The Zone Diet
"Those who hate to give up certain foods may find the Zone worth the effort,
since nothing is deemed totally off limits."
Read the Zone Diet Review
See What You Can Eat on the Zone Diet
Most diets ask you subtract calories or fat from your meals, but with the Zone
Diet, the key to losing weight starts with knowing how to divide your meals.
According to its creator Dr. Barry Sears, your body's metabolic functions are
most efficient when every meal follows a ratio of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30
percent protein and 30 percent fat (40-30-30). Sears says this combination helps
stabilize your hormones, placing your body in what he calls "the zone". By
balancing out your hormones, your body releases less excess insulin into your
bloodstream, which has been shown to contribute to weight loss. The diet also
claims that eating this way lowers your risk of developing other chronic
diseases.
Checklist
Cost: Moderate to very expensive. If you stick with the recipes they recommend,
your food budget should be moderate. However, if you choose to use their brand
of supplements, nutritional bars and shakes your expenses can rise fast.
Meals Provided: No, but several companies offer “Zone-inspired” meals. Zone
Chefs delivers frozen and/or fresh Zone-based meals which range from $25 to $40
for a one-day supply.
Diet Duration: Ongoing. There are no phases, levels or stages, but you’re
encouraged to follow its principles for life.
Fitness Requirements: The diet doesn’t recommend any specific exercise regime.
However, doing some form of moderate exercise for thirty minutes, 3 to 5 times a
week is recommended.
Time Commitment: Serious. Having to divvy each meal appropriately is time
consuming, but there are also certain rules on when you should eat. You must eat
within one hour of waking, then every 2 to 2 ½ hours after that.
Eating Out: Difficult. Dividing meals into the 40-30-30 ratio usually means
ordering off the menu. You will also have to skip any sauces, gravies or
anything that loaded with carbs or fats that could throw off the balance.
Alcohol: Yes -- roughly one drink a day.
Vegetarian-Friendly: Depends. Because the diet requires 30 percent of your
calories come from a protein source, avoiding meat is tricky but can be done. In
earlier books, dieters weren’t given as many non-meat protein options, but Sears
has added more veg-friendly options in later books, like the Soy Zone.
Strict/Flexible Eating Plan: Very strict. You must ensure that each meal (and
snack) breaks down proportionally by a ratio of 40-30-30, which requires much
planning.
Zone Diet
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