The Zone Diet is an eating plan to control inflammation and lose fat. The Zone Diet, (a healthy way to lose fat) was developed by Dr. Barry Sears, a biochemist and scientist who has made his name in the field of dietary control of hormonal response. According to the Zone Diet plan, the zone for optimum calorie burning is a 40-30-30 ratio; 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 40% protein. The Zone Diet is one of the few diet plans that closely correspond to the diet plan recommended by the Heart Education Group at HeartInfo.org. Both are agreed on the correct ratio of macro nutrients that include carbohydrates, protein and fats. The Zone Diet is also a very effective diet plan if you want to lose fat.
The basis of the Zone diet
The foundation of the Zone Diet is hormonal control and not so much calorie reduction. The Zone Diet was created as a result of research on the effects of foods that we eat on our body’s metabolic activity and hormone production. It’s goal is to ensure maximum health with the use of food to achieve perfect hormonal balance that will lessen cellular inflammation, the main cause of chronic illnesses. The Zone Diet’s hormonal balance factor will also make you lose fat and weight.
The food servings allowed in the Zone diet are reasonable. A regular meal is about 500 calories while a snack is approximately 100 calories. The Zone Diet plan also highly recommends drinking of 8 glasses of water daily and forbids all refined foods. The macronutrient (carbohydrates, protein and fat) proportion of the Zone diet plan is intended to control insulin levels in the blood. To lose fat, insulin management is the key. Insulin is responsible for processing the body’s glucose levels and converting it into glycogen.
How can you lose fat using the Zone Diet?
A Zone Diet is an eating plan that involves preparing and eating foods with low-carbohydrates, where protein is not overshadowed by carbohydrates, the usual characteristics of a modern day menu. It means balancing every portion of carbohydrates, fat and protein intake, an extremely important tool for people who want to lose fat and weight.
Reduce carbohydrate and lose fat
According to the Zone Diet, too much carbohydrate in our diet creates insulin resistance which is the main reason for the fattening of the population. Ingesting a large amount of carbohydrates causes the human body to produce insulin which results in excess calories being stored as fat. Insulin also has an effect on the other hormones of your body. To lose fat and build muscles you have to maintain a balanced level of testosterone and growth hormones. HGH or Human Growth Hormone is the body’s most potent fat-burning hormone. It also allows the body to build muscles. If you have a high insulin level in your body, HGH is inhibited from being released from the pituitary gland, thus preventing you from losing fat.
The Zone Diet doesn’t prevent you from eating foods from any particular food group. However, if you want to lose fat, the Zone Diet recommends that you avoid food high in saturated and trans-fats and carbohydrates such as pastas, white grains, and starches. The favored sources of carbohydrates are fruits and vegetable and replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats such as almonds, extra-virgin olive oil and avocado. A Zone Diet uses food as drugs to promote overall wellness, weight and fat loss and as management or prevention of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
If you need to lose fat either for aesthetic or health reasons, consider Barry Sears’ Zone Diet plan. It will give you benefits over and above your expectations.
