1. Everything in Moderation
One of the big complaints about many diets is that they preach abstinence in one area or another. Some diets eliminate fats, while others eliminate carbs. The problem is that these are essential nutrients that our body requires to function properly. The Zone Diet works by preaching moderation in all things, by advocating a ratio of 40 percent carbs to 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat (40-30-30 in Zone Diet lingo). As long as you are eating foods within this ratio, you can eat anything you want in moderation. This lets you answer your craving for ice cream when you have one, or permits you to have a glass of wine with dinner in lieu of a side order full of pasta.
2. Regulation of Insulin
The main tenet of the Zone Diet is the understanding of how insulin affects our ability to metabolize fat. Insulin is the hormone that works to regulate blood sugar levels. Excess sugar in our blood is often metabolized and stored as fat. Thus our insulin levels are not able to keep up with our intake and, if we're not careful, we end up gaining weight over time and creating a cycle of poor health. By limiting our carbs to 40 percent of our daily caloric intake, we are re-balancing our system to make our insulin more efficient.
3. The Zone Diet Doesn't Work By Itself
While the tenets of the Zone Diet involve changing your eating habits to balance out your intake, you still need to exercise to make this or any diet effective. It's important to know and understand how many calories you take in a day and how many you need to burn in order to lose weight. If, for example, you're trying to lose only a few pounds, then you might consider eating 1,500 calories or less per day while burning between 200 and 300 (easy enough to do with a brisk jog or a one-hour walk). If you're trying to shed more, then you should consult with a doctor about a 1,200-calorie per day diet. The key is to stay within the 40-30-30 ratio with whatever foods you eat. As long as you don't go exceed your caloric limit and stick to the ratio, you should see improvement in your weight and your health.
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