The Zone

[Guest guest]

>>> A good choice for a plan that I might be able to stay on for life is

called The Zone " by Dr. Barry Sears.<<<

>> Fact or fiction or just another fad?<<

Hi Carol (and all...)

I have a girlfriend who has done the Zone for a year now -- started it and

joined a gym and done both and has lost nearly 100 lbs and feels healthy but

she is now scheduled for her first consult for WLS and has two more surgeons

she's going to meet before choosing one and moving forward with WLS -- but,

as the Zone goes it has worked for her for this much but it stopped working.

She isn't gaining but she stopped loosing a couple of months ago even though

she stays " In The Zone " -- still, her health will be much better now to

undergo a major surgery so it has worked in that way.

As for me and diets where you have to " do " something -- I can't do it. I

know WW is a great diet and the Zone is really healthy if you follow it

correctly and I am sure their are a lot of people who could 'do' those kinds

of things successfully if the desire to do so is great enough and the body

acclimates itself to that diet working.

My problem is the " thinking " part -- I don't want to " think " about

food/shakes/pills and all that stuff (I know, lazy...) but I just don't want

to " think " about it unless it is time to eat or drink, then I just want to

eat or drink / be done with it and go on and not think about it for another

3 hours -- even then, I don't want to have to " choose " what to eat / drink /

pills --

This sounds weird but I swear I do my best when I am in a rut... as some

would call it... I call it a structured schedule that I don't have to think

about. Every 3 hours I put something in -- food or shake and pills go with

shakes and shakes go with pills and food is found in the fridge in 4oz

containers usually left overs from the night before that are pre-measured

for the right portion size and healthy choices for my " heart healthy " thing

and so one day follows another and food is just not something I want to

think about.

I do have a favorite restaurant... they fix my favorite meal... now " that "

food is worth thinking about because it is so totally YUM that I enjoy the

food for its taste and quality and I enjoy the meal because it is my

favorite. Most the other food is just blah... food, must go in, must eat to

live, must provide this or that for nourishment -- eat it, be done and move

on.

If we're eating out at any other place with friends I just pick the lease

harmful food on the menu -- usually a grilled chicken breast or something

innocuous that I can eat some of and move the rest around on my plate and I

enjoy the company but not the meal.

I used to love the " smell " of foods -- grew up in the south where my

grandma did a lot of home made rolls and biscuits and other just yum

smelling stuff so the smell used to get to me and about a year ago a friend

of mine sent me some wonderful inscents for a gift and I love the smell of

those -- now I burn them often and candles too and I enjoy the smell of

those WAY more than the smell of just regular foods.

I guess I " replaced " one " scent " with another that is equally / more /

enjoyable.

I also talked my brain into believing that walking into a restaurant where

it smells yummy to most people that it doesn't smell yummy to me unless it

is greater than or equal to the old smell of my grandma's kitchen (which it

never is...) so I begin to smell the fats they fry things in and can refocus

my thoughts on that smell. Then I don't want the " foods " so it is easier to

choose heart healthy and settle myself in to enjoy the company instead.

Maybe it goes back to the movie y'all have been talking about -- just not

listening to the voices as a choice. I'm still hungry and I get hungry but I

have to keep my choices simple, limited, readily available and when I'm

hungry I don't have to " think " about what I want because if it falls short

of my favorite then I don't care what it is.

A serving of green beans is fine -- I need the carb -- a serving of roasted

chicken is fine -- I need to feel the " full " feeling -- a shake is good,

it's time to take pills -- pills are good, it's time for a shake -- eat /

drink / be done with it.

LOL... guess that makes me a " rut " eater -- lots of the same foods over and

over but I really don't care so long as they are the healthy choices, heart

healthy, enough protein a day, all my supp's and then get on with the

business of living life...

I think for me it makes a big difference too because the times I've gotten

out of my " rut " I've either gained or lost weight so the " rut " is

comfortable and safe... don't know if that makes any sense to anyone else

but my own diet would be called " The Rut " ... LOL... My fridge looks like a

4 oz container zone of heart healthy choices so it really doesn't matter

which one I pick if I'm not drinking (the same ol same ol) shake...

