Rating: 
Summary: You CAN make it simple and this book will help
Review: 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 overpriced 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. (I'd 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 don't 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 don't 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 pricey, 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 it's 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 isn't a diet and isn't 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 100% confident I'll be wearing those old 34 silver tabs that I wore many years ago. (I have them out for motivation) YOU CAN DO IT TOO. AND IT IS GREAT!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Faith, Motivation, and Sacrifice
Review: It's 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 price. Since most of us are conditioned to eating for entertainment and not nutrition, we're 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". Don't 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!
Rating:
Summary: Just good common sense
Review: I've 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 won't keep it off. Other diets slow down your metabolism, this one speeds it up. Medically/physiologically the Zone makes sense.
Rating: 
Summary: The concept is elegant, putting it into practice is harder
Review: 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. It's a tremendous amount of work to get things figured out, and while I'm sure if I were single I'd find it easier, I just plain didn't have time. And I didn't lose more than about 8 pounds while I was following it to the letter, so I'm 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 it's not very practical.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting theory; yet to see a difference
Review: I'm 5'5" 154 lbs. I have modified my diet slightly to be closer to what's recommended in the book and haven't seen much difference. My weight's varied between 142 lb and 154 lb. My energy level is similar to the one before I modified the diet.
Rating:
Summary: Changed my way of looking at food!
Review: I 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.
Rating:
Summary: Common sense approach to a healty diet
Review: This is the first approach to diet and health that I've read recently that really makes sense in a holistic way. Sears teaches: Don't 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 nation's 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.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent healthy eating plan - NOT a "diet"
Review: 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, I'm 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! It's 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 it's an excellent healthy eating plan!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Diet Recommendations
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Very good stuff
Review: THis is an excellent book. I have been following the guidelines for about a week and have noticed a big difference. When I get off work now I'm no longer devoid of energy. I can go to the gym and have an excellent work out because my energy is constant.
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