Fat Loss via Better Science and Simplicity
It is possible to lose 20 lbs. of bodyfat in 30 days by optimizing any of three factors: exercise, diet, or drug/supplement regimen. I’ve seen the elite implementation of all three in working with professional athletes. In this post, we’ll explore what I refer to as the “slow-carb diet”.
In the last six weeks, I have cut from about 180 lbs. to 165 lbs., while adding about 10 lbs. of muscle, which means I’ve lost about 25 lbs. of fat. This is the only diet besides the rather extreme Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) that has produced veins across my abdomen, which is the last place I lose fat (damn you, Scandinavian genetics). Here are the four simple rules I followed…
Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates
Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.
Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again
The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:
Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork
Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans
Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables
Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.
Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.
Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:
10am – breakfast
1pm – lunch
5pm – smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm – sports training
10pm – dinner
12am – glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed
Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:
Scrambled Eggology pourable egg whites with one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables
Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)
Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables
Rule #3: Don’t drink calories
Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.
Rule #4: Take one day off per week
I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.
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If you enjoyed this post, check out my latest book, The 4-Hour Body, #1 New York Times and #1 Amazon bestseller. You will learn: the finer details of the Slow Carb Diet (outlined in the above post), how I gained 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days, how to produce 15-minute female orgasms, and more.
You can also get the Expanded and Updated 4-Hour Workweek, which includes more than 50 new case studies of luxury lifestyle design, business building, reducing hours 80%+, and world travel.
Related and Recommended Posts:
Tim Ferriss interviewed by Derek Sivers
Tim Ferriss articles on Huffington Post
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I like rule #4 Take one day off per week. First time I heard about rule #2, eating the same few meals over and over again will help. I going to try that out. Great article,
You can optimize your understanding of what Tim is doing here by reading about slow carb diets, by looking up the glycemic index of different foods on line (just google “glycemic index”. The goal is to get sufficient protein, and to get carbs from foods that do not make your blood sugar spike and crash – which is the result of eating “white carbs” – sugar, white bread, white flour pasta, etc. Thus the beans which are high enough in calories and slow enough to digest to give you some bulk and volume instead of a sugar rush and crash. So to Crystal who said she “loved loved loved” sweets – the answer is that eating sweets creates dietary crashes that just serve to encourage further sweet eating. It will take you awhile – maybe a long while –
to adjust your understanding and taste to a diet that doesn’t involve this kind of blood sugar spiking process.
If you do some investigating as per above you will probably find some “sweet” substitiutes, and certainly if you are not looking to try to lose
20 pounds in a month you can find “slow carb” alternatives that can support your desire to change the way you deal with food long term.
One thing (not sweet) that has been really helpful to me is edamame if you can find them – they have the lowest glycemic index of any legume. They have probably the hghest % of protein and they come as dry roasted “nuts” for snacks, as slightly salted “peas” in a pod that you can pop and eat as a
snack, as well as frozen like fresh “beans”. About 2250 posts up Tim identifies them as something you can use on this diet. For vegetables I also like hearts of palm – or I make mashed potatoes out of cauliflower, broccoli, white beans, garlic and olive oil in a food processor. Some days I make
“tuna fish” out of canned skinless boneless Alaskan wild salmon (Walmart!)
with onions (and a few teeny sweet pickles chopped up – not on the list!)….
If you take the time to do some of the research Tim mentions, and read through as many of the blog comments as you can you will begin to gather the missing pieces of the puzzle which will make the diet Tim mentions (but does not fill out completely) clearer – as he himself answers questions periodically in the blog responses. The bottom line is you’ve got to find the
pieces that can make this a lifestyle switch for you. Permanent! ` Oh – another interesting possibility – check out miraclenoodle.com for caloriless, carb less, fiber full Japanese style noodles that should work with this diet as well (only by mailorder and a very few retail outlets).
I have been putting cinnamon in my coffee everyday…is this ok?
Tim ,
I have been overweight all my life and have reduced from 266 to 220.But it was in three yrs time.I am glad i found your plan and i request u to answer this question which is the only thing which makes me hesitate.
1 . I have hypothyroid.I am taking thyroid supplements everyday.Will my thyroid function be more impared by this diet
2. I so far have an assumption that the nutrition in the fruits is required for good hormonal balance.
Can u please advise.Your reply would be very helpful
Ashley – Tim says ALL herbs and spices are okay.
Tim –
I see that “a little” olive oil is okay, but I like to use quite a bit when I cook.
Ditto organic butter.
And I see that what appears to be refried beans (high in fat) is also A-okay.
But you say that more than a few high-fat nuts is not.
Wondering if you could clarify how much / what kinds of fats will work in this diet.
Thanks 🙂
p.s. – Your book has totally inspired me. I go back an reread the bits I’ve underlined nearly every day!
I’d just use olive oil for anything not high heat and grapeseed oil or PAM otherwise. There are fancier options, but those are the easy answers.
Good luck!
Tim
hey tim this workout plan is awesome…last time i was 117 lbs AND NOW I’VE REDUCED TO A 110 lbs =)))
height: 5’5
weight: 110lbs, 50kgs
Goal Weight: 100lbs
THANKYOU SO MUCH =)))
This is the perfect menu for anyone trying to lose weight. People do not realize that when we eat me that contain high amounts of sugar the insulin levels in our body increases and the higher the amount of insulin at the time of our eating equates to a larger portion of that food being stored as fat on our body.
Hi Tim,
I just started yesterday,thank you for hope,have tried just about everything to lose the spare tire with no success.
What`s the problem with whole eggs,why just egg whites?
Is it ok to substitute a good protien shake with hemp for breakfast?
Thanks,
Andy
I’m 70 lbs down now in 6 months! I wanted to lose a bit more than that within this time frame, but I’m pretty satisfied with my weight loss so far. For all the people asking questions, JUST FOLLOW THE RULES THAT TIM PROVIDES, that’s it! It works!
