The Zone Diet

I, the girl who doesn't believe in diets, need to go on a diet.

Over the holidays, I decided that I wanted to decrease inches in my midsection. I mentioned this to some of the trainers at the gym, and they suggested that I do the Zone Diet.

I am not a diet person, but I figured that I would give it a shot.

So one of my trainer friends got me started.

On New Years Eve 2008, I weighed 144.5 and I had a body fat percentage of 20.2. Using this information (and the fact that my activity level includes intense training), he determined that how many grams of protein I should have per day, which is then broken down into "blocks". (I needed 12 blocks, which is equivalent to 86 grams of protein per day.) This information was also used to determine how many grams of carbs and fats I should have per day.

It was determined that I should have 5 meals/snacks per day and how many grams of carbs, protien and fats I should have at each meal/snack.

The Zone Diet website has meal plans and recipes to help you stick to the Zone Diet. There are good recipes and meals, including chefs salad, shrimp salad with fruit, smoothies, etc. All of which have a proper balance of protiens, carbs and fat.

So, I sat down the other day to plan out my meals, so I could begin my journey on the Zone Diet. (Did I mention I don't believe in diets? This is why.) I got such a headache just from trying to figure out how to convert the meal plans and recipes on the Zone Diet website into my own personal block prescriptions, that I actually got a headache. So, right then and there, I made a decision.

I decided not to do the zone diet. It is way too difficult to measure all of my food. Instead, I am just going to practice better portion control. I am going to eat way less carbs. My old diet consisted almost entirely of carbs: peanut butter sandiches, rice and beans, turkey sandwiches....In just the two days since I have changed my eating habits, I have noticed that a salad with a little deli style turkey, cheese and garbanzo beans can actually fill me up just as much as a bowl of soup. And it is better for me.

I have included turkey bacon or sausage with my oatmeal in the mornings, and now my breakfast lasts much longer into the day.

This is what I found out before I could even get started (something that I believed already. Now I have proof.): DIETS DON'T WORK.

But I am thinking a lot more about what I eat and how much I eat. And when I eat. Lifestyle change is still the key.

Stay tuned....

Spring Cleaning: An Adventure in Detoxing-Day 4

Monday, June 2 - Day Four

More of the same! Although I didn't sleep well the night before, it wasn't because of the diet. I have 2 cups of green tea in the morning since I am tired, and this seems to help. I still feel pretty good despite having a restless night. I have my usual breakfast, and then chug down a protein drink since I'm going to the gym today. Those herbal supplements are really starting to kick in today! I won't say anymore about that - any more info than that on this topic would be TMI. I feel great when I get back from the gym, and thoroughly enjoy my lunch. Now that I've finished writing this, I'm going to go work in the garden!

Spring Cleaning: An Adventure in Detoxing-Day 3

Sunday, Day 3 - June 1

I slept great, and my morning routine is now starting to become just that. I do the same things I did on Saturday, feeling full & satisfied. Jay heads to his job at the National Harbor, so I tag along to check out the place and shop a little. I didn't pack any food, so I compromise with a veggie salad from Potbelly with only the tiniest bit of nonfat vinaigrette. Tasty, and the view of the Harbor is beautiful. Run to Crofton to pick up the kid from Grandma's, then run to Homestead Gardens for plants and then back home again, and although I'm hungry I am not famished. I make a glass of tomato/carrot/celery juice which tides me over till dinner beautifully. Roddy and I play on the porch and go for a long walk around the neighborhood before dinner. Dinner is delicious and satisfying, and I enjoy some hot herbal tea after the baby goes to bed. I feel no cravings for sweets at all, which is so weird to me!

Spring Cleaning: An Adventure in Detoxing-Day 2

Day Two - Saturday, May 31

I slept great, and wake up to try my new detox. I have 2 glasses of water, one with lemon, and a cup of herbal tea. I take my herbal supplements. I eat a piece of room temperature fruit, and get some quinoa cooking. 30 minutes later, I have a bowl of quinoa with a teaspoon of butter/olive oil mixed together, and a little sea salt. Yummy and nourishing! This is so much better!

Take Roddy to Grandma's, come home and get my veggies ready for lunch and dinner. Take more herbal supplements, and make myself a glass of cucumber/carrot/celery juice to have while I wait. Delicious! Eat lunch, and pack up my veggies and a thermos of iced herbal tea to take over to Bill & Mike's.

Dinnertime - been over at Bill & Mike's all day working on the carousel, hard manual labor and I'm soaked from the rain, covered in mud & axle grease. Everyone's starving, they order Power Pizza, chicken wings, and beer. I have my veggies and herbal tea - surprisingly, I am OK with this. Everyone feels bad for me, but I am fine! I think aliens have zapped my brain. I call it a night around 10:30, have some hot herbal tea and off to bed. Again, who is this person? A baby-free night with no beer?? I feel strangely calm & satisfied, but a little worried for my sanity.

(So far so good!)

Spring Cleaning: An Adventure in Detoxing-Day 1

Day One, Friday May 30 (As written by Jenny)

OK. Here we go. I started the day with no coffee, but had some herbal tea and a cup of green tea with stevia, plus lots of water with lemon. Took the first of my herbal cleansing supplements. Had a major upset stomach, and a headache. But I soldiered on. Had my antioxidant green powder mixed with water for breakfast - ecch. Still hungry, watch my son chow down on scrambled eggs & strawberries! Put some chamomile "sun tea" out on the porch to start brewing.

Roddy's naptime - time to make my "free soup", which is a pureed concoction of green vegetables plus herbs & spices to taste but no salt. You can drink the "free soup" throughout the day. It smells good cooking but isn't as tasty going down. Lunchtime, time to juice. Make a glass of beet/carrot/cucumber/beet greens juice in my new juicer. This is pretty good! Take my enzyme tablets and another dose of herbal cleanser.

Now it's Roddy's lunchtime - he gets mac n' cheese, french fries & avocado. I drink another antioxidant green drink. Oh this stuff is gross. My head is pounding, and I'm feeling overwhelmed and a little emotional. Call husband, who tells me I sound terrible and that he wants to talk about my detox plans when he gets home from work. I drink some more "free soup" and have another glass of iced chamomile tea. Does nothing to make me feel better.

Roddy & I walk to the park to play, but by the time we get home I have a blistering headache. Time to get dinner ready. I make the boys ravioli with turkey meatballs & marinara, and get my veggies ready for dinner. I have my supplements and my pureed veggies, tastes pretty good but I still feel miserable. Jay tells me he thinks I need to do a different detox, and I agree. I decide to do Dr. Haas' Detox Diet (which Kim gave me, thank you Kim!), and after Roddy goes to bed I eat three turkey meatballs & feel instantly better! Aahhh, nourishment!

(The "Kim" she refers to is Kimberly Rush-Lynch of Cultivating Health, who will be the main presenter of our "Spring Cleaning" workshop)