Archive for November, 2003

The Good, The Bad, and The Results (part 3)

Saturday, November 29th, 2003

We’ve covered what makes it easy to follow a Zone Diet in the first installment of this three part article. We discussed what many of the complaints are about trying to stay in The Zone in the second installment. In this installment we will discuss some of the real life results that FormulaZone members have experienced while following the Zone Nutrition Program with the help of FormulaZone.

Weight Loss is what most people are interested in. Well, we can attest to that- we have members who have lost anywhere from a few pounds to over 100. We receive e-mails every week in which a member shares with us “I’ve lost 29 pounds with the help of your site”, “I’ve lost 120 pounds in about 8 months”, “I have lost 40 pounds in 4 months” (actual quotes). FormulaZone got it’s start because of the incredible results our own staff experienced while following the Zone program. Can you lose weight with other diets? Absolutely. We’ve tried them. After losing weight on a calorie-restrictive diet, the first thing that happens is it comes right back. The reason the Zone is different is that…

Keeping it off is a breeze. Our own staff can personally attest to this benefit as well. Some of us have been in The Zone for several years. Instead of struggling with weight fluctuations of 5, 10, or sometimes more pounds, staying in The Zone is synonymous with maintaining an even weight.

Reduction in cholesterol levels is another positive effect of eating balanced, low glycemic meals. There many documented instances of people having fantastic reductions in their cholesterol levels. Just take a look in the book, The Formula or The Zone. You will find several anecdotes in which people just like you have reduced their cholesterol after having miserable results with low fat diets. We’ve received testimonials from a couple who have been using FormulaZone, in which they report that his total cholesterol dropped from 231 to 176, and hers from 240 to 208.

Diabetes under control is another wonderful result. While you should consult with your doctor, we have had several people report that their diabetes is under control with the help of the Zone. We have even heard of some cases in which the person has been able to reduce or eliminate their insulin at their doctor’s suggestion after being in The Zone and experiencing the benefits.

Mood swings have disappeared. Again, we have testimonials in which virtually immediately after their first Zone meal, members have noticed the difference. One member told us that she used to be very testy right after work. She had to eat right away- she would get cranky, and her hands would start to shake. Right away after being in The Zone, these symptoms went away. She would find that she was still hungry right after work, but she was no longer feeling like she was on the edge.

Ability to think more clearly is another reported benefit. Our own staff members will attest to the fact that the can feel it when they don’t eat in the Zone. Their mental clarity goes down, and problem-solving degrades. Specifically, there have been instances in which a programmer has been unable to resolve an issue, and worked on it for hours. The next day, after enjoying good low glycemic, 40-30-30 food, the answer came literally in only a few minutes. “It’s like coming out of a fog.”

Increased energy. Many people who begin following the Zone report increased energy levels. This means more energy throughout the day. For some, it even means requiring less sleep.

The Zone has helped many people, with a variety of problems. It was actually developed to reduce the risk of heart disease, not as a weight-loss program. Of course, one of the most desirable benefits of eating in the Zone is the way people are able to lose weight, and feel great doing it. So many people start The Zone with the intention of losing weight, and find that they get so much more.

Do you have a testimonial you would like to share? We would be happy to consider publishing it. Let us know – email us from the Contact Us page. We welcome testimonials from members and non-members alike.

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The Good, The Bad, and The Results (part 2)

Thursday, November 27th, 2003

Following a Diet can be hard. In this three part article, we will discuss the Good, the Bad, and the Results of following a Zone diet. The first installment covered The Good parts of eating in the Zone. What makes The Zone Diet a good diet to follow compared to other programs out there. In this installment, we take an honest, hard look at the Bad – the downsides to following this nutrition program. And in the final installment, we present real life result for people that have been in the Zone for months or even years.

Like all diets, the Zone requires that you pay attention to what you eat. While this is a good habit to get into, many people find that it can be difficult. A common complaint is “I don’t want to count calories”. You may not want to keep track of what you are eating, but your diet habits are just like your finances: either you can control your budget, or your budget can control you.

