Brenda Khan
The Zone Diet is a diet plan created by Barry Sears, PhD, a biochemist. The diet breaks down protein, carbs, and fat into blocks that correspond to the amount of each that can be consumed at each meal and snack. The number of blocks per day is dependent on gender, with women having 11 blocks and men having 14. The diet is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to enter a state called the Zone, where the body is optimized to control inflammation from one's diet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Diet | Fad diet, low-carbohydrate consumption |
| Created by | Barry Sears, Ph.D, formerly a research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Purpose | Help people lose weight and lower their risk of chronic disease by reducing diet-induced inflammation |
| Food Recommendations | Whole, less processed foods, foods with polyphenols and antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, fish oil, fruit and vegetable extracts |
| Food Restrictions | Carbs with a high glycemic index like pasta, bread, and potatoes |
| Eating Schedule | 5 times a day, including 3 meals and 2 snacks |
| Caloric Ratio | 30% fat, 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein |
| Health Benefits | Improved blood sugar levels, reduced inflammation, weight loss, improved cholesterol levels, lower risk of diabetes and heart disease |
| Criticisms | Lack of scientific evidence, discouragement of healthy foods like fruits and whole grains |
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What You'll Learn
Blocks are a way to count macronutrients
The Zone Diet is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to enter a state known as "the Zone", where your body is optimised to control inflammation from your diet. The diet breaks down protein, carbohydrates, and fat into "blocks" that correspond to the amount of each you can have at each meal and snack. Each block is estimated to be around 91 calories. The number of blocks per day varies by gender, with women having 11 blocks and men having 14.
The Zone Diet does not restrict any food choices but recommends against added sugar and processed foods. It encourages dieters to think of bread, pasta, grains, and other starches as condiments rather than as main or side dishes. The diet recommends eating three Zone meals and one Zone snack per day, each consisting of low-fat protein, carbs, and a small amount of "good" fat.
The hand-eye method is the easiest way to start the Zone Diet. In this method, your hand and eye are the main tools used to determine portion sizes. Your five fingers remind you to eat five times a day and never go without food for five hours, while your eye is used to estimate portions on your plate. The plate should be divided into thirds, with one-third consisting of lean protein, one-third of 'good' fats, and one-third of fruits and vegetables.
The Zone Diet also provides flexibility, as there are two methods of following it: the hand-eye method and the Zone Food Block method. The Zone Food Block method can help with fat loss by controlling the number of calories consumed per day. It is a more advanced method, and those on the diet can switch between the two methods whenever they feel like it.
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Blocks are multiplied to calculate total calories
The Zone Diet is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to enter a "zone" for specific health benefits. It breaks down protein, carbohydrates, and fat into "blocks" that correspond to the amount of each that can be consumed at each meal and snack. Women should consume 11 blocks per day, while men should consume 14. Each block contains around 91 calories.
The number of blocks is multiplied to calculate the total calories. For instance, a person eating 12 blocks will consume around 1,700 calories on average. However, the actual calorie count can vary significantly depending on food choices. For example, a meal consisting of chicken breast, bread, and avocado (12 blocks) amounts to 1,008 calories, while a meal of cheddar cheese, commercially-prepared hummus, and heavy cream (also 12 blocks) contains nearly 3,000 calories. This disparity is mainly due to the hidden calories in the Zone Diet, especially the fat grams in protein sources.
The Zone Diet does not strictly restrict food choices but recommends avoiding added sugar and processed foods. It encourages the consumption of low-fat protein, such as skinless chicken, turkey, or fish; carbohydrates, mainly fruits and vegetables; and a small amount of "good" fats, like olive oil, almonds, and avocado. It recommends thinking of bread, pasta, grains, and starches as condiments rather than main or side dishes.
The Zone Diet also provides flexibility with two methods: the hand-eye method and the Zone Food Block method. The hand-eye method uses the hand and eye to estimate portion sizes and determine when to eat. The Zone Food Block method helps with fat loss by controlling daily calorie intake.
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There are hidden calories in Zone blocks
The Zone Diet is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to enter a "zone" for specific health benefits. The diet recommends three Zone meals and one Zone snack a day, each a mix of low-fat protein, carbs, and a small amount of "good" fat. The diet breaks down protein, carbs, and fat into "blocks" that correspond to the amount of each you can have at each meal and snack. The average female eats 11 blocks each day, and the average male 14 blocks each day.
However, there are hidden calories in Zone blocks. In the Zone Diet, foods are usually classified as the one macronutrient that provides most of its calories. For example, broccoli is considered a carbohydrate. However, there are also calories in the food from the other two macronutrients. The calories in the broccoli from protein are considered "hidden" as they aren't directly accounted for because broccoli is classified as a carbohydrate. These hidden calories add an average of 54 calories per block, which can amount to an additional ~650 calories for 12 blocks and ~1,080 calories for 20 blocks.
The number of hidden calories depends on one's food choices. For example, an egg counts as one block of protein, but it also has 5 grams of fat. Similarly, cheese is one block of protein and has 9 grams of fat. Depending on what you eat, you could be adding hidden calories to your caloric intake total.
