| Back on the Zone - Day 4 |
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This weekend I went and picked up the things I would need to go strict Zone the 'easy' way such as containers of all sorts and sizes and a 'lunch bag/pail' that has room for an ice pack to keep things cool all day. Unlike my lunch box from 1st or 2nd grade, this one doesn't have Indiana Jones on it! I still have that by the way! I think it is home to my son's crayons now! The bag is way too small so it isn't useable for an entire day's worth of food. I already have a weight scale that I had bought at Walmart a few years ago for $5 or less. I used it to measure out 2 block servings of cheese (2oz) and 4 block servings of deli meat and the roast beef that my wife had cooked the day before (finally, something other than stir-fry! If you speak Chinese don't tell her I said that!). It took me only an hour and a half (which I think will speed up a lot with practice). To cut up, prepare, and package various meats, cheeses, and fruits in to 1, 2, and 4 block baggies for easy access. This really made getting food together for today (and probably all week) much easier and faster. So where I could have done better or what I will do differently next time is to take time to prepare vegetables. All my carbs from today's meals have been from fruit (because it easier to grab with less prep time than vegetables). Technically, you can still eat on the Zone with just fruit, but you will feel much more full and satisfied, and get more essential nutrients if you eat more vegetables and some fruit. Ideally, fruit is treated like desert - eaten last and smaller quantity. Don't get me wrong - it is essential. To give you an idea, say I eat 4 block of carbohydrates with each meal (that is 36g for those who are counting). I could get that a portion of a donut, a cookie, 2 apples, 8 cups of broccoli, 16 cups of Spinach, or 4 heads of lettuce! Obviously none of these are idea and only a few are actually viable. You need balance. Eat 2 cups of broccoli, 4 cups of spinach, and an apple. This will leave you full, satisfied, and most importantly it will all safely fit in your stomach. 4 heads of lettuce probably won't and definitely shouldn't! So there you have it, vegetables and fruit together in moderation = goodness. I kept getting hungry too quickly after each meal today. My timing was much better today. I ate just enough to last until the next meal. However, at one meal I did not consume enough carbs and it was hard to focus a couple of hours later until I ate again which then made me tired. Poor concentration, tiredness, hunger, etc. after eating are all symptoms of our insulin/glucogon levels. When you learn to read your symptoms you can begin to address the nutritional intake that got you there. Only by eating with precision can you make the adjustments needed to improve. That is what is so cool about the Zone. You just get started and regardless of how well you are doing you can tweak it and make it better. |