Here is a guide on Zone Food Blocks to help you choose the right amount of foods to keep you In the Zone. This list contains portioned amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that will keep you In the Zone. From this list, most women should choose 3 blocks of protein, 3 blocks of carbohydrate, and 3 blocks of fat for each meal. Each selection in the Food Block list is one block. For example, one ounce of chicken equals one block, a woman should have 3 ounces of chicken. Most men should choose 4 blocks of protein, 4 blocks of carbohydrate, and 4 blocks of fat for each meal. Then choose 1 block of each for mid-afternoon and pre-bedtime snacks. See examples below.
To find out how many blocks you need per day you will need to be measured so I can determine your lean body mass.
Sample Lunch for Women:
3 protein blocks = 3oz. chicken
3carbohydrate blocks = 3 cups asparagus
3 fat blocks = 1 tsp. olive oil
Sample Snack:
1 protein block = 1oz. canned tuna in water
1 carbohydrate block = 2 cups celery
1 fat block = 1/3 tsp. olive oil
Use this list as a reference, but realize that these numbers are not set in concrete. There is more information on Food Blocks in the books A Week in the Zone and Zone Meals in Seconds by Dr. Barry Sears.
Protein
Each protein block below contains 7 grams of protein
Meat and Poultry Best Choices (low in saturated fat)
1 oz. Beef (range fed or game)
1 oz. Chicken breast, skinless
1 ½ oz. Chicken breast, deli-style
1 ½ oz. Ground beef (Less than 10% fat)
1 ½ oz. Lean Canadian Bacon
1 oz. Turkey breast, skinless
1 ½ oz. Turkey breast, deli-style
1 ½ oz. Turkey, ground
3 strips Turkey bacon
Fair Choices (moderate in saturated fat)
1 oz. Beef (lean cuts)
1 oz. Chicken, skinless, darkmeat
1 oz. Corned beef, lean
1 ½ oz. Duck
1 oz. Ham, lean
1 ½ oz. Ham, deli-style
1 oz. Lamb, lean
1 oz. Pork, lean
1 oz. Pork Chop
3 slices Turkey Bacon
1 oz. Turkey, skinless, dark meat
1 oz. Veal
Poor Choices (high in saturated fat, Arachidonic Acid, or both)
3 ½ slices Bacon, pork
1 oz. Beef, fatty cuts*
1 ½ oz. Beef, ground (>10% fat)
1 link Hot dog, beef or pork
1 link Hot dog, chicken or turkey
1 oz. Pepperoni
1 oz. Salami
2 links Sausage, pork
2 patties Sausage, pork
*Arachidonic Acid
Fish and Seafood
1 oz. Bass (freshwater)
1 ½ oz. Bass (sea)
1 ½ oz. Bluefish
1 ½ oz. Calamari
1 ½ oz. Catfish
1 ½ oz. Cod
1 ½ oz. Clams
1 ½ oz. Crabmeat
1 ½ oz. Haddock
1 ½ oz. Halibut
1 ½ oz. Lobster
1 ½ oz. Salmon*
1 oz. Sardines*
1 ½ oz. Scallops
1 ½ oz. Snapper
1 ½ oz. Swordfish
1 ½ oz. Shrimp
1 ½ oz. Trout
1 oz. Tuna (steak)
1 oz. Tuna, canned in water
*Rich in EPA
Eggs (Best Choices)
2 Egg whites
¼ cup Egg substitute
Fair Choices
1 Whole egg*
*Arachidonic Acid
Protein-Rich Dairy (Best Choices)
1 oz. Cheese, nonfat
¼ cup Cottage cheese, low-fat
Fair Choices
1 oz. Cheese, low-fat
1 oz. Mozzarella cheese, skim
2 oz. Ricotta cheese, skim
Poor Choices