I do venture forth at times and try something new, am usually disappointed

because I always think it is going to be SO much better than it really is

(high expectations not met...) so I go back to my rut...

hugz,

~denise in her rut

[Guest guest]

...

OMG...this is exactly what I do, probably worse then you! I have

my protein bars and shakes handy. Cheese sticks and some easy foods and I

just reach for something like this 4 or 5 times a day. I just want to keep

it easy and not think that eating has to be a big production.

The problem with me is that I hardly eat fruit or vegetables, unless we are

eating out. I just figure I get what I need from my supplements and the

bars/shakes and I don't want to make a big production of eating anymore.

The Zone seems to be easy when I am with people on it. They just eat a

chicken breast and some veggies and if they need their portion of fat they

eat a handful of nuts!. They measure everything with their fists and the

palm of their hands and they are always sucking down apples, blueberries and

whatever. Mind you...these are people that at this point don't have a

weight problem just stay in " the zone " for health reasons and to control

insulin production.

Thanks for the info about your friend. Did she say it was easy or hard to

stay in " the Zone " ?

Carol G.

-- RE: The Zone

>>> A good choice for a plan that I might be able to stay on for life is

called The Zone " by Dr. Barry Sears.<<<

>> Fact or fiction or just another fad?<<

Hi Carol (and all...)

I have a girlfriend who has done the Zone for a year now -- started it and

joined a gym and done both and has lost nearly 100 lbs and feels healthy but

she is now scheduled for her first consult for WLS and has two more surgeons

she's going to meet before choosing one and moving forward with WLS -- but,

as the Zone goes it has worked for her for this much but it stopped working.

She isn't gaining but she stopped loosing a couple of months ago even though

she stays " In The Zone " -- still, her health will be much better now to

undergo a major surgery so it has worked in that way.

As for me and diets where you have to " do " something -- I can't do it. I

know WW is a great diet and the Zone is really healthy if you follow it

correctly and I am sure their are a lot of people who could 'do' those kinds

of things successfully if the desire to do so is great enough and the body

acclimates itself to that diet working.

My problem is the " thinking " part -- I don't want to " think " about

food/shakes/pills and all that stuff (I know, lazy...) but I just don't want

to " think " about it unless it is time to eat or drink, then I just want to

eat or drink / be done with it and go on and not think about it for another

3 hours -- even then, I don't want to have to " choose " what to eat / drink /

pills --

This sounds weird but I swear I do my best when I am in a rut... as some

would call it... I call it a structured schedule that I don't have to think

about. Every 3 hours I put something in -- food or shake and pills go with

shakes and shakes go with pills and food is found in the fridge in 4oz

containers usually left overs from the night before that are pre-measured

for the right portion size and healthy choices for my " heart healthy " thing

and so one day follows another and food is just not something I want to

think about.

I do have a favorite restaurant... they fix my favorite meal... now " that "

food is worth thinking about because it is so totally YUM that I enjoy the

food for its taste and quality and I enjoy the meal because it is my

favorite. Most the other food is just blah... food, must go in, must eat to

live, must provide this or that for nourishment -- eat it, be done and move

on.

If we're eating out at any other place with friends I just pick the lease

harmful food on the menu -- usually a grilled chicken breast or something

innocuous that I can eat some of and move the rest around on my plate and I

enjoy the company but not the meal.

I used to love the " smell " of foods -- grew up in the south where my

grandma did a lot of home made rolls and biscuits and other just yum

smelling stuff so the smell used to get to me and about a year ago a friend

of mine sent me some wonderful inscents for a gift and I love the smell of

those -- now I burn them often and candles too and I enjoy the smell of

those WAY more than the smell of just regular foods.

I guess I " replaced " one " scent " with another that is equally / more /

enjoyable.

I also talked my brain into believing that walking into a restaurant where

it smells yummy to most people that it doesn't smell yummy to me unless it

is greater than or equal to the old smell of my grandma's kitchen (which it

never is...) so I begin to smell the fats they fry things in and can refocus

my thoughts on that smell. Then I don't want the " foods " so it is easier to

choose heart healthy and settle myself in to enjoy the company instead.

