Introduction:
The Zone is based on proportions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, as well as "favorable" and "unfavorable" types of each. I think the Zone may be the most misunderstood of the reduced-carb diet plans (though Atkins rates a close second). Since
Enter the Zone, Sears has written a string of books at once attempting to simplify and elaborate on his original concept.
Main Books:
Enter the Zone,1995
Mastering the Zone, 1997
Most recent:
The Anti-Inflammation Zone, 2005
Restricted Foods:
Ideally,
protein sources are low in saturated fats, carbohydrates are low
glycemic, and fats are primarily
monounsaturated, with a lot of
Omega-3 fatty acids. Conversely, the diet is low in fatty meats, other sources of saturated fat such as butter, most vegetable oil (except for olive oil and similar), grains, added sugars, starchy vegetables, and egg yolks.
Amount of Structure:
There is a lot of structure. The diet consists of five meals and two snacks per day, each with a "good" carb, protein, and fat selection. Eat within an hour of getting up, don't go too long without eating, and don't eat more than 500 calories at a time.
Individual Variation:
There is individual variation in protein requirement (
how to find your protein requirement), and everything else is built around that, to begin with, with the goal of 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Then Sears gives directions on how to fine tune the diet for optimal results for a given person.
Learning Curve:
Unless you go with the ultra-simplified version (which is suggested at first), there is a pretty steep learning curve. You have to learn how much food is in a "block" of protein, carb, and fat, and how to combine them. It's also recommended to learn about the
glycemic load of carbohydrates.
Diet Phases:
There are no phases. Once established, the diet doesn't change much unless your protein requirement changes (due to a change in lean body mass or activity level) or you near goal weight, at which point you add fat to the diet.
Suggestion:
The types of foods recommended for the Zone Diet are similar to those of the
South Beach Diet.
South Beach Diet Food Lists
South Beach Diet Recipes
