I've been reading through the forum today and am a little confused. I just started this week and I have spent most of my carbs on my fruits and little on veggies. Is there a certain amount of blocks broken down for Fruits, Vegetables and Grains?
Also, how often can I have the unfavorable carbs (of course my favorite kind)? I just thought that if I stayed with in my 11 block day I would be good ( With the 3-1-3-1-3 breakdown)

Thanks again for your help on this! It's a little confusing. It is not helping that the different books have different quantities in it too. Also, A Week in the Zone, it has pineapple in both the favorable and unfavorable. Favorable if cubed and unfavorable if diced. Which is it? Where can I find the most updated list of block foods?

Sorry to add to my questions. I don't know what to do about the vegetables. I love artichokes, but can't eat four in a sitting for 1 block. I can't eat 10 cups of romaine for 1 block either. Is there any vegetable recipes to help me give ideas?

You can mix a little fruit or beans or denser vegetables with the less dense vegetables.
1/4 cup black beans = 1 favorable carb block.
About 14 Asparagus = 1 favorable carb block.
1/2 cup tomato sauce (read label) = 1 favorable carb block
1 tomato = 1/2 favorable carb block )I love fresh tomatoes!)
1 cup (fresh) green beans = 1 carb block.
Or, if not sensitive, add some fruits to some of your meals as your favorable catbs.
Berries are an excellent fruit, and a very good favorable carb to use.
.
As far as unfavorable carbs, for many folks, you can remain in the Zone by limiting unfavorable carbs to no more than 25% of you carbs for that meal.
For example, in a 4 block meal, 1/4 cup of spaghetti is 1 unfavorable carb block or 25% or 1/4 of carbs as unfavorable.
However, many are more sensitive to the unfavorable (high Glycemic) carbs. And need to eat fewer unfavorable carbs.
(My wife and I, more so my wife, are both sensitive to grains, and so we've eliminated all gluten/wheat and most other grains,
with few exceptions, like Steel Cut Oats and Quinoa.)

Cate,

Here's the up to date food block guide: http://drsears.com/ArticlePreview/t...fault.aspx

To make it easier try following Zone At-a-Glance instead of counting blocks. It frees you from measuring and counting and it works great to keep you in the Zone. It's the way I lost 100 pounds. You can find it here: http://www.zonediet.com/tools/zone-classic

A tip, no one is expected to eat 10 cups of lettuce at one sitting. Having the block info about lettuce lets you know that the usual amount of lettuce in a salad is a negligible amount of carbohydrate.