I enjoyed reading all these posts, it's been 38 weeks and I am stuck at another platau. Nice to be reminded and encouraged to stick with it!
Good luck Hali and my only advise to you is to stop calling the zone a diet, and look at it as a way of life!

Tracie, excellent advice!

Hali, hang in there. Best wishes to you. :)

Tracie,

You're right...it's more a way of life. I was just referring to it as a diet because it is a way of eating (aka "diet") as the site is called "The Zone Diet". :-) But, yes, you're right. It's not your typical diet. I know what you mean. I have changed my way of eating as well as what I eat and I feel so much healthier. Good luck with your plateau...I'm sticking with it, too.

Best,
Hali

I don't get it. I'm so frustrated and discouraged. I'm doing everything right. I'm still not eating any starchy carbs, no candy (obviously), nothing I'm not supposed to eat. I'm eating the same things I mentioned. I'm up and down. I got down for two days now I'm back up TWO POUNDS! How did this happen? I'm not asking to lost 20 pounds overnight. I'm being patient...all I want is SOMETHING. If I can lose one stinkin' pound a week (which is taking a lot of patience for me) I'll take it. But this back and forth for over three weeks is really getting to me. Again, I haven't introduced anything new specifically because of this back and forth. I don't want to add anything new until I can quickly see what the culprit was on my diet log. Right now, I'm doing everything right and I'm not losing. Or, rather, I did lose but I keep gaining it back then losing then gaining...all on the same foods! I really want to dump this diet and try something else then come back to it for a long-term healthy lifestyle to maintain...not to lose. Obviously, it's not working for my body. Has anyone done a weight loss program then gone back on the Zone to maintain? Thank you.

Hali

It is sometimes a bit frustrating. I have not been a fast "loser" in the Zone, either. But, stick with it! Sometimes I will go weeks and weeks and then all of a sudden I will lose a bunch all at once. Then, I will stick at the same number for awhile, and then drop a bunch again.

Sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees, but just keep focusing on the big picture.

Also, although we don't focus on calorie-burning in the Zone, it might be helpful to check a few of your meals out to see how they are falling in terms of calories. Even in the Zone, excess calories will turn to fat, or might be the cause of stalled weight loss.

I really shouldn't write on here when I'm upset. ;-) Thanks, Cranberrycat. I still am not sure this diet is working with my body. Everyone is different. I might have to go on another one to really lose the weight then come back to the Zone for maintenance. But I'll stick it out a bit longer.

As far as calories, I think you're right. If you eat a too many calories, no matter what diet you're on, you're going to gain weight. At first everyone said I wasn't eating enough but I think the amounts for the Zone are way too much to lose a lot of weight. I'm going to scale back again and see what happens. I'll try to be more patient. Like I said, this is the first time I've really have to lose weight and it's so frustrating and discouraging. I appreciate your post. Sorry about my ranting.

Hali

Don't feel sorry! That is what this place is here for--support and motivation!

Sometimes I would become very frustrated because I would feel so stuck in a rut and not losing weight. So there have been times that I have strayed from the Zone. But, I always seem to come back!

I have found, through the years, that even if I wasn't losing weight, I was still successful because I wasn't GAINING and I was healthy. I just have to accept that sometimes the weight loss is secondary to all of the other benefits.

What I have found going to other diets, is that they don't work well for me because I was always hungry and could not stick with it long-term. And, I ended up gaining instead of losing, and I didn't feel good either. So, each time I have strayed from the Zone, I returned so that I could get back into the Zone and feel good. And, if I am not gaining fat, I have learned to accept the fact that this is ALSO a success!

Hi Hali,

Heres' a blog I was writign today on another website. I thought it might help yo to read this. :)




When you feel frustrated, consider this. The more successful you are at lowering inflammation, the easier it becomes for your body to burn its excess stored fat. Your excess stored fat isn’t just sitting there making you look plumper. It’s also pumping out inflammation. That inflammation is is working against you in a couple of ways, 1. It's keeping you fat, and 2. It’s making you unhealthier. You’ve might have heard the saying that goes something like this ‘weight loss is the pleasant side effect of Zone Diet’. The Zone Diet addresses inflammation on many levels. It consists of using Omega Rx fish oil (it's the best fish oil available today) to lower the level of inflammation you currently have, it prevents formation of additional inflammation with the eating plan and polyphenols (the polyphenols in Zone supplements are both antioxidants and anti-inflammatories) and it gives you a nutrient sufficient calorie restricted diet that provides excellent hormonal control. Nutrient sufficient means, among other things, that you will not lose your all-important muscle mass and you will be giving yourself the gift of good health as you shed the unwanted excess fat. The hormonal control of the Zone diet supports long term optimal health as well as gives excellent appetite control, making the sustainable for a lifetime.

