Real confused

[Big_Dan]

I just read the zone diet by phd dr. barry sears and she makes lots of claims.
1) You should eat a 1:1 ratio of protein fats and carbs to make up your diet. You shouldn't go over that.
So if I get 30g protein in a meal, i have to get 30g fats?

Can I just add a tbsp of flax and that will be it, or does it have to be boiled to a science?

This is a sample of the diet.

1/2C Oatmeal
Protein powder (22g Protein
5g of fat from flax (5 soft gels)

Zone perfect bar (210cals, 7g fat (EFAS), 16g P)

Lunch
40g Protein
33g carbs from low gi fruit or oats
10 softgels (10g Fat from flax)

POSTWORKOUT
22g Protein
30g carbs from Powerade
No fat

Dinner
30g Protein
14g FAT (1tbsp)
30g Carbs

Snack
Low GI Fruit portion (pineapple etc)
1/2 C low fat cottage cheese
5 softgels of flax (5g fat)

What do you guys think of this diet, can you critique?
I am expecting 2lbs at least a week reduction and Im going on this diet non stop for 9 weeks.
Your help is appreciated

[Big_Dan]

BTW, those of you that know my posts please dont argue, as I went out to buy a book to stop all the questioning, and finally I came up with a worthy question backed up by knowledge.
WHat do you think

[FKITLETSGO]

I am not familiar with "The Zone" but I wouldn't combine carbs and fats. Split them up.

[MIKE_XXL]

NO, if you eat 30gm of protein that is 120 calories, so you would need 120 calories from fats which would be 13.3 gm of fat and of course 30 gm of carbs which is 120 calories again...XXL

[painintheazz]

Looks like that is a little low on the cals per day? How much does it calc out to? BTW, those zone bars only have like 7mg of EFA fats in them I think, haha, just enought so he can put it on the wrapper.

Pain

[Big_Dan]

The way I understand it, you shouldnt combine carbs and fats unless carbs are high gi otherwise theres no prob, but dont combine em Post workout otherwise insulin rise will not be sufficient.

Thanks Mike for the concise answer.
Otherwise is this diet plan alright for losing 20 lbs? Starting tomrrow, I appreciate the answers.
Also, Ill be doing cardio EOD and weights 3x a week (cardio on days I dont lift).
Plenty of water too. WHat else?

[Big_Dan]

ALso, pain, I found out that 1g of my softgels contain around 530mg+ of EFA. I kind of figured those bars werent good, even though they have the proper ratio. I bought em, so I will use them and they cant hurt for the first week, so after you guys give me other alterations in the diet, what would be a suitable bar (or at least semi suitable) for my situation?
Should I go for carb containing bars, or will that screw up my progress? I understand those carb containing bars are nothing but sugar...help me out they never come from whole carbs. What can I do?

[BIG TEXAN]

Big_Dan- Glad to see you're doing some research and learning a bit more.

First meal- how about some egg whites instead of the protein powder

As for the snack, if that's at night I'd lose the fruit. Maybe put the fruit in with that bar earlier in the day. And use the protein powder from the morning here instead. Just my opinion.

[Big_Dan]

Thanks for the tips guys.
1) The zone recommends carbs in everymeal, and that portion of pineapple is a snack, very small is what it should be. But I agree, ill take it out and go low carb at night.
2) I am working out 1hr on rollerblades skiing style.
3) My protein is whey, so can I have the cottage cheese instead?
I add some olive oil here and thats a meal. Is this fine.
4) The lunch meal, 44g of protein has been coming from a whey shake and fruit along with softgels of flax. This is inconvenient and expensive, what can I sub here that wont be too hard to carry around?
Rice with chicken? I have only brown rice and oats as carbs those are my limitatios, protein i have canned chicken and canned tuna.
WHat do you guys think.
I appreciate the advice and the props!

[BIG TEXAN]

You can use cottage cheese, but I don't understand the question.
Yes replace the shake with the canned chicken and or tuna.

[Big_Dan]

Originally posted by BIG TEXAN
You can use cottage cheese, but I don't understand the question.
Yes replace the shake with the canned chicken and or tuna.

Thanks. THe question was, is a meal at the end of the day consisting of cottage cheese drizzled with olive oil fine?

[Big_Dan]

Also, what are some good bars for my situation. Should I go for carb containing bars (ALL SUGAR?!)...recommend me a bar that goes along with my diet. I try to eat all my carbs in the morning, so if there is a carb containing bar thatd be fine. But should it eat them? Tell me which bar and if it contains carbs! Preferably, found at gnc!

