The Zone Diet
The zone diet is primarily designed to help individuals gain better control over their hormones.
The creator of this diet, Barry Sears, believes that if the glucagon and insulin hormones are better regulated, the individual will have greater chances of achieving optimal health and ideal weight.
The zone diet is not about the consumption of ‘high protein’ or ‘low carb’ foods, instead the focus is on eating the right kinds of foods at the right time and in the right quantities.
The Zone Diet Benefits
The goal of the zone diet is to consume the ideal proportion of each of the three macro nutrient types, to enable the body to achieve that metabolic state which allows it to perform at its highest level of efficiency.
The zone diet not only helps you to manage weight loss but it also helps you retune your metabolism.
This is made possible by encouraging zone dieters to consume 30% fat, 40% carbs and 30% protein every meal time.
The hormones insulin and glucagon have specific actions in the body.
Insulin plays its role in storing body fats derived from blood sugar, the role of glucagon is to release these fats as needed for energy utilization.
High insulin levels will cause the body to store fat.
A person’s insulin levels varies in response to the level of glucose in the blood, which is mostly obtained from consumed carbohydrates.
Maintaining the specified balance of fat, carbs and protein as laid out in the zone diet prevents glucose surges that will trigger increased adrenalin release, which will result in fat gain.
The Zone Diet Helps You Control Your Cravings
If you are the kind of person who finds it hard to resist temptation, the zone diet may help relieve your cravings.
If you stick to the recommendations of the zone diet, within two to three days you will experience a significant reduction in your cravings for sweet foods.
If you continue to eat the right foods at the right time and in the right proportions, you will eventually find yourself no longer having cravings, hunger pangs and fatigue.
Zone Diet Foods
The zone diet recommends dieters have three regular meals and two snacks in a day.
• Each meal should be a mixture of low fat protein, such as turkey, fish, skinless chicken, lean meats, low fat cheese and eggs.
• A zone dieter is also required to consume good fats such as avocado, almonds and olive oil.
Fruits and vegetables should serve as the main sources of carbohydrates.
In following the zone diet, carb lovers will eventually find themselves having other less-complex carbs as their condiments or treats instead of having these foods as their main dish.
Carbs from white flour products are discouraged in the zone diet.
Long-term Health Benefits
Diagnosed cases of type two diabetes continue to rise at a phenomenal rate world-wide.
This lifestyle disease occurs when the body either runs out of available insulin or the muscles become insulin-resistant due to continual over-exposure to insulin.
These high and persistent high levels of insulin in the bloodstream are a response to an excess of blood sugar, almost always caused by an overload of carbohydrates, especially simple carbs.
Consuming the correct balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates at all times will make it easier for your body to maintain its proper balance of hormones.
This will greatly assist in preventing the onset or development of type two diabetes.
It will also prevent energy slumps from blood-sugar swings which will give increased vitality and energy.
The science behind this diet is very understandable and if followed correctly will achieve improved hormonal balance which will help to achieve normalized weight levels and better overall health.
[PC-Popup id=2]