Get Fit With Larysa Blog

The Zone: To Do or Not To Do?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

I have been a HUGE follower of the Zone diet for years. I’m one of those fitness experts who has followed much of Dr. Barry Sears’ advice like a Hari Krishnah disciple marching the streets of NY banging on my tambourine (as I measure my snacks to make sure that they are in proper 40-30-30 ratio). I have reactive hypoglycemia which means my body produces lots of insulin when I eat too much sugar or simple carbs. The Zone Diet, a diet that promotes the proper balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat is perfect for me, and I have found, it is for most people. It makes sense. Avoid processed carbs which have a high glycemic index (your body runs through them), add monounsaturated fat, avoid artificial sweeteners (they boost your insulin) and include high quality protein in every meal. My clients, and thousand of people in the US have been extremely successful in using Dr. Sears’ program. So you can imagine my delight when I was asked to review The Zone’s new program, The Zone Fast Weight Loss!
The packages arrived in a huge box and I ripped them open like it was Christmas! What I found was a package full of processed, white flour products like bagels, flat breads, pretzels and cookies. Surely they had mistakenly sent the wrong food to me? Nope, the package label was right. “Eat the food you love and not feel hungry.” But wait! The food I have grown to love not only because it has kept me fit and trim, but because I knew how good it was for my body was now replaced with a glutinous, processed, and chemical laden substitute. I felt cheated. Like catching my husband with a buxom, red head only this red head came in the form of “popular food” that I’d been scoffing at for years. The exact “popular” food that has US healthcare spending $96 billion on Diabetes a year. Disappointment prevailed. Like the time I found out that Dr. Weil (another one of my gurus), who had been preaching to only consume the liquid form of Omega 3 (which, if you’ve ever tried, is less than palatable), was selling the pill form in huge quantities. Scoundrels! Ok one may call it adapting to the times, but come on! We, the people, look to our gurus and our experts to hold steady to their beliefs and programs that they have most effusively screamed to the world and we have responded, faithfully. Especially in times of chaos…that chaos being 30% of the US being overweight or fat.
So hears the skinny (haha pardon the pun) on the program. Dr. Sears added whey protein (which I love) to foods that are normally crappy for you and your health, to slow the absorption of them into your system. Which works! And if you’re going to consume pretzels and bagels in large quantities, this is the way to go. I’m not particularly thrilled that he added sucralose (Splenda) to his food to make it taste sweeter and better. Sucralose is chlorinated sugar molecules. Aside from being a chemical with many side affects, It still boosts your blood sugar and as a side note….chlorine consumption has been linked in some studies, to bladder cancer. I would have preferred that he use a more natural sweetener like Stevia or agave. But, again, if one desires to continue with a program that would include processed food, this would be the best one to choose.
I continue to be a devout ORIGINAL Zone follower and can’t praise The Zone Delivery food and program enough. The food is yummy, high quality and great for dieters and those wanting to just get healthy. I’m bummed that Dr. Sears “sold out” in his new program, but, like a jaded lover watching over her beau, I will continue to see the good in him and his program….and keep one eye open.