I'm sure most of us are familiar with the zone diet and its blocking system, its a very good premise. I've followed the zone for a couple of months and the result were very impressive. Unfortunately in the busy working world we live in, measuring food all the time just isn't very logical or feasible.
Do we all time for breakfast and dinner, I hope so but what about lunch and snacks? Personally I work in a research lab setting almost all day, seemingly everyday, but I become good at preparing food before and having all my meals setup throughout the day. That being said, I completely understand people who can not accomplish this. So if you don't have he time to organize all that well sometimes, don't despair, there are a couple rules I follow when I'm in a pinch and I need to fuel my body.
1) Nuts and Seeds. These are excellent options when time is tight and you need something portable. They are loaded with healthy fat and protein. Now you may ask, won't all the fat throw off my zone blocks? Not really. With fat you can get away will eating more of it since it more than likely results in enhanced fat metabolism.
2) Stay away from the machines! There is absolutely nothing good to eat in a vending machine I don't care what you say. Everything is highly processed and is loaded to chemicals that will have your insulin levels shooting to the moon. Avoid this like the plague.
3) Try the old coffee trick. If I am hungry and I'm on the road, you can try this little trick at star bucks. Order a small coffee but ask them to put it in a large cup. This leaves room for you to put in roughly a cup of milk and you just gained a quick block of nutrients.
By simply eating some fat for your snacks you will survive the workplace and avoid making poor nutritional decisions that will only result in "longhas" (doubt I spelled that right), and poor performance.
Zac
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Who is the Mansqautch
- Zacariah Hildenbrand
- El Paso, Tx, United States
- I am a PhD student at the University of Texas at El Paso studying Structural Biology in particular membrane protein assemblies. My scientific interests lie in membrane transport, bioenergetics, protein structure and nutritional biochemistry. In my leisure, I enjoy Crossfit training with the team at Crossfit El Paso (EFS training facility), producing music, and watching movies.
4 comments:
I have a nutritional comment. When I eat my meats and fish, should I use the mass measurement before or after cooking, to determine my block size.
In CF journal issue 21, it says the block sizes (1oz chicken for 1 Block Protein, etc.) should be measured after cooking. But in Dr. Sears' book on The Zone, it says before. I don't know what I should do.
I've noticed that total mass of my cooked protein is significantly less after cooking than what I measured it out to be before cooking. I'm assuming this due to the water loss during cooking.
Also, thanks for the tips. Btw, is milk a good post recovery food (especially after the intense metcon WODs)? I know that we shouldn't drink too much milk, if we are to follow the Zone/Paleo diet (can you confirm this?), but I just LOVE my dairy. How much and when is ok?
Thanks,
Ruku
Great questions!
1)I never measure meat or protein portions because it gets far too tedious and time-consuming. Think of an oz. as the size of a golf ball. If you about to cook some chicken breast and it looks like 3 golf balls, more than likely it is 3 oz. Also keep it mind that its ok to eat a little too much protein. In terms of performance and aesthetics, you can always get away will extra fat and protein, but you must dial in the carb blocks. A guy with you build should feel comfortable eating the extra fat/protein here and there as it will help you fill out and get stronger.
2)I go against the paleo diet when it comes to milk. I think milk is an amazing post-workout meal and is full of fat-soluble vitamins, and is a great source of a complete protein. So have your dairy (cottage cheese, milk etc) all you want up until the point it starts to give you gas. This is usually the point when your body is telling you its had too much lactose. I think as long as you keep it under a gallon a day you should be alright.
And feel free to have milk thought out the day, its not only for the PWO meal.
Cheers,
Zac
Hildi,
I like your coffee tip. I am going to do it tomorrow when I order my Bold Note from Frances at the Jazzman's in the UTEP Library.
I love milk too. I usually go through about a gallon every two days :-D
David
Big D,
Milk is an important weapon in one's dieting arsenal. Its both a protein and a fat and can be had almost anywhere. Keep in mind skim is not always you best option. 1-2% is what I drink because it is far more filling and it has the fat-soluble vitamins.
Cheers
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