Yesterday the 2010 CrossFit Games Deep South Sectional Qualifier concluded, sending 15 men and 15 women to the Southeast Regional qualifier in Jacksonville, Florida on May 28-30. The event was hosted by CrossFit Huntsville at Brahan Spring Park in Huntsville, Alabama. Below is a summary of the event followed by some commentary. You can access final scores here.

At least 22 athletes from CrossFit Impulse participated in some way. For an affiliate less than four months old with about 40 regular members, that is phenomenal. Furthermore, with only ten judges available during each heat, five of them were from CrossFit Impulse. Other volunteers ran scoring, vending, registration, and even turf repair. It was truly a great showing for our affiliate, furthering my pride in all of you. We also had one hell of a good time, but more on that later.

Event 1 started with an all out sprint:
3 Rounds for time of:
25m Down-and-Back sprint (50m total)
10 Burpees
7 Power Cleans – 155/105lbs

Jordan started the action in the ladies heat, but couldn’t finish her final cleans before the 10 minute time limit expired. Her performance would only improve as the weekend went on, and this DNF would prove to be the only disappointment in a long string of victories ahead. I was the first male competitor from CrossFit Impulse, earning a time of 3:22 and 15^th place overall.  Hudson scored 3:55 for 32^nd place and Jakub scored 4:31 for 46^th place.

The next WOD was what most considered the most brutal of the weekend:
12 Deadlifts – 275/165lbs
40 Wall balls – 20/10lbs
9 Deadlifts – 275/165lbs
30 Wall balls – 20/10lbs
6 Deadlifts – 275/165lbs
20 Wall balls – 20/10lbs
3 Deadlifts – 275/165lbs
10 Wall balls – 20/10lbs

The exceptionally difficult wall ball target made this a game of accuracy vs fatigue with a small pause for brute strength between rounds.  Jordan began turning things around, scoring 15:02 for 19^th place. I placed 27^th with a time of 9:22. Hudson followed with 12:05 for 49^th place and Jakub rallied for 24^th place with a time of 8:57.

The third WOD would be pivotal for all of us.

Five rounds for time of:
400m run
25 Pull-ups (men)/15 Pull-ups (women)

Jordan placed 7^th at 15:52 and I placed 2^nd at 13:21, a distant second to Drew Shamblin who won the event at 12:44. Hudson also fared extremely well, placing 7^th at 15:08. Unfortunately, Jakub suffered leg cramps beginning in the middle of the workout and placed 52^nd at 22:09.

At the end of day one this left me in 8^th place overall. Jordan was at 17^th place in the ladies’ standings, and Jakub and Hudson fell near the upper middle of the pack in the men’s. The final WOD on Sunday would determine the standings once and for all. It was a traditional CrossFit triplet:

As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
Handstand Push-ups (3 reps women/ 5 reps men)
Squat Snatch, 7 reps (65 lbs women/ 95 lbs men)
20″ Box jumps, 10 reps

Jordan was first up in the ladies heat. As soon as the heat began her dominance of the event was evident. Most women struggled badly on the handstand pushups. To Jordan, however, they were merely a distraction between the more taxing squat snatches and box jumps. She took a commanding victory in her heat and finished #6 in the event overall with 126 reps. Jakub was up next. He performed extremely well with the squat snatches, finishing 40^th overall with 106 reps. Hudson came next with 133 reps, good for 27^th place. It was my turn to face the pain in the next to last men’s heat. I soared through HSPUs, but squat snatches quickly became power snatches followed by an overhead squat. In the final 20 seconds of the event I went back to linking box jumps without stepping down to gain extra reps before time expired. This resulted in a finish of 9^th place with 174 reps.

At the end of the weekend, CrossFit Impulse athletes finished as follows in the overall standings:

Jordan             14^th place         32 points

Jeff                  6^th place           53 points

Hudson           31^st place         115 points

Jakub               41^st place         162 points

In a field of the fittest 71 men and 21 women from all of Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, this is nothing short of phenomenal performance. Additionally, Jordan and I were able to make the top 15 that move onto Jacksonville for regionals. I can only imagine the anguish that weekend will hold, and the level of competition that will be present.

