Diet Comparison
Here is a side-by-side summary of The Zone and Atkins to help you compare diets and choose a weight loss plan that will work for you.
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Diets |
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Best for...
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Anyone who prefers a higher protein diet but wants to eat more carbs than those allowed on the Atkins Diet.
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Meat lovers.
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Risks
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The prescribed calorie consumption guidelines associated wth this diet may be too low for some, and this may result in feeling low in energy and/or weak. That said, calorie consumption can be increased while still following The Zone's guidelines for food distribution, thereby adressing this risk.
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Some who try Atkins may experience constipation, fatigue, and/or headaches. There are voices in the medical and nutrition communities that fear the short and long-term effects of a diet so high in fat and cholesterol, the jury is still out on whether these fears are substantiated.
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Basic philosophy / approach
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Eat a balanced diet, BUT balanced is defined differently from the well-known Food Pyramid. Limit portions to a reasonable size.
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Portion control? No way! The diet strictly limits—but does NOT forbid as some have suggested—carb intake. It allows unlimited amounts of many allowed foods, such as meats and cheeses.
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Foods that are / aren't allowed
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The basic idea is to increase protein, reduce simple carbs and processed sugar.
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Carbs, bad. Protein, good. Fat in all its delicious forms, no problem.
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How much work involved
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Once you understand the basic approach, the diet is flexible and quite simple to follow.
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I can’t imagine a simpler approach. There is virtually no measuring or weighing or record-keeping involved. And when you eat out you simply have to tell the waiter "save the shrubs for a rabbit—I only want the MEAT".
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Cost
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While you can purchase some snacks from The Zone's web site, you can follow the diet without buying any prepared foods and/or special equipment.
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Generally speaking, meat and cheese are more expensive than fruits, veggies and bread. That said, the Atkins Diet does not require that you buy more costly prepared meals.
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Speed to results
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If you follow the basic plan (800-1,220 calories per day) you may lose weight at a rate significantly faster than the 1-2 lbs. per week average that is generally viewed as a healthy rate.
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Here is where Atkins draws much of its popularity. If you follow the diet, you will lose weight. Many will lose weight dramatically at the outset, and continue at a steady clip after that. One reminder: a weight loss rate of 1 to 1.5 lbs. per week over a period of time beyond two weeks (the initial drop not uncommon to many diets) is considered healthy, and anything above that is considered unhealthy.
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Review
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Our review of The Zone
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Our review of Atkins
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More Comparisons
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