Hey, after lots a planning, budgeting thoughts, and now my wrestling club has gone on a 2 week hiatus, so I have decided to try the Zone now. I am not following it strict because I dont have anything to weigh with, dont have some of the stuff for 100% aderence, and fell this is fine. I have slightly modified some things, a little less protein here, little more here, this is just for convience though I know it might effect hormone balance, unless there is a major problem, I will stick with it
For the past 2 days I have been following this, and I have already noticed more energy (recently, I have been feeling sluggish) and in a week, I will weigh myself, and hopefully notice a loss or remain the same (hopefully no gain, I relized I can go 119lbs next year, so I may go for that spot)
Here is an overview of my diet and schedule untill I have wrestling again, then, I will cross that bridge:
Breakfast (6:40) -12 peanuts (4g fat, 2g protein 49cal 1.8g carb) 1/2 cup oatmeal (3g fat, 5 g protein, 10calories, 27g carb or 23 net carbs(I'm not sure what the Zone goes by)) 1/2 scoop Pure Whey (1g fat, 11g protein, 65 calories, 6g carb)
Lunch (12:00) 2 Slices whole wheat bead (2g fat, 8g protein, 180 calories, 32g carb 28 net) 12 slices deliturkey (1g fat, 20g protein, 100calories, 4g carb)18peanuts (6g fat 3.2g protein, 74calories, 2.7 carb) 1/2 orange (little of everything, around 8g carb)
Post Workout Snack (4:45): 1 scoop whey (22g protein) 1/2 Apple
Dinner (6:45): This varries, but an example would be chicken the size of my palm, rest of the plate in vegies, salad with italian dressing
Goodnight Snack (10:15) 1/2 apple with 1/4 cup cottage cheese (I by accident bought the 4% fat cottage cheese, not low fat, so nothing for fat here)
So, what do you (or any people who know the Zone) think of this. I feel good, this isn't much more xpensive then how I ate, and it looks good to me. I know I get a lot of protein for a snack, but I don't think it's excess. To refresh your memory, you said I was around a 17blocker, very active.
Thanks a lot,
-Nick
Forgot to add, if I am not lifting (even if I am running, this is wed. sat. and sun. replace protein shake in the postworkout snack with 1/4 cup cottage cheese)
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Hey, looks great, a couple pointers.
All your meals are supposed to (approximately) balance the number of protein-fat-carb blocks.
The p/c are good, but you need to add more fat into the diet. Look at the zone chart for the crossfit journal. Peanuts = 6 = 1 block. For any 4 block meal, you need to have 4 blocks of fat available.
~Breakfast 12 peanuts, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 scoop Pure Whey (1g fat, 11g protein, 65 calories, 6g carb)
Kind of off balance, 1/3 cup cooked oatmeal is a block of carbs, protein powder providing 7g of protein would be a block of protein. How many block do you want to go for this meal?
make it 6x peanuts, 1/3 cup x oatmeal, 7x grams of protein.
Just so you know, your protein powder scoop is 22 grams, so about 3 block a scoop.
~I'm not sure what the Zone goes by
Go by the block chart, that's best. If you don't have that, it's about 1.5g of fat for a fat block, 7g for protein, and 9g for carbs.
~Lunch (12:00) 2 Slices whole wheat bead (2g fat, 8g protein, 180 calories, 32g carb 28 net) 12 slices deliturkey (1g fat, 20g protein, 100calories, 4g carb)18peanuts (6g fat 3.2g protein, 74calories, 2.7 carb) 1/2 orange (little of everything, around 8g carb)
For 4 block, should look like this: 2 slices bread, 28g protein (add some more meat), 24 peanuts.
OR
1 slice bread, 1 orange, 28g protein, 24 peanuts,
~Post Workout Snack (4:45): 1 scoop whey (22g protein) 1/2 Apple
add another apple and some fat, you could add 1+1/3 tsp of olive oil to the protein shake.
~Dinner (6:45): This varries, but an example would be chicken the size of my palm, rest of the plate in vegies, salad with italian dressing
Great.
~Goodnight Snack (10:15) 1/2 apple with 1/4 cup cottage cheese
Add fat, like 6 peanuts.
~(I by accident bought the 4% fat cottage cheese, not low fat, so nothing for fat here)
Don't worry about counting the fat in most things. Stick to the block chart for the most part. If an item isn't on the chart, you can figure it out (approximately) using 7/9/1.5g for each nutrient.
