The Zone Diet

The Zone Diet, created by Dr. Barry Sears, is a somewhat scientific approach to dieting, which at its core focuses on controlling the hormone levels in your body that are key to weight control and health. The basic tenet, in bold headlines on the Zone Diet website is that it “… is not a diet. It’s a healthy, balanced lifestyle.”

The Zone Diet is about balancing your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories while still getting the proper nutrients your body needs for long-term health. It is a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, moderate fat diet that has approximately 1 gram of fat for every 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of carbohydrates (also known as the Zone 1-2-3 Method™). These ratios represent the newest dietary recommendations from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center at Harvard Medical School for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The concepts behind the diet take some time to understand, but there is plenty of straightforward information to walk you through it in their free online site. It focuses on the components of food and how they should be consumed for optimum health and weight control.

With the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, you can control three major hormones generated by the diet – insulin, glucagon and eicosanoids.

• Insulin – A storage hormone. Excess insulin makes you fat and keeps you fat. It also accelerates silent inflammation.
• Glucagon – A mobilization hormone that tells the body to release stored carbohydrates at a steady rate, leading to stabilized blood sugar levels. This is key for optimal mental and physical performance.
• Eicosanoids – These are the hormones that ultimately control silent inflammation. They are also master hormones that indirectly orchestrate a vast array of other hormonal systems in your body.

The balance of food for a Zone meal starts with a palm-size portion of low fat protein, adds twice as much favorable carbohydrates and a little good fat. Low-fat protein examples are skinless chicken, turkey, fish, very lean meat, and tofu. Favorable carbohydrate examples are most fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, and barley. Good fat examples are olive oil, almonds, avocados, and fish oil. To help you get started, you register on the Zone website, which will provide such resources as a Zone Block & Body Fat Calculator, 7-Day Meal Planner, Quick Start Guide, and online forums.

While there are custom-tailored food items available for the Zone Diet, including nutrition bars and supplements, you will be responsible for preparing the majority of your own food. There is guidance through recipes, meal planners, and the website offers tips and suggestions to make it easy for you to dine out, so you are not restricted to eating at home. There are even food suggestions for eating at many fast-food restaurants.

Exercise, 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, is also recommended as part of the Zone lifestyle balance. Whether you are a serious athlete or the average Joe, you can find something that works for you. Sample workout plans are available and you can also find information about getting fit versus losing weight, what exercise does for your body, how to burn fat faster, and the unappreciated benefits of exercise.

The Zone Diet website is a large, comprehensive site that lets you diet cheaply from the information it provides. There will be some ramp up time if you are new to the clinical principals the diet is based upon, so plan on spending some time reading the book or cruising the website before beginning your new diet.

As with any diet program, do your research first. Go to the library, search the internet, and above all, consult your doctor about any diet regimen that you are contemplating.