I'm discouraged and thought I could pout a little here and maybe you'd have some thoughts to recharge my intentions.

I started eating blocks July 5, and over the first 4 days I saw my weight drop 3 lbs, then over the next 4 it went back up to where I started. So of course I ate poorly yesterday to lash out at the scale!

I'm ~25% body fat, 5' tall, and over 50. I eat 11 blocks and decided to eat 2 carb blocks at lunch as bread. I know, unfavorable, but I kept reading in the books how the zone is flexible and I figured it should still work, right?

Anyway, now I'm debating what to do. I'd really like to drop 5# of fat and despite my efforts, I'm stuck with them. Harumph! (Yes I know 25% bf isn't so bad, but I would like to be more comfortable.)

Thanks for listening :)

Yes, the zone is flexible, but to have results, you need to eat foods that lower insulin levels. The bread just won't do that. Give it more time, and stick with those veggies!

Jane, follow Cranberry's veggie advice here. She definitely knows what she's talking about when it comes to bread and the Zone.

[ Cranberrycat, I'm remembering your bread discussions of years ago here in the forums, and just I couldn't resist ;) ]

Thanks, Sue! LOL! We all live and learn, and I thank God that I learned that lesson years ago, and am happy to share my knowledge with others, as I was also once a newbie and ill-informed regarding the gigantic impact of breads and grains.

:)

thx
would you consider the zone bars & cookies the same as breads/grains, or not?

No, not at all the same. Dr. Sears designed them to provide excellent insulin control and keep you in the Zone. The bars are patented in regard to their abilities in this regard.

Jane, my experience is that the zone bars don't work for me, but it Probably isn't as bad as breadsticks and grains. Others do well with the products, but I do not.

Thanks for the feedback ladies. Unfortunately I've got disappointing results for the 2nd week too. Weight = same as before

Sometimes it can be frustrating. I end up doing the same, going weeks without results and then one day suddenly it happens for me. I keep going because I know its better to stick with it. The alternative gets me nowhere, either, and I don't feel good that way.

Grr. I know you're right, but grr.

LOL

And you are not gaining.
One other thing, sometimes the scale might not move; however, your clothes might appear a little loser.

Jane,

Try using the Zone Body Fat Calculator found in Tools (in the toolbar above). It allows you to track your pounds of LBM and pounds of body fat separately. The total weight on the scale doesn't always give the enter picture.

Some ideas:

Keep a food diary including how you feel 4 hours after meals.

Some prescription drugs interfere with begin able to stay in the Zone (some diuretics, beta blockers, hormonal replacement).

Recheck you protein requirement to be sure you're eating the correct amount for your needs.

Add Omega RX and Sea Health Plus to address inflammation (higher levels f inflammation can prevent weight loss).

Reread your Zone book. You might notice something you missed that could make all the difference for you.

Sue, why Sea Health Plus if I'm getting all my carbs via veges & fruit? Would I use SHP _instead_ of real food? I don't understand how this is used.
thx

No, Sea Health Plus is not typically eaten instead of eating fruit and vegetables. It is eaten as a supplement in addition to eating the Zone diet. One reason is that Sea Health Plus eaten together with Omega Rx has a synergistic effect. Another reason is that Sea Health Plus contains polyphenols that are also anti-inflammatories. Not all polyphenols are anti-inflammatory. The better you control inflammation, the healthier you will be and the easier the weight loss will be.

Jane, I also meant to include this. Sea Health Plus taken together with Omega Rx improves the absorption of the Omega Rx.

Jane, another thought, sometimes it is just a slower process when one is really so close to a healthy bodyfat%. John brings up a really good point, that you are also not gaining. And you are eating a healthy diet.

Cranberry is right. Your body fat % is try close to ideal. You may bot lose much more today fat. Another tip. I've heard dr. Sears say tat exercise plays a greater role in keeping off the excess stored when person is a close to ideal body fat that it does for a person who is more overweight.

That's right, and I Can testify in my case.
I went from 225 (and climbing),'then on the Zone went down to about 1173,
with two plateaus in there, one plateau for nearly a year, because I got slack and lazy,
But didn't gain. Then finally got to 172-174 lbs consistently.
(The ideal weight according to the charts for me is about 160 lbs.
Then after 7 years on the Zone, I finally decided to work-out and
after consistently working out only about 45 minutes only once or twice a week now,
and staying active - and now after almost one year (in August) of working ou,
I lost the last 10 lbs of weight and now maintain at 161.8 lbs +/- 1/2 lbs.
It really is true that your diet is at least 80% of it.
However, as Sue stated, and as has been proven with me,
the last 10 lbs are from both diet and exercise.
(I also went from unknown % of Body Fat down to about 17%,
between Zone, and then working out and staying active.)

Thanks guys. Yes I’m active, have been most of my adult life, and in the last 4 yrs in particular with serious weights work and met conditioning 3 days/wk. x 1 hr. Yes I balance with active recovery like walking, yoga, all the nice gentle restorative and balance work. If I were 18% bf that’d be one thing, but at 25% I think I should really be able to see a decrease % from the combo diet and exercise.

As I told Cranberry Cat, grr.

Men and women are different.
The ideal body fat for men (non-elite athlete) FITNESS level is 14 - 17%;
while, for women it is 21 - 24%.
ATHLETES: men 6-13%, women 14-20%.
.
So at 25%, you are darn close to FITNESS!
You are being too hard on yourself.
Give yourself a break.
You are doing good.
The Average women is at 25 - 31%, according to the charts.
And I suspect a low percentage of the USA population is barely even at the high end of that range.
OBESE (for women) is at 32% plus.

John, I'm curious. Where'd you find out that 32% body fat is considered obese? Might you mean a BMI of 32?

Google Search: http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03...age-chart/

Thanks. Kind of strange because on these tables you found I'm on the low side of normal (which I am not according to the info I find everywhere else), and if I were to gain about 10 pounds I'd be what is considered Obese on the first one (I guess anything over normal is considered obese with this one, which is a bit extreme I'd say...only a 10 pound difference between being low normal weight and being obese!), and what is considered slightly overweight on the second table.