I actually hate those "dummy" books because I find the titles so insulting. Just because I want to learn about something, and I want it spelled out in the simplest and clearest terms, does not make me a dummy. No, it is my lack of brain power that makes me a dummy. I'm pretty sure I have some strange disease where something eats away large chunks of brain matter while I sleep. I can't think of any other explanation for the gaping holes in my memory...
But I digress!
I have written numerous blogposts about the Zone Diet, created by Dr. Barry Sears. You must already know that I am a huge fan of his program. Of course, I am not perfect and I do occasionally deviate from the Zone methodology. However, I have tried MANY other eating plans and I haven't come across anything that makes as much sense or works as well as the Zone.
But if you are not really interested in learning all about the chemistry of digestion and nutrition, and all you really want are the basics, I thought I'd reduce the Zone down to the easiest and most basic concepts and rules:
1) Eat breakfast. Within one hour of the time you wake up in the morning, eat your first meal. You have already been fasting all night long and your blood sugar is low. Eating within an hour of waking jumpstarts your metabolism and helps to stabilize your blood sugar. People who skip breakfast usually end up eating more total calories during the day.
2) Eat every 4-5 hours. Never go more than 5 hours without a meal or snack. This again stabilizes your blood sugar. When people skip meals, they end up eating more to compensate. A typical day on the Zone diet involves 3 meals and 1-2 small snacks.
3) Eat a balance of protein, carbs, and fat every time you eat. Protein is absolutely key. Never leave out the protein. Some people get confused about the meaning of the word "carbohydrates" and think this means refined carbs. But no, it means all types of vegetables and fruits, as well as grains which are to be avoided for the most part. A perfect Zone meal might be a spinach salad (carbs) topped with diced chicken breast (protein) and dressed with olive oil (fat) and lemon juice. Good fats come from fish, olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, and grassfed dairy, eggs, and meats.
4) The correct amount of lean protein for a meal is about the size of the palm of your hand, or about 4 ounces for a man and 3 ounces for a woman. Of course this varies from person to person. If you are an elite athlete training 8 hours a day for an Olympic event, you will likely need more protein. Excess protein will be stored as fat, just the same as excess carbs, so eating too much protein is not better.
5) Drink plenty of water. Yes, I say this every day, in practically every blog I write. If you were only going to follow one of these rules, I'd suggest you follow this one. What is plenty? 3 liters per day. More if you are exercising or sweating due to the heat.
6) Reduce or eliminate all refined carbohydrates: pasta, bread, bagels, cereals, muffins, cookies, candy, baked goods, ice cream, sugary drinks, anything containing corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, white flour, white sugar, etc. If you eat whole grain products, be aware that they are still very calorie dense. A better choice would be fruits or veggies which contain many more nutrients but many fewer calories.
Besides all of this, in general, make sure you are getting enough quality sleep each night. 8-9 hours is best for most human beings! If you get all of this going, let me know how you feel. The answer should be AWESOME!
But I digress!
I have written numerous blogposts about the Zone Diet, created by Dr. Barry Sears. You must already know that I am a huge fan of his program. Of course, I am not perfect and I do occasionally deviate from the Zone methodology. However, I have tried MANY other eating plans and I haven't come across anything that makes as much sense or works as well as the Zone.
But if you are not really interested in learning all about the chemistry of digestion and nutrition, and all you really want are the basics, I thought I'd reduce the Zone down to the easiest and most basic concepts and rules:
1) Eat breakfast. Within one hour of the time you wake up in the morning, eat your first meal. You have already been fasting all night long and your blood sugar is low. Eating within an hour of waking jumpstarts your metabolism and helps to stabilize your blood sugar. People who skip breakfast usually end up eating more total calories during the day.
2) Eat every 4-5 hours. Never go more than 5 hours without a meal or snack. This again stabilizes your blood sugar. When people skip meals, they end up eating more to compensate. A typical day on the Zone diet involves 3 meals and 1-2 small snacks.
3) Eat a balance of protein, carbs, and fat every time you eat. Protein is absolutely key. Never leave out the protein. Some people get confused about the meaning of the word "carbohydrates" and think this means refined carbs. But no, it means all types of vegetables and fruits, as well as grains which are to be avoided for the most part. A perfect Zone meal might be a spinach salad (carbs) topped with diced chicken breast (protein) and dressed with olive oil (fat) and lemon juice. Good fats come from fish, olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, and grassfed dairy, eggs, and meats.
4) The correct amount of lean protein for a meal is about the size of the palm of your hand, or about 4 ounces for a man and 3 ounces for a woman. Of course this varies from person to person. If you are an elite athlete training 8 hours a day for an Olympic event, you will likely need more protein. Excess protein will be stored as fat, just the same as excess carbs, so eating too much protein is not better.
5) Drink plenty of water. Yes, I say this every day, in practically every blog I write. If you were only going to follow one of these rules, I'd suggest you follow this one. What is plenty? 3 liters per day. More if you are exercising or sweating due to the heat.
6) Reduce or eliminate all refined carbohydrates: pasta, bread, bagels, cereals, muffins, cookies, candy, baked goods, ice cream, sugary drinks, anything containing corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, white flour, white sugar, etc. If you eat whole grain products, be aware that they are still very calorie dense. A better choice would be fruits or veggies which contain many more nutrients but many fewer calories.
Besides all of this, in general, make sure you are getting enough quality sleep each night. 8-9 hours is best for most human beings! If you get all of this going, let me know how you feel. The answer should be AWESOME!
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