The Zone Diet

As more and more people are looking for ways to change their lives, they are starting to explore the different diet plans out there.  Of course, it can be a bit overwhelming, as it can be hard to find a balanced view of different diets.  To help you out, we will look at the pros and cons of different diets.  In this article, we will examine the popular Zone Diet.

The zone diet is a diet that is often associated with low carb diets.  While reducing the number of carbohydrates is a vital component of the zone diet, it is not the underlying principle of the Zone Diet.  Popularized by Dr. Barry Sears, the Zone Diet offers an alternative view of nutrition.  When you are on the Zone Diet, you do not count calories while you are eating.

Rather, the Zone Diet is concerned with creating a proper hormone balance.  Dr. Sears describes a concept called the zone that the dieter should achieve.  The Zone refers to a state in your body in which your insulin levels are at a specific level and your body’s glucagons levels are not too high.  What results when you are in the Zone is that your body releases a number of natural anti-inflammatory chemicals that will help your heart and your overall health.

The key to getting into the zone is to maintain a balance between your body’s protein level and carbohydrate level.  Ideally, you should be obtaining a 40:30:30 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to fat.  This will allow your body to properly use stored fat to produce energy in your body, which leads to weight loss.

One of the benefits of the zone diet is that it isn’t a regimented eating plan.  Rather it is a lifestyle choice.  Typically, the Zone Diet promotes the consumption of food that contain a large amount of protein, a large number of non-starch raw vegetables to provide your body with essential vitamins, and a set amount of carbohydrates that will allow your brain and body to function properly.  Another key feature of the Zone Diet is the consumption of monosaturated oils that helps trigger the feeling of being full.  Additionally the Zone Diet emphasizes consuming a set ration of Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 fatty acids.

While the Zone Diet has achieved popularity throughout the world, some nutritionists question its effect on your body’s health.  Some medical experts argue that the Zone Diet provides your body with an excessive amount of protein while neglecting to supply the body with the proper amount of essential nutrients.  However, many of the criticisms of the Zone Diet is inconclusive as studies have yet to determine the long term effects of the Zone Diet.

Considering that the Zone Diet is not designed for the set purpose of losing weight, it is important for you to decide whether or not the Zone Diet meal plan is right for you.  However, there are as many if not more proponents of the zone diet than there are critics.  The Zone Diet may be the key to you to unlock a healthy and happy life ahead of you!