Finally, I want to highlight some of my favorite experiences of the weekend. First, just being surrounded by like-minded people and all my friends from CrossFit Impulse made for an awesome weekend. Chatting during downtime and cheering on our athletes are my favorite memories of the event. We all had a good laugh at the expense of Tristan’s dislocated Vas Deferen from Friday’s WOD. I’m glad he is such a good sport about it. Tent teardown on Sunday and the R-rated analogies it brought was also hilarious. Despite impersonating the Unabomber on Saturday morning, Christina turned out to be harmless, unless she was judging you. If she was your judge then you might have thought she was impersonating the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, or perhaps even a real Nazi. “No clean for you!!” David was also notoriously tough, reportedly requiring athletes to actually roll over the pullup bar for their pullups to count as “breaking both planes.” On many occasions I also saw Chris exclaim like a crack addict, “No! I gotta have the depth, man!”

Steven’s trip to Wal-Mart and hasty turf repair was majestic during the last WOD, and then I ruined all his work after about three snatches. Sorry, Steven. Russell and John did an amazing job of keeping scores updated. About 5 minutes after a heat you could view your results online. That’s what happens when CrossFitters are equipped with the internetz and Web 2.0.

Mark Fowler’s pictures from the event are amazing. I cannot believe what is possible when you combine someone with photography skill and quality equipment. Check out all the photos on our Facebook group here. As a competitor, I didn’t get to spend much time with many of the volunteers, and I regret that. Please know that your efforts are appreciated by all. I also look forward to seeing photos from a coworker that volunteered, Leslie-Ann Barr. We also appreciated help from the Vegas, Daniel, Andy, and Melissa Fowler. I think CrossFit Huntsville may hire Melissa as their t-shirt marketing director after this weekend. All the cheering and visits from spectators was appreciated as well.

Jordan’s comeback performance in the final WOD was probably my favorite event of the weekend. Watching her nail all the HSPUs unbroken and lap her competitors repeatedly was exhilarating. Rich Froning’s unbroken squat snatches in the final WOD were also awe-inspiring. This weekend was a lot of fun in a lot of ways. I’m looking forward to continuing our training at CrossFit Impulse and taking an even larger sample of athletes to sectionals next year. Talk to anyone who competed or attended and they’ll tell you that the friendly competitive atmosphere should not intimidate you. Competitors of all abilities and ages participated, and all had a chance to succeed in their own way, whether it be simply completing a scaled version of the WOD or moving on to regionals. Networking with other local and area CrossFitters is also very fun and informative. Finally, the post-sectionals cheat meal at Cantina Laredo was welcome and well-deserved by volunteers and competitors alike.

I’m excited about the future of participating in more WODs, competitions, and social events with everyone at CrossFit Impulse…and hopefully reducing our number of scrotal injuries. See you at the box.

CrossFit Impulse strives to provide an unmatched experience to all our athletes. This includes creating a genuine community, providing a professional CrossFit facility, offering effective training, and maintaining quality equipment. The desired result is helping you achieve your fitness goals, and to have a great time doing it.  We also believe in healthy communication and transparency about our affiliate, which is why we’ve chosen to talk to you about some upcoming changes. As we continue to grow, we must make some changes to our business model in order to sustain the level of quality that we want to deliver and you’ve come to expect.  Over the course of the next several months we will be implementing a membership rate increase, the addition of another certified trainer to our team, expanding our class times, and continuing to build our equipment inventory.

Rate Changes

Anytime your wallet is affected, we realize it’s a priority.  Let’s start with a summary of the upcoming rate changes.  First, existing members will not be affected by the rate increase in any capacity until six months after it is implemented for new members. We are humbled and honored by your vote of confidence to join our affiliate as a new and unproven facility, and we thank you. Existing members will continue to pay their current rate until October 1^st, 2010. All rate adjustments will be effective April 1, 2010 for all new members. Sorry, it’s not an April Fool’s joke. The cutoff date to join under existing rates (and lock them in for six months) is March 31^st, 2010.

Next, don’t worry, the rate changes aren’t going to hurt too much.  We currently charge $60 per month for General Membership, which includes unlimited class attendance.  We will be increasing the General Membership rate by $20.  The new rate will be $80 per month for unlimited classes.  A slight discount will be available for 3-month General Membership at $230 and 6-month General Membership at $460.

Partner Membership will increase from $100 to $140 per month, which includes both partners.  We are also refining our policy that defines eligibility for Partner Membership. Our present structure for Partner Membership is loosely defined as any two people who sign up together. This is unfair to members paying the general rate, because receiving the partner discount largely relies upon luck in someone you know joining at the same time. The purpose of the Partner Membership discount is to make membership more affordable for those who share the same finances and allow partners to influence one another to participate in CrossFit. Therefore, under our new policy, partners are defined as individuals who cohabitate, simply meaning individuals who live together. We will no longer offer 3-month and 6-month Partner member discount rates, as they are seldom used. The new rate is $140/month for as many or as few months as you’d like to pay for.

