Zone Nutrition

Here at CrossFit we encourage you to "Enter the Zone."  The Zone nutrition program is based on eating healthy fats and food that is low on the glycemic index.  To learn more, read "Enter The Zone", by Barry Sears and check out the following resources.

       

        Selected Articles From the CrossFit Journal:
            Nutrition: Avoiding Metabolic Derangement
            Glycemic Index
            Zone Meal Plans

        Video Lectures From CrossFit.com:
            Nutrition Part I, Robb Wolf ...[wmv][mov]
            Nutrition Part II, Robb Wolf ...[wmv][mov]
            Nutrition Part I, Nicole Carroll ..[wmv][mov]
            Nutrition Part II, Nicole Carroll ..[wmv][mov]
            Insulin Resistance, Robb Wolf ...[wmv][mov]
            Refined Carbohydrates, Robb Wolf.[wmv][mov]

        Other Zone Resources:
            Personal Block Calculator
            Download Zone Block Calculator xls.
            Zone Perfect Website

Click here to buy this book from
Amazon.com

Comments

[Anne]

Let's do it!!!

[Sam]

Just bought my first week's worth of food.... 8 pack for boatin season? Yeeesir!

[Cherie]

Started using the food scale B got for me. For those I was chatting with it was $20 using a 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond. Enjoyed the meeting and looking forward to trimming down w/ everyone.

[Brian Nabeta]

I am trying to adjust to the new eating habits and it is making me very aggitated. IDK. I want to eat, but I know I have had enough food to energize my body. The WOD this morning was a good indication to what I should be doing. I hurt but I felt good. I have been pre-zoning before this so to get ready for the pain. The food scale and measuring cups and spoons what a nightmare. haha

[Anne]

Just had a YUMMY 3 block breakfast! I'm gin into sharing recipes:

Mexican Egg White Omelet:

4 egg whites
1 oz pepper jack cheese
Top w/ 1/2 cup fresh salsa
Serve w/ 3 TBS avocado
1 orange

Enjoy!

[Anne]

OOPS- I meant to say "I'm Big into sharing recipes!" Who did "gin" get in there?!

[Dave]

Just had the wonderful Pita breakfast. It's not breakfast I'm worried about, it's the three glasses of wine I usually have at dinner. What does that leave me...6 almonds?

[Greg Hayes]

Where or how do my precious coffee and Diet Coke fit in?

[Dave]

Yes there is no mention of coffee. What is the story with that? Can I trade a cup for say...one macadamia nut?

[Cherie]

Oops I just realized that the Zone Perfect bar I just ate (which is pretty good by the way) was 2 blocks rather than 1 (which I thought it was...sorry Justin for the mis-info) so there goes my after dinner snack! Satisfied the afternoon chocolate craving though so it was worth it.

[Greg Hayes]

Oh yeah and, most importantly, what about booze - beer, wine and liquor?

[Cherie]

Not sure about beer and liquor but I think 1 cheese stick and a 4 oz glass of wine = 1 block

[Justin Riley]

No, no, no, and no. If you put that shit in, you have to leave out something good for you. Those are half the reason that all of us need to structure our eating habits. Save it for rest day if you can, if you can't you must give up good carb blocks in the place of booze.

As far as the coffee, the coffee itself has no impact on the diet, but the cream sugar and chocolate you put in it does. Try to avoid putting sugar in the coffee and count the cream in your fat blocks. Avoid artificial sweetner if you can. It can mess with your insulin. Diet soadas and splenda in your coffee are better than high fructose corn syrup and sugar, but not ideal.

[DaveW]

I won’t make my final decision on the Zone Diet until the 8 weeks is up but so far 3 days in the zone (16 blocks/day) I feel like I’m starving. 1 hr post 4 block meal I feel hungry…. 2hrs post 4 block meal I’m so hungry that I can only think about my next meal. Sure I don’t get tired post high carb lunch like I used to but that is because I’m so hungry I’m in hunt and gather mode and looking for small game to club and nuts/berries to forage. I’m eating every 3hrs… 7am-4 Blocks(B), 10am-1B, 1pm-4B, 4pm-1B, 7pm-4B, 10pm-2B. I do feel faster and more alert. How is everyone else feeling?

[Xenia]

Justin I'm not able to fill out a new survey form--it keeps going to the survey monkey. I need a new form because you shamed me into giving up my nightly sorbet, but I will take 1-2 cheat days per week.

[Xenia]

Anne thanks for sharing your breakfast. It does sound yummy!! I know Nick will enjoy!

