Here are some quick tips to help you stay in the Zone from Barry Sears:
Top 11 Zone Diet Tips
- Always eat within one hour of waking…. maybe 2 before CrossFit so you don’t say hi to Uncle Pukie
- Never let more than five hours go by without having a Zone meal or snack and don’t forget your bedtime snack.
- Keep a food diary and note how you feel after a meal. Make a list of which meals keep you in the Zone… You will be able to monitor your results when recording and make changes if need be.
- When you go to the store, make sure to have a list in hand with ingredients for at least two or three Zone meals. Then you won’t be tempted to buy everything in sight while trying to create Zone meals on the spot…. Shop on the outside of the grocery store, if it has a label it has been processed in some form or another.
- Never leave the house hungry, or you’ll be tempted by all the food waved in your face everywhere you go.
- In dips, replace part or all of the sour cream with cottage cheese. Place the cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add seasonings and blend again.
- Instead of skimping with a small amount of mayo and having dry tuna, try using strained yogurt instead. Spice it up if you want.
- When making guacamole in the Zone, use cut up red, green and orange bell peppers instead of tortilla chips.
- Take any type of fruit you like, (lemons, limes, oranges, strawberries, or any combination of fruits), slice, place in a pitcher, fill with ice and water, and place in the fridge overnight. Stir just before serving.
- Miss mashed potatoes? Try mashed cauliflower instead… Yummy, you will barely notice the difference!
- Slice zucchini (length wise), brush lightly with olive oil and broil until crisp/tender (about 5 minutes). Then use the zucchini like you would lasagna noodles…. Or try spaghetti squash
Do you have any Zone tips to share with your fellow athletes? Please post to the comments section!
Today’s Workout:
AMRAP in 12 minutes
- 5 Push Press (45lbs/65lbs)
- 10 Double unders
- 15 Squats
What’s the thought on starving yourself all day in order to over eat your blocks at night? 😉
For example: I’m going to the pub tomorrow night for UFC where healthy options are minimal and alcoholic beverages will most likely be consumed…can I starve myself all day and then try and still balance at the end of the day?
I find that the easiest way for me to stay in the Zone is to prepare my food for the next day the night before. This way it just takes the guess work out of trying to make sure you get all your blocks in. As well, once the food is prepared write it into your food journal for the next day, in pen ;), so that you are forced to stick with your blocks.
You should never starve yourself, that will slow your metabolism down. Don’t go more than 5 hours without eating.
I would just eat zone proportions throughout the day, maybe if you eat 3 block meals, cut it to 2 block meals. Remember though, your body can’t really absorb more that approx 21g or protein at a time (girls).
Just try to make smart decisions. If I know that I will be consuming alcohol, I will just eat protein and fat with it 😉
A nice steak, and nuts goes well with wine doesn’t it?
Thanks for the advice Stefan! I like to make my meals and snacks the night before as well or I may end up sleeping in and then not have time to make the meals. This can lead to a disaster and potentially eating out.
I don’t really eat meals per se, it is more random meat, veggies, fruit and nuts mixed together.
“Eating to live, not living to eat.”
In saying that, you need to cheat, here and there so that you can enjoy your food some of the time as well 😉
Krista,
According to trusty Dr. Barry Sears who created the miracle of The Zone, you aren’t supposed to go more than 5 hours without eating. Deanna is right. However, as the day progresses, I would just eat as you are hungry, in smaller block meals. Don’t focus as much on your Birthday about eating every 2 hours, or just eating to get in your blocks. Fuel as necessary, and have fun!