The 40-30-30 Diet Plan is a relatively popular but somewhat difficult to follow method for managing your weight. Adherents to the plan are instructed to count calories, balance their macronutrient intake at every meal and restrict certain unhealthy food choices, which is a stack of requirements that are sensible but often troublesome to constantly manage in practice. What follows is a brief synopsis of the 40-30-30 plan, including pros and cons, so you can decide whether this is the diet for you.
40-30-30 Basics
The core of the 40-30-30 Diet Plan is to ensure that all meals are balanced in composition. At any one meal, you should consume 40 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent of your calories from protein sources, and 30 percent of your calories from fats. By performing this juggling act you will adequately fuel your body while providing an ideal stage for weight loss.
Allowed Carbohydrates
On the 40-30-30 plan, your primary sources for carbohydrates will be fruit and vegetables. Certain items, like bananas and corn, are restricted for their excess sugar content, but almost everything else is fair game. Whole grains and dairy are generally frowned upon, so although you are consuming the bulk of your calories from carbs, this is hardly a "carb-friendly" diet.
Allowed Protein Sources
All protein sources should be as lean as possible. Avoid saturated fat-laden protein sources like fatty beef and other red meats. Recommended protein sources for an individual on the Zone diet (one of the many 40-30-30 plans) include skinless chicken, egg whites, tofu and fish.
Allowed Fat Sources
The final 30 percent of your calories must come from fat, which is perhaps the trickiest macronutrient to effectively manage. Remember that fat contained within your protein source counts against your total for the meal, so be sure to adjust accordingly. Round out the meal with healthy fats like avocados, almonds or olive oil. Fish oil is also a good choice for increasing levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Pros and Cons
If you can follow this diet to the letter, it works very well for managing your weight. That "if" becomes the primary disadvantage, though, as this is a difficult plan for most people to follow. Counting calories is difficult enough, let alone doing so while balancing the nutritional content of each meal with only selected food choices. If you have the mental fortitude to tough out the ultra-calculating 40-30-30 plan, then this is the diet for you. If not, you would probably be better off searching elsewhere.
