The Zone diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears, a former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He designed the Zone diet to achieve weight loss and health by balancing the correct proportions of protein, carbohydrate and fat.
The diet is based on what Dr. Sears calls Zone Food Blocks. One Zone Block of protein contains 7 grams of protein, one Zone Block of carbohydrate contains 9 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber), and one Zone Block of fat contains 1.5 grams of fat.
The number of blocks is based on gender. A woman usually needs three Zone Food Blocks of protein, carbohydrate and fat at each meal, while men usually require four.
Another way to look at the Zone diet is to divide your plate into sections:
One-third of your plate should contain low-fat protein such as fish or soybean or chicken
- For example, you could enjoy Wild Planet Wild Pacific Sockeye Salmon for your protein portion. Or if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, enjoy Mori-Nu Silken Extra Firm Tofu.
Two-thirds of your plate should be carbohydrates such as vegetables and fruit.
- Try making a big salad and topping with Tillen Farms Pickled Crispy Asparagus. Add something sweet to your plate with a serving of Native Forest Organic Mandarin Oranges in Mandarin Orange Juice.
And on top, go for a small amount of healthy fats such as olive oil on your veggies or guacamole or nuts.
- For example, you could top that salad with Vitacost Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. And add some crunch with using Now Foods Cashews in place of croutons.
Bonus tip: When you’re on the go or at work, have Zone bars available to avoid temptation. They come in flavors such as Dark Chocolate Almond.