Zone Living Articles
Packing For A Day On The Go
There are so many things that can stand in the way of good health, but often the difference between failure and success is whether you plan ahead. If you have a full day of meetings on the road, are taking a weekend road trip, or doing a beach day, here are ideas of what you can bring while staying in the Zone. Now if a meeting runs over, there are no healthy options along the way, or the lines are too long to stop, you have everything you need on hand. Protein Ideas Greek Yogurt: Easy to bring on the go if you have ice packs. Some individual containers have up to 20 grams of protein per serving. Jerky: There are so many varieties and high-quality brands out there. They are a bit higher in sodium and some have sugar so do pay attention to labels and portions. String Cheese: Easy on-the-go choice and having them pre-packaged keeps portion in check. Couple with a piece of fruit and you have the ideal zone snack. Hard-Boiled Egg Whites: Eggs are considered a high biological value food, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. To reduce the saturated fat in the yolk, swap it out with healthier fats like hummus or guacamole for an easy snack. Just don’t pack and forget about them please! Chicken or Tuna Salad: Left-over chicken or canned tuna makes for a great protein choice. Swap the mayo for Greek Yogurt to make a healthier alternative. Deli Rollups: Wrap lean deli meat in romaine lettuce leaves for an added crunch without the added carbs of bread. Edamame in Pods: These can be found in the freezer section. Place in a baggie in the morning and pending when you eat they’ll be thawed while helping to keep some of your other things on the cooler side. A ½ cup of pods supplies 10 grams of protein, 4 grams of net carbs, and 3.5 grams of fat. A little low on the carbs but pretty close to being Zoned. Healthy Carbs Veggie Sticks: Cut up cucumbers, peppers, radishes, and cherry tomatoes make for a filling snack plus they can be hydrating too. Make them even yummier with a side of dip, hummus, or guacamole. Fruit: Aim for fruits that travel well like Clementines, oranges, apples, or pears. Homemade Chickpeas: If you need a crunchy snack roasted chickpeas are it. Simply drain and rinse the chickpeas, pat dry, lay on a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil and seasonings of your choosing. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes (turning halfway through to ensure they don’t burn). Low Carb Tortillas: These are a better alternative to bread just make sure to read the carb amounts on the label. Fat Hummus: There are so many varieties of hummus available which makes it great as a dipping option for veggies on the go. Some also come in convenient single-serve packs which is a great way to bring it while keeping portions in check and avoiding waste. Again just pay attention to portoins as one single-serve might be your whole fat requirement for a meal. Guacamole: Guacamole is rich in heart-healthy fat making them a great option for dipping or spreading. Look for the guacamole minis but keep an eye on the amount of fat in a serving. Nuts: There are so many flavors and varieties in the marketplace now. Try and keep it simple by looking for ones that have just a couple ingredients on the Nutrition Facts Panel. Beware of portions as even a small bag can be up to 3 servings and that is easy to consume in one sitting or on a long drive. Seeds: Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are a moderately good choice and they do contain some protein. Use in moderation as they are high in omega-6 fats (more pro-inflammatory). Plus, they can easily rack up the calorie count of your meal. Combo Foods: If you don't have time to calculate just remember to have your meals and snacks on the go be a blend of protein, healthy carbs, and fat. The following are just an idea of a few pairings. Put them in a mason jar and bring them on the go for an easy meal. Greek Yogurt and Berries topped with a little Zone Cereal Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Basil, Mozzarella Balls, Precooked Chicken with Vinaigrette Overnight Steel Cuts Oats with Berries and Protein Powder ZoneRx Shakes: 1 scoop of powder with 10-12 ounces of lactose-free milk and mix. A great on-the-go option with the right balance of macros, and no need to think. Zone Protein Bites- An easy and delicious make-ahead snack! Click here to view the recipe. These are just some simple tips to keep you in the Zone all day long! Let us know which ones are your favorites or how you plan ahead for a day on the go in the comments below.
Burn Fat Faster
Now that the Covid-19 epidemic seems to be slowing down, we must contend with the other epidemic that shows no signs of abating. That is our obesity epidemic. If you have excess body fat, you are already inflamed. That excess adipose tissue is the staging area for ongoing inflammatory attacks on every organ in the body. It is also the first sign that your metabolism is becoming dysfunctional, thus reducing your ability to burn excess stored fat for energy. Metabolism is defined as those complex processes that take place in your body to keep you alive. Metabolism allows you to breathe, digest food, circulate blood, keep the brain working, fight infections, and so on. All these processes require massive amounts of ATP. The “traffic cop” that controls your ability to convert stored body fat into ATP is called AMPK. AMPK can be considered the “master switch” of metabolism. If AMPK is optimized, you can burn stored body fat faster to make greater amounts of ATP. Conversely, if AMPK is inhibited, you accumulate incoming calories as excess body fat. Losing excess body fat is a challenge but keeping the excess body fat from returning is even more difficult because your metabolism slows down after losing any bodyweight. The good news is that AMPK activity is under robust dietary control. The best way to optimize AMPK activity is following the Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition program. By following the anti-inflammatory Zone diet, you can constantly activate your AMPK while reducing calorie intake without hunger or fatigue. Adding omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols as dietary supplements will also increase AMPK activity through different pathways. Although any one of these three nutritional interventions is good, when you combine all three, they are synergistic, as I describe in my latest book, The Resolution Zone. On the other hand, AMPK activity is inhibited by consuming either excess dietary calories or excess glucose. If you inhibit AMPK, then incoming calories easily get converted and stored at excess body fat. Activating AMPK is the biological key that allows you to burn fat faster and prevent its return. It’s also totally under your dietary control. Once you master these basic dietary concepts of the Zone Pro-Resolution Nutrition program, burning fat faster becomes a lifetime reality that leads to a longer and better life. Additional benefits from activating AMPK will be slowing down your rate of aging and improving the efficiency of your immune system. This is the real reason why you want to be in the Zone.
