FLORIDA!

So . . . today's the day. I got an email from your parents with the flight itinerary for Florida. It's time to start working on the ol six pack. I'm not sure what I need to change in my diet yet. But, I do need to start in on the ab workouts. Once I get that down and slightly decrease the amount of sugar intake, I am hoping for a swimsuit worthy body :) Yay for hot weather in December!

Back on the Horse

Okay so mon0 has at least hopefully been eradicated. Been back at crossfit for a week and Zone eating has recommenced in earnest. Strict adherence to about 14 blocks for the last two days. These days have been punctuated by...let's call it definite hunger. Re-read the zone book to find where I was lacking and I ended up remeasuring, re-crunching and re-planning.
Gross Wt: 220
Rough Lean Body mass: 193
Body fat: 12.5%

After the protein calculations and activity levels - blah blah blah - it comes out to about 22-23 blocks. Significantly more then I've been consuming the past couple days. When I calculated this last month I was skeptical at the prospect of so much food. Even 14 blocks seems like a lot when its spread out in front of you. However, the hunger is definitely going to be a problem so we'll see what its like taking into account my larger-then-average self. Trying for four 5 block meals at four hour intervals in the day and 2 blocks before bed. We'll see....

yay for giant candy kisses. mmm-mmmmm good!

I came here for the first time in weeks and was happy to see that you have written... even if I haven't. So, here's the deal. Stress sucks. Stress eating and not working out sucks even more. Ya. So... something needs to change - basically actually both of them. Help!!!!

Mono

So...as everyone (yes, just you) knows - i've somehow managed to contract mono rendering me sick, exhausted, and banned from weight training/exertion/all things fun. The great danger here is the temptation to throw away my best laid plans for food and get big and fat since i have all this extra time and access and am occasionally feeling sorry for myself. This must not happen. I won't bore you with the details this time since I've already done that twice, but i'll be Re-RE crunching the blocks to make up for my now mostly sedentary lifestyle as well as maximize my hoped-for recovery.

Who came up with this mono trash anyway?

Zone Day 1

Breakfast:

After dinner last night and this morning's breakfast, it is obvious that eating even only 20 blocks of food per day will be both expensive and difficult just to get down. It is a ton of food. So, I am revising my blockage down quite a bit to three four block meals and two one block snacks (14 blocks per day). If my energy levels/workouts suffer I can gradually increase as needed, but I don't think that will be the case. I may possibly be able to use 0 carb protein shakes to make up the extra protein blocks...hmmm..

Breakfast:

Carbs: 4 blocks
one whole apple - 2 blocks
1 cup grapes - 1 block
1 cup milk - 1 block

Protein: 4 blocks
three strips turkey bacon: 1 block
1 whole egg: 1 block
1 oz. bison: 1 block
1 cup milk: 1 block

Fat:
5 olives - 1 block
3 almonds - 1 block

the bison and bacon contained enough extra fat to make up the rest of the fat blocks.

Zone

Starting a diet structured a little more then loosely on the Zone by Dr. Sears. The basic idea is that I am allotted a certain number of protein, carbohydrate, and fat 'blocks' per day. The amount of blocks is based on estimated activity level and lean body mass (body fat subtracted from real body weight). Zone is more about hormonally balancing insulin and glucagon to achieve top performance then it is about losing weight. Proteins are mostly to be found from lean sources, the majority of carbohydrates from non-starchy, high-fiber fruits and vegetables (allowing for slower absorption times, less insulin production, and a higher volume of food to eat), and fat from monounsaturated sources like olive oil, olives, and some nuts.

Examples:
1 block protein (7grams) :
1ounce chicken
1 ounce beef

1 block carbohydrate (9 grams):
1.5 cups broccoli
1 cucumber

1 block fat (1.5 grams):
3 whole almonds
5 olives
1/3 tsp mayo

The 'rough' calculations for me:
Real body weight: 230 lb
Estimated body fat: (waist inches-wrist inches, then reference to a table) aprox 12%
Lean body mass: 202 lb
Activity level: .8

All this mumbo jumbo added up to a total of 26 blocks per day. This is an enormous amount of food, coupled with Dr. Sears's own advice that meals should never be in excess of five blocks made ingesting this much food a logistical challenge. I decided to try for 20 blocks instead and add to it if I found the need. This allows for three six blocks meals and two one block snacks over the course of a day.

I will be attempting to post both what I eat and how that falls into the Zone format. Some measurements will be approximate because I lack a kitchen scale but I will do my best.
These efforts will be coupled with a renewed energy in the area of Crossfit - a workout strategy with proven success for athletes as well as a proving ground for Zone advocates.

GRRRR... this is not working. I feel like I am never going to start running again. But I will.

Not enough water

Here we go... I'm starting the blog!

Tuesday, May 6
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Promax energy bar
Apple
Chicken and mashed potatoes
Chicken pizza
Salad with lettuce, mandarins, craisins, mozzarella cheese, and raspberry walnut dressing
Not enough water

Monday, May 5
Yogurt with granola - 1/2 cup of each
Promax energy bar
Turkey sandwich (from Safeway... I'm not sure what was on it)
Clam chowder in a bread bowl (I know, I know - carbs!)
Again, not enough water