20 pounds in 2 1/2 months

This book outlines a healthy way of eating that will show you how you can lose weight and keep it off. Personally I lost 20 pounds in 2 1/2 months! I am thrilled! Better than that I've lost 2 inches off my waist and had to go out clothes shopping...darn!

Dr. Barry Sears spells it out very simply. He explains how eating should be viewed as a way to keep us functioning at our optimum level of health and energy. I find I am actually eating more, especially more protein. He has a formulation inside the book that will tell you exactly how much protein you should be eating on a daily basis. From there you are able to figure out how many carbs and fats you should also be eating daily.

Key factors:

1) Recognize which foods (carbs) have high or low glycemic values. High glycemic foods break down into sugars quickly, causing your body to produce insulin to lower your sugar level. Eating a lot of high glycemic carbs increases your chance of weight gain as the insulin will tell our body to store the extra sugar produced away as fat. Examples of high glycemic carbs are potatoes, rice, breads, corn, peas, and pasta.

2) Learn which fats are good fats and make sure these are the ones you work into your diet daily. Examples are olive oil, unsalted nuts, and avacados.

3) For proteins, turn to lean protein and include fish in your diet on a regular basis. The Omega 3 oils in fish are wonderful for our skin as well!

Dr. Sears lays out sample meal plans as well as several recipes that are easy to create and taste delicious. He has other books out with a variety of recipes. I highly recommend The Soy Zone as a supplement. It talks about the wonderful benefits of soy products as well as yogurt,including more of his wonderful recipes.

Since following The Zone way of eating, I find my energy level has increased. I wake up in the morning ready for the day versus wanting to pull the covers back over my head and sleep-in a little longer. Even on the week-ends when I have the opportunity to sleep in, I find I get up an hour earlier than I used to! Unbelievable for me!!! I also find myself staying satisfied all day. I rarely feel hungry. Whenever I do feel hungry or start to feel lethargic, now I know there are one of two main reasons. One reason is that the last meal I ate was not "in the zone". The second reason is that I have probably gone over 5 hours without eating, something Dr. Sears tells us not to do. He suggests eating 3 meals/day and 2 small snacks (one in the late afternoon to tide you over til dinner and one before bedtime). Have breakfast about an hour after getting up.

The book has a long list of foods categorized as favorable or unfavorable. However, if you eat something in an unfavorable category, you can still stay "in the zone". The guide breaks all food up into "blocks". If you follow his formula for figuring out how many food blocks you need on a daily basis, you can use the guide to help you create zoned meals. For example, I try to make each of my meals 3 blocks. That means I eat 3 blocks of protein, 3 blocks of carbs, and 3 blocks of fat. Other people may need 4 blocks or more. How much exercise you get on a daily basis factors into the formula as well.

For best results, of course, you want to eat foods that are in the favorable categories. My two snacks are 1 block each. To understand the concept more fully, read the book! It is not complicated at all. It's just a different way of approaching what and how much you eat.

I appreciated the education Dr. Sears gives us about how our body functions. In a fast paced world, it is easy to chow down on junk food and high energy carbs. The down side is weight gain and energy drops. Before reading the book, I knew that fatty foods were not good for me. It was the information about carbs that has enlightened me. Once I understood, the weight came right off. I was literally amazed. Now that I am at the weight I want to stabilize at, I can continue eating the zone way, but am allowed more of the good fats in my diet...can't beat that!

Dr. Sears also has a website that outlines the zone diet, including some great recipes and information. If you are having trouble getting the excess pounds off, this book is an eye-opener and worth reading. I keep it on my kitchen counter as a guidebook for meal planning now and I've never eaten healthier!

Check it out! What have you got to lose? You'll be glad you did. One more thing....you don't have to feel guilty if you fall "out of the zone", don't fret over it. Just make your next meal zone friendly. You'll be right back on track.