WooooHoooo...they've arrived!!!

Jeff- read Fat Burning Nutrition first. It is a quick, simple and easy to understand book that contains the basics of the program. This will give you a real "handle' on the why's and how's and make you feel more comfortable thinking in terms of balance.

Read 40/30/30 Nutrition second. It has lots of recipes and expands a little more on the first book.

OK now...you'll probably have the first one read by the time I get this reply posted and you'll be quickly onto book 2. Once you see how good the meals look, you'll understand why this program could be very 'saving' for most people who are trying to get their hormonal balance back into balance!

While the Ayurvedic approach makes a whole lot of sense and could be incorporated into your "Zoned" eating, you may definitely want to keep it on the back burner for now. I was totally unaware that there was actually a publication called the Ayurvedic Zone!!! How strange is that? And not to confuse you further, but did you know that there are people who are also combining the Eat Right For Your Type diet with the "Zone?" While there may also be some merit to a diet based on blood type, I never found it to be accurate as far as my weight battle has been concerned. Still, I do, at the very least, find Dr. Dadamo's research quite provacative. Ahhh...so many choices....so little time...

Now that you have made that comment about the Glycemic Index, you can understand why I was interested in learning more about the Glycemic Load Diet by Dr. Rob Thompson. It fits into the whole 40/30/30 philosophy almost seamlessly. Well...there would have to be some accomodations made, but getting a better idea of high -vs- low glycemic fruits and veggies and thus keeping the insulin under control...remarkable! And that is what makes the 40/30/30 nutrition plan so appealing even 10 years after it first appeared in mainstream thought.

No...I don't think you're crazy about going back to the days when simpler measures determined our day to day existence. As a matter of fact, dandelion greens (which are quite good by the way...) are quite low-GI! And as far as hunting with stones...well, I can't say that I've done that, but as I am typing this, I'm cooking dinner in my solar oven. Hey...how can you argue with free cooking 'fuel?' This simple household appliance is absolutely a must when you spend most of your time in the sun.

So what are you doing still here on the web? Get busy and get reading so you can begin your transformation!

Donna,

I have my first software question. Please see attached.

Why are the grams the same - but the protein % is different?

And on the product label it says approx 40% protein, yet I have a larger number.

This is a green drink I like, how would I balance it?

Jeff
also that should be 0.5 grams of Fat, I have go back and see what typed in

Attached Images

green_drink.gif (8.8 KB, 5 views)

Menus? in this thread? I've been copying the recipes, but menus?

No silly in this thread

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=298040

This is for you Donna.

Q: What is the difference between glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL)?
A: The GI describes the type of carbohydrate in foods and its potential to raise blood glucose levels. Our actual blood glucose levels are determined by both the quality, or GI, of the carbohydrate and the quantity of carbohydrate. We can predict the effect of a food on our blood glucose level by calculating the glycemic load which is the GI x the amount of carbohydrate, divided by 100.
GL builds on the GI to provide a measure of the total glycemic response to a food or meal
Glycemic load = GI x amount of carbohydrate (grams) divided by 100
Example: one teaspoon of jam (GI = 51): (51 x 5 grams carb) / 100 = 2.5
One unit of GL ~ glycemic effect of 1 gram glucose
You can sum the GL of all the foods in a meal, for the whole day or even longer
A typical diet has ~ 100 GL units per day (range 60 - 180)
The GI database gives both GI & GL values
http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Donna,
Where does Sugar and Saturated Fats fit into the picture.

Do's and Don'ts?

When I work with Oatmeal, do I work in cups or grams?

J

Jeff-
I know that the program uses NET carbs for its calculations. Regardless, the numbers are still a bit off, but not enough to make a huge difference. It's a GREEN drink after all, and it has to be good!

Let me know how and when you usually take it and what (if anything you mix with it.) Once I have that info, I can work it into your plan.

Now sugar and fat are a bit different. The official "Zone" position on saturated fat is that it should never comprise more than 1/4 of the total fat for the day. By keeping your animal fat lower, this will allow you to incorporate more mono-unsaturated fats from sources like nuts, avocado, olives and oils.

Remember, this is only a guideline however. If you go a little above this in the beginning, don't sweat it. We can 'tweak' as you go along.

Now when you speak of sugar, are you referring to table sugar or the sugar that is contained in fruits and veggies? The program has a sub-category for Sugar under Carbohydrates that shows how much 'sugar' -vs- fiber you have consumed from carbs. This is especially helpful if you find yourself getting hungry too early between meals. For me, this means that I have consumed too much fruit! And today was a perfect example. Look at these stats:
Cals: 1507
Fat: 52g (34%)
Sat: 14g
Carb: 157g (35%)
Fiber: 33g
Sugar: 74g (21%)
Pro: 110g (31%)

No wonder I was hungry after dinner!!!! I really know better, but the strawberries were so good...

As far as the oatmeal goes, it will be easier if you work with cooked portions. As soon as you enter the amount of cooked oatmeal into the program, and then the rest of your foods, you can adjust the amount to reflect the appropriate amount that you need to get your carbs in balance. And the program allows you enter the amount as either grams or cups. That is what I like about it. You can enter amounts such as 1/4 cup or 152 grams or 1/32 of a tsp! How great is that?

Does this make some sense...or is your head just swimming?

Chari-
Thanks for the info. I did happen across this in the GI Diet thread and read it with great interest. I'm actually going to order the Glycemic Load Diet and incorporate some of the philosophy into my program. Thanks again.

swimming? heck - I have so much new info going into the old brain right now. I'm almost frozen in my tracks.

I like the 6 meals a day plan, you suggested - I think that is where I will start.

As for the Green Drink, I try to drink it everyday - first thing in the morning with water. They say 8oz of water, but I need 12oz to get it down. My system really likes this drink. A main reason is probably that I didn't eat enough veggies before. 2 or 3 tabls per day. Depending on how I feel when I wake up.

You ever consider growing dark greens in containers - they're mobile.

J

DH does Chlorella. Helps him clear out the heavy metal residues from Vietnam. He LOVES the stuff!

First thing in the morning is fine. And since you only drink it with water without anything else, I wouldn't worry too much about balancing it. Just account for the calories and get on with your day. If you're truly concerned with the macros, you could eat your breakfast immediately after and just include the protein amount in with your breakfast meal macros. You'll actually be doing yourself a favor by starting your breakfast off with something that is mostly protein anyway.

Nah....never did think about growing dark greens, but I am seriously considering doing sprouts again. See...you are impacting me also!

Here are a few more recipes I dug up:

Donna’s Meatloaf Burgers

1 1/4 Lb. 90% ground beef
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. egg beaters
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 C. oat bran
4 tsp. dry onion soup mix (homemade) or to taste
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. garlic pepper

Mix all. Refrigerate. Grill or pan fry until done.

Yield: 6 patties

Per svg:
Cals: 191
Carb: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g
Pro: 21 g
Fat: 10 g

To balance meal (on HIGH days), top burgers with 1 slice of 2% cheese and serve with 2 slices low carb bread, 1 TB miracle whip Light, lettuce, tomato, onion, and have 1/3 cup peaches on the side.

Per svg:
Cals: 463
Carb: 40g (32%)
Fiber: 5g
Pro: 34g (31%)
Fat: 18g (37%)


Donna’s Zoned Meatloaf

1 lb. 90% ground beef
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
1/2 C. oat bran
1/2 of 1 large green pepper, minced (4 oz.)
1/2 of 1 large onion, minced (5 oz.)
1/2 C. eggbeaters
3/4 C. 1% milk
2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. seasoned pepper
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 TB Sweet~Blend
4 TB olive oil

In very large bowl, mix all ingredients well. Dump meat into 9 X 13 pan and shape meat into two loaves. Bake, uncovered 1+ hours or until 180 degrees. DO NOT OVERCOOK!!!

Cut each loaf into 12 slices. Each serving yield 2 slices.

