Busy Bees

Ok, my biggest problem is not taking enough time to stop and eat when I get extremely busy. Or if I do finally stop, I just go to the nearest fast food restaurant to grab something quick! One thing I have started doing since beginning to zone, is the night before I plan out what I am going to eat the next day. Plan EVERYTHING out!! So when you are starving and you are trying to "plan" out meals that confine to the zoning rules you don't just give up and go get a burger and fries! It happens all too easily. Reason why I do it the night before? I oversleep... a lot; if I were to try and plan everything out that morning... chances are, it would never get done. So for all my viewers who like the extra 10 min of sleep.. plan the night before. Write things down, portion things out... go ahead and fix your lunch to take to work, whatever helps!

HAPPY PLANNING! :)

Eating Out

I know everyone knows that you shouldn't be choosing the french fries or that yummmmmy cheeseburger when you go out.. but just for reassurance for some of those doubting their ability to go to a restaurant and eat healthy, here's proof that it can be done.

Chili's: 6 oz sirloin with double side of steamed broccoli. 

Now I know most of you are thinking, that's a lot of broccoli, but you just need to study the menu and see what your options are. If an item on the menu has "steamed" its most likely going to a better choice. Just remember to eat as much as your blocks allow you. Say you only have three blocks for the day. Divide the meat into half... HELLO leftovers and another great meal later on! 

Elephant in the room! :)

Ok, so I have had a couple of people ask me... "WE CAN HAVE CHEESE!?" So the answer is a little  fuzzy... Primarily NO. I understand the last two recipes have had cheese in them, so let me explain. In the first recipe the cheese that I used was low fat mozzarella, which according to my sources was a "Moderately Favorable" food source.... so in my opinion, it was OK.

Now, the second recipe... When I was preparing the recipe, I noticed that the blocks weren't adding up (Each category should have had a total of 8 blocks and the Carb category only had 6.5 blocks), so to get 1.5 more carbs to complete the total blocks for this recipe. I should have used, say, 1/2 cup black beans instead of the cheese (which is actually a PROTEIN food source.) Sooo... I used the cheese in the wrong block (like I said in the beginning, I WILL make mistakes!!). 

Now, with that being said, I was using the cheese just for 1.5 blocks... not a full 8 blocks (which was the total number of blocks the recipe called for)... I was using it "sparingly." I believe that since I was not using an over abundance of this "unfavorable" source," that it was OK.... now say I was making something and the recipe called for like 6 Protein blocks, and I used ALL cheese... NOT OK!

I hope that cleared things up and I PROMISE I will do better in checking the recipes before I post them again! And I'll try to make my recipes fit more closely to the zone!

Chili

Ok blog moment before the recipe! :)  So I kind of would like to do a tip or something each day to go along with the recipes I post. This is not going to be primarily a recipe blog but more of an educational tool for those who have problems preparing meals. I understand how eating the same thing everyday can make you quit every diet you start. LET'S NOT DO THAT! I'll do my best to post tips or any other advice each day and then if possible post recipes along with them!

TOD

(Tip Of the Day- for future references!) 

Write down everything you eat as well as how many blocks they are.
Example: 1 Egg (1 P Block);  1 Tangerine (1 C Block); 2 Cashews (1 F Block)
This will help you make sure are meeting all of your block requirements.

RECIPE

Makes Two servings; each serving is Four blocks

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 Cups chopped onions (2 Carbs)
* 1 Tsp garlic powder
* 2-2/3 Tsp Olive Oil (8 Fat)
* 8 oz. lean beef (8 Protein)
* 3/4 Cup canned kidney beans (3 Carbs)
* 1-1/2 Cups Chopped Tomatoes (1.5 Carbs)
* 1.5 oz. shredded cheese (1.5 Carbs)
* 1/2 Cup water
* 2 TBSP chili powder

** REPLACE THE SHREDDED CHEESE WITH 3/8 CUP OF BLACK BEANS (1.5 Carbs)!!! Cheese is a protein source... so to complete the TOTAL blocks for the carb category, please make this swap. Add them in at step three.

DIRECTIONS:
Step One:
Saute onions and mix in garlic powder.

Step Two:
Add meat and continue to saute until the meat is cooked.

Step Three:
Add kidney beans, tomatoes, water, and chili powder

Step Four:
Simmer to however thick you would like it, sprinkle with cheese and EAT!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

THESE ARE DELICIOUS! 

This recipe makes two servings. Each serving (2 bell peppers) is 3 blocks. 

INGREDIENTS:

* 6 bell peppers: 4 with tops cut off and 2 diced up for stuffing (2 CARBS)

* 1 cup diced onion (1 CARB)

* 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (2 CARB)

* 1-1/4 cup diced tomatoes (1 CARB)

* 6 oz. cooked lean ground beef (4 PROTEIN)

* 2 oz. low fat cheese (2 PROTEIN)

* 2 tsp olive oil (6 FAT)

* salt and pepper

(I did not use rice, partially because I didn't have any, and since it's not on the list of foods we should eat. Instead I prepared enough broccoli as a side item to compensate for those lost carbs so it would still be a 3 block meal!)

DIRECTIONS:

Step One:

Cook 4 peppers in a small amount of water and salt in the microwave to make them slightly tender... I did it for about five minutes. I used the orange bell peppers as the ones to dice because when cooked they taste sweeter.

Step Two:

Combine rice (if you are using it), diced peppers, tomatoes, onions, hamburger meat, salt and pepper. Saute these in the olive oil until vegetables are tender. 

Step Three: 

Stuff the four remaining peppers with this mixture. 

Step Four: 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Step Five:

Remove from oven, top with cheese, then put back in oven until cheese is melted.

**I like to use the mozzerella sticks that come in the single packs because they are each exactly one ounce so there is no measuring. I used two sticks for this recipe... a half a stick for each bell pepper.

Paleo and The Zone 101

PALEO

I think of it this way... Paleo is the much larger picture... then once you understand Paleo, you begin zoning what you eat to slim down and become more lean. It is just an overall healthier lifestyle. Most people like to call Paleo- the caveman's diet. And honestly, they couldn't be more right. I personally don't like to call it a diet when you are eating healthier, it's called a lifestyle... one that more people should adapt to. But getting back on track, the things you are able to eat are anything that is "grass-fed, pasture raised" and wild plants. I pray I do not offend any vegetarians.. if that is what you may be, then please accept my apologies, this blog isn't for you! Instead of writing out a list of everything you can and cannot eat, here is the link to it! 

http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html

Basically, anything that is processed or has preservatives, you DON'T want. Therefore, when you go to do your grocery shopping, stay in the fresh produce or frozen sections! Tip: Also go grocery shopping right after you go work out!! 

First Post :)

Ok, so here lately everyone has been asking me to explain to them how to "Zone" once I figure it out... well let me tell you, it is definitely a constant learning process. I am constantly looking up how much I can have of each food or even just which foods I can have. For all of you newby's that are starting this process with me... I'll try and post something that explains this process VERY easily... it's not easy... just going to start by telling you that. I told myself I would stick with it for one month, then if I am doing better with it, keep going! I also am going to go ahead and tell you that EVERYTHING you read on here may not be correct and I hope that I eventually get some avid Paleo-Zone experts following me to correct anything I mess up! :) I do my best to research everything before I post something on the world wide web!! Well here goes nothing!!!