Posts Tagged ‘Weight Loss’

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Sarah’s Success Story

Monday, January 16th, 2012
Sarah - After

Sarah - After

If you had told me a year ago that I would be writing a success story for a diet website, I would have laughed in disbelief. For one thing, I don’t do diets. Too many people seem to fail, and I wasn’t interested in failure. Besides–diets are restrictive, and a lot of times, anti-relationship.  To me, diets seemed to play on people’s vanity, and require them to focus on their bodies so much, to the detriment of their relationships with other people. All this, combined with the prospect of eating weird foods and obsessing over my weight, just wasn’t for me.

However, I did have a number of reasons–about 30-40–to consider changing my approach to food. These reasons, aka “pounds,” had sneaked up on me….having five children in as many years, being too tired to plan proper meals, and life in general had conspired to make more of me than I wanted to be.

Sarah - Before

Sarah - Before

I had always been thin as a child and teenager, and I subconsciously retained that image of myself, even when the scale, and my ever-”shrinking” clothes, said otherwise. I reasoned that even though I was too heavy, I was healthy. I wasn’t sedentary, didn’t drink lots of high-calorie drinks, and didn’t eat a lot of sweets. My thinking was that, eventually, this would dissolve the extra weight. Still, though, the “reasons” remained. Earlier, I had worn a size 6/8, but lately, I had been wearing both sizes. (That would be a size 14.) At a doctor’s exam, when I was weighed, I slowly realized my scale wasn’t “off.” I really was all that.
Several years back, my husband wanted to lose weight, and even found an eating plan (40-30-30) that he believed would help him. He brought home the books about it, which were heavy on the “why”, and light on the “how.” He was right that this plan would work–but it was so different than what I was used to serving, that all my time was consumed in finding recipes that would work for us. After spending so long planning, I had no energy or time left to go buy the food, and then prepare it, especially when odds were poor that our children would like it. During this quest, we had even looked on the Internet, checked out books from the library, and done all we could to make these changes happen. However, after several weeks of this, we found ourselves eating the same way we always had, so it was no surprise that we didn’t lose weight.

However, after my experience with the doctor’s scale, I decided to try again. Now remember–I had never really tried any DIEts. I wanted to change our LIFEstyle, and serve food that everyone could enjoy. I didn’t want it to be weird, expensive, or inconvenient food. And did I mention that I really didn’t want to feel like I was on a diet? It was then that I started to remember a website I had found during my earlier recipe hunt. With a little help from Google, I was able to rediscover that site–FormulaZone.com. I remembered it had recipes for our exact diet, but since we had just bought the books, I wanted to make use of them, so the website’s true value to me was, I regret, initially overlooked.

I should have eaten my books and gone with this website from the start. I signed up in April 2011, and never regretted a moment of my membership. I have found that there is more practical information here than in any book I have reviewed. There is also an element of coaching involved–when I have a question, the forums are the first place I look, and they often have the answers. (But if they don’t, the website owner, Cale, has always answered with such encouragement and sound guidance.) Some of my friends pay lots of money to have a menu service–this is only part of what this website offers, and a better cost. Initially, I used mainly the recipes and menu builders, but eventually, I wanted to keep a food diary, and start customizing some recipes. FormulaZone.com had anticipated these needs, and all I needed to do was start using these features.

At this point in my weight loss journey, most of my initial “reasons” for joining have gone away! That’s right: I did lose weight–about 30 pounds to date. I also dropped over three sizes in clothes–size 8 is a little loose, whereas size 14 used to fit snugly. However, I’m going to stick around–I have a few more pounds to lose, but now the weight loss has become secondary to another set of benefits.

One of the biggest reasons I truly relish this site is that it helps me maintain my emotional balance, as well as my food balance. If my kids could describe their experiences, they would say I’m more even-keeled than before. I am much more patient with them, and I can manage my household with less frustration and fewer energy drops. With so many children, it is really a big thing when we’re all happy….or not. Also, my concentration is a lot better. I don’t have the after-meal fog that was common before.  Until I personally experienced these advantages, I didn’t fully appreciate what others were so enthusiastic about. Because relationships are so important to me, I will do all I can to be the type of wife, mother, and friend I should be. Managing my outlook and energy is a big part of this, and FormulaZone.com makes it almost effortless. Between the weight loss, improved moods, and better concentration, I am so excited about these changes. We are truly thankful for this gem of a site, and the people who manage it.

