I just finished my first day of eating Paleo/Zone and here's the report.
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7am: 1 egg+ 4 egg whites, 2/3 cup oatmeal, 9 almonds.
7:30am: bike to work - 30 minute easy ride.
10am: 3oz turkey, 2tbsp avocado, 3 almonds.
11am: I am starting to get hungry but need to wait until 12:30.
12:10: 4 cups spinach, 2 cups mixed veggies, 9 walnut halves, 4.5 oz cod. I was so hungry I couldn't concentrate on work anymore. Had to eat early. This meal was big but not totally satisfying.
2:30pm: My stomach is rumbling and I am getting a mild headache from hunger.
2:52pm: Shooting pains in stomach and headache from hunger. Leaving work.
3pm: Bike home from work - 30 minute easy ride but I am working to hold it together to concentrate. So hungry. Lots of negative thoughts.
3:30pm: 1 cup blueberries, 1 scoop whey protein, 2/3 cup oatmeal. This helped the hunger a little but it felt like just drinking a big glass of water to fill my stomach but not give any sustenance.
4pm: I don't know if I can make it to dinner. Taking a nap will make time pass. Nap 4-5:30.
5:30pm: Complete emotional meltdown. I am so hungry it hurts. I need food. Questioning goals. Questioning this extreme caloric restriction. Time to get online... internet research suggests that this 12 block Zone prescription is way too low for my body size and activity level. I feel better knowing that.
6pm: Small apple, 3 almonds. Snack while making more food.
7pm: 5 cups cooked cauliflower, 4 oz turkey. Ok, my stomach is full now.
9:12pm: I am starving again. The stomach pains are starting.
9:30pm: 1 sweet potato, 2 tsp almond butter. I am full and ready to have this food day be over.
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Today's total: 14 blocks protein, 15 blocks carbs, 16 blocks fat.
I probably would have died on the calories in 12 blocks (960). I barely made it as is.
What I learned today is that jumping in to Zone and Paleo at the same time is too much change. It would be better to get a handle on Paleo first and then build Zone into it. I am not sure about eating this much meat and so many eggs (cholesterol and inflammation?) but I think I will learn to be ok without the grains as long as I can still have small amounts of oatmeal.
With Zone it is strange to have to measure and count how many veggies I eat. Usually I just call veggies free and don't worry about eating unlimited amounts. Also, the concept of 3 almonds as a serving seems silly... 3?? I couldn't do any real workouts on this little amount of food so I need to figure out a Zone block prescription that will work better.
Tomorrow I am going to try an 18 block day to see if it will support a normal weekend training routine. Today was day 1 and it did suck as predicted but I am ready to make day 2 better.
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