YET ANOTHER MAILBAG (#3)

Dr. Brown,
Thanks for your most informative web site. Yesterday I had someone try to tell me that The Zone is not a low carb diet, and I guess, in the very strictest sense, they are correct, but it is a lower carb diet.
ah

Atkin's and Eades' Protein Power are low carb diets designed to induce rapid fat loss at some mild risk to a person's health. I would venture to say that elevated lipids and the risk of diabetes and heart disease may offset the small risk that ketones in the blood represent but for the average slightly overweight person, Zoning is a great way to get into control of fat levels.

Keep studying and spreading the word.

David

I just bought and started the Atkin's diet for my wife and myself. So did a web search on Atkin's and as you know hundreds of low carb diets came out. My wife is very impressed with it but I'm still skeptical but will give it a try. My real question is there much of a difference between the Atkin's and Sears diets, should I stick to the Atkin's and see or should I get the Dr. Sears Zone Diet book.
Thank You, Michael & Andrea

I believe that Atkin's diet and Edeas' Protein Power diet are good methods to "jump start" your insulin reaction back to normal so that you can eventually eat a more reasonable diet like Zone for the rest of your life. I don't see Atkins as a lifelong diet simply because it is a pure weight loss diet and when you reach goal, when you must modify it. When you do, it becomes the Zone diet; so why not start with the reasonable diet in the first place? But don't forget, you are speaking to a Zoner who has been very successful with this diet.

Good luck. I strongly urge you to read more about Zone and try it for a few weeks. What have you got to lose? Oh yeah, fat!
Yours, David

Hi Dr. Brown I just found your web page and I think its great. I picked up a copy of "The Zone" a few weeks ago and have been zoning ever since. I've been lifting weights for 2 years now and just realize why I wasn't making as much progress as I could have. Anyway, I'll get to the point. I chew gum regularly and it just dawned on me that the artificial sweetners in gum may be knocking me out of the zone. Are nutrasweet, aspartame, splenda etc... high GI? Should I be avoiding gum? Thanks John

Dear John, Should be no problem with the small amounts of these sweeteners. They do not seem to have much effect on the insulin reaction that the Zone controls. So, chew away.

Yours, David.

David,
I know that salmon and some other fish are rich sources of EPA, but have also heard that epa, being a highly polyunsaturated fatty acid, is unstable and subject to damage at high tempurate. Thus, I have heard it advocated that such fish being eaten raw or at the most smoked--hence the tradition and value of sushi and lox. Am I getting EPA in my salmon teriyaki?
Many Thanks, Simon

Casseroles and pies do not reach the oven temperature in the center anyway, only along the sides.

I would not worry about trans fatty acids or pufa damage unless you are frying since the hot oil brings even the center of the fish to a high temperature.

Yours, David

Hi David, What does 40/30/30 break down to? I'm not eating 30% of my calories as fat on the Zone diet. Please elaborate. Thanks, Angela

Dear Angela,
You should be eating 30% of your calories from "good" fat. Also 40% from "favorable" carbohydrates and 30% from protein.

This works out to be in this ratio: For every 7 grams of protein you eat, you should eat along with it 9 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fat. So, if you are eating say, 14 blocks per day, that would work out to be daily: 7X14=98 grams of protein, 9X14=126 grams of carb, and 3X14=42 grams of fat. These are, of course, divided smoothly into 3 meals and 2 snacks each day.

Got it?

Keep it up, it works!
Yours, David

In reading the FAQ about additional food required to gain lean muscle mass, it is unclear whether the additional protein block mentioned should be accompained by a carbohydrate and fat block. Should it?

Mark

My feeling about the body is that it will only do what you demand of it. If you demand it to perform in a way that requires more muscle strength, you will tend to build that extra muscle given the proper intake of building blocks. If you are a couch potato, eating one extra block of protein per day is not going to convert you into a superman, no way.

Break out the weights and keep on zoning.

Yours, David

Dear Dr. Brown,
I have aquainted myself with the Zone priciples today on the web, and they make alot of sense to me! What is particularly interesting is, that the Zone is not just a temporary, nor an extreme/unbalanced approach, but a life-long strategy for a healthy being - based on what I have read so far.

The core of the diet seems to be the 9:7:3 combination block of respectively carbohydrates, proteins and fat, consumed approx. 5 times a day, together with an average increase in water consumption of 50 % (to avoid dry/firm stools).

Now, from my point of view, inevitably, I ask myself: How am I going to meet these criteria in my everyday life - being a civil engineer, working from nine to five and having access to a sumptuous canteen ! (paid through my pay slit). I am 30 years, no health problems (ever), medium built and working out (fitness) twice a week. At first, it seems somewhat difficult to calculate a 9:7:3 block on the fly, while passing by the "options" offered by the can- teen!

Therefore, I (and probably many others) would like to ask you, if you could provide me with some rule of thumbs on how to compose a meal, which meets the 9:7:3 rule (ofcourse, you could bring your own, home-made lunch with you, but this would conflict with certain social aspects of my job).

My evening meal always consists of open sandwiches, as I always consume hot meals on work (for economic and convenience reasons). Any suggestions here?

You would really help me, if you could shed some light on these questions! I have always had some interest in these issues, but so far I haven't been able to find any inspiring confidence from any scientific source, nor had enough time or energy to thoroughly investigate the matter myself.

Thanks for your time and any help!

Yours truly
Bo,
Denmark

Your English is impeccable, probably better than mine!

It sounds like you have a good idea of the basic zone concepts but you need to begin to familiarize yourself on basic gram contents of various foods so that you can begin to put together balanced meals.

I don't know if Denmark, as in the US, if your foods have the macro nutrient content printed on the labels. This is how I began to develop a working knowledge of zone balanced meals. For many months following beginning the eating plan you would find lists of numbers scribbled on scraps of paper all over my house. I used a calculator more than I have ever done except when I was taking statistics in school.

There are many tables of foods with grams contents available in any health food store or library. It just takes practice and a little work but it is worth the effort. Many beginners fall off the diet because they think the task is unsurmountable.

I urge you to think in BLOCKS and not grams. Learn how many grams in a ounce of meat, for example, and then begin to understand how large a piece of meat contains 3 or four blocks of protein. (about the amount that fits in the palm of your hand). Do this for all the foods you commonly eat every day and eventually it all falls into place.

You look at a sandwich and say, " OK, two slices of high carb bread, that's 3 blocks of Carbs. I put a half a can of tuna fish in it, that's 2 blocks of protein. Humm, I need one more block of protein. OK, I'll add an ounce of cheese. So now the protein and carbs are balanced and I have one block of fat from the cheese, so I now need to add 2 more blocks of fat to the sandwich. That's easy, I'll put a tablespoon of mayonnaise with it. Done! A three block sandwich.

As for your canteen, you do the same process. You may have to leave a little high carb rice or pasta on your plate and throw it away. What works well is to order an extra helping of the protein, many times they will charge you a small extra fee. Just tell them a small white lie; you have a "hypoglycemic condition".

Another trick is to ask them to substitute the rice, potato or pasta for an extra helping of vegetables. They usually will do this if you ask nicely. Use the hypoglycemic excuse again, medical reasons usually fly well.

Contact my friend Karen for more recipe information at:
KsZKitchen@aol.com

Good luck,
David

I am new to the list and my wife and I have been Zoning for about 2 weeks solid with incredible results! I have been a health nut since reading "Sugar Blues" in High School and have managed to stay fairly lean until about a year ago (when I hit 33) and gained about 15 lbs in what seemed like over night. The methods of losing weight that I had used before were not working so the common sense of this diet was very much welcomed. I have all the symptoms of being in the zone - my energy level is incredible. We we're introduced to Zoning by our neighbors. The man is a lifetime diabetic and after six weeks, has insulin needs that are the lowest he remembers. (many other benefits, too) Anyway, enough of the testimonials.-- My question. I am interested in adjusting my 8 year old daughter's diet. She is 80lbs. and quite tall for her age. (2nd tallest in her class) In doing this, I want to also adjust her sister's intake. (She is 50 lbs but only 6 yrs old.) I have read the 10% rule for children along with the activity level adjustment but I am concerned about the 8 blocks a day (starvation) rule for her sister. By my calculations, she only needs 5 blocks. Does anyone have some words of advice about putting children of this age in the Zone? Please help. Of all the information that I have read over the years, this seems like the most common sense approach to nutrition. I wished I would have discovered it earlier. Thanks in advance, Cory

Dear Cory,
I too have an 8 year old daughter who I put on the zone. It's been about 8 months or so. I did not really measure her because like you, I was afraid to inhibit her intake since she is growing. She has always been off the charts, 90% bracket from birth. I remember her doc telling us to restrict her intake and I said " but doc, she's only breast feeding!".

She began to really fill out her jeans in second grade. Slight overweightness runs in my family and her mom's too (like most families!). Since she has been zoning, she has been wearing the same pairs of jeans. They are now worn out in the knees (she still loves them, you know the style...all holy). The waist is looser than ever. She is just growing taller, but not fatter like she was. She is so happy about this. Last year a mean boy in class called her "fatso" and I think she got worried.

I drink a protein drink in the morning so I just added more for her. I spike it with a half teaspoon of fructose. At first it wasn't sweet enough but now she has lost her sweet tooth and it is fine. She used to eat two or three bowls of cereal with milk but since I now give her a P drink first and then a scrambled egg. She is so full that one smaller bowl of cereal is now enough. Lately she doesn't want cereal anymore and asks for 2 slices of toast (Vogel's bread, of course) with peanut butter on one and butter and cinnamon on the other. (3 blocks) I pack her lunch. I now have weaned her off the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and she now gets a meat sandwich or her favorite, tuna with low fat mayo and lettuce. I put in a fat free cheese stick, half and apple with PP and milk. (3-4 blocks)

I put a 4pm snack in the fridge for her because I'm usually at work when she comes home from school. It is usually a FF cheese stick, half a PP&J sandwich and LF CC. (2 blocks).

Dinner is a pick up. I always balance it (I have had alot of practice in dividing by 7 and 9). She likes hot dogs (low fat) and I have found low carb hot dog buns at the store. (11grams each). She has gotten used to eating hot dogs without buns (dipped in ketchup) and then I can add apples or even macaroni or top romon soup noodles (the enemy). Of course milk is a complete food so it doesn't have to be calculated. (4 blocks)

Since we eat late, she usually doesn't ask for a late snack but when she gets an ice cream jag, she actually says to me, "Can I have some ice cream?...I'll drink a protein drink first?" (Yeah, I have her trained.)

