Mastering the Zone. The Next Step in Achieving SuperHealth and Permanent Fat Loss

First, Id like to play the foil to the foregoing customer review (12/12/03) wherein the writer opined that Barry Sears is not an effective narrator of the audio editions of his various Zone books. On the one hand, that reviewer had me duly chuckling at his exaggerated () impressions of Sears vocal idiosyncrasies. Ol Barry does indeed have an unmistakable way of (mis)pronouncing the word fa(v)orable, for example, not to mention various other polysyllabic terms. .-) Nonetheless, I continually enjoy auditing Sears own spoken renditions of his books, and I hope that he will continue his delightful antics with all future publications (I see that hes done so with his latest tome, The Anti-Inflammation Zone, which is, to date, the only book of his that I havent yet heard him perform). Why on earth would I ever want to listen to some glitzy, flawless narrator when I can hear The Truth delivered from the mouth of the man himself--flaws and all .-) As a matter of fact, I will go so far as to say (at least when it comes to Zone topics) that I downright prefer Sears own idiosyncratic enunciations to those of the run-of-the-mill professional audiobook narrators (and, trust me, Ive heard a zillion of the latter).

Now, as for the book Mastering the Zone, I would say that this 1997 sequel to The Zone (1995) made great strides beyond its best-selling predecessor insofar as its much more easily digestible for the lay reader, who likely was somewhat overwhelmed by the plethora of biochemical terminology in the prior book. The sequel clearly was intended to serve better as a primer for the average citizen wishing quickly and easily to assimilate the fundamentals of the Zone lifestyle.

However, in that regard, Sears mass-market paperback, A Week in the Zone (2000) is still better. Whereas Mastering the Zone comprises a plethora of meal recipes throughout the majority of its pages, the subsequent paperback manages a somewhat better overall balance of information. Moreover, the paperback is much more easily transportable, conceivably even to your average restaurant. But, hey, given that you can nowadays possess either title used at a dirt-cheap , take your pick--or get both.

Basically, what Sears wants you to do is to think of (virtually) all your food--for the rest of your life--as a prescription drug. Everything you eat should be chosen on the basis of whether its truly good for you, not merely whether it tastes good. But that doesnt necessarily mean that you cant enjoy your food at least as much as ever. In fact, there are all manner of perfectly scrumptious foods/recipes (discussed in the book) that you can (virtually) freely indulge in, while avoiding certain other foods that, alas, too many folks have become all too used to wolfing down.

For example, instead of processed, high-sugar desserts (e.g., pies and cakes), why not substitute fresh, chilled plums, strawberries, blueberries, or oranges In my experience, once youre actually munching on your favorite fresh fruit (assuming its high-quality produce at the ideal stage of fully sweet ripeness), you will most assuredly NOT miss that accustomed slice of highly processed pie, cake, etc., with all that refined (.) flour, sugar, and/or fat. You will be eating REAL food, not manmade food, and your body--not to mention your taste buds--will thank you for it.

Barry Sears (a doctor of biochemistry and NOT a doctor of medicine--despite the convenient new way his name is being inscribed on his most recent books.) is arguably the most entertaining and intriguing contemporary author in the area of diet, nutrition, and health. While I sense that he is endowed with a healthy measure of self-aggrandizement (as when he pretty obviously pushes his own brand of fish oil in recent books), that capitalistic trait is, for me, rather forgivable when you consider that his overall message is sure to improve the health of the majority of readers who take it to heart. Besides, even at his repeatedly formulaic, self-promoting worst, Barry Sears still comes across as the sort of smart-but-sincere person Id enjoy having as a next-door neighbor.

In Mastering the Zone, Sears reiterates (and sometimes expands upon) the most basic concepts introduced in his first book, including such things as.

--Determining, respectively, the amounts (and types) of protein, carbohydrate, and fat you should consume per meal (and per day).

--Why the (former) US-government-sanctioned food pyramid is dead wrong.

