Hi Notso
I was at 220 lbs, and dieted to 182 or so, by starving (1 meal a day, no fat at all, only veggies, including potatoes & pasta & other starches, and coffee & tea with sugar). I was 182 last summer, with blood pressure around 130 to 140 over 95 to 102, and with bad bloods. To get from 220 to 182 took 3 years of heavy running and starving, with no help with BP & Cholesterol. Since last summer I'm down to 160-164 lbs, BP has been as low as 96/66 (self-measured, so must beware, but 2 FAA exams have been around 125/82 max). The blood pressure went down within 2 weeks of starting Atkins. What helps is not the goodness of meat or fish, but the lowering of insulin, I think; whether Zone, or Atkins, the important thing is the elimination of BAD carbs (sugar based things, processed flour, potatoes) which give insulin overloads. It's important that what carbs are eaten have good nutrition, and low insulin-raising values. Good luck with the Zone, Sam.