The Zone
The Zone Diet by Dr. Barry Sears is based on a “40:30:30” ratio of 
calories obtained daily from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, respectively. Where your carbohydrates are predominately vegetable and fruits, very little starches if any, and no refined sugar. Your proteins are lean meats and fish. And fats come from nuts, seeds and oils. “The Zone” is Dr. Sears’ term for proper hormone balance. When food is eaten in this balance the blood sugar is kept at an optimal level. When the balance is off, the blood sugar rises, which causes an insulin response to lower this level. This release and effect causes a roller coaster effect of highs and lows in your energy levels and overall feeling throughout the day. Once your hormone balance is achieved and your hormonal response is leveled you will get optimal nutrition by giving yourself the right amount of macronutrients. The amount of food required to increase muscle, maintain immune function and give you energy depends on your lean body mass.
The Zone is all about each individual’s lean body mass and breaks everything into weights and measurements based off of that weight. That way, just like in CrossFit, where each workout is scaled to each individual’s fitness level, your diet can be tailored to each individuals need based off of your changing lean body mass. The Zone can be altered also for any serious athlete depending on their goals. Whether the goal is to add more strength for that 6 week strength bias program or cut down and get shredded for that pound for pound competition coming up. All that has to be done is up or lower your blocks for the day that is consumed.
The Zone is broken up into a Block guide to help with weighing and measuring foods out to make sure each person is getting ample amount of macronutrients for his or her body type.
1 block of Protein = 7 grams of Protein
1 block of Carbohydrates = 9 grams of Carbohydrates
1 block of Fat = 1.5 grams of Fat
This makes for a very easy system that can be done anywhere. The two lists attached is a good list of many different foods and how much of each 1 block equals. The CrossFit Journal List has some meal plans on it. Note, however, that these are just as a guide; this is not what you HAVE to eat. You can pick anything from either list. Try to stay in the favorable lists when picking food groups. Print both of these lists off and feel free to come to us anytime to ask more about The Zone Diet and your nutrition program.
