Hi! I'm new to the zone diet. I'd like to lose about 20 pounds. I am pretty active 3-4 days a week.

When I use the calculator it tells me to eat 14 blocks. Is that for maintenance, should I eat less if I am try to lose weight?

Thanks!

You should maintain that amount of blocks indicated.. There may be some individual small tweaks that you will make based on how you feel. Hopefully you properly indicated your activity level in your calculations.

The diet aims to achieve proper hormone balance by maintaining insulin, glucagon and eicosanoid levels for long-term weight control. Balance comes through eating a moderate diet of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in a ratio of one gram of fat, two grams of protein and three grams of carbohydrates. Eating this way controls hunger, while still getting the correct nutrients.

If you eat in the Zone your body will find its own balance and perfect optimal weight for you. Again, a few little tweeks such as an extra protien block or Fat block may be a part of your perfect balance and you should listen to you body as you move forward with the Zone.

You should recalculate periodically.


It really is not a "Diet" but a way of life.

I remember Dr Sears referencing the Greek definition of the word

The term (also in the nutritional sense) is derived from Medieval Latin dieta, meaning both "parliamentary assembly" and "daily food allowance", from earlier Latin diaeta transcribing Classical Greek δίαιτα diaita, meaning "way of living",

Yeah, I don't really like the word "diet" and what it implies today, but I guess what's the better word for it? Lifestyle? Haha I have the same issue with Paleo. It's not a diet, it's just a way of life

Yes I understand.. I have done some study about the Paleo diet. It is a decent way of eating, I like it to a Point. It feel it lacks the Balance that the Zone will give you. I also think to be truly Paleo you would need a bow and arrow :-).

The thing I found most interesting is when reading some from these Paleo aurthors I feel like I am reading what Dr Sears wrote back in 1995...If you have a copy of Dr. Sears 1st Book "Entering the Zone" read the dust cover; front inside flap.

the most curious and interesting thing I observed is that "Entering the Zone" was in written in 1995... (Not to long after the Zone sold millions of copies and became a Best Sellers) Paleo aurthors came out of the wood work starting about 1997... and I have to say the Paleo books I have browsed seem to be the Zone (with small variation) dressed up like a cave man.. Just saying!

When I think of paleo and Zone, I think the 2 diet plans really work well with each other.

Most people who combine these 2 diets are using paleo for their food selections, and using the Zone for meal balance. Both lifestyles kind of come from similar theoretical backgrounds, so they work well together. Although I don't follow a paleo diet myself, I do tend to eat less processed foods and more foods that come from their whole natural state. With a few exceptions, if I can't prepare it in my kitchen, then it doesn't belong in my body. My one big exception to this rule is dairy, and I suppose if I had a couple of cows, I could do that, too. LOL

They do have a lot of similarities! I like that they work so well together. I am allergic to dairy and grains don't agree with me too well so I just sort of fell into Paleo. It's not just about cave men, there are scientific reasons for food being Paleo or Non-Paleo. If you are interested Mark's Daily Apple is a great resource, he explains all of the reasons foods are OK or not OK, and it's not just that he doesn't think Grok ate it

I have not delved into it; but, on the surface, it appears that Mark's (Daily Apple) Fat-Adapted concept is similar to Dr. Sears concept in "Toxic Fat".