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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Started this diet almost two weeks ago – and here’s what I’ve got so far:
1/4/10 – 1/17/10
Height: 6’1″
Starting weight: 219 lb
Current Weight: 214 lb
Goal: 175 lb
I drink water whenever I think about it and I eat just about the same things every day:
Morning – Egg whites & 2 slice of bacon ( I know bacon isn’t the best choice, but I’m a college student and there isn’t much more than that and eggs in the slow carb/ no carb category)
Lunch – Chipotle burrito bowl (Black beans, peppers, chicken, tomato salsa, guacamole)
Snack – sometimes I eat some peanuts or pistachios during the day if I’m hungry
Dinner – Chicken, lima beans, and a salad (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, oil/vinegar). Sometimes I eat another burrito bowl instead.
My daily normal intake usually adds up to about 1000-1500 calories and on my cheat days (2 so far) I’ve been eating about 3000 or so.
It feels really great to lose a few pounds and I’ll update again in a couple of weeks.
I have the same question as Jan (comment 15021 on the “24 hours with Tim Ferriss” post) which didn’t get answered: on here it says it’s okay to have white carbs after resistance training. What about endurance training or martial arts like Jiu-jitsu or Taekwondo?
Less ideal but, in general, a small amount — less than 50g — is fine.
Tim
Two weeks results are posted on my blog. More weight loss, some muscle gain and lots of inches from my “problem” areas 🙂 ON TO CHEAT DAY!
Here is my take on the Turkey Chili recipe. It tastes FANTASTIC…there is a little prep work, but once you make it the first time no sweat:
4 15oz. cans chili beans (2 black, 2 pinto)
1 can green chiles (diced or whole – usually a 6-9oz. can)
2 15oz. cans petitie diced tomatoes
1 zucchini, handful of mini carrots, handful of spinach, 1/2 butternut squash, 1/2 acorn squash – all finely chopped in food processor
1lb. (roughly) ground turkey
4 Tbs. Chili Power (to taste)
1 Tbs. Cumin
2 Tbs. Tobasco
2 Tbs. Sea Salt
2 Tbs. Pepper
dash of cinnamon if you like
Croc-pot for 12 hours or so – taste at 8 hours for salt and/or chili powder.
@duke
I would think Sriracha would be 100% fine. Lord knows, I use enough Tobasco to choke a horse…
@Matt We will be fixing your chili tomorrow for dinner 🙂 Sounds great
Tim, you have a couple ideas that my wife and I have incorporated into the weight loss routine: one free day a week and swearing off white carbs. We have both been successful in losing weight and am now down to the last stubborn few pounds around the middle. Anyway, thanks for size reference in the photos as it really helps folk understand how big portion sizes should be.
One substitute I like for bread is Ezekiel bread which uses sprouted grains and is much healthier than whole grain. They make tortillas too.
RC
cool post.
love how you put the times of day you eat at. everyone always gives me heaps for my body clock but looks like its more common than I thought.
Im big on spirulina tablets and powder in the morning and night + lots of water!
ok i’m in!
i feel like a pig today…weighing in at a porky 163 lbs.
even though i’ve been working out, i’ve managed to pack on a cellulitey 10lbs over the holidays. small wonder that 10lbs of peanutbutter fudge would do that.
so now i really need to lose 20lbs! can’t believe i’ve let myself get this pathetic!
i’ll be shopping later today to get my ingredients for turkey chili. thankfully i love spinach, chicken, beans and fish. unfortunately my love for chocolate, cake and cookies runs deep. i’m hoping i can over come this until its a habit and i won’t miss it…in like 3 wks.
wish me luck!
Hello to all of you,
I am 15 years old . I am not overweight but I have to lose 10 kg because of a performance. Is that diet good for my health or dangerous?
Please answer my question . My thanks in advance!
OH MY GOD IT WORKS.i was forty pownds one day i was walking to work and somegirl said have you lost weight.i was like wow.thanks mate i ow you one
Hi, i’ve been on the diet for about a week and have lost 9lb, and feel great im not tired or hungry but im running out of ideas to make for beans. Anyone know some good quik recipes? and can we use butter on this diet for cooking or sauting veggies?
i’ve been on this diet for 3 months now and i can say that if you do it right and add excercise to the mix it will work. it is hard to stay away from carbs cause the damn things are evereywhere but i have already lost 50 pounds (started at 305, currently 253) . i feel great and plan to keep losing weight. thanks to mr ferriss for this. your diet changed my life.
Hey all,
im 15 and around 113-116 lbs. I’ve been dieting and lost weight but not to my goal 99-100. At the beginning of the summer last year i weighed 141 lbs and since ive started my diet i was 132. im thinking about trying this diet but im not sure if it’ll work for me. If i eat only two meals, cause thats how much i have time for and comfortable with, and in small amounts will i lose twenty in a month?
Please answer!
12-12-09
27 years old, 6’0, 191 lbs
1-20-10
6’0 177.6
It works, I went from 191 on 12-12-09, to 177.6 as of today. I was short of the 20, but this has been the easiest weight i have ever lost, by just eating the way you are supposed to and not any junk. I also studied the GI index and GI Loads. I know Tim says ignore those to keep your eyes on this diet but my curiosity got the best of me. There’s TONS of info on youtube and across the net on refined grains and other things we assume are healthy (and are somewhat, i guess), but make you store excess fat and shock your body when consumed.
I do cardio about 3 times a week and weights 4-5 times a week. Maybe I have gained a pound or 2 of muscle too. I haven’t been in the 170’s since I was in high school, so I told everyone that if i break the 170’s its no BS, so here i am. I weigh myself every few days or so, early in the morning, empty stomach, and after I “Use the restroom”. I figure thats about the time the variables that effect weight will be the most constant. If Im wrong, Im wrong, but im happy with it. I’m going to keep going until my body levels out unless I get too skinny. Which may end up happening.
The funny thing is i have a buddy at work that saw what i was doing and decided to give it a try. He was a little more overweight than me, but he has lost THIRTY pounds in the same month. No bull, its so easy there’s gotta be something wrong..we’ll see.
thank you for the chili recipe, matt – will make it today…. looks delish
can someone tell me if we can have a liiitttttle bit of sour cream with the chili? sorry, i tried to find the answer in the 2000 posts, but to no avail….
am doing fairly well on this – unfortunately, i did have dessert last night (awkward moment at dinner party, just decided not to make a thing about it) so i guess i derailed a bit, but back in the saddle today…. have not done a weigh yet, saving that for friday.
and i would also like to know re butter for sauteing eggs/veggies whatever…
ta
@Amy
Losing 10 kilos for a 15 year old who is not overweight seems like too much – you probably ought to ask your doctor first.
@ Elsie
From reading much of this blog, I gather that a little bit of sour cream w/ the chili, while not recommended, probably wouldn’t create much of a problem.
And in regards to the butter – it’s ~100 calories/tbsp. I would use it sparingly if at all.
Tim, you wrote on andy’s comment about eating carbs after a workout, and you mentioned to only eat 50 grams or less, but in your personal diet you show eating a “post workout pizza”, what is the difference? Also what is the benefit to eating carbs after a workout…I don’t understand. One more thing, can I eat nuts on this program? if so, what kinds and how much…
Are walnuts and almonds alright as snacks?
Wilcox,
There is no “benefit” to eating white carbs after you strength training. The idea is that you are able to do so without hurting your diet. For example, if you cannot stand to be on this diet unless you eat a piece of fruit/candy/ whatever every day, then you should eat these things only within an hour or so of strength training (20+ mins)
And as Tim has said previously: nuts are okay, but be mindful that a handful of them could be 200-300 calories. Tim suggests eating no more than 10 nuts per day, however I will oftentimes eat whatever the package considers 1 serving – though I don’t eat nuts every day.
[…] still trying to figure out the perfect diet to go with this workout. Am strongly influenced by Tim Ferris’s crazy diet, but find it hard to maintain since I don’t cook myself. Would love suggestions from anyone […]
Prefer the Mediterranean Diet myself for longer-term health and weight management.
Fast weight loss doesn’t really work, regardless of the method. A sudden drop of calories causes the body to scream out for replacement calories which then causes people to regain their weight and a bit more.
The body needs time to adjust to its new weight, so a slow and steady step-down approach is the right way to lose weight for longer-term benefits.
I’ve been following this for 5 days and have already lost 4 pounds and can see the difference in my face. My weight is all in my upper body, so I’m hoping the change at the end of 30 days will be dramatic. I’m documenting my journey on my blog. Really excited about finding something that is actually causing me to lose fat.
