Posts Tagged ‘40-30-30’

Broccoli

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family. It is known as a cruciferous vegetable which has been noted to have cancer-fighting properties. Broccoli can be eaten raw or cooked. Recipes use it steamed, roasted, sauteed and raw. It can be equally tasty in raw appetizer trays, slow cooked, stir fried, and even as an ingredient in soups and stews. Nutritionally broccoli is high in vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber, and also contains anti-cancer fighting nutrients. Click here to see recipes containing Broccoli. Broccoli

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Cucumbers

Saturday, January 14th, 2012


Cucumbers are low in calories and most people are familiar with them. They come in many varieties and are most often served raw. They consist of 95% water but contain Vitamins K, C, A and B. They also contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, selenium, copper, magnesium zinc and iron. Eating the skin of the cucumber provides polyphenols and flavonoids, which have shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar. Eating organic cucumbers will eliminate the contamination from pesticides. If eating conventional ones, look for non-waxed ones, and be sure to gently scrub them to remove pesticides. Organic vegetables grown in non-depleted soils contain higher amounts of minerals. To view recipes made with cucumbers click here cucumber

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Set Yourself Up for Success ~ Set SMART Goals

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

To be successful in anything you do you should set goals. It is important that your goals are realistic. If you are following 40-30-30 for the purpose of losing weight, remember, most likely you didn’t go to bed your ideal weight and wake up the next morning overweight. If you are following 40-30-30 to stay fit and healthy, you have made a decision to follow good nutrition. It will take some realistic planning and goal setting to keep motivated and healthy along your journey.

The acronym SMART stands for: SPECIFIC – MEASURABLE – ATTAINABLE – REALISTIC – TIMELY
In writing your goal it should be:

SPECIFIC: Exactly what, where and how are you going to accomplish your goal
MEASURABLE: You must be able to measure progress
ATTAINABLE: You must be able to achieve your goal. If the goal you set is too far out of reach, you will give up on it.
REALISTIC: In goal-setting, REALISTIC means do-able.
TIMELY: You must set a time limit for your goal. Setting an end date will make it easier to track your progress. Also your time frame must also be MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE and TIMELY as well.

So to put this all together here is are examples of a vague goal and a SMART goal:

A VAGUE GOAL: I am a 45 year old woman who weighs 325 pounds. I have to lose as much weight as I can in 6 months so I can go to my daughter’s wedding and look good.

A SMART GOAL: I am a 45 yer old woman who weighs 325 pounds.

SPECIFIC: I would like to lose weight to look better for my daughter’s wedding. It is in 6 months. I know I might not lose all the weight to get to my high school weight, but I hope to go down a few dress sizes. I want to follow the 40-30-30 lifestyle. I will join FormulaZone, plan my meals, track my progress and ask for help and support when I need it.

MEASURABLE: I will weigh myself before I begin to get a base weight. I will follow the guidelines suggested by FormulaZone for daily calorie intake. I will prepare 40-30-30 meals and eat at the suggested times. I will keep a daily food journal to keep myself accountable. I will weigh myself once a week.

ATTAINABLE: I have read about 40-30-30. I understand what I need to prepare my meals and will budget for my shopping list.

REALISTIC: I know that I can expect to lose between 1-5 pounds a week on a sound, healthy, nutritional program. Fad diets which to claim a person can lose 10-15 pounds a week are not realistic.

TIMELY: I would like to lose between and 70 and 120 pounds in 6 months.

We invite you to try your hand at setting a SMART goal for yourself!

SMART goals first appeared in a November, 1981 issue of Management Review (vol. 70, issue 11), in an article titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.” by George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham.

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Kale

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Kale: Kale is a member of the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. It comes in several varieties and is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and cancer-fighting phytonutrients.  Kale is Low Glycemic.

To see recipes which contain kale click here Kale

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Straight Talk About Fast Foods

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Let’s face it, most of us would say that Fast Food is convenient, fairly cheap and definitely has that satisfying taste. Unless you live in a void, you are bombarded by all forms of media, reinforcing these facts, and your kids are an easy persuader, too.

Are fast foods really as bad as the nutrition experts say they are?

Morgan Spurlock of “Supersize Me” fame would agree, while Jared Fogel of Subway fame would defend the Subway diet.

Are there some “good for you” fast foods out there? Can you trust the quality of ingredients and preparation practices?

Let’s look at a few popular fast food items:

Burger King Whopper Jr.:

According to Burger King:
“It’s a little WHOPPER® sandwich with a big taste. A flame-broiled beef patty topped with red ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, creamy mayo, ketchup, crunchy pickles, and onions-all on a toasted sesame seed bun.”

Want fries with that? Value Fries (small)

Food Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Protein Carbs 40-30-30
Whopper Jr 370 21 6.0 16 31 33-17-50
Small Fries 220 11 2.5 2 28 51-4-45
Total 590 32 8.5 18 59 40-12-48

Meal Cost: $2.00

Health Cost and 40-30-30 considerations:

  • High Glycemic
  • Not balanced
  • Over 500 calories with the fries

Plus, the meal defies these recommendations for health:

  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids
  • Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
  • Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
Angry Whopper

How about an Angry Whopper and Large Fries? (Honestly I LOVE Angry Whoppers. A definite comfort food for me, but at what cost? (Plus it sits in my stomach like a rock and I feel awful the next morning):

“A ¼ pound* of flame-broiled beef topped with sizzling bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, deliciously spicy jalapenos, angry onions and our signature angry sauce. It’s the WHOPPER® that bites back.”

Food Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Protein Carbs 40-30-30
Angry Whopper 880 55 18 37 59 27-17-56
Large Fries 580 28 6 6 74 52-4-44
Total 1,460 83 24 43 133 37-12-51

Meal Cost: About $6.00

Health Cost and 40-30-30 considerations:

  • High Glycemic
  • Not balanced
  • Over 500 calories

And again, it ignores these important health recommendations:

  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.
  • Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat, or fat-free.
  • Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
Chicken Tendergrill, anyone?

Okay, I know they say eat chicken not beef, because there is less saturated fat. How about a Tendergrill™ Chicken Sandwich. This one actually comes close to balancing without any sides.

According to Burger King:
“You want chicken? You got it. You want a juicy grilled chicken filet on a corn-dusted bun, topped with crisp lettuce tomato? You got that, too. It’s called the TENDERGRILL® Chicken Sandwich.”

Want fries with that? Here’s an example with small fries:

Food Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Protein Carbs 40-30-30
Tendergrill™ Chicken Sandwich 490 21 4 26 51 41-21-38
Small Fries 220 11 2.5 2 28 51-4-45
Total with Fries 710 32 6.5 28 79 41-16-40

Meal Cost: about $6.00

Health Cost and 40-30-30 considerations:

  • High Glycemic
  • Not balanced
  • Over 500 calories with fries
  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.
  • Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
Yes, but what about Salads?

Now, I know what you’re thinking. I’ve only given you the choice for a burger or a chicken sandwich. Why not a salad? Isn’t that a better choice?

Tendergrill™ Chicken Salad:

Season-ripe lettuce, cucumber, carrots, onions and tomatoes topped with grilled chicken, three kinds of cheese, and your choice of KEN’S® Salad Dressing. TENDERGRILL™ is the salad for grilled-chicken lovers.

Dressing options:
KEN’S™ Light Italian Dressing (2 oz) Cal:120 Fat:11g Sat Fat:1.5g Carb:5g Pro:0g
KEN’S™ Ranch Dressing (2 oz) Cal:190 Fat:20g Sat Fat: 3g Carb:2g Pro:1g
KEN’S™ Creamy Caesar Dressing (2 oz) Cal:210 Fat:21g Sat Fat: 4g Carb:4g Pro:3g
KEN’S™ Honey Mustard Dressing (2 oz) Cal:270 Fat:23g Sat Fat: 3g Carb:15g Pro:1g

Let’s see how the salad shakes out….

