If you are looking to lose a lot of weight fast, this is not the diet for you. I only lost one pound in the first week that I used it, but over time, the pounds started coming off. The goal of this diet is to remove your weight through getting rid of fat. I found that I not only got rid of some of the fat on my body, but I also was able to keep my muscle. I liked that I was still able to eat three meals a day, and the diet also allowed me to eat two snacks. Personally, I really like carbohydrates, and one thing I had to do was minimize my intake as much as possible. This was a little difficult, but I simply replaced the carbs with protein. Although I thought fruit and vegetables were good, I wasn't able to eat too many because of the amount of sugar they contain. I did not like that much. You are allowed to eat a little bit of "good" fat, but not much. The food change was a little difficult at first, but I quickly adapted. I would recommend The Zone Diet.

tpbball31

USA

Out of all the diets I have tried, this is the only one I could get my husband to go on with me. It was a good diet because it really taught us both how to eat correctly, without feeling like we were starving ourselves. It took us about ten days before we were fully into it. This diet is so well-balanced. There are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins with every meal and we were able to eat several small meals a day, so we never felt starved. This diet was all about getting the math right and eating according to that math. It was not easy at first, but like I said, it took about ten days before we got the hang out of it and got it right. I lost about twenty pounds on this diet and I liked it a lot. I also liked that I did not feel tired or under nourished, which is how I have felt on some diets. I felt good on this diet; I felt healthy. I am always trying new diets, but this is definitely one I would recommend and put myself on again.

Fairyrhi

USA

The zone Diet is very similar to the Atkins Diets, but it's a little more carbohydrate friendly. This diet follows a 40/30/30 macro breakdown of daily calories. 40% fat, 30% carbohydrates, and 30% protein. This diet is about eating low glycemic carbohydrates, low fat sources of protein, and consuming fat from healthy sources. This diet will yield excellent results tailored to your fitness goals. This diet can be time consuming because you have to eat within an hour of waking up and every 4 hours afterwards. Also you have to prepare every single meal unless you have the means to purchase every meal on a daily basis. Even that's tricky thing because there's no surefire way to determine how it was prepared and that can throw calories off greatly. I found myself cooking my meals for the entire week and storing them in containers so all I had to do was heat in the microwave. That's the easiest way to do things, but food just doesn't taste the same after 3-4 from cooking. It doesn't lose it's nutritional value, but taste does suffer slightly.

kingoftheink

Westchester, IL

I started this diet right after the holidays last year, after putting on a few pound from the good grub. It as a diet I was interested when a friend described to me how the plan worked. It was a lot more rules than I had anticipated when actullay starting the plan, but definitely not very hard for me, personally, to stick to the rules. To generalize the diet: you must cut out majority of carbohydrates, and that was hard for me because I'm a carb lover. I gave a 6 rating because even though the healthy aspects to this diet plan are beneficial, I was still so hungry. The snacks in between meals were never enough to keep me full, because the lack of carbs in my daily diet was making me feel and craving the "bad" foods again. Effectiveness I feel like this diet was effective in losing weight, as I personally loss 7 pounds in the 2 weeks I stuck with the program. It was tremendously hard though, because I was hungry alot of the time. Side Effects HUNGER!

monaperez

USA

I have read many versions of books about The Zone Diet written by Dr. Sears. I really didn't care too much for the first book, "Enter the Zone, A Dietary Road Map". The format of the book made the diet sound much harder than it actually is and discouraged me from starting the diet. I was glad when he releasing new books that were easier to understand. The books had great recipe ideas.I have made many of the recipes and have loved and enjoyed every one of them. I love cookbooks and think any advertised diet plan should provide a book of recipes instead of just making suggestions of the foods to eat. Taking weight off without deprivation or starvation feels great and very rewarding for me. The Zone Diet makes me feel super healthy. Eating a low-carbohydrate diet, and adding more lean proteins and fats makes this a fairly simple diet to follow. I prepare a lot of my bigger meals with boneless, skinless chicken breast or ground turkey or chicken. I got creative and started changing the ingredients to dishes such as chili, meatloaf and stews. I still wanted to be able to eat what I craved, only healthier version of it. This diet makes me feel like I am at my peak performance. I agree that all the grains were aiding in my weight gain because once I stopped eating them, I started losing weight. I used to feel tired and exhausted after doing light housework. I'm only 34 years old and should not feel exhausted after cleaning a couple of rooms in my home! After reading several of Barry Sears' books, I started The Zone Diet and started seeing results quickly. I was no longer moping around and feeling fat and miserable. As long as the food I eat is made up of lean proteins good types of fat, then I can eat whatever I want and still lose weight. I have prepared a lot of The Zone Diet recipes and they are amazing. I really like The Zone Diet and recommend it to anyone who wants to lose weight naturally, without diet pills or taking extreme measures. The Zone Diet is a way of life for me, rather than a crash diet. I am able to maintain my weight loss much easier with The Zone Diet. Side Effects I didn't experience any side effects. I wasn't even hungry because I still got to prepare and eat delicious, filling meals.

