anyone try Zone diet?

PJMommy · Aug 5, 2003

Here's what hubby and I have done for about 5 years... both at healthy weights and never have to "diet".

- Absolutely no red meat. Hubby doesn't eat meat at all...the kids and I do chicken or fish about once a week.

- Whole grain everything... pasta, bread, etc.

- LOTS of fruits and veggies and NUTS (love the natural peanut butter with no added oil or sugar!!)

- LOTS of soy products (i.e. soy protein bars, soy "meats" - but I hate tofu!)

- LOTS of water

- Never fast food

- We rarely drink milk anymore...instead we get our calcium from fortified OJ and green leafy veggies

After about 2 months, I didn't miss the red meat at all. People ask if I don't get hungry for a steak...the answer is NO, the thought disgusts me now. I'm not kidding when I tell you that you can eat as much as you want and not gain weight (as long as you are also walking...or doing other exercise).

I tried some fries at McDonald's a while back and they literally made me sick. Kind of scary that I used to eat it all the time, huh? The only "fat" I use in cooking is olive oil or the Benecol margarine. Hubby's total cholesterol is 130 and mine is 155. Pretty darn good for a couple of people in their mid-30s.

The soy "meats" are quite good. I personally love the Boca Italian Sausage in a good tortellini soup. My kids love the soy "bacon" and my husband could eat a pound of ground "beef" soy sloppy joes.

Best of luck in your quest. I agree with John...it shouldn't be a diet but a lifestyle. :)

Godswill · Aug 5, 2003

U see the thing that people get wrong about the Zone, Atkins and Protein Power is that its a diet, IT is NOT a diet, it a way of eating. I do Protein Powers and i have went from 211lbs-137lbs and went from 42% body fat - 29% body fat and still dropping:) I made a year this August. I love this way of eating. I eat fruits, veggie and whole wheat products. Not to mention i am not sluggish, craving sweets etc. Also i work out at curves 2-3 times a week for 1 hour.

BY the way my hubby is a vegetarian- so u know i am force to have several different meal here a day:)

zacarias, ASN, RN · Aug 5, 2003

Originally posted by John Coxey
As one who has lost 120 lbs (300 -> 180lbs) and kept it off for 1 yr 3 months now, here is some advice.

1. FORGET DIETS!!!!!!!! PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
)

John,

I really enjoyed your post. I also am a male who struggled with being overweight during my teenage years and it has continued into adulthood.

In the last two years or so, I've gotten serious about shedding the pounds and I have lost more than 50 lbs during this "new way of life." Something happens and I gain it back but I'm now on this "new way of life" again and feeling the progress. I understand that diets are not a good idea and that changing one's habits is essential in order to lose weight and then MAINTAIN it. This includes of course exercising, eating healther yet not starving yourself.

I basically do a modified slim-fast diet. I am a fairly big and tall guy so I try to eat more calories per day than slim-fast recommends but I've determined this makes sense for me. Of course back in the days I used to pig out on pizza, ben and jerry's ice cream, and peanut butter M&Ms, my calorie intake was astronomical. The weird thing is, I don't even like sweets really or ice cream. I would just go crazy with eating. Of course I'm an emotional eater too and that contributes to these "binges."

My main reason for wanting to lose weight is my appearance. I felt that people would never be attracted to me physically if I didn't lose weight and gain more muscle. I have to be careful though, because I don't want to be losing weight FOR someone, because that can have dire consequences.

Anyway John, I appreciate your post and am very happy for your sustained weight loss and please keep up the good work! :)

Mariannsi · Aug 5, 2003

I'm on the Seefood diet - see food and eat. I also do regular arm-pushes with the refrigerator door. Only Kidding, I'm actually trying just a calorie count and exercising. 1000 cals per day, do not eat anything after 6:00 pm, except water. So far two week of doing this I've lost 9 pounds and believe it or not the water is filling so I'm not hungry at night.

maire, ASN, RN · Aug 5, 2003

LOL I just took a nutrition class and now I'm a menace to society in general and diets in particular.

Exercise, exercise, exercise!! Diets suck!!

ST_NURSE_MLD · Aug 5, 2003

Drink lots and lots of "good" water!!!

Ada · Aug 5, 2003

Originally posted by Mariannsi
I'm on the Seefood diet - see food and eat. I also do regular arm-pushes with the refrigerator door. Only Kidding, I'm actually trying just a calorie count and exercising. 1000 cals per day, do not eat anything after 6:00 pm, except water. So far two week of doing this I've lost 9 pounds and believe it or not the water is filling so I'm not hungry at night.

Some experts seem to recommend you only cut 500 calories from your normal daily intake when you're not gaining nor losing weight. Anything above that you'll just burn muscle not fat.

Ada

kats · Aug 5, 2003

I have another question now too. I have been cutting out the pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice for the most part. I have also been eating mostly veggies, salad, chicken, and seafood. I drink mostly water. I have been swimming laps for 45 minutes a day. The problem is that while I have been losing inches (about 20 total so far from arms, legs, abdomen, and waist), I haven't lost hardly any pounds at all. I know that muscle ways more than fat and I am gaining muscle and losing fat because of the lost inches, but will the weight ever start to go too? I really am starting to feel like I am going to end up being a skinny person that weighs a lot. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences with this kind of result.

JnJTyson · Aug 5, 2003

Hey guys! Great post!

I've been doing the Curves diet. Made for women. They have gyms that are women only, but I have a personal trainer 3 times a week for an hour. My mom and I work out togehter.

I'm the type of person that can do 45 mins on the eliptical machine when the trainer is there, or my mom is there...but if I go alone, I tend to stay on 10 mins then quit. I need someone pushing me to do it. I have the ability to let myself down when I'm alone working out (not in other areas..thank goodness) but won't do it when the trainer is there.

The Curves diet is a lower-carb diet..for me..they also have a calorie sensitive plan. Still eat carbs. But limited. I lost 10 pounds (water weight) the first 4 days. And am losing about 3-4 pounds a week. But my muscle mass has grown. I do 30 mins of cardio, and 30 mins of weight lifting.

I started around 300 pounds (I'm 5'8) and a size 28.

I got engaged, and I refused to get married at the size I was.

Right now, I'm 250 and a size 22. I started the diet a few months ago.

My only advice to the rest of the dieters. Don't make your goal your final weight. Since I started, I've set and acheived at least 6 goals. First goal...stay on the darn thing at least a week. Second goal, bump up the time on the cardio machine (I could only do 7 mins when I started out...I'm up to 45)

I still have my long term goal of fitting into regular size clothes. Don't care if its a 2 or a 12.

My last bit...is please make realistic goals! I met a woman who was actually in a place I would like to end at. She was a size 10/12. She was about 5'10 and weight 180lbs. She wanted to do medflight as a career. They require weight to be between 120-150 or something like that. She wanted to get to 110lbs. My personal trainer is 5'3 and weighs 109. She has an amazing figure. Not skinny. she's fit. 110 at 5"10? blech!

But good luck to everyone who diets. Its a personal choice. You'll never do it for anyone but yourself! =0)

If anyone wants info about the curves diet...message me =0)

Jules