Hi Shrinking leon ,
I am happy to hear about your weight loss.i am starting the diet coming monday.I have to loose 70 pounds. I am 220 pounds now…
Can u give me a sample of your daily diet .Can u tell me some general tips to be followed as you have lost so much weight and it has really worked for you..did u take any fruits
Congrats
I’m a girl and i have been on this diet for about 1 month. I lost 9 lbs. I’m very happy with the result! First week i lost the most which was about 5 lbs, and then the week before my period came and the week during the period , my weight didn’t change at all ( i was kinda upset because it didn’t change for almost 2 weeks but i didn’t give up), then the last week of the month i dropped another 4 pounds.
I guess it’s much easier for guys to loose weight on this diet but i can also prove you that it does work for girls too! Don’t give up GIRLS !!
Hi
I would like to find out what will help me lose alot of kilo’s fast as i just gave birth and need to get back in shape and lose about 30 kilo’s in 3 months. I think what you doing it great, because i dont have the time to exercise.
thanks
@Erica Martell – Great post Erica! I didn’t know that about Edamame, I was looking for a good snack I can have at work if my will gets weak. I think I am going to dry the mashed veggie-tatoes creation you mentioned too!
My favorite meal is whole caesar lettuce leaves, refried beans, and seasoned grilled chicken for lunch wraps.
@Susana:
No, I don’t really eat fruit, except for my “cheat day”. However, I have eaten raisins before during the week, and in the overall scheme of things, it doesn’t hurt, BUT I don’t really eat them that often.
Typical day:
Breakfast: Egg Whites,Spinach,Beans (either Black Beans or Pinto Beans or Lentils)
Lunch: Mixed Vegetables (I usually buy the Asian Vegetable mix at Kroger) or Broccoli/Cauliflower mix. I do buy asparagus sometimes as well.
Meat: Either Baked Chicken or fish (typically Tilapia or Tuna) sauteed in olive oil.
Beans: Pinto Beans/Lentils or Black Beans. Sometimes, I use Kidney Beans or Red Beans.
Dinner: Smaller Version of Lunch
Snack: Either Sugar free Popsicles or Tuna (I get those packets of smoked tuna or garlic/herb Tuna sometimes)
Sometimes, I’ll go to Chipotle and order a salad with beans and meat. I also ask them to put the peppers and onions in my order too. I get the mild salsa and have guacamole added. I also go to the local farmers market or Whole Foods and order food there if I am out and about. They’re usually pretty good about having black beans or lentils in their Deli area. Keep in mind that I nickname Whole Foods “Whole Paycheck”. Yikes, that place can get high!
Sometimes I eat Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts.
I’ve also learned how to cook a mean roasted asparagus and mushrooms recipe too.
Again, good luck in your journey. If it wasn’t so easy, I wouldn’t have stuck to this as long as I have. I work long hours and I’m trying to finish up Grad School, so I do what I can to make it as painless as possible, such as cooking all my meals the night before, and buying frozen vegetables and pre-cooked chicken, so all I have to do is cook most of my food in the microwave to save time.
I like this program, keeping the eating plan simple and making most meals “automatic” is working.
BUT
I noticed the title, lose 20 lbs of fat in 30 days w/o exercise.
Sounds great, but in the daily schedule Tim dials in 1.5 hrs of “sports training”
Is “sports training” exercise ?
Thanks,
DC
PS on this plan my appetite has plummeted!
i love it, thanks!
@dirk.
Tim dropped 20 lbs of fat and gained 34 lbs of muscle at the same time.
If you don’t exercise on this eating plan, you will lose fat and weight. With the high protein content, it is easy to build muscle. So if you do work out, don’t be surprised when your fat % is lower but you weigh the same.
Make sure you drink a ton of water..!!..
Without the carbs, your body will not hold as much in your cells and it is easy to get dehydrated. You’ll get cramps easier if you run/play sports.
Hey Tim and All,
Just wanted to post that I’ve been following this plan for a week and have dropped an initial 9 lbs.
Thanks Tim, for posting this, and thanks everyone else for posting extra tips and recommendations!
I’m going to follow this plan for 30 days and I’ll post my results at the end.
@Shrinking Leon ,
Thanks a lot for the detailed response.I got a fairly good idea……
hey by the way did u exercise during this diet plan.
I am starting from monday…. Wish me luck….
Thanks once again
Susana
Tim ,
Can u tell me which is the best way to measure the body fat .I am starting the diet from monday so want to measure it .
I workout at 6.30 in the morning.I used to drink milk before going to gym.Can u tell me what i can have before going to gym in the mornings instead of milk.and please mention how much time before the workout i should have it
Thanks
Susana
I have lost 15.5 lbs in 30 days by going completely off grains and potatoes. Body fat (simple calculation) has dropped from 27.9% down to 22.9%, waist to height ratio has dropped from 0.58 down to 0.54, BMI from 30.5 down to 27.4, and waist size down by 2.5 inches.
I have also been doing the 2-3x daily caloric intake once a week and the biggest daily weight losses always happen in the 1-2 days after this.
Exercise? I have only been doing a light amount of walking now and then.
Hello All, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. My way of eating (Tim’s way) is still working for me. I went to Europe for a couple of weeks at the beginning of August, which totally derailed me. Seems like I ate so much bread and french fries, that I would burst. I had to remember that I was on vacation, and would get back on track once my vacation was over. So now, I’m doing just that – getting right back on track.
However, I noticed that my weight lost seemed to slow down a bit. I was buying canned black beans and then started to cook my beans from scratch. The red beans from scratch were delicious and hearty (non-hormonal turkey breast, turkey sausage, green onions, bell peppers); however I think I was eating too much of them since I didn’t feel like the weight was coming off as it did before when I was eating them out of the can. I’m hoping a little adjustment will fix that. (comments??)
Anyway, when I started this plan I was weighing 155lbs and now I weigh 142lbs. I started in April ’09 and took my little 3-week hiatus and ate like a baby pig while in Europe and Paris. I’m 5’5″. My goal is to be about 135lbs or so.
