Dr. Barry Sears, a former researcher at MIT, originally developed the Zone Diet. The Zone Diet is based on maintaining insulin levels by striking a balance between carbohydrates and proteins at each meal

Barry Sears contends that most diets currently recommended are high in carbohydrates and low in fats. Sears argues that this is a combination that contributes to the production of too much insulin. And, according to Barry Sears, the major cause of obesity is an imbalance of insulin in the body.

The Zone Diet is based on the concept of achieving a balance between insulin and eicosanoids. By controlling the balance of insulin and eicosanoids with the Zone Diet, you increase the loss of fat (weight loss), increase blood flow, increase your physical and mental stamina, and decrease the likelihood of heart disease and diabetes. The Zone Diet advises a moderate intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fat in order to control insulin. The Zone Diet is designed to balance your intake of protein and carbohydrates at 1 part protein to 4 parts carbohydrates. The Zone Diet prescribes a maximum amount of low-fat protein to one meal at 3-4 ounces, which is nearly exactly the recommendation of the USDA and the FDA. The majority of carbohydrates on the Zone Diet come from vegetables and fruits, with limited amounts of bread, rice, potatoes and grains. Most of the fat intake with the Zone Diet should come from monounsaturated fats like olive oil, safflower oil, and other ‘heart healthy’ oils.

Many people believe the Zone Diet sounds much like the Atkins diet due to the restricting of carbohydrates. However, the differences between the Zone Diet and the Atkins diet are quite clear. Atkins recommends a diet high in protein without regard to fat, with the intent of provoking ketosis, a potentially unhealthy condition. According to Barry Sears, the Atkins diet, by increasing carbohydrate levels without regard to fat intake, will force the body to induce the production of insulin which, maintains Sears, increases weight gain. Instead, the Zone Diet recommends achieving a balance of nutrients with moderate amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fat all playing a part.

The Zone Diet also recommends the supplementation of diet with fish oil. Fish oil, provides omega 3 fatty acids which are an important component in healthy cells. Study after study in the past five years has confirmed the importance of fish oil and omega 3 fatty acids in the diet.

A sample meal on the Zone Diet Plan might include:

What is the Zone Diet and what are its benefits and its consequences? The Zone Diet was developed by a former MIT biotechnology researcher, Dr. Barry Sears. The Zone Diet is named so because there exists a “zone” where hormones like insulin and eicosanoids are neither too high nor too low and thus just where they need to be for ideal health. These hormonal levels are dictated by the foods that we choose to eat and if we choose to eat foods that keep insulin in check then we will look forward to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased mental clarity and fat loss. Furthermore, if our eicosanoid levels can be controlled then benefits like decreased joint inflammation and increased blood flow will be reaped which in turn means better athletic performance and overall mobility.

So how does the Zone Diet actually work? The ultimate goal of insulin control is achieved by balancing protein and carbohydrates at each meal. All in all, the diet stresses moderate levels of everything, so moderate fat intake, moderate carb intake, and moderate protein consumption. As far as percentages go, the macronutrient breakdown is about 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats. All protein servings should range between 3-4 oz, most carbs should be consumed through ample amounts of fruits and vegetables with starches only used sparingly. Carbohydrate portions should roughly be double the protein portion.

For fats, one should use heart-friendly monounsaturated fats as opposed to saturated ones. Another component of the diet that is also integral for complete health is to supplement with fish oil capsules to even better reinforce your cardiovascular system. Now to help achieve this 40:30:30 ratio, Dr. Sears has formulated “food blocks” that represent a standardized amount of carbs, fats, or protein. In order to lose weight, one must allocate the correct number of blocks for each macronutrient. The number of food blocks is based upon one’s height and waist and hip circumference. So, generally speaking, the larger you are, the more food blocks you will be allowed. So,, that is the Zone Diet in a nutshell, but is the diet worth it?

