TheZone-related stories
Zone Diet: Celebrity Approved
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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.
Dieting Diaries: Momlogic Moms test drive the hottest diets
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Losing weight is usually a concern for moms; shedding the baby weight can take months, sometimes years -- unless you're a celebrity, that is.
Over at Momlogic, some of the moms are trying to lose weight, and they're using the sort of hot Hollywood weight loss programs we're always hearing about. Jenny is trying The Zone, Julie is trying Weight Watchers, Gillian is trying a food delivery service, Jill is trying the ever-bewildering Morning Banana Diet, and Melissa (poor soul) is trying the Master Cleanse diet -- aka, the lemonade, maple syrup and cayenne pepper diet. But she doesn't mind -- she said she did it with ease before and lost 17 pounds.
Zone yourself on Mexicali Turkey Chili
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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
Spend a week in the Zone
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
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.
Losing Weight is Expensive!!!
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements
Who'd have ever thought you'd find an article on weight management in the financial section? A recent article from Bankrate.com on MSN Money notes just how expensive it is to lose weight, in the United States, anyway. With all the fitness trends, fad diets, dieting books and dieting systems (the Zone, the Atkins Diet, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are a few) out there, it's easy to get caught up in the latest new weight-loss product--especially considering how notorious Americans are for being overweight.
A closer look at the article reveals that all these weight loss gimmicks and schemes are shrinking our wallets, not necessarily our waistlines. What may seem like a few dollars here and there can really add up, especially for those of us with more than a few pounds to drop.
I've always been a big fan of the outdoors. I'm an even bigger proponent of being thrifty. In fact, one of the main reasons my husband and I dropped our gym membership was to save money. Although our combined membership at our local YMCA was only around $80 a month, that was still over $1,000 a year we were spending that could be better used elsewhere...like a 401(k). We figured that by running around our local park, which was approximately 3.5 miles in diameter, even if we spent money on proper running attire we'd still be saving around $800 a year.
Natasha Bedingfield is latest star to get in The Zone
What do you think of the Zone? Fad or fab?
Fish oil and the Zone help the world's fattest man lose weight
Having lost 350 lbs (158.8 kg), Uribe is now under 1000 lbs, weighing in at 966 lbs or 438 kg. Hope he keeps it up!