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Seven Powerful Reasons to Get Active

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Summer’s here, and just like clockwork, more people are out walking, biking, and getting active. And for good reason.

Do you cringe at the idea of exercise? Do you feel like it might take too much time, is boring, or too much work? It doesn’t have to be a chore – and there’s a lot of excellent reasons to get active regularly.

Why exercise at all?  Check out these Reasons – and at the end, see a few easy ways to get active:

Reason #1: Burn Fat – Immediately.

This is obvious, but when your body works harder, it burns more fat.  Taking a leisurely walk burns 175 calories per hour.  Walk a bit more briskly, and you jump up to 250 calories per hour.  Walk with purpose (about 4 miles an hour), and you’re burning around 300 calories per hour (of course, it depends on how much you weigh).

Reason #2: Get Stronger.

Woman Exercising

Exercising makes your muscles work. And when they do, they repair themselves to be stronger. Stronger muscles make you feel stronger, lighter, and put a spring in your step. And don’t worry, unless you’re working out specifically to get bulky muscles, you won’t. It actually takes a LOT of effort to make your muscles bulky….

Reason #3: Get Firmer.

Stronger muscles are also firmer and leaner. When your muscles are firmer, you feel stronger, firmer, leaner, and more fit – because you ARE more fit!

Reason #4: Burn More Fat – All the Time.

This is one of the double-benefits of exercise that makes it so worthwhile.  Not only do you burn fat during exercise, there’s an added bonus: When you exercise, your muscles get stronger. And, when your muscles get stronger, they burn more fat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Reason #5: You’ll Sleep better.

The fact is that when you exercise, there’s all kinds of extra benefits, and sleeping better is just one of them.  Your body is more relaxed, and needs the rest.  These things together help you to sleep better.

Reason #6: You’ll Eat Better (maybe).

This one’s tricky – you have to pay attention on this one – because while studies show that people who exercise vigorously lose more weight, studies have also shown that people who exercise lightly tend to lose LESS weight than those that exercise vigorously – even less than people who don’t exercise at all.  Why? Because when you exercise lightly, you tend to feel like you deserve to eat a bit more.  But when you exercise vigorously, your mindset changes, and you want to eat better to make sure all that work isn’t for nothing!

Feeling Great

Reason #7: You’ll Feel better.

Who wouldn’t feel better when they were stronger, leaner, sleeping better, burning fat all the time, and eating better? Your mood will improve, you’ll have more self confidence, and you’ll have a brighter outlook on life.

Tips for Getting Active

Getting active can mean a lot of things. Simple things like parking away from the building and walking farther than you normally would, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, to more dedicated activities like going to the gym or doing P90x at home are all ways to get active. Of course the more effort you put in, the more results you will get – but don’t feel as though you can’t get active just because you don’t have time. You CAN get more active without spending more time. For example, just ramping up your housecleaning from leisurely to vigorous effort increases your activity and burns an extra 150 calories per hour. Carrying extra weight increases your activity and burns more calories – so something as simple as throwing a couple of heavy books in a bag and carry them with you when you walk will make a difference. Walking more, taking the stairs more, and using the hand basket instead of the push cart at the store all are simple things you can do right now to increase your activity.

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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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Weight Loss Update – Air, White Tea, and Calcium

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

A recent article in Pharmacy Times gives some more information about the kinds of things that affect obesity.

Researchers found that less air may mean a bigger spare tire. Decreased lung function (meaning less air to the body) had a direct effect on metabolic syndrome, which is largely credited to abdominal obesity. This connection was found to be independent of smoking and drinking.

They also found that White Tea is showing promise for combating fat, even moreso than green tea. It stimulates fat mobolization as well as inhibiting the generation of new fat cells.

And, increasing calcium can aid weight loss. Upping your intake of calcium (if you lack calcium) do daily recommendations can help prevent hunger. Women on a low-calorie diet taking calcium lost close to 13 pounds (over 15 weeks) versus women who did not take calcium (or took the placebo), who lost only about 2 pounds. They hypothesize that your brain detects calcium deficiencies and stimulates your body to feed itself to get more calcium!

