hi. Iam doing Atkins right now. This is my 7th week. Started Feb1 and lost 13 lbs. but gained 2-3 lbs back but also started my Tom Yesterday. so that might be why gain. NOw from what i read on Zone. Got the one called WEEK in the Zone. your carbs i thought were like 40. and Calaries 1200.
I wonder if i should do both atkins and Zone together to help wt. lose?? any tips. and is zone close to bodyfor life??
and what do u think on fats

The Zone is a what they call a 30-40-30 plan. That is 30% Protein, 40% Carbs and 30% Fat from your total calories each day.

Each meal must work out to be a perfect 30-40-30 ratio. Calories do not mean much in the Zone. It's all about figuring out how many Zone blocks per day to eat then making sure you have your allotted amount of blocks each day. An easy assesment and not to mention free is by going to zoneperfect.com and using their calculator to calculate your blocks per day.



Atkins and Zone are 2 different diets. Many of Dr. Sears critics call the Zone a low carb diet but this isn't so. They have just never read his book.



Sort of...BFL is based on a 40-40-20 plan. That is 40% Carb, 40% protein and 20% fat. So it's not that far off.



Fat is a wonderful thing! Not only that, fat does not spike your insulin so it is impossible to make you fat if taken in the proper amounts/ratio.

I think if you start off w/ the Zone book you have, then move on to his other volumes. Also search through these sites you will get a ton of info: www.zoneperfect.com and www.drsears.com

Hope this helps!

40/30/30 is a typical starting point. Some people do need to adjust that ratio, depending on how they react. Your protein always remains constant, but the fats and/or carbs may need tweaking. Dr. Sears always has an area in his books called "Adjusting Your Hormonal Carburetor" which talks about why and how to do it.
Some also call it a high protein diet which is just as wrong!

I am going to have to read that. I have all his books, just never read the one front to back. ("Mastering the Zone: The Next Step in Achieving SuperHealth and Permanent Fat Loss")

Looks like I have some reading to do!

It seems a little odd that the Zone is even ON this site, since it isn't a LC diet. I certainly don't mind it, because I'm leaning in that direction, but I wonder why it got started. Is it because many people switch from LC to the Zone?

I agree, I found it odd in that aspect too.

But I am REAL HAPPY it is here.

That's why I decided to go back into the Zone in the first place and I am VERY PLEASED with my decision!

My opinion, is that it was lumped in with the others because it is a low carb / high protein diet when you look at something like Weight Watchers - or for that matter any high carb low fat diet. It's hard to think back to a time when that was MOST of what was available. It's easy to see how Atkins could have been regarded as a kook. I'm glad more research has been done regarding our protein and fat needs. LUCKY FOR US!!!

WOMEN USED TO TRY TO LIVE ON RICE CAKES!!! ARG!!! CABBAGE SOUP (ONLY cabbage soup!) PASTA PASTA MORE PASTA!! - only tomato sauce!!

I don't know about 'calories not counting' so much. I found the Zone worked best for me when I was doing three meals at about 500 cals and two snacks, not adding up to more than 150 total - and that was advice straight out of the book.

BTW, I lost 35 lbs. on the Zone 8 years ago...

My body latches onto the smallest amount of Carbs. I have to be very careful.