Hey, I enjoy doing long workouts. I usually swim 1h to 1.5h, spend 1h on a crosstrainer, work with weights about an 1h plus 15min for warm up as well as for cool down on a crosstrainer, go jogging for like an hour and above, and usually do two aerobic classes in a row at the fitness studio. So my question is whether I should take some sort of a snack in between when my workouts take longer than an hour? Usually I have a 1block snack before doing sports and a 1-2block snack (depends on the time of the day and level of my workout) or a 3block meal within an hour after exercising. I don’t feel exhausted while exercising, and mostly my pulse remains in 70-85% of the maximum HR. But I read from the Zone Perfect website that after 40 minutes or so, you go into a catabolic state where you are very likely breaking down your muscle tissue. And obviously this is something I don’t want to happen! So how about you other zoners who are into long as well as shorter workouts, how do you do it with snacks and meals? What would you recommend? It would be great if anyone of you could advice me on the sports snack-issue. with :) Leena PS. My personal Zone update (I started 3weeks ago): I am all into Zone nowadays, it has become sort of an hobby for me! And after adjusting my blocks I think I have found the right Zone for me, or at least close to it. I am feeling great and I have even lost my cravings for sweets that I used to have quite often (especially when my flatmates left their M&M’s, Snickers etc. laying around the flat all the time. But I just noticed this weekend that it didn’t bother me anymore, and as I just put their sweets in their food cabinet, it was totally out of my mind, whereas before I always KNEW there were sweets in their cabinet and I would sometimes just take some.)

hi, This is only my personal experience, but I take a snack during my workout only if my workout lasts more than 2 hours - 2 hours 30 minutes. Paola

Thanks Paola, I guess it is always best to listen your own body to find out what exactly is right for you. But I totally trust your knowledge on this one based on the fact that you are into thriatlon and therefore have got lots of experince. I am planning on running a marathon next year so most likely I will ask some advice as I will begin my marathon training, if you wont mind. I would have done the marathon this summer already but it would have been hard, inconvinient if not even impossible to practice here in China as my options were either practicing on a treadmill or to run around the track! So obviously I decided to postpone it. Running a marathon is really something I have wanted to do for few years already but as my life and studies have thrown me around the world all the time I have never really felt like it has been the right time for it and I guess I have not been ready for it either. But next year will be my marathon year :D I wish you a nice day and all the best for training and recovering from your accident that you had recently. It is a shame that you couldn't do the Half Ironman but luckily you didnt get hurt worse, like you said that is the most important thing! Ciao! Leena

Hi Leena, I'll be glad to give you some advise once you are ready to start your marathon training. And thank you for your words of support. All the best. Paola

Hello Paola, I'm a italian girl who live in Belgium. Parlo un pocho d'italiano. I have done one marathon on 1th of May and have planned another on 10 October. I'm in the Zone now and have some difficulties to find the right balance because, I suppose, my level activity has changed. I know run 1 h to 1 h 30' 5 days a week. I'm suppose to eat 12 blocks and eat less because on more I'm bloated - but on week-end I cheat a lot - and so, I gained pounds instead of loosing weight and so it is difficult to run faster and it is my goal for the next marathon. For it, I will begin my marathon training on August and will run 6 times a week about 1 h 15' - 1 h 30' and on week-end about 1 h 30' - 1 h 45'. Can you give me some advice about the blocks I have to eat and If I have to increase my daily blocks ? All the marathoners I know are very thin and eat less protein than carbs (pasta) and I, I am too bulcky. But I'm hypoglycemic sensitive and I can't eat too much carbs. I would like to loose 2 kg I have gained and another 2 kg to run faster. Thanks for the help Martha from Belgium

Dear Martha, You wrote you are supposed to eat 12 blocks. What is your LBM? Which activity level did you apply to calculate your blocks? At which heart rate do you run? Do you also some speed work once a week? Please, let me have as much information you can in order to try to give you some advise. Usually, endurance athletes have the opposite problem (like me) and have to adjust in order to avoid to loose weight. If this were your case I would be perhaps able to be of more help, since I know the problem, but I'll try anyway. Paola

[quote:ab09d93d32="ppecchiols"]Dear Martha, You wrote you are supposed to eat 12 blocks. What is your LBM? Which activity level did you apply to calculate your blocks? At which heart rate do you run? Do you also some speed work once a week? Please, let me have as much information you can in order to try to give you some advise. Usually, endurance athletes have the opposite problem (like me) and have to adjust in order to avoid to loose weight. If this were your case I would be perhaps able to be of more help, since I know the problem, but I'll try anyway. Paola[/quote:ab09d93d32] [color=darkred:ab09d93d32]Hi, Please refer to the post "Gaining Weight....please help" in the Weight Loss forum. Martha has posted the info you're asking for there.[/color:ab09d93d32]

Hello Paola, You are lucky about your weight. So here is the info I wrote in the forum weigth loss : "thank Sue, but what activity level can I choose now and when I start my marathon training ? I am confused about it. My stats are : 63 Height weight 138 POUNDS 33,5 INCH abdomen and hips 40 INCH. According the bodyfat calculator with active I must eat 11 blocks" I usually run in endurance at 65- 70% twice a week, a little faster 75-80% also twice a week and once intervalle training. I hope you understand I don't know the right words. I'm hypothyroid and take meds and I'm also reactive hypoglycemic. Martha

Dear Martha, I'm sorry, I didn't read your post in the weight loss forum before. I totally agree with Sue. The fact that you don't lose weight has probably to do with you hypothyroidism, but since I'm not a doctor, I can't say anything about this. Stay at 12 or even 13 blocks for at least 1 month very strictly and see what happens. And DON'T CHEAT ON THE WEEK ENDS during this period. Your body needs to adapt to the zone, first of all. Bonne journée. Paola

[color=darkblue:fedd75d0c2][color=blue]Grazie tanto Paola, I will see how it works. And I won't cheat on week-end. Certainly, I was cheating and eating more on week-end, it was difficult to stay focused on the Zone but I won't cheat. Also, I will tell you if my performance goes better. (difficult to say in english). Martha [/color:fedd75d0c2][/color]