--Why high-protein (or high-carb, or high-fat) diets are unhealthy.

--Why using balanced, moderate portions from all three food categories--(lean) proteins. (high-fiber/low-sugar) carbohydrates. and (monounsaturated) fats--is the way to optimize your health and keep you in the zone (i.e., your crucial insulin level will continuously stay neither too high nor too low).

--Why its generally not fats but rather (high-sugar/processed) carbohydrates (e.g., bread, pasta, potatoes, corn, peas) that make/keep you fat.

There is a Frequently Asked Questions chapter toward the end of the book. At that juncture, Sears deals with many additional topics that will surely interest the reader. A mere sampling of the questions from that chapter includes.

--If I follow the Zone diet, does this mean I can never have rice, pasta, and bagels again Of course not. But take them in extreme moderation-as occasional condiments

--Should I be concerned about such a seemingly low daily caloric intake Nope. Sears points out that if you have any excess body fat, then all the calories you need are already stored in your body, etc.

--Doesnt ANY low-calorie diet cause fat loss Nay, says Sears. It depends on the particular balance--or lack--of proteins to carbohydrates to fats

--Why should I eat my scheduled meal or snack even if Im not hungry Actually, thats an ideal time to eat.

Now, for the benefit of those souls who stumble onto this review (and, at the time of this writing, their number may be small, for, curiously, the lifelong, balanced, moderate Zone diet currently gets less media exposure--and, consequently, seems less fashionable to the common ruck than such crash diets as the South Beach or even the Atkins.), I also want to counter what some other readers have remarked about Sears Zone approach being too hard for your average busy person to follow day-to-day. Having been in the zone for over two months, I can tell you that its really downright easy. Space wont allow complete details, but, just for starters, let me advise NOT to take all the books recipes too literally. Instead, just make sure you refer to the books Appendix B regarding food-block sizes.

For example, for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) the average male can have four times the weight of any given amount of a particular food listed there. Thus, since 1/2 ounce of dry (uncooked) old-fashioned oatmeal equals one (so-called) food block, the average male could have approximately 2 ounces of such oatmeal for the carbohydrate portion of a given meal. Now, how difficult is it to simply pour about that much oatmeal into a bowl (I myself employ a cheap, digital scale for precision), add some water, and pop the bowl into the microwave for a very few minutes

Analogously, regarding the protein portion of a given meal, Ive found that measuring portions of (skinless andamp. boneless) baked chicken breast or canned salmon is easy and quick, especially if I remove the guesswork by simply setting the bowl of meat onto my kitchen scale momentarily.

As for the fat portion of a given meal, how hard is it to use a teaspoon measurer (or merely your eyes) to allot your appropriate fat block portion per meal (again, referring to the simple chart in the books Appendix B makes this easy for the beginner, not to mention that a bit of daily experience soon commits this to ones memory)

Ive likewise found it plenty easy to pour part of a bag of frozen Oriental mixed veggies into a stovetop pan (along with a dash of olive oil and some precooked chicken-breast strips) to make for a delicious, hormonally balanced meal. For dessert, eating a fresh, chilled orange (or various other fruits) is quick, easy, and delicious.

Finally, for those of us lucky enough to have access to those yummy Zone Perfect nutrition (candy) bars, well, they can absolutely make life A LOT quicker and easier still. (Try to find them on sale--or free via coupons--whenever possible.)

The Zone approach to eating and living is relatively easy to implement into your daily life, and--stressing, as it does, balance andamp. moderation of all food components--certainly its infinitely healthier than something like the unbalanced Atkins diet.

Also. Make mastering the Zone truly easy for yourself by viewing a colorfully informative, supplementary VIDEO. just go to Amazon.com and search (under the VHS category/product heading) for a now out-of-print (and dirt-cheap.) Zone Perfect Nutrition Program Made Simple and Easy VHS videotape that will really make it ridiculously easy for the beginner quickly to understand and apply all the basic principles of staying in the Zone. Good luck, good health, and good eating.