I’ve also notice that I have more gas! Ugh! I take bean-o and at times it’s a hit and miss with that. That’s one of my biggest complaints – gas!
I also noticed that I really don’t enjoy my cheat days like I did when I first started this. The pain that comes after eating crap just isn’t fun at all. I even noticed that one day when I met some friends for lunch (not a cheat day) and decided to eat some pasta with alfredo sauce and a little salad and veggies – I thought I was still eating pretty good, but within 40 minutes of that meal, my stomach was soooo upset! I spent 20 minutes in the bathroom. I would have been better off taking that meal and flushing it down the toilet. (sorry if too graphic)….but that just shows me that my body is getting accustomed to eating healthy and will reject those things that aren’t.
Oh, I’ve boosted up my cardio and taken my weight training down a notch. Once I get to my goal weight I’ll add more weights.
So if I can offer any advice it would be to first, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and stick to the plan! I mean really, don’t put stuff in your body that’s not on the list – just don’t do it if you wanna see quick results.
I also just bought the book, “The Eat-Clean Diet” I figure I’d like to boost things up a bit and introduce other healthy foods into my diet.
If anyone has a good healthy suggestion for a salad dressing, please pass it along.
ONE QUESTION: Is it really possible to loose that baby fat pouch?? I have a 4 pack right now, but seems like that pouch will never go away – you know the one you get after having babies…..the lower abdomen bulge. Help!!
Stay encouraged everyone! You can do it.
Day 31! Pounds Lost 30!!!!!!
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Starting Weight: 297.8
Current Weight: 267.0
Weight Loss: 30 pounds!
Goal Weight: 196.0
Height: 6.3
Days on current lifestyle: 31
I had the most amazing week losing 5 pounds!!! It is getting better and the hour of exercise I have added in 5 days a week is doing wonders.
Tim you are seriously my hero!
Pat,
thanks for clearing that up.
It is such a relief that the appetite drops so much, food is just less an issue in general. Sometimes I slip and have 2-3 glasses of red wine instead of 1-2, but that is about it.
Cheat day was a bit of a let down. general tso’s chicken for lunch, pizza for dinner. I felt lousy! The beer was great though!
Gas, no problem, the more the better! Come on doesn’t everyone like crackin’ a few good loud air biscuits every once in a while !!
Love it!
Thanks !
@ Eric
Congrats on losing 30 pounds.Its incredible.I am starting the diet from monday… Did u take the mineral supplements mentioned by tim or did u reduce only by diet and excercise…
Can u also tell me what food do u have pre workout….
Do u do only weights or cardio as well….
Thanks
Susana
I jogg for 1 hour in the morning I then eat breakfast which is 3 eggs (remove the yolk from 2) Lunch usually includes some kind of meat grilled and then black beans and mixed vegetables. I then eat about the same thing for dinner.
Eric ,
Thanks for the reply…
Did u take any supplements mentioned by Tim in the blog like chromate etc
Thanks
no.
Hi Tim,
I want to tell you that I have now lost 26 lbs on your plan. I started in June and I’m 24 lbs away from my goal. It is the perfect diet for me. The Saturday free day and the wine has made this diet very doable for me. Thank you, thank you!!
Hello Tim,
My name is hadrian as you can guess and i am doing an assignment on fake diets and exercises for a health class, and from what ,y teacher said grains are needed to have a good diet, and that cutting out grains will make it harder to lose the wieght. wouldn’t eating whole grain work? i mean as long as you don’t eat the enriched white breads and grains you should be fine.
@Susana:
Yes, I work out at the gym about 4-6 days/week.
Good luck!
I have been on this diet for almost two weeks. I’m down a whopping 1 lb.
I’m 5’2 and started out 120lbs. I’d like to lose the 10 lbs I gained in the last year.
I’ve been religious about following the diet (ok, some milk in my morning coffee). My first Saturday off I gained 5 lbs. I kid you not, I just ate and ate, brownies, breads, ice cream, fruit, french toast. I had a major sugar crash. I’ve lost those 5lbs this week which I expected and am steady at the 1lb. loss.
I wish it would go faster, but I have to say that I find I have more energy on this diet than I’ve felt for a long time. I think the white sugars have really done a number on me so it’s nice to see that my body really does better without.
I’ve stopped exercising on this diet just to see what the diet does on its own. But I’ll start again after the first few weeks. I’ll update again.
You must really want to loose weight to be eating only foods that taste bad
Hi I started this diet on Thursday.I was 216 when I started.Thursday was hard.When I think about it I have never went without a carb in every meal and snack for that matter.
I started with my breakfast of a meat and scrambled eggs.Lunch would be a veggie and some baked chicken.At night I would eat the same as lunch.I have not been eating beans and no sugar.I have had some diet sodas and plenty of water.
I had a free day Saturday and did not go crazy.I had candy and fried chicken,etc..I checked scale Friday and I was 214.I checked today Sunday and I was 212.Thats 4 pounds in 4 days.I cannot believe it.I started on Saturday 20 mins on the tread mill.I started the treadmill because I am having a great side effect I am full of energy.But still that is good for me.I want to loose 25lbs.I think I am well on my way
Hi Laura ,
Happy to hear your progress.
What a coincidence.I am also 216 and i have started on sunday sept 20.Lets encourage each other and keep in touch.Keep posting your progress
I am having severe constipation since i have started with this diet.Did u have any such problems ?
All the best
Michelle
Hello all! Just starting my 4 week of this and the changes are amazing
1st week lost 7lbs
2nd week lost 5lbs
3rd week lost 2lbs = 14 lbs 1 stone
I lost a whole stone in just 3 weeks. Now I am into the losing the “cottage cheese” on the thighs. Every few days I am able to wear some “new” old clothes that I haven’t fti into in 3 years. I do a cheat day on Saturdays and go crazy on it. On Sundays its usually 3-4 lbs I’ve put on from cheat day but by Tuesday AM I’ve lost it all and back into losing the weight again.