1 oz. Hard Cheeses
Vegetarian (always check package labels)
7 grams, 1/3 oz. Protein powder
½ patty Soy burger
3 slices Soy Canadian bacon
1 link Soy hotdog
½ cup Soy hamburger crumbles
2 links Soy sausage links
1 patty Soy sausage
2 oz. Tofu, firm or extra firm
Mixed Protein Sources (Contain more carbohydrate, so read labels carefully)
¼ block Soybeans, boiled
¾ patty Soybean hamburger
5 oz. Tofu, silken
4 oz. Tofu, soft
Mixed Protein / Carbohydrate (Contain 1 block protein and 1 block carbohydrate)
1 cup Milk, low-fat (1%)
8 oz. Soy milk
10 grams Soy Flour
½ cup Yogurt, plain
1 ½ oz. Tempeh
Carbs
Each carbohydrate block below contains 9 grams of carbohydrate
Low Density Carbohydrates (Best Choices)
Cooked Vegetables
4 large Artichoke
1 cup Artichoke Hearts
1 cup Asparagus (12 spears)
1 ½ cups Beans, green or wax
1/4 cup Beans, black
3 cups Bok choy
3 cups Broccoli
1 ½ cups Brussel sprouts
3 cups Cabbage
4 cups Cauliflower
1/4 cup Chickpeas
2 cups Collard greens
1 ½ cups Eggplant
1/4 cup Hummus
2 cups Kale
1/4 cup Kidney beans
1 cup Leeks
1/4 cup Lentils
2 cups Mushrooms (boiled)
½ cup Onions, chopped (boiled)
1 cup Okra, sliced
1 cup Sauerkraut
2 cups Spaghetti squash
3 ½ cups Spinach
2 ½ cups Swiss chard
1 ½ cups Turnip, mashed
4 cups Turnip greens
2 cups Yellow squash
2 cups Zucchini
Raw Vegetables
10 cups Alfalfa sprouts
4 cups Bamboo shoots
3 cups Bean sprouts
4 cups Broccoli
4 cups Cabbage. shredded
4 cups Cauliflower pieces
2 cups Celery, sliced
¼ cup Chick peas
4 cups Cucumber, sliced
10 cups Endive, chopped
10 cups Escarole, chopped
2 Green or red peppers
2 cups Green or red peppers, chopped
2 cups Jalapeño peppers
2 heads Lettuce, iceberg
10 cups Lettuce, romaine, chopped
4 cups Mushrooms, chopped
1 ½ cup Onions, chopped
4 cups Radishes, sliced
½ cup Salsa
1 ½ cups Snow peas
20 cups Spinach
1 Spinach Salad (3 cups raw spinach, ½ raw onion, and 1 raw tomato)
2 Tomato
2 cups Tomato, cherry
1 ½ cups Tomato, chopped
1 Tossed salad (3 cups shredded lettuce, ½ raw green pepper, and 1 raw tomato)
1/3 cup Water chestnuts
10 cups Water cress
Fruits
½ Apple
1/3 cup Applesauce (unsweetened)
3 Apricots
3/4 cup Blackberries
½ cup Blueberries
½ cup Boysenberries
8 Cherries
1/3 cup Fruit cocktail (light)
½ cup Grapes
½ Grapefruit
1 Kiwi
1 Lemon
1 Lime
½ Nectarine
½ Orange
1/3 cup Orange, Mandarin, canned in water
1 Peach
½ cup Peaches, canned in water
½ Pear
1 Plum
1 cup Raspberries
1 cup Strawberries
1 Tangerine
Grains (read labels)
½ tbs.Barley (dry)
1/3 cup Oatmeal (slow-cooking) (cooked)**
½ oz. Oatmeal (slow-cooking) (dry)**
**Contains GLA
High Density Carbohydrates (use in moderation)
Cooked Vegetables
½ cup Acorn squash
¼ cup Beans, baked
¼ cup Beans, refried
½ cup Beets, sliced
½ cup Butternut squash
1 Carrot
1 cup Carrots, sliced
1 cup Carrots, shredded
¼ cup Corn
5 French fries
¼ cup Lima beans
1/3 cup Parsnips
½ cup Peas
¼ cup Pinto beans
¼ cup Potato, baked