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Posted in News, Weight Loss | 2 Comments »

Weight Loss Factors of Success

Wednesday, January 5th, 2005

The average person on the national weight loss registry has lost about 36 pounds, and kept it off. How do they accomplish this? Research has been done, and what they have found is very interesting.
There are six common habits of those people who have lost the weight and kept it off. They are:

  • They Eat Breakfast Daily
  • They Eat Out 3 or fewer times per week
  • They eat 5 Small meals a day
  • They exercise regularly
  • They weigh themselves regularly
  • They keep a food diary

Eating Breakfast is how you get your metabolism fired up in the morning. In The Zone, you actually are encouraged to eat more often, never waiting more than 4 hours to eat, so that your metabolism stays up. Plus, with the hormonal balance your body enters with The Zone, you keep yourself in Fat Burning Mode all day!
Eating Out is directly related to being overweight. You are more likely to over eat, you are eating foods that are higher in fat, and often foods that are higher-density calories. Let’s be real: you don’t go out to eat a nice salad, lots of fresh veggies, and a nice lean portion of chicken. You go out to eat a rich meal – whether it be a fatty cut of meat, some pasta, fries, or a burger. It’s amazing how many calories are packed into some of those meals!
Eating 5 Small Meals a day, like eating breakfast, keeps your metabolism turned up so you burn fat through the day. Plus, when you eat more often, you are less likely to binge, because you just don’t allow yourself to become starving!
Your body craves exercise, and for good reason. It keeps you energized, plus it improves your muscle tone (and muscles burn more calories than fat!).
Keeping track of your weight helps, well, keep you motivated. When you are doing well, you want to continue your progress. When you slip, you give yourself a mental kick in the butt and commit to doing better!
A food diary may seem like a chore, but it is so revealing. It’s pretty hard to be dishonest with yourself if you actually write down everything that you eat during the day. It’s a self-accountability that you can do with yourself that is very powerful.
Additional Habits that were common were:

  • Positive problem-solving attitude
  • Continued contact with suppor team
  • Reduction of other health problems

Don’t understimate these things. They really do add up to powerful influences in your ability to be successful.
Some of the negative predictors included:

  • Negative Life Events
  • Family Dysfunction

What to Look For in a State-of-the-Art Weight Loss Program
The goal should be gradual permanent lifestyle changes to improve physical activity and performance, as well as food selection and cognitive health. Changes should be gradual to ensure weight loss and improved health at a pace that can truly be incorporated to replace decades of poor habits in order to keep the dropout rate down.
You get ALL of these things at FormulaZone.
We have worked hard to give you every single tool you need in order to have success with your weight loss.
Our Menus include breakfast, every day.
Our Menus help you to eat in, instead of out. We offer tons of pre-packaged meals so you can take something fast and easy with you to work. We give you the tips you need to eat out successfully.
Our Menu Planner requires at least one snack a day – and it is suggested that you have two or more.
We are introducing an exercise log that will help you keep track of your exercise.
The Weight Loss Log allows you to keep track of your weight.
The Food Diary allows you to keep a detailed food log easily, and gives you feedback.
The Discussion Forum provides a community for you to stay in contact with your support group.
Our Support Staff works with you to help maintain a positive problem-solving attitude.

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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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Temptation, Thinking Beyond “Diet”, and Walking the Walk

Wednesday, April 28th, 2004

Temptation

Sometimes the temptation is just too great. Maybe it’s the power lunch with the out of town team, or the volunteer potluck lunch at the school, and you just can’t or don’t want to say NO to the homemade Au Grautin Potato and Ham casserole or the catered Dim Sum. Once you are in the Zone for awhile you will appreciate how good you are feeling in the Zone when you fall out for a meal. All is not lost, you can resume Zone living by eating right the next meal. Keep in mind, however, your success with the Zone lifestyle, depends on how diligent you are in keeping yourself in the Zone!

Thinking Beyond “Diet”

To recognize the true power of the Zone, I invite you to think beyond “diet”. Diet is just one part of the Zone lifestyle. Many people try different diets to lose weight. Some are quite successful and some fall short. But what happens when you reach your goal weight and decide the “diet” did its job and slip back into old eating patterns?

I find that I like being in the Zone. I feel great! I am not hungry! I am happier. I don’t want to eat outside the Zone. I feel terrible out there. I liken it to being hit by a Mac truck. I feel tired, sluggish, foggy, cranky, and just “off”. The euphoric feeling that accompanies the proper diet is just the beginning of a healthier lifestyle.