I’ve started back into my weight’s at the gym; if I don’t do weights and core work a few times a week I few BLAH. Sundays is a bit of a tough day coming off the “free day” with the cravings but that disappears by Sunday night.
I follow the food guide posted and do my own research on foods if I’m not sure. No fruit, breads, rice, no pop (soda).
Ladies this works, I’m still losing weight even though I’ve re-introduced weight’s back into my routine. Now the muscle I’m gaining back weighs more than fat I’ve lost but muscle takes up less room in your body therefore looking more defined and feeling fab!
Love reading most of the posts; but suggest that people read the start of this whole blog at the top and read, read, read, before asking the same question for the 100th time.
NO FRUIT, RICE, PASTA, ETC ETC. READ AND DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
Donna
Good Morning! Does anyone have any suggestions for an alternative to cream/milk in coffee? I know the obvious – black coffee – but it’s so strong. There must be an alternative that I am not aware of out there that would work with this diet.
My other question is regarding the cheat day for others. I’ve noticed that whenever I go koo-koo bananas on a cheat day, it is extreemely hard to get back into the groove. Has anyone used the post-workout meal as a way to enjoy comfort food (aka – a potato, bread, rice, pasta, pizza) rather than go completely nuts on their cheat day and then deal with the sugar withdrawals?
I’m just wondering if you have experienced better results in craving satisfaction as a “reward” and refuel after a workout rather than eating everything you can’t eat during the week in one day. I can make myself so sick that way – ick!
Thanks!
~ Josette ~
Hi, everyone. It’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I am still on the diet, but the last couple of weeks, I was bad and added some sugar-free type desserts into my diet and I must say that I didn’t lose or gain a thing. So I stopped doing that all together. I just wanted to see what my body would do. Anyways, my question for anyone here…well it’s kind of embarrassing. It’s been bothering me since I started this and I thought maybe it’s because my body is just adjusting. Okay. My BM is quite irregular and frankly, not my usual amount. Is anyone else having this problem? I keep track of everything I eat and I have to say that since I started the diet, my fiber intake is spot on and my fat intake is less than the daily recommended serving. So could that be the culprit? I don’t have constipation. If anyone is going through the same thing, were you able to fix it by vitamins or anything? Let me know. 🙂
I am really proud that everyone that’s on this diet is sticking to it. Kudos to you. Tim, thanks again. This is truly the easiest thing. I don’t really gain any weight on my cheat days anymore. I have been exercising and that could also account for the reason I haven’t lost any weight for the past couple of weeks. Added core exercises too. Lightly. But will work those abs hard. My second week in of core exercises, I felt my ab muscles tighten for the first time. I thought I felt them before, but I guess not because I can totally tell now since a lot of belly fat is gone.
Start weight: 231
Current weight: 218
First goal weight: 199
Ultimate goal: 160 – 170 (I’m big boned and wore a size 6 at 160) Just want to be healthy really. It’s not like I have the same body as I did before kids.
🙂
I have been making this awesome “ceviche”. I just wanted to make sure that I can eat it. It consists of a couple of cans of diced tomatoes, avocado, lots of shrimp, cilantro, purple onion and cholula. I also eat beans either before or after the meal. I was just wondering about the tomatoes.
Thanks Michelle
I have Lost 2 more I am now 210.I weighed myself yesterday.The scale I have been using is one of those scales with the bar you slide.I work at a Golf course that has one in the locker room.I bought a new scale for home and it said 206.5.(no clothes).So I am going to stick with the 6 pounds loss.I have not been on this lifestyle diet a week yet.It will be a week thursday.I really like the way I feel on this diet.
I have not been constipated.I eat a lot of good veggies full of fiber and I am drinking a lot of water.So much that I am craving water. Also I am eating Almonds.
On my cheat day I think that I will use that day for a couple of beers or maybe a large fry.But nothing sweet because I felt sick over a snicker bar
I’m far too lazy to go through all the posts on this blog – did anyone find a snack consistent with the ingredients in Tim’s diet – not their own invention? It worked great for me, and now I’m helping my mum out. I tried to bake ‘chips’ out of mashed up pinto beans, and it turned out AWFUL. If someone could make pinto bean chips, they could sell it to the biggest loser and be a gazillionaire.
hey tim i m 110kg and i want to loose my weight very soon.So can you help me how to do it..please help me out with it..and am 19 yrs old.and a student..
Thats incredible and so simple…. I am 5.2 and weight 70kgs. im on a strict diet and used to always wonder what should i be eating. this will definitly help me. Also im taking a weight loss supplement of France Vita Natura which has bromelane from Pineapple, and they say it will help to reduce 20 kgs in 25 -30 days. Mail me if any comments on it…!
thank u 🙂
I am 5.2 and weight 70kgs. im on a strict diet work night shifts. I used to always wonder what should i be eating. this will definitly help me. Also im taking a weight loss supplement of France Vita Natura which has bromelane from Pineapple, and they say it will help to reduce 20 kgs in 25 -30 days. Mail me if any comments on it…!
thank u 🙂
Hi Laura ,
Good work.Keep Going…
I will also try almonds.How many do u have in a day…..
Whats your workout like ?
Tim ,
Can u suggest a pre workout snack.I workout early morning around 6 am
Thanks
Michelle
How about some salt and pepper for flavor?
Thanks
I eat maybe an ounce (about 24) in a day.Which I know that we are not counting calories but I still kinda keep a small track.Sometimes I have a cup of coffee and eat a few almonds.I am still having cream in my coffee but no other white carbs or dairy
I do 20 minutes in the morning on the tread mill.If I wake late I do 10 min and do 10 at night.I start at 3mph -3.3 and jog a little on 5mph to get the heart going.
I lost another pound I am at 209.I think that I am going to start doing some sit-ups maybe 20 a day to start.