Per svg:
Cals: 196
Carb: 7g (13%)
Fiber: 1g
Pro: 22g (44%)
Fat: 9g (43%)


Donna’s Zoned Tamale Pie

1/2 lb. ground turkey breast
1 lb. 90% ground beef
1 1/2 C. chopped onion

1 pkg. (or 1/4 C. homemade) taco seasoning mix
2 beef bouillon cubes, smashed

1 tsp. ground cumin
15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes in juice NOT drained
11 oz. can Niblets brand corn
1 small can sliced ripe olives
1 small can diced green chilies

3/4 C. cornmeal
1 1/2 C. 1% milk
1/2 C. eggbeaters

1/2 C. fat free shredded cheddar cheese (OPTIONAL)

In dutch oven, cook meat with onion until browned. Drain and place meat back into dutch oven. Add items from group 2 to meat. Add items from group 3 to meat.

In medium bowl, combine items from group 4 and mix well. Pour over meat mixture. Mix well and turn into a 9 X 13 greased casserole dish.

Cover and bake 350 for 40-60 minutes until bubbly. If using cheese, add cheese at this point and return to oven until cheese is melted. If using a crock pot, cover and cook on high 2-3 hours or on low 5-6 hours WITHOUT cheese.

Yield: 8 svgs.

Per svg:
Cals: 336
Carb: 29g (32%)
Fiber: 3g
Pro: 28g (34%)
Fat: 12g (34%)


Donna’s Taco Meat Seasoning Mix

1/4 C. dried minced onion
1/8 C. salt
1/2 C. chili powder
1/4 C. crushed red pepper
1/8 C. garlic powder
1 TB dried oregano
1/8 C. ground cumin
4 tsp. Donna’s Shuga~Blend or sugar sweetness equivalent

Makes 20 TB (enough for 7 lbs.)

Combine all ingredients. For 1 lb. browned meat, add 1/4 C. water and 3 TB mix. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Donna’s Taco Meat

1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
1/2 C. taco seasoning mix


Donna’s Zoned Sweet and Sour Chicken

3 TB cornstarch
4 1/2 TB Shuga~Blend or sugar sweetness equivalent
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3 TB soy sauce
3 TB white wine
1/3 C. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. chicken boullion
1/3 C. water
2 TB ketchup
1 TB Worcestershire

3 TB olive oil
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast, pounded thin and cut into thin strips

2 C. green peppers, cut into chunks
2 C. onion, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 C. pineapple tidbits (or chunks, cut in half)
5 oz. sliced water chestnuts
1 C. fresh bean sprouts
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

In medium bowl, combine ingredients from group 1 and set aside. Add chicken to pan with oil and cook until done. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add green peppers and onions to pan (also add additional oil if necessary) and stir-fry until crisp tender. Add garlic and stir-fry one minute.

Add cooked chicken to crisp veggies in pan. Raise heat and pour sauce over all. Using a spatula, stir sauce and cook until it thickens.

Add pineapple, chestnuts and bean sprouts. Mix well and continue cooking until everything is hot. Serve 1 cup mix with 1/3 c. barley.

Yield: 8 cups One serving = 1 cup
Per svg NO barley Per svg W/barley
Cals: 311 Cals: 375
Carb: 25g (30%) Carb: 40g (39%)
Fiber: 2g Fiber: 2g
Pro: 29g (28%) Pro: 30g (33%)
Fat: 11g (32%) Fat 11g (27%)


Donna’s Zoned Cassoulet

12 oz. Smoked Turkey Sausage
1 lb. chicken breasts
2 1/2 C. water
2 TB olive oil
2 C. onion, medium chop
1 C. carrots, medium chop
4 lg. cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, UNDRAINED
3 15 oz. black beans
32 oz. chicken broth
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
3 large bay leaves, whole
1/2 C. chopped fresh parsley OR 2 tsp dry
1/2 C. dry white wine
1 TB Shuga~Blend or sugar sweetness equivalent
salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil before serving

In pressure cooker, cook chicken breasts in water 10 minutes ~15 lb. pressure. Remove chicken when done and reserve water. Cut chicken into small pieces and set aside. (Or just poach the breasts in saucepan and reserve liquid)

Meanwhile, over medium heat in dutch oven, heat oil and cook carrots and onions until barely tender. Add garlic and cook one additional minute. Add herbs and cook until fragrant.

