Help!!!!!!! I have no idea what to do. I did a profile and it said I need about 1800 calories a day. What do I do to get started? Please help me!

it says i need 20 blocks and i am not sure what to do with that. i am very active and would like some help.

Well, here's really basic advice. One block is about 100 calories. One block contains 9 grams of cars, 7 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat. There, it's all downhill from here. :lol: Now go to the food guides, pick generally favorable carbs, proteins(I prefer real ones to plant extracts), good fats(monounsaturated or saturated-avoid polyunsaturated) and try to find them in the foods you like to eat. Be sure to make the Zone fit you, not you fit the Zone. This idea is critical to your success!! Good Luck!

[quote:d5ff5a25c4="Fatboyslim"]good fats(monounsaturated or saturated-avoid polyunsaturated) [/quote:d5ff5a25c4] To clarify a bit, you need small amounts of polyunsaturated fats in the right balance because they are essential for eicosanoid production and humans do not have the enyzmes to make the omega-6 and omeag-3 parent fatty acids. But I know what you mean.

Welcome, Arvidson. I've been at this, sheesh, about 5 years now, and have taken to cutting and pasting my replies to newbies such as yourself. Don't take offense, it's just that I wish I'd had this in writing when I started: First, relax with those numbers. Statistical accuracy is by no means necessary at this (or any) stage of the game. And it seems that many beginning Zoners get overwhelmed by the numbers and quit. Keep it simple. At this stage of the game there are only three things you need to work on: 1 - Get your carbs from fruits and vegetables as often as possible. (No bread!) 2 - Drink at least 5 liters of ice water every day. (No pop!) 3 - Do whatever it takes to avoid eating the foods you know are bad for you: fast food, pizza, desserts, candy, soda pop, chips, pasta, rice.... This will be the hardest part, as the temptation to eat these foods is more a psychologal drive than a physical one. I know you know what I mean. Give it a few months. Eventually you can worry about exact LBM numbers and Zone blocks and grams of this and that. It is also a good idea to start taking Pharm. Grade Fish Oil right away. It will help control your hunger and provide your body's cells with the essential fatty acids it badly needs.

Adam, didn't you used to have this really cool thing about using your hand as your guide? I can only remember parts of it. 5 meals a day, no more than 5 hours apart, no more than 5 blocks per meal, represented by the 5 fingers. Protein no bigger/thicker than your palm. Seems there was more, but I dis-remember. Can you help me out? (Without knowing where I came in?)

Fatboy, thanks for giving me the credit, but that's right out of ETZ and subsequent volumes. You do not dis-remember at all; you've got it right: Eat 5 times a day minimum, 5 blocks per meal max, 5 hours apart max. Protein source the size of your palm. (For women and men this will be sized appropriately.) If it's possible to make it any simpler, Sears did so in later books with his 1-2-3 method: [url]http://www.drsears.com/drsearspages...;/url]

[color=darkred:d55dbe9973]I think maybe you meant to say five hours between meals is the maximum.[/color:d55dbe9973]

[quote:a31c89e163="Slknorr"][color=darkred:a31c89e163]I think maybe you meant to say five hours between meals is the maximum.[/color:a31c89e163][/quote:a31c89e163] True that. Corrected.