Along with 40-30-30 balanced meals, add exercise. Start simple, maybe with just a brisk walk. Soon you will want to increase your level of activity.

Now, the next thing is to help your body ward off heart disease, high cholesterol, arthritis, certain forms of cancer, and type II diabetes. It’s easy. Eat good fats: olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Stay away from trans fats like margarine and hydrogenated oils. Use saturated fats (from animal sources) in moderation.

Next, do your body one better, treat it to Omega-3 oils. Eat salmon and supplement with molecular distilled fish oil. This is truly brain food. It contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) a big word for something the brain needs. 60% of the brain’s weight is fat, fat in the form of DHA. Without adequate DHA your brain cannot function properly.

Finally, drink lots of water. Just plain water. Coffee doesn’t count, nor does pop. The body is made up of 70% water. It is necessary for proper cellular function. If your body thinks it is not getting enough water, it will try to retain water.

Now you have all the parts to think beyond “diet”. Enjoy the full power of the Zone lifestyle.

Walking the Walk

True Zoners not only talk the talk, they walk the walk. There are so many “diets” floating around out there for people to choose. Some come, some go, and some have been around for some time.

I have tried many diets over the years. I have met with some degree of success, but nothing like the Zone. Many of those purported “diets” work while you are following them, but once you stabilize and try to “eat normally”, the weight often comes right back and even increases.

The Zone goes beyond the “diet” concept. It is a way of life, a prescription for healthy living. It helps your body regulate itself into hormonal balance. You no longer crave the things that keep you from reaching optimal health. You feel better, sleep better, focus better, all while you are eating real food, that you can choose for yourself.

When discussing the Zone with other established followers, I find that they possess a level of understanding that extends beyond the “diet” mentality. They understand the food connection to the way their body reacts. But, beyond this level of understanding, they actually live what they say. They truly are walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

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Keeping New Years Resolutions

Thursday, January 1st, 2004

Happy New Year!

Hooray for the new year, and all of the hope and happiness that it promises to bring. We hope that last year was wonderful for you, and the new year is even better.

Resolutions, anyone?

Many of us make promises to ourselves at the beginning of each year. The typical New Year Resolution. If you are like most, your resolutions include something about losing weight, eating health, or getting in better shape. And, if you are like most, these resolutions have a tendency of slipping away. But it doesn’t have to be that way! You can, with the right planning and approach, make 2004 a wonderful year in which you keep your resolutions.

How to keep resolutions

How do you keep your resolution? How do you make this time different than the others? While ultimately it is up to you, try our tips and techniques- you will be equipped with tools that will help you succeed! For the sake of convenience, the rest of this article will be geared towards a goal of losing weight, however these techniques apply to all goals that you set for yourself.

Write it down!

Get out a piece of paper and a pen. As we go through these tips, take the time to write this down. The absolute best way to ensure you meet your goal is to make sure you understand it. And nothing beats writing it down and reading it. Something about writing it down, having it on paper, makes it a reality, and gives it importance.

Find your motivation

Consider your motivation. The first step you should take is to think about your reason for losing weight. This may take time, but it is key to being successful. Ask yourself- why do I want to lose weight? Getting a firm understanding of exactly why you want to lose weight will help you find that mental and emotional space that keeps you motivated.

Write it down!

Write it down! Then read it to yourself- out loud. It can be more than one reason. In fact, it can be many. Having several reasons will give your goal more meaning. Revisit them often- you may find that your reasons change over time. If they do, write down the new or different reasons to keep them updated.

Setting Goals

Set a goal. The hard truth may be difficult to face- but it’s OK. We’ll take it in smaller bites. Whether your goal is to lose 20 pounds or to lose 120, you need to find your final goal. Write it down- and remember that it can be in many forms. It can be a goal weight, a clothing size, or a measurement (such as waist or hips). Write it down! When you look at it, tell yourself out loud that you will reach that goal. Every time you look at the goal, tell yourself out loud. You will reach your goal!

Break your goal into smaller mini-goals

Break it down. Break your final goal down into weekly mini-goals. Why do this? Because it gives you a sense of satisfaction when you meet your weekly goal. And, it is much easier to renew your commitment if you slip up when you look at your next weeks goal.

Be realistic!

