Zone Diet

[analog999 0]

Just looked through old posts on weight loss / getting back into shape. I started the Zone Diet January 5th -- and I try to keep on it, basically keep the carbs down and the protein & fat up. There are lots of athletes (apparently) that use this diet including some nhl players (Adrian Aucoin, Brian Leetch). I started at 205 and after a month I'm at 186... My pre-wedding weight nearly 4 years ago was 170. I'd like to get down to 165, which is the weight where I was the lighest and strongest I have ever been. I'm 5'10", and also 29 years old.

Two general questions for you guys:

1) Has anyone else had success on the Zone Diet? How does it make you feel?

2) Anyone think 165 is too light for light-contact rec hockey? If not, where do you think I should be?

[mack 44]

Never dieted before, but re: your weight I think it should be fine as long as it's a gradual loss. I've got about 7" and 20lbs on you and I do fine with that.

[hattrick74 0]

what exactly is the zone diet? i am 6'0 210 and well by those numbers am a little bigger then i wana be. i would like to be 175-180, but still want defined muscle mass. the problems i have had with "diets" is that it isnt a lifestyle change, i am of the firm believe that if you want to lose wieght/stay in shape you need to change eating/exerise lifestyle.

any suggestions?

[analog999 0]

The zone diet is essentially this:

Meals:

30% of your calories should be protein

30% of your calories should be fat

40% of your calories should be carbs

You should eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day, all with the calorie distrubution above.

You should eat whole foods.

You should eat fruits & vegetables, but not root vegetables. Only eat veggies that grow above ground.

Obviously cut out bad fats, things like coke, pepsi, etc.

[Nick23 0]

Why not root vegetables?

Deathmoves is doing a high protein diet to gain weight in muscle rather than lose it. But he says he is finding it hard to breath on the ice, are you finding this with your diet?

[analog999 0]

No, but I have felt slightly tired, which I'm not sure is the fault of the diet. I don't know why I've been tired. It's not at games, just in general - usually the afternoons/early evenings. I am still recovering from December's hectic work schedule as well where I went to bed at 5am and woke up at 9am.

The guy who wrote the Zone Diet says that root vegetables aren't good for you but I don't remember exactly why. I'll have to go back and look at the book. I think it has to do with the excess carbs in them. I know he talks about how they've gone back and looked at mummies and stuff and found that lots of ancient egyptian people were fat and they found inside their stomachs all these root vegetables.

Last time I lost weight (went from 195ish to 165), I did the high protein diet. I would caution against it though. I became very constipated with that diet. Make sure if you do it that you drink a LOT of water and take fiber pills or powder to help with your bowel movements. I know that sounds nasty but it's true. I followed the diet suggested by the guy at fatlosstips.com

I don't remember having any problems with breathing. I did weightlifting 3 times a week and cardio every day, usually twice a day when I was not lifting. I always did cardio in the morning.

I did not lose weight as quickly with that diet as I am losing now with the Zone Diet. Again, I am not perfectly on the Zone Diet either... I'm as close to it as I can reasonably get without tracking it perfectly. I do think that at some point, I will reach a fitness plateau that will be hard to break through and lose the last 10 pounds or so.

Right now I am doing cardio once a day, in the evening. Every day I do a sit up routine that combines a bunch of types of crunches and lower abdominal workout. I combine that with not so regular body-weight workouts like pushups, super wheel, bench dips and pull ups.

I also have been using some software to track my calories/workouts, etc so I know that has helped me.

From when I started in January, I am down at least one pant size and I wear large shirts instead of xlarge.

[Racer8 0]

I've been on the zone diet for the last 5 or 6 years and I think it's great. I'm hardly a purist, but every meal I have a decent idea of the ratios I'm eating. I guess you could think of it more of a macro view of the zone diet. I read the book too, and I think a guy would need a personal chef or a "slave-to-detail" personality to follow a strict zone diet. Like root veggies and puggy egyptians, I don't pay much attention to that sort of thing, but I follow the general concepts.

