Hi all,

I'm about 10lbs over my normal weight and am hoping you can help me figure out what I'm doing wrong on the Zone. I went on the diet about 10 years ago and never felt better -- I had loads of energy, my fat turned to muscle nearly automatically (I was cycling to/from university but wasn't doing much other exercise at the time), I could focus and I felt fantastic. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay on the diet as I graduated from uni and started moving around a lot and found that my busy work schedule meant that I often sacrificed my diet for long hours at the office.

I recently moved to Bangkok and, while I was always able to stay relatively slender in the past 10 years off the Zone, have noticed that I've gained about 10-15lbs since being in Asia. Part of it might be water weight because it is so hot and humid here, but I noticed that in the six months since being here, hardly doing any exercise (after years of living in Europe, where I would cycle, dance and do regular yoga), that my body has turned somewhat flabby and I hate it. My stomach seems permanently bloated too. So in the past two weeks I've made a concerted effort to go back on the Zone and have also started a boot camp 4-5 times per week, and dance 1-2 times a week too (Zumba).

It may yet be early days, but I remember when I started the Zone 10 years ago that I noticed a difference in my body within the first 10 days of being on the diet. Apart from some strength and slight toning in my body from the boot camp, I can't say I've noticed any weight loss -- and I'm wondering if I'm eating too much. I wake up about 6, have a pre-workout snack, eat breakfast after my workout, have lunch, and sometime in the afternoon I become starving. I've slipped up twice on the Zone (nothing too drastic), but I feel my body craving sweet, fatty things like ice cream -- stuff I don't normally eat. Then I'll have a snack, dinner and a snack after dinner...but I find myself staring at the fridge, wanting to eat eat eat. (Just fyi, I'm drinking about 3-4L of water/day).

The boot camp is a huge departure for me because I normally do longer training (long bicycle rides rather than short bursts), and I also haven't exercised regularly in about a year (I travel a LOT), so I understand that my body would need some time to adjust. Can you please just help me figure out if I'm on the right track, and if I'll see results at some point soon? I'm currently 138lbs, 5'9", 22% body fat, calculated at 12 blocks.

Thanks so much,
Bunny

Hi Bunny,

We'd need more info to be able to make suggestions, specifically your LBM and a food diary that includes amounts of the specific foods you ate and how you felt 4 hours after the meals. If you'd like to keep a food diary and
post it here, I'll be happy to take a look. Since you're already at the ideal body fat for a female you may not lose much more stored fat. Exercise plays more of a role in fat loss when you're at or close to ideal body fat %. The best tool to track fat loss with is the Zone Body Fat calculator. The pounds on the scale don't give the whole picture. You could be gaining muscle. The weight if the additional muscle could be offsetting the losses in stores fat making the scale appear to be at a standstill when you are really losing stored fat.

Hi Sue
Thanks for writing. Last time I checked my LBM was 38.5in (hips) and 26.5in (abdomen) -- is that correct? I mean, am I missing something in my LBM? What I don't understand is that my stomach is kind of flat in the morning but as the day wears on it just gets more and more bloated, which is really uncomfortable. I eyeball my meals and think I may be eating too much before I exercise -- here's a brief snapshot:

7:30: pre-workout: 2tbsp yoghurt, drizzle lemon and honey, a small slice of cheese
8-9: bootcamp
9:20: breakfast: 2 eggs (fried in olive oil), small handful mushrooms/tomatoes, 1 slice of emmental, 1 slice pumpernickel bread
11:30: (I'm starving): 1 slice of cheese, 3 grapes
1:15pm: lunch: smoked salmon (3P), salad of chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach, seeds
2:45pm: (I'm starving): 1 slice of cheese, 3 grapes, 2tbsp peanut butter
6:15pm: 1/2 balance bar
6:30-7:30pm: Zumba dance class
9:45pm: dinner: soy/veg patty (3P, 2C) in olive oil (3F), 1 nectarine
(no pre-bed snack as too full)

8am:breakfast: 2tbsp low-fat cottage cheese, 2tbsp low-fat yoghurt, 1/2cup muesli
10:45: pre-workout snack: 1/2 balance bar
11-12: Zumba dance class
12:15pm: snack: 1/2 balance bar
3:30pm: lunch: 2 soy/veggie patties (2P, 2C), 2 slices cheese (1P, 3F), handful grapes (1C)
7pm: snack: small bit of cottage cheese with drizzle of honey
9:30pm: dinner: small beef burger, small salad of corn/tomato, 2tbsp of couscous (I was at a dinner party), small bite of chocolate cake
1am: snack: 2 pieces of salami, 3 slices of cheese, 3 small pickles