My doctor has been telling me to lose weight for the past two years. Each time I started to diet, I was so hungry that I was soon back to my old eating habits. Last year I started walking and lost six pounds in three months. But my schedule filled again with other activities and I stopped walking and gained those six pounds right back, plus six more. I started the Zone Diet on November 15, 1998. By my next visit to the doctor on December 10, I had lost 18 pounds. No exercise, no hunger, no problems. This diet is the greatest and I believe Im on it for life. By the way, my doctor just bought the book and is considering getting into the zone, too. My thanks to Barry Sears for writing such a convincing book with a formula that really works.

Isnt it amazing that despite the cleverly written sarcastic reviews and the warnings by registered dieticians and doctors, the readers constantly rate this diet five stars. My husbands cholesterol in down to 139 and he lost 14 pounds. This is significant because he has had by-pass surgery and is on medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. His cholesterol level was 298 at the time of his by-pass. He is reducing his cholesterol med with a goal to be medication free. Because we take responsibility for our health we choose to be physically active and eat sensibly. this combined with smoking cessation and eliminating alcohol has had these healthy results. Health is not about fad diets, but lifestyle choices. Barry Sears just gave us additional choices backed by good science. yes, ordinary people are capable of understanding and applying Dr. Sears theories. Buy the book.

In his second book about The Zone Diet, Barry Sears emphasizes what we know from personal experience -- that eating bread, pasta, bagels and other grains makes us fat, and that our carbohydrates should come primarily from fruits and vegetables. He explains why eating the correct ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat is the secret to controlling insulin levels and thus, bodyfat. Unlike others who tell us that we already eat enough protein or that everyone should eat X grams of protein a day, Sears tells us how to compute our own daily protein requirements based on our individual lean body mass and activity level. This highly readable, convincing book provides sample menus and easy ways to follow the eating plan. The Zone Diet allows us to eat all that delicious fruit and even moderate amounts of peanuts, macademia nuts and other fats.

It really is working for me. I love it. The zone bars are DELICOUS and satisfying. In two weeks I have seen results (loss of 6 pounds) this has been of course with exercising daily and drinking lots of water. I had done the latter two without the diet before but did not get similar results.

I highly recommend this change in lifestyle to anybody. My cravings are no longer there. I used to crave twizzlers and chocolate late at night...sometimes even pasta... But so far its been almost three weeks and I havnt.

Barry Sears does a much better job at simplifying his explanation of the diet in this book, compared to his previous book, Entering the Zone. By decreasing your consumption of complex carbs and increasing consumption of simple carbs (AKA fruits and vegetables) with a proper balance of proteins andamp. fats, weight loss with increased energy levels and improved health is guaranteed

If you already have purchased Enter the Zone, do not spend the extra money on this book. The actual diet is not even covered.
Instead, in this volume, Sears backs up his original premise---a perfect balance of 30pct. protein, 40pct. carbohydrates and 30pct. fat with each meal ensures the bodies balance of the two hormones glucagon and insulin and produces good eicasanoids. He focuses on how to make every meal a Zone perfect meal. He begins with the FDA required Nutrition Facts rectangle found on any prepackaged food and explains how you can add the proper component to make your food selection Zone perfect.
While interesting from a computational aspect, I found the whole experience of adding up my fat, carb and protein grams for every meal a little bizarre especially when attempting to do this in a restaurant. I even downloaded the popular Excel-based program Zonepro and loaded it up with my personal food favorites carb, protein and fat data so that I could come up with my own Zone perfect recipes. This craze was a lot of fun() while it lasted, but the bottom line was that I didnt always end up with that euphoric Zone feeling that Sears touts in the book. But then again,I didnt get it when I ate one of Sears Zoneperfect bars. When I called the Zone help line regarding this, I was told that I was most likely carb sensitive---apparently I had eaten so many carbs in the past, my body would not enter the zone unless I ate only 2 blocks instead of the normal three for females and added an additional fat block. Confusing only because this did not work either. I reached a dieting plateau and I wasnt moving.
Eventually I got less intense-- went back to the enter the zone eyeballing method of balancing my meal but I began to look into other issues in conjunction with balancing the two pancreatic hormones, insulin and glucagon. Certain foods just didnt work for me, no matter how balanced my entire meal was. I tried many things. eliminating carbs totally, adding fiber, going a whole food route and eliminating dairy. But I have not found the answer yet.
I am convinced there is a missing piece somewhere but I just have not figured out what will really work for me specifically. So many people find that the Zone is the answer --I think it is only part of the answer for me.
As far as the book goes, if you want to read more about the Zones theory and are not interested solely in the diet itself, go to the library and check this out--otherwise stick to Sears first volume.

