The Zone Diet broke onto the scene in 1995 with the publication of "Enter the Zone" by Barry Sears, Ph.D. It is a low-carbohydrate plan intended to be a lifestyle change, and it claims to promote weight loss and to protect against heart disease. However, like most diet plans, the Zone requires you to follow prescribed rules.
Proportions
Each meal is a balance of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 30 percent proteins, and dieters are restricted to these percentages. You don't have the option of mixing and matching by eating a little more in one category and taking away from another.
Blocks
The percentages of the Zone Diet are further broken down into "blocks." Women are restricted to 11 blocks per day and men are restricted to 14. This block method is a tool to help you stay within the percentage limits, with each block comprising a mini-block each of carbs, protein and fat. The protein limit of 30 percent is equal to one mini-block of 7 g. Carbohydrates are restricted to mini-blocks of 9 g each and fats are confined to mini-blocks of either 3 g from "fat-free" protein or 1.5 g from a low-fat source, such as fish or poultry. Meals and snacks should consist of one block from each source.
Meals and Snacks
The Zone Diet discourages the traditional breakfast-lunch-dinner regimen and requires smaller, more frequent meals. You don't have the option of grabbing a meal or snack whenever it fits into your busy schedule. You should not let more than five hours elapse without eating and must eat five times a day.
Calories
If you stay within the blocks and percentages rules, your diet should fall below the calorie limits of the Zone Diet. Calories are restricted to 500 per meal and 100 per snack. The diet is not appropriate for anyone who needs additional calories, so you should get clearance from your doctor before you attempt it.
Foods
In theory, the Zone Diet does not actually forbid any foods. However, the plan urges you to avoid the refined carbohydrates found in breads and pasta, and the refined sugars in sweets and soft drinks. It also frowns upon some "healthy" carbs, such as those in corn, peas, bananas and other fruits, and it asks you to restrict your intake of red meat and whole-fat dairy products. You should also restrict your intake of sodium, which is often very high in processed foods.
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