Zone Perfect is a diet program intended for losing weight or maintaining your weight, and the emphasis is on getting the optimal ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat in your diet to prevent hunger and increase energy. If you are considering the Zone Perfect diet for weight control, review the food plan to see whether it includes healthy foods that you enjoy eating, and be sure to get your doctor's approval before starting.
40-30-30
Your goal on the Zone Perfect diet is to follow the 40-30-30 ratio of calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat at each meal and snack. The instructions are to get 35 to 50 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent from protein and 20 to 35 percent from fat. The diet is moderately low in carbohydrates, and instead of minimizing your carbohydrate intake, you instead focus on getting your carbohydrates from healthy sources.
Meal Plan
The Zone Perfect diet has meal plans for 1,300 to 2,200 calories per day, and each plan includes three meals and two snacks with about 40 percent of calories from carbohydrates and 30 percent from protein and fat. A sample day on the 1,900-calorie plan includes strawberries and an omelet for breakfast, crackers and chicken salad for lunch, chicken and rice for dinner, string cheese and walnuts for your first snack and fruit, cottage cheese and nuts for your second snack. A nutritious plan includes a variety of foods from all food groups.
Zone Perfect Bars
Zone Perfect bars are part of the recommended meal plans at all calorie levels, and they come in flavor categories of classic, fruity, dark chocolate and cookie dough. They can help you meet your micronutrient requirements because they provide at least 20 percent of the daily value for most vitamins and many essential minerals, along with 10 percent of the daily value for iron. Each bar has about 210 calories, 7 g fat, 23 g carbohydrate, 14 g protein and 3 g dietary fiber. They also have about 4 g saturated fat, which increases levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Considerations
The Zone Perfect diet can help you lose weight by limiting your calorie intake. The meal plan is high in protein and fiber, and MayoClinic.com states that these nutrients can make you less hungry because they slow down digestion. Since you are limiting your food intake to reduce your calories, focus on healthy choices so that you can meet your nutrient needs, and consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have concerns about your nutrition.
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