I tried the Zone for a period of about four months. I was religious about it. I calculated blocks, I got very scientific about meals, and in the end found it just too hard for an ordinary housewife with kids and a husband to keep up with. Its a tremendous amount of work to get things figured out, and while Im sure if I were single Id find it easier, I just plain didnt have time. And I didnt lose more than about 8 pounds while I was following it to the letter, so Im not convinced of its effectiveness. A nice idea if you can afford to hire a chef to cook for you all the time like Madonna or Howard Stern, but for those of us in the trenches its not very practical.

This is the first approach to diet and health that Ive read recently that really makes sense in a holistic way. Sears teaches. Dont avoid food groups or focus on food addictions. The emphasis is on common sense--just do what your grandma did. And there is an interesting hypothesis on why the USDA has endorced a grain-based diet. No other way to sell the nations surplus of wheat. Sears includes lots of helpful recipes and menus. Read this before you attempt the high protein diets that are all the rage now.

am a Type I diabetic and have been on this diet for one month now. My blood sugars have NEVER been as good and consistant as they are now. I am losing the weight slowly (as one should) and feel more energetic than I have in years. This diet is not very portable since there is alot of weighing and measuring, but after a while, you learn to eyeball your portions.

As a physician, I highly recommend this book for anyone who would like sound diet guidlines. This is not a high protein diet (which I do not recommend), but a diet that teaches you how to balance the better sources of protein, carbohydrate, and fat.

Its sad that so many people are unwilling to commit the motivation (read discipline) and sacrifice required to make this eating lifestyle truly effective. Yes, it works, but it comes at a . Since most of us are conditioned to eating for entertainment and not nutrition, were unwilling to accept food as fuel and not simply fun. Does it require sacrifice Absolutely. Many people are offended when in the presence of someone dedicated to a radical diet. Dont give up. Keep the faith and be strong. Your health is too important, and this book is your guide to good health and a more productive life.

The Zone Diet is the first diet Ive ever tried, and so far--two weeks into it--Im very happy. Lost weight, actually dont feel like Im starving, even though I only eat about 1200 calories a day on my block plan. Only one downside on this book, the recipes can be pretty bland and sometimes diet-y tasting. If you try them, you will really want to add more spices to make the food taste good. HOWEVER, for great Zone recipes, you can go to the official Zone website at Zoneperfect.com, and they have several hundred ones for free that Zone dieters have sent in. MUCH tastier.

For all you yo-yo dieters out there, you must try the Zone. It really works for me. I lost 35 pounds in 6 months and have kept it off for 2 months. The Zone is very flexible and I dont find it difficult to stay on with having to cook for a family. Above all, the weight loss was painless and I feel so much better. I love my nighttime snack...every night I have a gin andamp. diet tonic with lime, string cheese and almonds. Dr. Sears also has two websites that are very informative and supportive. You should check them out. I was a carb addict before I started zoning and had to tweak the zone so that I wasnt craving carbs. I ended up decreasing one carb and adding 1-2 fats per meal which worked for me. Have fun with this...youll be suprised how fast it works.

