Hello from Oregon! Any Zoners on this site want to share wit

missjacki

Hey everyone. I'm a dental hygienist in the Portland, Oregon area. Just wanting to get into great shape and be healthy and happy. The rainy season is fast approaching and I need a good plan so as NOT to put on 5-10 pounds like I do every rainy season....

So, that's why I'm here.

I'm trying to do the Zone diet along with crosstraining 3-4x a week. The Zone is really confusing me....I've been trying to eat in "blocks" for about 5 days now with limited success, but I'm learning.

Any tips are welcome!

missjacki

Hey everyone. I'm a dental hygienist in the Portland, Oregon area. Just wanting to get into great shape and be healthy and happy. The rainy season is fast approaching and I need a good plan so as NOT to put on 5-10 pounds like I do every rainy season....

So, that's why I'm here.

I'm trying to do the Zone diet along with crosstraining 3-4x a week. The Zone is really confusing me....I've been trying to eat in "blocks" for about 5 days now with limited success, but I'm learning.

Any tips are welcome!

MiaEllie

Hi missjacki and welcome,
I'm in Portland, too. I just joined this site about 6 days ago. I've lost weight already. I plan to do weigh myself tomorrow for my weekly update. I'm excited about posting my weight loss tomorrow.
GOOD LUCK! There are a lot of very nice people on this site to help with encouragement.
Mia

MillersGurl2224

Good luck.... We same to be in the same boat! I am not happy with myself and my body. When I met my husband I was a bombshell. Now, I am a nurse that is over weight. Darn nursing, they EAT all the time. And always good food.... I need to learn not to eat when I am board. That is my main problem.

What is your home life like, are you able to workout 3-4x a week. Have any problems like eating at work, stress eating... etc... Becasue I have all of those. I do not have children so my workout can be planned anytime.

I do not know what the zone diet is.. Fill me in

missjacki

Well, I don't have any kids either, so I should be able to work out at least 3x a week, and I'm shooting for 4. I've been working out 2x a week for a year so it shouldn't bee too much of a stretch.

My job is a <b>big problem</b> with my weight control. First of all, I sit on my tuckuss all day and secondly you wouldn't believe it, but the dental office has more sweets than anyplace on earth!!! All the specialists that we refer to constantly send us baked goods and candies and cheese plates (my true weakness) to entice us to keep referring more patients to them.

So...here I am

I spent Fri and Sat doing a bunch of diet research. My good friend who is the most physically fit person I know is on the zone diet...along with a serious workout regimen of 4-5 days week of <b>intense</b> exercize. Anyways, she swears it is largely the diet that is responsible for her <b>perfect</b> figure.... so I started researching it.

The Zone was created by Dr. Barry Sears in 1996, the whole point is insulin control through the foods we eat, it is supposed to be very healthy for preventing CVD and Type II DM, but a beneficial side effect is supposed to be weight loss and improved focus and motivation, esp when it comes to athletics. Very successful with elite althletes such s olympic swimmers and olympic sprinters (not that I am any of those things) The whole principal is <b>ratio</b> of the foods we eat, so to be "in the zone" each meal and snack must be comprised of 40-30-30.....40% calories from carbs, 30% cals from protein and 30% cals from fat (contrasting the FDA recommendations of 55% carbs, 30% fat and 15% protein). It's harder than it sounds tho because you can't just have any carbs, they are supposed to be mostly fruits and veggies and whole rolled oats and grains (no processed flour, sugar etc) and the protein needs to be low fat protein (i.e. limit red meat and fatty cheeses) and the fat is supposed to be monounsaturated such as olive oil, avacados, nuts etc.

.....so in doing a full 2 days worth of research it does seem pretty legit and not a "fad" like some diets. In researching nutrition, some other diets that struck me as healthy and nutritionally sound were the <b>Glycemic Impact Diet </b> (but it costs $$) and the <b>Mayo Clinic Plan</b>....so if I can't figure out The Zone I may try those....but the zone is accessable through cheap used books and tons of web info and my friend swears it is the best because it isn't a typical "diet" just a healthy way of eating for life. OK....I'll try it. I can't figure out what to put in my coffee to sweeten it because I am very anti artificial sweeteners (oh, yeah and I'm not supposed to have coffee....but that just ain't gonna happen)!!!! You can pry my coffee cup from my cold, dead hands! Ha Ha!!

wheew.....long reply, sorry.

MillersGurl2224

Well I am going to have to ck that out. Yeah, being in the healthcare ind. does not help anything. With your reply about eating @ work. is almost like I know more nurses and MDs that smoke, and then tell their clients no to do it. Kind of funny if you ask me. Good luck to you.. Let me know how your week of exercise goes!

jill

There are many diets out there that basically stick to zone principles but are simpler. Check out "body for life". The workout portion is great too, but I found the diet portion to be very helpful and zone-like without requiring an advanced math degree. IMO the secret is to keep your blood sugar even so you don't get too hungry at any time. Protein and carbs approx every 3 hours. Makes it much easier to stick to the plan if you are not shaking with starvation!

Jill