~Forgot to add, if I am not lifting (even if I am running, this is wed. sat. and sun. replace protein shake in the postworkout snack with 1/4 cup cottage cheese)
Try balancing the snack, like 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 an apple and 6 peanuts.
Any questions? ***Do you understand why it's important to balance each meal out in p-f-c?
Tips:
Try to get more than one type of nut to eat. Eating only peanuts gets boring. If you need to add fat to a meal, get extra light tasting olive oil. 1/3 tsp is a whole block of fat. You can add 1+1/3 tsp to any meat or some drinks (protein shakes, milk, smoothies) and you shouldn't be able to taste the difference. You could add the oil to sandwiches too, just pour it on top of the meat.
Try to buy most things in bulk. If your looking to save cash, tuna is cheap and easy to prepare.
Tuna sandwich - 4 oz tuna, 2 slices bread, pepper or hot sauce, light mayo for fat, cut up some onion in the mix.
What spices are you using? Spices are important, as they help make the food you are eating taste good.
How does this look, will you be happy eating like this? Is it convenient enough? If there was one complaint about the way it is now, what is it?
I'd probably recommend varying the foods more, but this will work to start. Once you get used to the block chart, it's easy to switch things up. Even if it's just changing the sandwich up every week, it makes a big difference. You could eat different fruits occasionally, whatever you want to do to make the diet better. TTyl.
Thank you so much for all of your help man
"Kind of off balance, 1/3 cup cooked oatmeal is a block of carbs, protein powder providing 7g of protein would be a block of protein. How many block do you want to go for this meal?
make it 6x peanuts, 1/3 cup x oatmeal, 7x grams of protein"
Well, I know breakfast should be a 4-5 block meal, but I am used to having 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 banana, handful of raisins as my breakfast, not more. I don't know if I have enough time for much more (like adding a cup of cottage cheese) or the money to support much more.
I think I may make it 2 blocks, 2/3 cup oatmeal, 12 peanuts, 2/3 scoop protein powder. How does that sound?
"For 4 block, should look like this: 2 slices bread, 28g protein (add some more meat), 24 peanuts. "
-Again, I don't know if I can have more meat, how about 2 slices of bread, 12 slices of deli meat (about 20g), 24 peanuts and 1 cup of skim milk?
"add another apple and some fat, you could add 1+1/3 tsp of olive oil to the protein shake."
This I could do, so get a 3 block snack in, so 1+1/2 apples, 1+1/3 olive oil and 22g Whey Protein. Weight-wise, do you think adding this will have me gain some weight, or because it's more balanced, even with the increase of calories, it'll help lose some?
"Add fat, like 6 peanuts."
Well when I wrote that I was using the 4% milkfat cottage cheese, which had a good amt of fat in it, and thats why I didn't add any. Now I havegotten the low-fat cottage cheese, but even when I was eatting the higher fat, you think adding fat was still nessacary?
"Try balancing the snack, like 1/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 an apple and 6 peanuts."
This was the same situation. Now that I have the low-fat cottage cheese, I am doing this
"Do you understand why it's important to balance each meal out in p-f-c?"
Yeah I do I have lookd at some of the Zone books. Correc me if I'm wrong, but the ration has to do first off with the carbohydrate absorbtion, need for fat and protein and most importantly maintaining insulin levels.
"Try to get more than one type of nut to eat."
Yeah I agree with you here, and the way I'm doing this is buy one thing, run out then move to a new thing. It works well for me.
"Tuna sandwich - 4 oz tuna, 2 slices bread, pepper or hot sauce, light mayo for fat, cut up some onion in the mix."
-There is something wierd with me and tuna, I just can't eat it. I have discovered however, tuna or salmon burgers which are all-natural and nutriotional goldminds. So I can implement those. but untill summer comes, which is soon, I'm going to stick with the delimeat sandwich for the sake of convience. I have no problem eatting it everyday.
"What spices are you using?"
My dinner is loaded with all kinds of different spices, but for the meals before, I really enjoy the taste as is and don't need to add anything
"Is it convenient enough?"
it is convinent enough. The toughest part for me is measurments because I don't have a scale and my measuring cup is card to estimate because it doesnt show 1/2 cup, just 1 cup and up. I have been using conversions for meats by looking at the nutritional facts for serving size.