I checked into The Zone due to health reasons. I presented the eating plan to my doctor and he was very enthusiastic for me to get started. Like I said, Im doing this for health reasons and the fact that I have dropped 10 pounds at the height of the holiday season is just a bonus. Its easy to eat this way. At first I was intimidated by the measuring of food and getting the hang of Dr. Sears block food value regimen but after a few weeks it has become easy for me to eyeball foods and know what and how much to have. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to lose some weight, be healthier, feel better and especially those who are headed down the road to Type II Diabetes. Great book, but more importantly its an excellent healthy eating plan.

If you havent read any Zone books, this is a good place to start. The first book (Enter) The Zone, lays out the authors history and a lot of biochemical explanations for trying to manage your insulin levels by restricting your carbohydrate intake. It contains a set of recipes and food lists. If youre not a science type, youll find Mastering the Zone more accessible than the first. The book uses a more commonsense approach to the diet, and the food lists are updated and corrected. It does get a little tedious hearing the phrase just like your Grandmother told you over and over again, but all diet books involve a certain degree of preaching.

The bigger question, perhaps, is which low-carb diet is best for you Contemporary choices include Atkins New Diet Revolution, Sugar Busters., Protein Power, Carbohydrate Addicts Diet, Potatoes Not Prozac, Glucose Revolution... Im sure Im forgetting some. Of these, Atkins is undoubtedly the best known and most controversial. An Atkins dieter, unlike a Zone dieter, pays little attention to counting blocks (grams) of protein and fat, and instead adheres to simple rules about carbohydrates. You should definitely take multi-vitamins on an Atkins diet, but the success of the other low-carb programs casts some doubt on the fine attention to ratios demanded by the Zone diet. In his book on aging, Sears argues that the Zone diet, because it is a calorie-restricted diet, has a good chance of extending your life. I guess I wont know for another 40 years .

If you have a good budget for books, it makes sense to get a few of these titles (most are available in inexpensive paperback format). Some also might be more appropriate than the Zone for people with special needs. For example, if you have struggled with alcohol, you should look into Potatoes Not Prozac, a diet developed originally for recovering alcoholics to help keep their beta endorphin levels balanced. Author Kathleen DesMaisons generalized the diet for everyone she defines as sugar sensitive (I think this includes us chocoholics). If you are a bodybuilder, take a look at Protein Power, which has special rules for maximizing growth hormone levels. (For many years, the Eades, authors of Protein Power, and Sears shared the same ideas, but there have been splits on various points that might sound trivial but make a big differences to the respective authors.) If you like your diet books simple, positive, and reassuring, Sugar Busters. is a good choice. It also has some dynamite-sounding New Orleans recipes.

According to Barry Sears, the foundation of good health is to eat foods that keep the amount of insulin in ones bloodstream within a wholesome, healthful zone -- not too much insulin and not too little.

He says that the way to stay in this zone is to keep protein and carbohydrate in the right ratio to each other in ones diet, every meal or snack, every day. The key to this is to calculate ones lean body mass, and then eat just enough protein to maintain that amount of lean body mass. Then, one adjusts the amount of carbohydrate in ones diet so that there is roughly a 4 to 3 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. Finally, one adds enough fat to make up about 30 percent of all food calories. Thats all there is to it.

This book explains the medical reasons for the Zone diet. It also tells you how to calculate your lean body mass, whether youre a man or a woman. And it gives more than 200 pages of recipes for meals which follow the Zone diet. Theres good advice about food shopping and eating out, too. Also there are six pages of medical references in support of the Zone diet, as well as a useful index.

