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The Zone Diet
Popular among movie stars, this diet is more of a way of eating, rather than a weight loss diet. The Zone, means proper hormone balance.
When insulin levels are neither too high nor too low, and glucagon levels are not too high, then specific anti-inflammatory chemicals (types of eicosanoids) are released, which have similar effects to aspirin. When you reach this level from the foods you eat, you are in the Zone, or in balance, meaning not too low, not too high.
The key to the Zone is to eat in a way that maintains the hormones that are generated by the foods you eat in balance; a 30:30:40 ratio of protein to carbohydrates triggers this effect.
What is the 30:30:40 ratio? This is the part that I found difficult to understand. 40% of the calories should come from low fat proteins, 30% from non-starchy carbohydrates, and the other 30% from monounsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado,etc) (Click here to find out more about the 30:30:40 ratio )
The way to put Zone meal together is as follows: A piece of low fat protein that you can fit the palm of your hand, as much non-starchy raw vegetables as you can stand, and a dash of oil to keep feelings of hunger away.
I personally found that there were not enough starchy vegetables for me, so I was hungry in between meals. There are meal delivery plans available out there, if you can afford it. Probably if you need to lose 10 pounds in three weeks or a month, the Zone will work for you.
Things I liked:
- Wine is allowed with your meals
- Good advice when dining out (it makes it easy)
- Possibility of buying ready to eat meals
- Understanding the 30:30:40 ratio
- Trying to come up with menus and recipes
- Not enough starches for my taste
- You must have protein with each meal or snack