The Zone diet allows you just enough external calories to feel satiated, and the balance between carbs and protein unlocks access to as many internal calories as you need. The diet also provides flexibility, as there are two methods of following it: the hand-eye method and the Zone Food Block method. The hand-eye method uses your hand and eye to determine portion sizes, with your hand reminding you to eat five times a day and never go without food for five hours, and your eye to estimate portions on your plate. The Zone Food Block method helps with fat loss by controlling how many calories you eat per day.
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The hand-eye method is an alternative to blocks
The Zone Diet is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to enter a "zone" for specific health benefits. The diet recommends eating a mix of low-fat protein, carbs (mostly fruits and veggies), and a small amount of "good" fats. It does not restrict any food choices but advises against added sugar and processed foods. The diet also provides flexibility as there are two methods of following it: the Zone Food Block method and the hand-eye method.
The hand-eye method is an alternative to the Zone Food Block method. It is a simple and flexible strategy for beginners to follow the Zone Diet. It is particularly useful when dining out at restaurants or attending a catered work lunch, as it allows you to eat Zone-friendly meals without having to meticulously track and measure your food portions. With the hand-eye method, you divide your plate into three equal sections. One-third of the plate should contain lean protein, roughly the size and thickness of your palm, while the remaining two-thirds should be composed of carbs with low glycemic indexes, such as fruits, vegetables, or whole grains. A small amount of healthy, monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds, should also be included. In addition, the hand-eye method recommends eating five times a day and never going more than five hours without food. Your five fingers can serve as a reminder for this.
The Zone Food Block method, on the other hand, is more advanced and involves tracking your Zone Diet blocks, which are calculated based on your specific macronutrient needs. This method is more precise and allows you to personalize the Zone Diet to your body by determining the number of grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat you should consume per day. The number of Zone blocks you should eat depends on your weight, height, and body measurements. On average, men consume 14 Zone blocks per day, while women consume 11 Zone blocks. Each Zone block consists of a protein block, a fat block, and a carb block, and meals typically contain three to five Zone blocks, while snacks always contain one Zone block.
Both the hand-eye method and the Zone Food Block method have their advantages. The hand-eye method is simple, flexible, and easy to follow, especially when dining out. It does not require any tools other than your hand and eye to estimate portions. In contrast, the Zone Food Block method is more precise and allows for a more personalized approach to the Zone Diet by taking into account individual characteristics such as weight and height. It helps with fat loss by controlling the number of calories consumed per day.
Ultimately, the choice between the hand-eye method and the Zone Food Block method depends on your personal preferences, level of commitment, and desired level of precision. Both methods will lead to the same outcome of achieving a balance of macronutrients to enter the "zone". You can even switch between the two methods whenever you like, as they each have their own benefits.
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The Zone Diet has fitness recommendations
The Zone Diet, created by former research scientist Barry Sears, is a weight-loss diet that aims to reduce diet-induced inflammation and lower the risk of chronic disease. It is about eating a certain balance of macronutrients to get into a physiological state called "the Zone". This state is defined by three clinical markers that can be measured by a doctor or a test available on the diet's website. The diet recommends a strict eating schedule of three meals and two snacks every five hours, with each meal containing no more than 400 calories. The recommended balance of macronutrients is 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% healthy fats.
The Zone Diet emphasizes the management of insulin, a hormone that regulates fat storage. By avoiding foods that cause spikes in insulin, such as refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and sugary foods, the diet aims to reduce inflammation. It recommends choosing carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index, such as vegetables (except corn and peas), fruits (except bananas and raisins), oatmeal, and barley. It also suggests optimal protein sources such as skinless chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, low-fat dairy, tofu, and soy meat substitutes. Small amounts of healthy fats are added to each meal, but fatty red meat, egg yolks, liver, and other organ meats are to be avoided.
The Zone Diet does not strictly restrict any food choices, but it does recommend limiting certain types of foods. It suggests staying away from added sugars, processed foods, and carbs that are higher on the glycemic index, like pasta, bread, bagels, cereals, and potatoes. Instead, it encourages the consumption of foods with polyphenols and antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties. The diet also promotes the use of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in fish oil supplements.
The two primary methods of following the Zone Diet are the hand-eye method and the Zone food blocks method. The hand-eye method uses the hand and eye as tools to determine portion sizes and estimate portions on the plate. It also recommends eating five times a day and never going without food for five hours. The Zone food blocks method is more advanced and focuses on controlling calorie intake, with a recommendation of 1,200 calories per day for women.
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Frequently asked questions
Blocks are portions of food that correspond to the amount of protein, carbs, and fat that can be consumed at each meal and snack.
Women are recommended to have 11 blocks per day, while men are recommended to have 14 blocks per day.
On average, there are 91 calories in a block. However, this can vary depending on food choices due to hidden calories. For example, a block of cheddar cheese may contain around 250 calories.
The Zone Diet is purported to optimize hormones and control inflammation from your diet. It is also said to promote weight loss, with a pledge that any weight lost will be fat, not muscle or water. The diet also does not restrict food choices, which can make it more appealing than other diets. Additionally, the ratios of protein, fat, and carbs in the Zone Diet are within the recommended ranges by the Institute of Medicine.
