Eating in the ZONE

Kenneth Price8 said:Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone here has actually tried the Zone diet, and if so, could you please share your experiences? I've been reading this book by Barry Sears and, honestly, it seems pretty solid—everything follows a logical pattern and is laid out very clearly.
I'm curious if any of you are currently eating according to the Zone guidelines and how it's working out for you. Is it a massive headache trying to balance all those meal blocks, and how much time does it actually take before the whole thing becomes second nature...
Basically, anything at all regarding this topic would be great! Thanks so much!🙂

I haven't even bothered buying the original book by Barry Sears because, frankly, I find it way too Americanized. It feels like they just want to push their own branded Zone products! So, I just picked up this local cookbook for the Zone that has everything conveniently broken down into portions. Even though I've been doing this for almost a year now, I guess nothing has truly become a routine yet. I still find myself constantly pulling out those charts and doing the math.

Megan Morales5 said:Look, man, you are exhausting. Just leave one single topic alone—one that you don't immediately hijack with your sales pitch the second you show up. Let people actually share their own experiences without you shoving your products down their throats. You went to some MLM seminar and now you think you've suddenly mastered all the wisdom in the universe regarding nutrition.🙄

Don't play dumb if there's no reason to, alright?
I’m not going to debate my profession with you because you just won't get it; people come here looking for CONCRETE solutions and real-world experiences they can apply to themselves, and since I’m intimately familiar with all the different approaches, I "venture" to speak up here too (and I won't be asking anyone for permission to do so) because I have enough experience in this field... plus, I'm genuinely interested in hearing what others have gone through..

Megan Morales5 said:That link you shared about how Vera beat anorexia with Herbalife... no anorexia is ever cured by that nonsense; it takes psychological therapy.

What kind of damn psychotherapy works when the BODY refuses to accept any food at all? When bodily functions are completely broken, you have to use an IV, right? This isn't quite the same thing, but it's liquid nutrition that is bio-assimilative and easy to digest, so it doesn't require massive effort to process... but you can't seem to grasp that (or maybe you just refuse to).😉

ps: keep on drifting through like you did when you first arrived.. 👋

Kyle Martinez11 said:I didn't even bother buying that original book by Barry Sears because it feels way too Americanized for me. It seems like they have their own branded Zone products anyway! So I just bought this local cookbook for the Zone that has everything nicely broken down by portions. Even though, after almost a year, nothing has really become a routine yet. I'm still constantly opening those charts and doing the math.

Good for you for doing all that math, but it's a bit much for me, especially since I'm hardly a "cook," so I think I'll just wait until I get married before I worry about it.. 😁

Kyle Martinez11 said:That’s why I just grabbed this local cook's guide for the Zone... everything is laid out so perfectly.

Heading out to get it tomorrow (been planning this since last week when I picked up "employed in Zone")...😁

Wondering how you guys fit in workouts? Barry Sears says mornings are best. Can't do that with my lecture schedule though. Do you guys always grab a single block snack before and after exercising? It totally messes with my blocks... usually end up hitting 11 when I really need 10...

Kyle Martinez11 said:I didn't even bother buying the original book by Barry Sears because it felt way too Americanized for my needs. Honestly, they have their own specific Zone products! That's why I just picked up this local Zone cookbook where everything is so beautifully broken down by portion. Even though, nearly a year later, nothing has actually become second nature yet. I find myself constantly pulling out those charts and doing the math.

I bought the Zone Cookbook tonight—and honestly, I’m feeling pretty proud of myself.🙂 I skipped the original book too; I have zero interest in reading lists of foods you can't even find in an American grocery store. Besides, in the Employed in Zone guide (which I've had for a while now and find incredibly user-friendly regarding how the Zone principles work), the food—fruits, veggies, grains—is categorized into single blocks (pieces and tablespoons), which serves as a great baseline, especially if you're eating out. But I can only imagine how much of a headache it is to cook according to the Zone (as Kyle Martinez11 pointed out, it's a lot more complicated than just making scrambled eggs🙂), having to count every drop of oil, every spice, and every vegetable... It's a lot.
I also picked up some protein powder at CVS and tried it with water tonight—you guys were right, it was absolutely vile. I think I'll take your advice and try mixing it with a spoonful of cocoa powder and milk instead.

