The Zone Diet
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Another high protein, low carbohydrate diet, Barry Spears who created 'The Zone' believes that food is a drug and can dramatically affect your mood, health and insulin levels. This programme moderates portions: 30 per cent lean proteins, 30 per cent fats and 40 per cent carbohydrates - the idea that if every meal is set as this ratio then your body will work at it's peak performance and be in 'The Zone'. Foods are seen in terms of ‘blocks’, roughly the size of a handful and dieters must also eat at regular intervals (five hours maximum), i.e. three meals and two snacks a day (at 5pm and 11pm). The Zone maintains the release of insulin at a level that enables weight loss.
Drastic diets don’t work: they just cause frustration and deprivation, followed by binging. This can lead to a yo-yo effect that is dangerous for the body. Instead try rethinking the way you eat; rediscovering flavours and a pleasure in eating, and being careful to stop when you’re no longer hungry. It’s also essential to exercise two to three times a week to keep a balanced weight.
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Because you're getting a little of everything, this is a good all-rounder diet - you're consuming fibre and polyunsaturated fats while eliminating 'bad' fats and alcohol.
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This diet is hard to follow on a day-to-day basis, especially when eating out (unless you're in L.A. where you can have prepackaged Zone Diet meals sent to you, daily). It's low calorie, too (1,000 to 1,500 kcal/day) so you might get hungry. As with all low-protein diets, there's a risk of kidney and cardio-vascular problems, and it's possible you regain weight rapidly after coming off the diet.
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Madonna, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Demi Moore
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The Zone Diet
Proteins: 85-110g per meal.
Lean foods (skinless chicken, skimmed dairy products, white fish, egg whites). Egg yolks are forbidden.
Total steamed green vegetables and fruit should make up twice the volume of proteins.
Moderate consumption of olive oil, fish oil and walnut oil.
Sugary carbohydrates are banned.
