The Zone diet means getting your calories in a 40-30-30 ratio
(40-30-30 means 40% calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein,
and 30% from fat). Many people call it 40-30-30, The Zone, or
The Zone Diet.
The good thing about the Zone diet is that it encourages a combination
of all the nutrients in each meal - and it stresses the risks
of processed carbohydrates (white pastas and breads etc). The
downside is that the recommended calorie intake for the diet is
a bit low. It is possible that it is fewer calories than you are
eating now, but you won't be hungry! In fact, many people complain
they can't eat it all!
Why do it? Most people start because they want to lose weight.
Plus, people who follow a Zone nutrition plan report these fabulous
benefits:
More energy
Less irritability
Weight Loss
Not feeling hungry
Less moodiness
Mentally clear
Lower cholesterol
Lower blood pressure
Starting with a Zone Diet Nutrition plan is easy. But diet is
something you can go off and on. We prefer to think of the Zone
as a lifestyle program, which teaches you new habits and a new
way of looking at (eating!) food. We encourage our clients to
take the time out to understand not only the food portions that
are being sent to you but the food groupings so that when you
decide to go off the program you will be able to maintain the
diet on your own by using what we call the eyeball method.
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What makes the Zone Diet program so wonderful is that no foods
are excluded. However, when consuming carbohydrates, the best
choice is always vegetables and fruits, which are loaded with
vitamins and nutrients. All carbohydrates are composed of sugar.
Rice, bagels, pasta and sweets have lots more sugar (called the
glycemic index) than the more beneficial carbohydrates found in
vegetables and fruits. Another point worth making is that many
people do not digest grain based foods well and often find that
the results of eating these foods are bloating and other digestive
disorders. When choosing the grains and other starchy foods, consume
very small amounts.
One of the greatest medical myths of the past half century, especially
the last 20 years, is that fats are evil. Fats (more properly
referred to as lipids), are essential to good health. Now, some
fats are better than others, and no one is encouraging you to
eat saturated or hydrogenated fats. However, never make the mistake
of lumping all fats together into one negative grouping. Good
fats, especially monounsaturated fats, actually have significant
health benefits. Contrary to present thinking, it takes dietary
fat to burn body fat. Fat actually slows the entry of carbohydrates
into the blood stream and are responsible for initiating certain
hormones that give you a sense of satisfaction and signal you
to stop eating. Some of the fattest people on earth are the ones
who try to eat '"fat free!"
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