Be realistic! If your final goal is to lose a lot of weight, then you need to stay realistic. The medical experts will tell you that it is not realistic to lose more than 2 pounds per week, and that is probably true. However, there are many testimonies of members who have lost 3, 4, or even 5 pounds per week for many weeks. Just remember that as you approach your final goal, the weight loss will slow down. So, if you have 10 pounds to lose, your weekly mini-goal should be 2 pounds or so. If you have 40 pounds, your weekly mini-goal could be 4 pounds or so. It is tempting to set aggressive goals, but they only lead to disappointment, frustration, and eventually, quitting.

Check your mini-goals

Keep your mini-goals realistic. Now, write them down. Yes, there may be many of them, but write them down. Imagine yourself halfway to your goal. Imagine how great it feels to have met your mini-goals, and to be halfway there!

Keep a log

Keep a log. On the same sheet of paper that you have written your mini-goals, set up a column in which you can write your progress down. Watching yourself succeed helps you stay motivated! And, if you find that you are not keeping up with your mini-goals, don’t despair. Re-evaluate them. Adjust them to be more realistic to your lifestyle, and write them down. Make sure you can achieve your goals- remember to be realistic!

Get Help!

Seek Support. If you find that your mini-goals are not being met, or that you have a particularly difficult time with a certain time of day, a certain day of the week, a certain food, or anything else, then Seek support. Whether you request support in the Discussion Forum, request support from us via e-mail, or seek support from your spouse, make sure you find the support you need. You don’t have to settle for the first answer that you are given, either! If it doesn’t work, it isn’t your fault- it just means that you may need another way to overcome the challenge!

You can do it!

You can do it! And we are here to help. You don’t have to be the expert- that’s why we are here. The staff at FormulaZone has one goal: to do everything we can to help you succeed. Our members are just like you- they want you to succeed, too!

So make your resolution. Invest a few minutes in it, write down your goal and your plan, and you will succeed. You can do it!

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An Incredible Journey

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003

In March of 2003 I embarked upon a journey.

When I began it, I had no idea where it would lead me. You see I have been down the same road before many times. It started with a book entitled A Week in the Zone. As I continued down the road I visited FormulaZone.com. These two stops along the road have profoundly impacted my life. I can even be so bold as to say they have given me my life back.

After sitting down and forcing myself into a reality check, realizing that my life was definitely in a major tailspin, I decided on an equally major life change. I was a stress eater, very affected by carbohydrate intake, tired all the time, cranky when I got home from work, constantly hungry, unmotivated…..

That was then and this is now…

After reading about the Zone, I found it made sense. I decided to spend the “week in the Zone”. It didn’t take a week for me to feel better. I noticed changes within the first few days.

FormulaZone.com has been a motivator where I can create and share recipes, dialog and share knowledge.

So now, 8 months later, I can attest to the benefits of the Zone lifestyle.

I am now 125 pounds lighter, I have seemingly endless energy, I require less sleep, I am very focused, I have increased mental clarity, I smile a lot, joint pains have virtually disappeared, I am never hungry, I enjoy good health, and have even expanded my knowledge of the Zone to help others in their journey.

I don’t want to go back to that place I left behind. I don’t want to say it was a particularly difficult journey, but I did have to concentrate and focus so I wouldn’t make a wrong turn or take a detour.

Equipped with a roadmap to success, I will continue forward on this now lifelong journey in the Zone.

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Debunking The Zone Diet

Monday, December 1st, 2003

Have you ever attended a “diet” seminar? FormulaZone recently attended one presented by a dietician with respectable credentials. We were drawn to the seminar by the flyer that was sent to us, suggesting that this seminar would answer all of our questions about The Zone, Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, and other popular diets. Over the course of the two hour seminar, we were dazzled with overhead illustrations of the rampant growth of obesity in the United States over the past few decades, and the discussion of macronutrients. When the discussion turned to the specific diets, there were two things that stood out to us….

The Zone is misunderstood and misrepresented by so many “experts”. This seminar (as well as many other “Debunking the Zone” articles we have read) completely missed the point of The Zone. And….

Most experts actually agree with The Zone, even at the same time that they are telling you that it is not a good or healthy diet.

Misrepresentation may be a strong word, and it is also absolutely true. When a person, particularly an expert, represents The Zone in the way that is inaccurate, then that is misrepresentation. It makes no difference if the reason is that they favor a different nutritional program, or if they simply do not have the information about The Zone, it is still misrepresentation.

