The Zone Diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears. The Zone Diet is about balancing your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories while still getting the proper nutrients your body needs for long-term health. The Zone Diet can best be described as a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, moderate fat diet that has approximately one gram of fat for every two grams of protein and three grams of carbohydrates (the Zone 1-2-3 Method™).

Any diet that excessively uses the word high or low to describe it is hormonally unsustainable. The only diet that can maintain hormonal balance for a lifetime must use the word moderate to describe it. The Zone Diet is moderate in

• Low-fat protein

• Low glycemic-load carbs (mostly fruits and vegetables)

• Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

With the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, you can control three major hormones generated by the human diet – insulin, glucagon and eicosanoids.

Insulin – A storage hormone. Excess insulin makes you fat and keeps you fat.

Glucagon – A mobilization hormone that tells the body to release stored carbohydrates at a steady rate, leading to stabilized blood sugar levels. This is key for optimal mental and physical performance.

Eicosanoids – These are the hormones that ultimately control silent inflammation. They are also master hormones that indirectly orchestrate a vast array of other hormonal systems in your body.

Guidelines for following the Zone Diet

Because I train a lot of people; some of whom include competitive athletes I often get asked my opinion concerning supplements. The people who I train are often surprised to hear that I am against taken them. This is based on having done what most people do not… research.

Most people take the word of Bob down at the local supplement store, who tells you the stuff they have is 100% pure, pharmaceutical grade, will bulk you up, trim you down, make you stronger, give you more energy, and perfectly safe. They know it works because they train, use to compete, are trainers, it worked for their customers, etc..

With a little research you’ll be quite surprised about supplements and the claims they make, and how little peer reviewed scientific evidence is involved, or safety standards are involved.

Here are some things that most people might be shocked to learn about supplements:

“Products classified as dietary supplements are not required to meet any Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. There are no regulations that guarantee the safety or purity of something sold as a supplement. Therefore, supplements are not:

• Required to meet the same safety requirements as over-the-counter or prescription drugs or food ingredients
• Held to specific manufacturing standards
• Guaranteed to meet product potency or purity ratings
• Required to prove the effectiveness of any health claim they make
• Required to meet safety or efficacy testing prior to going to the market

The FDA is prohibited from removing a product from the market unless it can prove that the product will cause a medical problem. Most health risks of supplements are discovered after the product is on the market. Supplements that are pulled from the market are usually linked to a reported serious health risk or death that is tied to the use of the product.

What are Ergogenic Aids and Performance Enhancing Substances?
Erogenic aids consist of substance, drugs, procedures and even devices that are intended to improve athletic performance. Some of these substances are naturally occurring, easily available and completely legal while others are manufactured, illegal, or banned by many sporting organizations.

Common Sports Supplements Used by Athletics

• B-Vitamins
  Vitamins are essential for the body to function properly, but there may be a link between the B-vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, B-12 and folate) and performance in high-level athletes.
• Caffeine
  Caffeine has been used by endurance athletes for years as a way to stay alert and improve endurance.
• Creatine
  For some athletes, creatine supplementation improves repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise, such as sprinting, weight lifting or power sports.
• Ephedrine
  Research hasn’t found any improvement in strength, endurance, reaction time, anaerobic capacity, or recovery time with ephedrine supplements.
• Glucosamine
  Glucosamine has been used to treat osteoarthritis and helps stimulates cartilage. But does it help athletic performance?
• Glutamine
  Glutamine (L- Glutamine) is a classified as a nutritional supplement and is not regulated or banned by most sports organization.
• Hydration and Sports Drinks
  Adequate fluid intake for athletes is essential to comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.
• Protein Supplements
  Protein is a necessary nutrient that everyone needs to function properly. Both athletes and sedentary individuals need to get adequate protein.
• Ribose
  There is clear evidence that shows an athletic performance benefit of ribose supplements.
• How to Evaluate Supplement Health Claims
  It’s difficult to wade through the research regarding health or performance benefits of many nutritional supplements. These tips will help you make an informed decision about what actually works.”

Taken From: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/aa030901a.htm

You might want to think twice before you start taking advice from Bob down at the local supplement store concerning taking supplements.

- Paul Oddi
Head Coach Point Blank CrossFit

Additional reading concerning supplements: