Zone: The Good, the Bad, and the "Really?"

I’ve been Zoning for a while and have a few things to say!  There is much good, much bad, and a few surprises.

Good:

-          The Zone works.  While it is true that it is a caloric restrictive diet, most people have more food than they can eat.  My muscle strength has gained while fat has melted off.  My results in the gym have convinced me beyond a doubt.  What started as an experiment has become a full blown lifestyle.

-          Salsa (carb block) and guacamole (fat block) makes SO many things taste great.  I hate green beans, but 'salsa green beans' ROCK.

-          The best “unfavorable carb” is a corn tortilla.  Fish tacos, chicken tacos, black bean tacos….yummy.

-          Most “ethnic” cuisine is healthy until you “Americanize” it.  Greek salad are very balanced if you add chicken or fish.

-           Natural peanut butter (fat block) on a ½ oz of very dark chocolate (carb block) is about the best damn thing ever.

Bad:

-          I get really hungry between breakfast and lunch but can barely eat all my food for lunch/ snack/ dinner/ snack.

-          Reheated tilapia is the nasty thing on earth.

-          Cooking broccoli STINKS.   I feel bad for the people near the kitchen where I work.  It must suck to be toiling away only to have me bring a steaming, stinking pile of broccoli by their desk.

-          Black beans smell GREAT cooking, but make interesting smells later.  Make sure you have them in the evening or on weekends.  NEVER EAT THEM IN THE MORNING (especially if you work in an office environment) :D

-          No matter how hard you try, how much you season it, chicken tastes like chicken.  It never tastes like steak or hamburger.

"Really...":

-          One bodily function is really reduced (#2) while another dramatically increases (#1).  I guess it proves veggies and fruits are mostly water.

-          I don’t like “cheat meals” as much as I thought I would.  I like “little cheats” during a good meal versus the whole meal.  I feel like crap after a “bad” meal and it’s not worth it.  But adding a piece of cheese bread or goldfish crackers to an otherwise healthy meal is AWESOME.

-          Weighing yourself is an even WORSE measurement for “zoners”.  After tracking my weight every day for almost 8 months, I am considering not weighing myself anymore, it pisses me off too much.

-          Zoners are like Stoners but healthier.  We are obsessed with our habit, taking “hits” 5 times a day at prescribed times, in prescribed amounts in order to get the “next high”.

New Crossfit WODs!

I have been selected to think up a few names for upcoming WODs.  In the Crossfit mantra that is bigger, better, faster, stronger; I assume the WODs need to be tougher than ever.  Here are my submissions.*

11. The"Defibrillator"
10. Filthy 50 Gone Bad
9. Lunge 5k
8. "The Jester" - you repeat the WOD.... back to back.... in 101 degree heat.  You must repeat until you improve your previous score.
7. Karen and Randy "sittin in a tree"... look it up, think about it, cry.
6. Tabata Fran
5. The "WTF is Trevor thinking?"
4. "The Relo" - everyone grabs a bumper plate, barbell, and wallball.  Then run to the new location. **
3. Medusa (you don't want to know)
2. "Payback" - 10 burpees for every time you took water without paying, dropped a bar too hard, or said the "F - word".  Cut off is 2 hours.

and the #1 is:
Adam "the Murph" Brown



Bryon ***


* This is a joke.  No one wants me naming WODs.
** disclaimer, CF540 is not moving.  It's a joke people.
*** MOST of my blogs are full of sarcasm, except when they aren't.  Got it?

WOD Tunes

We blast loud music when we workout.  Honestly, I hear the first song, but after that, I'm too focused to notice.  That is unless a real kick ass song or total crap song happens along.  We all know and love the mainstay songs (Back in Back, Thunderstruck, Let the Bodies Hit the Floor, etc.)  Those get us through day after day and week after week.

I think there are a lot of "b" sides that warrant some attention too.  My workout beats may be a little odd, but maybe you'll find one or two you like.  In no particular order:

Remember the Name - Fort Minor.  (Note: I was surprised at how few people knew this one.  If you like Linkin Park or Incubus, then the Fort Minor album really is a must buy.)