As for how to put all of that into practice in real life, here are some basic tips, things to do to support your efforts to lose the excess weight for good.

1. The pounds on the scale don’t always show the entire picture even if you’re using a body fat % scale (hydration makes a difference in those results). Monitor your LBM and body fat %. Determine progress with fat loss from the body fat % on the calculator, not from the pounds on the scale.
2. If you don’t use it already, start taking Zone Omega RX, or switch to it if you use a different brand. I had no results with other fish oils. The switch to Omega RX gave me results.
3. Shift your focus to insulin control and the elimination of omega 6 fats. This is the key. The shift in my mindset allowed me to drop 100 pounds.
4. Think out of the box at meal times keeping #3. (above) in mind. If you need ideas, check out the link in my signature below.
Good luck!

Hali,

Please disregard the reference to a link in my signature. I didn't realize it had been modified. :)

Wow, after several months - they finally adjusted your signature, but it seems they removed all the pictures and all the links,
and just left some text - which also still refers to the ZoneFast 1-2-3 foods.

Hallo,
I was reading with interest Hali's posts as I am facing the same problem: non losing the weight.
I have changed my training recently, hiring a personal trainier and I have changed my shape a lot, expecially in the upper part of my body. I can see muscles in my arms and shoulders and back I thought belonging to everyone else but me!!!
But, following the diets she gave to me, mainly proteic, I got confused and gained weight. I know it sounds absurd. Now I weight more than when I started the Zone the first time and I feel more and more confused. I wanted to follow my ideas and going back into the Zone, but it is no more working. First I recalculated the blocks and I should eat 13. Now, following all the advice and eating as little fruit as possible, it is hard to stay on the 13 block of carbs. I do not eat any grain, so 13 blocks of low density carbs is really a huge amount if I cut off fruit. There must be something I am doing wrong. Moreover today I found myself surfing the net in search of other possiblities and I don't like it. I trust the Zone. I lost a lot two years ago and I felt great. I know this is the right programme for me.
In my confusion I wonder what happens if don't eat all the 13 blocks.
I should do with some help.

Hallo,
I was reading with interest Hali's posts as I am facing the same problem: non losing the weight.
I have changed my training recently, hiring a personal trainier and I have changed my shape a lot, expecially in the upper part of my body. I can see muscles in my arms and shoulders and back I thought belonging to everyone else but me!!!
But, following the diets she gave to me, mainly proteic, I got confused and gained weight. I know it sounds absurd. Now I weight more than when I started the Zone the first time and I feel more and more confused. I wanted to follow my ideas and going back into the Zone, but it is no more working. First I recalculated the blocks and I should eat 13. Now, following all the advice and eating as little fruit as possible, it is hard to stay on the 13 block of carbs. I do not eat any grain, so 13 blocks of low density carbs is really a huge amount if I cut off fruit. There must be something I am doing wrong. Moreover today I found myself surfing the net in search of other possiblities and I don't like it. I trust the Zone. I lost a lot two years ago and I felt great. I know this is the right programme for me.
In my confusion I wonder what happens if don't eat all the 13 blocks.
I should do with some help.

Congrats on you training results, monia! It's important to eat the full13 protein blocks each day, but you could try dropping 1 carbohyrdate block from each meal if you want. If that makes you hungry, go back to you usual balance. You can add some medium and higher density carbohydrate to meals as long as it doesn't result in early hunger. Keeping a food diary will be of great help when experimenting with different food and amounts.

Monia,

A couple of thoughts for you...

You might need to just focus on how your body is changing, rather than how the scale is responding. Sounds like your training program is going very well for you!

If you are truly not losing fat, then you can try dropping a block of carb from your meals. Keep in mind, you are still eating 13 blocks of protein and fat, but just drop one of the carb blocks from each of your meals.

Also, keep doing what you are doing by not eating any grains, and eating mainly low-density carbs. You can try some fruit, but focus on berries rather than other fruits.

Thanks to both Sue and Cranberrycat! I have already started this morning with my breakfast of 4 eggs' white (2P), 90 grams apple (1C) and 6 almonds (2F). I am taking my 2,5 grams of fish oil and i hope it is enough. Where an I post my food journal? I think at the moment it can help me.

