Mastering the Zone: The Next Step in Achieving SuperHealth and Permanent Fat Loss (Hardcover)

by Barry Sears (Author), (none) (Author) "Mastering the Zone..." (more)
Key Phrases: hormonal carburetor, skinless breast pieces, ounces chicken tenderloins, Food Block, Cooking Instructions Mix, Protein Prescription (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Barry Sears's 1995-96 bestseller, The Zone, changed the way many people look at nutrition and weight loss. Although his plan advocates eating fewer calories and exercising more, it also stresses getting more of those calories from fat and protein and fewer from carbohydrates. Here, he expands on that theory (which is still not accepted in most scientific circles) and offers recipes to help readers put his principles into practice.

From Booklist
Last year, Sears wrote The Zone, which promptly became the latest in a long line of best-sellers telling people why they are fat. The book's complicated premise has to do with insulin production and its effects on mood and weight loss. Even Sears admits in his preface to this new volume that despite the earlier book's sales, "I realize that many readers of The Zone still find it difficult to apply the concepts . . . to their daily lives." Well, isn't that lucky for Sears. He can write another book that allows him to explain "the zone" yet again, and this time out, he provides menus, which make up about three-fourths of the book. The recipes look interesting enough, but it's even money whether this explanation of the zone is any easier to grasp than the last one. Still, it's a sure bet that readers, always looking for that elusive way to make the weight disappear, will be eager to fill their plates with a second helping of Sears' advice. Ilene Cooper

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (December 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060391901
• ISBN-13: 978-0060391904
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,149 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A healthy way of eating for life -- not a "diet.", November 5, 1999

By	RCapella - See all my reviews

It isn't always easy to prepare menus and cook food ahead of time, but if you can do it, then you're on your way to healthier eating. Dr. Sears explains his "diet" better to non-medical people in this book. This isn't a high-protein diet or a no-carbs diet as some of the other controversial diets are and some critics claim this to be. It really is a healthy way to eat. I work for a doctor whose specialty is type 2 diabetes mellitus, and limiting those refined carbohydrates is proven to help those with all forms of insulin sensitivity. Limiting refined sugars and increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, adding the heart-healthy HDL cholesterol via monounsaturated fat, and eating sensible amounts of low-fat protein will help anyone maintain or lose weight, control blood sugar, and stay healthy with more energy. I lost 20 lbs., with 4 inches reduced from my stomach, and I didn't even have to exercise. Imagine if I had added some walking or other activities! Dr. Sears's suggestions I try to incorporate into my daily life, even those times when I am not as strict as I should be. I would highly recommend this book for anyone struggling with a weight problem or just anyone wanting to be healthier.

103 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You CAN make it simple and this book will help, June 8, 2001

By	S. C. Smith (Dallas, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is certainly a program that can be made difficult. Some of the other zone books have recipes that would require you to be a math whiz or an expert chef, and have tedious measuring. This book helps and mostly makes it simple.

For me it is life changing. I have ALWAYS had late evening sugary, breaded, fatty junk food cravings like ice cream and chips an all kinds of overpriced sugar-laced worthless garbage foods. (and always in super large abnormal quantities) And for years I usually gave up and just ate anything I wanted. (I'd be willing to wager that most of you reading this knows exactly what I mean to just "give up" when it comes to food) And gained lots of weight. Then I found this book. To me it is like what methadone is to a heroin addict. (for those that don't know, methadone is a drug to take the edge off of the withdraws from heroin without the euphoric high) And for those fellow sugar/carb addicts, you probably know what I mean. If you follow this plan correctly, it REALLY WILL take away those terrible binge cravings. It may take a little patience, and possibly some time (usually one to three days), but it will work.

This is not easy unless you make it simple for yourself. Getting started is a bit difficult because it usually requires a change of eating habits, which is not easy, To make it easy for me I had to pick out about 5 or 6 recipes I could EASILY make in a short amount of time. This book has some that I like and they are simple. The zoneperfect site also has some recipes that are easy to make as well. (those are FREE!) For the days that I just don't want to fix anything, I have bought a whole bunch of the zone prepackaged bars and meals and other foods. At first, they were not the best in the world and a bit pricey, but I really wanted this thing to work and after a while I started to like them.

The great thing is after about 2 or 3 days I really look forward to the afternoon snack and the zone bars and everything else and it's working great. The energy is amazing. It gets easier and better the longer you follow it. And you can add some other recipes if the others get old. I DO NOT have any more late cravings or afternoon sugar binges. And that is worth almost anything to me.

I think it comes down to how bad you want it to work. After I started to read the book, I began to believe what the author was saying because it just made sense. I have tried many other diets, and this program really isn't a diet and isn't extreme like a lot of those other fad diets. This one just seemed right. When I began to visualize craving free evenings and wearing 34 pants again, I just decided to do whatever it takes to MAKE it work for me. The thought of being in a swim suit comfortably outside in a large crowd just really started to overcome all of the barriers. ALL WITHOUT the hunger pangs. Thanks to Dr. Sears, I have gone from 44 pants to 40 and am 100% confident I'll be wearing those old 34 silver tabs that I wore many years ago. (I have them out for motivation)

YOU CAN DO IT TOO. AND IT IS GREAT!!!!!

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't understand why people find this hard to follow?, April 16, 2003

By	Kari M. Martin "jkcmartin" (Blue Ridge, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought Mastering the Zone and never read Entering the Zone. I found it completely easy to read and user friendly. I read it one Friday night and applied it the next day. It's super simple. It explains blocks and in the back of the book, shows the quantity you can have of certain foods per block. It's even talks about adjusting the diet to meet your personal requirements.

Here's my sample menu. This is for 13 blocks of protein:

Breakfast:
Smoothie
1 c. yogurt
1 c. milk
1 c. strawberries
1 c. raspberries
2 envelopes of splenda
1 oz low fat cheese
12 almonds or 24 peanuts

Lunch:
4 oz Chicken
4 c. salad
1 T. ranch
3 c. mushrooms
1/2 c. grapes
1/2 c. pineapple

Snack
1oz cheese
1/2 apple
3 olives

Dinner
5oz fish
2 c. green beans
2 c. salad
1 T. ranch
1/2 apple
1 c. strawberries

Snack:
1oz beef
1/2 c. grapes
3 almonds

Not too shabby, huh? The above is only 1600 calories, which is what my hubby is on. I'm on 9 blocks, which is 1000 calories and still TONS of food, since I have a lot to lose and want to do it quicker.

If you want to feel GREAT, eat great and look great, I highly recommend this book and this diet as your lifetime way of eating.