Deglaze pan with white wine and allow to reduce slightly. Add all remaining ingredients including meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1/2 hour. Salt before serving. Pour into bowls and top with 1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Yield: 10 cups (1 serving=1 cup)
Per svg:
Cals: 290
Carb: 27g (32%)
Fiber: 6g
Pro: 23g (35%)
Fat: 9g (33%)

And a few more:

Donna’s Zoned Chicken or Turkey Salad

3 oz. cooked turkey breast, cut into small cubes
2 oz. apple with skin, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1/4 of one small green pepper, diced
3 green onions (or 1 oz. regular onion)
3 oz. navel orange, diced
1 TB light mayo
2 TB light Miracle Whip

Mix and eat.

Yield: 1 serving
Per svg:
Cals: 341
Carb: 33g (35%)
Fiber: 5g
Pro: 27g (33%)
Fat: 11g (32%)


Donna’s Zoned Egg Salad

2 whole hard-boiled eggs
4 hard boiled egg WHITES only
1 TB light mayo
2 TB light Miracle Whip
1% milk to moisten
2 ribs celery, minced fine
1 oz. onion, minced fine
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and store in refrigerator, covered. To complete this meal, serve with LC tortilla (or 1 slice of low carb bread) and 4 oz. apple to balance.

Yield: 2 servings

Per svg (without bread and apple)
Cals: 218
Carb: 10g
Fiber: 1g
Pro: 19g
Fat: 11g


Donna’s Teriyaki Marinade

1 TB olive oil
2 TB low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. Shuga~Blend or sugar sweetness equivalent
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger


Yield: 2 svgs.
Cals: 81
Carb: 5g
Pro: 2g
Fat: 6.8g

Use as a marinade or dipping sauce for grilled foods.


Donna’s Beef Fajita Marinade

1/2 C. lime juice
6 TB chopped fresh cilantro
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce
1 TB Sweet~Blend

Put marinade ingredients in large zippy bag. Close and shake to blend. Pour 1/2 of marinade into another large zippy bag. Add meat to one bag and veggies to the other. Allow to marinate at LEAST 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Grill meat and discard marinade. Grill veggies and pour veggie marinade into a large frypan. Bring reserved marinade to a boil and then lower temp and allow to simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

Slice meat thinly and place into reserved marinade. Serve from the frypan with veggies on the side.

Will marinate 2 lb. meat.

-OR-

1 lb. meat
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 red onion

Yield: 8 servings based on meat alone: 1 svg = 3 oz. cooked meat.
Per Svg: (29.3g) marinade ONLY
Cals: 20
Fat: 0.5g
Sodium: 218 mg
Carb: 4 g
Fiber: 1 g

Yield: 4 servings based on 1 lb. meat (3 oz. cooked) with ¼ veggies.
Per Svg: complete meal svg*
Cals: 343
Carb: 33g
Pro: 27g
Fat: 32g
*Complete meal includes one LC tortilla + 3 oz. meat + ¼ veggies.

Great recipes Donna! I will print them out. I have a couple of questions.

1. I bought some of the Zone bars and drinks today. Are these for snacks or meal replacements? They seem too small for meal replacements and I am hoping they are for snacks.

2. I am making the peanut butter cheesecake in the formula book. How do I incorporate dessert? I think the cheesecake is 40/30/03 so would I use 1 mini block for each from say dinner?

I have been doing really good yesterday and today. I feel great. It is very different eating bread for breakfast and lunch when I hardly ever ate any.

Here is what I ate today:

2 egg whites, 1 whole egg scrambled using pam, 2 slices LC bread w/cream cheese and 1 kiwi.

