Nourishing diet “Zone” – say “No” to hunger and extra pounds!

In our time of predominance of a sedentary lifestyle and the availability of energy-rich foods, we have to fight for our figure. The weapons of such struggle are universal and yet diverse. These are diets, the principle of which is always the same - you can eat some foods and not all others. Among this variety of options, there is one diet that may seem like an exception to the rule. Fans of the diet under the original name “Zone” will not have to starve themselves and eat only vegetarian food. However, this is still a diet for weight loss.

The essence and principles of the diet

The essence of the zone diet is the basic rule: “Eat little, but often.” The creator believes that the best option is 5 meals a day, 3 of which are main meals, and 2 snacks. To achieve the desired result quickly, it is worth building a diet consisting of protein. All foods containing sugar should be eliminated immediately.

The main feature of the diet is that the body will begin to cleanse itself and get rid of extra pounds while it is in a zone favorable for it. To reach this zone, you need to eat a balanced diet every day, have in your diet the optimal amount of vegetable fats, proteins and carbohydrates, which are taken only from high-quality products.

The first results will not keep you waiting; after 2-3 days you can replace the lightness in your stomach and the first lost kilograms. The course of dietary nutrition using the “Zone” method lasts only 10 days. In the end result, the scale indicators can please you with pleasant changes.

The mechanism of action of the “Zone” diet

The mechanism of action of Barry Sears' "Zone" diet concept allows you to evaluate food products not only from the point of view of dividing them into proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also from the point of view of the body's hormonal response to the consumption of a particular product.

It is the launch of a chain of hormonal reactions after eating that ultimately determines how much fat is deposited in the body. If we are talking about fat burning, then control over hormonal reactions is the true path to success in losing weight.

The purpose of the "Zone" diet

The goal of the Zone diet is to improve the health of the entire body through controlled hormonal responses to the food eaten.

The mechanism of action of the zone diet is as follows: each nutrient entering the human body causes a chain of hormonal reactions with the release of hormones and superhormones (eicosanoids), which have different effects not only on fat burning processes, but also on human health in general.

Balance of body reactions during the “Zone” diet

When studying the issue of the balance of body reactions during the “Zone” diet, you need to understand that there are two groups of eicosanoids. Conventionally, they are divided into “bad” and “good”. The characterization, of course, is relative and is needed only to explain the concept.

For example, it is the “bad” eicosanoids that provoke the platelet coagulation reaction, while the “good” ones prevent it. But if a person cuts his finger, it is the “bad” eicosanoids that cause a rapid blood clotting reaction, otherwise the victim will simply bleed to death.

On the other hand, a blood clot formed as a result of an excess of “bad” eicosanoids can trigger a heart attack.

Conclusion: only the correct balance of all hormonal reactions and substances in the body ensures good health and good immunity. It is this balancing through the management of hormonal reactions in the body that is provided by the zone diet of Dr. Barry Sears.

Pros and cons of the diet

The zone diet, like all others, has advantages and disadvantages that anyone losing weight will consider. For many overweight people, dietary restrictions are stressful and unusual, leading to side effects. If you eat right, follow all the rules of the diet, build a dietary process that will only help you get rid of excess weight, you will only see benefits. Let's look at them:

• Possibility to lose weight up to 5 kg;
• Varied nutrition;
• Rapid adaptation of the body to a changed diet;
• Minimal number of side effects;
• Effective not only in losing weight, but also in correcting the shape of the figure;
• Saturation of the body with the necessary components;
• Slowing down the aging process;
• Strengthening the immune system.

Among the disadvantages, which are also often encountered, we note:

• Constant feeling of hunger;
• Refusal of the body to accept unusual foods;
• The occurrence of side effects;
• Difficulties in long-term dieting.

There have always been and will be downsides to diets, the main thing is personal attitude and attitude towards the process of losing weight. The benefits of such nutrition are much greater, so you can not react to negative manifestations, but go clearly and confidently towards your goal.

https://youtu.be/lVLQfR5o7rw

Zone diet ZONE - minus 2-6 kg (shrimp, turkey, beans, cutlets)

The zone diet was created by US doctor Barry Sears.
Recently, this diet has gained popularity in Hollywood. Its duration is 1-2 weeks, and it is not difficult or tough. It is based on the creation of a specific nutrition zone that will be especially beneficial for your body. In other words, you must consume the 3 most important components of your diet per day - proteins, fats, carbohydrates. The main thing is to choose the right ratio: 30% -40% -30%, respectively. It is very important. It doesn't matter what food you eat and in what quantity. But it’s better, of course, not to overeat. Eat more often, in small portions, and you will soon see the results. Over the entire period of the zone diet, you can lose 2-6 kg of excess weight. The principle of the ZONE zonal diet - minus 2-6 kg:

The “Zone” diet is primarily intended to improve athletic performance and increase the muscle mass of athletes.

