Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Is Zone Diet a Fad?

Is Zone Diet a Fad?

How do you recognize a fad diet? When I asked myself this question, some generous people hurried to offer me free, quick, easily digestible answers. I chose the top ten from the list, and decided to match them with the Zone diet's most common features.

Health Castle offers "Ten signs of a fad diet":

1. It promises massive weight loss (1 - 2 lbs per week)

Dr. Barry Sears is careful when he declares a standard weight loss on Zone diet. He considers that anything between 1 to 1,5 lbs per week is satisfactory. "It will be impossible to lose more than one to one point five pounds of fat per week. Anything over that is loss of retained water", says Sears himself on his daily "Ask Dr. Sears" column at DrSears.com. FAD.

2. It does not suggest you that you consult with a registered dietician or nutritionist

"Any change in diet (for better or worse) will affect the metabolism of the drug(s) you are taking. Always consult with a physician before starting the Zone Diet or any other dietary plan", says Dr. Sears in various interviews and discussion lists. Not FAD.

3. It encourages you to eliminate certain food groups (e.g. "low carb diets", "low fat diets")

This is untrue for the Zone diet. Dr. Sears says: "No food is forbidden in the Zone." Zone diet considers "unfavourable" mostly high glycemic foods and foods high in saturated fats. Not FAD.

4. It offers rigid menus

Difficult-to-prepare meals, plenty of measuring and counting, rules that are easy to misinterpret, Zone subscribes to that. FAD.

5. It neglects active living or lifestyle changes

The Zone diet has impressive instrumentary and regulation for dining out or for fast food. On the other hand, there's no problem if you step out of the Zone now and then. Here are some soothing phrases from Dr. Sears himself: "The Zone diet is free of guilt" or "The Zone is just one meal away". I'm quite UNDECIDED about this one. It is clear the man has taken some time to think about it.

6. It harshly limitates the daily calorie intake

Some dieticians claim that the Zone diet limits the daily calorie intake to somewhere around 800. I used the calculator at DrSears.com to check this (I am a 100 pound woman by the way) and my daily calorie intake resulted around 1100 kcal. I'm not pleased with it, as I don't plan to spend my days in permanent hibernation, or lose any of my precious, hard-gained pounds... FAD.

7. It contradicts what most trusted health profesionals say

The Zone diet argues against the USDA food pyramid, which recommends grains and starches up to five servings per day. This is its most high-profile argument. The American Heart Association considers Zone "a fad diet". FAD

8. It depends on special products, supplements and treatments

One Zone bar (or shake) is $2.50. A 45-day supply bottle of Omega Rx concentrated fish oil is $78.15. The figure for the Zone books ranges between $6 and $26 (at the Zone Labs online shop); FAD.

9. It makes miraculous claims

The Zone will help you to:

* lose up to 1.5 lbs body fat per week

* improve your insulin level (which should particulary be ... "not too high not too low")

* fight against "modern diseases" such as type II diabetes and blood vessel affections

* fight against "mental illnesses" such as depresion and alcoholism

* prevent "certain" cancers

* "restore energy", says Dr. Sears in his book, Enter the Zone, "especially if you have CMS, PMS or even HIV infection" and...

* The Zone itself is defined as a state of well-being in which you do not experience hunger, fatigue or moodiness. Your body and mind function sharply at their "peak level".

The Zone is a FAD diet in this respect.

10. It relies on testimonials and success stories rather than scientific proof

Dr. Sears says "Let me be a little more specific about the rewards you'll reap from staying in the Zone" ("Enter the Zone", p. 4). A few paragraphs later he tells the happy stories of Steve Courson (a famous National Football League player in the late 1970's), his teammate John Corb and Dr. Chris Kyriazis, head of European Marketing for IBM. I believe these examples are not specific but unusual. Moreover, Dr. Sears' Zone diet is mistrusted by most dieticians and nutritionists as so far he has not published any relevant, professional research to sustain his theory. FAD again.

Iulia Pascanu writes for http://www.enterthezonediet.com where you can find more information about the Zone Diet. Please feel free to use this article in your Newsletter or on your website. If you use this article, please include the resource box and send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:iuliap@gmail.com

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Is Zone Diet a Fad?

Weight Loss