3 oz. of lean deli meat (ham, roast beef & turkey) on 2 slices of LC bread with mayo and 1/2 C of grapes.

Hi Sharon!

Zone drinks and bars are considered a snack when doing the strict "Zone" plan, but must be halved in order to conform. When doing The Formula, I always ate a whole bar as a snack. The "Zone" uses 100 calories as their benchmark for snacks. The Formula, uses about 200 calories. By the way, try the ZonePerfect, PR, and Balance Bars also. I'm not crazy about the ZonePerfect bars, but in the beginning, I depended on the Balance Bars a LOT! Now, not so much.

If you're going to incorporate BALANCED desserts, then just account for the calories in your daily total as the macros wouldn't change. If you're going to incorporate UNBALANCED (regular) desserts, then just eliminate all starchy carbs and a bit of the fat from your meal and have a small portion of the regular dessert. As far as the mini-blocks go, I do not use the block system, so I am unable to advise you on that.

I would caution you about adding too many concentrated carbs too quickly. Doing so may trigger a slight weight gain. If I might make a suggestion. Looking at your menu, it looks like it would be an excellent meal, but even though the bread is LC, you had 2 slices for breakfast AND 2 slices for lunch. I am not saying that you can't do this, because LC bread is actually equal to 1 slice of regular bread. What I am suggesting is that you add more raw veggies or a little extra fruit and cut the bread back to 1 slice. The nutrient boost will be much greater with those choices than with the bread.

Perhaps I'm being overly cautious when it comes to this since bread is a REAL trigger food for me, but after doing this a while, I have come to appreciate the value in adding the fruits and veggies over just having the bread. Try it next time to give your menu a bit more variety.

I am so glad that you are feeling great! How is your hunger between meals? I was mentoring an individual on another board and the first week, she was constantly hungry. It was a bit of a struggle to 'tweak' her meal plan, but after much trial and error, we finally got her macros correct and she just can't believe how much better she feels. AND...she is down 2.5 lbs. in 3 weeks! A real bonus I'd say. How about you?

I like to make my own version of a protein bar to eat at home. The commercial ones are good for travel since they're already pre-packaged, but the homemade ones (which are lower carb) seem to satisfy me longer and for a few less calories. In order to make my chocolate fudge version, you will have to start with one key ingredient, my LC Hot Cocoa Mix. This recipe could certainly be reduced by one half or even 1/4 if desired.

LC Hot Cocoa Mix

8 oz. can unsweetened cocoa powder
10 tsp. Stevia+ (Wisdom brand)
40 pkts. Splenda
1/2 tsp. salt

Sift the cocoa powder to remove any lumps. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Store in cool, dry place.

To make 1 cup of cocoa: Put 1 TB of the mix into a mug. Slowly pour in a little hot milk to make a smooth paste. Fill the mug with milk.

Mix makes 56 1 TB servings. Per serving (w/o milk)
Cals: 16
Carb 2g
Pro 0g
Fat 0.5g


Donna's Zoned Chocolate Fudge Protein Bars

8 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened but not melted
3 full scoops of chocolate whey protein powder of choice
10 pkts. Splenda (or other equivalent no-calorie sweetener)
3/4 C. uncooked quick Quaker Oatmeal
4-1/2 TB unsweetened natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
4 TB Donna's LC Hot Cocoa Mix (dry)
Water

NOTE: This is messy, but these are really good!
In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients EXCEPT water. Mush everything together until well mixed. Add a little water if you want the mixture to be easier to work with; a few drops will usually suffice. Spray an 8 x 8 pan or a 12 x 7 pan with non-stick spray. Dump the mixture into the pan and with wet fingers (or use non-stick spray) press the mixture evenly into the pan. Place pan into the refrigerator for about 1 hour or the mixture has firmed up sufficiently. Cut into 8 bars. Wrap and store in refrigerator or wrap and freeze for long-term keeping. Allow to defrost a bit before eating.
Yield: 8 servings
Cals: 153
Carb: 13g (27%)
Pro: 14g (36%)
Fat: 6g (36%)