The Zone is a physiological state in your body that can be measured in clinical tests. In this, you have optimized your ability to control diet-induced inflammation. This inflammation is the reason you gain weight, become sick, and age faster.
The Zone Diet was developed more than 30 years ago by Dr. Barry Sears, an American biochemist. His best-selling book The Zone was published in 1995.
Dr. Sears developed this diet after losing family members to early deaths from heart attacks, and felt that he was at risk unless he found a way to fight it.
There are two ways to follow the Zone Diet: the hand-eye method, or using Zone food blocks.
The Hand-Eye Method –
The hand-eye method is the easiest way to start the Zone Diet.
As the name suggests, your hand and eye are the only tools you need to get started, although wearing a watch is also recommended to keep an eye on when to eat.
In this method, your hand takes on several uses. You use it to determine your portion sizes. Your five fingers remind you to eat five times a day and never go without food for five hours.
Meanwhile, you use your eye to estimate portions on your plate. To design a Zone-friendly plate, you need to first divide your plate into thirds.
It is also flexible and allows you to eat out at restaurants while on the Zone Diet, by using your hand and eyes as tools to choose options that fit Zone recommendations.
The Zone Food Block Method –
Zone food blocks allow you to personalize the Zone Diet to your body by calculating how many grams of protein, carbs and fat you can have per day.
The number of Zone blocks you should eat per day depends on your weight, height, waist and hip measurements. You can calculate your number here.
A main meal such as breakfast, lunch or dinner contains three to five Zone blocks, while a snack always contains one Zone block.
ADVANTAGES OF ZONE DIET –
There are several benefits to the Zone diet:
Variety – The Zone diet offers more variety in comparison to other high-protein diets. It is not as restrictive as some high-protein diets and offers foods from most food groups.
Ease of use – As designed diets go, it is relatively easy to follow once you are aware of which foods to limit.
Frequent meals – The Zone diet recommends eating small meals five or six times a day.
Healthy fats – Although the Zone is not a low-fat diet, it “promotes healthy fats and discourages saturated and trans fats.
Sugar control – By limiting refined sugars and emphasizing whole grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables, the Zone diet can “help stabilize blood sugar and limit cravings.
Achievable weight loss – Most people who follow this diet can lose weight.
HOW THE ZONE DIET WORKS –
Zone diet
The Zone Diet requires that you simply balance your plate at every meal and snack with these nutrients:
Protein – 1/3rd of your plate, add some lean protein, about the size and thickness of your palm. This could include egg whites, fish, poultry, lean beef or low-fat dairy.
Carbohydrates – 2/3rds of your plate, add a lot colorful vegetables and a little fruit. Fruits and vegetables to avoid are those that are high in sugar (e.g., bananas, raisins) or starchy (e.g., potatoes, corn).
Fat – Add a little bit of monounsaturated fat. This could include olive oil, avocado, or almonds.
The Zone diet involves some basic rules:
– Eat a meal or snack within 1 hour of waking up in the morning.
– Start each meal or snack with a low-fat protein, followed by foods containing healthful carbs and fats.
– Eat small, frequent meals during the day, every 4–6 hours after a meal or 2–2.5 hours after a snack, whether hungry or not.
– Consume plenty of omega-3 and polyphenols, as they have anti-inflammatory properties.
– Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
Before every meal or snack, a person should assess their hunger level. If they are not hungry, and their mind is clear, they are in “The Zone.”
No foods are completely off-limits, but many common ingredients are given a general ranking of “best” (Brussels sprouts, egg whites/substitute, salmon), “fair” (cheese, whole eggs, potatoes), and “poor” (bacon, rice, ice cream). Zone Diet followers are supposed to limit carbohydrates that are high on the glycemic index, which is an indicator of how quickly carbs are digested and therefore how quickly blood sugar can spike and fall, as well as sources of saturated fat.
In the Zone, you will live a longer and better life because you are controlling diet-induced inflammation. That is the secret to maintaining wellness.