Zoning kids is tough. It takes guts and patience and always remember, if she misses this zone, there is another one coming in 5 hours. Kids have to be kids. I HATE to surprise her and find her sneaking a candy bar. When it happens I give her a hug and tell her that it's OK to eat a candy bar if she wants to, just go and eat a FF cheese stick afterwards. (weird, huh?). Oh well, welcome to the weird world of the Zone.

Your friend,
David.

Hi In an effort to stay in the Zone, I use Designer Protein and that definitely seems to help me feel steady. Do you know whether amino acid supplements, such as Amino Fuel made by Twinlab (tablets I can carry with me),are also considered a usable protein supplement? Thanks a lot. madeline

Proteins do two major things in relation to this diet. Food protein must be digested and this delays the absorption process and causes a smoother uptake of AA into the blood as well as staying around in the stomach longer to delay hunger.

Secondly, AA in the blood stimulates glucagon release (and insulin for that matter, but less so as I understand it).

So, using predigested protein or AA supplements, would be like tinkering with your car's carburetor; the car will probably run but without a smog analyzer you would not know what the maximized fuel/air mixture should be. By tinkering with AA you similarly don't know what the optimum protein/carb/fat ratio is anymore.

That aside, I would bet that eating AA instead of food-protein would not be a problem and the zone would work anyway. I also drink PP in the morning which is a refined protein source and I feel that the zone effect is the most strong for me in the morning. Using AA is just one step more refined.

One other weird thought. If the balance is not good, you can risk some calcium loss.

(snip)
Kaneko K; Masaki U; Aikyo M; Yabuki K; Haga A; Matoba C; Sasaki H;
Koike G. Urinary calcium and calcium balance in young women affected by high protein diet of soy protein isolate and adding sulfur-containing amino acids and/or potassium. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, 1990 Apr, 36(2):105-16. (UI: 90354911)

The abstract said that soy protein caused less loss of calcium than other proteins, probably because it has less of the sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine and cysteine). It also said that including a source of potassium with the protein decreased calcium loss.
(end snip)

Personally I would stick to PP occasionally and real food most of the time.

Keep zoning!
David

Hi! I saw your Zone home page - very interesting and well done!! I have one burning question: I am trying to lose about 10-15 VERY stubborn pounds that have been with me for a LONG time (I'm 23). I am VERY active and am currently eating a low-fat diet with about 1500-2000 calories a day. My question is: can I use a diet with the Zone, and assuming I have luck with it and attain my goal (which, by the way is not to be super ripped or anything - just to get rid of the fat around my abdomen, which is the only real place I have the excess fat) - can I kind of just slowly withdraw from using this diet and go back to my old one?? I NEVER gain any fat with my current diet - just can't lose any. So, I would like to try the Zone and get rid of my fat and then get off it. Will this cause the fat that I might have lost to come right back?? I can't see myself on this diet forever because if I am perfectly maintaining my weight now then there isn't much sense going on a fat-burning diet for life, but just for the time being. Is this possible?? I do believe that I need a diet like this to get rid of this stubborn fat, but honestly would like to use it to just lose the fat and thats it. And, I know people say diets like these are lifelong committments, but I need to know if what I have proposed might be possible. Thank you very much!!! Chad

Personally I have lost respect for body fat. To me it has lost stature as being worthy of such sentiments as you give it such as "VERY stubborn pounds". I scoff at it now and encourage others to look at their extra fat as a choice, not a given. I only say this because I had a spare tire since your age and I'm 49 now. It ignobly went away in a few months and I know if I gain fat again, I can remove it again. It has no power over me anymore.

My sister is losing fat slowly on zone. She is still obese but has lost 30 lbs steadily but is eager to become slim. She is talking about Phen/Fen to lose it all and then zone. The zone has given her this hope since she now knows that if she zones, she will maintain. This is similar to your question. You say you can maintain on a low fat diet but want to zone to get down to the level you want and then return to your maintenance diet. In theory it should work but maybe not.

Many questions remain. Why do you have that "stubborn fat" and why won't it go away? If you are at a stable "set point", if you lose the fat and then go back to eating the same, why won't that same "set point" return along with the same level of fat. I would expect that to happen. Remember the yo-yo diet syndrome? Conditions worsen with each yo-yo.

The flaw in your diet logic is in the thinking that the fat you have on your body is the same fat that was on your body last year. It isn't. Fat is dynamic. Fat is constantly leaving your fat cells and being replaced with new fat, either from your diet or from other fat cells. Here is something for you to consider. If you are eating less dietary fat than your body needs to replace nerve coverings, manufacture hormones, etc., why are you not becoming slimmer? Only a few explanations exist: 1. you need to eat EVEN LESS FAT (this is why low fat diets fail) or 2. your metabolism has been trained to burn carbs for energy and conserve fat for fuel because it needs every molecule of fat for essential processes.

Soon after you return to low fat/high carb eating these scenarios eventually come back into play. Like all low fat diets, they work for a few weeks/months until the body adjusts it's fat burning rate to balance the availability of fat and the need for fat.

So, in conclusion, to quote Bill Murry "IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER". From my point of view, if you start zoning and it works for you and you lose the fat you want, you will experience your power over your fat. You can go back to eating high carb again and when/if the fat returns (I bet it will) then you can scoff at it and just zone again. Eventually you will see the wisdom of lower carb eating and change your diet to one that keeps the fat off.

I am in maintenance now. I eat much more total food than I did when I was in fat loss. I don't concern myself if I eat over 5 blocks at a meal. I weigh myself once a week and measure my waist and butt once a month. If I gain 5 lbs and my waist goes up an inch I will return to fat loss levels. This hasn't happened yet but that is my plan. But I will tell you this, I will always strive to keep the C/P ratio over .6 no matter how much food I eat. This diet gets so simple after a while.

Please let me know how things go in a few months. I am very interested in people such as yourself.

Yours from the zone,
David

I read in you first cMail bag that "beer is bad, wine and hard stuff is O.K." Could you please elaborate on this for me? Thank You, Chris

Lite beer has very few carbs but some heavy beers are very high, so watch out. I just stick with white wine or gin. Sears says to treat each drink like a block of carbs. I think he is being safe here since every person responds differently. Since calories are involved, you must avoid exceeding the 5 block limit per meal. I think of each drink as being like a block of food in terms of numbers of calories. So if you drink 3 drinks, you can not eat more than 2 blocks of food at the same meal. Choices, choices, choices. This is, of course, the arguement about why alcoholics have such poor nutrition, they are drinking their calories, not eating them.

Enjoy your holiday and have a glass of wine and toast to the zone!

David

Hi I'm trying to follow the diet and stay away from carbs with a high glycemic index. Do you know whether using Stevia as a sweetener will have a glycemic effect? Also, do you know anything about using Equal? This site is very very helpful - thanks a lot. Madeline

Dear Madeline,
Stevia in tiny quantities would have a tiny carbohydrate value that could be controlled with tiny balancing quantities of protein. Now if you are speaking of more than a teaspoon, you may need an extra 1/2 block of protein. Stevia is sweeter than sugar, and sugar is only 5 grms Carb. per teaspoon. This is not very much to deal with, even being high glycemic. The rule of thumb is that you can balance a high glycemic C with a low glycemic C. So if you add sugar to a meal, be sure that you are also adding more lower glycemic foods along with it. And don't forget granulated fructose is available and is much lower in GI.

The reason I am talking about sugars is that even a small amount of aspertame is considered to be "bad for you" by many experts. I am not as phobic as others but ignorance is bliss. I use one packet per day for my daughter's protein drink in the morning. She won't drink it without it being sweet. I sometimes use fructose instead if she is not eating sugar cereal that day.

My point is this. Avoid that poison if you can. If you can't, eat small amounts of it. No one really knows yet the long term consequences of aspertame, we are all ginnae pigs for the food industry in many ways.

Keep Zoning!
David

Hello Dr. Brown, Thank you for your page on the WWW, and willingness to field questions about the Zone diet. I found your summary to be helpful. My question is whether to consider the protein content of vegetables when calculating the total amount of protein for a meal? Thanks, Chris

Short and sweet. No, the amount of P in vegies is so small compared with the carbs that you really can only call it all carb. Also high fiber content foods "bundle up" the protein with an indigestible matrix that further hinders any absorption of protein.

Yours Zonefully, David

David: Thank you for your reply. The following is the present list for your feedback. Thanks again. My Current Vitamin Intake Based on the book Super Learning 2000 by Ostrander & Schroeder N, N-Dimethylglycine (DMG) 250mg Garlic (tablet) 1800mg DHEA 20mg Aspirin 325mg Wheat Germ Oil (Vit E) 340mg A/C/E (one capsule) Vit C* 500mg Vit E* 200iu Beta Carotene* 12,500iu Superoxide Dismutase (S.O.D.) 4,000 McCord Fridovitch Units Germanium 25mg Vit B-12 (one capsule) Vit B-12* 1000mcg Folic Acid* 1000mcg Vit B-6 250mg Ginko Biloba 120mg Cod Liver Oil (one capsule) Vit A* 2500iu Vit D* 270iu L-Tyrosine 500mg Octacosonal 2,000mg dl-phenylalanine 500mg Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc (one capsule) Calcium* 1,000mg Magnesium* 500mg Zinc* 25mg Vit D* 400iu Glutamic Acid HCL* 100mg Betaine HCL* 100mg L-Cysteine 500mg L-Glutamine 1,000mg RNA/DNA 100mg/100mg Lecithin 2400mg Melatonin 3mg 1 Multiple Vitamin Which Contains Calcium 100mg Chromium 200mg Magnesium 100mg Potassium 25mg Zinc 30mg Copper 2mg Manganese 6mg Iodine 150mcg Selenium 25mcg Silicon 25mcg Molybdenum 100mcg Vanadium 25mcg Boron 200mcg Tin 10mcg Nickel 5mcg Beta Carotene 7,500iu Vit A 2,500iu Vit D-3 400iu Vit E 90iu Vit C 200mg Vit B-1 25mg Vit B-2 25mg Vit B-3 25mg Vit B-5 30mg Vit B-6 25 mg Vit B-12 25 mg Biotin 300mcg Folic Acid 400mcg L-Lysine HCL 10mg Choline Bitartrate 20mg Inositol 10mg PABA 10mg Citrus Biflavonoids 10mg Rutin 10mg Hesperidin 10mg Glutamic Acid HCL 10mg RNA 2mg Betaine HCL 5mg ProGreens Seaweed Supplement (one eight ounce serving) Fat 2 grams Wheat Grass Juice Powder (gluten free) 350mg Barley Grass Juice Powder (gluten free) 350mg Alfalfa Grass Juice Powder (gluten Free) 350mg Oat Grass Juice Powder (gluten free) 350mg Spirulina 1,000mg Chlorella 350mg Duniella Salina 40mg Nova Scotia Dulse 30mg Licorice Root Powder 100mg Ginseng 60mg Pfaffia Paniculata (Suma) 60mg Astragalus Membranaceus 60mg Echinacea Pupurea 60mg Ginger Root 5mg Soy Lecithin Powder 2,000mg Wheat Sprout Powder 350mg Acerola Berry Juice Powder 200mg Beet Juice Powder 200mg Spinach Octacosanol 150mg Royal Bee Jelly (5% 10-HDA) 150mg Bee Pollen 150mg Vit E 100iu Dairy Free Probiotic Culture Lactobacillus Group Bifidobacterium Group Streptococcus Salivarius Flaxseed Meal 500mg Apple Pectin 500mg Fructo Oligosaccharides (FOS) 500mg Milk Thistle Extract 60mg Ginko Biloba Extract 20mg Green Tea Catechins 20mg Grape Pip Extract 20mg Bilberry Extract 20mg I understand the implication of aspirin as described in the book and will discontinue.I am unclear about the effect of the flaxseed meal. Thanks again for your input. yours in health, jack