I do my workouts in the morning as well—I just set my alarm a little earlier to squeeze in some squats, push-ups, and a few reps with light dumbbells. Then I walk to work, which covers the rest of my prescribed physical activity for the day...
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go consult the Cookbook.😉

briskgull82 said:I picked up some protein powder at CVS and tried it with water tonight—you guys were right, it was absolutely revolting. I think I’ll take your advice and mix it with some chocolate cocoa powder and milk instead.

Well, you certainly found the right place to shop for that stuff... did they at least throw in a free bottle of shampoo or something? 😉 😁

mistybear4 said:Look, let’s not play games here unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?
I have no intention of debating my profession with you—mostly because you simply wouldn't grasp it—but people come here looking for CONCRETE solutions and real-world experiences they can actually apply to their own lives. Since I am intimately familiar with all the different variations of this lifestyle, I am going to "venture" an opinion here (and believe me, I don't need anyone's permission to speak up!) because I possess significant expertise on the subject... plus, I am genuinely interested in hearing what others have gone through...

So, what exactly are these "experiences" of yours? How long have you been eating in Zone? And can you actually manage to string together a single coherent sentence—without resorting to those cheap little jokes—that doesn't sound like a Herbalife sermon?
Thanks for the replies (which we will likely never receive...)

What kind of damn psychotherapy are we talking about when the BODY itself rejects all food? When bodily functions are totally haywire, you provide an IV drip (right?)—except this isn't quite the same thing; it’s food in a liquid state that is bio-assimilative and easy to digest, meaning it doesn't require massive effort to process... but you just can't (or won't) wrap your head around that... 😉

Define "bio-assimilative." No links, no advertisements. One sentence is plenty.

Kenneth Price8 said:I'm curious, where do you guys actually fit exercise into your schedules?

Nowhere. I don't work out because, quite frankly, I absolutely loathe any kind of physical training. I guess if you want to count my actual activities, it’s mostly just cooking, eating, listening to music on my commute to and from work, and then on the weekends: hooking up, biking to the local pub and right back (which takes all of a minute, really), and maybe picking asparagus.

🤣

You forgot a few things: hair removal, climbing up and down the stairs when visiting my sister, and taking the dog for walks twice a month 😁

(hm, I know it might be a bit hard for you all to wrap your heads around right now).

It isn't 😳 😁

Actually, I’ve whipped up a few "desserts" following the Zone and was honestly surprised by how good they were—things like those various puddings or the oatmeal bread, etc...

I'm not sure how everyone else is handling this issue (it feels like the real people employed in Zone who cook anything more complex than scrambled eggs aren't really weighing in :-)

I've tried a few meals, like Slavonian cevapi and some other heavier stuff, but I don't exactly count myself among the die-hard Zone followers. I'll grab a meal at a Zone spot occasionally, but I don't live on it all day... though I do have someone at home who follows the Zone much more strictly.

The thickness of a pencil? Good grief...

Do you even realize how many thick pencils 😉

I didn't even bother buying the original book by Barry Sears because it felt way too Americanized. I assume they have their own branded Zone products anyway.

His book is fine, in the sense that it explains the principles clearly—it's quite readable despite the heavy subject matter (readable-Americanized)...

What kind of hellish psychotherapy is that when the BODY rejects any kind of food?

Wrong. It's the PSYCHE that rejects the food; the body is just the transformer of that desire. You're just torturing yourself... and all of us.

I'm curious, where does exercise fit into all this?

In the morning. Get up half an hour early, clean up after your workout, and you'll actually have more energy than if you had just slept through those thirty minutes. Okay, maybe not for the first couple of days, but definitely after that...

Megan Morales5 said:It isn't 😳 😁

So I guess you're one of us after all, 😬
Magicna, maybe you're actually our long-lost sibling or something?

Kyle Martinez11 said:So, you're one of us after all...😬
Magicna, maybe you're that long-lost sibling we've been looking for?