The Special Service Membership will increase from $50 to $65 per month.  Special Service members are defined as law enforcement, firefighters, active duty military, and emergency medical technicians (EMT).  Like the 3-month and 6-month partner membership, We will no longer offer 3-month and 6-month Special Service member discount rates, as they are seldom used. The new rate is $65/month for as many or as few months as you’d like to pay for.

Additional Trainer

As part of our growth, CrossFit Impulse plans to make an addition to our team of trainers.  Increasing our trainer capacity will allow us to expand our offering of classes to better accommodate everyone’s schedules and more new members. This will also reduce class sizes. We have already begun this process and look forward to providing more details soon. Our plan is to have a new trainer fully onboard by the first week of May 2010.

Class Structure

Part of our present business model is open and unlimited classes. This means that you can always choose what class you attend, and you can attend as many classes as you want. Many affiliates do not operate this way. However, with this model we occasionally experience days when classes may be crowded and equipment quickly becomes limited.  Thanks to everyone’s patience, we have been able to manage this issue well through running multiple heats, substituting exercises, and creating team workouts.  We have no plans to modify our class structure of open and unlimited classes.  However, the downside to this structure is that once in a while you may not be able to perform a workout as prescribed, or you may have to share equipment with another athlete.  We think this is a small price to pay for the large amount of freedom and flexibility this structure offers.  In an attempt to minimize crowded classes, we will be adding at least one additional class time to our schedule starting around May 2010, along with the new trainer.  The new class time will be determined from member feedback.  We are currently considering three possibilities:

• Early morning class following the 5:30 A.M. class, possibly at 6:45 A.M.
• Lunch-time class sometime between 11 AM and 1 PM
• Afternoon class prior to the 5:00 P.M. class, possibly at 3:45 P.M.

Email us or talk to us at the box about your preferred additional class time. And if you have a different idea than the three proposed above, please let us know.

Equipment

CrossFit Impulse continues to evaluate equipment needs on a regular basis. We want everyone to be able to perform the WOD as prescribed (or modified appropriately) within the scheduled class time. We plan to continue investing in equipment to eliminate bottlenecks and minimize the need to modify workouts.  We view our immediate needs as Olympic bars, bumper plates, rings, and at least one more Concept 2 rower.  We appreciate any feedback you can provide on where you see equipment shortfalls. Again, our goal is to provide you with enough quality equipment to meet the needs of as many athletes as possible, and allow everyone to attempt the workout as prescribed if they wish.

Summary

Over the course of the next year, we plan to continue to improve our product: Life. Changing. Fitness.  To make this happen, we believe the rate changes, additional trainer, class time expansion, and additional equipment are all essential.  We want to continue to facilitate your training, in the best facility we can provide, using the best training methods in the world. We think CrossFit Impulse has become a great place to train, but only because of you, the athletes who call it home. We look forward to continuing this journey together and achieving the great things of which this great group of athletes is capable.

Sincerely,

David, Jeff, and Christina

Lack of time is a large obstacle keeping many people from regular exercise. Many people lead hectic lives or work strange hours that make exercise very inconvenient. Family commitments also restrain some from getting to the gym. I don’t have children, but I can completely understand that life is more difficult for someone seeking to spend an hour engaged in exercise when parenting a small child is involved. However, I contend that making time for regular exercise is so important that you would be a fool not to make the necessary sacrifices. You would not allow yourself to trade instant gratification for long-term happiness in any other facet of life, and specifically in one particular facet of life: finances. Read more if you’re curious what I’m smokin’. Continue Reading

In the modern world in which we live, many of us are required to travel for our jobs, and we often travel for personal vacation.  We have probably all experienced, first-hand, the problem of finding a way to continue this crazy thing we have grown to love called CrossFit without our local CrossFit box.  As you probably know, hotel fitness centers are not CrossFit friendly.  They are usually extremely small with the typical treadmill (or two), a stationary bike, an elliptical machine, and occasionally you may find some type of cable machine for bicep curls and tricep extensions.  So, what do you do when faced with this situation?  Your options are numerous.