Menu table

Proper nutrition while dieting is the most important criterion for success. In many cases, nutrition plays a greater role than physical activity, nutritionists convince us of this. The “Zone” diet has its own ideas about proper nutrition aimed at rapid weight loss. Let's look at a sample menu for 7 days, which can be changed to suit personal taste preferences.

For 10 days of the diet, you need to follow an approximate diet, which is aimed at accelerating metabolic processes, normalizing the function of the digestive system, and rapid weight loss. The number of kilograms lost will be individual for each person losing weight. If you have over 10 kg of excess weight, then in 10 days you can get rid of 5 kg; if the initial weight is greater, the weight loss process will show better results.

Examples of typical blocks of the “Zone” diet

To make it easier to create your own menu, nutritionists have developed several typical blocks for the “Zone” diet. Below are several examples of such blocks, namely protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Typical protein blocks of the “Zone” diet

Typical protein blocks of the “Zone” diet look like this:

Typical carbohydrate blocks of the “Zone” diet

Carbohydrates in the “Zone” diet are also divided into blocks. If one protein block contains 7 grams of “pure” protein per pound, then for carbohydrates this block is 9 g. The number of protein blocks should exactly match the number of carbohydrate blocks. For example, if the number of protein blocks is 11, there will also be 11 carbohydrate blocks.

But in the case of carbohydrates, be sure to consider the type and quality of carbohydrates. All carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are suitable for the zone diet. Carbohydrates with a high GI provoke the release of insulin into the blood and increase the amount of “bad” eicosanoids, which makes it difficult or almost stops the fat burning process. Moreover, if you consume at least one product from the “forbidden” group, the entire permissible daily allowance for carbohydrates may be exhausted.

Typical fat blocks of the Zone diet

Fats in the “Zone” diet, paradoxical as it may sound, help fight fat deposits. Therefore, their share in the diet should be equal to the number of protein and carbohydrate blocks. At the same time, one block contains approximately 1.5 grams of fat.

The only restriction is that you should not consume animal fats containing arachidonic acid: beef or other red meat, liver. Avoid eating such products completely, as they cause a number of negative hormonal responses in the body.

Otherwise, all fats from white meat (pork, rabbit), poultry or fish are allowed for consumption. Vegetable unsaturated fats are especially effective in triggering a healing hormonal response: olive oil, hemp oil, flaxseed oil, avocados, black olives. These products are absolutely neutral to the release of eicosanoids and do not affect the level of insulin in the blood. At the same time, they promote rapid saturation, slow down the flow of glucose into the blood, have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails, and heal the body from the inside.

In addition, olive, hemp, peanut and flaxseed oils are rich in monounsaturated fats and have an extremely beneficial effect on the human body.

Remember that food is the most powerful medicine for all diseases. The ability to control the hormonal reactions of your body is the key not only to successful weight loss and good health.

How to cook?

Dietary nutrition according to the “Zone” method assumes the presence of individual cooking characteristics. You need to immediately remember that only grilled, steamed and water bath dishes will be beneficial for the body when losing weight. It is worth eliminating excessive amounts of salt and spices during cooking, because they only slow down metabolic processes, accumulating unnecessary liquid.

You can also cook dishes in the oven, since in such conditions all the taste and beneficial properties of meat, vegetables or fish that will be needed in the process of losing weight are preserved. There are many recipes that can be prepared as part of this weight loss technique, we’ll talk about them later.

What can and cannot be eaten on a diet?

In order not to cast doubt on the effectiveness and results of the diet, you need to know about the presence of necessary and undesirable foods in the diet. Even a few prohibited products can have a negative impact on the result. What can you eat on a diet?

• Cottage cheese;
• Eggs;
• Lean meat;
• Fish;
• Greenery;
• Vegetables;
• Fruits;
• Whole wheat bread;
• Low-fat dairy products.

Along with them, there is a list of prohibited products, it is as follows:

• Flour products;
• Fatty meat and fish;
• White bread;
• White and milk chocolate;
• Alcohol;
• Fast foods;
• Spicy and salty dishes;
• Spices and seasonings;
• Mayonnaise, store-bought sauces;
• Semi-finished products.

All these products will not bring anything to the body except extra pounds, cholesterol and poor health. During the diet and preferably after its end, it is worth getting rid of the above prohibited foods, focusing only on healthy foods. It is important to establish metabolic processes in the body, which will only contribute to getting rid of excess weight, toning your figure in a minimum period of suffering.

Reviews, before and after results

I decided to try the “Zone” diet. I can’t say that the result was “Wow”, I wanted more. But there are still lost kilograms. Lost 2 kg. My body has been cleansed and I just feel light. But I still wanted to lose the promised 5 kg. I always ate right, followed my diet, drank water, and did a lot of walking. I don’t know why the body reacted to the technique this way. After a while I’ll try something else, and I hope the remaining 3 kg will go away.