I have been on this lifestyle change since January 1 and have done wonderfully! I lost 50 pounds of weight, l dropped my cholesterol 40 points, and lowered my blood pressure down to 125 over 88! I dropped so much weight I had to introduce oatmeal and wraps back into the diet. I still cheat on Saturday and still watch my food intake during the week. I also drink beer instead of eating fatty things late at night. What can I say, the beer makes me feel good about myself! Good luck! Again, THANKS AGAIN TIM!
I am now being called “skinny”, and hear “you have lost a lot of weight” – wonderful to hear! I have not been the most faithful on this diet, but I do try!
Now my jeans that were way too tight are too big!
I believe it is all from eating BEANS, drinking water and walking 4 miles a day!
Ok, I’m 20 years old, I have a 4 month old son. FATIGUE would describe how I feel throughout the day (and night). I am 217 lbs and 5″9. I was 185 when I got pregnant!! My stomach looks like a DEFLATED BALLOON! This Monday I am starting this diet on Monday, and hoping for the best!
Any advise would be very helpful!! I’m desperate!
Tim,
Thanks for sharing this diet plan. It’s helped me lose 40 (240 down to 200) pounds in the two months I used it. Recently, I’ve stepped away from dieting and now trying to get into a routine. I like this diet and it works for me, but I was looking into other ways to hack at weight. I’ve been tempted to do something which seems to be insane, the Danish Diet.
I just want to ask if you or anyone reading has any input on this diet. Maybe someone you know has done this diet? This diet seems like a challenge, but I’m not sure what kind of effects it would have on my body in the following months.
Thanks,
Aldo
Hi Guys – I have a question about protein powder. I have previously read all threads but can’t remember if this was covered.
I work out in the gym for 60 mins each day focusing on heavy weights/ low reps to build muscle. I follow the food plan here religiously but for convenience to add a bit more protein during the day I include protein powder with water.
I am currently using optimum nutrition which is 120 cals/ 2g fat/ 5g carbs/ 20g protein. 3-4 times a day.
I appreciate it’s unlikely Mr Ferris will be able to comment on this but would welcome anyone’s feedback or experience around this.
Thanks all.
Tim if you’re reading this congrats on the Israeli cover!
hi, i just read your article and want to start following..but i have a question..
i m a vegetarian so can i just follow the veg part of the above list..also as far as i know most of beans has calorie content of about 350kcal/100gms. hope thats not too high…
plus i would really appreciate if u would share some info about cellulite and how to get rid of it..
thanks.
Excellent article. I stumbled upon this earlier before I had known of Tim ferriss, but gave it a second and more scrutinized read the second go. I like the simplicity of the rules. Seems like this holds together (especially with the surprising tat-loss-inducing 1day/week junk food binge) with the repetitive no-white carb food groups and then repeating meals.
Currently I’ve been doing 2 meals a day at 8am and at 1pm. I have very different sleep schedule though and usually rise at roughly 1am and sleep by 6pm ish. This may fluctuate, but I hope it does not. I usually have a piece of fruit at 6am. The pork and beef look vile so those are out.
Substituting a lot of vegetarian-based protien (the beans, fallafel, etc) is good.
I’ve never been a diet person and loathe diets because most always induce yo-yoing. I’ve always had robotic eating patterns so that’s great repetitive nutrition is built into this diet.
Most diets people can’t stand to get off and yo-yo. Additionally, diet based on “1 pound of fat down!” 2 pounds of fat down! are fail. A diet cannot be weight-based or it will always, inevitably collapse. Has to be a nutrition restructuring relationship with your body (whatever that means, and I think that means. You have to like the new nutrition timing, amounts, and substance).
I like how you have set 3-4 categories and then 4-5 options from each of those for roughly 20 different foods you can have with each meal to pick and choose variety. That makes for easier grocery shopping too.
It’s easy to get creative and create good high-protien stirfries with a lot of spices and the like. anyways, cheers. I doubt I’ll try this completely because I don’t usually ever copy other people’s methods (it’s impractical because every lifestyle is so vastly different) but I have integrated a few ideas (like
the 20 food group selection array,
consistent eating times,
1 glass of wine/day is nice,
the caloric distribution in greens versus for example white rice (which I eat A LOT of) was interesting. About a 20:1 Rice:green caloric ratio. THAT’s FASCINATING and useful.
the junkfood day is also fairly practical.
In a lot of my massively alterred eating habit bouts (some of which have included fasts), you get this wave of junkfood eating when the interest dissipates or changes so it’s good that that’s built in.
Flexibility with adaptability some cool ideas. cheers.
So far this diet has helped me lose much of the weight I gained back after my accident. That fact is reflected much more in the fit of my clothes than by the scale, although I am consistently at least 8 pounds lighter on the scale, it will sweep widely in range.
I had some blood work done today, and my blood came out really slowly, and very thick. This is often attributed to dehydration, and I was asked to fast for 10 hours before having the blood drawn, so that could be the cause.
I’ve been continuing to drink my Yerba Mate throughout the day, and have added 23grams of 76% dark chocolate to snack on throughout the day when I feel I could use the additional theobromine. The 100 additional calories do not seem to have effected the performance of the diet. And in the serving size, even if I ate them all at once they would not have too much of a glycemic load.
Soups seem to be one of the easiest ways for me to add the vegetables into some meals. Last week I made a large batch of Mushroom Soup (three types of mushrooms, sauteed with onion, added to homemade chicken stock, then blended, and topped with a few drops of balsamic). This week I did a detox broccoli soup, just a ton of broccoli in chicken stock, then blended.
For snacks I tend to stick with carrots, celery, and broccoli with hummus. This week it’s a black bean hummus, which seems to be the most healthy so far mostly due with how little Tahini you need to use. Next week I’ll try an Edemame Hummus. The black bean hummus is just two cans of drained black beans in a food processor, with as many cloves of garlic and chopped jalepeno as you prefer, and 2 tablespoons of Tahini in a food processor.
Dried Edamame has been my go-to car trip snack. And I’ve been buying frozen shelled Edamame at Costco, and a little goes a long way to making me feel full.
