The Zone: A Dietary Road Map to Lose Weight Permanently : Reset Your Genetic Code : Prevent Disease : Achieve Maximum Physical Performance

I am a 23 year old female who exercises 3-5 times a week, cardio and weights.

One thing I've noticed from reading these reviews is that many, if not most, of the reviewers have only recently read the book and begun to apply the concepts. (with a high rate of success, not to doubt.) I am adding my experience because I have been attempting to follow this eating plan for 5+ years for the purpose of losing body fat.

I read THE ZONE when it was first published and went on the diet hard-core, because it made so much sense to me. I had previously had NO success trying to lose weight on the traditional low fat/protein - high carbohydrate diet illustrated by the ridiculous, industry driven "food guide pyramid." (Let's face it- do you think Nabisco would be very happy if the U.S. Surgeon General made an announcement that Wheat Thins really aren't good for you?)

I did lose weight when I began to follow The Zone eating plan strictly. I was absolutely thrilled. I must say, I was a bit obsessive. However, over the past five years, I have struggled with my weight fluctuating 15 lbs. I have a hard time with what Dr. Sears protests regarding two things, now that I've been familiar with applying the concepts in this book for so long:

1) Lack of hunger/ food cravings: Even when following The Zone to a *T*, I experience intense carbohydrate cravings and get hungry between meals, usually after 3 hours at most. It is not my so-called improved hormonal balance that Dr. Sears speaks of that keeps me on track, but my sheer willpower.

2) Permanent weight loss: I was 18 when I began The Zone. I am now 23. As stated earlier, my weight has fluctuated +-15 lbs. over the past five years. It must be noted that over this time, there has not been *one single thing* that I've put into my mouth that I've not considered the "Zone" repercussions of. The bottom line is, that if I slip a bit, I readily re-gain weight. This is easy to do, because The Zone is in essence a very calorie restricted diet. Although Dr. Sears says that no foods are "forbidden," the Zone sharply limits several foods that many people really like.

In sum, I am very happy for the many people who have recently gained considerable success following The Zone balanced eating plan. However, my caveat is that I have doubts regarding the ability of most people to follow it for the rest of their lives. I know I have, thus far. I never feel really fulfilled. I am not satisfied by the size of the fat blocks which the diet prescribes for my height/ body weight. If I follow the Zone very closely (and I've had a LOT of pracice) I'm very frequently half hungry and miss many specific foods.

Good luck to all. If you've had a similar experience, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

For the last 10 years, I've struggled with my weight, always needing to lose between 10-20 pounds of fat. About two months ago, I started eating more vegetarian meals. I did start to feel better and experienced reductions in sugar cravings. However, my weight wasn't coming off as quickly as I wanted even though I was exercising 4-5 times a week and was not eating that much "junk." Then I discovered the Zone. What a difference! My sugar cravings are gone (I still enjoy chocolate but don't eat much of it), and my energy levels have sky-rocketed! I don't use a scale, but people have asked me if I've lost about 10 pounds, and this is only after two+ weeks on the diet. And I can lift heavier weights in the gym and exercise for longer periods of time! Best of all, I am no longer a slave to constant hunger; I am now in control. THANK YOU, Dr. Sears. I will never eat a protein-free meal again. Just say no to pasta, bread, cereal, rice, and sugar-laden, refined foods! By the way, the naysayers either didn't read or understand the book, haven't tried the Zone, or did not follow it correctly (you need to enjoy eating fruits and vegetables).

A few months ago, my husband was diagnosed with diabetes, at 31. This was a huge wakeup call for us. I have been overweight and dieting since early childhood, and my husband has been overweight for most of his adulthood. We just finished our 16th week on the zone. In that time, I have lost 43 pounds and my husband has lost 58! Incidentally, after 2 weeks on the zone my husband's blood sugar was back within normal limits and the doctor changed his diagnosis from 'diabetes' to 'diabetes-prone'. My husband asked the doctor if the zone was safe for us, and the doctor said it seemed to be working for us and he had no hesitation. It amazes me that people will balk at the plan and point out that it's not healthy to eat protein at every meal, but aren't lots of people currently eating the triple cheeseburgers anyway? I never eat more than a chicken breast's worth of protein at a meal. I now am healthier because I don't eat egg yolks, and I eat lower fat meats and cheeses. Doing something is better than doing nothing, and we don't have to be perfect. I agree that the book isn't the easiest to read, but it's worth the effort! We probably eat more of the not so good carbs than good carbs, but of course we follow the portions, and we figure this is better than before when we ate supersized portions of bad carbs. We'll take small steps.

We find the plan very convenient. We have no trouble eating out. We make the best choices we can and forget about it. If I'm going to a friend's house I pack my own lunch (a small price to pay), and we have found ways to eat everything we like...pizza, mashed potatoes, sandwiches, ice cream, etc. It's amazing, too, that by reading labels I have found that sometimes just switching brands of a product will make it fit into the plan more easily, like bread, ice cream, and pizza sauce. I've heard people say that the plan is a quack because once you go off it you will gain the weight back. I wholeheartedly agree that this would happen...I became overweight because I overate. We have decided to make this way of eating a lifetime change. I have never been successful on other plans, and I've tried them all! I've never lost more than 20 pounds before and have never been able to stick to any diet. I have never felt hungry on this plan, and I don't get cravings that often. When I do, I have that food as part of my next meal or snack...in proportion. Overall, the zone has changed our lives for the better, and I can't recommend it highly enough! For us, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change...for the better.