1/3 cup Potato, boiled
¼ cup Potato, mashed
1/3 cup Sweet potato, baked
¼ cup Sweet potato, mashed
Fruits
1/3 Banana
¼ melon Cantaloupe
¾ cup Cantaloupe, cubed
¾ cup Cranberries
3 tsp Cranberry sauce
2 Dates
1 Fig
½ cup Guava
2/3 cup Honeydew melon, cubed
3 Kumquat
1/3 cup Mango, sliced
¾ cup Papaya, cubed
½ cup Pineapple, diced
2 Prunes, dried
1 tbsp Raisins
¾ cup Watermelon, cubed
Fruit Juices
1/3 cup Apple
1/3 cup Apple cider
¼ cup Cranberry
¼ cup Fruit punch
¼ cup Grape
1/3 cup Grapefruit
1/3 cup Lemonade, unsweetened
1/3 cup Lime
1/3 cup Orange
¼ cup Pineapple
1 cup Tomato
¾ cup V-8
Grains, Cereals, and Breads
¼ Bagel, small
½ Biscuit
1 oz. Bread crumbs
½ slice Bread, whole grain or white
1 Breadstick, hard
½ Breadstick, soft
½ oz. Buckwheat, dry
½ oz. Bulgur wheat, dry
½ oz. Cereal, dry
1-inch square Cornbread
4 tsp. Cornstarch
1 oz. Couscous, dry
1 ½ squares Cracker, graham
4 Cracker, saltine
3 Cracker, Triscuit
¼ Croissant, plain
½ oz. Crouton
1/3 Doughnut, plain
¼ English muffin
½ oz. Granola
1/3 cup Grits, cooked
½ oz. Melba toast
½ oz. Millet, dry
½ Muffin, blueberry, mini
¼ oz. Noodles, egg, cooked
1 Pancake, four-inch
¼ cup Pasta, cooked
½ pocket Pita bread
2 cups Popcorn, popped
1/5 cup Rice, brown, cooked
1/5 cup Rice, white, cooked
1 Rice cake
¼ Roll, bulkie
½ Roll, small dinner
½ Roll, hamburger
1 Taco shell
1 Tortilla, six-inch corn
½ Tortilla, eight-inch flour
½ Waffle
Alcohol
6 oz. or ½ bottle Beer, light
4 oz. or 1/3 bottle Beer, regular
1 oz. Distilled spirits
4 oz. Wine
Others
2 tbsp Barbecue sauce
1/3 slice Cake
¼ Candy bar
2 tbsp Catsup
2 tbsp Cocktail sauce
1 Cookie, small
½ tbsp Honey
¼ cup Ice cream, regular
1/6 cup Ice cream, premium
2 tbsp Jam or jelly
½ tsp Molasses, light
1 ½ tbsp Plum sauce
½ oz. Potato chips
½ oz. Pretzels
4 tsp Relish, pickle
2 tsp Sugar, brown
2 tsp Sugar, granulated
1 tbsp Sugar, confectionary
2 tsp Syrup, maple
2 tsp Syrup, pancake
1 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
½ oz Tortilla chips
Fat
Each fat block below contains 1.5 grams of fat
Best Choices (rich in monounsaturated fat)
½ tsp. Almond butter
1/3 tsp Almond oil
1 tsp. Almonds (slivered)
3 Almonds (whole)
1 tbsp. Avocado
2 Cashews
1 tbsp Guacamole
1 Macadamia nut
3 Olives
1/3 tsp. Olive oil
1/3 tsp olive oil plus vinegar to taste, Olive oil and vinegar dressing
6 Peanuts
½ tsp. Peanut butter, natural
1/3 tsp. Peanut oil
3 Pistachios
½ tsp. Almond butter
1/3 tsp. Sesame oil
½ tsp. Tahini
Fair Choices (low in saturated fat)
1/3 tsp. Canola oil
1/3 tsp. Mayonnaise, regular
1 tsp. Mayonnaise, light
½ tsp. Sesame oil
1/3 tsp. Soybean oil
½ tsp. Walnuts, shelled and chopped
Poor Choices (low in saturated fat)
2 tsp. Bacon bits, imitation
1/3 tsp. Butter
½ tbsp. Cream (half and half)
1 tsp. Cream cheese
2 tsp. Cream cheese, light
1/3 tsp. Lard
½ tbsp. Sour cream
1 tbsp. Sour cream, light
1/3 tsp. Vegetable shortening
½ tsp.Tahini