Let’s start with the first most common misrepresentation: “It recommends reducing carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.” To be fair, we will grant them a small amount of accuracy: The Zone Diet does recommend reducing carbohydrates. But that’s not all there is to it. That statement, taken out of context, is how these experts argue their cases. The correct, and complete context of The Zone, is that it recommends reducing carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index. What does that mean, really? Put simply, it means reducing or eliminating carbohydrates that are low in fiber and high in sugar. Now, if you continue listening to the experts, they will tell you that you should eat a diet high in “high fiber, low sugar carbohydrates” (aka, Low Glycemic). A Zone diet recipe would have you eat carbohydrates that are “high in fiber and low in sugar” (aka Low Glycemic). Ask the expert if you should sit down to a large bowl of pasta (as your primary carbohydrate source), and you will get the same answer every Zoner already knows: No!

The second most common point is that the diet is too high in fat. 30% calories from fat? Some people consider this a travesty! (while other consider it a dream come true) They will tell you that fat leads to high cholesterol, heart disease, and even high blood pressure. Again, there is a seed of truth around which this lie has been built- the intake of large amounts Saturated fat (animal fat) does contribute to these health issues. What they don’t seem to understand (or at least they don’t admit to) is that The Zone addresses this, and recommends that you get your fat from sources with little to no saturated fat, such as vegetables, nuts, and lean cuts of chicken and fish. While beef and pork are a part of the Zone Diet, it is specifically recommended to limit these fat sources. Further, the experts disregard a phenomenon that has been documented time and again: people with high cholesterol who go on a low or no fat diet to reduce cholesterol actually end up with increased levels of cholesterol. An even more glaring omission is that many people with high cholesterol who follow a Zone Diet see their cholesterol levels decrease. This is a fact, and is a direct contradiction to what some of these experts will tell you. Oh- and by the way, considered that 30% calories from fat is less than the average non-dieting American eats today.

They claim that most of the weight loss that people experience is due to water weight (losing water, as in dehydration). Really? What about the folks that over the course of months (2, 3, 8, 12 or more months) lose 30, 50, 100, 120 pounds or more? Would the experts have you believe that these folks really lost only 120 pounds of water weight due to dehydration? And again, these experts fail to represent the truth of The Zone, which is that it specifically tells you to drink lots of water- more than the vast majority of the population does now.

They would have you believe that the Zone is low calorie. This one you can check for yourself. Look at the various diets out there- we guarantee that you will find that most diets are much lower in calories than the calories recommended by this website (FormulaZone), as well as most Zone information sources. While the Zone diet does reduce the average American’s calorie intake, remember that Americans (on average) are getting more and more obese every day (so doesn’t it stand to reason that their calories should be reduced?). Do the math and you will find that the Zone nutrition program allows you 20-30% more calories than many other programs (with a comparable activity level).

The science behind the Zone, according to these experts, is “at best an unproven gimmick”. Yikes! Ask anyone who has actually and honestly followed a Zone diet for just one week (or longer), and you will definitely hear otherwise! Or may we suggest that you tell Dr. Sears, who is currently beating his genetic-predetermination to have a heart attack by many years (carefully, though- he may take offense since he is a PhD with several patents in areas closely tied to his work in developing The Zone).

And there are more random or minor claims by these experts, such as suggesting that the Zone claims that a vegetarian diet is not health (not true- there are many vegetarian recipes that are Zone friendly, and a book by Dr. Sears specifically geared towards vegetarians in The Zone).

Back to one of our original points: Many of these experts will tell you that The Zone is not healthy, when in reality they agree with The Zone. How? While were at the seminar, we did not make any represenations about being Zone advocates. When we asked the seminar expert about some of the facts of the Zone (without stating that they were Zone facts), they agreed. For example, they agreed that you should get a majority of your carbs from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (just as the Zone suggests). They agreed that you should get your protein from sources such as chicken, fish, tofu, and lean cuts of beef and pork (in moderation), just as the Zone states. They agree that fat is ok, so long as you watch the saturated fats (beef and pork), and get it from more favorable sources (fruits, vegetables, nuts)- again, just as the Zone states. And there are other points. Look at it collectively, and they typically agree with The Zone, even though they will not say it.

The bottom line is, don’t take some expert’s word for it. Do the research, and learn for yourself what the facts are.

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