I see no glaring problems in your regimen, however a few notes. The 8oz of ProGreens may need to be looked at closer. This may be a liquid supplement and most likely concentrated. If so, it is probably a concentrated carb source of considerable gramage. If you are unable to obtain a macro nutrient breakdown, I would treat is as a similar amount of orange juice or about 13gms.

500mg flaxseed meal= ?mg flaxseed oil. 1t flaxseed oil=3gms GLA. Sears suggests no more than 20mg GLA per day. Others say 100-300mg/day is OK. Sears says the ratio of EPA to GLA should be 500:1. Others say down to 50:1. My guess would be somewhere closer to Sears estimation because your body doesn't need much GLA and will manufacture what it doesn't get in the diet and too much GLA will knock you out of the zone (like aspirin). On the other hand, too much EPA will never hurt you and is only beneficial. I don't think 500mg of flaxseed meal amounts to much GLA anyway.

The herbs you are taking (listed under the ProGreens) may also add up to a few grams of carbs, so if you take these with a meal you may want to compensate with a little added protein just to be on the safe side. The real test is how you feel a few hours after the meal and if you lose fat over time. Let me know in a few months if you are not losing fat (assuming you want to) and we can further analyse your diet.

Good Zoning,
David

ps. Man, what a healthy list of supplements!

ps. If you want further analysis, please feel free to post your regimen on the zone listserver. Personally I strongly suggest that you do this since there are some very sharp folks reading that list and they will no doubt have a comment or two for you. Send eMail to zone-request@tgv.com then put SUBSCRIBE in the body of the letter.

Some beany question, in case you could help out: I was reading Dr Sear's book, and I noticed that lima beans have a low Glycemic index but are on the unfavorable carb list. Why is this? Another beany question - I like mung beans (the beans that they make into bean sprouts) and bean sprouts, but my husband doesn't like them at all because he says these have a lot of uric acid (bad if you have arthritis - w/c neither of has). So are mung beans and bean sprouts good or bad? Thanks! Alyn

You are certainly "fine tuning" the zone! Lima beans have a GI of 50%. This is considered to be in the moderate area, however for vegetables it is very high; not as high as carrots but still up there. I certainly would not put it in the same category as breads but if you were to avoid a vegetable, it should be carrots, parsnips, and most beans, lima included. Remember that zoning doesn't mean you can't eat them, just that they are "unfavorable". A good way to eat unfavorable, higher GI carbs is to combine them in the same meal with a low GI carb. They tend to "average out".

But maybe there is another reason to avoid lima beans......THE TASTE! (just a personal aside)

Uric acid is implicated in the development of uric acid crystals which precipitate out in the joint fluid, tendons and other tissues. This is called gouty arthritis. Normal dietary levels of uric acid is usually not a problem but chronic overeating of foods high in uric acid or a precursor such as methylxanthines (found in coffee and tea) as well as red meats and wine (I believe), can irritate the joints and cause inflammation and pain. Usually there is a genetic component to gout. Degenerative arthritis (the most common arthritis) is a different animal altogether. So if you were worried of developing gout, I would steer away from the foods I mentioned, especially if there is a family history of gout.

I could not find a reference to see how much uric acid is in mung beans and sprouts but I bet you would have to eat a small boatload to reach the levels that would be produced by even moderate amounts of coffee or a steak. If you have the figures, I would be interested in seeing them.

Personally I do not consider any beans to be "bad" foods. Maybe a little naughty, but not bad.

Yours, David

Dear Dr. Brown, I have been zoning for seven weeks and am very pleased with most aspects of the plan. I read your mailbags (1 & 2) when I first started, and they were a real life-saver. Thank you! If you could figure out why I am experiencing negative side effects, I would be very grateful.

I am getting a tight, tingly feeling in my forehead, sometimes accompanied by flushed cheeks. This is accompanied by irritability and antisocial tendancies. (Reluctance to be with others, don't want to answer the phone, etc.) Someone on the zone list said it might be a potassium deficiency, and I've added Morton's Lite Salt to my diet, to no avail.

I am 37 years old. I'm eating about 18 blocks a day, weigh about 120 with 23% body fat. I exercise regularly and drink plenty of water. I have high metabolism and am very sensitive to extra carbohydrates. I do not consume caffinated or diet drinks. I drink 1-2 alcoholic beverages per week. I eat a lot of milk products (low-fat cottage cheese, ricotta cheese and string cheese) and many of my carb blocks come from fruit. I have been taking the Pill for about 15 years. I am taking the occasional GLA supplement and eat oatmeal 3-5 times a week. I take 1-2 EPA capsules per day.

It is possible that I just have a mild case of the flu. I have had bugs in the past that were extremely mild, and lingered for up to 12 weeks. Rest does seem to help. How can I tell if it's the flu or a nutritional deficiency? Has anyone else reported these symptoms? I'm desperate! I appreciate any time you can give.

Thank you.
Nancy

You must rule out metabolic headaches which may be due to hypothyroidism, ovarian dysfunction, anemias and blood dyscrasias and drug intoxications. If these worsen or persist, then please go to your doctor and get examined and do blood tests. Low red cell count or hemoglobin can be the cause. This is called common iron deficiency anemia or due to excessive menstrual blood loss. An inexpensive CBC blood test will determine this.

After ruling these out, I'd suggest that you look at your emotional health and stress level. I don't think the diet is the cause, although perhaps there is some stress involved in trying to eat precisely at 18 blocks. Sort of like forcing you to be too compulsive about eating and inducing more stress than usual at the holidays.

One other off-the-wall thought. If your cholesterol is depressed (perhaps by excellent zoning), you may be effecting your hormone levels and hence your emotional state. A lipid panal may rule this out however it is a more expensive test.

I hope this clears up for you soon.
Yours, David

Hi, Dr. Brown. I've just read Dr. Sear's book, and I'm planning to try most of his recommendations, but I have gastroesophageal reflux disorder, which makes a snack within three hours of going to bed a recipe for heartburn. How is my body likely to respond to a daily twelve hour fast between dinner and breakfast if the rest of the time I'm eating zone-favourable meals?

Also, I'm extremely thin, and hence a little leery of drastically reducing my calorie intake in one go for the sake of a diet whose validity I'm not sure of. So at least at first I'm planning to eat zone-favourable meals, but maintain a calorie intake of at least two thousand. Is this likely to have any ill effects, besides weight gain?

Thanks. Alex.

Zone works best as a weight loss diet although I have been at goal since July 96. There are only a few limits to the zone; eat no more than 5 blocks at any meal, do not go more than 5 hours between meals. To eat 2000 cals you need to eat about 20 blocks of food each day. That is not an unreasonable amount of food except that if you are truly zoning, you will feel so full that you will not WANT to eat that much. The answer is to eat a little more fat at each meal until you do not lose weight on the plan. The key to feeling good (being in the zone) is to eat the correct ratio of Carbs to protein (9/7). The key to losing fat is to eat the correct ratio of fat to protein (3/7). In your case you may find that the ratio 5/7 will stabilize your fat loss. But remember, this is independent from the carb/protein ratio of 9/7 which you try to stay close to so that you obtain the health benefits of zone eating.

In truth, it boils down to this: experiment. This is all new stuff and you are a pioneer. The medical establishment will take 5 years to BEGIN to accept low carb eating as healthy. Snackwell cookies, however, are BIG sellers now! There is a lot of resistance to this way of eating that goes way beyond health professionals.

See how you feel on the diet, I guarantee that you will not die. Most people feel more energy as their metabolism "tunes up" and burns carbs in a "more lean" manner and shifts into fat burning instead. Without any extra body fat as a buffer, you will have to be sure that you get enough fat at each meal to provide the extra fuel your body will need when it runs out of carbs in your intake. This is referred to as maintaining your fat balance.

If I may suggest a method for you to try: Eat a few perfectly balanced zone days and see how you feel. Then go back to eating high carb eating like before and compare how you feel. To tell you the truth, I am not sure if eating sporadically as you are suggesting will be helpful or not. Most people I deal with either zone or not zone, if they eat sporadically they do not seem to get any zone benefit. My guess is that if you "half zone" you will not benefit from zone effects and all bets are off.

Good luck on this trek, let me know how you are doing from time to time.

Yours, David

Hi! We live in Montana & my husband is a hunter & fisherman. I've always liked eating game meats because they're very lean & not shot up with the growth-hormones & anitbiotics that the beef & poultry industries use so much of. Can you tell me if elk, venison, duck & trout can be successfully added to a Zone diet, or if anyone even knows this yet?

Another question, too, if you don't mind--as a bodybuilder I've always followed an extremly low-fat regimen...does this translate well to the Zone?