Food Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Protein Carbs 40-30-30
Tendergrill™ Chicken Salad 210 7 3 29 8 15-55-30
Croutons 60 2 0 1 9 62-7-31
Total NO dressing 370 9 3 30 17 25-45-30
Ranch Dressing 190 20 3 1 2 4-2-94
Total with Dressing 560 29 6 31 19 16-27-57

Right – I did not add dressing first. I then added Ranch Dressing (a favorite). I clearly need carbs to make it balance. Even if I use the Light dressing I am adding more fat than carbs. If I add the Honey Mustard I get the carbs (in the form of sugar), but I also get unneeded fat.

Cost: Varies

Health Cost and 40-30-30 considerations:

  • Not balanced
  • Over 500 calories with the dressing

Again, it dismisses these health suggestions:

  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.
  • Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
OK, what about Subway?

To be fair, I’ll see how a Subway 6” sandwich would play out, and I’ll even add a salad for a choice:

  • Any sandwich can be made into a salad with chopped lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell peppers, and olives.

Subway tells you up front (well in fine print):

“The following are the standard formulas for sandwiches, salads and wraps served at SUBWAY® restaurants. The customer can alter this formula by choosing different vegetables, condiments and breads. Standard vegetables include iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, and cucumbers. (made on Italian or 9-Grain Wheat bread)”

What do these sandwiches look like, anyway?

Food Calories Total Fat Sat Fat Protein Carbs 40-30-30
6” Turkey Breast 280 3.5 1.0 18 47 64-25-11
Flatbread Turkey Breast 310 6.0 1.0 18 47 60-23-17
6” Tuna 530 30.0 6.0 21 48 35-15-49
New 6” Buffalo Chicken (I got these values from a different site. Subway did not have the nutritional info on their site.) 370 7.0 1.5 25 54 57-26-17
Turkey Breast Salad 110 2.0 0.5 14 12 39-46-15
Fat Free Italian 35

 0 0 1 7 88-12-0
Total w/ Italian 145 2.0 0.5 15

 19 49-39-12
Ranch 320 35.0 6.0 0 3 4-0-96
Salad Total w/ Ranch 430 37.0 6.5 14 15 13-12-74

When you go into a Subway they ask you:

  • What size
  • What kind of bread
  • What cheese
  • What veggies
  • What condiments

You are immediately in danger of altering the listed nutritional values. I am usually tempted to say, “Footlong, pepperjack cheese, ALL the veggies (which includes a fistful of olives), and a little oil and vinegar (no mayo of course).

After all isn’t the $5 footlong the better deal?

Meal Cost: Varies

Health Cost and 40-30-30 considerations:

  • Not balanced

And yet again, flies in the face of:

  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.
  • Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
  • Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
Some things to consider:

When you consider how you have to alter the “fast food” to make it fit and healthy, is it really “fast”?

How tempting is it to just eat the whole bun rather than throw away half of it? Besides – who wants to have the waste in the car, or maybe you drive a bit further and are still hungry, so you retrieve it from the bag and eat it.

Additions are really a dice roll. Subway lists an add-on of olives on a 6” sandwich as 3 rounds. I have NEVER seen an employee add 3 little pieces of olives to a 6”. How much is “just a little mayo”? . When you are going through a drive-through, how do you ask for “mayo on the side”?

What Fast Food Should Be…

Fast food to me is something made at home where I know EXACTLY what I am eating, which I can make in 5 minutes or less and put in a sack and take with me.

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What Foods Can You Eat on The Zone Diet?

Monday, September 13th, 2004

What Should I Eat?