Hey Tim,
Thanks for sharing this information. I’m interested in trying it but I have one concern. I live in Costa Rica and since you mention it as a destination in your book I assume that you know we have a great selection of fresh fruits here. What about fruits like Papaya, Mango, or Cas?
Also, you said no milk…I assume that Café con leche is out! What about a little skim milk.
Thank you for taking the time,
Carlos
My progress so far 😀
January 4th: 200.6 lbs
January 23: 184 lbs
I must confess I preety much messed things this last week, so I´ve not lost a single pound from monday till now. Damn white carbs!!
But I´m very happy with the results anyway!! Now that I’m getting rid of the fat, I want to put some muscle in. I read that this very same diet is good for gaining muscle (adding more proteine and the appropriate excercise, right?).
But I dont know if I should meet my weight-loss goal first, or start building muscle right away. Advice plz???
Regards!!
on week 2 of this diet. Inbetween the past 6 days I have lost 1.47% bodyfat. I do this by using a calipur to measure loss. To ensure I don’t have denial I measure 3-5 times, always writing down the highest measurement and the lowest, and all measurements in between to find the average.
I’m going to go to the gym this week because im sure it will improve my results but I’ll try to keep it at a 20 minute minimum 1hr maximum.
Good times!
Hi everyone,
This diet along with the Colorado style workout plan seem quite intriguing. The only thing is, I by NO means want to LOSE weight. Yes, you heard right. I am 16 years old, 5′ 10″, and weigh in at around 100. I can’t seem to gain weight, but just a few weeks ago i started a daily workout plan with 20 minutes of running followed by an hour of weight training. I honestly think i was doing way more than needed, the exact opposite of the “less is more” saying. I have gained a couple pounds, but this seems so much more effective because of the diet. By doing this diet, along with working out will I effectively gain weight (muscle, along with losing fat)?
Thanks,
Alex
Tim…
Just finished reading a fascinating book, that if you haven’t already read (and from your diet above I think not :P) I STRONGLY recommend that you do…
It’s called “In Fitness and In Health” by Dr Philip Maffetone (buy on Amazon like any good book :P)… it can only improve on the direction you are going and knowledge you have.
– Caroline.
hello, Tim~ I was wondering if you know anything about the blood type “diet.” The foods that you suggest are ALL on the “do not eat for type B” list. I started your eating plan, but noticed my belly fat was increasing. Is there a reason why you chose the beans you did? Are there other beans that a “type B” may eat? Thanks!
Can all the vegans post their recipes for this? I am looking for a proper method of implementing this diet that is easy to do (same meals every day) but still provides me with enough calories, protein, and fiber. Based on the math alone, quinoa and black beans can provide enough protein and calories to combat meat, and brown rice protein (in particular, SunWarrior’s version is AWESOME) can supplement workouts.
The only question here is what is the target amount of food to make each day? I suppose I could experiment on this for the next few weeks and see what I can do, but if anyone knows the answer I’d love to see it.
ok
Hi, I am trying this diet, I’m a 5’7″ male, 24 years old, 174lbs. I’ve been going to the gym and eating better for the last 2 months and have lost about 10-12 pounds and gained a bit of muscle. I want to lose another 15-20.
My question is I really enjoy eating the cans of baked beans in tomato sauce (Heinz). I was wondering if these were healthy and would go fine with this diet? I wouldn’t be eating them every meal, maybe just in the mornings with my eggs. Each can is just under 400ML and it lasts about 3-4 meals.
What a great resource and group of inspirational posts/stories!
Tim,
I’m curious about Omega 3’s. I enjoy oily fish at least 2-3X/week and have never considered a supplement since I think my levels of fish consumption may satisfy the “requirement” and/or benefits associated w/n-3 fatty acids.
IF I were to incorporate a supplement, would be a risk of kidney stones or some other adverse consequence? I’m VERY calculated w/supplement use and hate to waste a product if I’m getting full benefit from my diet.
Thanks and keep up the great work! I’m REALLY loving the fitness/physical performance aspects of your Experiments in Lifestyle Design.
There’s good news for people who like their wine and want to lose weight. Check out at Google:
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All you need to know about wine drinking and how to lose weight!
[…] during the week on Saturday (or one day a week, it doesn't matter which). More info here: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise The benefits of this is that you lose a minimal amount of muscle, so it's unlikely you'll look too […]
Hey, i eat clean most days but really want to know, can you eat as much as you want of all that stuff you said to eat? like if i ate 2000-2500 of high protein and mixed with good amounts of vegatables i will lose weight?
having trouble knowing as i am in the gym 6 days a week and always east about 1500-2000 bout burn 300 to 500 – calories in cardio and some times 800 two days a week ? advice Tim please dont want to lose muscle if i am doing this wrong but i feel only way for me to get above 300 grams protein is going over 2000 calories help?
