat and Ann! (BTW - cranberrycat - I love that name!) I went to the grocery and currently have more veggies in my fridge than I have ever had in my life at one time - I've always had plenty of fruit. I also have chicken, beef, cottage cheese and eggs. Olive oil and raw almonds for the fat. I'm hoping this is a good start! I picked a couple recipes to start with.

I'm glad to know I don't have to buy any of their items. I might eventually for convenience but it would probably be a couple snack bars or something.

Now I have a major sweet tooth - especially for chocolate. I'm worried this is going to end up being an issue. Any suggestions?

I have been doing a lot of reading, lately. There are many, many more Drs and such writing Healthy Eatin books. (I won't say diet books) And they are now reversing the concepts and going against the Conventional Wisdom (CW) of lo-fat and grains (high-glycemic). Many are now stating what Dr. Sears has been saying all along: Fats (good fats) are good, and add plenty of vegetables, some fruits and stay away from starchy (high-glycemic) carbohydrates.
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In addition, recent research is revealing that cancer (cancerous tumors) feed on sugars! All carbs are broken down into sugars. But its the quick breakdown (high-glycemic) and grains and legumes that tend to feed cancer. By limiting/reducing most if not all grains and legumes, a more strict Zone adherence, can help prevent and help maintain better health.

Jessie,

A little piece of chocolate here and there is not a bad thing. Just make it something good, with a high cacao content, and just a small portion.

But honestly, I feel that my sweet tooth craving is curbed off when I am in the Zone, and I don't crave it.

Wow John - that is interesting especially about the cancer. All the more reason to try out and stick with the zone!

Thanks cranberrycat - I love good dark chocolate so I will keep that in mind and if I do crave it I will stick with just a small amount. Glad to know its not completely banned. I'm hoping my sweet tooth goes away too! I know I have always eaten way too much refined sugar in my diet.

Here's a simple "trick", and one that Sue uses, also.
Raw, virgin cocoa powder. Add to smoothies, etc.
Also makes a good healthy (polyphenols) chocolate milk.

Perfect! Thanks John.

Yeah, sometimes I make a "chocolate" milk using the powdered cocoa and some warm milk. I don't add any sweetener, as it seems to be just fine without it.

Hi Jessie,

About 17 years ago I lost 100 pounds using the hand/eye method of the Zone (see "Zone-at-a-Glance; find if in Zone Classic , in tools above). I've kept it iff ever since. You might like my chocolate smoothie. Do a search fir Sue's Brownie Batter Smoothie. Have fun with it!

Thanks for the information! A brownie batter smoothie sounds divine!

One more question though - How do you eat all this food? I made almond chicken tonight and just could not finish the portion I was supposed too. Neither could my husband! Though it was quite amazing seeing him actually eating veggies. Usually he eats nothing more than potatoes or green beans.

That's a commomn question. :) You can make average sized meals by combining carbohydrates of varying densities in the same meal. The less dense carbohydrates, which are best for insulin control, have the greatest volume per block, the more dense carbohydrates have smaller volumes per block. An example of combining densities in a 3 block meal would be to have 3 oz of chicken breast (3 P blocks) topped with 1/2 cup salsa (1 C block) and served with 1 1/2 cup green beans ( 1 C block). To complete the meal eat 1/2 cup of blueberries (1C block) for dessert.

Oops. When correcting typos in my last post, I accidentally edited out the sentence about the fat in the meal. Drizzle the chicken breast with a teaspoon of olive oil for 3 F blocks.

Thanks Sue. I think I may have to tweak the zone recipes in the future then to incorporate your suggestion. As-is many of them are just too much!

You're welcome. You can also try a bowl of chili or a meal salad that includes varied carbohydrate densities. Eggwhite omelets can be made into a mormal sized meal. Try a 6 egg white omelet made with olive oil (no filling), and on the side have 1 1/2 blocks of cooked steel cut oatmeal topped with 1 1/2 blocks blueberries and a splash of milk.

Here's another tip with raw, virgin cocoa powder:
Chocolate: Cocoa Powder to EVOO 3:1.
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Our 3rd child, eldest daughter when she was home liked to make brownies.
(Yeah, they each do not follow the Zone as strictly as we do ...)
(YET <grin>)
Any-who - her recipe called for a type of chocolate of course for for one of the layers;
but provided a simple equivalent substitute of 3 parts cocoa powder to 1 part vegetable oil.
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So You can use 3 parts raw, virgin cocoa powder to 1 part EVOO.

Speaking of brownies, I was just thinking about experimenting with a few ingredients to make some brownies with almond flour. I haven't looked for recipes yet, I was just thinking about it yesterday as I have a daughter who is a Brownie Girl Scout, and it would be kind of neat to make some "healthy" brownies for a treat. Maybe they won't be perfectly zoned, but our group seems to be hyper all the time and we need some snacks that they will like and won't have a high-glycemic effect.