[Xenia]

Dave at our meeting Mon. you said that you were able to pull off some 4 block meals from a zone site. Do you remember the site? If so do you mind sharing it under the comment section. Thanks alot

[DaveW]

The book “Zone Meals In Seconds” has some good 4 block meals (4 servings/meal).

The www.ZoneDiet.com site has some good info on menus/recipes. I like the Sherlock Zone rating of Fast Food and other restaurants. Who knew a McDonalds hamburger with two meat paddies and string cheese was close to zone.

I haven’t found one set site for good zone recipes as of yet. I normally do a Google search for “4 block zone meal” or look for specific recipes like “4 block zone lasagna.” www.the-zone-diet-recipes.com has some decent recipes although I question some of the math from some of the posters.
Anyone want to swap recipes and trade shopping list ideas after the workout on Sat

[Sam chaccour]

Which block, and how many teaspoons per block, does sugar free coffee mate fall into? Not yet man enough to take my coffee black.

[Anne]

Dave W- I am doing 3 block meals and am stuffed. What are you eating? I go for mass quantity- like tonight, it was 3 oz salmon, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup strawberries, and 3 tbls avocado. With all those high volume carbs and fat- I don't know that I'll have room for my after dinner snack. Am I doing this right? Can you really have salmon and 3 blocks of fat?
If you're not already doing it- add those really high volume carbs. And like most MDs have forgotten to do....EAT SLOWLY! I know that the day you entered med school, you totally lost that skill- but maybe that will help too.
I guarantee that if you use avocado as your fat once in a while- you will not be starving. 1/3 a tsp of olive oil does NOTHING to fill me up.
Justin- please help me if I'm not giving the right advice. I'm just trying to prevent Dave from starving!

[Alisa]

Okay two days on 12 blocks and I can honestly say I am not hungry at all...is 12 blocks too much? I definetly think I am having withdrawls from sugar cause I can't knock this headache. Anyhow, I am actually liking this so far but already looking forward to my cheat days. LOL 2 days down and 7 1/2 weeks to go!

[Carol Penney]

That was fun?!?!? Thanks to my husband, Pat, for cooking my dinner.

[Justin Riley]

**********************************************
1st day down, felt really hungry right before dinner. Actually enjoyed the first day. Will let you know how that changes over 8 weeks.

DAVE, First off I feel like I am hunting and gathering too, 1 macadamia nut at a time. What Anne said about you being hungry could have to do with the foods. Try to get bulky stuff. I had a freakn bucket of spinach last night, I was stuffed. By the end I will have to admit, it tasted like going out in the front yard and eating endless amounts of leaves off the tree.

SAM, be a man drink that coffee black SON! Try it with just cream counting that as a fat block. If you must use the fake sugar its better than sugar. The coffee mate probably has sweetner, but use it if you need it. Or you could just try to get off the crack

XENIA, I will work on the survey site to make it so you can redo the survey. It only allows each computer to respond once to the entry form.

ALISA, if your goal is to lose body fat, then you could try 11 blocks. I think we are all going through a sugar withdrawal right now I have heard lots of water and some methadone would help. Anyone know where the nearest clinic is?

[Dave]

Okay just to be clear. My two block snacks include 2 blocks of fat, protein and carbs? What type of snacks are you guys eating?

[Anne]

Hi All-
"BLOCK PARTY" AT MY HOUSE:

You are going to think I am crazy...if you don't already. After a big trip to Costco- I spent most of the evening cooking and making 1 block units (in baggies) of salmon, broccoli, green beans, strawberries, grapes, eggs, blueberries...and these were COSTCO size containers of all of the above.
So- easy grab and go. I even will reveal my anal retentive side and say that I went as far as getting out my labeler and labeled the tupperware that I put the one block unit baggies into. We cooked a bunch of chicken the Crock Pot last night- so that was super easy too.
So- I am telling you all of this to either:
1) let you know how truly loony I am
2) give ideas
3) propose that you come over to my house on Sunday afternoon at 2pm - bring your groceries, sandwich baggies, and tupperware and we will have a "Block Party."

So- let me know if you'd like to come over and we can have a little fun w/ this, share some ideas, cook some food, and bag it up for the week. It will take most of the thinking out of it for you.

Post your email address if you'd like to come over so I can give you directions.

See ya!
Anne

[Anne]

Dave- Yes, your 2 block snack consists of 2 blocks of P, 2 of F, and 2 of C. My one block snacks today: (so you'd obviously double them)

1/4 cottage cheese
1/2 orange
3 almonds

1 scrambled egg
1/2 piece of bread
1/2 tsp peanut butter

1/2 c grapes
5 olives
2 hard boiled egg whites

Just some ideas that really filled me up.

