The Zone Diet: Review Of Zone Diet Basics
Does The Zone Diet Work?
The zone diet is a way of eating that balances out your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories. It focuses on low fat-proteins, low carbohydrates, and monounsaturated fats. This diet suggests eating one gram of fat per two grams of protein and three grams of carbohydrates eaten.
For example: rather than getting all of your carbohydrates from a slice of whole wheat bread, the zone diet recommends fruit and vegetables, which means fewer calories. Below I have listed some of the recommended zone diet foods.
Low Fat High Protein Foods
Seafood is always considered a very good protein food because it is low in fat. Fish also supplies the body with Omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential to good health. White meat poultry is also a good source of a low fat, high protein food.
Dark meat is much higher in fat. If you really want to stay low fat, take the skin off the chicken breast before baking.
Beans are probably the best option for the vegetarian. A cup of beans offers more protein than a 3-ounce steak and is very low in fat. By eating these three low fat, high protein foods, you will be on your way to balancing out those hormones and losing weight at the same time.
Low Fat Carbohydrate Foods
Brown rice is a must for maintaining a low carbohydrate diet. There are many different ways to cook brown rice, so get experimenting. Brown rice is also a great fiber rich food, and is much healthier for you than white rice. Whole wheat and other grains are also low fat carbohydrates.
Some of the lowest carbohydrate vegetables are leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, rutabagas, mushrooms, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, and onions. Lowest in carbohydrates on the fruits would be raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, melons, peaches, and strawberries.
Monounsaturated Fat Foods
Monounsaturated fats are those that are liquid at room temperature, but turn solid when chilled. Some of the foods that are monounsaturated are olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and sesame oil.
Other foods are avocados, flax seed, peanut butter, and many nuts and seeds, whole grain bread, oatmeal, and popcorn.
There are many different fad diets and eating programs that advocate their way of eating as the best, but it is all quite relative since everyone’s health needs are different. What might work for one person may or may not work for another.
Studies have been conducted with participants doing the zone diet. Studies have reported that the zone diet as the easiest diet to transition into for people. Participates reported fewer adverse affects such as fatigue and tiredness while on the zone.
So how will you know which diet works best for you? Listen to your body. You may have to experiment a little bit and see what food combinations work best for you. The main thing to remember, no matter what diet you choose, always eat foods that are whole and natural, and preferably organic. Get in the zone!
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_diet
http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/zone-diet/food
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