The Zone Diet Plan

Many people say eating in The Zone is complicated. This is, unfortunately true. You have to be exact about the amounts of macronutrients you eat with every meal or snack, in order to keep the 40-30-30 ratio. That's why Dr. Sears recommends The Zone Diet Plan, a kind of a in-advance-diary where you mark-down what you are going to eat every week-day for example.
The Zone Diet Plan is not a unique eating scheme. It should fit one's daily protein needs and personal taste. That is why there are several sources that offer custom-plans, based on personal features you fill in, such as height, weight, desired weight, age etc.

What does a zone diet meal plan look like?

Suppose you have a protein need of 11 blocks every day. You know that you should eat 5 times a day; let's say you decided having 3 block-meals and 1 block-snacks. Your menu for 1 day can look like that:

1 Day in The ZoneProteinCarbFat
Breakfast3 mini-blocks
21 grams

4 large egg-whites omlet + 1/2 cup cottage cheese, low fat
 3 mini-blocks
27 grams

2 cups red pepper chopped + 1/2 cup black beans
 3 mini-blocks
4,5 grams

1 and 1/2 tbsp. peanut butter with the omlet
Lunch3 mini-blocks
21 grams

3 oz. chicken breast*
 3 mini-blocks
27 grams

3 and 1/2 cup of spinach + 1 apple
 3 mini-blocks
4,5 grams

1 tsp. olive oil as dressing for chicken
Snack 1 Zone Block = 7 grams protein + 9 grams carbohydrate + 1,5 grams fat
1 Zone Bar
Dinner 3 mini-blocks
21 grams

4.5 oz. cod fish, grilled
 3 mini-blocks
27 grams

3 cups broccoli + 1 asparagus + 1/4 egg plant all cooked + 1 glass of wine
 3 mini-blocks
4,5 grams

3 tsp. ollive oil with vinegar dressing
Snack 1 Zone Block = 7 grams protein + 9 grams carbohydrate + 1,5 grams fat
1 Zone Bar

Your Zone Diet program should be customized to your needs. If you find it difficult to calculate your meals 24 hours/7 days you can choose a zone diet meal planner to ease your work.

Dr. Sears book A Week In The Zone is considered to be the best choice for a zone-beginner. Also, there are many web resources like Zone Perfect or E-Diets that sell personalized plans.