Stress and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
It’s common knowledge that stress can be a killer. But what is not clear is why is it harmful and what you can do to reduce it? A new research article provides more insight into both questions (1). The subjects in this study were middle-aged, overweight healthy adults. Thirty days before the trial, the subjects were split into three groups consuming either placebo capsules, 1.25, or 2.5 grams of EPA and DHA daily. The stress they were exposed to was being given 10 minutes to prepare a 5-minute speech. This speech entailed telling why they were the best candidates for a job. Furthermore, the speech was delivered in front of two live judges wearing white lab coats who were told to keep neutral facial expressions during the speech. The subjects couldn’t use any notes for their job interview speech in front of the judges. If they didn’t use their allotted 5-minute time, they were told to continue speaking until their five minutes were up. If that wasn’t enough stress, they also had to immediately do an oral 5-minute serial subtraction test after their speech before the same judges. If they made a mistake, they would have to start over from the beginning. This test is known as the Trier Social Stress Test, which produces stress and inflammation (2). About one and half hours before this stress test, the subjects had their blood drawn for cytokine levels and saliva for cortisol levels. Then, they ate a standardized breakfast and then answered a questionnaire on their current state of anxiety. After the 20-minute stress test, the same parameters were measured several times over the next two hours. What happened? Quite a lot. Those taking the 2.5 grams of EPA and DHA per day had significantly lower cortisol levels during and for the next two hours after the test. They also had lower pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and less inhibition of the telomerase enzyme activity that repairs damage to your DNA caused by stress. Similar results of lowered cytokine levels were found in a study of elderly, obese healthy adults taking 2.5 grams of EPA and DHA per day (3). So, what are the implications? If you are in a high-stress occupation, then taking adequate daily levels of EPA and DHA can be your best defense against the inflammation and damage to your DNA that comes with that occupation-induced stress. This group would also include elite athletes who live in a world of constant stress due to training and competition. However, most of us live with chronic low-level stress. The impact of this type of stress on the immune system is the same. It is unlikely that stress will be eliminated in our lives. Still, you can significantly reduce the inflammatory and genetic consequences of that stress by taking adequate EPA and DHA levels on a lifetime basis. References Madison AA et al. Omega-3 supplementation and stress reactivity of cellular aging biomarkers. Mol Psychiatry doi:10.1038/s41380-021-01077-2 (2021) Allen AP et al. Biological and psychological markers of stress in humans: Focus on the Trier Social Stress Test. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 38: 94-124 (2014) Tan A et al. Supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid reduces high levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines in aging adults. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 132:23-29 (2018)
Meal Planning Benefits
There are two types of people, those who know what they’re eating for their next meal and those who figure it out the hour before. Where do you fall? If you tend to wing your weeknight meals, the thought of meal planning can seem daunting. Finding time to sit down and write out your menu for the week, making a list, shopping for ingredients, and then the actual meal prep can seem like a lot. The reality is that all this upfront planning actually saves you time and money, helps with weight control, and is good for your health. Here’s why. The Benefits of Meal Planning 1) Saves You Time and Money: When you go to the store without a plan you spend more money. The reason is you are more likely to overbuy which leads to food waste. How many times have you done the refrigerator cleanout before trash night and the wilted produce, the questionable meat, and the leftovers all end up in the trash? Did you know that the average household wastes almost 32% of its food each year? 1 That is a substantial amount of your income! Meal planning can also save you time and money by helping you avoid takeout when you're time-crunched or those trips to the store for missing ingredients where you end up spending more on things you don’t need. 2) Helps with Weight Control: It is well established that making your own meals helps with weight control. A recent study showed participants in a 40-week Weight Loss Program who frequently planned their meals lost more weight than those who did not2. Another study showed women who meal plan are less likely to be overweight and men and women who plan are less likely to be obese3. Meal planning gives you greater control over the ingredients you use and their healthfulness. Unlike eating out, when you eat at home you have a better sense of your portions and how much you consume. Where eating out often comes with extra sugar, sodium, and fat, when you cook at home there are no hidden ingredients. 3) Makes You More Successful with Your Health Goals: With any goal having a plan makes you more likely to stick with it and succeed. Meal planning goes beyond weeknight meals to include being prepared for those times you might get tripped up. If a meeting goes late, sports go into the evening, or you get stuck on a call, having healthy foods prepped in the fridge, in your purse, or at your desk ensures you have what you need to succeed. Meal planning is associated with a healthier and more varied diet3. 4) Reduces Stress: Meal time can feel stressful and not knowing what you have on hand, especially if you have people in your household that rely on you for meals, can put the pressure on. Planning ahead reduces stress and then when the questions start to roll in about what’s for dinner, you can say what you are having with confidence and start delegating on how everyone can help. Want to start meal planning but not sure where to begin? Download our free 7 Day Zone Meal Planner and get started today. References The Shocking Amount Of Food U.S. Households Waste Every Year. Available at : https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2020/01/26/the-shocking-amount-of-food-us-households-waste-every-year/?sh=6e5c70dc7dc8. Accessed: June 1, 2021. Hayes JF, et al. Greater Average Meal Planning Frequency Predicts Greater Weight Loss Outcomes in a Worksite-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Program. Ann Behav Med. 2021. PMID: 32301494 Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, Ibanez G, Allès B, Kesse-Guyot E, Hercberg S, Péneau S. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 Feb 2;14(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s12966-017-04617.