lonnieb

Undisclosed

Since reading The Zone Diet, I would say that it is more of a nutritional guide rather than a diet. I read The Zone Diet and feel as though I did learn some things that I didn't know. The book teaches you the difference between good and bad carbohydrates as well as it also explains how to blend carbs, fats and proteins with going overboard. I think The Zone Diet has really helped me in my weight loss struggle. The book has helped me to learn how to substitute lower fat ingredients for more healthy options. I have found a few recipes for foods that I already love but can now eat without worrying about the extra calories. There are lots of snacks available to help with hunger throughout the day.The Zoe was very easy to read and understand as well as very informative. I think The Zone Diet is a great book and would definitely recommend to anyone interested in losing weight.

ghobbs1

USA

I was overweight by about 30 pounds and felt sluggish and achy most of the time. The research I read about cellular inflammation being responsible for weight gain and reduced health made sense to me. I decided to try the Zone Diet. The foods and supplements used in the Zone diet are designed to stabilize blood sugar, and reduce cellular inflammation. I had a lot of problems with the Zone's prepared foods. I have celiac disease and food sensitivities. There were very few prepared Zone meals that I could eat without feeling ill. Also, the supplements upset my stomach. So, I went on my own low carb diet and added Omega-3's to my diet in other ways - flax seed oil and nuts. I lost 31 pounds in 6 1/2 months and have kept off the weight following my own diet. I don't eat any processed foods. I have lots of fresh salads, lower carb fruits, soups, roasted or grilled meats, steamed veggies, seeds and nuts for snacks, etc. I don't eat bread or pasta, and limit the amount of potatoes and rice I consume. I feel better than I have in years. Effectiveness Probably would be effective, but you can accomplish the same thing preparing your own meals. Side Effects Their prepared meals can be a problem if you have food sensitivities, or food allergies. I could not eat them. Ease of Use As simple to use as any prepared ,TV-style meal.

indylindy

USA

I have a lot of experience with the Zone Diet. This diet is very well balanced and very healthy. It does not eliminate any food groups. You do have to understand the idea of food blocks, which may take some getting used to. Additionally, you have to be willing to calculate those blocks for each meal. This can take some getting used to, but once you get it down, it becomes second nature. Effectiveness Unless you follow this diet very closely, and that means making the best choices in the food groups, you may have a hard time losing weight. However, you will definitely improve your health and the weight may come off in the long run, albeit at a slower pace than you may desire. Side Effects The only side effect will be good health! There really shouldn't be any bad side-effects, as this is a well balanced and healthy diet. Ease of Use Unfortunately, most people will probably not find this diet terribly easy to use, as you have to calculate food blocks allowed.

Iglet

USA

Like the many other diets that I have been on this one is no better or worse than any other. Effectiveness This was not a effective diet for me but again, what does it take to lose weight? Eating less. I found I ate these bars and for a few days that worked okay then I found I was eating them with some food and finally I was just using them as a in-be-tween meal. Side Effects Side effects was only that I became constipated. When I used these as a meal substitute that meant I was not eating fresh veggies and fruit like I had done previously. I doubt anyone uses them long enough to do any real harm. Ease of Use The only issue that I had was taking them with me in the summer. I live in a state that is very HOT in the summer and these do not do well left in the car etc. I still buy them and take them with me when we travel. They work out well to take on planes when traveling as they sure beat airplane food, is easy to carry, and with a drink fills me up. They come in several flavors and while I have my favorite (chocolate/peanut butter) I do like a variety and these don't take up a lot of space. Two pluses.

sammylane

Peoria, AZ

I went into this program very optimistic. Loved the snacks, they didn't taste like cardboard. The menu plan was easy to follow and at first I saw results. I lost 10 lbs in a month and was very excited. That's where it ended. I hit a plateau and had no support to help me get back on track. Very disappointed. No matter who I reached out to the support needed in weight loss wasn't there. Effectiveness As previously stated, I lost 10 lbs on this diet. It is easy to tailor around your family and create easy and delicious meals. The main problem is getting support when you need it. It is almost nonexistent. Side Effects Didn't experience any side effects in relation to other diet plans. The cravings were easily taken on by the snacks, especially the bars. Ease of Use Very easy to tailor to your home life. The meals plans are easy to follow and recipes are easy to follow as well. It is also convenient to get the bars and other snacks at a local grocery store whereas a lot of other diets you have to purchase directly from the company.

auribe6

USA