Thanks, Jennifer

The zone is a protein adequate, lower carb, low fat diet. It is not an extremely low fat diet as you have been used to eating so it may take you some time to trust it. I have found that is the biggest problem with low-fat folks starting the zone, they have been so afraid of fat for so long that they have a hard time believing that the problem is not fat but insulin which is controlled by the level of carbohydrates in the diet. Fat does not effect insulin, but it does determine if you will lose weight or not.

Most bodybuilders that I know are high protein eaters and indeed high calorie eaters since they burn cals so much during their frequent workouts. Zoning depends upon creating a shift in one's hormonal makeup that favors fat burning over carb burning. Since bodybuilding workouts depend primarily on carbohydrates to supply the muscle energy and since fat conversion is not fast enough during the short bursts of bodybuilding output, to equate fat and bodybuilding seems odd to me. (I may have to defer to you however, since you are the bodybuilder, and I am not).

Zone is a weight control diet primarily and not for serious bodybuilders. They must eat much more protein and carbs than zoners to feed their depleted stores of muscle glycogen and provide the building blocks for increasing their muscle mass. Fat just isn't a major focus for bodybuilders as it is for those trying to lose rolls of fat. Most bodybuilders carbo load prior to workouts and eat a high protein meal afterwards to take advantage of the increase in growth hormone that weight training induces.

So to answer your question about bodybuilding I would have to say that zone is not very well adapted as it stands for bodybuilders without some serious modifications to the percentages and qualities. Never the less there are many bodybuilders who zone. You can look at Jerry Connelly's Web site and contact him if you wish, he is a successful zoner who is deep into weight training.

http://triemme.com/performance/passport.htm

Good luck with the zone anyway. I believe that it is worth a serious attempt for the health benefits alone.

Yours, David

Hi,
I am a 6 ft. 2 inch male and do not have a weight problem. In fact, I am about 20 pounds underweight and cannot gain for the life of me. I am concerned that while Zoning I will LOSE weight due to the low caloric intake. In addition, I lift weights and and have low body fat. What can I do to insure I will not get even skinnier while Zoning? I would very much like to GAIN the 20 pounds that I need. How can the Zone Diet work for me?
Steve

You might be surprised by the zone. By curtailing your carbs, you may normalize your metabolism and begin to respond by normalizing your weight too. Just keep your block count high and extra fat to maintain your weight, do not let it drop. Keep increasing your food to match your metabolism and output. Add extra protein (shakes, especially after your workouts) NEVER feel ANY hunger. If you EVER do, eat something right away. Keep track of your total blocks and fat so you can develop a diet history and be able to follow it over time. Take EPA supplements to maximize the zone effect.

Good luck, let me know how things work out.
Yours, David

Dear Dr. Brown,
Thank you for fielding this question. As my mother dislikes fish, we have tried fish oil capsules, but which trouble her stomach ( she tried one this morning for breakfast with a big meal and vomited). She cannot take them alone, but sometimes with a meal. Do you have any recommendations for when to take them, or a possible alternative?

Thanks again, Chris

Good luck and let me know how this works for you.
David

ps. Here is some info for you:
OmegaSyn Max PurEPA from BioSyn 1-800-346-2703 is a little less fishy tasting.

SOURCE: HEALTHY HEALING: An Alternative Healing Reference AUTHOR: Linda G. Rector-Page, N.D., Ph.D.,p. 69

OMEGA 3 OILS:
Clinical results show a long list of benefits for Omega oils: smoother skin, smoother muscle action, stronger cardiovascular performance, and better functioning of the digestive system. These essential fatty acids not only provide fuel for the heart, but also help prevent blood clotting and high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In weight loss dieting, these oils eliminate binging and food addiction, help to burn off fats and increase stamina. They help overcome food allergies, promote clearer thinking by lowering blood fats and cholesterol, and improve stamina. See p. 80 for more information on the benefits of these oils. Results are often visible quite rapidly. For cooking purposes, flax oil and olive oil have the best LDL reducing properties.

pp. 80-81
OMEGA 3 & OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS:
Omega 3 oils are a family of fatty acids high in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (dihomogammalinolenic acid), and GLA (gamma linleic acid). They include cold water fish oils, walnut oil, canola oil, wheat germ oil, evening primrose oil and flax oil. Research has indicated that treatments for P.M.S., high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis benefit from the use of these fatty acids. Omega 3 oils are also a specific for the 30% of the population trying to keep serum cholesterol levels low.

Omega 6 oils are the group of fatty acids high in linoleic and arachidonic acids, and include sesame, sunflower, safflower and corn oil. Both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids stimulate the formation of prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are produced by every cell in the body, and control such things as reproduction and fertility, inflammation, immunity and communication between cells. They also inhibit the over-production of thromboxane, a substance in the body that promotes clotting. Therefore, because blood tends to clot in narrowed arteries, (the major cause of heart attaches) prostaglandins are essential to health.

MONO & POLYUNSATURATED FATS:
Olive oil is a mono-unsaturated fat that reduces the amount of LDL in the bloodstream. Research shows that it is even more effective in this process than a low fat diet. Another oil high in mono-unsaturated fats is canola or grapeseed oil.

Poly-unsaturated vegetable oils are the chief source for the "essential fatty acids" (linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acid) necessary to proper cell membrane function, balanced prostaglandin production and many other metabolic processes. Good poly-unsaturates include sunflower, safflower, sesame oil, and flax oil, one of the best sources of essential fatty acids.

I have been zoning for four months with great results.( Waist from 43.5 to 35.5, weight from 223 to 198, % fat from 30 to 15.5, with 13 lbs of lean body mass gained.) I have been eating with a protein bias and have been "Winging" my estimates of quantities for the most part. I eat away from home a lot and don't have control over the food prep. I suspect that what I have been eating is too high in protein. What are the effects of a diet that is too high in protein?

Second, my weight has leveled off. I was trying to go down to 12% body fat, but I seem to have hit a plateau. Any ideas?

Thanks for the support,
Michael

To break your plateau, you need to exercise (and therefore) eat more. Sounds funny but that's the answer. The increase in output will tune up your metabolism, accelerating fat burning. Have you ever seen a fat olympic swimmer?

Bon Apatite,
David

In the new book sears talks about fine tuning the zone to fit each individual. He says keep the protien constant and work with the carb and or fat amounts if you get tired, and or, hungry after a zone meal. He also says don't count the protien in most beans because it gets bound up in the fiber and does not digest.

OK so, how do I know, for instance, when I eat the big salad, a three blocker, (with olive oil based dressing for fat) that has a lot of fiber, I'm not losing the protien from the 4.5 ounces of tuna that I add. This should be a perfect three block meal. Isn't it possible, even likely, that some, or maybe all the protien in my tuna is being bound up in the fiber from the fiber rich salad, and not being digested? This would mean my carb and fat intake would be way to high in proportion to my protien. Then when I get tired, because my body digested way more carb than protien, acording to sears, I should adjust my carb intake when the problem may be my protien wasn't being digested.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY PROTIEN IS GETTING INTO MY BLOODSTREAM? If some of my protien is being bound up in the fiber and not getting there, then all the body fat calculations, and activity level calculations don't mean diddley because I'm not getting thre right amount of protien anyway. This could apply to many zone favorable meals that contain a lot of fiber.

I would appreciate Your opinion on this. Is there any way to tell if my protien ( the basis for everything else) is reaching my bloodstream???????????

Now, if you eat a salad that is loaded with fiber, the fiber is there in the vegetables. Your teeth mash it up and it goes into your stomach. Now, you eat your tuna and it is now in there mashing and dissolving too. Although it is in the stomach along with the fibrous salad, microscopically the two nutrients are still separate. This is different than the beans which have the protein elements intimately bound up in the fiber matrix, protected from the digestive enzymes.

Now think about this: If you over-process fibrous beans (mashing and heating), the fiber matrix gets broken down and the protein availability should go up. Unfortunately so also would the digestibility of the fiber, so your available carbohydrate grams would climb as well. It's a double edge sword.

I hope this answers your question.

Zonefully yours, David

Where can i get a list of the glycemic index values of foods? have had a hard time finding this. thanks for any help.
jason

Dear Jason,
I Found this using Alta Vista:

http://www.diabetesnet.com/gi.html

Zone David

From: http://www.cruzio.com/~mendosa/gi.html
By: Rick Mendosa and Tere Griffin

Hi, Great Pages. I'm writing form the cold and damp east coast..Nova Scotia...46 female with CFS I have stomach problems..and only eat Boost and soad crackers, can I use soem variation of this ratio to get similar results ?? thks cody

This "diet" depends upon the proper combinations of Protein:Carbohydrate:Fat. I picked up a can of "Boost" today. It said (I think) 40gms Carb, 10 Pro, 4 Fat. Of Course, this is no where near zoneful. And if you add soda crackers you are simply adding more carbs and fat...no protein. So to balance all that out you need more protein. (I assume that with your stomach you can't eat regular protein sources so you will need something like "pre-digested" protein, which is available.)

Now, please consider this. I do not recommend a diet change for you. Based on your current diet, it sounds like your have considerable health problems and I can not accept responsibility for suggesting any change in this electronic format. Please ask your doctor for any suggestions for changing your diet.

Now, if you came to see me in (sunny) San Diego.......
Yours, David
ps. I understand that CFS can respond to zoneful eating. I bet you are on the right track!!

From Anna:
Timing is yet another problem. The Zone book says I cannot eat more often than 4 hours and have to have 5 meals. I sleep 8 hours a day. That would mean that I have to eat right after I open my eyes in the morning and just before I close them in the evening! Is it possible to eat more frequently - every 3.5 hour ?

Dear Anna,
Of course, you may eat every hour if you want to. Actually the "ideal" method to control insulin would be an IV drip....constant infusion of nutrients. But we humans must settle for eating every few hours. I think you have mis-understood the book a little. Sears is asking us to space our meals NO MORE THAN 4 or 5 hours apart. He is not advocating that you do not eat for 4 hours after a meal. On the contrary, if you EVER feel hunger, you should go eat a one or two block snack.

If your block count is 12, you could eat twelve, 1 block snacks every hour if that's what you want to do. It doesn't matter. Just try to eat as smoothly as possible. Spread your meals as evenly as possible throughout the day, in size and timing.

Stay with it.
Happy MLK day,
David

ps. Your metabolism is slower during sleep, so you can go the full 8 hours without waking up for food.