Ive lost count of how many times Ive seen the Zone described as a high protein/low carb diet, lumping it in with Atkins. In fact, you eat more carbs than protein on the Zone, and it is protein adequate, not high protein. Ive lost 45 pounds on the Zone, my cholesterol went down, my good cholesterol went up and my triglycerides went down. My bodyfat percentage went from 40pct. to 25pct.. My energy level has increased, I dont get that afternoon slump, and I need less sleep at night. The block measurements become second nature once you become familiar with the portions of your favorite food. You can eat anything if you balance it correctly, though of course, some foods are better for you than others. I cant recommend this program enough. And Mastering the Zone is the most user friendly book of all the Zone books. There are also websites that are very helpful for people who are learning about the program. For those of us who were lucky enough to stick with it, we have been rewarded with weight loss, increased energy and better health. And unanimously, we say that this is not a diet for us but a way of life.

A friend recommended this book to me because of the great results hed had following it. I bicycle quite a bit, and had been on a very high complex carb, very low fat, protein--whats that diet for several years. My healthy diet gave me low cholesterol (154), but I had extremely high triglycerides (382), low HDL (30), low LDL (48). In short, this shows impending heart disease. Doctors advice Exercise. Well, I was already doing that. I cut out even more fat. I was constantly hungry, had headaches, and rarely felt terribly well.

After following the Zone diet for just two days, I felt great and was never hungry, in fact had trouble eating all the food sometimes. Ive never felt better in my life. Ive been on it almost two weeks now, and have lost over 3 pounds, all from my waist, that Id never been able to lose before no matter how much I biked. I have far more energy for bicycling than I previously had, and my physical condition has greatly improved. I require less sleep and am less tired than I was before. I know my next blood test will be next to perfect. Im on the Zone for life. Its simple, the basic principles to follow are summarized in five sentences. Ive never really dieted before, just modified my food choices and behavior. Unfortunately, Id been doing it all wrong. Now I know whats right, thankfully not too late.

This is certainly a program that can be made difficult. Some of the other zone books have recipes that would require you to be a math whiz or an expert chef, and have tedious measuring. This book helps and mostly makes it simple.

For me it is life changing. I have ALWAYS had late evening sugary, breaded, fatty junk food cravings like ice cream and chips an all kinds of overd sugar-laced worthless garbage foods. (and always in super large abnormal quantities) And for years I usually gave up and just ate anything I wanted. (Id be willing to wager that most of you reading this knows exactly what I mean to just give up when it comes to food) And gained lots of weight. Then I found this book. To me it is like what methadone is to a heroin addict. (for those that dont know, methadone is a drug to take the edge off of the withdraws from heroin without the euphoric high) And for those fellow sugar/carb addicts, you probably know what I mean. If you follow this plan correctly, it REALLY WILL take away those terrible binge cravings. It may take a little patience, and possibly some time (usually one to three days), but it will work.

This is not easy unless you make it simple for yourself. Getting started is a bit difficult because it usually requires a change of eating habits, which is not easy, To make it easy for me I had to pick out about 5 or 6 recipes I could EASILY make in a short amount of time. This book has some that I like and they are simple. The zoneperfect site also has some recipes that are easy to make as well. (those are FREE.) For the days that I just dont want to fix anything, I have bought a whole bunch of the zone prepackaged bars and meals and other foods. At first, they were not the best in the world and a bit y, but I really wanted this thing to work and after a while I started to like them.

The great thing is after about 2 or 3 days I really look forward to the afternoon snack and the zone bars and everything else and its working great. The energy is amazing. It gets easier and better the longer you follow it. And you can add some other recipes if the others get old. I DO NOT have any more late cravings or afternoon sugar binges. And that is worth almost anything to me.

