The Zone Diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears, a diet researcher and author. It is designed to reduce inflammation and promote weight loss. All Zone meals have extra protein and complex carbohydrates for improved blood-sugar levels and hormonal control. Meal timing is also an important component of the Zone Diet.
Meal Timing
Generally, you eat four times daily on the Zone Diet: breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner. It's important to remain on an eating schedule while you're on the Zone Diet. You should eat breakfast within one hour of waking up. Then you should eat either a meal or a snack every five hours. This way, you can control your hunger, keep your blood sugar in check and avoid overeating.
Food Preparation
If you enjoy cooking, then you can make your foods at home, as several Zone cookbooks are available. You can also buy prepared Zone diet-food products from the Zone Diet website. You will still need to buy dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables from the supermarket to complete your weekly meal plan.
Carbohydrate Intake
The Zone Diet is not a strict low-carb diet like the Atkins Diet. In the initial phase of Atkins, you limit your carb intake to 20 g per day. On the Zone Diet, you can eat about 140 g of carbs a day. The Zone Diet has specific guidelines and calculations for the amount and types of foods you should consume.
Eating Guidelines
Each Zone meal should have the correct proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. One easy approach is to divide your plate into thirds. Fill the first one-third with lean protein. The next two-thirds of your plate should contain fruits and vegetables.
Healthy monounsaturated fats, like nuts, olive oil and avocados are added as flavoring. Olive oil is preferred over other vegetable oils, because of its health properties. Trans fats, extra sugars and starchy vegetables should be avoided.
Breakfast and Snacks
Breakfast is an important meal that gives you energy for the day. You can opt for a quick Zone breakfast with ready-made Zone products like bagels, bread or cereal. Otherwise, you can cook Zone-friendly breakfast dishes at home, like omelets.
Ready-made Zone snacks include granola, brownies and pretzels. You can also make your own snacks.
Lunch and Dinner
Use Zone bread to make a sandwich for lunch. Zone breads are a special protein blend specific to the diet.
For dinner, try Zone pasta or rice dishes, along with a lean protein like grilled chicken or fish and lightly sauteed vegetables. Homemade dishes that fit into the Zone Diet include barbecued chicken, beef stew and pan-fried salmon.
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