How Does The Zone Diet Work?
In recent years, there have been many weight loss plans that have gained attention.
The Zone diet plan has definitely been a popular eating plan. In fact, the book that outlined the Zone diet plan was a bestseller for several years. Here are the basics of the Zone diet plan.
What is the Zone Diet?
The Zone diet plan helps dieters lose weight by aiming for a nutritional balance in the foods eaten. The premise behind this is that by achieving the perfect balance in your food intake, you can actually improve your metabolic rate, making losing weight and keeping it off, much easier.
The diet is also purported to help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Of course, any overweight person will reduce their risk of these diseases by losing weight, regardless of how they choose to lose it.
The Principles of The Zone Diet
On the Zone diet, you will aim for nutritional balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% protein each time you eat.
You will also focus on controlling insulin levels to help prevent the storage of fat. Insulin levels are controlled by reducing the intake of foods that cause blood sugar levels to spike.
The foods you will avoid on the Zone diet plan are those that are simple carbohydrates, because these are the foods that cause the blood sugar to spike. These off limits foods include white flour, sugar and starchy fruits and vegetables.
The Zone diet focuses on eating foods in the right combinations, too, which means that when you do eat something starchy, it will be eaten in combination with foods that are non-starchy to help create the balance.
For example, a typical meal on the Zone diet plan would include a small amount of protein, combined with a “good” carbohydrate serving that is roughly double the amount of the protein serving. Good carbohydrates include most vegetables, lentils, beans and whole grains. If you choose to eat a less favorable carbohydrate with your meal, your portion size will be smaller.
Dairy products are not widely consumed on the Zone diet, because of how quickly they release glucose, causing blood sugar levels to spike. When you do choose dairy products they should be low fat or no fat milk and cheese. Egg whites are preferable to whole eggs.
Is The Zone Diet Effective For Weight Loss?
The Zone Diet is an effective way to lose weight, and to keep it off for good, provided you continue to follow the principles of eating in balance.
However, many people have complained that the diet is a bit harder to follow than some other diets that focus simply on limiting refined carbohydrates and replacing those calories with lean proteins and healthier carbohydrates.
However, there are proponents of the diet that report that they feel their best and have the most energy when they truly keep their eating “in balance” according to the principles of the Zone diet plan.
