Conventional diet and weight loss plans have solved the problem of losing weight, by considering our caloric intake (that is, what and how much we eat). Dr Barry Sears, a pioneer in nutritional research, introduced the Zone Diet through a best-selling book in 1995. A former researcher in biotechnology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears holds several patents for treatment of cancer and hormonal therapies. Madonna and Jennifer Anniston like, numerous celebrities have been known to follow the Zone diet program.

Most of the people receive the majority of their calories through carbohydrates. Dr. Barry Sears showed, through his research, that low fat and high carbohydrate diets lead to an increase in the hormone insulin level. It is the excessive level of the hormone insulin that makes a person fat and keeps him fat, by storing fats in the body and gaining more weight.

The Zone Diet suggests reducing carbohydrates intake and eating more proteins and fats. However, the fats would ideally be from healthy mono saturated sources, to receive up to 30% of the body's caloric needs. These healthy fats also increase the production of another hormone, glycogen, which utilizes stored fat in the body, thereby loosing weight.

The Zone Diet plan is centered on a 30:40:30 ratios of fat, carbohydrate and protein. The Zone Diet, through this right ratio, controls the insulin in the bloodstream, to an ideal hormonal balance level in the body. Dr. Sears believes this ideal state to be the key for using stored body fat for energy, thereby losing the excessive weight.

What is the Zone?

The Zone is a real physiological state, where the hormones (insulin and eicosanoids), governed by the eaten food, are maintained within zones that are not too high, nor too low.

By controlling insulin, the benefits of more fat loss, lower possibility of cardiovascular disease and greater physical and mental performance are achieved.
On the other hand the benefits of controlling eicosanoids, is decreased inflammation and increased blood flow, which will help improve virtually every chronic disease and physical performance.

The Zone Dietary Plan:

The Zone diet plan doesn’t really stop from having certain foods. It only stresses the importance of maintaining the 30:40:30 ratios for continuous insulin control and use of high-dose fish oil in order to modulate the synthesis of arachidonic acid.

The insulin-control component of the Zone dietary program is a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and moderate-fat dietary program. The amount of low-fat protein in any one meal should not be greater than the size and thickness of the palm of the hand (about 4 oz. for males and 3 oz. for females). Practically all-high carbohydrate foods, like breads, brown rice, banana, bagels and pastas should be given up from most of the diets and the consumption of fiber rich fruits and vegetables, as the primary source of carbohydrates, should be increased. The protein portion of the Zone diet may be achieved from lean meat products. Finally, the suggestion of 30% caloric intake is to be in the form of fats, but the diet must not contain the foods with high saturated fats. Healthy (monounsaturated) fats are recommended, instead.

The 2nd part of the Zone dietary plan, the use of high-dose fish oil, is only possible by the pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that for the first time allows the use of high-doses without severe gastric disturbances.

Achievements:

The purpose of the Zone diet is, to maintain a hormonal balance between the fat-storing insulin and hormone glucagon sand. Glucagon is held responsible for consuming stored glucose, present in the liver, when it is needed. Balance between the two hormones is maintained by controlling the amount of certain food groups. By keeping the hormone insulin in a tight zone: not too high, not too low, the Zone Diet is a life-long hormonal control strategy to lose weight.

The good and the bad:

Although the Zone Diet plan is an approach to balanced nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, it is not an easier one to follow. It can help to lose weight steadily, but may be a little bit cumbersome to follow and maintain. Another disadvantage of the plan is to use expensive foods. Cheap foods like bananas, rice, breads, pastas and rice are to be replaced by the more expensive leaner cuts of meat, oils, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

The blood tests results for the Zone Dietary plan are, ultimately the same that can be used to define wellness. So Dr. Barry Sears regards this plan as evidence-based wellness plan, which is the foundation for 21st century health care.

Zone Do's and Don'ts

Have meal within an hour of wake up in the morning.
Eat five times a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner meals and two 'Zone' snacks.
Eat regularly. Avoid passing more than five hours without eating anything.
Drink water as much as you can.