My weight after giving birth was 63 kg, now I weigh 54 kg, and I owe this largely to the “Zone” diet. I read the reviews and decided to try it myself when I finished breastfeeding. This moment has come. After the diet, I lost 5.4 kg, the rest I lost later, eating right, based on the main principles of the diet. My husband is delighted with my changes, but I simply cannot find a place for happiness. I changed half my wardrobe, so cool! Thanks to the creator of the diet. Emotions are still over the edge.

Dish recipes

A diet is not a sentence to monotonous and tasteless food. There are many dietary recipes that can be used daily as desired. All of them consist of healthy products, saturate the body to the fullest, accelerate metabolic processes, and promote weight loss.

Diet omelette

Ingredients:

1. 2 eggs.
2. Greenery.
3. Grated cheese.
4. Milk.
5. Pepper.

Mix two eggs and 50 ml of milk, add finely chopped pepper and mix. The omelette is placed in a heated frying pan, covered with a lid and cooked over low heat. At the end of cooking, sprinkle cheese on top and lay out the prepared breakfast on lettuce leaves. If possible, do not add salt to the dish.

Chicken cutlets

Ingredients:

1. Minced chicken.
2. Tomato paste.
3. Boiled beans.
4. Onion.
5. Greenery.

Minced chicken should be mixed with chopped onion, add a little boiled beans and mix thoroughly. If desired, chopped dill is added to the cutlets. The cutlets need to be baked in the oven or steamed; a frying pan is not used for diet food. The cutlets are served with the addition of sauce, herbs and tomatoes.

Baked chicken fillet

Ingredients:

1. Chicken fillet.
2. Salt.
3. Tomato.
4. Onion.
5. Hard cheese.

You need to beat the chicken fillet a little and add salt. On top of the meat is placed onion cut into rings, a layer of hard cheese and a tomato ring. You can bake in a slow cooker or in the oven.

These basic recipes for the right dishes will help you diversify your diet as much as possible and prove that you can also eat tasty food on a diet. The main thing is to know when to stop and eat at least 5 times a day in small portions. Only in this case will there be a result.

Contraindications

Any diet can cause a number of consequences if you do not first familiarize yourself with the presence of contraindications. In order not to provoke the appearance of consequences, you should pay attention to the following contraindications:

• Kidney diseases;
• Disturbances in the functioning of the stomach;
• Chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Compliance with a therapeutic diet;
• Cholelithiasis;
• Hypertension.

Having such diseases, you need to immediately abandon such a diet and switch to proper nutrition. It consists of eliminating prohibited foods and consuming exclusively healthy ones. For the above diseases, any diet should be prepared only by a doctor, taking into account all the individual characteristics of the person and the course of the disease.

Side effects

Side effects appear with great intensity only if you do not follow all the rules and nutritional recommendations. But sometimes, even when all the principles and nuances are followed, side effects occur. They are as follows:

• General weakness of the body;
• Apathy towards the movement;
• Dizziness;
• Nausea;
• Periodic pain in the stomach.

All side effects disappear within 1-3 days after the diet, so they do not pose any danger and are considered a common occurrence. But, if you abuse harmful foods and do not follow the diet for 10 days, the side effects may intensify, leading to other serious disruptions in the functioning of the system.

The Zone Diet Meal Plan

Now that you know what the Zone diet is and what foods are allowed, it's time to learn how to plan your meals. It is necessary to think over a long-term menu so that at the right time all the necessary products are in your refrigerator.

Below is a sample daily plan for a sedentary woman (11 blocks) with time and number of blocks:

If you don't wake up that early or can't bring yourself to eat at 6 a.m., change your schedule by moving breakfast to 9 a.m. and adding an extra snack after dinner, shortly before bed.

Quitting the diet

To prevent the lost kilos from returning to normal, you need to know the rules for quitting the diet. They are as follows:

• No gluttony after the diet;
• Continue eating 5-6 times a day in small portions;
• Compliance with drinking regime;
• In the first weeks after the diet, eat mainly cereals, meat and vegetables;
• No cheat meals, even on weekends and holidays.

Only a month or two after following a strict diet can you allow yourself prohibited foods once a week. But such indulgences are allowed only if the results are maintained after the diet. Any weight gain requires a strict analysis of the diet before it again leads to a sharp weight gain.

How to calculate the amount of protein on the “Zone” diet?

The most important point in determining the correct daily diet of the “Zone” diet is determining the protein needs of a particular person, since the amount of protein required for effective fat burning is strictly individual.

First, calculate the percentage of body fat to total body weight. Usually, for such calculations, special online calculators are used, programmed to calculate the percentage of fat in the human body based on the entered parameters.

Next, we determine the level of physical activity relative to protein needs. To do this, use the following table.

The ratio of physical activity and protein requirements with the “Zone” diet

The ratio of physical activity and protein requirements with the “Zone” diet is as follows: