The "New York Times" best-selling book "The Zone Diet" was written by Barry Sears, Ph.D., and, according to the author, provides the key to a longer, better life. His research indicates that by eating the right combination of foods at every meal to keep insulin levels within a certain zone, you can make your body start using fat for energy and lose excess body fat without feeling hungry.
Zone Theory
To begin the process toward better health, Dr. Sears suggests that you need to start treating food as a drug, since it can help or harm you depending on how you use it. He believes that the amount of dietary fat consumed by overweight individuals is not the enemy. Instead, he contends that it is eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates that results in the excess production of the hormone insulin that makes us fat and keeps us fat. He emphasizes that weight gain is not simply the consumption of excess calories and that, on a hormonal level within the body, the effect of a calorie of carbohydrate is different than the effect of a calorie of protein or fat. All of these nutrients need to be kept in proper balance for the body to stay healthy.
Getting Started
The balance for each Zone meal and snack consists of 40 percent calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 30 percent from fat. Every meal starts with an adequate supply of low-fat protein, but it does not need to be animal protein. For vegans, there is a vegetarian version of the Zone that uses vegetable sources of protein, primarily soy. After selecting the protein portion of your Zone meal, you must balance it with acceptable forms of carbohydrate. Then, fat needs to be added, as one of the basic Zone principles is that it takes fat to burn fat.
Protein Choices
Some of the best protein choices for Zone meals are skinless chicken, turkey, fish, very lean cuts of meat, egg whites, low-fat dairy products, tofu and soy meat substitutes. Saturated fat is to be kept at a minimum, and the suggested protein portions are 3 ounces for women and 4 ounces for men.
Carbohydrate Choices
As you balance your Zone meal with carbohydrates, you are to use a large quantity of vegetables, some fruits and a small amount of grains and starches. Most vegetables are considered favorable except for corn and carrots, and most fruits are allowed except for bananas and raisins. The acceptable grains are oatmeal and barley as they are rich in soluble fiber.
Fat Choices
Before completing a balanced Zone meal, "good" fats need to be added and those to be included are monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fats. Monounsaturated fats are obtained from olive oil, selected nuts and avocado, while the Omega-3 fats come from fish and fish oils. The bad fats to avoid are fatty red meat, egg yolks, organ meats and processed foods that are rich in trans fats.
Timing Zone Meals
The timing of Zone meals is important to this diet plan in order to stabilize blood sugar levels. You are to make certain that a Zone meal is eaten within one hour after waking, and you are never to let more than five waking hours go by without eating a Zone meal or snack. It is suggested that you try to eat five times per day, which would include three meals and two snacks.
Benefits
As stated by Dr. Sears, some of the immediate benefits that may be observed by following the Zone diet are a better ability to think, unlimited energy throughout the day, immediate weight loss and a general feeling of greater well-being.
References
- "Week In The Zone"; Barry Sears, Ph.D.; 2000
- "Integrative Nutrition"; Joshua Rosenthal; 2008
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