7am: breakfast: 2tbsp low-fat yoghurt, 2tbsp low-fat cottage cheese, 1 kiwi
8-9am: bootcamp
9:30am: breakfast: 4 chicken wings (grilled), 1cup muesli with soy milk, 2 pickles (weird combo, ha)
12pm: 1tbsp peanut butter (I was starving)
1:30pm: lunch: 1/2 can tuna, 2 slices cheese, salad with kidney beans, raw broccoli, tomato
6:30pm: snack: 1/2 balance bar
8:30pm: small grilled fish with handful of peppers, 2 tbsp white rice (I was at an event)
11pm: snack: glass of soy milk (1P, 1C, not sure how much F)

Having written down this diary it seems like perhaps I'm not doing such a great job of eyeballing it, what do you think? Also, it should be noted that when I'm starving, I can usually think straight (my mental acuity is good, I just am SO HUNGRY).

Thanks so much for your help! Much appreciated,
B

I just realised I had calculated the body fat wrong, here are my measurements now:

Your Results
Body Fat %: 25
Body Fat Weight (lbs): 34
Lean Body Mass (lbs): 101
Daily Protein Requirement (g): 81
or # of Blocks of Protein: 12
# of Blocks of Carbohydrate: 12
# of Blocks of Fat: 12

I would like to be 'lean' once again! I can tell the exercise is definitely helping, but I still have a ways to go... If you can help me figure out what I'm doing wrong, please do!

Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it.

Hi Bunny,

You're actually very close to lean right now. Once you get into the Zone you'll be feeling better and the bloating and hunger should be gone. There's a lot of good info to work with in the diary you just posted here. Your LBM is 101 pounds, your current block requirement is 12 blocks and you are eyeballing it. All good. The problem I see is that your meals are not composed of the most favorable foods and they are lacking Zone balance. This is prompting your hunger and fluid retention as your day progresses. Your plan of a wakeup snack, breakfast, lunch , snack, dinner, and PM snack is very good because it will give you the 12 blocks you require. All that's needed to balance them is more vegetables and fruit, less cheese and dairy, and better fat choices. Remember to always add monounsaturated fat to each meal and snack (I see it's missing in places). To revamp your meals and make them in the Zone do this. Place lean protein the size and thickness of your palm on a dinner sized plate. Call it one third of the plate and fill the rest of your plate full to overflowing with favorable vegetables and fruit. Then add a dash of monounsaturated fat (small handful of almonds, some olive oil, a few slices of avocado, etc.) Berries are the best fruit for the Zone.

The following foods mentioned in your food diary would be the ones to eliminate for now:

Honey
Pumpernickel bread
Seeds (they are rich in Omega 6, which we try to avoid in the Zone)
Balance Bars
Cous Cous
Cake (I realize it was a diner party) :)
Muesli
Rice
Pickles (eat one if you like, but don't call it a carbohydrate block...you'd have to eat a whole jar for one carbohydrate block)


Let us know how you're feeling after a week of these revamped Zone meals, and we can adjust from there if needed. If you have questions in the meantime, I'll be happy to help. Have fun with it! :)

Bunny, I forgot to mention this. Snacks can be put together the same way your meals are. Just use a smaller sized dessert plate, take protein 1/3 the size of your palm and proceed building the rest of you snack as you would a meal. Yogurt is an easy balanced snack you can take just about anywhere. Stir 1 teaspoon peanut butter or almond butter into 1/2 cup low fat or fat free plain yogurt for a 1 block snack. Stir in some vanilla favoring if you like. Another one of my favorites is extra virgin olive oil and vanilla extract stirred into plain yogurt.

Hi Sue,
Thanks so much for the tips, I'll try them and let you know how I get on. Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with Balance Bars? I haven't found Zone Bars in Bangkok yet.

Hi Bunny,

They are not the best choice for insulin control. Incidentally, Dr. Sears Zone Labs bars are not sold in stores.

Hi Bunny,

I was interested in hearing you are living in Bangkok, as I am living in Indonesia. I also was doing the zone for a long time about 10 years ago, and about to get back into it now. Did you find it hard finding appropriate foods in Bangkok?? This is what worries me the most! Actually finding preferred choices over poor choices. Obviously in places like Thailand and Indonesia, the favourite food everywhere is rice!! Anyway, any tips that you might have would be very much appreciated!! What took you to Bangkok in the first place?? I have a few friends and colleagues based there...

thanks for your help!
Suzanne