[BIG TEXAN]

Well first off cottage cheese is fine, I'd say more as a snack rather than a meal. As for the olive oil, instead of drizzling it over the cottage cheese, just gulp down a spoonfull, if you can handle it. As for the second question, why not say a turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread, instead of some "bar"? I would use shakes and bars as little as possible here and try to stick with real food. I know you heard it all before but I have to say it again. Now that I look over your proposed plan, I'm not sure that's enough calories for you.

Here's something to try, you might need to add to this, but I'm still not sure if this is enough calories for you.
meal 1
1/2 cup oats
6 egg whites 2 yolks

snack 1
protein shake w/flax

meal 2
chicken or tuna
1/2 cup rice or oats

snack 2
protein shake

post workout
protein
gatorade

meal 3
lean meat, chicken, tuna
oats, rice
flax

snack 3
cottage cheese
olive oil /flax
or protein shake w/ flax
or egg whites

[Big_Dan]

Pre workout, should i add another 1/2C of oats or will that be too many carbs for the day.
Also, do i include carbs the meal after postworkout? You say yes, oats or oatmeal, is that to further aid in recovery or should i take it out?

[painintheazz]

That is all dependent upon your body, I don't know what an extra 27g of carbs a day will do to you, nor does anyone else on the board. You have to experiment and find out!!!!!!!!

Pain

[Big_Dan]

What about the Zone diet's advocation of fats in every meal.
What do you think of this. I read the article pain btw. Is this a fact? Does this discredit the Zone book?

[painintheazz]

I eat fats in every meal and like it. I have tried the other way (separate) and found it to be really hard and left me not enjoying my diet. I also noticed no difference in my body. The main point is you need to be in a calorie deficite to lose weight. When it comes to bulking I think there maybe some truth to the separate theory as you are no longer in negative calories. What is a fact, there is almost no such thing when it comes to diets and the human body, you will always be able to find someone that something doesn't work for. The Zone book is a generic diet, it needs to be adapted per person IMO.

Pain

[BIG TEXAN]

Pain......have we forgotten the advice you gave me this morning? LOL

[painintheazz]

Originally posted by BIG TEXAN
Pain......have we forgotten the advice you gave me this morning? LOL

LOL, I know I am a gluton for punishment sometimes.

Pain

[Decoder]

you will lose weight on that diet but it looks unhealthy, first off you should never go about 1/3 of your intake being suppliments almost half your diet is suppliments, also you dont have any vegtables and one piece of fruit, you better double up on the multivitaim because your immune system is going to be weak from your diet.

And that 1:1 ration sounds terrible. more like 60% protien 20 percent fats 6:2 would be way more effective.. but its up to you.

[Big_Dan]

Alright I added up the totals for my diet guys.
Its the diet Big Texan suggested and mixed with other peoples knowledge. Here go all the totals depending on whether I have cottage cheese or tuna at the last meal
Non workout days:
Cals1923 / 1878 Protein183 / 185 Fat70.4 Carbs123
Workout days
TOTALS 2073 / 2028 183 / 185 70.4 165

Now, I know my cals have to be just A TAD higher. Correct?
Now, based on the diet you see below, do you suggest carbs after the post workout meal to further replenish glycogen? I already have 165g of carbs on workout days, so i think that will be too much.
How's my non workout day? Is it fine? What do you suggest?
Here goes the non workout day, and on workout days, meal 4 gets 4tbsp of gatorade powder mixed in separate generating around 40g carbs.

Food Calories Protein Fat Carbs
2 Whole eggs 150 12 10 2
4 Egg whites 60 16 0 0
½ C Oatmeal 150 5 3 27
1C 2% milk 125 9 5 12

Bio Protein Bar 290 21 5 41
10 flax Oil caps 100 0 10 0

Can of Tuna 135 30 1 0
Miracle Whip 15 3
1/2C Oatmeal 150 5 3 27

25g Whey 110 22 1.5 1

6oz protein 210 35 3.9 0
1 tbsp olive oil 124 0 14 0

1C cottage cheese 180 28 10
OR
Can of Tuna 135 30 1 0
1 tbsp olive oil 124 0 14 0
TOTALS 1923 / 1878 183 / 185 70.4 123

[Foxy Sphinx]

are you trying to lose fat?

If so, I recommend the Sugar Busters Diet, screw The Zone.

My folks are using sugar busters (they dont even do cardio either) and theyre losing the pounds quickly.

[Big_Dan]

Right but I workout , and while the zone says something about people working out while in the zone, its not geared towards bodybuilders.
I just want my diet critiqued, and this is a pretty good one according to some. What do you guys think

[Big_Dan]

bump