Certainly weight can be lost in the process, and it is certainly not as restrictive as South Beach or Atkins, but the sheer difficulty of finding foods that fit the food blocks and making other tedious adjustments ultimately makes the diet unappealing for most. To make matters worse, if one’s schedule doesn’t allow for such regimented cooking, then expect to pay an exorbitant amount for prepared meals. And if you do undertake the Zone Diet at home, then be prepared to accurately measure your ingredients and exclude a number of foods that most would find to be healthy, such as whole grains. This rigidity also makes it difficult for many to eat out. So, the fact that the Zone Diet is lower in calories than the typical American diet and thus obviously resulting in weight loss is still not enough incentive for many to stick with the unnecessarily challenging diet in the long run.

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The Zone Diet does not only calculate fat and protein match but relates calorie burn as well. It considers the significance of other ingredients as well to maintain a balanced diet. The Zone Diet will highlight the use and side effects of fats proteins, and unlike others, of carbohydrates as well. Carbohydrates affect the hormonal activities and the level of insulin in a human body. A disturbance in these internal systems leads to heart diseases and cancers. This is what the Zone Diet takes concern of.

A Zone Diet will suit every being as it keeps a balance between fats, proteins, carbohydrates and all other healthy ingredients. This balancing gives a healthy development of hormonal activities along with a loss in weight.

Despite the fact that The Zone Diet stresses on the consequence of carbohydrates for affective hormonal activities involving the hormones like Eicosanoids that relates to different metabolic courses but its shortage is also related to chubbiness and many other diseases. Nevertheless, there is no scientific confirmation for the remarks suggested by the Zone Diet plan.

Other than being not confirmed scientifically, it does not also lay any kind of emphasis on the importance of intake of vegetables. Every body knows that vegetables give a lot of health and serve as a good prevention from heart attacks, blood pressures, fat storage and fatness.

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Weight Loss
Zone Diet

Is Zone Diet a Fad?

How do you recognize a fad diet? When I asked myself this question, some generous people hurried to offer me free, quick, easily digestible answers. I chose the top ten from the list, and decided to match them with the Zone diet’s most common features.

Health Castle offers “Ten signs of a fad diet”:

1. It promises massive weight loss (1 - 2 lbs per week)

Dr. Barry Sears is careful when he declares a standard weight loss on Zone diet. He considers that anything between 1 to 1,5 lbs per week is satisfactory. “It will be impossible to lose more than one to one point five pounds of fat per week. Anything over that is loss of retained water”, says Sears himself on his daily “Ask Dr. Sears” column at DrSears.com. FAD.

2. It does not suggest you that you consult with a registered dietician or nutritionist

“Any change in diet (for better or worse) will affect the metabolism of the drug(s) you are taking. Always consult with a physician before starting the Zone Diet or any other dietary plan”, says Dr. Sears in various interviews and discussion lists. Not FAD.

3. It encourages you to eliminate certain food groups (e.g. “low carb diets”, “low fat diets”)

This is untrue for the Zone diet. Dr. Sears says: “No food is forbidden in the Zone.” Zone diet considers “unfavourable” mostly high glycemic foods and foods high in saturated fats. Not FAD.

4. It offers rigid menus

Difficult-to-prepare meals, plenty of measuring and counting, rules that are easy to misinterpret, Zone subscribes to that. FAD.

5. It neglects active living or lifestyle changes

The Zone diet has impressive instrumentary and regulation for dining out or for fast food. On the other hand, there’s no problem if you step out of the Zone now and then. Here are some soothing phrases from Dr. Sears himself: “The Zone diet is free of guilt” or “The Zone is just one meal away”. I’m quite UNDECIDED about this one. It is clear the man has taken some time to think about it.

6. It harshly limitates the daily calorie intake

Some dieticians claim that the Zone diet limits the daily calorie intake to somewhere around 800. I used the calculator at DrSears.com to check this (I am a 100 pound woman by the way) and my daily calorie intake resulted around 1100 kcal. I’m not pleased with it, as I don’t plan to spend my days in permanent hibernation, or lose any of my precious, hard-gained pounds… FAD.

7. It contradicts what most trusted health profesionals say

The Zone diet argues against the USDA food pyramid, which recommends grains and starches up to five servings per day. This is its most high-profile argument. The American Heart Association considers Zone “a fad diet”. FAD

8. It depends on special products, supplements and treatments

One Zone bar (or shake) is $2.50. A 45-day supply bottle of Omega Rx concentrated fish oil is $78.15. The figure for the Zone books ranges between $6 and $26 (at the Zone Labs online shop); FAD.