Actually, it was Kenneth Hernandez67 who gave me the idea to eat a pancake that way. And honestly—God help me—I actually liked it...😬 (even if my wife suggested I just take some PTO since work stress is clearly taking its toll on me 😁 )...

Kyle Martinez11 said:Nowhere. I don't work out because I hate any kind of exercise. My only hobbies are cooking, eating, listening to tunes on my commute, and on weekends: hooking up, biking to the bar and back (takes like a minute), picking asparagus...

😂 😂 😂 Kyle Martinez11 rules! 🙂

Yeah, uh, weekend's coming 🎉

Megan Morales5 said:Actually, I picked up some "desserts" from Zone and was honestly surprised by how good they were—like those various puddings or the oatmeal pastries...

Ugh, sooooo good... just grabbed a cookbook today! Oh man, lemon pudding! It’s gonna be fuckin' amazing (I live for anything lemon).👍

Just no clue where to find powdered gelatin though. I know the sheets, but powder?😕 If anyone knows a specific brand at Target or Walmart, let me know...

Asking around the gym about protein powder too 😁 Mom's gonna think I'm trying to get jacked...

Honestly, that pudding is actually great. I was fully prepared to bet money that it would be total garbage, but... yeah, it was actually pretty good. Especially once the heat starts hitting—it’ll be the perfect snack. 🙂 I used gelatin sheets this time. You can find protein powder in all those fancy organic grocery stores, but if you just grab it at the gym, it's way cheaper.

Kids these days don't know a thing 😁 . You can find ground gelatin sitting right there in bags, tucked next to the baking powder and vanilla sugar on the grocery store shelf! 😉

Megan Morales5 said:I just used gelatin sheets.

Yeah, figured that might work...

Dodo, any idea what your lady (assuming she's the cook😁 ) uses for sweetener? Stevia or Splenda? Apparently you can't find Splenda here in the States, and my dad won't be back from London anytime soon... 😢

btw thanks, Dodo, feeling a bit better now...

Mary_1963 said:Kids these days don't know a thing 😁. Ground gelatin is right there in bags, sitting next to the baking powder and vanilla sugar on the grocery store shelf... 😉

Yeah, yeah... kids, whatever. That's why we're here to teach 'em, I guess 😘...

Kenneth Price8 said:Aha, I figured as much (that it could be swapped out).

dodo, do you happen to know what your lady—assuming she’s the one doing the cooking😁—uses as a sweetener? Is it stevia or Splenda? Apparently, you can't find Splenda here in the States, and while I wait for my dad to get back from London, it's going to be a long wait... 😢

btw, thanks, dodo, you've really cheered me up—can't wait!

My "lady" doesn't cook—she just eats, I'm the one in the kitchen. I asked on the forum about stevia and found out it's available at Whole Foods for maybe ten bucks or so. Instead of stevia, I just used honey, which isn't exactly great for the Zone, but hey, I didn't know what else to grab. My girlfriend sticks to her breakfast and lunch within the Zone—she actually finds the whole thing entertaining—but we eat dinner fresh, and while it's occasionally within the Zone, more often than not it isn't. Either she stays on track and I end up grabbing a double portion of croquettes and messing everything up... 😁

Looks like you guys are having a blast 😉

So, did anyone actually try the oatmeal? People in the zone won't shut up about it, but honestly, the thought of boiling oats just kills the vibe for me... feels like horse food 😕 😁 . Just kidding... maybe I'll give it a shot. Apparently, it's decent, especially if you throw in some cheese and fruit.

Kenneth Price8 said:I see you guys are having a blast 😉

Has anyone actually tried oatmeal? It’s always coming up in the context of nutrition in zone discussions—but honestly, the thought of standing over a stove cooking oats feels like a total chore... I mean, what are horses eating? 😕 😁 I'm kidding... though I suppose I should give it a shot. nimbledriver81 mentioned it's decent, especially if you toss in some cheese and fruit.

She does, and I assume she likes it if she's eating it. 😁 She eats just like nimbledriver81. As for me, I’ve just been sticking to quick oats—just stirring them into my protein shakes in the morning.