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 prebedtime snacks. See examples below.
To find out how many blocks you need per day click here - protein calculator
(http://www.zonediet.com/Tools/BodyFatZoneBlockRequirementCalculator/tabid/159/Default.aspx) - this will
tell you how many protein blocks you need per day, this number is also how many carbohydrate and fat
blocks you need. If your calculated protein number is 15 blocks per day, then you will also need 15
carbohydrate and 15 fat blocks per day.
Sample Lunch for Women:
3 protein blocks = 3oz. chicken
3 carbohydrate 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
Sample Four Block Meal:
4 protein blocks = 4 chicken
4 carbohydrate blocks = 3 cups broccoli, one carrot and an apple
4 fat blocks = 12 almonds
Sample Two Block Snack:
2 protein blocks = 3 oz deli meat
2 carbohydrate blocks = 1 cup grapes
2 fat blocks = 4 cashews
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 following books authored by Dr. Barry Sears:
”A Week in the Zone” (http://www.amazon.com/Week-Zone-WEEK-MarketPaperback/dp/B001SRR7MI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262128786&sr=1-1)
“Zone Meals in Seconds” (http://www.amazon.com/Zone-Meals-in-Secondsebook/dp/B000FC2OH0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262128956&sr=8-2)
*Food Guide provided by zonediet.co
Page | 1
Protein
Most women should choose 3 blocks and men 4 blocks from the protein list per meal. (Each protein block
below contains 7 grams of protein.)
Meat and Poultry Best Choices (low in
saturated fat)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
oz. Beef (range fed or game)
oz. Chicken breast, skinless
½ oz. Chicken breast, deli-style
½ oz. Ground beef (Less than 10% fat)
½ oz. Lean Canadian Bacon
oz. Turkey breast, skinless
½ oz. Turkey breast, deli-style
½ oz. Turkey, ground
strips Turkey bacon
Fair Choices (moderate in saturated fat)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
oz. Beef (lean cuts)
oz. Chicken, skinless, dark meat
oz. Corned beef, lean
½ oz. Duck
oz. Ham, lean
½ oz. Ham, deli-style
oz. Lamb, lean
oz. Pork, lean
oz. Pork Chop
oz. Turkey, skinless, dark meat
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
oz. Bass (freshwater)
½ oz. Bass (sea)
½ oz. Bluefish
½ oz. Calamari
½ oz. Catfish
½ oz. Cod
½ oz. Clams
½ oz. Crabmeat
½ oz. Haddock
½ oz. Halibut
½ oz. Lobster
½ oz. Salmon*
oz. Sardines*
Page | 2
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
½ cup Yogurt, plain
1 ½ oz. Tempeh
Fat
Most women should choose 3 blocks and men should choose 4 blocks from the fat list per meal. (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
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 (High 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
Page | 3
Carbohydrates
Most women should choose 3 blocks and men 4 blocks from the carbohydrate list per meal. (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
1 cup 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
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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
¼ cup Cranberry
¼ cup Fruit punch
¼ cup Grape
1/3 cup Grapefruit
1/3 cup Lemonade, unsweetened
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
Page | 5
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
4
1
4
oz.
oz.
oz.
oz.
or ½ bottle Beer, light
or 1/3 bottle Beer, regular
Distilled spirits
Wine
Others
2 tbsp Barbecue sauce
1/3 slice Cake
¼ Candy bar
2 tbsp Catsup
2 tbsp Cocktail sauce
½ tbsp Honey
¼ cup Ice cream, regular
1/6 cup Ice cream, premium
2 tbsp Jam or jelly
½ tsp Molasses, light
½ oz. Pretzels
4 tsp Relish, pickle
2 tsp Sugar, brown