The Zone diet is one of the most popular diets on the market today, mainly because many celebrities use it, and this automatically makes it a fashionable diet in today’s society. However, just because your favourite celebrity swears by a diet plan, it does not mean that it’s the right diet for you. Everybody’s body is different, and everybody reacts in a different way than everyone else’s. For instance, the diet that worked wonders on your neighbour’s figure could add pounds to yours. You need to research the different diets that are available on the market today and talk to your doctor about which one is the right diet plan for you.

The Zone diet is called that because it talks about reaching a state of hormonal balance in the dieter’s body. This hormonal balance is called “the Zone.” The diet states that when your body is in the Zone, it can only then use your daily intake of calories to burn energy, and not to store fat. According to the Zone diet plan, each meal should contain a balanced ratio of 40% carbs, 30% fats, and 30% proteins for your body to be able to reach the Zone.

To stick with this diet, you simply have to follow the eating plan. This comes with many recipes that, when followed properly, will give your body the hormonal balance it needs to shed those excess pounds.

Some would say that the Zone diet is 100% healthy and beneficial to the body, but there are others who disagree. For example, research shows that the American Heart Association disapproves of this diet plan because they say that the diet’s eating plan does not provide enough essential nutrients for the body. However, a lot of people may find the Zone diet a good choice for them simply because of the foods it allows the dieter to eat. The Zone diet lets you to cool with olive oil, eat meat, cheese, milk, and actually encourages you to eat, eat, eat! Dieters are expected to eat 3 square meals a day, plus snacks in between. The only rule that the diet has about all of this eating is that the dieter stick to the recipes provided by the diet.

Every diet plan is different, and they all have their rules and regulations. One thing that they all have in common however is that the dieter has to follow the diet plan strictly in order to see any success in their weight loss. The Zone diet is no different from the rest in this rule. If you don’t follow the eating plan with patience, willpower and determination, your body will slowly cease to be in “the Zone”, and you will fail to lose that excess weight. On the other hand, if you choose to follow the diet plan, your body will stay in the Zone, and then you can and will enjoy your victory over the numbers on the bathroom scale.

What is the Zone Diet benefits and its consequences? The Zone Diet was developed by a former MIT biotechnology researcher, Dr. Barry Sears. The Zone Diet is named so because there exists a “zone” where hormones like insulin and eicosanoids are neither too high nor too low and thus just where they need to be for ideal health. These hormonal levels are dictated by the foods that we choose to eat and if we choose to eat foods that keep insulin in check then we will look forward to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased mental clarity and fat loss. Furthermore, if our eicosanoid levels can be controlled then benefits like decreased joint inflammation and increased blood flow will be reaped which in turn means better athletic performance and overall mobility.

So how does the Zone Diet actually work? The ultimate goal of insulin control is achieved by balancing protein and carbohydrates at each meal. All in all, the diet stresses moderate levels of everything, so moderate fat intake, moderate carb intake, and moderate protein consumption. As far as percentages go, the macronutrient breakdown is about 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats. All protein servings should range between 3-4 oz, most carbs should be consumed through ample amounts of fruits and vegetables with starches only used sparingly. Carbohydrate portions should roughly be double the protein portion.

For fats, one should use heart-friendly monounsaturated fats as opposed to saturated ones. Another component of the diet that is also integral for complete health is to supplement with fish oil capsules to even better reinforce your cardiovascular system. Now to help achieve this 40:30:30 ratio, Dr. Sears has formulated “food blocks” that represent a standardized amount of carbs, fats, or protein. In order to lose weight, one must allocate the correct number of blocks for each macronutrient. The number of food blocks is based upon one’s height and waist and hip circumference. So, generally speaking, the larger you are, the more food blocks you will be allowed. So,, that is the Zone Diet in a nutshell, but is the diet worth it?

Certainly weight can be lost in the process, and it is certainly not as restrictive as South Beach or Atkins, but the sheer difficulty of finding foods that fit the food blocks and making other tedious adjustments ultimately makes the diet unappealing for most. To make matters worse, if one’s schedule doesn’t allow for such regimented cooking, then expect to pay an exorbitant amount for prepared meals. And if you do undertake the Zone Diet at home, then be prepared to accurately measure your ingredients and exclude a number of foods that most would find to be healthy, such as whole grains. This rigidity also makes it difficult for many to eat out. So, the fact that the Zone Diet is lower in calories than the typical American diet and thus obviously resulting in weight loss is still not enough incentive for many to stick with the unnecessarily challenging diet in the long run.

By Boone Swann & Ian Mason
Tricori.com PhenForum.com