The Crockpot seems to be a good friend on this diet as well, for making large batches of meat at a time. 5-6 chicken breasts, two types of beans, some tomato, onion, peppers, and spices. And then let it go all day. Another Crockpot favorite of mine when I’m craving Beef is a Brisket, Browned on the stove and then thrown into the Crockpot, with a large jar of pepperoncinis with liquid dumped on top. Gives you a great mildly spicy shredded beef dish that can be served with beans and veggies. And takes no time or effort. Two ingredients is about as good as it gets.
Week 5. Pounds Lost = 33 Pounds!
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Starting Weight: 297
Current Weight: 264
Weight Loss: 33 pounds!
Goal Weight: 196.0
Height: 6.3
This week was a bit harder. We were out on a break for one week and I had some up and downs, but I still lost 3 pounds!!!!!!!
Hey Tim,
I’m going to start this program ASAP. You said you can eat as much of the following foods as you want, now what would be a suggested limit if you had to say one. I read through the first 2 pages and couldn’t find any limit.
hey,
my name is mat and ive desparately wanted to lose fat for a while now. im not lazy im very active i go to the gym almost everyday. im very muscular but it doesnt look like it bc i wiegh 270 pounds. ive tried alot of different diets and none of them seemed to work that well can someone give me a sample diet to start out on, maybe someone like me that goes to the gym alot…. im away at school and id really like to lose 30 pounds for when i go back home for thanksgiving. this diet seems amazing hope to hear from someone. Thanks
This diet makes perfect sense!
I’m a 5’4 39 year old female weighing in @ 194lbs. My lowest weight was 119 so needless to say I feel horrible! My goal weight is 130, which I think is realistic for my age & body frame. W/O a doubt I know I can stick to this diet, but main concern is working out b/c I am totally out of shape! So my question is: what kind of low impact workout regimen should I follow to effectively see weight loss results while on this diet?
I’m starting this tomorrow and have a couple questions…is vinegar allowed? Is fish as your only meat source okay? Nuts okay?
one more question…are any vegetables off limit?
I hopes it works for you like it did for me.
Thank U Eric!…does anyone know what we are supposed to do 4 dairy?…can we drink skim milk?
hey all my name is amani i have problems in losing wieght i have fat in my stomch and legs and i need help plz tell me if these diet realy work coz i hate my sealf in these look thx alot
i will try it starting from Monday with me luck
hi tim its been 6 days in this diet for me and its working for me thnx but i have something to ask according to your diet i can take a day off it can be any day after 6 days of non carb food but if in some weeks i cut the days in 5 will it effect the proses? thnx
is barely considered a white carb, or another legume to eat besides black beans
Tim, earlier in the month you said you are working on a book specific to this plan…any idea when it will be coming out?
I just spent a couple hours reading the entire first 3 1/2 pages and then started skimming for just your entries because a lot of the posts from other people, while supportive, aren’t in line with what I want to do. I will go back and read them though when I have more time. I want to stick 100% to the plan. I don’t want to substitute because I don’t like something. I don’t need variety. I get that dairy and fruits are off limits.
I have been a vegetarian for the last nine years and contrary to what Peta likes to push and the popular opinion out there, I have not lost weight…I have gained it and I was eating healthy and exercising. When I first started being vegetarian I did drop a lot of weight but then I plateaued and no matter what I tried (even exercising 2 hours a day with weight training and interval training included and dropping my calories to 1100-1300 a day) worked. Nothing. And I have a lot of weight to lose, not just 10-30 pounds or something.
This month I came off being vegetarian and started including eggs, tuna and salmon in my diet. At the same time I re-injured my knee out hiking and can barely walk on it so I haven’t been exercising and low and behold I’ve lost 10 pounds. That was before I found your plan and now I came across this and I want to commit to it 100% and see what results I get.
My questions are:
When is your book coming out?
Is just sticking with tuna and salmon as my meat sources in line with the plan?
I read Garbanzo beans are off limits, but I don’t think that was coming from you. Are they off limit?
Thanks,
Shannon
hey tim , i came across this website when i was researching losing weight in 30 days. i have a few questions ( sorry if they’ve been asked before but i don’t have time to read all the posts)
1- I have insulin resistance so i was wondering if this diet is similar to the insulin resistance diet or if it will help treat it and also help me lose weight
2- i have to have coffee with milk in the morning , so is it ok if i have skimmed milk
3- what are the serving sizes? are they limiltless ? to what extent?
4- in the insulin resistance diet fruit is allowed but is supposed to be taken alone . Is that the case in your diet?
sorry for the number of questions but i’ve gained 50 kgs over 7 years , am 35 years old and 5 ft 2 so you can imagine how i feel . thanx
oh , and i forgot to ask … are we allowed nuts? when and how much? thanx
whats a good diet to start on? anyone wanna let me in on what they eat thru out the day
@Mat My diet is simple…but youd probably want to add more stuff to yours because your a man and need more calories.
Breakfast – Scrambled egss and refried beans
Lunch – What ever I had left over from dinner the night before plus Pinto Beans, Black Beans or Refried Beans
Dinner – Steak,Chicken, or Pork Chop with Broccoli. I dont like to eat the beans at dinner because I really never liked eating carbs after noon. But you should because you need them
If you find thats not enough food make extra meat and eat that when you are hungry. I drink at least 2 litres of water a day, sometimes more, and one diet soda with dinner. I’m also bad in that I drink about 4-5 cups of coffee a day! lol Good Luck! This way of eating has worked wonders!!
well i started this diet on sunday sept 27th my weight then was 224.5. everything went well never felt hungry, so on monday morning i weighed my self again sept 28th 220.5 !! i weighed myself again on 29th of sept 216.5 !!! am i doing something wrong?? i increased my meals from 4 to 5 because i thought i was losing weight to fast. my stats are 5’9 was at 224.5 🙂 medium build age 42. My workout routine is boxing/martial arts and my nordiac track for fun and cardio.
out of curiosity, wouldn’t exercise indicated towards fat loss like HIIT help in increasing the fat lost in the same amount of time?
just started this diet last week. Hoping this really works!
