The scientific reasoning of the diet focuses on the impact of carbohydrates on the body's insulin levels. Consuming too many carbs causes the body's blood sugar levels to spike, which prompts the body to release insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels by causing the sugar to be stored as fat. It is believed that by eating the right foods, blood sugar levels can be regulated to keep insulin levels in "the zone," a range where the body burns more fat and stops storing excessive fat.

The diet plan balances protein and carbohydrate consumption in a 3:4 ratio, meaning 30% of your calories will come from protein and 40% from carbohydrates (another 30% typically comes from fat). It is crucial to count calories on the Zone program, with most meals being no more than five hundred calories each and snacks around one hundred calories each.

Under the diet program, you eat five times each day (three meals and two snacks), never letting more than five hours pass without eating. If you get eight hours of sleep each night, this means eating breakfast within an hour of getting out of bed, taking lunch within five hours of breakfast, a snack within five hours of lunch, dinner within two to three hours of your snack, and a final snack just before bedtime.

The majority of foods consumed on the Zone diet program include lean cuts of meat, like fish or chicken and other healthy sources of protein, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and a small amount of carbs. Cereals, potatoes, breads, rice, and sugar are the types of carb rich foods that dieters are to avoid eating, but can enjoy occasionally. Dieters must also avoid processed foods and high sodium foods.

Physical exercise is another fundamental component of the Zone diet. The program recommends moderate intensity physical activity for thirty minutes per day, six days per week. Exercise is supposed to enhance the effectiveness of the Zone diet plan. Other things that are supposed to increase the effectiveness of the diet include taking vitamins and nutritional supplements.

The Zone program works well for many people trying to lose weight, but it requires a big commitment. The reason why this diet and most other diet programs fail is because many dieters stop before they are able to see improvement. Many people fight to stay on any type of diet program because of cravings, out-of-control appetites or eating habits, or a simple lack the motivation to lose weight. Hypnosis is ideal for solving these problems and supplying the motivation to stay committed to a diet plan like the Zone diet program.

Hypnotherapy is commonly used along with dieting because it does many things to increase the effectiveness and success rate of weight loss programs. One thing that hypnosis programs do is help promote positive thinking, especially to counter negative thoughts. Hypnotherapy is a powerful stress-relieving tool as well, helping us cope with our stressful emotions and relieve tension. As a stress-relieving tool, it eases the mind, helps you develop strategies to manage stress, and increases your self-confidence to motivate you to lose weight.

Weight loss hypnotherapy can also be used to directly treat the mental obstacles that keep people from losing weight. Take for instance people who can't control their cravings and appetite because they have a problem with "emotional eating." People who are emotional eaters compulsively consume food in response to their feelings, such as when they are bored or sad. Hypnosis can be used to break the bonds in our unconscious minds between eating and our feelings. This way, people do not have to struggle with overeating and are able to stay on complex diet plans such as the Zone diet program.

Motivational weight loss CDs have become an extremely popular and successful technique to use with weight loss programs because motivation is essential to success for most people. Hypnotherapy programs tap into the power of the unconscious mind to naturally train our thoughts on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. These programs help people remember their reasons for wanting to lose weight and exercise so dieters naturally feel motivated to stick with their weight loss plan.

Hypnotherapy is a motivational tool that works to help you "stay in the zone," stay active, and experience natural appetite suppression. Through using hypnosis, we can think more positively and focus on improving our health.

Alan B. Densky, CH is certified by the NGH. Visit the