The Zone - Dr. Barry Sears

Diet book reviews & objective analysis of popular diet books...

The Zone

Dr. Barry Sears

According to The Zone Diet, the ideal ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is 40-30-30%, respectively. Ideally, a Zone-favorable meal or snack will have this macronutrient ratio every time you eat. It is not necessary, however, to do math at every meal. By using the "eyeball" method, it is very easy to approximate the right serving size of each macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein, fat) by using a very accessible tool, your hand, thus producing a healthy diet.

Each Zone meal begins with protein. The question is: "How much protein to I need in each meal?" Luckily, your hand is a good guideline. The size of your hand is relative to the size of your body and, therefore, your protein needs. Your protein portion should be equal to the size and thickness of your palm.

Protein

During your first few weeks in The Zone, use your hand. Just gauge the size of a chicken breast or a piece of fish by the size and thickness of your palm. Once you determine the amount of protein that you should have at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you need to determine how much carbohydrate goes along with it. The amount of carbohydrates is determined by the size of your fist.

Carbohydrate

The Zone Diet classifies carbohydrates as either favorable, or unfavorable. If you choose favorable carbohydrates, you get two big fists worth of it--two big, loose fists. If you choose unfavorable carbohydrates like pasta, you get only one tight fist worth. Highly refined foods like pasta, white breads and bagels are considered unfavorable.

Dietary Fat

The last macronutrient of The Zone Diet plan is dietary fat. Fat is easy. Just add a few nuts, some olive oil, or a couple of olives to balance your meal. If your protein source is high in fat, don’t add any extra dietary fat.

Eat Five Times a Day…

The five fingers of your hand should remind you to eat at least five times a day; three meals and two snacks. The Zone Diet wants you to try to eat your first meal or snack within an hour of waking and your last meal or snack an hour before going to sleep. Your hand also reminds you to never let more than five hours pass between a meal or snack.

The Zone Diet doesn’t ask you to count calories. Instead of emphasizing calories, The Zone Diet views food as a "drug" that dramatically affects your body’s production of the hormone insulin. Barry Sears believes that significant swings in insulin levels affect mood, endurance, mental acuity, and weight gain or loss. Over time, uncontrolled insulin levels will have a negative impact on your overall health and well-being.

The authors of this diet book best seller have been one of the few that have expanded the plan beyond simply a do-it-yourself weight loss program (as has Atkins). After reading the book, you are not just left to fend for yourself. If you want something more, you do have access to counselors by phone, can visit the company’s website, and can buy diet entrees, vitamins, and meal replacements to support your efforts. In this respect, The Zone plan has more substance than other diet books, and is worth a look.

This seems to be the latest trend, regarding diet books - producing more than just a bestseller. Any diet books/diet gurus that don't also have a related website today will be considered by many dieters to be lacking, leaving them wondering: "Is that all there is?"

The information on this web site is intended for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Before starting any weight loss program, it is recommended that you consult your physician or other health care professional.