The Zone Diet Guidelines for Permanent Weight Loss
The Zone Diet guidelines for eating can help you overcome obesity and develop a healthier lifestyle.
The Zone Diet, created by Barry Sears, is designed for permanent weight loss, unlike many fad diets available today.
It will teach you a new way to eat that will improve your health as well as help you lose weight.
These guidelines suggest you plan your meals around a specific 40:30:30 ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Basically, 40 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein, and 30 percent from fat. However, this does not give you free reign to choose any carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
For carbohydrates, the Zone Diet guidelines recommend eliminating carbohydrates like:
- Breakfast cereals
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Pasta
- Pastries
- Bagels
- Croissants
- Muffins and
- Sweets like chocolate and pies.
These simple carbohydrates have the most effect on insulin levels, which the Zone Diet relies on regulating these levels. Most fruits and vegetables are allowed for your carbohydrates as well as whole grain sources of carbohydrates.
For protein, the Zone Diet guidelines suggest low-fat protein sources like skinless:
Some protein should be eaten with every meal.
Likewise, healthier fats should also be chosen.
Foods that are rich in monounsaturated fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts are recommended over the more unhealthy saturated fats.
While it may sound difficult to plan meals around such strict requirements, the Zone Diet book offers a simpler way to calculate your meals and snacks using “Zone Food Blocks.”
Each block contains a set amount of:
- Carbohydrates
- Protein and
- Fat.
The Zone Diet guidelines recommend a certain number blocks each day based on your current weight and your weight loss goals.
Planning your meals using the “Zone Food Blocks” takes away some of the hassle of counting calories and figuring out ratios.
Another way to simplify meals is to imagine your plate divided into three equal sections.
You should fill one section with low-fat protein and the other two sections with fruits and vegetables.
Then add some olive oil or nuts for some monounsaturated fats.
The Zone Diet guidelines suggest that by following this diet, you can expect to lose at least five pounds in the first two weeks and then one to two pounds every week after that.
This comes as welcome news to those trying to overcome obesity!
While it may sound complex at first, there are many meal plans, recipes, and tips available in the Zone Diet book as well as online to make this diet easy and effective!
Just remember to follow these steps in order to have a more effective weight loss program.
What You Can Do To Start Losing Weight Right Now:
- Incorporate a proven, complete nutritional program into your daily life.
- Enhance your nutritional program with a complete mutivitamin supplement because no nutritional program is perfect.
- Use a behavior modification and motivational program that will help you stay on track with your nutritional plan.
- Exercise at home with your own:
Treadmill
Stairstepper
Exercise bike
Elliptical trainer
Hand weights or
An aerobic video.
- See what kinds of weight loss aids your health insurance covers such as:
Hypnotism
Gym membership discounts
Nutritional counseling.
You can overcome obesity. Yes you can!
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