Maybe it goes back to the movie y'all have been talking about -- just not

listening to the voices as a choice. I'm still hungry and I get hungry but I

have to keep my choices simple, limited, readily available and when I'm

hungry I don't have to " think " about what I want because if it falls short

of my favorite then I don't care what it is.

A serving of green beans is fine -- I need the carb -- a serving of roasted

chicken is fine -- I need to feel the " full " feeling -- a shake is good,

it's time to take pills -- pills are good, it's time for a shake -- eat /

drink / be done with it.

LOL... guess that makes me a " rut " eater -- lots of the same foods over and

over but I really don't care so long as they are the healthy choices, heart

healthy, enough protein a day, all my supp's and then get on with the

business of living life...

I think for me it makes a big difference too because the times I've gotten

out of my " rut " I've either gained or lost weight so the " rut " is

comfortable and safe... don't know if that makes any sense to anyone else

but my own diet would be called " The Rut " ... LOL... My fridge looks like a

4 oz container zone of heart healthy choices so it really doesn't matter

which one I pick if I'm not drinking (the same ol same ol) shake...

I do venture forth at times and try something new, am usually disappointed

because I always think it is going to be SO much better than it really is

(high expectations not met...) so I go back to my rut...

hugz,

~denise in her rut

Homepage: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Graduate-OSSG

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[Guest guest]

> Thanks for the info about your friend. Did she say it was easy or hard to

> stay in " the Zone " ?

> Carol G.

Mostly I think it has been easy for her because she isn't cooking for a

family or any such thing. She has more problems when visiting her parents

and they want her to " eat " so she struggles then to be 1.) polite and 2.)

stay in the zone -- I guess as is with all of us she has bad days that she

gets out of the zone but those are usually (like us) driven by emotion.

It's hard to say because she is a hereditary obese person and even with the

100 lb loss she is still well qualified for this surgery. I think she knows

it has quit working in terms of loosing any more (remember how our diets

eventually stopped working and then we'd " stay put " for a while and then

start gaining back?) I know she feels like that is what is in her near

future which is why she is going for the surgery now.

She did say it was easier than any other diet she'd tried but she often

didn't like the part about making sure she had the right foods available at

work and when she wasn't at home to fix them. That sort of thing made it

harder. But, over all she said an easy diet to live with and plans on

keeping with it until she has her surgery.

I have a couple of REALLY good ideas on veggies if you want them -- I have

a sautéed green beans that even cold make a great meal/snack for your veggie

carbs and since I use a mixture of high end oils you get your oil with it.

No one in my family likes to eat them so I fix a big pan for myself and

store them in those 4 oz containers to munch on through the day cold or

nuked they are just YUM... crunchy and tasty.

The thing that would wipe me out on the Zone is the fruit. I have to treat

fruit like candy or it really will put the pounds on me -- guessing the high

fructose (?) and that I can eat a lot of fruit at once and really do like

fruit so I have to stay away from it except on special measured occasion.

Usually 2 or 3 x's a week I'll eat 3 oz of grapes, watermelon or something

like that for my " treat " food. Whatever is in season sort of thing.

On my " rut " foods as long as I have the grilled chicken or beef, a couple

of veggies, have them ready to eat in the 4 oz containers I do ok.

I think if what your doing is working for you though why change it? Every

time I try to change something I either gain or loose weight (can't afford

either) so I guess that makes me stay in my rut too. I agree you do need to

add the high end veggie each day though for balance -- some days I choose a

tomato for a veggie when the ones are in season that come off the vine and

are really YUM... not the store bought, no flavor or taste type.

I'm not sure how she measures quantity but will ask her today.

hugz,

~denise

[Guest guest]

<>

I would love any veggie ideas you have!

Oh...have you ever tried those Edamame beans?

Thanks!

Carol G

" If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always

got! "

Website: http://www.CarolLis.com

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/20/03 5:59:23 AM Central Standard Time,

clis1@... writes:

<< Lately tons of beautiful people (clients, cruise and spa directors, etc)

have been telling me they are in " The Zone " .

Fact or fiction or just another fad? >>

-----------------------------

Don't know for sure, but " we " have been re-arranged on the insides. The

ratios you quote don't follow the recommendations most WLS docs tell their

patients, which is more protein than carbs.

Carol A