The Zone Diet - What is it and Can it Help Me

July 4th, 2009
The Diet Guy asked:


The Zone Diet works on the principle that 100,000 years ago, we were meat eaters, and our metabolism is designed to handle the demands of a meat-based diet. 

Madonna, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Aniston swear by the results of the Zone Diet, which was created by Barry Sears, PhD.  The Zone Diet contains 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat and is known as the 40-30-30 plan.

As the food industry evolved, more carbohydrates have been introduced into our daily diet, thus causing an imbalance in our metabolism to burn fat.  The reason for our extra weight can also be attributed to the many grains and starches in our diet (pasta, rice, breads, and potatoes).  The Zone Diet’s approach calls for a return to the diets of our ancestors where meat, fruits, and vegetables are the main dietary foods. 

The Zone Diet suggests that you need the right ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and fats in order to control the insulin in the bloodstream.  Too much of the hormone (insulin) can increase fat storage and inflammation in the body (conditions that are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease).  Sears asserts that by using the Zone Diet, you are actually optimizing the body’s metabolic function.  Through the regulation of blood sugar, you allow your body to burn excess body fat.

Although you are not prohibited from any particular food group, it is best to avoid food with high fat and carbohydrates such as grains, starches, and pastas.  The ideal sources of carbs are fruits and vegetables and for monounsaturated fats olive oil, almonds, and avocados are recommended.  The Zone Diet claims to use food as a drug for overall good health, weight loss and prevention or management of heart disease and diabetes.

Sears says that you can test to see whether you are ‘hormonally’ correct by eating following the Zone diet and see how you feel four hours later.  To simplify the Zone Diet, fill one-third of a plate with low-fat protein, and then two-thirds with fruits and vegetables.

Celebrities and some health experts say that the Zone’s recommendations do not stray far from the USDA’s (United States Dietary Association) dietary guidelines and therefore are advocates of the Zone Diet.  Others argue that the Zone Diet has flawed ratios but Sears argues that the Zone diet is a low-glycemic-load diet that has adequate protein.  . 

A critic of the Zone diet such as the AHA (American Heart Association) classifies the Zone Diet as high protein and does not recommend the Zone Diet for weight loss.  They contend that the Zone Diet has not been proven effective in the long term for weight loss.  The AHA issued an official recommendation warning against diets like the Zone Diet.  They believe that the Zone Diet is hazardous as it restricts the intake of essential vitamins and minerals present in certain foods.  The AHA also contends that the protein ratio in the Zone diet is too high even if the minimal fat ratio is good.  Robert H. Ecker M.D of the A.H.A. finds the Zone Diet’s theory on insulin flawed and argues that there is no scientific proof that the hormone insulin plays a big role in weight regulation.



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Diet for Idiots - a Great Tool for Weight Loss-dieting Secrets-dieting Tricks-diet

July 3rd, 2009
Josh Green asked:


With so many different ideas about dieting currently on the market, it can be very confusing and difficult for people who are trying to find a diet plan that will work for them and meet their specific needs. If they keep trying over and over with diets that work for other people, but that don’t work for themselves, it can become very discouraging.

The main concept behind dieting is that we should begin to eat a healthy diet consuming the correct foods in order for our bodies to still function but not excessive in order to create a surplus of calories and sugars that are turned into fat and stored in the body.

There is no diet panacea which will work in every situation for all people. In order for a diet to work, a healthy food must be eaten and sufficient exercise must be practiced. The diet for idiots was created to encourage weightloss for idiots. Different diet types were implemented in the diet for idiots, and then combined to make fat loss for idiots a simple process.

One major reason that the plan will work consistently is due to the fact that the plan takes all these different eating styles and ensures that they are rotated in order to allow the body to get all the nutrients it needs in order to function on a daily basis but still remain healthy. The diet plan is a great diet plan.

Without the use of many different diet plans there would not be much merit to the plan because most diets that are in existence always omit something or encourage over eating something. For instance a low carbohydrate diet encourages the removal of a large part of your carbohydrate intake.

The other side of diets to be avoided excessively are protein rich diets. Such high protein diets have a property such that they are consumed more in quantity by a person than his normal counterpart. When a high protein containing diet is administered, a person on diet is encouraged to take liberal proteins instead of taking more carbohydrates and fats.

The main motivation behind the diet for idiots is that there is no perfect cure-all diet that can work for everyone in every circumstance. This is a diet plan promoting weightloss for idiots. It combines different diet styles in order to achieve easy fat loss for idiots. One of the main factors which cause this plan to work consistently is that it cycles through various eating styles so that the body is allowed to get the nutrients it requires for it to function on a daily basis, whilst remaining healthy. This diet plan is an ideal one.



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What is a good diet for someone who wants to cut weight, but not necessarily give up food?

July 3rd, 2009
ccpickre asked:


I love food, and will probably never have the discipline to diet properly. I don’t want to look like a body builder, but would like to keep my weight off since I recently lost 30 lbs.Is there a good diet out there with good food that helps lose weight, or just keep weight off? Or a guide to nutrition because I have never been a 3 meals a day type of person.

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What is the best diet pill to help you lose weight fast?

July 1st, 2009
Teresa asked:


I have been excercising and eat less to try to lose weight but I was wondering if anyone knew of a diet pill that helps you burn off fat faster and that actually works! Can anyone give me some good advice? I need to lose at least 20 pounds before September!

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What is the best diet to combat depression?

July 1st, 2009
Heron By The Sea asked:


I am a vegetarian. I do take milk, and sometimes eggs, although I ideally want to quit eating eggs too.

So given these constraints, what is the best anti-depression diet for me!?

Thanks!

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How to get Diet pills without prescription while in Guatemala?

June 28th, 2009
chris m asked:


I have been traveling around Central America and I’ve put on a lot of weight. How can I get a real diet pill, like phentermine or something while I am here?? Please don’t lecture me about the health risks, I am aware of them.

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What kind of a weightloss or healthy diet plan would work for you?

June 28th, 2009
david r asked:


I’m sure you have all tried some kind of diet. If I could design the perfect wieghtloss diet or healthy diet program for you, what would I need to do? Think of what would make you enthusiastic enough to not quit, but look forward to continuing this program on a daily basis for the rest of your life.

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What is the diet called where you slowly add carbs during the week and have one free day?

June 28th, 2009
Newsong asked:


I read an article that I can no longer find about this diet. You start off at the beginning of each week eating almost no carbs. By the middle of the week you add some fruits and whole grains. On day 7 you can eat whatever you want, but go back to low carb on day one again. What is this diet called?

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What is the best diet pill for a women to take?

June 24th, 2009
a85 asked:


I would like something to help supress hunger and speed up my metabolism. Is it true that vitamins will help with speeding up my metabolism? 30 minutes on the treadmill a day and watching my diet I would like a diet pill that might help or any other ideas.

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How do you create a diet and stay to it?

June 23rd, 2009
Hello asked:


I want to go on a lifestyle diet to maintain my weight and make my BMI healthier. I don’t do a very good job of stay on diets, so is there one that is healthy, not extreme, and convienent/easy?

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