"If there was one complaint about the way it is now, what is it?"
You know what,it's a lot easier and cheaper then I thought it would be. I thoguht it would be much more of a hassle, but as long as we consitently have apples/oranges, which we already did and now getting cottage cheese and deli meats, thats the only real changes we have. Maybe an extra 8$ a week, maybe.
"I'd probably recommend varying the foods more, but this will work to start."
I agree, and right now I am just getting used to it and the block chart, which I keep handily on our bar to refer frequently.
"Any Questions"
Yeah, I would ask this later but I wanna get this outta the way before I run you off the board with all of my other questions :)
When wrestling season hits next winter, and I have practice untill 6, then going to my club after untill around 8, I was thinking something like this
-Breakfast
-Lunch
-30minutes before school ends snack
-After wrestling, in between other wrestling snack
-Dinner
-Goodnight snack
would that be good, and is it alright if the night snack is only lets say 1 1/2 hrs after dinner?
Also, if I have to cut, would you reccomend just lowering my blocks per meal?
Finally, on days I wont be going to the club, I will be lifting in the AM or after practice. If it's the AM would you reccomend eatting before or after, I can def. handle my breakfast before lifting too.
If its after wrestling, should I just wait untill I finish lifting, then eat dinner, night snack, or the lets say 15 minutes in between get in a snack?
Thank you so much, I may have some more questions later
-Nick
First off, I like helping people w/ diet stuff, so np.
"breakfast - know if I have enough time for much more (like adding a cup of cottage cheese) or the money to support much more."
For your breakfast, I know your not used to eating much in the morning. You should perform better if you eat more in the am. Learning how to eat fast can help. How long does it take to eat all that food, shouldn't be too long. Switch the peanuts up for olive oil if you want to be able to eat it faster. If the cash isn't there for the food, there isn't a lot you can do about that. All I can recommend is using cheaper protein sources. How much are you paying for protein powder? There are lots of brands you can get that are cheaper than tuna, which is extremely cheap.
~I think I may make it 2 blocks, 2/3 cup oatmeal, 12 peanuts, 2/3 scoop protein powder. How does that sound?
Sounds good, but it's better to eat more during the morning. If you were having this snack, then eating a big meal at 10 or something, it would be better. If you can't fit this into your day, then that's how it has to be. I'd probably grab an easy snack to eat sometime between 6am (breakfast) and 12 (lunch). You could eat 2oz meat, an apple and some peanuts.
~Again, I don't know if I can have more meat, how about 2 slices of bread, 12 slices of deli meat (about 20g), 24 peanuts and 1 cup of skim milk?
It would be better if you were adding a protein source that doesn't have the extra carbs in it. Same rec, use cheap protein sources. Whey protein is available for cheap, you just have to look. Adding the extra protein blocks to your meal might cost you 20-30 cents a day. You could get your mom to cook a turkey for you and use the meat for the sandwich, or just eat the meat separate if you like the deli style.
Here's why: when you eat unbalanced meals, you unbalance your hormones more than if you were eating balanced ones. The more balanced the meals are, the better you will perform. Go ahead an eat unbalanced meals, just realize that you should do better if they were balanced. By eating more meals and picking better foods (which you did/are), you should see a difference. Don't over worry about it too much, just try to balance your meals when possible.
~This I could do, so get a 3 block snack in, so 1+1/2 apples, 1+1/3 olive oil and 22g Whey Protein.
Four block snack, olive oil is 1/3 tsp per block. Go ahead and make it a three block though, just drop the fat down a block.
~Weight-wise, do you think adding this will have me gain some weight, or because it's more balanced, even with the increase of calories, it'll help lose some?
I was just trying to get you to balance the snack more, try to eat 17 (your number) of blocks per day, not more than 5 block in any meal. I wouldn't worry too much about how many block all the meals are. When you want to start adding weight, you multiply the fat blocks by 4x or 5x. Don't add protein/carbs to the diet to add weight. Adding fat is the way to gain weight (muscle :D) without spiking your insulin.
"Well when I wrote that I was using the 4% milkfat cottage cheese, which had a good amt of fat in it, and thats why I didn't add any."
Don't count the fat in milk. The diet already takes account of 'hidden' fats. Adding fat is definately necessary, it helps to control insulin spikes, provides calories you need, this diet recommends less calories than most diets. If you take away that fat, your taking away calories that you need. Also, light tasting olive oil is cheap way to supplement calories, in a healthy way.