Dr. Brown,
I am a clinical nutrition rep with Sandoz Nutrition and have always been a proponent of a modified Atkins diet with healthier fat sources. I have read hundreds of studies and articles and am now reviewing Dr. Sears bibliography. There are two things that I have a problem with:

1) I am a 30 old male that works out 1-2 times a day with weights at night and treadmill in the a.m. I weigh 200 lbs. with about 8-10% bodyfat. If I go by the charts at 1 gram of protein per pound of lean tissue that is 180 g protein. The problem is I need to take in 234 g of low glycemic carbs which is almost impossible. Also I feel this will elicit a high total insulin response.

Dear Chenot,
Well, let's see if I get the same numbers. 200lbs at 10% BF = 190lbs Lean body mass. Your activity factor would be about .8 to 1.0 due to your high activity. So your protein needs would be 152gms-190 per day. Quite high but you are working out twice a day and treadmilling!! Now divide this by 7 give you 21.7- 27 blocks per day. There are 9 grams of carb in a block so that gives you 195- 243 grams per day. Looks like we come to similar numbers.

So lets say you eat 25 blocks per day. That is about 2500cals per day (approx. 100cals per block). I wouldn't say that is excessive although certainly higher than the average and probably unusual. That is why I believe that the dependance on charts fails at the extremes. You are not an average individual (although you may FEEL like an average person you are not). Most people do not workout as frequently as you do. Maybe 3 days a week or so is more like it. Also 8-10% BF is pretty much remarkable and for all intents and purposes you should be eating at goal levels.

So, just to play with the numbers a little more: Insulin reactions occur with excess carb ratios at a meal OR if you are at correct ratios but eat more than 5 blocks at any meal. If you ate 5, 5 block meals you could eat 25 blocks per day and still be below the 5 block threshold. Now if you ate a two block snack after each workout, that brings things down even more. Heck, you could eat 13, 2 blocks snacks every 2 hours if you wanted to and this would NEVER stimulate an insulin responds. I really do not see a problem here if you would be willing to eat like that.

The Zone is basically a fat loss diet. You are not in that realm and so to remain in the zone you must "tweak" the food ratios a little. Your best bet to get some feedback would be to contact Jerry Connelly who is a zoner and a weight trainer. He has been successfully zoning and has made adjustments to his ratios that you might like to tinker with.

2) Dr. Sears says that ketosis will cause insulin resistance in the long run and also cause your fat cells to increase their capacity to store fat. I haven't been able to pinpoint any documentation on this and still feel that ketosis is a perfectly healthy state if protein, fluids, and vit/minerals are up.

I would appreciate any advice you could give me and thanks for the service you offer. It is nice to know where to find input.

thank you,
CHENOT

I agree with you about ketosis being less deadly than common knowledge. Actually Dr. Eades discusses this in Protein Power at some length. But they deal with morbidly obese patients and diabetics with an ultra low carb diet that tapers off to Zone levels at goal. I do believe, however that excessive ketosis that results from ultra low carb levels will eventually signal the body to go into starvation mode which will lead to fat sparing. I think I have some info on this I can send you attached.

Once again, sorry I cannot supply a bibliography for you. Good luck with your research. I am glad you are looking into this way of eating. I believe that it is way ahead of it's time and you will see major shifts in eating habits in 5 years or so. Low carb bread and foods will follow just as low fat foods are now ubiquitous.

Yours, David

Here is some good stuff from the zone listserver:

From: "Michael G. Kurilla"
On May 9, 1:16pm, Richard Martin wrote:
Subject: Ketones
I started zoning three days ago.

Out of curiosity, I checked myself for ketones. Well, guess what? I have a small amount (<15 mg/dL) of ketones in my urine. There seem to be varying opinions on the effects of ketosis on metabolism. Sears and others claim that ketosis leads to metabolic changes that over the long term promote fat storage.

The only thing that can promote fat storage is taking in more calories than your body requires. What Sears may be alluding to is that a ketotic state that develops in the setting of caloric deficiency will throttle down metabolism to conserve energy. Ketosis with adequate protein (and protein requirements go up with both physical activity and decreasing carb intake) is not likely to do this.

Eades and the legion of high-protein advocates before them claim that ketosis is a perfectly natural and acceptable operating regime for the body, and simply indicates that you are burning fat. My gut instinct is to be conservative and try to avoid ketosis.

My question is, if one is following the Zone carefully, what level of urine ketones would one expect to see? My assumption was that 40% carbohydrates would be enough to avoid ketosis altogether.

A: 40% has nothing to do with it. Your body only sees absolute levels of macronutrients. Most likely your ketotic in the AM because you haven't adjusted yet to the diet. A sudden reduction in carbs coupled with the fact that your body is still burning them at rate it wants to based on your eating habits before the diet, means that mostly likely your glycogen stores are being depleted. In addition, your metabolism is not too efficient at burning the ketones, so they accumlate. After a couple weeks, your carb burning will go down, fat burning will go up, and you won't need the ketones. In addition, your efficiency at burning ketones will also reduce them further. Richard Martin

-- End of excerpt from Richard Martin

In that book The Zone, it said something about resetting your genetic code. What exactly does this mean and how would it be done? Does this mean a relatively small person could change their predetermined size by eating. (I am talking about gaining weight, not loosing it}. Thanks.
Andy

Dear Andy,
I believe the Sears was using a little hype using this language but I also believe the claim is based in some reality. I think what he is trying to say is that your body's genetic code was an evolutionary development as a response to environmental pressures. It was modified over eons to adapt the human animal to be the most efficient and healthy animal it could be.

Modern man has changed the environment, especially the way we eat. So now we are out of harmony with our genetic code. Sears is saying that Zone eating will put you closer to what your genetic code was designed to operate as and therefor you will be healthier.

For example, some of us have built into our GC "time bombs" that predispose us to certain degenerative diseases. Zoning "fine tunes" our body's health and so tend to repress the expression of these "time bombs". Genetic predisposition is triggered by the environment. A person with a genetic "time bomb" for liver disease may express the disease sooner than if he had not modified his environment with excessive alcohol. What is hard to understand about that?

Furthermore one could make a case for cancer cells in the same manner. If cancer cells are the result of mutations of our cellular genetic code and Zoning can improve our immune system to kill off a cancerous cell, than one could say that Zoning can "reset" our genetic code.

As far as making you genetically change your body size.....naaaaaa.
David

I want to thank you for your informative web page. I have several questions which I hope you can help me with: This past September I began to manage my diet according to Dr Sears' recommendations and am very satisfied with the results. Specifically, I have recorded 3 sets of observations since September and as expected lost weight as well as inches from my waist line. While I have lost fat, I have also lost an equal amount of lean body mass.

Date Weight Waist Wrist Lean body mass Fat
9/15 265 47 8 188.15 76.85
12/15 250 45 7.5 182.50 67.50
1/15 245 43.5 7.5 178.90 66.15

From 9/15 to 1/15, I have used an Activity Level Factor of .6. The physical activities were composed of one 1.5 hour session of Racquetball and three .5 hours of Nordic Track work outs per week.. For a total time of 3 hours. Since 1/15 I have increased my physical Activity Level to a .8. Again the activities remain the same, however, I have increased the Nordic Track workouts to 3 thirty minute sessions and 2 forty five minute sessions, for a total physical activity time of 6 hours. I have several questions regarding The Zone.

First of all, would you please discuss why I had an equal amount of lean body mass and fat loss and its ramifications. And would you please give a more definitive explanation about the Physical Activity Chart. While the examples in the test appear to adequately define activity level, the differences between Light (i.e., walking) and Active (1 hour per day, 3 times per week) are very different and hard to find equal comparisons. The only anaerobic activity I complete is a stretching exercise.

I look forward to your response.
James P., Ph.D.

The other thing is this. These tables are simple estimates based on averages. 47" waist and 265 is on the high side so the accuracy suffers some. As you normalize, the numbers will become more stable. Another thing...there are more accurate tables available. I use one that measures waist, butt and forearm. I think it is better than the book's tables (for me). It is closer to my fat caliper's results too. Also some people are built differently than others so different charts are better for them than other charts. I measured a guy once who had SOLID, big butt muscles and very little body fat but the butt measurement was so large that his calculations predicted 35% BF!! He did better with the book's charts that used only his waist(where he had most of his fat).

If for some strange reason you are really losing LBM, this is bad! Be sure to double check your protein levels. When you first started zoning you said your activity was .6 yet 3 half hours of track and rocket ball may be more than that. Were you hungry? Plus carrying around all that extra fat-baggage allows you to add an extra block or so to your total. This too will normalize as the fat drops off.

Many people make the mistake of underestimating their activity factor. I say .5 is for someone who never gets out of bed. If you walk around .... .6 If you do any exercise that might require you to put on a pair of tennis shoes...... .7 If you actually work up a sweat...... .8 If you get red in the face several times a week and occasionally move your muscles until they hurt...... .9 If you work as hard as say, going snow skiing 3 days a week...... 1.0 If you are an IRON MAN...... 1.2! some body builders assume 1.5!!!

1 lb of fat loss per week is good. Not too fast, excellent. How do you feel? If you feel healthy and not too hungry, stay with it. Keep track of your LBM. If if keeps dropping let me know.

Zonfully yours, David

I am a female 4'10". Started the zone in June and lost 10 lbs and 2 inches. Have been feeling great on the zone. My question is lately I feel hungry in the evenings and tend to go off the zone a bit. I have stopped going down in weight. I have been doing 8 blocks a day. I'm at 104 lbs and would like to get more off because my lower abs are still fat. Any ideas? Should I recalculate? Should I eat more proteins and carbs? What do yu think?

Dear Roberta,
8 blocks is the lower limit (note: as of Summer '97 the lower block limit was changed to 11) so you cannot cut down your food intake. If you are getting hungry you are simply running out of fuel too soon. You didn't mention if you were brain fogged or not. If you are, than your carb level is too high. If you are hungry but have good energy, than you are simply out of fuel and need to add more food.

You could try "tweaking" the diet a little. Add an extra block of carbs and protein but leave the fat at 8 blocks. That would give you more carb fuel and still control your insulin yet not jeopardize eating too much fat in the diet slowing fat loss.

My guess is that at 104 lbs and 4'10" you are pretty slender and do not have a lot of extra fat on you so when you run out of carb fuel your body is resisting releasing stored fat because you are near optimum percentages now. Fat loss slows down naturally when you reach this level so that rapid fat loss you experienced at first just is not there. You are in maintenance mode, like me.

