The Zone Diet, devised by Barry Sears, M.D., and introduced in 1995, gained popularity through celebrity dieters like Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Madonna.

Like other weight-loss plans, the Zone Diet encourages dieters to cut calories, especially those from carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. It encourages people looking to lose weight to eat lots of lean meats and other foods filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. To keep their blood-sugar levels stable and fend off hunger pangs, those on the plan eat five small meals a day.

Unlike some diets, the Zone Diet doesn't force people to buy certain foods, which can help cut down on the costs that sometimes accompany these plans. There are, however, a line of Zone Diet supplements. People who choose to eat them should be warned that they can be expensive.

Sounds perfect, right? Not so fast.

The diet discourages dairy consumption, which can keep those on the Zone Diet from getting several essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin D, Vitamin E and calcium. Another common complaint is that the low-carb plan leaves dieters too tired to exercise. Coffee and soda intake can get tricky on the plan, too, because caffeine, which causes insulin levels to spike, is considered a no-no.

Others have a hard time understanding the 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat (40-30-30) ratio that Dr. Sears says will make your metabolism function best. These restrictions can be especially problematic when you're dining out. Dieters are also required to eat within one hour of waking and, roughly, every two to three hours after.

Additionally, Zone Diet creators claim -- despite a lack of evidence -- that those who follow the plan will decrease their risk of cancer, heart disease and other conditions while improving athletic performance.

If you have decided to lose weight, one of your best bets is a healthy, low-fat diet, paired with exercising several times a week. That's Fit has Diet and Weight Loss tips to help.

Read the full Zone Diet Review and Zone Diet Foods List from AOL Health.

Be inspired by our That's Fit Success Stories. Then motivate others by submitting your own. Share how you've transformed your body through diet and exercise by sending us an e-mail at successstories [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.


Name: Catherine Walker Hart

Age: 30

Height: 5 feet, 7 inches

Before weight: 168

How I gained it: Food addiction and overeating runs on one side of my family -- fast eating runs on the other side. I got both! I've always loved to eat and have always been a fast eater. Eating way past my full point was a daily occurrence in my life.

Growing up, I was very active and had a pretty decent metabolism, so I used to get away with eating too much. After I got married in 2006, I was no longer as active as I had been and my overeating started to catch up with me. My husband and I also became the "king and queen of takeout." When you eat most of your meals from restaurants, you don't have control of what goes into them, and the portions are larger than one person needs. I also was a bit of a carb addict, easily eating four to five times the appropriate amount of carbs in my meals. My husband and I also developed an ice cream habit. We could go through an entire pint on a nightly basis.

The more weight I put on, the more uncomfortable I felt, which only led to more overeating. And I was not burning off any of it! I tried several attempts at the gym, but I always felt lethargic and unmotivated. Eventually, I gave up.

Breaking Point: I started to notice that I could no longer cleverly hide my weight gain with baggier clothes. I have a small frame, so there was a window of time when I could hide extra pounds, but I was gaining weight beyond that window. The depression about my weight really kicked in when I had to buy a new pair of jeans in a larger size for the third time.

I became incredibly self-conscious about my weight and felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I liked to think of myself as a strong, active person, and there I was carrying around an extra 35 pounds. I felt like I wasn't myself.

My weight was increasing, and I wasn't having any success changing to a healthier diet. In fact, I don't think I even understood what it meant to eat healthier. My grandfather had been a lean, strong, active athlete his entire life, but his addictive eating cut his life short. I knew in my heart that I had his genes and that if I didn't change my lifestyle now, I could be on the road to obesity with serious health consequences. I needed to kick it in the butt! I decided right then and there that "being heavy" was just a phase: I would not be a heavy person for the rest of my life.

I just spent a week in the Zone, eating as many low-glycemic carbohydrates as feasibly possible and balancing those carbs with slightly less lean protein and a dash of heart-healthy fats. As I shared Zone specifics last week, I'm no stranger to the diet -- I was at my lowest adult weight ever and in stellar cardio shape while following the Zone years ago.

Here's a rundown on how my body felt across the last seven days:

• Last Monday and Tuesday were really rough cravings-wise. I pined for bread, crackers, fast-acting carbs. For some reason, I was incredibly thirsty and understandably cranky. I immediately lost a few pounds, and my stomach is flatter.
• Wednesday was Zone-solid, but Thursday I had a little bread due to a dinner invitation. I wasn't up for bringing my own food. Living in the Zone is difficult when food selection is limited. Noticing less cravings, more energy.
• Again, a surprise Friday dinner invitation added some Zone-UNfriendly pizza crust and caffeine to my diet, but I felt good about bringing along a grilled chicken breast to up the protein content.
• Saturday and Sunday were spent out-of-town, so some high-glycemic carbs snuck in, but not many. I'm feeling good, the lean protein means less snacks and a smaller appetite.
  

All in all, I'm extending this experimental week in the Zone indefinitely. My energy-level is soaring and my weight is dropping. For me, it's easy to Zone breakfast, lunch and snacks, but cooking Zone dinners my family will enjoy is a real challenge. I'll give it a go. Are you ready to spend a week or longer in the Zone? If so, check out Dr. Sears Zone for supportive recipes and information, as well as inspiration from these Olympians in the Zone! Pic from Amazon.

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My first day in the Zone went smoothly. As I shared yesterday, I'm spending a week eating mostly low-glycemic carbohydrates, lean proteins and heart-healthy fats to head into the Zone, and hopefully, down a path toward more energy, less brain fog, maybe even skinnier jeans.

