pa href=http://hayesjeff.typepad.com/.a/6a00e00986beda883301116891ec29970c-pi style=FLOAT: rightimg alt=27-foodclock class=at-xid-6a00e00986beda883301116891ec29970c src=http://hayesjeff.typepad.com/.a/6a00e00986beda883301116891ec29970c-320wi style=MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px 5px //a OK, folks! It#39;s been a little more than two months since you guys started the Zone - or re-committed yourselves in some cases. We want to know how it#39;s going. What are your results? What have you found the most frustrating? How have you done sticking with it? Please let us know so others can benefit from your wisdom and experience./p pIf you#39;ve fallen off the wagon - the Zone wagon, that is - here are some steps to get back on board.../p p class=copystrongStep # 1/strong Have a Zone breakfast within one hour of waking. Stabilizing blood sugar first thing in the morning helps you avoid the hormonal rollercoaster, i.e. fluctuations in energy, mood and hunger.#0160; /p p class=copystrongStep # 2/strong Continue to do some form of physical activity daily.#0160; /p p class=copystrongStep # 3/strong Practice portion control. When you prepare a Zone meal that’s balanced with lean protein (no bigger than a deck of playing cards) surrounded with “favorable” vegetables (non-starchy) there’s a good chance you won’t be stuffed when you’re done. And that’s a good thing. Clean up and go for a walk. It takes about 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach the brain. By then you’ll be satisfied for the next 4-5 hours./p p class=copystrongStep # 4/strong#0160;Zone your kitchen. Discard or give away all of those canned, boxed, or frozen foods that you know are a problem. The cereals (even though they have the heart-healthy seal), the protein pastas (still too many carbs, Zone pasta is fine, it’s balanced), frozen French fries, low-fat frozen yogurt (it’s worse than premium ice cream) and that package of cookies you’ve got hidden in the mixing bowls.#0160;To get back into the Zone (or get there for the first time), you’ve got to have a plan./p p class=copystrongStep # 5/strong Get organized. Stock your kitchen with the Zone essentials. For a Zone#0160;shopping list,#0160;a href=http://www.typepad.com/EATING/QuickStartGuide/tabid/108/Default.aspxclick here/a.#0160; a href=http://www.typepad.com/site/blogs/6a00e00986beda883300e54ee346028834/post/6a00e00986beda883301127906363028a4/# id=dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating_A style=TEXT-DECORATION: none title=4span class=ratingStar filledRatingStar id=dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating_Star_2 style=FLOAT: left value=2#0160;/spanspan class=ratingStar filledRatingStar id=dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating_Star_3 style=FLOAT: left value=3#0160;/spanspan class=ratingStar filledRatingStar id=dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating_Star_4 style=FLOAT: left value=4#0160;/spanspan class=ratingStar emptyRatingStar id=dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating_Star_5 style=FLOAT: left value=5#0160;/span/a /p p script type=text/javascript // Method called when the Rating is changed function changeCssClassMethod(eventElement) { Sys.UI.DomElement.removeCssClass($get(#39;divRating#39;), #39;divRatingBefore#39;); Sys.UI.DomElement.addCssClass($get(#39;divRating#39;), #39;divRatingAfter#39;); //Sys.UI.DomElement.toggleCssClass($get(#39;divRating#39;), quot;divRatingAfterquot;); } // Add handler using the getElementById method $addHandler(Sys.UI.DomElement.getElementById(#39;dnn_ctr498_ItemDisplay_ArticleDisplay_ajaxRating#39;), #39;click#39;, changeCssClassMethod); var Engage_ThumbnailHashtable = {}; var Engage_HideTimeoutId = null; function ShowImage(behaviorId, elementId) { // clearTimeout(Engage_HideTimeoutId); //if the image hasn#39;t been hidden yet, clear the call to hide it. BD // var behaviorId = Engage_ThumbnailHashtable[eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id][0]; // var elementId = Engage_ThumbnailHashtable[eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id][1]; var pnlLargeImage = $get(elementId); if (pnlLargeImage) { pnlLargeImage.style.display = #39;block#39;; } var pceArticleThumbnail = $find(behaviorId); if (pceArticleThumbnail) { pceArticleThumbnail.showPopup(); } } function HideImage(behaviorId, elementId, smallImageId) { // var elementId = Engage_ThumbnailHashtable[eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id][1]; // var smallImageId = Engage_ThumbnailHashtable[eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id][2]; // if (!mouseIsInElement(eventElement, eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id)) // { // var hideImage = function() // { // var behaviorId = Engage_ThumbnailHashtable[eventElement.target.id || eventElement.target.parentNode.id][0]; var pceArticleThumbnail = $find(behaviorId); if (pceArticleThumbnail) { pceArticleThumbnail.hidePopup(); var pnlLargeImage = $get(elementId); if (pnlLargeImage) { var hideImage = function() { pnlLargeImage.style.visibility = #39;hidden#39;; pnlLargeImage.style.display = #39;none#39;; } setTimeout(hideImage, 250); } // } // } // Engage_HideTimeoutId = setTimeout(hideImage, 100); } } function mouseIsInElement(eventElement, elementId) { var element = $get(elementId); var bounds = Sys.UI.DomElement.getBounds(element); return eventElement.offsetX gt;= 0 amp;amp; eventElement.offsetX lt;= bounds.width amp;amp; eventElement.offsetY gt;= 0 amp;amp; eventElement.offsetY lt;= bounds.height; } /script /p pAnd lastly, remember not to be too hard on yourself. Dr. Sears says it all here.../p pstrongemquot;There is no guilt in the Zone. If you have a bad meal, just make sure that your next meal is squarely in the Zone. No one is perfect, nor should anyone ever become obsessive regarding the preparation of Zone meals. Even if you are perfect (with your meals), I strongly recommend eating a large carbohydrate meal (pasta, Mexican food, etc.) at least once a month, just so you can feel miserable the next day. You will be bloated, fatigued, mentally foggy...what you are suffering from is an insulin hangover. The reason why I recommend such torture once a month is to reinforce how powerful food can be, and that only one hormonally incorrect meal can send you directly to carbohydrate hell. It#39;s okay because your next meal will take you back into the Zone. Some of us just need some powerful reinforcement from time to time to reaffirm how we want to spend the rest of our lives.quot;/em/strong /p