One question before I try this out! What’s a good Vegan suggestion for breakfast? I don’t know how to make tofu and seitan sound tasty for the protein portion of my breakfast meal. I typically just have a grapefruit for breakfast, but it sounds like I’ll need to change that.
Hi Laura ,
Hows the progress ? I lost 5 pounds in week 1
Tim ,
Is tofu allowed in this diet ?
Hi Michelle
I am 204.5.Today is almost two weeks since I started.I try to go all out on Sat but I don’t gain anything.I may have to stop sweets all together.They make me sick and give me a headache.I have started to notice in the way that my clothes are fitting that I have lost some weight.I have been losing my weight all over.My thighs and my stomach.11.5 pounds in two weeks OMG.I have been on my treadmill and have to increase the speed to get my heartrate going.I just need to keep going.I don’t expect to lose 7lbs a week like at first.If I can continue with 2-3 I would be happy.I need about 15 more lbs to reach my goal
//// I wish I could edit my old post! After more research, I found vegan options for breakfast.
For now, it’s 2 veggie dogs, black beans, and microwaved mixed veggies for breakfast. Lunch is pre-marinated tofu (like WildWood or from the deli), large romaine salad topped with salsa and black beans. Dinner will be more tofu, pinto beans, and a spinach salad with balsamic vinegar or microwaved veggies. I only have about 10-15lbs to lose (I’m 5’6″ at 135 lbs) to be at my Los Angeles beach-ready body and hopefully these eating changes help me lose a few lbs. I’m also doing really tough 1-hour gym classes at the gym a few times a week (varies between 2-6).
Because of my work schedule, I can only eat at 9am, 1pm, and 7pm each day, so I hope only 3 meals is OK. Maybe I can have 10 almonds as a 3pm snack? Unsure what to do. Anyway I can’t wait for Saturday!! Looking forward to all these vegan foods I love (vegan mac n cheese, chocolate mousse, lots of fruit, oatmeal, cookies…). Thanks for the straightforward plan, Tim!
well i started this diet on sunday sept 27th my weight then was 224.5. everything went well never felt hungry, so on monday morning i weighed my self again sept 28th 220.5 !! i weighed myself again on 29th of sept 216.5 !!! am i doing something wrong?? i increased my meals from 4 to 5 because i thought i was losing weight to fast. my stats are 5?9 was at 224.5 🙂 medium build age 42. My workout routine is boxing/martial arts and my nordiac track for fun and cardio.
//// I wish I could edit my old post! After more research, I found vegan options for breakfast.
For now, it’s 2 veggie dogs, black beans, and microwaved mixed veggies for breakfast. Lunch is pre-marinated tofu (like WildWood or from the deli), large romaine salad topped with salsa and black beans. Dinner will be more tofu, pinto beans, and a spinach salad with balsamic vinegar or microwaved veggies. I only have about 10-15lbs to lose (I’m 5’6″ at 135 lbs) to be at my Los Angeles beach-ready body and hopefully these eating changes help me lose a few lbs. I’m also doing really tough 1-hour gym classes at the gym a few times a week (varies between 2-6).
Is it ok that I only eat 3 meals because of my schedule? I eat at 9am, 1pm, and 7pm. I’m not sure what’s vegan that I can have as a snack at 3pm that I can keep at my desk (can’t get snacks from fridge unless during mealtime). Almonds or walnuts? Anyway I look forward to Saturday and all the good things I can feast on (albeit vegan, hehe). Thank you for making such a great straightforward plan, Tim!
I’m on my second day and I’ve lost 4lbs already! So excited, I’ve been consistantly gaining weight over the past couple years and have gained 20lbs, all in my tummy, booty and thighs. Too much pizza and beer and not enough working out. I want to fit into my clothes again! This diet is perfect; easy and cheap with results and you can drink wine!? Awesome 🙂
Day 2
Age: 27
Height: 5’4″
Starting Weight: 138
Current Weight: 134
LBS Lost: 4
Goal Weight: 120
I realize this is probabaly all water weight, since I drank a ton yesterday and don’t usually drink much water at all. It’s encouraging though 🙂
Hi! Im a 12 year old girl who is very over weight and really could use some help. Im 5’7 ft . I hate having to wear full bathing suits and not bikinis and i hate no being able to wear shorts and not being able to wear tank tops because all my fat just shows right through. I’m ok at long dinstance running but…. i tend to walk a bit.
Could anyone suggest some sort of diet to fit my lifestlye
( PLUS I’M NOT OVERWEIGHT BECAUSE I EAT CANDY, ITS BECAUSE I EAT TO MUCH OF ONE THING)
I’m looking to loose some weight BEFORE Christmas 2009!
Ok so.. I did a running course before summer and i lost nothin and i put 3kg on over summer so that did no good! PLEASE HELP !
I am really surprised by page 6. It seem you all either did not read the article in entirety, or chose to ignore it altogether. Note, I mean no harm here, I really do not. Page 6 has many successes stories, as for the questions, I think most of them were answered, actually all of them were answered, in Tim’s initial post. The community here, especially Eric and the cheer leader, who seems to have disappeared are especially useful, and friendly to boot.
Good luck everyone. And to post…following the rules…no rice is okay…no sweet/yam/lame potatoes are okay…twice baked does not matter…damn good with cheese though (right, not allowed). Tofu is a *great* vegetarian option. Eggs are god (egg whites even, and for some a vegetarian option as well). Hummos is a luxury, nuts as legumes are beyond luxury unless you can somehow only eat 6-8 at a time (good luck folks, a snickers is more satisfying)…
Sorry to carry on…I just think the questions are getting a little repetitive. I am more interested in results at this point, and many of you…seriously hats off…thank you for recipes and stories. /salute
Michelle, No offense, Tofu is soy…check protein in tofu vs eggs, then check fat in tofu vs eggs, then check calories in a serving of tofu vs eggs,
Next, tofu comes from Tim’s favorite food group.