What happens now over a longer period of time is a re-distribution of your stored body fat. It will take a few years for your extra abdominal fat to "spread out" over your body but hey, what else do you have but time?

Perhaps you have a different problem. Lower abs means a "pouchy" tummy, right? You may just need some toning of your lower ab muscles to hold it in more. More leg curls and tummy scrunches may be in your future. Do you have a sway back? That too would tilt your pelvis forward and protrude your tummy too. It would respond to similar exercises.

Zonely yours,
David

Greetings! I am new to the Zone, but am quickly becoming sold on this new way of life. I have over 100 pounds to lose and want to make sure I am successful, for life! Any suggestions you could provide would be helpful. Is there anyone who has had success on the zone with this kind of weight loss? I am also interested in putting my children on the zone. I have a 3 month old (breastfed), a two year old and and five year old. My two year old has been at 18-22 pounds for over a year now, and my five year old weighs about 68 pounds. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Dear Jackie, There is no reason you can not reach your weight goal on the zone. I am glad you are looking at the as a way of life because it really is. You have stumbled onto what I see as a unique, powerful tool to normalize your fat and improve your health. 9:7:3 is all it takes to do it.

Your kids will learn it faster than you think IF they have you and your significant other (that would be nice) get excited. I found that after a few weeks all the others in my home started to eat differently, closer to the zone. My daughter (now 9) has thinned down and is thrilled about it. She has basically not gained any weight over the past year but has, of course, grown taller. She completely wore out her jeans and they simply grew looser on her waist. She now knows that if she eats a cookie, she must also eat a FF cheese stick with it. She "gets" the diet. I have to cook her meals for her and plan them to be zoneful, tricky for kids but do-able. I pack her lunch too.

You simply have to be ruthless at first. Just stop buying high carb foods and give the cakes and bagels you have in the cupboard to the homeless (plenty of them downtown are skinny and hungry). Stock up on zone favorable foods: low fat Cottage cheese, FF cheese, chicken, fish, tuna fish cans, low fat mayo, pickles, lots and lots of fresh veges (every meal, except breakfast). Lite bread (Vogel's is only 6 grams of carb per slice and delicious), low fat peanut butter, almond butter, olive oil (the only stuff to fry with- they have a lite flavored one too), protein powder, vanilla, oatmeal to eat in the morning with your protein shake or make zone snack bars with), 1% milk for the kids, lite yogurt, low fat sandwich meats, fruits, crystal lite, toss out the sodas with sugar in them, eggs, low fat hot dogs and lite buns for the kids, lite syrup for protein pancakes, ff cheese sticks for lunch box, tofu, Green Giant Garden vege burgers, salmon and sardines for cracker snacks, Balance bars, lo fat or free ham or turkey slices (wrap them up with mustard inside for quick snack), extra lean hamburger.

Take EPA supplements, drink water. Let your tummy feel just a little hunger for 1/2 hour before your meals/snacks (not extreme hunger). Adjust your total daily blocks until you start to feel that way. Begin to exercise more. Eat only favorable fats as much as possible. Keep as close to the proper carb/protein ratio as you can or err on the side of protein.

Go buy the book and read it. Calculate your total blocks (should be close to 10-15). Take measurements all over your body to compare later.

You have a head start since you are breast feeding since that will use up many more fat cals than if you are not. You must add a block to your requirement to compensate but I bet you could skimp on the fat part and accelerate your loss a little.

Good luck,
Yours, David

Dr. Dave:
I am lifting weights about four times a week. I'm not trying to turn into some giant muscle man, but I am trying to bulk up a little. Won't the low calorie zone diet prevent me from building muscle, especially since I am running 35 to 45 minutes 5 times a week.

To zone as a weight lifter takes more protein and carbs at certain times. For example, I have heard that eating an extra 9:7:3 block before a work out and then another 9:7:3 afterwards with high glycemic carbs will both replenish the muscle glycogen and provide the building blocks for increased lean muscle mass (which is stimulated by growth hormone release during the work out).

If your physical output continues to climb, you must also re-calculate total daily block requirements by upping your activity factor accordingly. So, calculate your protein requirements and test them to be sure you are stable or losing fat slowly as you wish. Then add the extra two 9:7:3 food blocks before and after workouts and see if your lbm goes up or your fat over time.

You could try an extra block of protein only before and after workouts (0:7:0) but I would add some high glycemic carb and leave out the fat(9:7:0). For all the rest of your meals, stick to the ratios 9:7:3.

Please let me know your results. You are a pioneer.

Q: Also, after doing the calculations in the book, it says I need 16 to 17 blocks a day. Are you really only supposed to have 15 max?

I'm afraid that I do not know what you are referring to. There is no 15 block limit. Perhaps you are mixing this up with the 5 block limit per meal. If you are active enough and big enough, you could maybe need 18-20 daily blocks, this is not unheard of. If you were a 20 blocker however, you would have to eat say 4, 5 block meals. You couldn't eat 3, 7 block meals.

Yours, David

I've been following this diet since mid-December, and am slightly concerned because I have lost *too much* weight -- 14 to 16 pounds, depending on whose scale I use.

My stats: M, 41, currently 182#, exercising for half an hour 3x to 4x a week, and eating 15 "blocks" a day, most days. (Sometimes 1 more, sometimes 1 less.) I've been pretty strictly "on" the diet, with very few lapses. BF% currently 24% or 23% (depending on how well I measure). Started out with LBM of 143#, plus or minus, and last measurements I had LBM 141# (I'm guessing at present BF%; due to measure again in a week or so). At a forecasted loss of 1 to 1.5 # a week, I'm a bit ahead of schedule. Any comment?

Also, what's the going opinion of the "Balance" bars? They seem to have a great deal of their CHO count in "sugars," according to the label. California Zoners may benefit from knowing that Trader Joe's, a "specialty foods" chain with some 20-30 stores throughout the state, is selling these for $0.99 each.

Hope you'll have a chance to write back ... I imagine questions like these must chew up a fair bit of your time, and I'm both grateful and not in any hurry.

Regards, Joshua

Dear Joshua, Yes, we do like to see fat loss ideally no more than 1.5 lbs per week. You are closer to 2+ but be sure to consider extra water loss that occurs at first as you change to fat burning (it takes more water to burn fat than carbs). Please keep track of your weight loss. If you continue at the same rate over then next few weeks you may want to up your total daily blocks 1 or 2. Do not use your total weight loss, just look at your current weekly rate or the past two weeks.

The real test is this: How do you feel? Are you weak? hungry? tired? edgy? If you feel good and strong, than don't be too worried. If you are still concerned, buy some urine sticks and check for ketones. Zone will spill some ketones but if you are going too fast (ala Atkins) you will show high in ketones and you need to up your carbs or total blocks to avoid this.

As for the bars, it is true that the sugars are there however some of them are fructose, which are lower in GI than cane sugar, etc. The bars are not supposed to be the only food you eat. I suggest they be used only when real food is not available but I don't think one or two a day will ruin the zone effect.

Yeah, 99 cents. Pretty good price. I buy EZ and BioZone occasionally but most of the time I buy Balance too. But have you tried making your own Smoosh Bars? I bet they cost about 20 cents each and you know EXACTLY what you put into them. I'll post the recipe on my site this weekend but here it is now for you.

Version 1 = Less Sweet

1 cup + 1 tbs peanut butter
3 cups oats (dry)
Protein powder for 49 blocks or 343 grams (in my case 2 2/3 cups soy protein)
3/4 cup honey
Add a small quantity of water (drop by drop!) to adjust texture. This one tends to be dry otherwise.

Makes 49 bars 1:1:1 at 96 Cal

---------------

Version 2 = smaller, sweeter and "peanutier"

1 cup + 1 tbs peanut butter
2 cups oats, dry (note one cup less than above)
Protein powder for 49 blocks (in my case 2 2/3 cups soy protein)
1 cup honey (1/4 cup more than above)

Makes 49 blocks 1:1:1 at 95 Cal

Bye, David

My wife and I recently started a Zone Diet program. We have five children whose ages range from 3 to 11. Should the 9:7:3: ratio be the same for them? Do you calculate protien requirements in the same way as an adult? Your comments on this subject would be appreciated.

Thanks
John & Dina

"Can children use the diet?

The diet is ideal for children because they need to be in the Zone even more than adults. For children, assume that they have 10% body fat in order to make their lean body mass calculations. Then, whatever their activity factor actually is, increase it by two levels. This is to ensure more than adequate protein for growth spurts. "

You may not know it but my 9 year old girl has been zoning along with me for about a year now. She has had wonderful results in controlling her pudginess as she has been watching one of her best friends at school get fatter and fatter. I believe it is a source of pride for her to feel she is slimming down in such a natural manner. No diets here, just correct eating habits. She still fits into the same pair of jeans although she has grown much taller and slimmer.

She knows she can eat any food she wants, as long as it can be balanced. Many times she will ask me if she can eat a sweet only to quickly add "I'll eat a cheese stick with it, OK?" I guess I'm pretty proud of how she has jumped right into this way of eating.

I do most of her cooking. We have a protein drink in the morning, and egg, toast and/or a small bowl of cereal. I pack her lunches and just make them zoneful. I don't fret so much about block counts, I just feed her balanced meals in large portions and if she asks for more food, I give it to her. After a year she seems to get full most of the time at the end of a meal, not like it used to be when she was carbing out, she could eat enormous quantities of high cal carb meals. I remember her scarfing down 2 bowls of "sugar" cereal in the morning without batting an eye. That never happens anymore.

Good luck with the zone way of eating. It's been the best thing I have ever done for my health.

Yours, David

Many thanks for your reply! I look forward to trying your recipe ... will give t a shot this weekend.

I use the Balance bars as a mid-afternoon snack (was scarfing a bag of peanut M&Ms in this time period before reading Sears and starting the diet), and once in a while I'll eat a couple for lunch if I forget to bring my lunch to work and can't get free to go out ... My subjective experience is that it doesn't mess up the diet; I feel fine on it with or without the bars.

Initially (say the first couple of weeks) I felt hungry from time to time. I wasn't exercising, so was eating less volume, and I think that had something to do with it. As with many other things, getting into a routine helps -- I do my time on the XC ski machine, I make my lunches, I have favorite breakfasts and dinners ... It works out OK.

