How was
the Zone Diet started? The
Zone Diet was created by Barry Sears, PhD. In 1995, he published his first book,
and since then, millions of people have gotten into the "Zone". The
Zone Diet is one of the most well-known low-carb diets
and advocates "hormonal thinking" rather than caloric thinking when it come to
weight loss. [
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How
does the Zone Diet work? Commonly
referred to as the 40/30/30 diet, the key factor in Zone dieting is creating a
hormonal balance with the foods you eat (commonly referred to as the "Zone").
With the appropriate ratio of carbohydrates (40%), fats (30%) and proteins (30%);
you can control your body’s insulin production; and in turn, control your weight.
Here's the basics: when you consume too many
carbohydrates your body produces increased amounts of insulin. This prompts the
body to convert those carbs into fat. But protein has a contradictory effect and
tells the body to release carbohydrates. When the carbs are freed, the brain tells
the body that it's energy supplies are full and you should stop eating. Consequently,
limiting the type of carbohydrates you eat and balancing them with 3-4 ounces
of low-fat protein at every meal will help keep insulin and glucagon balanced,
controlling your hunger; and in turn, helping you burn fat and loose weight. The
Zone Diet bases each meal plan on gender, activity level, and body fat percentage.
During each meal, dieters are assigned "blocks" which contain a standardized
amount of carbohydrates, proteins or fats. To lose weight, a certain number of
blocks are allocated for each meal and snack. The
Zone Diet does not actually prohibit you from any particular food group; however
carbohydrate foods with a high glycemic index (bread, cereals, rice, bagels, sweets,
many fruits & juices, potatoes and snack chips) are not recommended and most grain
products are limited to very small portions. High fat meats and dairy foods, sweets
and snack items are also restricted. With
the help of Zone’s website, calculating the daily number of blocks you should
have-- and how they should be divided throughout the day-- is relatively easy.
But creating meals and snacks that have the correct number of Zone Food Blocks
is the hard part! To no surprise, you will need a Zone
Diet Book to help you put meals together.
Unless, of course, money is no object and you can afford Zone's pre-packaged meals
and snacks. [
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What are the Pro's of the Zone Diet?
The flexibility of food choices
and helpful Zone Diet recipes will make this plan easier to follow than most low-carb
diets. In general, the Zone Diet has fewer restrictions and recommends eating
more fruits and vegetables. Within each category of food (carbohydrates, proteins
and fats), a wide range of suitable selections are available to choose from. Advocates
of the Zone Diet contend that living “in the Zone” improves energy levels, mental
clarity, physical endurance, and promotes weight loss. The diet also stresses
eating less sugar, drinking more water, and moderate amounts of exercise; all
key components to an overall healthy lifestyle. [
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What
are the Con's of the Zone Diet? Because
calorie consumption is determined by protein intake-- the Zone Diet can lead to
incredibly low daily caloric levels. Like all calorie restricted diets, the Zone
Diet is next to impossible to follow for long periods of time and may leave you
feeling tired or weak. Most nutritional professionals
favor a high-complex-carbohydrate, low-fat diet for general health and weight
loss. They caution that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets lack key nutrients
for health, including dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.
In addition, the high intake of meat products necessary to meet the protein requirements
of the Zone Diet may place certain individuals at risk of heart disease due to
increased intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. The
Zone Diet can be very complicated and time-consuming if you’re going to follow
it properly. You’ll need to invest in a Zone
Diet Book and a decent set of measuring
tools. Figuring out how to make every meal and snack follow the 40-30-30 ratio
can be daunting and if you're not ready to devote a significant amount of time
to planning your meals, this diet probably isn't for you. [
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