Pat's 2 block snack tonight was:

2 oz salmon
2 Tb avocado
1 c grapes
That was like a meal!

[nick schwed]

ok so confused on the egg part, can we eat the whole egg or just the egg whites?

[Anne]

Nick-

1 Whole egg= 1 block
2 egg whites= 1 block
(I personally don't care for the yoke, so I choose to eat the whites.)

[Xenia]

Anne can you bag some of your energy for me in 1block units--my crack dealer is out of town this week!! Seriously-your enthusiasm is contagious!
Dave thanks for your feedback from yesterday.
Anne sunday sounds like fun I'm going to try to make it. E-mail xeniaschwed@comcast.net

[Anne]

Xenia- Great! I'll be in touch about Sunday. You are so funny- I love your commentary.

[Cherie]

The Block Party sounds great but I'll have Kaleo w/ me on Sunday as Brian will be at a swim meet with Kailee. If they get back fr the meet early afternoon I'd be interested in some cooking and bagging. Mind sending directions in case I can make it? Cherie.Nabeta@oracle.com.

[Anne]

OK- Here we go- the start of another week! We can do it!

[Ruth]

How is everyone feeling now that we are starting a new week? Seems a little easier after some great cheat meals this weekend!

[Jen]

I'm doing 10 blocks/day and haven't been hungry. I thought I would be eating like a bird and totally starving. I love doing this..

[Greg Hayes]

Ate at Chick-Fil-A today. Not a bad place to get a good five-block meal with two grilled chicken breasts, some shredded cheese, half a bun, fruit cup and salad.

Question - Must the blocks be consumed in the recommended quantities at each meal? For example, my morning calls for a five block breakfast and a two block snack? Can this be consumed as a four and three?

[Greg Hayes]

2nd Q - Have you still met your nutrition goal if you consume less than the recommended number of blocks?

[Justin Riley]

Ruth, I had some trouble going back on the plan after all those great carbs this weekend. I am not craving today like I was yesterday.

Greg, You can spread out the blocks differently than the plan. I am having 17 blocks 4-2-4-2-4-1. I could modify this as long as it equals 17 blocks. Spacing food out evenly is the best plan, but if it doesn't work here and there your still doing alright.
How many block are you having? If you can't eat it all you might be trying to eat to much. I would not call it a fail day if you under ate, but if your block count is right, you should eat the full prescription.

[Ruth]

I agree Justin that wants you have some carbs it is hard to go cold turkey again the next day. Now that it is Thursday I am itching for my cheat meals! Question: Is eating more fat than recommended cheating?

[Justin Riley]

Eating more fat than your goal would be cheating. There are certain circumstances which Travis will discuss next Monday night about how to adjust your carbs and fats if you start to see a drop in physical performance.

[Brian]

I'm going crazy. Another 4 block turkey meat/cheese and apple, small salad(2 tsp dressing and mac nut lunch.

[Justin Riley]

You might be going crazy, but if another ab pops through, or Fran gets 10 sec faster its all worth the while. Get the peppered turkey meat from the safeway deli, its the bomb. I like it so much I get bummed that I only get 4 1/2 ounces. Or switch it up to pastrami for a week.

[Liz R]

Hey Gang hope everyone had a good weekend... So i have a question on Cheat Meals vs Cheat Days. I prefer the cheat meals over full days as it is easier for me to follow on the road, but I am struggling to keep Zoned while doing Endurance Events...SO if i know i have an event that requires hard cardio should i modify my plan that week to have a whole cheat day on the event day and not follow my orginal meal plan for the week?? Do i need take that day as a fail then? It is proving hard to eat the perscribed Zone Blocks while on a bike for 6 hours.. Protien is not something that sounds very good nor very available except in drink form which me no likey. Ideas?

[Justin Riley]

Balance bars are the way to go. You will perform better with a little protein going through you. I am not sure if or how Zone is to be modified for endurance events, but I do know that some protein intake will enhance performance. I think you should try to follow the plan or long ride day as much as possible outside the hours of the ride and if you must, count the ride as a cheat meal. If you cheat all day then it would count as 3 cheat meals. Hope this helps. Try looking on crossfit endurance site or just searching the web for info on zoning and endurance events

[Cherie]

Great nutrition meeting yesterday! Thanks!

[Brian]

Let me just say that being on a trip for work it just makes this Zone eating so hard. I have been real good and I see all this great food here in Florida I just want to sample everything. I can't wait for my cheat meals. Terrible 20's tomorrow. Hotel wod with db for kb swings.