Any tips for eating on the road? I've got a business trip coming up at end of February and am trying to make plans for meals. (Bringing bars will probably help -- another reason to check out your recipes.)

Joshua,

Avoid the bread before the meal and order a desert, take a few bites, feign fullness and offer it to your chubby pals. Decaf coffee will top things off anyway.

Good luck,
David

In the Zone for a few weeks now, I am happy with the payoffs. But what happens when you veer off the Zone? I have heard that you can really stack on weight quickly. Do you know if this is true? Heather

Dear Heather,
If you go back to your old way of eating, it will take a few months but your body size and composition will slowly return to it's original fat setting. Perhaps even with a slightly higher fat percentage. This is called the"yo yo" effect.

My question is this: Why would anyone ever WANT to go back to eating that way again? I mean, I feel so good eating balanced and fitting into my 34 inch pants and dancing up the stairs, why would I ever want to live hungry all the time, eating low quality food and risking heat disease and strokes? I just don't get it. Sure, I love jelly donuts just like the next guy but what sets me apart from the animals is that I have a thinking brain that weighs the pros and cons of eating certain foods and I choose a healthy lifestyle over a deadly one.

OK, lets say that you decide to return to old high carb, low fat, low protein eating. I would suggest that you try to keep your activity level up and SLOWLY begin to lower the ratios from .77 to .6 to .5 over several months. Keep track of your weight and see how it goes. If your body is not too insulin sensitive, your weight may still remain stable or drift slightly up. You could find a balance point where your eating habits are more to your liking while still maintaining a low level zone effect.

Good luck with your modification, let me know how it goes.

Yours waving from the Zone,

David

Hi Doc-
Where does the protien requirements data in the zone come from?

It is presented somewhat matter-of-factly but some critics say the protien is too high? It seems like nutritionists/doctors should at least be able to agree on something as seemingly simple as protien requirements. Leave it to the government to come up with something as stupid as 56 grams for men (whether you are a 78 year old man weighing 110 lbs or a 16 year old wrestler weighing 150 lbs). Did you know the RDA for vitamin C is higher for monkey chow than it is for humans (I think I read that in Durk and Sandy Pearson's life extension book). But I digress...

Thanks in advance, Clark

I learned years ago that to maximize your immune function, you need close to 90grams each day. Sears doesn't even talk about immune system needs but thinks in terms of replacing joint and muscle protein which are breaking down with each use. The more you exercise, the more they break down and the more protein you need. (hence the activity factor in the calculation).

Think about this: The recommended ADA calorie requirements are in the range of 2000-2800 per day. Lets pick 2200. Now they also suggest 15% protein. 2200X 15% = 330cals. At 4cals per gram that is: 330/4 = 82.5 Strange, huh? This is far from 56 grams!

Of course Zoning is a fat loss diet so we eat much fewer calories than 2200; more like 1400. At 30% protein as required by the zone, you get 420cals per day or 105 grams. This seems a little high when compared to ADA guidelines but what would you rather have, a little excess protein each day or risk depressing your immune function and the possibility to increase your muscle mass? I think that's a no-brainer.

There is better documentation on protein requirements. You could request the references directly from Dr. Sears through his web site:

http://www.Eicotech.com/

Thanks for the note.
Zonefully yours,
David

Dear Dave,
How do you do. As a brand new zoner I have quite a few questions I need to ask you but that would take hours --so here's just a few. First of all I'm a waitress in a very busy diner. On the weekends my day starts at 6am and I get to work at 8. I eat my 3 blocks of carbs pros and fat within maybe ten minutes. Since I have an hour to eat do I count the time to my next meal from the time I start eating or an hour later? Since from what I understand I should never go more than 5 hours without a meal is there a certain amount of hours I have to wait till the next meal or can it say be 3 hours later. If I wait 5 hours at a shot I run out of hours in the day to eat.

Dear Yowsahyows, The 5 hour max means just that, you can always eat sooner. The reason is that no matter how big your last meal, if you wait 5 hours, all of it will have been burned or stored and you will be low on blood sugar reserves. If you wait too much longer, when you eat, you will spike insulin and shock your system. The zone proposes eating in as smooth a manner as you can. It you could eat 12 - 1 block snacks every two hours around the clock this would be ideal. Of course no one can do this so we settle for the next best method... 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks.

Now for your schedule, perhaps smaller meals and a few more frequent snacks would work better. Just spread your total block numbers as smoothly throughout the day as possible. Try eating a smaller breakfast, wait until you just become hungry (maybe 3 hours later) and then eat a snack. Use your hunger as a guide for when you want to eat, become your body's best friend, listen to it's cues.

I've been zoning for two days now and I seem to get a ba d headache when I eat my meal so close together.

I am not sure what this means, it may not have anything to do with spacing of your meals but headaches at the start can be due to your metabolism switching into fat burning gear. Drink lots of water and try an EPA supplement to off-set the AA that is being released by your fat cells. Sometimes headaches mean you are just not eating enough food. If your fat loss becomes excessive (more than 2 lbs per week) increase your total food.

Also I need to know my activity level. I work 5 days a week basically walking rapidly and running through the restaurant. I jog maybe 5 times a week for a short time in the morning and I do the ab roller machine 5 times a week. I also go to jack lalan maybe twice a week for two hours a shot.I believe this is considered very active please advise.last question how much aerobic and anaerobic exerciseis recommended on this diet. Thankyou for anything you can tell me
Sincerely, Yowsahyows

Welcome to the zone! I hope you enjoy this new way of relating to food as I have. You will feel very special soon as your friends begin to notice changes in you.
Yours, David

From Tom: I was hoping you could answer a couple of questions I had concerning "The Zone Diet".1- When I eat a meal that has 5 blocks of protein in it, I find it almost impossible to eat enough blocks of carbs when the carbs are all vegetables.What would you suggest?

If I go to bed at 11:00 p.m. everynight, at what time should my last meal or snack be at?

I

like to eat nuts as my primary source of monosaturated fat. What do you think are the top three healthiest to eat? A

I'm not sure what my bodyfat % should be right now. I calculated it at 12%. I'm a male that is 6 feet tale, 32 inch waist and I'm 32 years old. Should I continue to lose bodyfat and get on some sort of maintenance diet of the Zone?

My main goal right now is to get a stomach that is ripped like the pro-bodybuilders. Any advice?

(the following was added later after several people commented on my above answer. David) >I disagree with your answer. As I interpret it, the person asking the >question is asking how to get a ripped stomach, not how to look like a >bodybuilder in other respects (huge muscles, etc.). It is generally agreed >in bodybuilding circles that the key to achieving that washboard stomach >(a.k.a. 6-pack, ripped abs, etc.) is low body fat achieved through diet. >Strong abdominal muscles are also important, but are typically much easier >to achieve. The key is typically not further developing the muscle, but >eliminating the fat covering it. It depends on the individual, but for >most men you must be under 10% to see your abs. Hence, it would seem to me >that being in the Zone diet would be an ideal way to get ripped abs as it >is a fat-loss diet. > >A little more info on bodybuilding: the competing bodybuilder tries to >achieve both huge muscles (lots of lean body mass) and extremely low body >fat (typically around 5% for contests). This is usually achieved through >alternating bulking/cutting cycles. In a bulking cycle, the athlete trains >hard and eats A LOT in an attempt to gain LBM while not worrying that fat >is also being added. Then he or she goes on a calorie restricted diet >coupled with both resistance training and lots of aerobic exercise in an >attempt to lose fat while keeping most of their LBM. Most tend to lose >significant LBM during cutting. During bulking, most advocate a Zone-style >diet in macronutrient proportions, but eat significantly more than a strict >Zone protein requirement would indicate, even accounting for their high >activity level. Also, "bad carbs" such as pasta and brown rice tend to be >staples of the BB regime. > >I'm interested in losing body fat while bulking up, a process most say is >not possible except for those who are obese. I am curious to see of the >Zone (with increased protein intake) would be effective for this goal. I >have also found a few other diets that claim to make this possible, both of >which advocate a "zig-zag" approach to dieting, i.e. over-eat for a short >period then under-eat for a short period, with the periods being anywhere >from a few days to a few weeks depending on the specific diet (see >http://www.ipf.com/fredzig.htm, or >http://www.musclemedia.com/v58/v58_abc1.html for more info). > >I'll let you know if I have any success with bulking while losing body fat >while on a Zone-style diet. Thank you for your time. > > >Jon H > Thanks for all this good info, you are not the only person to comment on that mail bag answer so I guess I'll have to go in and edit it some. If it is OK with you, may I post the part of your response here that pertains to BB? Thanks again, David

Usually at this time of year, I get on a diet that consists of mainly protein and vegetables to get my waistline as small as possible before summer. Do you think that the Zone diet would be a better approach? I've been Zoning for about 5 weeks now and my waist has stayed the same. Help. Tom

Good luck and enjoy the water this summer, I know I am looking forward to walking around without my shirt on.
David

From Jason:
Hi Dave, it's time for a Zone tune-up!! I told you I lost 18 pounds in 39 days and I've been able to maintain it pretty well. I think I may have gained a pound or two. I would like to lose about two pounds and I seem to have to be on a plateau--maybe some of my proportions are off. I would like to check out a few things if that's ok.

1) they say no more than five hours between meals--does that mean between meals or snacks??

If I have a snack in the afternoon, can I wait seven hours after lunch before dinner???

The zone concept remember is idealized by three IV's in constant drip (one IV is protein, the second IV being carbs and of course the third IV of fat). By waiting 7 hours you are defeating this whole concept.

If I happen to eat carbs without protein for some reason is it better to eat a little fat, too, or is that even worse???

My newest take on the diet is that it is actually like two diets in one. One part of the diet is the zone effect: proper ratios of carb to protein keeps your insulin in check, providing a health benefit of controlling HDL, heart disease, inflammation and pain.

Keeping the insulin low and steady is the primary goal of the diet plan. Low insulin means also that your fat cells may convert stored fat into energy to run the body, but if you eat too much dietary fat, you will have enough from your food that your fat cell will not have to release their extra stored fat and you will not lose any weight. This is the second part of the diet; fat balance. If you keep to the correct ratios of 7:9:3, you will be eating a low fat diet (gram-wise). You will run out of carbs and dietary fat at hour #3 and since your insulin level is low, your fat cells will have to release stored fat to supply the calories needed to live.