Getting a good CrossFit workout on the road is not actually as difficult as you might think.  Only a few things are necessary to make it happen.  Desire is number one.  If you have the desire, then the remaining factors (finding a workspace, setting aside some time, and improvising with equipment limitations) will come with ease.  Let’s assume as CrossFitters that the desire is a given.  Next, we have to find a place to workout.  The hotel fitness center, if it exists, is an option.  However, many workouts can be done in your hotel room or outside in the parking lot.  Local parks also make sufficient workout areas when the weather is nice.  What about time?  The time variable is easy to overcome.  10-20 minutes is sufficient for squeezing in a decent travel WOD.  Simply cut out 10-20 minutes of television time or set your alarm 10-20 minutes early and you have it.  Equipment limitations can be defeated with some imagination.  Hotel chairs make good dip stations.  They can also be used to anchor your feet while doing sit-ups.  That nice little fold out luggage rack stowed in the closet can be used for dips as well.  Improvise and be creative with your surroundings. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish.  Truth is that many WODs can be done without any equipment.  For an extensive list of body weight WODs suitable for travel, click here.

Now, that we’ve talked a little about the necessities, let’s hit on some luxuries that are nice to have but not totally necessary.  A few things that come to mind are a stopwatch (of any type), jump rope, pull-up station, and maybe a kettlebell or dumbbell.  The stopwatch and jump rope are easy.  Each can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Target, or any other retail store very inexpensively. They can be easily packed in your luggage while consuming little space.  Your cell phone also likely has a stopwatch function. However, it’s not easy to find a suitable pull-up station at hotels.  Some common things that can serve as a modified pull-up station are fences, treadmills, and low hanging tree limbs.  Again, be creative.  If you are lucky, you can find a pull-up bar or something to serve as one at a local park. Look for monkey bars or something similar that kids might play on, and then kick them off of it.  Okay, packing a kettlebell or dumbbell is not exactly feasible if you are traveling via airplane.  However, if you are going on a vacation or a short business trip via car, then throwing a kettlebell or dumbbell in the trunk is not a big deal.

Another great option is to search for local CrossFit affiliates in the area.  Most affiliates allow experienced CrossFitters to drop-in for a small fee of $10-20.  CrossFit Impulse encourages you to drop-in with other affiliates because it allows you to see how other affiliates conduct classes and who knows, you could learn something to bring back to share with your CrossFit friends at home.  If you can’t find a destination CrossFit affiliate, then a “globo gym” lurks in almost every town.  Some gyms have special rates for guests of local hotels. Ask your hotel staff about this. Going to a “globo gym” is not the end of the world.  At least you have access to weights for strength training, probably some dumbbells, and maybe a pull-up bar.  However, be careful doing anything outside the norm in a globo gym.  Some CrossFitters have been known to accidentally kick people in the face while mounting the wall for a handstand pushup at a “globo gym.”

In summary, if you have the will to continue CrossFitting when on travel, there are many ways to satisfy it.  Depending on the length of your stay at your destination and time availability, simply performing a few body weight WODs from the list provided may be the most convenient solution.  However, if you are traveling for a week or more, it would be a great experience to research the local area for CrossFit affiliates and drop-in for a few WODs.  If no CrossFit affiliate exists within a reasonable distance, you can ask the hotel staff about their specials with local “globo gyms”.  You will probably have better luck asking about local gyms minus the “globo” adjective.  Remember, be creative.  Try taking the luggage rack out in the parking lot for dips and maybe do some handstand pushups against a large portable storage container.  You’ll be amused at the looks you get.

One of the most common questions I get from athletes at CrossFit Impulse is, “How often should I train?” If you are considering CrossFit as your strength and conditioning program then you also may be wondering, “How often should I CrossFit?” CrossFit.com prescribes 3 days “on” followed by 1 day “off.” But is this the right training volume for everyone? Certainly not. Read more for the full story. Continue Reading

Eating out in Huntsville, Alabama and staying in the Zone can be a challenge. I love food and I love to eat out. Eating out and going to movies are my favorite activities. I have also lived in the Huntsville area for over 18 years and I love all the things that southern cooking inundates us with: butter, fried food, and gravy. This brings me to the dilemma, “How can one eat in the Zone and still dine in restaurants with friends and family?” This can be tough, especially if you are like me and love to eat out and enjoy all the things that are bad for you. Food is everywhere. It seems that humans have made the connection that food + friends = party. Think about the last time you hung out with your friends or family and no food was present. Can you remember this ever happening? The closet I can come is waiting at the ER at 11pm at night, and still a snack machine was present. We make choices every day about what we are going to eat. This becomes challenging to everyone as choices are sometimes limited, and we just have to make the best choice available in any given situation.