It can be complicated to figure out if a recipe is 40-30-30. It’s also difficult to know if the foods you are eating are high, medium, or low glycemic. Who has access to the glycemic index of every food you might eat, and more to the point, who wants to look it up? The fact is, it can be complicated if you calculate the balance of a meal using traditional methods. But, that’s exactly why formulazone.com was created- to take all of the complication out of the Zone diet.

It’s not low fat. To the traditional dieter, this doesn’t make sense. While it can be a pleasure to enjoy foods with some fat in them, is it really a good thing? There is merit to the fact that eating too much saturated fat can cause health problems. But before you condemn the Zone because it actually calls for fat, consider, the traditional diet in America- The Zone calls for less fat than most people in the U.S. eat. And don’t be fooled when it comes to fat and high cholesterol- fat isn’t the only thing that affects your cholesterol levels.

There are some foods that you will cut back on, or maybe even eliminate, in order to stay in The Zone. Learning to do without some of the less favorable carbohydrates such as white bread, chips, and other high glycemic foods can be difficult. On the up side, once you starve those cravings, they tend to go away- and there are so many choices in The Zone, that you can certainly find alternatives that satisfy those cravings and are Zone friendly foods.

It is low in carbohydrates, at least according to some dieticians. Many argue that you don’t get enough good carbohydrates- fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Granted, the Zone does not comply with the USDA guidelines which call for 60% carbohydrates, 15% protein, and 25% fat (vs. the 40-30-30 of the Zone). What is interesting is that the USDA guidelines are virtually identical to the ratio fed to cattle to fatten them up… (61-29-10). What is also interesting is that the ratio of the Zone is very similar to what you would receive in a hospital if you were being fed through an IV. Further, the Zone does specifically recommend good carbohydrates – fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which is in contrast to where many people get their carbohydrates from today – breads, pasta, and other sources that those same dieticians would tell you are less favorable.

Some people go so far as to claim that the Zone recommends a candy bar over a high glycemic carbohydrate food such as a carrot. Unfortunately, those people just don’t understand the Zone, and make false assumptions. Taken out of context, a Snicker’s bar does in fact have a lower glycemic index than a carrot. The Zone doesn’t just consider that- it looks at it in a bigger context. The glycemic load of a Snicker’s bar is higher, plus the candy bar is very high in fat. You would actually have a very difficult time fitting a candy bar into a Zone Friendly meal.

So The Zone has some of the same down sides as many other diets- you need to keep track of what you eat. You need to pay attention to what you eat. And while it can be more complicated to follow a Zone diet than other diets, the foods that you get to eat make it much easier to stick with it.

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The Good, The Bad, and The Results

Wednesday, November 26th, 2003

Following a Diet can be hard. In this three part article, we will discuss the Good, the Bad, and the Results of following a Zone diet. This first installment will cover The Good. What makes The Zone Diet a good diet to follow compared to other programs out there. In the next installment, we take an honest, hard look at the Bad – the downsides to following this nutrition program. And in the final installment, we present real life result for people that have been in the Zone for months or even years.

Unlike many diets, the Zone is not a calorie-restrictive diet. Sure, you need to watch your calories- but you will find you get anywhere from 10-20% more calories per day in The Zone than you do with your average diet.

Eat excellent food when you are in the Zone. There is no restricted menu- instead, you’ve got hundreds and hundreds of tasty, Zone friendly recipes that you can enjoy. So many excellent meals can be tweaked just a bit to be Zone-friendly recipes.

It’s not a Fat-Free diet, either. So this means you get to enjoy real cheese, real sour cream, steak, and other great tasting foods while you are eating in The Zone.

You aren’t hungry when you are in The Zone. While any diet will result in feeling hungry more often, The Zone truly is a satisfying way to eat. When you follow the Zone properly, you will find that often you get more food than you can actually eat. Plus, when you are hungry, you feel as though you can eat. So if you have a busy day and find yourself hungry between meals, you can eat a Zone Friendly snack without any guilt. Why is this the case? Because…

Results are achieved differently in The Zone than with a calorie-restrictive diet. In The Zone, you control your body’s hormones with the balance of the foods that you eat. It is that hormonal balance that you achieve that causes the fat to melt away.