Hi Monia,

I assumed your meals were at least 3 blocks. I interpreted your question to mean you had difficulty eating 3 blocks of vegetabloes at one sitting. Dropping one entire carbohydrate block from a 2 block meal is taking the carbohydrate amount too low to still be considered Zone balanced. Also, since eggwhite is fat free and the block method assumes each P block contains 1.5 g fat, you will need to add at least two more fat blocks to that meal. If you took the fish oil with breakfast this morning, the fish oil would have provided some fat, but typically fish oil is considered supplemental and is not counted as dietary fat for Zone balance.

right, that means I am making mistakes. I will change into a 3 block breakfast, lunch and dinner and I will reach the 12 blocks(according to the block calculator in the site they are 12 and not 13) with snacks. And I can drop one block C from the three blocks meal, right? Yes, one of the issues is that three blocks of vegetables is sometimes hard to eat and I turn to fruit. But according to some posts I have been reading I learnt that too much fruit is not advisable as it is high density carb. Furthermore I assumed fruit is not indicated if I need to lose weight, what I need, right? So I could eat a two blocks C with veggies or one veggies and one fruit.
Than yes, I do take my fish oil for breakfast and my breakfast is almost always eggwhite and some fruit, generally berries. I understand I should increase my amount of fat with it. Fat has always been the only thing i have never been able to calculate in the Zone, but I also know they are important so I would like to adjust my intake.
Thank you so much Sue. I really nedd advice as I WANT to refine my Zone.

Hi Monia, You'e selcome. :)

Eating a 2 block breakfast is fine as long as you eat enough carbohydrate with it, about a block and a half, as I mentioned, and you eat all 12 blocks throughout the day. Using the 4 hour hunger test will help you know if you need to adjust. The goal is to eat to maintain a more stable blood sugar level in order to allow your insulin level to lower. Vegetables stimulate the blood sugar less than fruit, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fruit. AA Zone meal should contain a minimum of 3 g fat fro every 7 g protein. Using the block method, if you choose a fat free protein, double the number of fat blocks you add. If you choose a fatty protein, then add less or no fat blocks accordingly.

Thanks, all! Much appreciated. I know it's not Zone Perfect but I cut down on the amounts I'm eating but keeping the ratio in the Zone. Also, I'm still eating 5-6 times a day. And I'm finally losing the weight!!! :-) *HAPPY DANCE* Plus, I feel really healthy.

Good luck, Monia. It sounds like your exercise is working really well. Focus, if you can, on how good you look (and feel) rather than dealing only with the number on the scale. If you're gaining muscle and looking better, it doesn't matter as much what the scale says. And doesn't muscle weigh more than fat? So you'd be gaining a little anyway but looking good. :-)

Best,
Hali

One more question (for now!!!). Is the pre bed snack still advisable?

Yes, but it should be part of your total blocks.
The idea that since you are essentially fasting from your last meal until you eat at Breakfast ( hence its name break fast),
and you want to try and keep your blood sugar stable, and not wake-up hungry.
That's why Dr. Sears advises a pre-bedtime snack about an hour before retiring for the night.
And why he suggests eating within an hour of waking.
Since your body is not expending a lot of eenrgy while sleeping, that's why only 1 block or two, depending on your schedule and routine is all you need.

Good job, Hali! Just be sure that you aren't shorting yourself and putting yourself into starvation mode. Eating too few blocks won't give you the necessary protein, and you could start breaking down lean body mass instead of tapping into your fat stores.

Monia, I hear what you are saying, you are concerned about making better carbohydrate choices, and I totally agree with you that it is best to eat the lower-density carbs (like the veggies) and to limit fruit intake. You can still eat fruit, but I would recommend no more than 2 blocks total throughout the day, and best to choose berries for your fruit choices.
If you are eating 2-block meals, you can still drop some carb from those meals, but I would advise 1/2 carb dropped rather than a full carb block.
And, as I said earlier and what Hali re-iterated, try to focus on how your body is changing, rather than just the number on the scale ;)

If you want to post a food journal, you can create a new thread and just title it "Monia's Food Journal", and then if you would like some critique on it, we veterans would be happy to jump in and help you out!

Thank you to everyone who helped, supported, and advised me. :-) I'm gaining again and I'm really tired of the yo-yo. I'm going to try something different as I think the Zone is a wonderful, healthy, maintenance program for me but, clearly, not a weight loss diet (which I need). I'm sure I'll be back to it once I lose all this weight. Again, thank you to everyone for the support and tips. Best to you!

Hali

Hali, best of luck to you!

Hali, you post on May 21 that you're doing better and losing weight. Then, not two days later, you say you're gaining weight and are going to find another diet. Shoudn't you wait more than two days before making such a decision? From my experience, weight can fluctuate from day to day based on nothing more than metabolism, water retention, when was the last time you used the bathroom, etc., etc. That's why, in the past, I've found it more useful to not weigh myself more than once every two weeks, by which time you can see a trend. Otherwise, the fluctuation will drive you crazy.

Good luck in finding another diet to lose weight. From my experience, though, such diets usually only provide you with a quick initial water loss (that looks like fat loss, but isn't) or screw up your metabolism so much that, the minute you switch the maintenance (even according to Zone principles), you'll quickly regain every pound plus more. Personally, I'd stick with what was feeling good to you, and only check your weight periodically. If you find, after a couple of weeks or a month, that you're gaining weight, then it might be time to consider alternatives, but not after two days.