~Correct me if I'm wrong, but the ration has to do first off with the carbohydrate absorbtion, need for fat and protein and most importantly maintaining insulin levels.
You got it. By eating balanced meals, you control your hormones and improve performance.
Tuna - no problem, lots of people don't like it. I just wanted to mention it cause of the cost. Whey protein can be acquired as cheap/cheaper, so it doesn't matter.
"The toughest part for me is measurments because I don't have a scale and my measuring cup is card to estimate because it doesnt show 1/2 cup, just 1 cup and up."
I'd probably buy a measuring cup that shows fractions, it's gonna cost you like $2. Alternately, you could bring your cup over to a friends house, use his cup to measure out 1/4 and 1/2 fractions, then mark them with a permanent marker, or scratch a small line in the cup.
"would that be good, and is it alright if the night snack is only lets say 1 1/2 hrs after dinner?"
Sure, that's fine.
"Also, if I have to cut, would you reccomend just lowering my blocks per meal?"
If you eat like this for a while, you won't need to cut. People who eat in the zone generally have really low bodyfat, less than 10% if they're doing it right. You're probably going to have to add calories to the diet (fat blocks) in a while because it's going to be too low-cal to maintain your muscle. Don't worry about it until you get your bodyfat as low as you want it.
"Finally, on days I wont be going to the club, I will be lifting in the AM or after practice. If it's the AM would you reccomend eatting before or after, I can def. handle my breakfast before lifting too."
I'd eat before I worked out if it's in the morning.
"If its after wrestling, should I just wait untill I finish lifting, then eat dinner, night snack, or the lets say 15 minutes in between get in a snack?"
Not sure what you mean, I'll just summarize, ask again if it doesn't answer the question. If you ate a meal before wrestling, that's fine. If you only ate a 2 block snack, I'd eat another snack. Try to eat a meal every 5 hours, as long as your awake. Meals should put you in the zone for about 4-5 hours, snacks for at least 2. If you want, split the meals up into smaller ones, it doesn't matter. Try to eat after your workouts.
"If you eat like this for a while, you won't need to cut."
Let me be more clear, you won't have to lose much additional fat for matches. You won't be carrying around hardly any fat, so this won't be necessary. You can still lose water, or whatever else you normally do pre comp.
"How much are you paying for protein powder?"
$45 for 5 lbs, I'm not too sure how cheap that is, but I don't think I can order off the internet, I'm in a situation, I live with my mom, who doesn't have much money at all, but my dad does. He won't buy food for the, but he will spring for getting me some supplemental stuff i.e protein powder. I don' know how keen he is on buying things over the internet, plus it's not bad for him paying for it.
"Sounds good, but it's better to eat more during the morning"
If this isn't possibly hormonily speaking, it won't set anything off-balance though will it?
"I'd probably buy a measuring cup that shows fractions, it's gonna cost you like $2. "
I'll probably do this this week. I keep having this wierd problem where what appears to be less than 1/4 cup of cottage cheese (about 3 pretty big scoops) will run out the supply in like 4 servings, when there is supposed to be 4 1/2 cup servings, measuring more exact will be nessacary here.
"It would be better if you were adding a protein source that doesn't have the extra carbs in it."
I didn't even think of that. Once school ends, the extra protein shake won't be hard, untill then I will either search for an alternate source of protein in the cafeteria, or just bring a bottle with the protein shake in it
" Go ahead and make it a three block though, just drop the fat down a block."
Done
"When you want to start adding weight, you multiply the fat blocks by 4x or 5x."
Well, as of now I want to lose some pounds, go from like 127 to 124ish. If I keep losing from there I will raise the fat. But my question is, if you still maintain the ratios, just up the food, it will still cause an insulin spike?
"Don't count the fat in milk"
Done
"Not sure what you mean"
Sorry for being unclear. If after practice, I want to go to the weight room, would you reccomend I have a little snack after the practice, but before I lift?
"You can still lose water, or whatever else you normally do pre comp."
If I don't get down as low as I need to be, and like he day before, instead of worrying about calories, I'm actually worrying about the mass of food; for instance having a pound of water, 1/2 lb chicken making me gain 1.5 lbs, should I still keep the ratios the same, just lower the mass of the food I am taking (hope thats understandable)
Finally I have one more question, Once my wrestling club starts again, and I get home at 4:45 from lifting, start wrestling at 6:30, do you think the Whey shake from the two block snack is going to be still in my stomach making me want to explode, or should it be alright?