The easiest way to achieve day to day success is to pack your lunch and not to go out to eat every day. Packing your lunch and preparing for the whole day will eliminate a lot of the temptations and difficulty in making good food choices. However, for a birthday party at Bridge Street most people, including myself, don’t want to pack a lunch box for the night. So here are some tips on things I do when I go out to eat.

Looking at the menu before you arrive at the restaurant is a smart idea. We can now access menus online, which makes this task very easy. I tend to read the whole menu looking for items that are cooked individually. For instance, if I was trying to stick to the Zone I would never choose lasagna or chicken & dumplings. The items I would look for would be entrees that come with side items. When eating at Outback I get the mixed griller with steak and chicken, no rice, and extra grilled veggies.  Grilled chicken is almost always on the menu. It may come with side items or as part of a salad. Jeff and I love Taziki’s Greek Fare. We order grilled lamb salads that are pretty amazing, and very close to a balanced zone meal with no weighing and measuring required. This brings up the most difficult piece of the puzzle, “How does one zone without weighing and measuring?”

Once you have been zoning for a couple of months eating out will become less and less difficult. You will be able to quickly recognize about how much meat you need in proportion to your veggies in order to make a zone friendly meal. This just takes practice. Do not get discouraged, and remember that as long as you make the best choice available to you at the time you will benefit in the long run.

Below are more assorted tips on how to zone while outside the zone-friendly world of your own kitchen:

Parties of all types: Look for a fruit tray or veggie tray. These are your friends. The challenge comes from finding good protein sources, especially at baby showers and wedding showers. Cheese is often available and although it is not the best source of protein, it is much better than no protein at all. If you find meat but it is immersed in carbs galore, then do some dissecting. Pigs in a blanket are the most common, however, chicken is often disguised as well. Remember, alcohol is a carb, so plan accordingly. Lastly, try to eat a good meal right before you go to the party. This way you will only need a small snack, if anything.

Dinner out: Look at the menu before arriving. Choose items that are cooked individually. Grilled items are the easiest to find. Next, check out the side items. Steamed veggies are the best choice, however, side salads are also good. Stay away from rice and potatoes. If choices are very limited then beans and sweet potatoes are not bad choices.

Dinner with family or friends: This is the most difficult category. I usually do not have a problem at family dinners because my mother zones and understands completely. However, my father does not and sometimes makes comments about what I eat. However, he always serves his food buffet style, so I can usually pick and choose what I put on my plate. I also do not have any difficulty telling my family about my food choices. However, when it comes to friends I tend to not voice my opinion as much. I usually eat whatever they serve. If lasagna is served then I would eat some of the noodles and all of the meat and cheese. If it seems like there is enough for seconds I may go back and get a little more meat and cheese and not eat any of the noodles. Long story short: I do the best I can with what I am given.

Lastly, it is okay to occasionally cheat. Remember, this is a lifelong change in our eating habits, and it would be difficult to maintain such a strict diet without any variance throughout a lifetime. Thanksgiving is a great example. I did not even attempt to zone on Thanksgiving. Sometimes you just need to relax and eat pizza with your family on game night, and that is okay. However, that should not be the norm. Jeff and I cheat once per week and the rest of the time we eat a pretty strict zone and Paleo-ish diet. If you follow a strict zone diet throughout the week then you can relax a little on weekends and at special events without breaking the bank. You have to find a balance that works for you and gives you the results you want in your physical appearance, athletic performance, and your social life. Just remember, it can be done, and we are here to help you find that balance.

The trainers at CrossFit Impulse would like to facilitate helping you achieve your nutrition goals.  However, we want this process to be both positive and long-term. Often the problem with dieting is that we set unattainable goals or we get tired and regress to our old eating habits. If you are interested in changing the way you consume and think about food then this challenge is for you. The trainers at CFI want to help you create eating habits you can maintain for a lifetime. Here’s how the challenge works.  The challenge will last 30 days. After you sign up, a  trainer will help you develop an individual nutrition plan to follow for those thirty days. On week one you will be weighed and have your measurements taken and recorded. Every week you will be asked by your trainer how things are going and what you are struggling with.  At the end of the thirty days we will have a one hour question and answer session with all participants to hear everyone’s story. At the end of the one hour question and answer session everyone who stuck with the challenge for 30 days will be invited to go out to eat with the CFI trainers, and we’ll be picking up the tab. Remember that this challenge is not just about weight loss. It is about better health, body composition, strength, and how you feel. Many components go into a healthy and physically fit athlete.  Anyone and everyone can benefit from a healthier diet. Sign-up sheets will be on the information table at CFI — sign up today!

