First, I know you do not have to count calories on The Zone as long as you follow the blocks. But, I checked for how many blocks I am supposed to have and it is 19 blocks. I am a male 5'11" and weigh 441.2. So, according to the block calculation (since the calculator won't do it for me), I am to assume 50% body fat and 50% lean which means that I have 220.6 lean body mass. I multiply that by .6 which gives me 132.36 grams of protein. When I divide that by 7, I end up with 18.9 blocks. So, 19 blocks.

Here is my concern. When I did low carb a few years back, I had trouble losing weight. I found out that I wasn't eating enough. I was eating around 1500 calories and I needed to be eating close to 3000 calories. I have also heard this even after I quit low carbing. So, that got me to calculating. 19 blocks of protein is 7 grams per block (133 grams). Since each gram of protein is 4 calories, then that means the calories for protein is approx. 532. Carbs are 9 grams per block making 19 blocks 171 grams. Since each gram is 4 calories, that calculates to 684 calories. Fat contains 19 blocks with 1.5 grams per block making the total grams 28.5 grams. Since fat is 9 calories per gram, this equals 256.5 calories.

When I add the calories for each, I get a total of 1,472.5 calories. This is less than half of what I was told before I needed and what I am being told that I need now. On top of that, I am being told (and was told when I was on low carb before) that I at least need to eat my BMR which is 2550. But, it is recommended I eat 20% less than my TDEE which would be 3,775 calories. I know the story about the I think it was 1700 pancakes and that your body gets its extra calories from the excess fat. I agree it will do that. But, I also have experienced my body stalling because I wasn't eating enough.

What also concerns me is the protein amount. Even all the other low carb programs tell me I need at least 1 gram per pound of lean body mass which would be around 221 grams. That is 60% more than The Zone is telling me I need. I am being told that if I don't each enough protein, that I will lose muscle mass which I don't want to do.

So, here is what my question boils down to. Has anyone who was morbidly obese and had to lose over 100 pounds ever monitored your lean body mass while on The Zone? Did you follow the guidelines provided or did you increase your intake? Did you lose lean body mass while doing this?

I need something that is going to sustain me for life and I am concerned that this may not be sustainable for me since the calories are so low and I may not be able to keep up with it. In other words, I am so confused because I really don't know what the truth is.

I will let a more experienced qualified (Certified) person, like Sue or Tech answer most of your questions/concerns.
However, you fat count is off. Double it. You need at least 3 grams of fat per block of Protein, or two fat blocks per 1 protein block.
WHY? Dr. Sears has confusingly labeled 1.5 grams of fat a Fat block because protein includes fat, so you add only 1/2 of the needed fat per Zone serving or per Zone Protein block.
.
Fat contains 19 blocks with 1.5 grams per block making the total grams 28.5 grams.
TIMES TWO = 3 x 19 = 57 grams of fat AND Since fat is 9 calories per gram, this equals 513 calories and not 256.5 calories.

So your new total would be 1729 calories - which, understood, still does not answer your questions;
however, i wanted to clarify your fat count.

Hi Ricky, nice to meet you.

About calories, the recommendations you were given in the past are most likely based on the needs of a person who is burning carbohydrate to produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate, the primary fuel used by cells to generate the biochemical reactions essential for life). ATP can be created from either carbohydrate or fat. The lower insulin levels that result when eating the Zone diet switch the body to burning fat to produce its ATP. More ATP is produced from one calorie of fat than from one calorie of carbohydrate, so less calories are required with the Zone diet to produce the same amount of ATP as one would with a higher calorie carbohydrate burning diet. One of the things people notice, almost from the start, is a feeling of increased energy with the Zone diet.

Yes, I know someone who needed to lose 100 pounds and did so successfully with the Zone diet without losing LBM. That would be me. I lost the weigh over a bit less than two years time using the Zone At-a-Glance method. Yes, I followed the Zone guidelines. No, I did not increase protein or carbohydrate intake beyond Zone guidelines. No, I did not lose lean body mass (LBM). My LBM increased by 8 pounds over my first 10 years in the Zone. It was 18 years ago that I began following the Zone diet and lifestyle and I have continually followed it ever since with no loss of LBM.

Hi again, Ricky. Also wanted to let you know that John is correct about the 3 grams of fat.

The Zone is considered a carbohydrate moderate diet vs. a low carb diet. The balance of protein and carbs on the Zone allows your body to access your stored body fat for energy and sustain you for life. All the energy you need is already stored on your body, we’re using the Zone as a hormonal ATM card to access that energy. The Zone is also protein adequate to prevent the loss of lean body mass.
Most individuals are unaware that a calorie is not a calorie, it’s the hormonal response that’s important, nor do they consider the “fat trap.” See attachment and http://drsears.com/tabId/399/itemId...lorie.aspx
Efficiency of converting calories to ATP is based on the “fat trap.” One relaxes the fat trap and efficiently converts calories into ATP by reducing insulin levels. Controlling insulin is achieved by consuming less carbohydrate, especially the high glycemic items.. ATP production is determined by a number of factors. During anaerobic exercise the most efficient calorie is glucose (carbohydrates). Aerobic exercise utilizes fat for the most efficient ATP conversion.


Please read pages 28, 29, 30 and 31 of Dr. Sears book Toxic fat

Thanks everyone. I guess I get so scared because of the negativity that surrounds The Zone Diet, the USDA Diet, and all of them. It is no wonder people don't know what to do. Thanks again. I will give this a try and see how it goes.

Ricky

Look at this page.. May help

http://www.zonediet.com/tools/zone-classic

On a similar note, to Ricky's concerns, Consumer Reports did a survey of about 3,000 dieters (?).
Though the Zone wasn't rated, it's very close relative, Paleo was rated.
Paleo rated #2 only behind the MyFitnessPal app for best overall weight loss and sustainability.
I'd imagine the Zone to be very, very, similar since it is so close to the Paleo lifestyle,
with a few small differences.
By the way, the highest "plan" diet was weight watchers, all the way down to #5, behind #4, the Spark People website,
which really isn't a diet, but a method folks can use to track. The Mediterranean diet/eating plan, another cousin to the Zone, was 3rd.
Other diet plans, like Jenny Craig were further down, and below that was the heavily advertised NutriSystem....
So, continue with the Zone, it's a good plan and lifestyle.

Ricky,

The Zone's a sustainable sensible eating plan. If you haven't read a Zone book yet, consider it. It will answer a lot of your questions. They all that'll be left to do is to try it and prove it to yourself.

just a note about the negativity surrounding the Zone, sometimes it gets a bad wrap because it is often seen as a fad diet. However, there is a lot of sound nutritional concepts making their way into the mainstream.