Over the last 5-6 years my weight has been stable, I'm never hungry, and I always have consistant energy. I'm also less moody, more resistant to stess, and think clearer. I used to be on a high carb diet and I think the Zone makes sense. The Zone is truely a balanced diet. The Zone certainly makes me feel better to the point I have adopted it as a lifestyle change as opposed to a "diet."

[analog999 0]

Yeah, it's definitely easier to be on the zone diet than any other diet. It really isn't all that different from normal eating except you just make sure you get enough fat and protein. Like you I used to just load up on carbs.

FYI

Protein - Fat - Carb % Ratios for various diets:

Zone: 30-30-40

Atkins: 30-60-10

Weight Watchers: 30-20-50

Protein Power: 40-20-40

A standard diet is usually 20-30-50

I think my tiredness definitely comes from other things than the diet. What, I'd love to know.

[analog999 0]

Maybe I just figured it out. It has rained where I am seemingly non stop for a month and a half... hardly EVER any sunshine. In fact, this is the worst Washington State weather I have experienced in my entire life. I bet it has something to do with it.

[Racer8 0]

Yeah, I don't think that the Zone diet will help you with S. A. D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder.) A common condition in northern climates when the weather sucks 8 months out of the year called winter. Rain/ snow. When the perpetual grey of the sky meets the perpetual grey of the horizon to form a seamless blanket of insipid similarity to the day before. Wears on a guy. Try a tanning bed or sun lamp. Seriously. Have asthma? I think the Zone diet helps with that...

[Jason Harris 31]

Was the book written by Barry Sears?

[analog999 0]

Yes. I picked up "Mastering The Zone".... I think it was $25 at Barnes & Noble. I have seen other zone books for around $7 paperback. I think he could explain the diet much more quickly, but he tries to give you a condensed full explanation in Mastering... The original zone book by Dr. Sears explains the reasoning behind the diet the most. I didn't read it.

[Jim A 4]

analog, lately I've wound up on something close to a 40-30-30 progression and also hit some tired spells and lulls..but I think its mostly due to the lack of refined sugars that provide some of those peaks and valleys..I just need to learn what signs to look for before they hit and maybe grab some food a little earlier since I don't feel as hungry throughout the day ...who knows!!

[Finlay82uk 0]

i tried it but didnt get to far, so now with the help of a nutritionist I have started counting calories, I stick to 867 a day + as a part of my choice I am cutting right down on carbs unless I have a game coming up, I have done this for the past month+ have come down from 210 to 195 so far, am aiming to losse an extra 20pounds or so but since I started this diet I have never felt better, been full of energy, been able to play at a higher intensity for longer+ my recovery time has shorten majorly.

think im going to stick with this for a bit longer

I also work out 5 times a week mind, 3 times on the rower+ stationary bike+ the other 2 days I have a swim+ do light weights

[analog999 0]

I think 867 is really low. Most dieticians don't recommend anything lower than a 1200 cal a day diet. If you go lower, you put your body into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down. I do 1240 and usually break it. Lately I have been cosuming around 1400-1500. I started in early Jan at 205lbs and this morning I'm 174.

I am still working out at a minimum of 5 days a week cardio and I play hockey twice a week.

[Finlay82uk 0]

I think 867 is really low. Most dieticians don't recommend anything lower than a 1200 cal a day diet. If you go lower, you put your body into starvation mode and your metabolism will slow down. I do 1240 and usually break it. Lately I have been cosuming around 1400-1500. I started in early Jan at 205lbs and this morning I'm 174.

I am still working out at a minimum of 5 days a week cardio and I play hockey twice a week.

ive been after a big loss for a while, but its going well

[analog999 0]

Well good job regardless. Keep it up. I have about 9 more pounds to lose. My goal is April 7th, my spreadsheet shows that I should be done in 17 days, much before then.

Btw, I guess I should mention I'm not as tired now a days...