I've been flipping through my old Zone cookbooks and re-educated myself on the ratios of proteins/carbs/fats in a Zone-favorable meal. If you'd like to Zone in, here's the ratio broken down into blocks (e.g., units):

• 1 block of Zone protein equals 7 grams of protein
  
• 1 block of Zone carbohydrate equals 9 grams of carbohydrates
• 1 block of Zone fat equals 1.5 grams of fat
  

From experience, you have to choose low-glycemic carbohydrates (typically vegetables and fruits) to stay in the Zone. Fill your plate with one-third protein (no bigger than the palm of your hand), two-thirds low-glycemic carbohydrates and a dash of heart-healthy fats. Eat too much high-glycemic bread/pasta and good luck hitting the Zone. One of my all-time favorite Zone meals is Mexicali Turkey Chili. This super-quick recipe yields six cups for a perfect ratio chili pot filled with 12 blocks of protein, 12 blocks of carbohydrate and 12 blocks of fat. I'm making this tomorrow to keep my metabolism humming at peak efficiency. If you'd like a bowl, here's the recipe:

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My husband is out of town this week, so I'm going to spend a week in the Zone. Remember The Zone Diet? Devised by Dr. Barry Sears, staying in the Zone means you should eat a balanced combination of low-fat proteins, low-glycemic carbohydrates (non-starchy) and a little heart-healthy fat (high in monounsaturated, low in saturated/Omega-6 fats). The goal is to keep your hormones balanced to control hunger and nourish your body on fewer calories.

In my late 20s I was at my lowest adult weight ever while following this regimen for about two years. Beyond skinny jeans, I possessed incredible energy and mental focus. Then I met my future husband and slowly retreated out of the Zone. Fast-paced living and cooking for kid tastebuds have made this diet seemingly unreachable.

I'm looking forward to a week of picking up less underwear and pampering myself with low-glycemic fruits/veggies, lean proteins and a dash of high-quality fats such as olive oil, olives, avocado, almond butter and almonds. Today's lunch was fruit, cottage cheese, carrots and tomatoes. Tonight is steamed fish with lots of vegetables. I just have to stay away from the rice I'm cooking for the kids. Has anyone else been in the Zone? Do share -- I'll let you know how it goes next week. Pic from Amazon.

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According to a new study rating eight popular diet plans, the Ornish Diet came out on top for heart health. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School scored a seven-day menu from each plan across dietary components affecting risk for heart disease -- fruits, veggies, nuts and soy, ratio of white to red meat, fiber, trans fat and ratio of polyunaturated fats to saturated fats.

Here are the rankings, including point totals (each factor was potentially worth 10 points):

• The Ornish Diet, 64.6 points
• The Weight Watchers high-carb diet, 57.4 points
• The New Glucose Revolution diet, 57.2 points
• The South Beach phase 2 diet, 50.7 points
• The Zone Diet, 49.8 points
• The 2005 Food Guide Pyramid, 48.7 points
• The Weight Watchers high-protein diet, 47.3 points
• The South Beach phase 3 diet, 45.6 points
• The Atkins Diet's 45-gram-carbs plan, 42.3 points

The Ornish Diet recommends less than 10 percent of calories from fat. You can eat unlimited beans/legumes, fruits, grains and vegetables, and moderate amounts of non-fat dairy or non-fat/very low-fat commercial products. Avoid meats (or eat as little as possible), oils, avocados, nuts/seeds, dairy with fats, sugar/simple sugars, alcohol, or any commercially-prepared product containing more than two grams of fat. Exercise is also an important part of this diet regimen. The Ornish Diet has both critics and fans.

Dr Ornish pointed out this study focuses on heart disease prevention as the main goal for shedding pounds. Experts agree the goal of a diet is heart health, not solely weight loss.

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How much does it cost to lose 30 pounds? That's a very good question. Cut calories and start walking everywhere and you might find that you actually save money. But if you're looking to invest in a weight loss program, it might do you some good to shop around. Here's a snapshot of what 30 pounds will cost you, should you decide to pay someone else to help you.

The article reviews the cost of 5 programs: Jenny Craig, L.A. Weight Loss, NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, and the Zone Diet (gourmet delivery only, you can also buy the Zone Diet book and lose weight on your own for "free".) The numbers are considerable -- sign up fees in the hundreds of dollars, weekly maintenance fees, and daily food costs. Diet-Blog does a great job of breaking down the numbers into a very readable format.

Being the kind of person who is incapable of following a food plan conceived by someone else, I've never tried any of these programs. If you have, drop us a line and let us know what you thought. Did you lose weight? Did they teach you life-long skills for maintaining the weight? Was it money well spent? Leave your thoughts in comments!

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Jennifer Aniston's on it. Rene Zellweger and Charlie Sheen have done it. Have you? It's the Zone, one Hollywood's most well-known diet. Actually, it's no so much a diet as a lifestyle change. Basically, the Zone follows an eating plan that is made up of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. That sounds fairly straightforward, but I think once it comes down to measuring every portion of every food of every meal, it could get a bit confusing, not to mention frustrating. Especially for those of us who can't afford to buy pre-made Zone-friendly meals. Also, I understand cutting carbs, but 30% of your daily intake being fat seems a bit high to me. I guess it's okay, though, if you're talking about healthy fats like nuts, olive oil, etc., and not just whipping cream and steak.

Have your tried the Zone? What do or did you think of it. And if you haven't, does it sound like something you could master?

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