Are you looking for a way of life that is healthy and balanced so you can look and feel great? You don’t want anything too extreme like fad diets, but just an overall healthy way of life, right? The Zone Diet might be for you. The word zone comes from the Greek root “way of life.” The diet is defined as hormonal balance by a fixed ratio of fat, protein, and carbohydrate intake, all of which your body needs in moderation to be happy and healthy. If you starve yourself or cut one of these completely out, your body will become out of balance, and therefore unhealthy and unhappy. Everyone wants to be happy right? Read on for tips and examples of the popular Zone diet, created by biochemist Dr. Barry Sears.
The Zone Diet uses a methodology of 1-2-3, 1gram of fat per 2 grams protein per 3 grams carbohydrates. This is also the same as a 40-30-30 ratio of cabs, protein, and fats. Divide your plate in every meal, filling 1/3 with a low fat lean protein source. You can fill the rest with tons of fruits and vegetables and olive oils, which are low-glycemic carbs and good fats. There are no phases for this diet, it’ a simple way to eat for the rest of your life. The hardest part is figuring out the ratio. Meals on Zone can be tricky, but use these examples and tips to help you get started:
Lunch
3 protein blocks = 3oz. chicken
3 carbohydrate blocks = 3 cups asparagus
3 fat blocks = 1 tsp. olive oil
Dinner
5 oz salmon covered with a tablespoon of slivered almonds
2 cups steamed vegetables
1 cup mixed berries for dessert.
The snacks they recommend on the Zone Diet are kind of like mini-meals, since you still need to choose blocks of protein, carbs, and fat to maintain your hormone balance and keep the ratio. That’s not so bad for you who thought you’d have to starve yourselves in between 3 square meals! For snacks, you get to choose one from each of the three blocks.
Snack
1 protein block = 1oz canned tuna in water
1 carbohydrate block = 2 cups celery
1 fat block = 1/3 tsp olive oil
Late-night Snack
1 oz soft cheese
1 glass of wine (or small piece of fruit)
These are just a few examples of meals and snacks that are included in the Zone diet. If you lean how to properly balance this ratio, you can include almost any food in the right portion.
Mix all these tips and food choices with a supplemental fish Omega 3 oil and physical exercise, and you’re on the right track for a healthy Zone lifestyle! Once you master the portions, it might just be one of the easiest ways to maintain your long term health. Good luck soldier!
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This sounds really cool. Eating when I’m supposed to is an ongoing challenge for me so that would be the only hinderance I would have with the Zone Diet.