" Zone diet considers "unfavourable" mostly high glycemic foods and foods high in saturated fats. Not FAD.
4. It offers rigid menus
Difficult-to-prepare meals, plenty of measuring and counting, rules that are easy to misinterpret, Zone subscribes to that. FAD
5. It neglects active living or lifestyle changes
The Zone diet has impressive instrumentary and regulation for dining out or for fast food. On the other hand, there's no problem if you step out of the Zone now and then. Here are some soothing phrases from Dr. Sears himself: "The Zone diet is free of guilt" or "The Zone is just one meal away". I'm quite UNDECIDED about this one. It is clear the man has taken some time to think about it.
6. It harshly limitates the daily calorie intake
Some dieticians claim that the Zone diet limits the daily calorie intake to somewhere around 800. I used the calculator at DrSears.com to check this (I am a 100 pound woman by the way) and my daily calorie intake resulted around 1100 kcal. I'm not pleased with it, as I don't plan to spend my days in permanent hibernation, or lose any of my precious, hard-gained pounds... FAD.
7. It contradicts what most trusted health profesionals say
The Zone diet argues against the USDA food pyramid, which recommends grains and starches up to five servings per day. This is its most high-profile argument. The American Heart Association considers Zone "a fad diet". FAD
8. It depends on special products, supplements and treatments
One Zone bar (or shake) is $2.50. A 45-day supply bottle of Omega Rx concentrated fish oil is $78.15. The figure for the Zone books ranges between $6 and $26 (at the Zone Labs online shop); FAD.
9. It makes miraculous claims
The Zone will help you to: lose up to 1.5 lbs body fat per week
improve your insulin level (which should particulary be ... "not too high not too low")
fight against "modern diseases" such as type II diabetes and blood vessel affections
fight against "mental illnesses" such as depresion and alcoholism
prevent "certain" cancers
"restore energy", says Dr. Sears in his book, Enter the Zone, "especially if you have CMS, PMS or even HIV infection" and...
The Zone itself is defined as a state of well-being in which you do not experience hunger, fatigue or moodiness. Your body and mind function sharply at their "peak level".The Zone is a FAD diet in this respect.
10. It relies on testimonials and success stories rather than scientific proof
Dr. Sears says "Let me be a li