The Zone Diet

Created by Dr. Barry Sears, The Zone Diet encourages balanced carb and protein intake.

Dr. Sears suggests that you divide your plate into three sections, one for protein and two for fruits and vegetables per meal.

This works out to 30 percent protein, 40 percent carb, and 30 percent fat.

For each Zone Diet meal, the protein portion should be roughly the size of your tightly closed fist.

The carb portion should be the size of two loosely closed fists and the added fat portion should be about the volume of your thumb.

Block the Fat - a Measured Response

The Zone Diet is all about food portion measurement and control. Another tool that dieters in the Zone can use to measure food is the "block".

Every adult is allowed at least 11 blocks per day and the proper food serving size will affect how much food by volume a dieter actually consumes each day. The Zone Diet does not allow for unlimited protein portions or eating until satiated. Once your Zone Diet meal portions are gone, your meal is done.

Rules of the Zone

The basic rules are to:

1. Eat a Zone meal within one hour of waking each day.

2. Eat a Zone balanced meal each time you eat (protein, carbohydrate, fat).

3. Eat five times per day; three meals, two snacks.

4. Never go more than five hours without eating a Zone meal.

5. Eat more fruits and vegetables and ease off bread, pasta, grains and starches.

6. Drink 64 ounces of water per day.

7. If you mess up on one meal, just make your next meal Zone friendly.

Unfavorable Carbs; The Usual Suspects

While no foods are forbidden on this diet, certain unfavorable carbs should be avoided or if eaten, make up no more than 25 percent of any meal or snack.

The unfavorable carbs are the usual suspects: white flour, potatoes, sugar, white rice, juices, sodas, alcohol, bananas, grapes, carrots, corn and drinks with caffeine.

Dr. Sears believes that these foods not only increase insulin production but can also lead to hormonal imbalances and inflammation of bodily tissues, which causes disease and overall poor health.

Zone Products - a Warning

The Zone diet also has packaged food tie-ins such as nutritional bars, drinks, bakery products and nutritional supplements.

But be careful, the Zone nutritional bar contains high fructose corn syrup. According to the website, it is a very "high-quality" type that has a slower glycemic index than the common type and the protein in the bar helps to further slow insulin response.

Nevertheless, consume with extreme caution.

That said, there's a new Zone Diet home delivery service that definitely appears to be worth a closer look...

The Lazy Dieter's Dream - Zone Diet Meals Delivered to Your Door Daily!

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ObesityCures is based outside of the U.S. so we haven't had a chance to try it ourselves, but we've heard some good things about it. It boasts celebrity customers like Kevin Costner and Liza Minnelli (You decide whether that's a plus or a minus!) and has been featured on CNBC, CNN.com and Allure.

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