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calories. Consume fewer calories without hunger and fatigue, and you will lose excess body fat, delay the development of chronic disease, and live longer. That is the secret of the Mediterranean Zone.
    If you want to be more technical, these simple rules result in a calorie distribution that is about 40 percent low-glycemic-load carbohydrates (primarily non-starchy vegetables), 30 percent low-fat protein (such as chicken, fish, or tofu and soy imitation-meat products), and 30 percent fat (mostly monounsaturated fat, and low in both omega-6 and saturated fats).
    I prefer to keep the total carbohydrate intake at about 40 percent of your calories because the brain is literally a glucose hog. The brain accounts for only 2 percent of the mass of the total body, but it uses 20 percent of the blood glucose. The brain requires about 130 grams of glucose per day, which is why the Mediterranean Zone provides between 100 and 150 grams of carbohydrates per day, split over three meals and one or two snacks. This may sound like a lot, but in fact it’s about a 50 to 67 percent reduction of the total carbohydrates most Americans are currently eating.
    But one must be careful to spread those carbohydrates throughout the day. Consuming more than 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrates at any onemeal is going to generate excess insulin. If you are not getting five hours of appetite suppression or you feel you have reached a weight plateau, before you think about lowering the levels of carbohydrates in your diet, first begin to reduce the glycemic load of your meals. Begin by eliminating grains and starches from your diet. If this isn’t sufficient to have the desired result, then start removing fruits and legumes (moderate-glycemic load carbohydrates) from your diet. This will leave non-starchy, low-glycemic load vegetables as your primary carbohydrate source. You will have a very difficult time eating enough non-starchy vegetables to overstimulate insulin, but you will still be maintaining adequate blood glucose for the brain.
    A common misconception about the Zone is that it is a high-protein diet. That’s simply not true. Let’s look at the number of grams of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) a normal female or male might be consuming following the Mediterranean Zone.
Macronurient
1,200 calories a day
1,500 calories a day
Carbohydrate
120 g/day
150 g/day
Protein
90 g/day
112 g/day
Fat
40 g/day
50 g/day
    Your first thought might be, “I will starve to death on 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day.” I guarantee you will not. This is what I call the Zone Paradox: You will consume fewer calories with less hunger but more energy. Furthermore, you are still eating the typical protein intake of most Americans. Even though you are consuming fewer carbohydrates (but more of the colorful, non-starchy kind), they are still the primary source of calories in the Zone Diet. Since you always are consuming more grams of carbohydrate than protein, you can’t really describe the Zone as a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet unless my definitions of high and low are significantly different from what is in the dictionary. Probably the best way to describe the Zone is as a moderate-protein, low-glycemic load diet.
    Can you become too thin on the Mediterranean Zone? When you can see your abdominal muscles, it is time to start thinking about adding some additional monounsaturated fat (extra-virgin olive oil or almonds) to your diet. (So besides requiring a watch, you also might need a mirror to see if you are developing a six-pack.) This is what I do with the elite athletes (such as the twenty-five gold medal winners in the last five Olympics) whofollow the Zone. Their goal is optimal performance, not being on the cover of
Men’s Fitness
, and athletic performance depends on having a certain level of body fat. That fat provides the high-octane fuel needed for making the chemical energy needed for optimal performance.
    The macronutrient balance of the