Dispel the notion that the Zone diet is meant only for those who eat non-vegetarian foods. If you are a vegetarian, you can convert your diet to a Vegetarian Zone Diet meal. This excellent diet is not based on being a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian. It is purely a diet based on carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but in a precisely fixed ratio. The ratio is 40:30:30. In simple words, your meal should consist of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein. What constitutes the serving of protein is not the question.

If you need to know more about this, read “The Soy Zone” by Dr. Barry Sears. Dr. Barry Sears, a former research scientist at Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, created the Zone diet.

The local vegetarian diet

In general, vegetarians consume more carbohydrates than protein. It is a wrong notion that carbohydrate rich meals help to reduce weight and give you a healthy life. High carb diets lead to increased insulin levels in your body, which leads to fat gain and storage. Vegetarians need to consume plant protein to balance the carbohydrates they eat.

Your Zone diet must be in the Right Ratio and in the Right Portion. Not only should your diet be in the 40:30:30 ratio, but your food portioning needs to be accurate as well. That is why you can consume your diet in the number of Zone blocks. The calculation of the Zone blocks depends on your weight and height in addition to other minor measurements. An average man consumes, say, 14 Zone blocks and an average woman 11 blocks in a day.

Suppose an average Zone diet consists of:

Skinless chicken or turkey breast (protein)
Black beans and raw broccoli (carbs)
Avocado and macadamia nuts (fat)

To make this a Vegetarian Zone meal, all you need to do is replace the protein portion with soy-based meat substitutes, like soy hot dogs or burgers. Tofu, soy products, cheese, nuts, and meat substitutes such as seitan and tempah are excellent protein substitutes for vegetarians. However, you need to be careful when selecting the vegetables. Green beans, for example, are high in protein and carbohydrates. If you opt for these, you can alter the ratio of carbs to protein. This is where you need to juggle your content.

The bottom line

Be sure to use favorable carbohydrates and fats in your Vegetarian Zone Diet meals. Opt for fruits and vegetables that are low in starch and avoid bananas and prunes because they are high in sugar. Use only monounsaturated fats. You can consume avocado, macadamia nuts, peanuts, almonds and beef butter, vegetable shortenings and creams. Use olive oil and peanut butter, instead.

It bears repeating that Zone diets must be eaten in the Right Ratio and in the Right Serving. This is a wellness diet that will help you reduce your weight and stay healthy. It’s never too late to make that lifestyle change.