Sabotage - Beastie Boys (I think CF540 played this one the other day....)
Sleep Now in the Fire - Rage Against the Machine
Deceiver - Disturbed
The Pretender - Foo Fighters (fast forward past first 33 secs)
Reload - Rob Zombie (ditto the first 33 secs)
19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)
No Jesus Christ - Seether
Shackler's Revenge - GNR
Go with the Flow - Queens of the Stone Age
Meaning of Life - Disturbed
Last - Nine Inch Nail (I especially fond of this one, since its normally where I finish met-con WODs)

I thought the following song titles were apropos for a CF workout even though the beats don't work.  

Here It Goes Again - OK Go
Again - Flyleaf
More and Faster - KMFDM (this one is really bad - haha)
Feel the Pain - Dinosaur Jr.
Pretend We're Dead - L7
Drain You - Nirvana
Perfect Insanity - Disturbed
Basket Case - Green Day
Hit the Floor - Linkin Park
Nausea - Beck
and finally,
Puke - Eminem

Make the Zone your Own

I've been on the Zone diet for 2 or 3 months now.  The term for people in the know is "Zoning".  Before I was eating healthy foods, cutting the alcohol, and exercising.  My weight had NOT plateaued, so there was no real need to change.  But I've treated my "get fit" endeavor as a learning experience as well.  Crossfit recommended it and many had extolled the success of it, so what the hell.

Well I'm sold.  I walk around the office handing out unsolicited free advice (people LOVE that).  I painted lines on my cubicle and hung "The Zone" signs around.  I've ordered t-shirts saying "I'm Zonin'".  Surprisingly, they were the second most popular shirt behind "I'm Gellin'".  However, it isn't an easy diet, but if you are interested, read on.

The book "Enter the Zone" can be found used in a lot of book resellers.  Pick it up for $12 and read it.  Do it in broad daylight because it is a bit of a snoozer.  However, it is full of good information.  Like most diet books, I'm sure not all of Dr. Sears claims have been proven or substantiated, but his basic premise of balancing protein, carbs, and fats is damned sound.

Pre-work:
- If you don't have recent measurements, get somebody to do them.  Early Zone benefits won't show up on the scale.  Record your body fat, measurements, and weight.  Get actual numbers.  My first measurements simply were "really fat".  Holland swears its not her handwriting so I'm still looking for the culprit. (Yes that's a joke, Holland is way too nice to do that.)
- Pick a couple of fitness metrics and note your performance.  I suggest a few recent WODs that mix strength and met-con.  If all else fails, use your deadlift max and 1 mile time.
- Clean out the fridge and the cabinet and prepare for your "entry".

Getting Started:
-  For 3 weeks, follow the Zone religiously.  Do the calculation, measure the foods, eat only the "good carbs" and stay off the "bad" page as much as possible.
- In week 4, go to your favorite Italian restaurant (BTW, it better be Primo!) and eat one of your old favorite pasta bowls.  Sit back and experience the difference in how you feel.  Tip: Make sure you've already worked out that day.
- Go right back on the Zone and see how quickly you rebound.  You've just taught yourself that when you fail at a meal, your body will tell you.... BUT it will forgive you the very next meal if you correct it.  This helps me stay the course.  If I cheat, I know I can get right back to it.
- Continue the Zone for another 2 - 3 weeks.

Success?
- After 5 or 6 weeks, redo your measurements.  Then hammer out those benchmark metrics you picked.
- What happened?  My guess is you are stronger or faster or both....
- Between CF and Zoning I continue to destroy my PRs.  My mile time was reduced by 45 seconds.  My max clean increased 50 lbs, my max deadlift increased 60 lbs.  I would have gotten some of these gains anyway, but the jump means I'm eating right.

