Pro Review

Authored by Dr. Barry Sears, "The Zone Diet" focuses on the right balance of carbs, fats and proteins. The zone for maximum calorie burning is 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat. The diet is based on hormones, not calories. It claims most people are insulin resistant, so carbohydrates make them fat. The author claims carbohydrate consumption produces insulin, which causes too many calories to be stored as fat. He also goes on about eicosanoids, chemical moderators that control all hormonal reactions. Carbohydrates create bad eicosanoids which in turn increases insulin production.

Pro Review from a former visitor to chasefreedom.com:

I was thin...when I was five years old. By the time I was seven my mom would tell me "You'd look just like Sleeping Beauty---if only you'd loose weight." I lost weight.

At least four times I lost forty pounds on diets. As a teen, I counted calories but would hit a plateau. In the eighties we gave up meat for vegetarian and pasta meals. I gained 20 pounds when I took a desk job. I cut out all fatty foods: cheese, peanut butter and nuts, fried foods and chocolate. I bought a Nordic Track and started walking. We tried Slim Fast; it worked but I hated it and could not stay on it. Six months later I weighed more than I did before.

I first heard about The Zone Diet on Good Morning America. A group of people had volunteered to try it for a week in the zone. They had lost between three and eight pounds in a week. Only one complained about the food choices and amounts. I determined to buy "A Week in the Zone" by Dr. Sears and try it myself. My husband joined me on the diet. We followed the week-long menu in the book. The few next weeks I tried some menus of my own. I'm a mathematical idiot, and simply followed the rule that one's lean meat portion should be the size and thickness of one's palm; then you fill up the rest of your plate with vegetables and fruit. A smattering of "good" oils, such as Macadamia nuts, avocado and olive oil, are also included with every meal.

First, my husband complained it was TOO MUCH FOOD! He noticed he did not get hungry between meals! Dr. Sears requires two snacks a day--my hubby's usual eating pattern! The idea is to keep one's insulin level in "the Zone". I quickly could tell if I'd made it into "the Zone" or not. Usually two hours after a breakfast of toast or cereal I would feel tired, light-headed and hungry. On the Zone diet I feel energized and full! As we were camping during our first month on The Zone Diet, it was hard to always eat right. I had one meal without protein and felt miserable. My reflux bothered me, I was tired and cranky. I knew then this diet was the real thing.

Now I am watching those "bad" carbohydrates--the kind that instantly turn into "sugar" and spike insulin levels. With what results? I lost 13 pounds in one month, and my husband 10--his pants are falling down! When we came home from our camping trip I was excited to return to our new way of eating. We have cottage cheese or plain yogurt topped with fruit and a smattering of macadamia nuts for breakfast. I make interesting versions of Taco Salad for lunch, sauteing some ground turkey and adding salsa, black beans and green pepper and onions, served over a bed of lettuce. Dinner is our old standby from college days: stir frys. instead of a bed of rice I serve some fruit as desert. I snack on nuts, string cheese, and fruit. Once in a while we buy sugar and fat free ice cream. Plus, Dr. Sears suggests following the diet 75% of the time! We had hoagies, a birthday sundae, and a chocolate bar during this first month. We cheated and still lost weight. I love this diet.

I have never tested diabetic, but it is obvious from my reaction to this diet that controlling blood sugar is a very important key to weight control and better health. Anyone who has gained weight while eating pasta and bread and low fat foods should try this diet out. Dr. Sears' book gives detailed information on how insulin levels affect all aspects of health. His opinons are not backed by clinical testing, but are based on solid, known medical facts. Read "A Week in the Zone" first. Dr. Sears first book, "The Zone Diet" is very technical. Also visit the Zone Diet website for all the information you need, plus recipes.

PS. Two months into this diet, hubby and I have both lost 20 lbs, even with "cheating" with occasional meals out. We still enjoy eating and are positive about staying with this diet for a lifetime.

Con Review of The Zone Diet

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