Have you heard of weight loss zone diet? How effective is the weight loss zone diet in the long run? Before you jump into the conclusions, perhaps you should read on more about the pros and cons as opposed to other types of weight loss diets.

Does the weight loss zone diet really work, or is it just another fad diet?

A few celebrities like Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Charlie Sheen and Tiger Woods have reportedly taken part in it and that makes the zone diet famous. It is surprised to learn that none of these celebrities were actually overweight! That proves that the zone diet is not solely about weight loss, but also about a healthy lifestyle.

So how does the weight loss zone diet work exactly? The main principle of the zone diet is that it states an intake of 40%/30%/30% ratios of carbohydrates, protein and fat. That means it is a low carbohydrate diet. These types of diets have become somewhat dangerously fashionable in some circles. The weight loss zone diet however is not as restrictive or strict as many other more hardcore low carb (or carb free) diets. The Atkins diet is one example of a diet that is more restrictive than the zone diet.

The disadvantage of the weight loss zone diet is the lack of essential nutrients which are vital to the human body. For all its success stories, the American Heart Foundation still does not approve of the zone diet. This is mainly due to high protein low carbohydrates with no emphasis on essential nutrients and the lack of information and research about long term effects of undertaking the zone diet for long periods of time or permanently. Many nutritional experts are also skeptical of the zone diet due to lack of scientific research or fact backing up the claims.

Besides the high protein diet, the developer later released a Soy Zone diet more suited to vegetarians who were put off by the high meal content. The Soy Zone diet simply replaces meal protein with soy protein.

It is a fact that fad dieters gain their weight back again a short time later. The reason behind this fact is diets like the zone diet are simply unsustainable over long periods of time. Your body cannot live without the carbohydrates that are being taken away from it during the zone diet. Your body will continue to crave carbs until you finally give in. And when you give in, because your body is not used to all these high calorie carbohydrates, they cause you to put on more weight than before you began the diet!

The weight loss zone diet appears to work well only for certain people. It is advisable to include essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy. As with all diets you should contact your personal physician to determine if the diet could be detrimental to your health.