As always, thanks a lot
-Nic
I just relized how I'm going to add a protein block to lunch. One hard-boiled egg, sound good?
Hey guys,
I am interested in this Zone diet. Where can I find information on this? Thanks.
Ricky
Protein Powder - that's a decent price, I pay more like $35 for 5 pounds, but you might be getting a better quality powder. If it's on a different budget than your mom's, go for it.
If you eat less during the morning, then your body is getting less nutrients. Your just coming off an 8 hour fast, assuming that you ate right before you went to bed. You want to eat shorty after getting up so that your body can get back to repairing itself. I feel better if I get used to eating breakfast, don't worry about it for now though. You can think about eating breakfast later.
"But my question is, if you still maintain the ratios, just up the food, it will still cause an insulin spike?"
Yes, too much food will spike your insulin. You need the right types of food (P-C in an approximate ratio, and fat for the rest) to get the best result. When your P-C are controlled, adding the extra fat doesn't spike the insulin. If you eat 7-8 block meals, you should get more of an insulin spike. Plus, this makes bulking so easy, you just have to drizzle olive oil on your meals. Extra light tasting - say it with me.
After practice, I'd eat a snack, just cause you haven't eaten much already that day. Assuming practice is in the morning.
For cutting, cut as you normally would. I was just saying that you aren't going to be carrying around lots of fat, so you won't have to diet to burn off more fat. You can skip meals for the whole day, dehydrate yourself, whatever you want to do.
"do you think the Whey shake from the two block snack is going to be still in my stomach making me want to explode, or should it be alright?"
Should be fine. Is there at least an hour between the practice and snack? Otherwise, just eat, see if you get stomach cramps or whatever. The zone recommends a 1 block snack 1/2 hour before workouts, so I don't see it being a problem.
Eggs are great protein sources.
NYC Judoka60kg - you have mail.
"Yes, too much food will spike your insulin"
Ok, so when I get to where I wanna be weight wise, I'll just start adding fat blocks.
I'll try keeping the protein shake after lifting and see how I feel. If not, I'll just go to a one block snack 30 minutes before
**And I have...Another Question!**
How bad is eatting the non-reccomended carbohydrates, assuming you stay within the block limit. For example, if for my post workout snack/meal, I dont have enough good fruit (oranges, apples, grapes etc. but I do have a banana, I take one banana to supplement 18 peanuts and 22g protein. Is this alright because I have stayed within the block limits?
Another example would be if cookd carrots are in my mixed veggies, should I take them out?
Also, they never mention raw carrots as being bad, just cooked is there any reason?
Finnally I just wanted to thank you again, I have stopped feeling sluggish, had more energy and focus and I needed it recently because I just had to take my mom to the hospital and she was incredibly sick, the energy just made me feel better in the time of shit.
I also, to my happiness, have gone from 127 to 125 and I am really happy about that.
Thanks a lot
-Nick
"How bad is eatting the non-reccomended carbohydrates?"
It's fine, it depends on the person a bit though. I eat unfavorable carbs (banana's or bread usually), almost every day and I don't notice a difference. What I was told is 'if you eat those carbs, and you feel like crap, then maybe you should be eating the favorable ones instead.' It depends on how insulin sensitive you are. Put it this way, you've been eating them your whole life, so eating a small amount of them in the proper ratio should be barely noticeable. Especially for people who train hard, a small amount of starch isn't a bad idea. I usually eat them post workout, but it doesn't really matter.
"Another example would be if cookd carrots are in my mixed veggies, should I take them out?"
Leave them in, just try to stick to the block ratios, try to eat mainly good sources. They aren't bad, they just aren't as good for you as other things.
"Also, they never mention raw carrots as being bad, just cooked is there any reason?"
I think they should be about the same, probably left them off the chart for space reasons. I'll check later when I'm home.
"Finnally I just wanted to thank you again, I have stopped feeling sluggish, had more energy and focus and I needed it recently because I just had to take my mom to the hospital and she was incredibly sick, the energy just made me feel better in the time of shit. I also, to my happiness, have gone from 127 to 125 and I am really happy about that."
Great news! I know there are lots of times I can remember when the extra energy made my day. Hope things go great for you and your mom.
Great man thanks a lot