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ZONE DIET PLAN by Dr. Sears
What
is the Zone Diet?
Zone Diet Links
Zone Diet Articles
and Reviews
Visit
Zone Diet Forum
Visit Low-Carb
Forum
WHAT IS THE ZONE DIET?
The Zone is not some mystical place. It is a real physiological state in which the hormones (insulin and eicosanoids) governed by the food you eat are maintained within zones that are not too high, nor too low. The benefits of controlling insulin are increased fat loss, decreased likelihood of cardiovascular disease and greater physical and mental performance. The benefits of controlling eicosanoids are decreased inflammation and increased blood flow, which will help improve virtually every chronic disease condition and improve physical performance.
The blood tests that define the Zone are ultimately the same tests that
can be used to define wellness. This is what Dr Sears calls evidence-based
wellness which is the foundation for 21st century health care.
The Zone Dietary Program
The Zone dietary program is based upon consistent insulin control coupled with the supplementation of high-dose fish oil in order to modulate the synthesis of arachidonic acid.
Insulin control is achieved by balancing protein and carbohydrate at each meal (1-4). The insulin-control component of the Zone dietary program can be described as a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and moderate-fat dietary program. The maximum amount of low-fat protein at any one meal should be no bigger than the size and thickness of the palm of the hand (this is approximately 3 oz. for females and 4 oz. for males). The majority of carbohydrates should come from vegetables and fruits, with starches (such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta) used sparingly as condiments. Finally, most of the fat should consist of heart healthy monounsaturated fat. Unlike high-protein diets (that induce ketosis) or high-carbohydrate diets (that elevate insulin levels), the insulin control component of the OmegaZone dietary program is based on balance and moderation at each meal.
The other component of the Zone dietary program is supplementation with high-dose fish oil. This has only become possible with the advent of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil that for the first time allows the use of high doses without severe gastric disturbances.
The goal of the Zone diet is to keep a hormonal balance between fat-storing insulin and the hormone glucagon sand. Glucagon is responsible fore releasing stored glucose from the liver when it is needed. Maintaining a balance between the two hormones is achieved by limiting the amount of certain food groups. In particular, it can be defined as keeping the hormone insulin in a tight zone: not too high, not too low. The Zone Diet is a life-long hormonal control strategy.
The Zone's eating plan is a combination of a small amount of low-fat protein, fats, and carbohydrates in the form of fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. Proteins should be eaten with every meal and at every snack. Carbohydrates should be twice the size of the protein portion. These include vegetables, beans, and whole-grains. "Unfavorable carbohydrates" such as brown rice, pasta, bananas, bagels, etc. should be eaten in smaller portions.
By eating too many fat-free carbohydrates or too many calories at any one meal. Americans do both.
It is impossible for dietary fat alone to make you fat
It is excessive levels of the hormone insulin that makes you fat and keeps you fat.
How do you increase insulin levels?
People tend to forget that the best way to fatten cattle is to raise their insulin levels by feeding them excessive amounts of low-fat grain. The best way to fatten humans is to raise their insulin levels by feeding them excessive amounts of low-fat grain, but now in the form of pasta and bagels.
LINKS RELATED TO THE ZONE DIET
Zone Perfect - ZonePerfect.Com is the official ZonePerfect Nutrition Program website. Here you will find tutorials, extensive article and recipe databases, calculators, testimonials and chat room.
DrSears.com - Welcome to DrSears.com, the official site of the Zone Diet. Here you will find all your answers to living in the ZONE by interacting with thousands of Zoners sharing their experiences.
Zone Diet - One of the Zone Diet's Official Web sites.
Zone Home - Your unauthorized source of Zone Diet information and resources.
Get Zoned - The Zone Diet website for Australians.
NutriGenie - NutriGenie Zone Nutrition Professional for Windows
Zoneaware - Zone diet software that's easy to use and inexpensive -- that's what ZoneRunner is. Welcome to Zonaware! This web site is dedicated to the sharing of recipes created by users of Zonaware's program. See how easy it is to make Sears-compliant recipes with ZoneRunner!
Zone Fresh Delivery - Zone Diet Delivered to Your Door!
Zone Cafe - is the official Web site for the only restaurant chain endorsed by Dr. Sears.
Zone Net Online - is a network marketing company that distributes Zone Labs products.
Zone Profiler - is a quick questionnaire that provides a free personalized supplement recommendation based on your medical and family health history.