Eating out exposes you to a harsh world with no regard for balanced carbohydrate/protein portions or quality foods. However, you can successfully zone at almost any restaurant if you understand the Zone diet and are willing to make a couple special requests. You won’t have a perfect weighed and measured 4-block meal like you could prepare at home, and your food quality absolutely will not be up to Paleo standards, but you’ll be close enough that an occasional lunch with friends won’t derail your body composition and fitness goals. While the following meals are the exception to the rule, and wouldn’t provide great results if eaten multiple times per day, they will serve you well in moderation. I repeat, most of these choices are not perfect, but they are pretty damn good, which is good enough for me.

1. Lamb Salad at Tazikis Greek Fare

This favorite of mine combines zone friendly portions with mostly Paleo ingredients. Grilled lamb is served in approximately 1 oz slices for easy zoning. It also features high-quality carbs such as spinach and lettuce in the salad, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It also includes some Feta cheese for extra taste and protein. For a tasty and quality fat source you can either go with the standard dressing served with the salad, or ask for Skordalia, a hummus-like sauce. Only eat the small pieces of toasted pita bread if you can’t fully get your carb blocks from the vegetables. [Nutritional Info for a Comparable Lamb Salad] [Menu for Birmingham Location]

2. Chicken Griller at Outback

This is normally served with rice and grilled veggies. Ask for no rice and extra grilled veggies. Whether you choose chicken or steak, both will arrive in bite sized portions that are easy to eyeball into zone blocks. The grilled veggies taste great– a little too great– so I’m almost sure some type of light sugary glaze is applied to them during cooking. Therefore, you won’t require as many veggies as normal to fill your block requirements. The double portion of grilled veggies should be enough for up to a 4 block meal. I don’t generally add fat because I’m sure enough butter was used during cooking to comprise my fat blocks. Skip the bread completely. Better yet, tell your server you don’t want any, so he won’t even bring it to the table. [Nutritional Info (Includes the Rice)] [Menu]

3. Curry Dishes at [Insert Favorite Thai Restaurant Here]

The difficulty with Thai food is that it’s almost always served with rice. I zone Thai food by ordering curry dishes that are essentially just stir-fry meat over vegetables. I find that Masaman Beef and Cashew Chicken work well. Then I eat very, very small portions of rice. I actually dip the meat into the rice and just eat whatever rice sticks to it. Rice is an insanely dense carb, so tread lightly. Peanuts and cashews are an excellent part of many Thai dishes that provide a quality fat source. If you need some extra fat and protein content then order some chicken coconut soup.

4. Fiesta Grill at Cantina Laredo

This fajita dish is great to eat as a cheat, complete with flour tortillas galore, but it’s also completely zoneable and enough to share between two people. Using quality carbs in this meal will be difficult unless you special order some vegetables. The salsa and diced tomatoes are the closest you’ll find to quality carbs. However, you can request corn tortillas instead of flour to make zoning easier. Corn tortillas are 1/2 block per tortilla compared to 1 block per tortilla for flour. This meal also has a large variety of quality protein: chicken, steak, shrimp, quail, and pork. You can also get quality fat from the guacamole. Menu

5. Grilled Salmon Lunch Bowl at P.F. Chang’s

P.F. Chang’s has a surprisingly affordable lunch menu, and their lunch bowls can be zone friendly. The salmon lunch bowl is my favorite. Normally served with rice, request it be served on asparagus instead. I’ve found they generally include about 2 blocks of asparagus. The salmon has a light teriyaki glaze that will add some carb blocks if you decide to leave it on. I usually scrape it off and go with “fat replacement” where I substitute extra fat blocks for missing carbs. I get my fat blocks (and probably more than necessary) from the egg drop soup that comes with the lunch bowl. [Nutritional Info (Includes the Rice)] [Menu]

