There’s never a lot of talk about what you should and shouldn’t drink when you’re on the Zone diet plan. Sure, it’s a given that you should always try to consume water. But what about your other options?
Alcohol – Sorry guys, but the bad news is that alcoholic drinks are high-glycemic, high-sugared carbohydrates. Alcohol is derived from grains or fruits, and increases insulin levels, which sabotages your weight loss efforts. If it helps, think of a 4 oz glass of wine, a bottle of beer, or 1½ oz of liquor as one Zone block. That means that if you’re a male, and usually consume 4 blocks of carbohydrates (36-40 grams) at a meal, you would need to eat one block less of carbohydrates in order to have that drink at that meal. Make sense? Basically, if you don’t drink, don’t start now. If you do, always drink in moderation!
Coffee – Coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a stimulant. This is why we like it, right? However, because caffeine is a stimulant, it causes insulin resistance. If you must drink coffee, it is best to opt for water-processed decaffeinated coffee. And remember, if you add milk or half-and-half to your coffee, you are adding a few extra carbohydrates to your daily intake!
Soda – I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that regular soda is chock full of sugar, sugar, sugar! It’s obvious why you shouldn’t drink it. Sugar = calories, resulting in insulin spikes and unwanted weight gain. However, there are now all kinds of diet sodas out there that contain artificial sweeteners and boast that they only have one calorie. What they don’t tell you is that those artificial sweeteners stimulate carbohydrate cravings, which sabotage your program. Remember, the Zone is not about calories; it’s about the hormonal response to food! Aspartame has been linked to headaches, dizziness, anxiety and depression. Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners along with high levels of phosphorous, which interferes with calcium absorption. Calcium depletion has been associated with osteoporosis/bone loss. We need strong bones to lift all those heavy CrossFit weights! Long story short, it is best to cut out the soda.
Juice – Juice is a great way to get your daily quota of fruits and vegetables, right? WRONG. Don’t be fooled! Juices are loaded with sugar and should be avoided. If you just can’t kick the juice habit, try to wean yourself off of it slowly. Try adding a bit of sparkling or still water and slowly changing the ratio to more water than juice. This will help retrain your taste buds until you’ve readjusted to drinking only water.
So what the heck can you drink?! Ideally, water should always be your main beverage of choice. Try your best to drink at least 8 -8 oz glasses of water daily. The Zone diet is all about burning fat. What you may not know is that burning fat is a very dehydrating process, which is why constipation is often a complaint when starting the program. Drinking lots of water is important!
If you must drink other liquids, just be sure to account for their carbohydrate content in your daily eating plan. And above all else, exercise moderation!
Today’s Workout
Buy-In – One arm dumbbell snatch technique
5 reps (R), 5 reps (L) x 3, increasing weight each set
WOD – “Compulsive CrossFit Disorder”
Elite –
- 100 feet walking lunges
- 21 ring dips
- 21 knees to elbows
- 100 feet walking lunges
- 15 ring dips
- 15 knees to elbows
- 100 feet walking lunges
- 9 ring dips
- 9 knees to elbows
Zone 3 – modify to assisted ring dips
Zone 2 – modify to jumping ring dips x 2
Zone 1 – modify to jumping ring dips and double crunch
Cash-Out – 5 minutes of running, practicing POSE running technique