Dr Sears Zone Radio - is the official Internet radio station for the Zone
iVillage Zone - iVillage Zone for Zone Dieters.
Zone Diet Information - All sorts of Zone information.
AOL's Zone - AOL has a nice section for Zone Dieters.
Zoneful Thinking - was designed as a resource for beginners who are trying the Zone Diet, as outlined in various Zone books by Barry Sears, PhD - several sections of this site assume you have read one or more of his works or are familiar with the concept of a Zone "block". If not, check out this Primer to get an overview of the basics.
Zone Diet Information Center - This page contains links to pages of interest to people who follow the Zone diet, information about the Zone diet, and about diets in general.
About.com on the Zone - The Zone 30-40-30 combination of eating has led many people to weight loss success. Learn details about this diet on About.com.
Zone Balance - The Zone Balance software product, takes the complicated task of creating and measuring 40/30/30 meals and makes it very simple. Zone Balance does the work for you -- calculating meals, adjusting quantities, and balancing your diet. And it's only $29.95
ZONE DIET ARTICLES AND REVIEWS
Debunking the "Zone Diet" Enter the "Zone": A Giant Leap Backwards - A negative article regarding the Zone Diet.
Definition of Zone Activity Levels - For some time I have been trying to understand the underlying basis of the different activity levels used in Appendix E of the Zone book. I feel this is needed in order for people who don’t seem to fit the activity level descriptions in the book to have a realistic estimate of how much they should eat.
Dietery Fiber and Eating in The Zone - Dietary fiber is that part of a plant food that is indigestible. Fiber consists mainly of cellulose, commonly found in the skins of fruits and vegetables and in the coverings of cereal grains, such as wheat bran.
Diet Channel's Review on The Zone - Take a look at what Diet Channel had to say about The Zone Diet.
Dr. Barry Sears Answers Your Zone Questions - The following is a transcipt of a chat with Dr. Barry Sears, creator of the Zone, on iVillage.
ePinions.com Review of The Zone Diet - Find out What ePinions' review was of The Zone Diet.
Food Sensitivities and The Zone - One of the missing pieces of the puzzle for those that are having trouble attaining the benefits of Zone eating, including feeling better or importantly for some, weight loss, is that they may have one or more food sensitivities.
Partial Zone Defense - Why your racing diet shouldn't be your training diet
FAQs About the Zone - Answers to your questions regarding The Zone Diet.
General Methodology for Determining Activity Blocks - How does the Zone paradigm determine how much food you should eat?
Holistic Online's Review of The Zone - See for yourself what Holistic Online thinks of The Zone.
Interview with Barry Sears, Ph.D. Creator of The Zone Diet - Dr. Barry Sears is a pioneer in biotechnology and nutritional research. He holds 12 patents for cancer treatments and dietary control of hormones. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Zone, as well as eight other nutrition books including Mastering the Zone, The Anti-Aging Zone, and The Omega RX Zone.
Meet Dr. Sears, creator of The Zone - Dr. Sears believes that using soy as a primary source of protein actually enhances the effects of the Zone, which include greater mental acuity, increased energy and a reduction in the likelihood of chronic disease.
NISMAT Sports Nutrition Corner: The Zone™ Diet--What's it All About? - The Zone™ dietary plan bills itself as "not a diet, but a life long hormonal control strategy."
Revealed! The truth about the Zone diet - The Zone diet is the latest nutrition strategy that promises to improve athletic performance, reduce body fat and increase muscle mass. It recommends consuming 40% of your daily caloric intake in the form of carbohydrate, 30% as protein, with fat making up the other 30%.
The Soy Zone - The Health Benefits of Soy
What Foods are in the Zone? - An answer to your question regarding what foods are allowed in The Zone.
Zone Commandments - Living the Zone Lifestyle - Follow the dietary guidelines outlined in The Zone and you can expect that in two weeks you will think better (due to better control of blood sugar levels), perform better (due to better use of stored body fat), and look better (due to reduction of excess body fat without muscle loss).
ZONE BULLETS - Understanding the Zone - The central theme of The Zone is to understand the importance of thinking of food hormonally, rather than calorically.
The Zone Diet: Master It to Lose Weight - Your Grandmother Could Do It. Why Can't You?
The Zone Diet Under the Spotlight - Does the Zone Diet work? Is it good for you? Weight Loss Resources' dietitian Juliette Kellow investigates the zone.
BOOKS