Tofu…rocks…
On the topic of soy – I noticed some pre-flavored soy blocks (like WildWood) can have 15g of carbs per 3oz, whereas some have 5g and some have maybe 1g. At what point are the carbs too high per 3oz of tofu? Would love to not have to eat it plain always (the plain tofu is the one with 1g carb). Thanks!
@ chunky
thanks for the info, but i have a couple more questions like is milk ok to drink? and i workout and the gym alot and when i come home i usually have a protien shake. Is that fine to have?
Hi I have been following this diet for a few weeks now and have lost about 10 pounds. The only problem I am having is a delayed menstrual cycle. Are any of the ladies on this diet having a similar issue? The diet is actually very healthy and low fat, so I am not sure if it would have any effect on this.
Tim ,
I really need some help.Please kindly answer to my post.
I am on the second week of your diet.First week i lost 6 pounds.Then i had my cheat day on saturday and i started having my mensutral cycle for three days starting saturday.During those three days i did not eat beans or lentils but had salads and meat only.I noticed that during my periods also i get very hungry when i get up in the morning and feel extremely restless if i dont eat anything as soon as i wake up.My periods stopped and For the past two days morning i am not able to workout in the gym.I am feeling very weak and light headed.And i return back from the gym in ten minutes and lie down for most of the mornings.
I am hypothyroidic and on medication.I want to know if the problems were due to insufficient calories or anything else ?
I also want to know what is the recommended gms of carbohydrate in this diet for a day ( from the alllowed foods like beans , lentils and veges )so that i can make sure i eat so much to avoid such problems as i want to continue the diet… Please help Tim.I know u r a busy person…. please help
Thanks
Michelle
Tim ,
sorry for leaving two in a row… I do weights three times a week for an hr.But i did not take any white carbs after the weight training sessions.
Is having white carbs after a resistance training is a must to replace glycogen back to the muscles or can i skip it and follow the diet to maximise weight loss ?
Thanks
Michelle
Michelle,
I noticed a post very early in this thread (maybe page 1 somewhere) where one of the women was experiencing period problems. She said her period was irregular and her periods ended up stopping all together after a few weeks. She then went on to say that if, instead of having a cheat day every week, she had a cheat every TWO weeks, then her periods became normal again. Perhaps this may work for you. Sorry i cannot be of any more help. I just thought you may want to know this information. All the best!
Good Luck everyone!
Week 6. Pounds Lost = 31 Pounds!
Age: 17
Sex: Male
Starting Weight: 297
Current Weight: 266
Lowest Weight: 264
Weight Loss: 31 pounds!
Goal Weight: 196.0
Height: 6.3
This week was one of the toughest I went up 3 pounds but I am still excited. I just need to remember I’ve lost 31 pounds which I have never been able to do but the fact that I found two of those punds was and is hard for me.
I think it was because I had one wedding and a family reunion. I thought I could stay strong but when people were there saying you look so good just take theses few days off. Well, I did.
The most unhealthy thing I ate was a massive serving of these seasoned cheese potato wedges toped with sour-cream and bacon. And it was delicious! I hope to get back on track this week. God bless!
What happened to my comment?
@ Mat Tim says that dairy is prohibited unless its your cheat day…but he also says that you can have these items post workout. In my oppinon I would not go crazy until cheat day. And I have never drank protien shakes…and someone correct me if im wrong but this diet has a ton of protien in it already…you might have bowel problems if you add a ton more. But I could be wrong.
@ Sunny – Sorry men but she asked the question! Yes i had the same problem this last month…i am NEVER late and i was late by 8 days. I took 5 pregnancy tests because that was very abnormal. I didnt put it down to the diet though…but now that someone else has had the problem…maybe I should keep an eye on it!
Keep up the good work everyone!
My weigh-in this morning, day 4
Starting weight: 138
Current weight 130!
It’s hard to believe the scale sometimes. I’m feeling great about the weight loss, but realizing I truely hate pinto beans. I’m almost gaging now when I eat them so I’ll be switching to new beans soon…maybe black… Unfortunately I have an event tonight which is forcing me to have my ‘dieters gone wild day’ a bit early. I’m afraid it will ruin my progress, so I’m not overdoing it, but raisin bran for breakfast was heaven! Next week is going to be a long one! Best of luck everyone!
Apologizing for my above posts and my haste – I finally read all the comments. 🙂
I figured out my vegan gameplan and have been doing it for 4 days, and with fingers crossed, it’ll work. I feel lighter already and am very confident in future results. I have my meals figured out for the next 1-2 weeks:
Breakfast is Veggie dogs, refried beans, steamed veggies.
Lunch is baked tofu, lentils, and broccoli.
Dinner is baked tofu, lentils, and broccoli.
So far so good. Never hungry. I am careful not to mess around – no sneaking snacks, no prohibited foods, no coffee, extra salt, etc until Saturday. My only regret is our iron-clad work schedule where I can only eat at 8am, 1pm, 7pm. Four meals would be ideal. Because sugar rushes and dairy give me painful acne, my cheat day will consist of vegan treats made from dates and “slower” sugars that processed sugar.
And for anyone saying they don’t have time, I hope you find an hour or so, make your meals, and prepare to succeed. I work literally 100-hour workweeks (thankfully I’m on hiatus half the year :P) surrounded by delicious free catered food and desserts and plenty of stress, and still have an iron will and time to make my food at night because I know this plan will work. Let’s do it!
Hi Chunky- I am releived to see your comment. I am actually ok now, but I did some research and found out that through diet, some woman can actually decrease/improve their menstrual cycle and or stop it all together no complaints here with that:). It specifically points out to eating legumes and vegetables. Thanks for answering my question. Everyone here has been very helpfull with all their tips and answers. Good luck to everyone!!
Tim,
Quick question. What is the typcal amount of calories you consumer sun.-fri.?