I think it comes down to how bad you want it to work. After I started to read the book, I began to believe what the author was saying because it just made sense. I have tried many other diets, and this program really isnt a diet and isnt extreme like a lot of those other fad diets. This one just seemed right. When I began to visualize craving free evenings and wearing 34 pants again, I just decided to do whatever it takes to MAKE it work for me. The thought of being in a swim suit comfortably outside in a large crowd just really started to overcome all of the barriers. ALL WITHOUT the hunger pangs. Thanks to Dr. Sears, I have gone from 44 pants to 40 and am 100pct. confident Ill be wearing those old 34 silver tabs that I wore many years ago. (I have them out for motivation)

I bought Mastering the Zone and never read Entering the Zone. I found it completely easy to read and user friendly. I read it one Friday night and applied it the next day. Its super simple. It explains blocks and in the back of the book, shows the quantity you can have of certain foods per block. Its even talks about adjusting the diet to meet your personal requirements.

Ive tried all kinds of diets and none of them have worked long term. I tried eating in the zone in principle, using the basic concepts, but not actually counting blocks. I lost 25 pounds in less than a year. My goal was to see if weight could be lost and if I could increase my energy with a busy schedule... just like my patients. It WORKED. This is now the only healthy lifestyle way of eating that I recommend to my patients. You may lose weight with other plans, but statistically you wont keep it off. Other diets slow down your metabolism, this one speeds it up. Medically/physiologically the Zone makes sense.

It isnt always easy to prepare menus and cook food ahead of time, but if you can do it, then youre on your way to healthier eating. Dr. Sears explains his diet better to non-medical people in this book. This isnt a high-protein diet or a no-carbs diet as some of the other controversial diets are and some critics claim this to be. It really is a healthy way to eat. I work for a doctor whose specialty is type 2 diabetes mellitus, and limiting those refined carbohydrates is proven to help those with all forms of insulin sensitivity. Limiting refined sugars and increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, adding the heart-healthy HDL cholesterol via monounsaturated fat, and eating sensible amounts of low-fat protein will help anyone maintain or lose weight, control blood sugar, and stay healthy with more energy. I lost 20 lbs., with 4 inches reduced from my stomach, and I didnt even have to exercise. Imagine if I had added some walking or other activities. Dr. Searss suggestions I try to incorporate into my daily life, even those times when I am not as strict as I should be. I would highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with a weight problem or just anyone wanting to be healthier.

I have been doing a lot of on-line researching and reading of these reviews regarding the Zone diet plan. I have only spent a couple weeks in and out of the Zone (I love pasta, so Im getting the rest of it out of the house so I can do a real sample after it and the temptation is gone). But during the day, at work and school, Ive never felt better. Its at night I crash after eating my pasta and very little protien.

I dont know how much of the cravings for food at that point is psychological, which the Zone books never mention. They say that you control your hormones, you control your cravings. Its not as simple as that...there are lots of people who are body dismorphic and eat for reasons other than their brain pinging them because theyre hungry. Perhaps Ill make my millions writing a follow-up book, but I digress...

However, after reading every review for Enter the Zone (which I believe is just the same as Mastering the Zone, the latter of which I did buy, which I believe has more practical advice on how to make things work than the theory in Enter...) I am fairly convinced that all but two of the negative reviews are from people who either didnt read the book, didnt get what was written, or they were simply stating that they didnt want to live this way. Two reviews make me wonder. One speaks to the shoddiness of his research reporting -- which I agree upon, but maybe its glossed because the reading public cant handle reading that boring stuff. The other is about the Zone being a low-calorie diet and that being the only reason you lose weight on it, makes me wonder. It wasnt the a calorie is a calorie is a calorie review...sure, a calorie is a calorie, but insulin, different macronutrients and so forth are not the same, so I disagree with that reviewer. But the idea that this only works as a low-calorie diet...Im not sure....I am eating more bulk with not a lot less calories than I was before. So Im still willing to give it a shot.

Basically, this is a nutritional plan for a lifelong change that includes food in moderation. I also dont see in the Zone books that they are so facist that they dont recognize that stuff happens and people will get off the Zone with some meals, but you can always go back with the next. Unfortunately people are too often all or nothing fanatics who dont realize that we arent perfect machines and sometimes our psyche requires something our body doesnt. They look at the Zone and think that if youre not fanatical, it wont happen at all. After thinking about it, the Zone is really rather stress-free and forgiving...its really how much discipline to be conscious about your food and activity that should be watched out for. You mess up, you can always be conscious the next meal. And with time comes the habit, in my opinion.

I will remain skeptical, but thats me. I cant be otherwise until Ive given it a shot. I used to be 350no. grossly obese, and after a year of getting more active and eating in moderation before, I came down to 225no.. I still have oversized love handles, and I want to tighten that up and lose the rest of the pounds, but the last year or so has been stressful and I have only been hovering and gained a couple pounds back. So well see if the Zone leaves me with more energy I had before and convinces ME to be more conscious of my food choice.

I would recommend, finally, not to buy more than one of the books (probably Mastering) as they all appear to be saying the same thing. Its just not money conscious. Or if you do, buy them used. Barry Sears has turned into a marketing empire, and I think the message gets lost somewhere in there. Most of the information is on his website, as well, so buy one book and just look at the website.

Barry Searss 1995-96 bestseller, The Zone, changed the way many people look at nutrition and weight loss. Although his plan advocates eating fewer calories and exercising more, it also stresses getting more of those calories from fat and protein and fewer from carbohydrates. Here, he expands on that theory (which is still not accepted in most scientific circles) and offers recipes to help readers put his principles into practice.

From Booklist
Last year, Sears wrote The Zone, which promptly became the latest in a long line of best-sellers telling people why they are fat. The books complicated premise has to do with insulin production and its effects on mood and weight loss. Even Sears admits in his preface to this new volume that despite the earlier books sales, I realize that many readers of The Zone still find it difficult to apply the concepts . . . to their daily lives. Well, isnt that lucky for Sears. He can write another book that allows him to explain the zone yet again, and this time out, he provides menus, which make up about three-fourths of the book. The recipes look interesting enough, but its even money whether this explanation of the zone is any easier to grasp than the last one. Still, its a sure bet that readers, always looking for that elusive way to make the weight disappear, will be eager to fill their plates with a second helping of Sears advice. Ilene Cooper

Book Description
Everyone from Madonna to Howard Stern to the cast of Baywatch is in the Zone -- and now Zone-favorable cuisine is tastier than ever. Dr. Barry Sears, author of the No.1 New York Times bestseller and health phenomenon, The Zone (more than 600,000 hardcover copies sold.), is back with an exciting new book teeming with tantalizing recipes and insightful information that will deepen readers understanding of this revolutionary health and fitness program that has become the regimen of the 90s.

Flying in the face of conventional dietary thinking, and after years of comprehensive scientific research, Dr. Sears discovered that eating fat doesnt make you fat. His phenomenally successful first book, The Zone, introduced the world to to groundbreaking health plan that for hundreds of thousands of readers has become the magic key to maintaining a consistent level of physical and mental well-being -- a healthful state known as The Zone. Now Dr. Sears takes his breakthrough scientific discoveries and stunning success a step further with Mastering the Zone, which not only presents delicious, completely original Zone-favorable recipes that are easy to prepare and taste as good as they are good for you, but also offers a practical guide to fine-tuning your place in the Zone.

From entrees to appetizers to desserts, there is something here for every taste and every occasion. Appearing throughout is Dr. Sears enlightening new information for readers interested in educating themselves further about the Zone -- the health regimen that succeeds where millions of others have not.



About the Author
Barry Spears, Ph.D.,is a widely published scientist and researcher who holds thirteen U.S. patents in drug delivery and hormonal control technology. He is the author of The Zone, Mastering the Zone, Zone-Perfect Meals in Minutes, Zone Food Blocks, A Week in the Zone, The Anti-Aging Zone, The Top 100 Zone Foods, and The Soy Zone. His books have sold more than four million copies and have been translated into twenty-two languages in forty countries. He lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts, with his wife and two daughters.