First and Foremost, while what you eat in The Zone is very important, there is no “list” of foods that you can and cannot eat in The Zone. Each food is a judgement based on important criteria.

Not only the Zone, but many nutrition resources advocate balanced nutrition. The body seems to run optimally on a balance of 40% of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 30% from proteins and 30% from fats. This also means each and every time you eat, each meal should be made up of this ratio.

Once you have established and understand this ratio, you should then look at the kinds and quality of these three macronutrients (carbs, protein and fats).

Simply put, each one plays an essential role in how your body functions and how your body responds.

Carbohydrates break down into glucose and fuel your body by entering your bloodstream and supplying your cells with needed energy. Insulin facilitates this process.

Protein supplies the body with amino acids, which repair and build muscles.

Fats break down into essential fatty acids, which facilitate the function of eicosanoids (super hormones). They also provide a stored energy source the body can pull from in time of need.

The quality and balance of these macronutrients is what keeps your body running in optimum condition.

Let’s look at carbohydrates first:

Low glycemic carbohydrates provide fiber, which aids in keeping the intestines working properly, which in turn can prevent certain colon cancers and other intestinal disease. They breakdown slower into glucose and release glucose steadily over a period of time. Higher glycemic foods break down more rapidly and release the glucose in a “rush”.

Now let’s look at proteins:

Proteins can come from both plant and animal sources. Animal sources contain saturated fats, which, when eaten in excess have been found to contribute to a number of diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Proteins provide amino acids which are the building blocks of muscle. There are 8 essential amino acids and 12 non-essential amino acids which the body uses. In order for the body to run optimally you must provide these amino acids by eating proteins. Eating lean meats and trimming fats from meats provides a good source of amino acids while cutting down on saturated fats.

Finally let’s talk about fats:

Fats come in many forms and each plays a role in nutrition: Saturated fats from animal sources and palm and coconut oil. Unsaturated fats come from plant sources. There are monounsaturated fats (Omega-9) and polyunsaturated fats (Omega-6 and Omega-3). Omega-3 can be found in cold water fatty fish like salmon (who eat the Omega-3 rich plankton), some range fed animals (who eat the grasses) and flax seed. There are also manmade or man-altered fats called trans fats and fake fats. These are chemically altered oils like hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and margarines and products like Olestra, which are very unhealthy and should be avoided at all costs.

Each and every time we put something into our mouth, we set into motion a very complex sequence of actions and reactions which can either benefit or harm our bodies.

Each person is unique and reacts and responds differently to what they are exposed to in their environment.

The Zone diet, or balanced nutrition, provides a correct balance of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats). It is not a deprivation diet. You COULD theoretically choose a 40-30-30 combination of nutrients from any source and still obtain this balance. However, in order to keep your body in prime condition, you should keep these essential things in mind:

  • Eat quality not quantity. The saying “Garbage in-garbage out” does not only apply to computer applications!
  • Eat LOW glycemic carbohydrates. These provide a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream and a minimal insulin response. They also are an excellent source of fiber.
  • Eat quality lean meat and tap into the excellent benefits derived from soy products.
  • Eat Omega-9 oils which include avocado, olives and olive oils, and nuts as your primary source of fats added to your diet. Supplement with Omega-3 oils in the form of Fish oil supplements and also eating wild, cold water fatty fish. Limit your intake of Omega-6 oils, which include vegetable oils. Avoid ANY partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils and margarine.

Some additional tips I can give you would be:

  • Read labels carefully.
  • Practice perimeter shopping when in the grocery store. (Go around the outer edges of the store, staying away from the middle aisles).
  • Ask many questions and keep asking until you are satisfied and understand that which you question.
  • Listen to what your body is telling you, keep a journal on what you eat and how you feel and make adjustments as necessary.

In summary, the bottom line is, no one can make you do something, they can only advise. It is up to you to make the final decision as to how and what you will eat. The success of following the balanced nutrition lifestyle lies solely in your hands.

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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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