Around the time that the low-fat diet was being abandoned and the low-carb craze was taking off, a young scientist named Dr. Barry Sears developed a weight-loss approach that was very different from either of these extremes, called the Zone Diet. Dr. Sears argued that it was too simple-minded to blame either fats or carbohydrates for our weight woes. The real problem, he said, was the kind of fats and carbohydrates we were eating. He was one of the first to state that there are good and bad fats, as well as good and bad carbs.
I want to tip my hat to Dr. Barry Sears, whose pioneering research and scientific insights recognized the inherent flaws in both the low-fat fad and the low-carb craze early on. His groundbreaking book, The Zone, which describes one of the most sane, sensible, and balanced diets ever conceived, has helped countless thousands of people to lose weight and improve their health. His “40-30-30” dietary recommendation (that our diets should be about 40 percent low-glycemic-index carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fats) has stood the test of time and scientific scrutiny. We all owe him a debt of gratitude.
Carbohydrates are natural sugars that are present in just about all foods, with the exception of animal products, oils, and other fats. Sears described “good carbs” as carbohydrates in their whole, natural state. Examples are fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because these foods are not refined (meaning their fiber content has not been reduced or removed), they are bulkier, contain fewer calories by volume, and are digested more slowly. Hence, the stomach becomes filled with a greater volume of food but fewer calories. Since this feeling of fullness lasts longer, it takes longer before you are hungry again. The result? You eat less frequently and therefore lose weight.
