Six Simple Steps to Success

One of the most common complaints about the Zone Diet is that it is complicated, and hard to get started. We have assembled a “getting started” checklist of things to do in order to get started easily, and to make the diet as easy as possible! So start now. That’s the key. Commit to doing it, and start right away. You’ll be glad you did!

• First, understand the diet in it’s basic concepts. Do you know what the key elements of the Zone Diet are?
  If you do, then you will find the process so much easier. If you don’t, let us help you by explaining a bit here. The Zone Diet is based on eating your foods in a balance ratio. Ideally, you will get 40% of your calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and 30% from fat. Don’t know a carbohydrate from a protein or fat? that’s ok- you can check out our explanation here: About 40-30-30. Since this is just a “getting started” guide, we want to keep this simple. If you feel you are ready for more, then feel free to read our comprehensive Zone Diet diagram that explains all of the components.
• Second, make a menu. Once you have a basic feel for the concept of the 40-30-30 balance, (remember, this is a getting started guide, so the point is that you should keep it simple), you will want to make a menu. This may seem out of order, but later you are going to clean out your fridge and pantry, and you want to have the good foods in place before you do that- otherwise you may be tempted to throw in the towel before you even start. In order to have the good foods that you need, you will need to create a menu so that you can take the shopping list to the store.
• Third, make a shopping list. Include all of the foods you need to make the meals on your menu, as well as stocking up on Zone friendly snacks and drinks. Make sure you’ve got plenty of Balance Bars or ZonePerfect bars on hand so that when you are craving a sweet snack, you’ve got a good Zone friendly sweet snack to eat. While you should shoot for drinking as much water as possible, just for getting started stock up on some good alternative drink choices- iced tea, coffee, diet soda- whatever your choices are, just make sure they are calorie-free.
• Fourth, go shopping. Yes, now. And follow the list you made in step 3. Steer clear of the chips aisle and other snacks- remember, you are here to begin your new lifestyle with the Zone nutrition program. Buy the things that are on your list- and only things that are on your list.
• Fifth, clean out your home! In your pantry, get rid of the convenience foods like chips, crackers, cookies, and popcorn. Store away your rice, potatoes, and other high glycemic foods. In your fridge, clean out any juice, non-diet soda, and other sweets. Finally, get rid of any ice cream, frozen yogurt, and convenience foods in the freezer. Give it away if you must, but don’t keep it! It will be a temptation to you every moment of every day. Which is worse? To put a little food in the trash, or to put that same food on your hips and waist?
• Finally, start now. The very next meal you eat should be a Zone meal. If you start today, you will notice a difference immediately. You will lose a pound (and inches) within a day or two, and by the end of a week you will have results that you can be proud of. Once you’re started, sticking with it is easy!