I read 'The Zone' and followed what he said. I lost 20 pounds in less than 3 months and have maintained my weight for 1 month. My biggest surprise was the outstanding decrease in my cholesterol/HDL ratio, tested through work. My ratio dropped from 6.24 to 3.2 in 4 months (doctors want it less than 4.0). I eat like he says and exercise like he says, except I do eat ice cream at night frequently. I try to ride a stationary bike every 3 or 4 days. I do not feel I am dieting. I used to have orange juice and bananas for breakfast and was hungry before 11 am. Now I have 10 ounces of 1% milk, 1 oz peanuts, 1 oz cheese and crackers and eat lunch 45 minutes later than I used to. Peanuts remain in the stomach a long time and the fat content satisfies me. Instead of potatoes, I have broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans. I've talked enough. It worked for me. Good luck to you.

The Zone isn't a "diet" in the "weight loss" sense that other books use where you must eat this and eat that and follow the instruction sheet to a "T". Diet, in The Zone, refers to the original meaning of simply how and what you eat. It's a methodology of knowing what the requirements of your body are so that you can meet them in a way that works best for your body. It starts out by explaining HOW your body works and WHY it works that way, then it introduces the principles so that you can determine for yourself which foods to eat so that you feel your best.

In a nutshell, the whole premise of the book is that you need to keep your body nourished but not over-nourished. As you use your muscles throughout the day, your body requires protein to maintain your muscle mass. How much protein YOU require is determined by your lean body weight (ie: without fat) as well as your activity level. An athlete will naturally need more protein than your average couch potato. If you want to decrease your muscle mass, decrease your protein intake. If you'd like to maintain the muscles you have, only eat as much protein as is required to do so. And if you're into body building and want to increase your muscles, eat a little more protein so that you can maintain your current mass and that you have enough additional protein so that your body is able to create new muscle. The book rightly recommends that you never eat more protein than your body can handle.

On top of protein, everybody needs carbohydrates. Most people erroneously think of carbohydrates as being pasta, rice, bread, and sugars and that's one place they can make mistakes. Carbohydrates encompass the entire range of fruits and vegetables (in other words, stuff that you plant in the ground). Apples, oranges, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, mango, tomatoes, potatoes, rice, wheat, blueberries, etc. Pasta is a carbohydrate in that it is a processed form of wheat (durum semolina usually). Bread is exactly the same. Sugar is derived from the sugar cane plant.

The difference between each of them is in how much carbohydrates are packed into each food. A pound of lettuce, which is over 90% water content, doesn't have as much carbohydrates as a pound of pasta. You can verify this for yourself next time you go to the grocery store. Pick up those packaged salads and look at the nutrition information panel. Note how many grams of carbs there are in the package. Find an equal weight package of pasta and note how many grams of carbs there are. You'd likely have to eat several heads of lettuce to equal a handful of pasta. Regardless of which source of carbohydrates you choose, you'll still need the same number of grams. The important thing to remember is that the number of grams of the particular food is NOT equal to the number of grams of carbohydrates in the food.

So protein maintains your muscles and carbohydrates gives you the energy as it gets converted into glucose to fuel your brain and muscle system. Where does fat come into play? The Zone recommends you eat only natural monounsaturated fats and that you steer clear away from all saturated fats (especially those derived from animal products). Extra virgin olive oil is promoted, as are avocados and flax seed oil. These are both excellent sources of high-quality, non-artery-clogging fat. How much you need depends on how much protein and carbohydrates you eat. To give you an idea, the typical amount of fat an average person should eat with a meal would be the equivalent of three whole cashews or a couple tablespoons of avocado. Again, the book stresses moderation. Eat too much fat and don't be surprised if you gain weight.

What you end up with is a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. How much you eat depends on your body. If you feel yourself sapped of energy after a meal, then chances are you've eaten too many carbs, so you should cut back the amount in the next meal. If you're hungry after a meal, then you might need to eat more carbs next time. That's where this book shines. It gives you a great starting point of eating healthy foods and then recommends that you adjust how much you eat to suit your individual body. The Zone differs from other books in that it's not a rigid structure. Rather, it's a framework that you use and modify to derive the best results.

It's amazing how many reviews posted here are ignorant of the basic concepts presented in the book. Those who have read the book know that 1 "block" of protein refers simply to 7 grams of protein. Similarly, 1 "block" of carbohydrates refers to 9 grams of carbohydrates. If a recipe calls for 3 ounces of chicken breast, some people misinterpret that and think "Okay, 3 ounces is about 85 grams? wow, that's a lot of protein!" In reality, chicken breast usually has about a 20% protein content. This means that 3 ounces of chicken breast will have only about 17 grams of actual protein. For carbohydrates, if you get out a weigh scale and measure 27 grams of alfalfa sprouts, you'll be seriously hungry and very irate. That's because you'd need to eat 33 CUPS of alfalfa sprouts to get 27 grams of carbohydrates! (Remember, alfalfa sprouts are 99% water!) A better way of getting 27 grams of carbs would be to eat about a dozen spears of steamed asparagus with 2 tomatoes and a cup of strawberries.

The Zone can be best summed up by quoting the opening paragraph in the first chapter: "? it's very similar to the advice your grandmother gave you about eating. Eat everything in moderation, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and have some protein at every meal."