Making It My Own:
My main advice is make this diet work for you.  I have been experimenting lately.  Get on it, experience it, and then tweak the things that bug you about it.  Find the things that work and don't work.  After doing it the way the book said for 2 months, I had enough experience and confidence to modify it to work better.  My two issues were getting hungry between breakfast and lunch AND feeling SO full in the evening.  So I added 5 nuts as a mid morning snack and started cutting back on the evening carbs a little.  The morning hunger and the bloated evening feelings are gone.

Additionally, I found that the two most important meals are my post-WOD meal and my evening snack.  When I skipped my evening snack, I did not feel/do as well the next day.

My experimentation has led me to 5 simple rules:
- Always eat exactly the right amount of lean protein.
- Eat up to but never over the amount of carbs.  Under by a block or two is OK.
- Eat at least your amount of fat or more.  NEVER skimp on the fat content.
- 85% of my daily carb blocks MUST be from the "good list".  I allow 3 of 19 to be "bad" per day.
- I MUST eat the last meal of the day within 30 mins of bedtime.

Enjoy.  And let me know if you want a t-shirt....

Progress Update, What Have I Lost, What Have I Gained?

I think this is post #30.  My mother said I had a lot to say, I guess she was right.  This is a simple progress report:

Weight

Then:   300,   Now:   243;  Net:  57 lost

Waist Size:

Then:   42+ (I cheated and bought those stretchy waist pants so I could get fatter and still be a "42")

Now:  38- (looser everyday)

Blood Pressure:

Then:  135/80 (considered pre-hypertension)

Now:  115/60 - normal

Body Fat:

Then:  30%,   Now:  18%

Then: almost 100 lbs,  Now:  45 lbs

Time to Run a Mile:

Then:  What does "run a mile" mean?, 12 - 14 mins mostly walking

Now:  8:27

Unassisted Pullups in a row:

Then:  0,  Now:  7

What have I given up?

- Drinking whenever I want.  For a while I was a teetotaler.  Now I will allow a few drinks a month, the timing is chosen deliberately (evening of day 3).  Yummy but destructive :(

- Caffeine - many have you heard me complain this was the toughest change.  However, I'm happy to wake up and be full speed in just a few mins.

- Eating purely for pleasure.  I still eat for pleasure, but not as often and on my terms.  Do I miss pizza, wings, burgers.   A little.  But not a lot.  What I really miss is a balanced energy level when I do cheat on a meal.  I hate feeling like someone glued me to the ground.  I can't imagine ever eating without considering it a fueling again LOL.

- A crappy attitude about life. Enough said.

What Have I Gained?

- A new appreciation for the human body.  Weight loss and fitness is not a physical journey.  It is a mental one.  At 40, I'm in better shape than I was at 20.  The human body will respond to the stimulants you provide.  Provide good stimulants...

- A challenge to improve my mental fortitude.  I've learned more about the power of the mind in the past 6 months than I did in 4 years pursuing an Electrical Engineering degree.   I've learned to create my own second wind.  I've learned that I make a WOD miserable or fun before I even start.  I've learned I am not great at the mental aspect.  Pull ups and DUs are seriously in my head.  The mental game is my next challenge to conquer.

- Tons of like minded (i.e. bat shit crazy) friends.  The box is a place to come, enjoy, work, and make connections.

Top 10 Signs You Need a Break From CF

The top 10 signs you need to take a cycle or two off:

10.  Your dreams consist of practicing Double Unders and T2B... even when you never actually practice DU or T2B.
9.  You swear you can get the dog to do a front squat.
8.  You think "tape" is acceptable attire for the office.
7.  You are diagnosed with "chalk lung".
6.  After a great meeting at work, you rip off your shirt, high five your boss, then collapse to the floor.
5.  You start taking water bottles from the convenience store without paying.
4. You can remember the names of the last three "Girl WODs" you completed, but struggle with your wife's name.
3.  You time the pastor every Sunday to see how he did versus last week.
2.  You start counting tabata reps "2, 4, 6, 8 ..."

and the # 1 sign that it's time to take a CF cycle off:

Right before sex, you yell "3 - 2 - 1 Go!!!"

Video Teaser

You can find the first 30 seconds of the video here:

http://gallery.me.com/castlemonster/100251