So the long and short of it is this: if you are finding that you are not losing body fat and yet you are staying close to the zone balance of carbs:protein, then most likely you are getting too much fat somewhere in your diet, it's easy to do, especially if you are used to maintaining your weight as you have been for several months.

3) my biggest temptation is in the morning when I wake up--I like to eat prunes or other fruit and even nuts or seeds sometimes. There is no cottage cheese or low-fat cheese here to balance it out with protein--any ideas or suggestions. Does eating fruit alone before breakfast mess up my whole diet??

Here is another thought however. You can think of this plan as if it is 5 diets in one. That is, if you eat way out of the zone, you will be un zoned for the next 5 hours. At that time you have a new chance to hit the zone. This chance can occur every 5 hours so in a 24 day, you have 5 chances. If you hit 3 out of 5 that's 60% which in my book is better than 0%!!!!! I figure that I hit it at least 80% of the time, maybe some days 90% but I too have my failings, especially before dinner.

4) how many raw almonds would be 4 blocks of fat?? I've been eating six or seven almonds for 4 blocks

5) I was reading Sears's book last night and I think I've been screwing up on the mayonaise--that may be my problem!! I was eating two tablespoons of regular mayo with 4 blocks of tuna--I got the proportions off the mayo jar in North Carolina. Sears says a teaspoon for 4 blocks!! How can the consistency of the tuna be right?? I just bought Hellman's Light and will try that with a little less than two tablespoons. What do you think about mayo??

6) Sometimes instead of bread, I eat five saltine crackers with my tuna. Would that be about four blocks of carbs??

Several Doctors ,that I am related to, have told me that there are No facts to base the insulin theory on. Can you tell me WHY Dr. Sears believes that eating certain foods will increase your insulin levels more so than others? How can he prove this ? He can't.....so the Cardiologists say. They are debating the book and work with Dean Ornish.... (But I like the diet !!! It helped my daughters illness. :))
Brandy

I have been meaning to do the same thing and so I will, your letter has put this at the top of my to do list.

In the meantime I have had a few thoughts. I think it is odd that your cardiolgist friend disputes the insulin portion of the diet's therory. I wonder what part? It is undisputed that people with type II diabeties have elevated insulin levels and this is due to insulin resistance. When normal people eat large carbohydrate meals their insulin levels rise, where is the mystery there? It is known that type II diabetics are prone to heart disease and strokes, what is controversial here?

Once again I am sorry I do not have referances other than what is listed on my web page but you can certainly find them if you want to. In the meantime here are a few referacnes I have on my web site that you can start with:

The following are a few referances that pertain to the Zone diet plan and nutrition plans in general. More specific references and other information may be obtained by calling the author of "Enter The Zone", Barry Sears. He can be reached at 1-800-345-2703.

Muojo DM, Leddy JJ. Horvath PJ' Awad AB, and Pendergast DR. "Effect of dietary fat on metabolic adjustments to maximal V02 and endurance in runners." Med. sci. Sports Exerc. 26: 8148 (1994)V

Phinney SD, Bistrian BR, Evans WI, CervinoE, and Blackburn CL. "The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction." Metabolism 32: 769-776 (1983)

Sherman WM, Doyle JA, Lamb DR, and Strauss RH. "Dietary carbohydrate, muscle glycogen and excercise performance during 7d of training," Amer. 3. Clin. Nutr. 57: 21-31 (1993)

Gaitanos C, Williams C, Boobis LH, and Brooks S. "Human muscle metabolism during intermittent maximal exercise." J Appi Physiol 75; 712-7l9 (1993)

Lamb DR, Rinehardt Kr, Bartels RL, Sherman WM, and Snook JT. "Dietary carbohydrate and intensity of interval swim training." Am. 3. Clin. Nutr. 52: 10584063 (1990)

Muojo DM, Leddy JJ. Horvath PJ' Awad AB, and Pendergast DR. "Effect of dietary fat on metabolic adjustments to maximal V02 and endurance in runners." Med. sci. Sports Exerc. 26: 8148 (1994)V

Phinney SD, Bistrian BR, Evans WI, CervinoE, and Blackburn CL. "The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction." Metabolism 32: 769-776 (1983)

Sherman WM, Doyle JA, Lamb DR, and Strauss RH. "Dietary carbohydrate, muscle glycogen and excercise performance during 7d of training," Amer. 3. Clin. Nutr. 57: 21-31 (1993)

Sinzinger H and Rogatti W (eds.) Prostaglandin El in Atherosclerosis". Spinger-Verlag. New York, NY. (1986)

Black HR. "The coronary artery disease paradox. The role of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance and implications for therapy." J. Cardiovascular Pharmacol. 15: 26S-38S (1990)

Farquhar JW, Frank A, Gross RC, and Reaven CM. "Glucose, insulin, and triglyceride responses to high and low carbohydrate diets in man." J. Clin. Invest. 45 1648-1656 (1966)

Garg A, Crudy SM, and Unger RH. "Comparison of effects of high and low carbohydrate diets on plasma lipoproteins and insulin senisivity in patients with mild NIDDM." Diabetes 41:1278-1285 (1992)

Laurier D, Cuiguet M, chan NP, Wells JA, and Valleron AJ. "Prevalence of obesity: a comparative survey in France, the United Kingdom1 and the United States." Int. J. Obesity 16: 565-572 (1992)

Hannon EM, and Lohman TC. "The energy cost of overweight in the United States." American J. Public Health 68: 765-767 (1978)

Kaczmarski RJ, flegal KM, Comptede SM, Johnson CL. "Increasing prevalence of overweight among U. S. Adults." JAMA 272: 205-239 (1994)

Accordingly, the 2nd National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1983), published data on food consumption in the US. The number one foods are White bread, rolls, and crackers, #2 doughnuts, cookis and cake. The newest NHANES III report shows a reduction in fat intake and an increase in obesity.

Hawley JA and Hopkins WG. Aerobic glycolytic and aerobic lipolytic power systems: A new paradigm with implications for endurance and ultra-endurance events. Sports Med. 1995, 19(4):240-250.

Kronfield DS, Ferrante PL and Grandjean D. Optimal nutrition for athletic performance, with emphasis on fat adaptation in dogs and horses. J Nutr. 1994, 124(S):2745-2753.

Sherman WM and Leenders N. Fat loading: the next magic bullet? Int J Sports Nutr. 1995, 5(S):S1-S12.

Some papers on the issues of dietary adaptation, metabolism and performance:

Jones NL, Heigenhauser GJF, Kuksis A, Matsos CG, Sutton JR and Toews CJ. Fat metabolism in heavy exercise. Clin Sci. 1980, 59:469-478.

Callow M, Mortin A and Guppy M. Marathon fatigue: the role of plasma fatty acids, muscle glycogen and blood glucose. Eur J Appl Physiol. 1986, 55:654-661.

Fuerst ML. "Fat loading" improved endurance performance. Phys and Sportsmed. 1982, 10(10):28-29.

Lambert EV et al. Enhanced endurance in trained cyclists during moderate intensity exercise following 2 weeks adaptation to a high fat diet. Eur J Appl Physiol 1994, 69:287-293.

Muoio DM, Leddy JL, Hovath PJ, et al. Effect of dietary fat on metabolic adjustments to maximal VO2 and endurance in runners. Med. Sci Sports Exerc 1994, 26: 81-8.

Sherman WM, Costill DL, Fink WJ and Miller JM. Effects of exercise-diet manipulation on muscle glycogen and its subsequent utiliation during performance. Int J Sports Med. 1981, 2:1-15.

Simonsen JC, Sherman WM, Lamb DR, Dernbach AR, Doyle JA and Strass R. Dietary carbohydrate, muscle glycogen and power output during rowing training. J Appl Physiol. 1991, 70(4):1500-1505.

Simi B, Sempore B, Mayet M-H and Favier RJ. Additive effects of training and high-fat diet on energy metabolism during exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1991, 71(1):197-203.

Van Zyl C et al. Effect of a low carbohydrate, low fat diet on endurance cycling performance (Abstract). In: Conference abstracts of the ninth international conference of the biochemistry of exercise. 1994: 32-33

Jansson E and Kaijser L. Effect of diet on the utilization of blood-bourne and intramuscular substrates during exercise in man. Acta Physiol Scand 1982, 115: 19-30.

Phinney SD, Bistrian BR, Wolfe RR and Blackburn GL. The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: physical and biochemical adaptation. Metabolism. 1983a, 32(8):757-768.

Phinney SD, Bistrian BR, Evans WJ, Gervino E and Blackburn GL. The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: preservation of substrate exercise capability with reduced carbohydrate oxidation. Metabolism, 1983b, 32(8):769-776.

Millar WC, Bryce GR and Conlee RK. Adaptations to a high-fat diet that increase exercise endurance in male rats. J Appl Physiol. 1984, 56(1):78-83.

Conlee RK, Hammer RL, Winder WW, Bracken ML, Nelson AG and Barnett DW. Glycogen repletion and exercise endurance in rats adapted to a high fat diet. Metabolism. 1990, 39(3): 289-294.

Mole PA, Oscai LB, Holloszy JO. Adaptation of muscle to exercise. Increase in levels of palmityl transferase and palmityl CoA dehydrogenase and the capacity to oxidise fatty acids. J Clin Invest. 1971, 50: 2323-2330.

Kiens B, Essen-Gustavsson B, Gad P and Lithell H. Lipoprotein lipase activity and intramuscular triglyceride stores after long term high fat and high carbohydrate diets in physically trained men. Clin Physiol.1987, 7:1-9.

Reynolds AJ, Fuhrer L, Dunlap HL, Finke M and Kallfelz FA. Effect of diet and training on muscle glycogen storage and utilization in sled dogs. J Appl Physiol. 1995, 79(5): 1601-1607.

I'm a beer lover and can't seem to find a way to cut beer out of my diet because I love it so much. Dr. Sears book indicates that 6oz of beer = 1 carb block (9g carbs); I noticed that light beer is only 4 or 5g carbs so does this mean I can double the size of the light beer (12 oz) or is there something about the alcohol that affects statistics?
Julie

Julie,
Carbs are carbs on this diet. Alcohol is not metabolized as carb so it counts only as calories (100 cals=one block of food) so if you drink a block of carb, eat a block of protein and fat with it. (cheese and crackers sounds good). But keep in mind that the total cals add up and if you are having a drink before dinner, you must sacrifice real food for those empty alcohol cals to keep the total within your block count.

Skol!

David

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