9. It makes miraculous claims

The Zone will help you to:

* lose up to 1.5 lbs body fat per week

* improve your insulin level (which should particulary be … “not too high not too low”)

* fight against “modern diseases” such as type II diabetes and blood vessel affections

* fight against “mental illnesses” such as depresion and alcoholism

* prevent “certain” cancers

* “restore energy”, says Dr. Sears in his book, Enter the Zone, “especially if you have CMS, PMS or even HIV infection” and…

* The Zone itself is defined as a state of well-being in which you do not experience hunger, fatigue or moodiness. Your body and mind function sharply at their “peak level”.

The Zone is a FAD diet in this respect.

10. It relies on testimonials and success stories rather than scientific proof

Dr. Sears says “Let me be a little more specific about the rewards you’ll reap from staying in the Zone” (”Enter the Zone”, p. 4). A few paragraphs later he tells the happy stories of Steve Courson (a famous National Football League player in the late 1970’s), his teammate John Corb and Dr. Chris Kyriazis, head of European Marketing for IBM. I believe these examples are not specific but unusual. Moreover, Dr. Sears’ Zone diet is mistrusted by most dieticians and nutritionists as so far he has not published any relevant, professional research to sustain his theory. FAD again.

Iulia Pascanu writes for http://www.enterthezonediet.com where you can find more information about the Zone Diet.
Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:iuliap@gmail.com

The Zone Diet works on the principle that 100,000 years ago, we were meat eaters, and our metabolism is designed to handle the demands of a meat-based diet.

Madonna, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Aniston swear by the results of the Zone Diet, which was created by Barry Sears, PhD. The Zone Diet contains 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat and is known as the 40-30-30 plan.

As the food industry evolved, more carbohydrates have been introduced into our daily diet, thus causing an imbalance in our metabolism to burn fat. The reason for our extra weight can also be attributed to the many grains and starches in our diet (pasta, rice, breads, and potatoes). The Zone Diet’s approach calls for a return to the diets of our ancestors where meat, fruits, and vegetables are the main dietary foods.

The Zone Diet suggests that you need the right ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and fats in order to control the insulin in the bloodstream. Too much of the hormone (insulin) can increase fat storage and inflammation in the body (conditions that are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease). Sears asserts that by using the Zone Diet, you are actually optimizing the body’s metabolic function. Through the regulation of blood sugar, you allow your body to burn excess body fat.

Although you are not prohibited from any particular food group, it is best to avoid food with high fat and carbohydrates such as grains, starches, and pastas. The ideal sources of carbs are fruits and vegetables and for monounsaturated fats olive oil, almonds, and avocados are recommended. The Zone Diet claims to use food as a drug for overall good health, weight loss and prevention or management of heart disease and diabetes.

Sears says that you can test to see whether you are ‘hormonally’ correct by eating following the Zone diet and see how you feel four hours later. To simplify the Zone Diet, fill one-third of a plate with low-fat protein, and then two-thirds with fruits and vegetables.

Celebrities and some health experts say that the Zone’s recommendations do not stray far from the USDA’s (United States Dietary Association) dietary guidelines and therefore are advocates of the Zone Diet. Others argue that the Zone Diet has flawed ratios but Sears argues that the Zone diet is a low-glycemic-load diet that has adequate protein.

A critic of the Zone diet such as the AHA (American Heart Association) classifies the Zone Diet as high protein and does not recommend the Zone Diet for weight loss. They contend that the Zone Diet has not been proven effective in the long term for weight loss. The AHA issued an official recommendation warning against diets like the Zone Diet. They believe that the Zone Diet is hazardous as it restricts the intake of essential vitamins and minerals present in certain foods. The AHA also contends that the protein ratio in the Zone diet is too high even if the minimal fat ratio is good. Robert H. Ecker M.D of the A.H.A. finds the Zone Diet’s theory on insulin flawed and argues that there is no scientific proof that the hormone insulin plays a big role in weight regulation.

For more information about the Zone diet and weight loss, visit Zone Diet and Weight Loss.