The
Zone Diet, the popular diet by Barry Sears, is also commonly referred
to as the 40/30/30 diet. "40/30/30" refers to the proportion
of each food group in the diet. In this case, 40% of daily caloric
intake comes from carbohydrates, 30% comes from protein, and 30%
from friendly fats.
The
Zone Diet is all about getting into that mysterious place Sears
calls "the zone" -- where athletes perform better, where
mental focus is enhanced, and life is generally a better place.
Getting there is a simple matter of changing your eating patterns
to reflect this 40/30/30 ratio, which Sears argues is the best way
to stabilize blood sugar, promote general well-being, and encourage
weight loss.
The
whole point of this 40/30/30 ratio is to balance two main metabolic
hormones - insulin, which promotes the storing of excess calories
as fat, and glucagon, which promotes the burning of fat. The Zone
diet also promotes a positive balance of the body's microhormones,
the eicosanoids - a largely debateable subject.
As
a weight loss book, "Enter the Zone", isn't too bad a
read. Unfortunately Sears ventures off track enough in his discussion
of eiconsanoids to give even the most dedicated of dieters a severe
case of boredom.
If
you're going to give this diet a shot, it's essential you read and
understand chapter 7 - "Boundaries of The Zone." In
this chapter Sears maps out the entrance points to "The Zone."
It's crucial that you know this "40/30/30 ratio" is only
the mid-point of this entrance-way. You will have to adjust your
carbohydrate intake according to your personal sensitivity to them
in order to find your personal entrance to the "zone".
The
main problem for the average dieter will be finding this sweet spot
(i.e. your unique entrance point to "the zone"). This
is crucial to the entire plan -- if you don't find it, you won't
lose weight. And if you're hypoglycemic or hyperinsulinemic, it's
likely that 40% of total daily calories from carbs is too much!
I recommend you start with a smaller percentage of daily caloric
intake from carbs, and increase them only if you can.
Let's
outline some pros and cons of this diet...
The
Zone Diet Pros
1.
Since you are not significantly restricting any one food source
in Sears' diet, you are never totally deprived of the foods you
love.
2.
If you successfully find your entrance to "The Zone" you
will experience slow, gradual, and permanent weight loss.
3.
"The main purpose of this diet plan, that of balancing insulin
and glucagon - is fundamentally correct!
The Zone Diet Cons
1.
The 40/30/30 macronutrient ratio represents the "mid point"
to the entranceway of the mysterious place of which Sears speaks.
You have to play around (by adjusting carbohydrate intake), find
your own entranceway - this can be tricky.
2.
The daily caloric intake for this diet is determined by your protein
requirements - which can lead to incredibly low daily caloric intake
- much too low!
3.
Claiming the 40/30/30 zone ratio creates a positive eicosanoid balance
isn't a bad theory - but it's a largely unproven one.
All
in all, I'd have to say Barry Sears' diet is probably worthwhile
buying - if, and only if, you can read it from cover to cover. If
not, I'd recommend checking out my book, The Ultimate Fat Burning
Diet Primer. (Because it's in electronic form, there's no
shipping, and you'll be downloading in minutes -- click here to visit).
Unlike
Sears' diet, which does go on and on, I wrote this book for people
who want to lose weight fast without a getting degree in nutritional
sciences.
