A still popular CrossFit diet is Dr Barry Sears Zone diet. Highly respected by the CrossFit community. It recommends eating food in a strict ratio. You should source 40% of your calories from carbohydrates. 30% from protein and the other 30% from fat. The Zone in the name of the diet refers to the ideal balance of the hormones glucagon and insulin that happens when the regime is followed correctly. Enthusiasts of this diet believe that when the diet is adhered to properly the body releases “eicosanoids”. These are molecules that are anti inflammatory and exhibit a similar effect to drugs like aspirin and these in turn counter something called “cellular inflammation”.

This cellular inflammation has allegedly many undesirable effects on the body. It can cause chronic illness, increases the chances of injury, and impacts negatively on athletic performance, as well as causing obesity. According to Dr Sears there are no drugs that can effectively treat this condition and the only way to manage it is through diet.

To follow the diet you must divide all your meals into three equal portions. One third of the plate should contain some protein the size of your palm. The other two thirds of the meal should be quality carbohydrates (fruit and vegetables). Finally you need to add a small amount of fat that is High in omega 3 and low in omega 6 and saturated fats, olive oil for example.

A block system has been devised to assist people make the food choices, A block is one choice from a list of protein, carbohydrates and fat. So a typical day could be comprised of the following:

Meal 1: Three blocks
Snack: Two blocks
Meal 2: Three blocks
Snack: Two blocks
Meal 3: Three blocks

This amounts to 13 blocks, sufficient for most adult men. 11 blocks should be enough for most women. The goal is to consume calories regularly through the day which regulates the hormonal response to food.

So how do you define a block? A single block of protein is equal to 7 grams of protein. Two blocks 14 grams and three blocks 21 grams. A block of carbs is equivalent to 9 grams, two blocks are 18 grams and three blocks are 27 grams. Finally a block of fat is 1.5 grams, two blocks are 3 grams and three blocks are 4.5 grams. A typical day in a Zone diet could look like this:

Breakfast: Three blocks: 3 egg whites, 3 turkey bacon rashers, 3 pieces of broccoli, teaspoon of butter
Snack: Two blocks: 2 oz Chicken breast, 1 pear, 12 peanuts
Lunch: Three blocks: 3 oz can of tuna, 3 tsb lite mayo, 1 slice of bread, ½ apple
Snack: 2 oz ground meat grilled, ½ bun, pickle, 2 tsb avocado oil.
Dinner: Three blocks: 3 oz roasted turkey, 2 ½ cups of kale, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 peach.

The diet is ideal for people wanting to lose weight and the goal is to consume quality calories in a ratio of 40:30:30.

This diet can be hard to follow. To consume food in the correct ratio great care has to be taken. There is also concern in some quarters about the amount of protein and fat that is consumed

But the zone diet plan is still a credible approach to nutrition in the CrossFit community and can still be called a CrossFit diet.

I sometimes hear from people who are confused as to which Medifast plan to choose. I get a good deal of questions from people trying to determine the differences between the 4 + 1 or the 5 +1. I often hear comments like “I am trying to decide between the Medifast 4 +1 or the 5+1. What’s the real difference? Which are most people on? I like the idea of having two larger meals, but I’m not sure if the calories are low enough for me to lose decent amounts of weight on that plan.” I’ll try to offer some clarification in the following article.

The 5 +1 Is The Most Popular Medifast Plan: With the 5 +1, you are eating five prepackaged meals per day plus one main “lean and green meal.” You have the option of making this yourself or going with a carefully chosen frozen meal from the grocery store. (You can even use a restaurant meal if you’re careful.) Many like the idea of eating something fresh each day.

I have to admit that this is by far the most popular package. I think that there are a couple of reasons for this. First, many people like the idea of only having one meal to cover or prepare on their own. Secondly, this option takes in around 1200 calories per day which can offer both quick and dramatic results. So many consider this to be both an effective and convenient plan. With that said, some do end up choosing the 4 +1, especially in their later phase of the diet.

Many People Use The 4 + 2 To Transition Off Of Medifast: For the most part, I find that the people on this plan are transitioning off the diet. Usually, they have met their weight loss goals and they have worked their way back up to 2 lean and green meals. So, they’re only using 4 of the prepackaged diet meals. The idea is that eventually, they will work their way back up to regular and sensible eating. Eventually, they make have a Medifast snack or two that they’ve come to like, but this is more out of habit than necessity. I’ve found that people who don’t enjoy cooking would prefer to be responsible for only one meal on their own. However, there are folks that truly don’t mind preparing their own food, especially those who have been on the diet for a while.

So, Which Is It?: If you’re just starting the diet and not transitioning, keep in mind that you will take in more calories on the 4 + 2 because you’re eating two larger meals rather than only one. Since most people try to keep their lean and green at about 500 calories, you’re looking at around 1600 – 1700 calories per day on this plan. However, when you consider that many people take in anywhere from 2000 – 3000 calories each day, you’re probably still taking in far fewer calories than normal no matter which option you chose.

I hope that I’ve shown you the difference between these two plans. Both can help you lose weight and, if you really enjoy cooking your own meals and worry about being hungry, the 4 + 2 plan can be a nice way to cut your calories while not making very drastic changes. Keep in mind though that as far as support goes, most people just go with the popular 5 + 1 until they transition off the plan. But I think that both plans are more than workable, depending on your goals. Some people don’t have a lot of weight to lose and 1600 calories per day are still going to be very effective for them. On the flip side, some want to have weight loss as soon as possible and they’d prefer to be more aggressive with one less lean and green meal.