Losing weight is a natural result of being in The Zone. While this is the reason many people start eating this way, most people stick with it because of all of these other great benefits.

You will feel the difference when you eat in The Zone. There are many other benefits to eating this way- weight loss is just a byproduct. The hormonal balance that you achieve while eating in The Zone has some very nice perks.

Mood swings go away. With your body’s hormones in balance, mood swings all but vanish. If you’ve ever experienced the tension, headache, or shakes when you haven’t eaten for some time, you will appreciate this single benefit as much as any other!

Mental clarity is another Good side of eating in The Zone. You will find that you are sharper and able to focus more easily. Some people experience a level of mental clarity that they have never experienced before.

You don’t feel tired after lunch or dinner. Instead of the all-too-often crash you can get right after a meal, you will find instead that you are energized and ready to go after eating a Zone friendly meal.

Endurance increases and staying power improves. Your energy levels are more consistent- rather than the peak and crash you experience after eating with many other diets, this nutrition program gives a strong, steady energy level that lasts for hours. Eat a great, low-glycemic Zone meal and you will find that you have energy for 4-5 hours, without being hungry.

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Getting Started with The Zone

Tuesday, November 25th, 2003
Six Simple Steps to Success

One of the most common complaints about the Zone Diet is that it is complicated, and hard to get started. We have assembled a “getting started” checklist of things to do in order to get started easily, and to make the diet as easy as possible! So start now. That’s the key. Commit to doing it, and start right away. You’ll be glad you did!

First Things First, it pays to understand the diet in it’s basic concepts. Do you know what the key elements of the Zone Diet are? If you do, then you will find the process so much easier. If you don’t, let us help you by explaining a bit here. The Zone Diet is based on eating your foods in a balance ratio. Ideally, you will get 40% of your calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 30% from fat. Don’t know a carbohydrate from a protein or fat? that’s ok- you can check out our explanation here: About 40-30-30. Since this is just a “getting started” guide, we want to keep this simple. If you feel you are ready for more, then feel free to read our comprehensive Zone Diet diagram that explains all of the components. Or, look at our Recommended Reading list to find the recommended books for a nice start.

Second, once you have a basic feel for the concept of the 40-30-30 balance, (remember, this is a getting started guide, so the point is that you should keep it simple), you will want to make a menu. This may seem out of order, but later you are going to clean out your fridge and pantry, and you want to have the good foods in place before you do that- otherwise you may be tempted to throw in the towel before you even start. In order to have the good foods that you need, you will need to create a menu so that you can take the shopping list to the store.

Third, make a shopping list. Include all of the foods you need to make the meals on your menu, as well as stocking up on Zone friendly snacks and drinks. Make sure you’ve got plenty of Balance Bars or ZonePerfect bars on hand so that when you are craving a sweet snack, you’ve got a good Zone friendly sweet snack to eat. While you should shoot for drinking as much water as possible, just for getting started stock up on some good alternative drink choices- iced tea, coffee, diet soda- whatever your choices are, just make sure they are calorie-free.

Fourth, go shopping. Follow the list you made in step 3. Steer clear of the chips aisle and other snacks- remember, you are here to begin your new lifestyle with the Zone nutrition program. Buy the things that are on your list- and only things that are on your list.

Fifth, clean out your home!. In your pantry, get rid of the convenience foods like chips, crackers, cookies, and popcorn. Store away your rice, potatoes, and other high glycemic foods. In your fridge, clean out any juice, non-diet soda, and other sweets. Finally, get rid of any ice cream, frozen yogurt, and convenience foods in the freezer. Give it away if you must, but don’t keep it! It will be a temptation to you every moment of every day. Which is worse? To put a little food in the trash, or to put that same food on your hips and waist?

Finally, start now. The very next meal you eat should be a Zone meal. If you start today, you will notice a difference immediately. You will lose a pound (and inches) within a day or two, and by the end of a week you will have results that you can be proud of. Once you’re started, sticking with it is easy!

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