The ZONE Diet is the ultimate diet for those who just can’t leave out some food that has since been known to man. Because ultimately, no meal or snack is ever forbidden in the Zone Diet and you can even lose weight or fat while being in the Zone.

The key factor in Zone Diet is all in the hormonal balance that you must achieve while eating each meal. Its food plan is an accurate balanced ratio of fat (30%), carbohydrates (40%) and proteins (30%) to control your body’s insulin production.

Who

The Zone Diet was popularized by Barry Sears who was a former researcher in biotechnology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He wrote The Zone diet book that advocates “hormonal thinking” in lieu of caloric thinking towards eating. It is not really a weight-loss “diet” but a manual about the right way of eating. “The Zone” is Sears ‘s term for the achieving that certain food intake that results to proper hormone balance.

According to this diet, insulin levels must be kept neither too high nor too low so that the human body is not busy storing excess calories as fat. At this time, those stored fats are then available when needed. Since the human body cannot store fat and burn fat simultaneously, it takes more time too because of our unbalanced eating, there’s difficulty to switch from the former to the latter. The using stored fat causes the weight loss.

Consequently, the Zone advises that consuming too many carbohydrates lead to too much insulin. This insulin is the hormone that piles up nutrients in the body. An overload in insulin will only convert carbohydrates into fat and store more of them.

Protein, on the other hand, gives of a contradictory effect as it stirs up the hormone glucagons. This then tells the body to let go of the carbohydrates, especially those that are stocked up in the liver. By the time the carbohydrates are freed, the body’s energy supplies are fulfilled and you can stop eating. By limiting the type of carbohydrates you eat with a 3-4 ounce of low-fat protein, you will be able to keep insulin and glucagon balanced.

Last Word

What’s best about The Zone is that it’s really just all about your hormonal responses to food. Therefore, food, and any food, is nothing more but a good drug which your really body needs. And like all “drugs”, you must take it also in a particular way so that you can attain your weight loss goals. This means, you ought to take your meals and snack regularly. The greatest indicator that you are losing body fat and getting right into “the Zone” is not being hungry. Another important rule you must observe is to always eat breakfast just within an hour of waking.

Therefore, keep an appointment with food and stick to it. Since the Zone is all about your body’s response to insulin, you must be conscious that you eat on a regular basis. A good Zone meal should be able to stave off hunger for 4-5 hours, while a good Zone snack can do it in approximately 2 hours. So keep that regular 3 meals and 2 snacks no matter what. Don’t believe the other diets where they starve of most of your eating periods. Not being hungry is a healthy indication that you are accomplishing your goals in losing body fat only here in the Zone.

Food Samples

For PROTEIN, a good way to determine the amount of protein that’s right for your meal you can always look at your hand. The amount of meat that you should consume at each meal should only be equal to the size and thickness of your own palm. This category would include any meat including chicken, beef, turkey, egg whites, fish, low-fat cheeses, tofu, veal or low-fat pork.

For CARBOHYDRATES, the key is in choosing first your most favorable carbohydrates. This would include fruits or vegetables whose proper portion size can be determined by two loose fists. However, when choosing less favorable carbohydrates like those with higher levels of sugar or starch as potatoes, rice and bread, you can only have one fistful.

For FATS, give yourself a “thumbs up” and measure your additional fat equals the size of the tip of your thumb. This fat category would then include butter and olive oil.
For foods that you can only take in very small portions while in the Zone Diet, that would include sugar in all forms, along with potatoes, rice, breads, pastas, bagels, cereals, juices, sodas, and caffeine. Some fruits that are high in sugar and should be also be consumed sparingly while in the zone. This includes Prunes, Bananas, Figs, Raisins and Grapes. Some vegetables that should also be eaten in moderation because of their higher sugar content vegetables are potatoes, peas, carrots and corn.