Zone Diet & Circuit Training

Z

zoolander

New member
Hi there,

I'm new here and had a few quick questions regarding the zone diet and exercise.

I've been on the zone diet (40/30/30) for about a month and a half so far and have lost about 20 lbs (230lbs starting the diet). I'm eating 5 meals a day and feel pretty good about it so far.

Recently, I joined a gym with a trainer for some pretty intense 30 minute circuit training. Now my first session was yesterday I came down with a nasty little bug and didn't eat my usual portions (skipped breakfast, had little for lunch with no snack). However, I still forced myself to go to the gym - on very little food.

Basically, after the 30 minutes I was exhausted. I felt sick, light headed and tingly in my hands. This lasted for a while until I got some food back into my system. My trainer cut the workout early after realizing that I wasn't feeling so hot and told me that I simply didn't eat enough for the workout.

My usual eating routine for the day is:

1. 9:00 breakfast - a zone bar
2. 12:30 lunch - salad with lots of meat (or sandwich) and a piece of fruit
3. 4:00 snack - sometimes cheese with nuts and a piece of fruit
4. 6:00 dinner - meat, vegetables
5: 9:00 snack - nuts, fruit, cheese

I tend to workout at about 5:30 or so and don't want to repeat what happened yesterday. Is this diet sufficient enough for a 30 minute circuit session?

Someone suggested eating a banana an hour before going because it's high in fat and gives you lots of energy. I also see a lot of people at the gym chugging down smoothies after the workout. Is this to retain muscle mass for bulking up, or is it applicable for weight loss as well?

Any suggestions?
 
Are you allowed to have grains on the Zone diet?
 
Yeah - I didn't see any listed above.

I don't know what your calorie count is - or what your goal is, but if you are feeling faint you might need to add something to your eating repetoire.

You could start with a whole grain and a protein after your workout - it wouldn't add that much to your calorie count, but would give you a little bit of lift - or another zone bar?

I hope someone around here knows more about the zone diet.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the reply.

My gut instinct is that the diet is sufficient for the 30 min workout - I was just an being an idiot and didn't eat nearly enough.

Perhaps if anyone else knows anything about the Zone diet and exercise, they can chime in.
 
I felt sick, light headed and tingly in my hands. This lasted for a while until I got some food back into my system.
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Sounds like you already know what the problem is. If you try to go and do an intense workout like a circuit workout while having not eaten in a long time, you're going to get hypoglycemic (Hypoglycemia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Also, if it is your first time doing the program, you may have overdone it a bit. Circuit training (when done properly) is going to leave you completely drained. Steve will most likely come in here and tell you to try his lifting program first (stickied in the exercise forum) over circuit training... and if doing this circuit training is making you sick, I would have to agree.

I tend to workout at about 5:30 or so and don't want to repeat what happened yesterday. Is this diet sufficient enough for a 30 minute circuit session?
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Only you are able to tell if what you are eating is sufficient for your workouts. If you get all hypoglycemic and nasty, then chances are: no. Having said that, you should be able to get a workout in without causing harm to your body (aisde from feeling like garbage). My younger brother used to run cross country practices on a single slice of turkey(regular resting weight for him was ~285, and he cut to 215 in 3 months using atkins and cross country for wrestling back when he was in highschool). You're not going to die from working out low on fuel, but the headaches are a bear.

Someone suggested eating a banana an hour before going because it's high in fat and gives you lots of energy. I also see a lot of people at the gym chugging down smoothies after the workout. Is this to retain muscle mass for bulking up, or is it applicable for weight loss as well?
Click to expand...

That may be the first time I have heard someone reference a banana's nutritional value outside of its potassium content.

As far as the shakes go, you're probably seeing them drink the shakes for the protein. This is for muscle gain / retention.

EDIT:

Adding in a quick note: If you are set on doing the circuit workout, try eating what you would normally eat while you are healthy (not sick) and do the workout first, BEFORE concluding that the diet plan is at fault, when you were sick and hadn't eaten.
 
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Zoolander,

Whether you're trying to lose or gain weight you need to consume a post-workout beverage or eat after workouts. This is used to help maintain/increase muscle mass and assist in your recovery. If you recover properly, next time you should be able to perform as much or more work which will help you get closer to your goal.
 
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