6. Grande Latte at Starbucks

OK, it’s not a meal, but it’s commonly available, quite tasty, and it’s really not that bad. A grande latte is actually a pretty zone-balanced 2-block snack with 18g of carbs, 12g of protein, and 7g of fat. Yeah, it’s just a shade protein light and fat heavy, but as long as you aren’t drinking seven per day then you’ll probably be OK. A tall size is approximately a 1.5-block snack. I like to order the half-caffeinated version to lessen any dependence on caffeine for energy. If you decide to start adding sugary syrups for mochas and other variations, understand that you’re overshooting on carbs. This won’t hurt you too badly if the rest of your diet is in check, but be aware of it. [Nutritional Info and Beverage List]

7. Cobb Salad at Steak Out

This has a bunch of quality ingredients: lean meat (chicken or beef), hardboiled egg, shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. The portions are a little carb-light, but you can make up the missing carbs in additional fat content from some light ranch or bleu cheese dressing. The cubed ham and bacon bits are a little fatty, pushing this meal way over the recommended fat content. If you want to be strict you could delete the cubed ham and ask for a double order of chicken or steak (which isn’t very expensive), but the numbers actually come out pretty close if you use the extra fat content as carb replacement. Either way, this is a good choice that’s drastically superior to anything served with a baked potato. It’s about a 4-5 block meal.[Nutritional info]

8. 7 oz Victoria’s Fillet at Outback

7 oz is a little too much protein, but you can easily trim the steak to your requirements. Take the remainder home and eat it as part of a 1 or 2 block snack later. You get a choice of two sides, so order broccoli for both sides. You are still probably a couple carb blocks short, so I say top it off with a beer. The steak is probably cooked with enough butter that you can neglect to add fat, but if you need it I suggest asking for a side of bleu cheese crumbles (not to be confused with a bleu cheese crust on the steak). While imperfect in some ways, this is simple, elegant, and delightful. [Nutritional Info] [Menu]

9. Tacos Al Carbon at Rosie’s Cantina

This soft taco dish puts fajita style beef into three soft tortillas along with a few sauteed onions and vegetables. It’s similar to fajitas, only the fajitas are already made for you. You can ask for corn tortillas to lower your carb blocks, but the fact is that you’re not really getting any quality carbs from a Mexican restaurant, so just focus on quantity and make the best of the situation. Guacamole is provided as a decent fat source. I estimate this is about a 4-5 block meal that is just a shade protein light and plenty fat heavy. No online menu or nutritional information available, and they’re closed on Sundays. Boo!

10. Pulled Pork Barbecue at [Insert Favorite BBQ Restaurant Here]

These last few options are certainly not ideal, as they provide almost zero quality carbs. However, if you’re just trying to stay in the zone between “clean” meals then pulled pork barbecue can work. This is easy: order a pulled pork plate, eyeball your protein blocks from the meat, apply 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce per block for your carbs, and ignore everything else on the plate. Yes, throw away the roll. Just throw it away. If you like you can cut a little barbecue sauce and have some baked beans. Still not a great option, but slightly better than getting all your carbs from sugar and tomato juice in the barbecue sauce.

If you were to eat the above meals 5 times a day as your regular routine, then you would undoubtedly get very slow, if not downright poor results. However, this is somewhat of a “best of the worst” list, kind of like a Garth Brooks greatest hits album. Eating out is never going to be extremely zone friendly. Restaurants partially compete on taste, and most of the world is willing to ignore everything else such that restaurants will do anything to make a dish taste better. However, you can survive an occasional lunchtime jaunt with a little bit of thought and planning.

When I began the Zone Diet I became extremely frustrated. I have always loved to cook. I actually wanted to go to culinary school out of high school, and for a year I worked as a sous chef at Old Heidelberg, a German bistro. Once Jeff and I decided to make the transition to the Zone wholeheartedly, I realized the difficult road ahead of me. I knew that I had to change my diet, and after reading Dr. Sears’ book I believed the Zone was the best way. However, my favorite cook books were seemingly useless. I had to find a solution, and I did. Read on to find out more. Continue Reading

A Healthy Food Pyramid...not to be confused with the USDA Food Pyramid

Before you begin worrying about portion size and protein/carb/fat requirements I recommend one simple and difficult step: focus first on food quality. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat. Buy frozen vegetables and meat when you must. Only venture down the aisles for a few select things like nuts, beans, canned tuna, olives, etc. The aisles are generally one big, processed, nutritionally worthless carb-fest. If you need more than those 70 words then read on. Continue Reading