The Zone Diet

The Zone Diet plan, developed by Dr. Barry Sears, is based around the principle of harnessing the powerful, drug-like effects food has on your body. When you eat according to the Zone plan, you\'ll keep several of your most important hormones -- especially insulin -- within the proper ranges for optimal health. With the Zone plan, you\'re more concerned about what you eat, rather than how much (which is very different from most other diets, which usually focus on calorie-consumption). The right types of food will put your body into \"the Zone\" and the wrong types will keep you out of it.

The zone diet requires that the dieter eats the right combination of fat, carbohydrates and protein. As The zone diet is simply based around balance and moderation, it should be easy and straight forward for most people to follow.

Atkin\'s has often been compared with the Zone Diet. This is a fair comparison as, to an extent, the diets do work in similar ways. Both diets work by regulating insulin production. However, the approach that the diets use achieve this goal does differ. Atkins is generally considered to be harsher on the body as the dieter is encouraged to eat high proportions of saturated fat such as animal fat and to also cut out almost all carbohydrates. The Zone Diet on the other hand encourages the dieter to eat healthier fats (unsaturated) and healthier carbohydrates (complex carbs).

The Zone Diet\'s main benefit is of course believed by many to be the reduction of excess body fat. Besides the obvious benefit of weight loss, the zone diet has many other health related attractions.

On a \"normal\" every day diet (ie, not the zone diet), relatively vast amounts of refined carbohydrates play havoc with a person\'s blood sugar levels. The other major benefit of the zone diet is that your blood sugar levels should automatically stabilize. As a result of this, you will find that you have less periods of tiredness. Instead you will feel re-vitalised and enjoy more consistent energy levels throughout the day, making you feel bright and alert.