Been reading this blog for a while now and finally thought I’d post. I’ve been going 2 weeks strong, and am down almost 15lbs! I have this “lose 30 before I’m 30 years old” plan and I’m no halfway there with 4 months to go.
I’ve been trying to stick as close to Tim’s original post as possible, and it seems to be working well. I do egg-whites. lentils and broccoli in the AM, an burrito bowl (chicken. black beans, veggies) for lunch, then chicken, lentils and assorted veggies for dinner. All followed with some delicious red wine before bed.
I admit I’m already bored with the meals, but the results I’m seeing so far make it a minimal concern. I add some different seasonings or light sauces to the chicken to mix it up.
I also started taking the supplements Tim recommended. Slo-Niacin, ChromeMate, Policosanol, plus a Centrum daily chewable before bed.
I’ve also been tracking my calorie intake on livestrong – not surprisingly, I’m usually 300-400 calories below the recommended amount I set (recommended amount was based on losing 2lbs per week).
I’ve only had one cheat day so far, but am looking forward to my second one tomorrow. I may have overdid it last week, as I consumed almost 5,000 calories, where normally I’m coming in around 1,200 – 1,300 🙂 Surprisingly, that huge cheat day last week didn’t set me back too far, as I was back to my pre-cheat weight by Monday morning.
I don’t like exercise, and haven’t committed to it as part of my weight loss plan, but some folks at work get me to do 30-45 minutes on a elliptical or bike a couple times a week. Not sure if that’s enough that it really has an impact or not, but at least it gets me off my butt.
I’m interested to see how the next 2 weeks go. I’m under 200lbs for the first time in years, and my goal is 185.
I just started this on Monday. It’s been hard — I am a total carb addict. Almost all of my meals include some kind of bread, rice or pasta (especially bread!) and I don’t always make the most healthful choices. The beginning of this week, I actually was really tired a lot. At this point, though, afternoon on a Friday, I am beginning to feel a bit better!
I’ve taken a starting weight, but I am trying my best not to weigh more than once a week. I’ll keep coming back with some updates as we go further along, and especially as I add in some of the exercise I’ve been meaning to do!
Next week will be the start of the super-strict adherance. I’m afraid I’ve had some corn and other questionable vegetables along the way, as well as not totally giving up cheese.
[…] Food Been discussing this Slow-Carb thing lately with a girlfriend. I haven’t been following it very strictly, but definitely […]
Here’s my quick and easy Taco Salad recipe that follows this diet pretty well. Feel free to play with different amounts or ingredients, it’s pretty open-ended:
Cook the following:
*1/2 lb ground meat (last night I used deer from a recent hunting trip, very tasty)
*Fajita seasoning and/or garlic salt, to taste
*1/2 a white onion, diced
*1/2 a green bell pepper, diced
*1/2 cup of frozen corn
*1 can black beans
*1 can diced tomatoes
In a big bowl, add:
*chopped lettuce
*diced cilantro (optional, I know people pretty much love it or hate it)
*slightly crushed tortilla strips/chips (Also optional. They add a nice crunch, but they also add some carbs. You might want to skip them unless you just got done with a workout)
*shredded cheese, mexican blend
*ranch dressing (optional, it can help everything stick together better, but check to see that it fits with your carb and fat needs/goals)
Put the cooked stuff on top, stir it all up, and voila!
I am fortunate enough to have a metabolism that does not allow me to put on weight no matter what I eat…. although I do not eat a lot.
Just wondered if I am trying to gain weight and muscle does the strict avoidance of carbs matter in my case?
Starting Weight (10/18/2009): 260lbs
Today’s Weight (01/30/2009): 213.4
Wow! This is the first time I’ve been less than 215 since my freshman year of college! I hit a bit of plateau after getting down to 220 on Christmas. I was eating the same, drinking the same, etc and and stayed at 220!! So how did I get over this plateau?? By eating more! Can you believe the awesomeness of this lifestyle?!?!? Tim had posted to Angie back in November to eat at least 30g of protein upon waking and up the water even more so. Reluctantly I enlarged my breakfast and lunch portions and BAM! 7lbs dropped off! Thanks again Tim.
The last 3 and half months have been not only a physical challenge, but has proven to be an enlightening foray into the depths of personal discipline and will. Everyone who has gone through a month on this lifestyle really needs to give themselves a pat on the back. I thought this was going to be a short term run, but I find I really like a healthy me. Mind you, I have lost 47 pounds during the major fatty holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, as well as working 12-14 hour days, so there is no excuse! To all the doubters, this works as long as you stick to the simple principles laid out. Next goal is less than 200lbs.
@Rob I realized I never thanked you for answering my food questions. Thanks bud!
Congrats, JayC! You — and all of you who’ve stuck with it — should be very proud 🙂
All the best to you and yours,
Tim
Just thought I should give my 2 month update.
Started November 30th
Height: 6ft and 0.5 inches
Starting weight: 198.5 lbs
1 Month: 182.5 lbs
Today’s weight 170.6 lbs
My goal is ~163 lbs (~35 lbs)
I’ve lost just about 28 pounds on this diet. Thanks for this Tim. 2010 is definitely going to be a good year thanks to you.
Tim, I love your book (I have the new version) and I love your website. I thank you for both.
With due respect, please – I would like to mention that I think it is highly irresponsible to suggest to anyone that drinking all the diet soda we want is a healthy dietary consideration.
Please cross it off of your otherwise fabulous list, as diet sodas are wrought with unhealthy sweeteners that are far, FAR worse than, for instance, making a healthy soda from Pellegrino (or seltzer) and a splash of fruit juice.
Thanks!
Hi Julia,
Agreed. I’ll be addressing this in the new book.
Tim
Starting date: Jan 4 2010
Height: 6’1″
Starting weight: 219 lb
Current weight: 209 lb
Goal: 180 lb
So it has been about 4 weeks and I have lost 10 lbs. I am concerned about one thing however. Most of this weight came off in the first 2 and a half weeks – so I feel as though I may have hit a plateau. However this plateau has sort of coincided with the resistance training and cardio exercise I have been doing for the past week and a half and so I am not sure what to make of it.
I eat about 1500 calories per day and probably burn 3400 with the amount of activity and exercise I do – however the scale has not budged. I would think it impossible to be able to maintain that weight through this. Could I really be gaining muscle that quickly on a measly 1500 calories/day?
Should I eat more on my non cheat days? Would love some advice.
Thanks
The best weight loss tip is get out and walk ,walk,walk 2 to 4 miles a day and keep your calorie intake at 1400 calories a day and you will get healthy and lose the weight.
Eat 3 to 5 small meals a day of 300 calories each and get some exercise in and you should lose some weight.
i want u to send me fat losing tips and some other diets.
I literally just started this today. I love the fact that I’m not hungry, but I have a weird taste in my mouth, and I always feel like I’m sweating. I think I feel a bit weak/tired because my head feels right. I don’t know if this is bad/not. Should I just keep chugging water?!
FYI: I am 5’1″, 21 years old, and gained 15 lbs this past summer from eating out too much. I’m trying to lose it, and be 105 lbs. (This is within my BMI).
Hi Jen,
This is not a normal response. I’d suggest seeing your doctor to check on blood pressure and fasting glucose, among other things.
Be safe,
Tim
my head feels TIGHT* sorry for the typo.
Just did 21 days based on the book Clean. Lost 20 lbs. 30 min of cardio 5 days per 7.
Feel great!
The advice about drinking lots of water is definitely true. I had some friends that competed in bodybuilding. They always had a bottle of water in their hand, and they ate a lot of steamed fish before a competition. Buying a steamer is a good investment when you are trying to lose weight.
What has helped me lose weight in the past was 40 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 times a week and light weight training 3 times per week. For aerobic exercise, I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then ride the bike for 20 minutes. The time went really fast combining the 2 activities
20 lbs in 30 day’s, Well I just seen your site AFTER i been trying to get cut already into 3 weeks. I have lost 16 lbs by changing my diet and adding protein. A hight protein diet to me is the way to go. Protein is the building block for muscle growth, and muscle growth increases your matabolism. to gain muscle it is good to have at least 1.8 grams of porotein per lb of body weight. (Only with intense weight Training). While keeping the muscle I have gained, I am losing body fat. The thing is now my muscles look even bigger than before I lost the weight. only problem is, I have lost some strength. Was benching 360lbs, now down to 315lbs. Why is it when you lose weight you lose strength?
For those of you doing aerobic workouts (NOT the lifting workout that Tim talks about), latest research says you want a low-carb meal to keep your metabolism going.
http://lifehacker.com/5463151/low+carb-meals-after-exercise-store-energy-maintain-health
Since Tim doesn’t address that in the post or comments, maybe some of you will find the above info useful.
@DudeSpectre: just checkin in to see how it’s been goin??
Please ignore my previous comment as my scale is broken and I’ve actually lost average of 1/2 lb. daily for 2 weeks
So I’ve been bumping up my calorie intake to 1800-2000 by including an extra meal each day and by eating some fruit before or after my morning workouts (whether it is resistance training or running). It seems to be helping me through this plateau – I weighed in this morning at 206.5 – down from 209 earlier this week ( I was stuck at 209 for nearly 2 weeks). Feelin’ good!
Bravo, Tim!
This article was just the inspiration I needed. After 2 weeks, I can see a noticeable reduction in body fat and my energy is more consistent.
I noticed that Slo-Niacin (recommended by Tim) contains partially hydrogenated oil. Not a huge fan. I was shocked to see it. Does anyone know of a similar time released niacin (nicotinic acid) that does not contain partially hydrogenated oil?
Gross. It’s been a while since I used it. Nice catch. Hope someone has another suggestion. Worst case, try the non-timed release with food to avoid the niacin flush.
Starting date: 2/8/10
Height: 5’3
Weight: 115-118 pounds
Hey all, I’ve been wanting to try this experiment with Tim’s diet for a while now but just never found the right time to devote myself to 30 days of the same eating pattern. I’ve seen a lot of women wonder if this diet will be as effective for females as they are for the guys, and also, what kind of fat loss results you’ll get if you’re not overweight to begin with.
Well, I’m a 22 year old 5’3 female weighing 115-118 pounds and am definitely looking to lose some fat. I generally eat healthy but love my white carbs and sweets–which perhaps gave me my “skinny fat” syndrome of having a small frame but carrying a high body fat %.
I’m going to follow Tim’s advice perfectly and plan to lift for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week, nothing rigorous. I’ll report in at regular intervals and hopefully report some significant progress.
My ultimate goal is not really to lose weight but lose fat and inches, especially around the abs and thighs. Encouragement and support would be greatly appreciated!
Yes, you can lose weight without exercising but, I have found that walking on a treadmill while watching TV helps me more than anything! Pick a good show and the time just flies by! Speed up that metabolism and you can eat a lot more food, while still losing weight! Give it a try……
Keep up the good work!
James
yoo fellow dieters, this diet sounds amazing iam goin to start this diet tommrow and see how it goes
Stats-
18 male
current wieght- 232
ht- 6’1
goal- below 185
can someone elaborate on the legumes and veggies serving sizes
hows it going fellow dieters, i cam upon this before the holidays and finnaly had time to try this out now. I start this diet tommrow
Stats
18 male
current weight: 232 lbs
ht- 6′ 1
goal wieght – 185
can I use seasong on my veggeis, meats and legumes, or better a question what seasings cant i use?
thanks
i heard that soy milk makes you gain weight or store more fat. is it the same for soy beans?
The wine before bed is not a good idea. You burn a lot of fat while you sleep, you don’t want to spike your body sugar before bed. Don’t eat 2-3 hours before bed, trust me.
There are great whole grain breads you can eat, but only in the morning. The fiber is very good for you, and it’s been in our families diets for centuries.
I lost 20 pounds this month and am very lean now. The best way to do it is with full body weight workouts 3 days a week with cardio on your days off. Watch your portions! All this rubbish about weight loss without exercise. YOU NEED EXERCISE. Your body wants to play, take it out for a run. The more you do it the more you realize that your body is an engine and needs needs to be pushed.
Full body workouts 3 days a week keep your body burning fat constantly, while helping brain function and liver detox. 25 minutes of weight’s, anyone has the time. Get off the couch and have some fun, and it really is fun too 😉
I’m typically fine just drinking water, but Red Bull Sugarfree is a bit of a weak spot for me, and I love drinking it. I noticed you said it was okay to have diet soft drinks and no-calorie/low-calorie drinks. Would RBS be okay? One 8 ounce can has 10 calories, 3 grams of carbs, and no sugar.
I have a question about once the weight loss is achieved…will I have to eat like this forever? Or should I start doing a great vigorous workout and then incorporate my white carbs back into my diet?
!!!!! i fellow ur diet word by word and idk i drop weight so fast but then I do decent amount of cardio through out the day.. like catching the bus and running to supermarket and im actually lose 1lb or .6lb a day
im 21 well 22 next sunday
5″ 8
starting weight 180lb
current weight 150lb
i also trying to do ur geek to freak to build muscle but i think im losing to much weight for it
Hi Tim
This is the first time i have contributed to this blog. I have been struggling with my weight for the past 7 months. I have gained 42 pounds over the last 7 months.
I have been off work for 7 months with a back injury which has left me unable to do my usual physical exercise, resulting in my weight gain. I have tried numerous diets over the past few months with little success.
That changed when i started this diet. It’s amazing!
Starting weight 213 pounds
1st Week 206 pounds
2nd Week 203 pounds
Total loss 10 pounds in two weeks
This is amazing and the cheat days are sent from heaven. I use them to the max and eat anything and everything I fancy.
George
@michelle
I’m not sure where you got that idea, but soy beans should be fine. I snack on edamame myself from time to time on this diet.
Hi all,
Does anyone have any further ideas about breakfast, I like to workout first thing in the morning before work so dont have much time. I love the diet, just seem to struggle with breakfast the most!
Thx
Tim,
I have worked my way through the expanded 4HWW and I have finished it in late January. Just like every other red-blooded American I have made my diet resolution for the year and I am starting to follow your advice for diet. I see that you make no mention of fruits in your diet. I know that a lot of fruits are high in natural sugars and some carbs, but don’t you think that fruits are essential? Also, what type of supplements would you recommend for a guy with normal body weight, but who wants to lean up and lose about 10-15 lbs?
Dawn,
I think it sort of depends on what kind of workout you are doing in the morning.
If I’m only running in the morning – I usually go with a little bit of fruit and some plain yogurt for energy. I wouldn’t suggest eating a bunch of protein before a cardio workout (unless it is not intense) since it is more difficult for your body to break down and will likely result in some cramping.
Now, if you want to stay strict to Tim’s rules you could lift weights after eating the higher GI stuff (or eat it after you lift, shouldn’t matter) and then do cardio. However, I’m not sure you’ll get the energy boost from the fruit/yogurt since your muscles will be competing for and sucking up that glucose to restore glycogen supplies.
If I lift, I always eat something sugary regardless (yogurt,milk,fruit,etc.) to aid in protein absorption (from a protein supplement). And like I said, if I’m running I eat the same kinds things to help endurance – even though it’s against the rules. I eat my real “slow-carb” meal after workouts – which is almost always black beans and egg whites (exciting I know).
If I have to run to work and don’t have time for a real breakfast – I eat some almond butter (no sugar added). A couple tablespoons chases away hunger and is about 200 calories.
Hope this helps,
John
started the diet a week ago and have lost four lbs already. so far the diet seems really easy to follow. plus my body already looks different.
this week I’m going to start doing heavy circuit training on two days to help burn off more calories. going to do a slightly less severe version of this rather intense plan: http://www.tmuscle.com/article/bodybuilding/meltdown_training_ii&cr=
out of curiosity has anybody added heavy resistance/circuit training while on this diet? I’m talking like doing close to your 1 rep max until failure and then moving to the next exercise without rest.
if so, please let me know how you modified your diet on workout days. as a general rule, i assume you wanna get in carbs and protein (shake) after your workout. just not sure if i should go all out and eat a whole pizza as Tim seemed to imply.
thanks,
Jason
Starting Weight (10/18/2009): 260lbs
Today’s Weight (02/14/2009): 212
Wow! This is the first time I’ve been less than 215 since my freshman year of college! I hit a bit of plateau after getting down to 220 on Christmas. I was eating the same, drinking the same, etc and and stayed at 220!! So how did I get over this plateau?? By eating more! Can you believe the awesomeness of this lifestyle?! Tim had posted to Angie back in November to eat at least 30g of protein upon waking and up the water even more so. Reluctantly I enlarged my breakfast and lunch portions and BAM!
@Rob I realized I never thanked you for answering my food questions. Thanks bud!
The last 3 and half months have been not only a physical challenge, but has proven to be an enlightening foray into the depths of personal discipline and will. Everyone who has gone through a month on this lifestyle really needs to give themselves a pat on the back. I thought this was going to be a short term run, but I find I really like a healthy me. Mind you, I have lost 47 pounds during the major fatty holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, as well as working 12-14 hour days, so there is no excuse! To all the doubters, this works as long as you stick to the simple principles laid out. Next goal is less than 200lbs.
Starting Weight (10/18/2009): 260lbs
Today’s Weight (02/14/2009): 212
Wow! This is the first time I’ve been less than 215 since my freshman year of college! I hit a bit of plateau after getting down to 220 on Christmas. I was eating the same, drinking the same, etc and and stayed at 220!! So how did I get over this plateau?? By eating more! Can you believe the awesomeness of this lifestyle?!
My weight comment is not posting for some reason…
Start weight (10/18/2009) 260
Today’s weight (02/14/2010) 212
Hi all,
My name is Kate, I started this diet the second week in January. So it’s been a good five weeks. I gained 20 pounds over this past year after the cartilage in my left knee tore. When I started running again in January my right hamstring tore. It’s just been a long year I guess and I realized I can’t depend on running 5-10 miles a day so I can eat whatever I want (lived off of carbs and fast food and remained at or under140/size 4).
After the injury and continuing to eat whatever I wanted for a good 9 months I gained a solid 20 pounds and moved up to a size 8 being pretty tight.
So when I started this diet I was 162 pounds at 5’8″
I am now 154 after 5 weeks and now a size 8 fits instead of feeling tight.
I realize I should feel happy with this progress, but I feel like compared to everyone else on this diet losing 1 pound a week, while healthy, is not what it should be and I am frustrating. I am within my healthy weight, although at the top of my height class, but I feel like it should be going faster? Also, I have also been gaining a pouch in the stomach?? Which was the only genuinely skinny part of my body before starting this diet.
I wake up and have oats with skim milk and/or eggs
Then I have chicken breast with jalapenos and green beans OR lean turkey beef with diced tomatoes, mushrooms, red onions, jalapenos, and garlic for the rest of the day. I do let myself eat until I’m full, which is usually a lot. But Tim stated above that that is okay.
For snacks I have low fat sharp cheese or cottage cheese.
Any suggestions? I start riding the bike/elliptical this week for rehab. If anyone cares I can mention later on in two weeks if that works. I will not be adding carbs. And yes, I go all out on Saturdays.
Big J,
I have been doing heavy resistance training while on this diet. Usually a couple of warm up sets of 8-10 reps then a 4-5 rep set close to my max. I go with protein powder in non-fat milk (for faster absorption) and oftentimes a piece of fruit as well after workouts. I can’t imagine eating pizza unless it’s a cheat day – too many calories regardless of what you are lifting.
Weight update:
Start: 1/4/10 – 219 lb
Today : 2/15/10 – 204 lb
6 weeks – 15 lbs lost while having some definite muscle gains. Great stuff.
I started the diet today, I believe I am one of the more overweight people here (at least from what I have read). I lost 10lbs in the last year with eating less and limited exercise. I am 5’11”, M, have a deskjob w/ 3 hours in the car 5 days a week.
Start Weight: 323 lbs
First goal weight: 285 (would like to see this in May 2010)
Final goal weight: 170 lbs
Eating out
Go for the Mexican, if you can, without rice or cheese. But you should be able to get plain unfried meat just about anywhere; ditto unsauced or gently sauced vegetables.
Corn
Probably best to think of corn as a white starch rather than a vegetable.
Ooops, add to the Mexican: No tortillas. Of any kind. Use your burrito tortilla as a bowl 8-).
[…] […]
Thanks, John. Congrats on your progress!
I see your posts above. My goal weight is also 180 and my height is about the same (6’0). I’m presently at about 192.
Just out of curiosity, how often did you do the resistance training? Did you do any other training?
Also, I saw above that you were eating about 1,500 calories and then bumped up a bit.
I’ve been sticking to about 1,800-2,000, lowering one day to about 1,200 and probably ate at least 3,000 on my cheat day. If you think I can really gain muscle by lowering my calories I may try that.
Perhaps somebody would care to chime in about gaining muscle on a low calorie diet. Can this really be done?
Also, if anybody else wants to recommend a calorie plan for strictly fat loss and no muscle loss, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
J,
I’m lifting M/W/F and going the hardest on Friday and take 72 hours for recovery. I’m also training for a half-marathon so I usually run 3-7 miles at least every other day and walk/eliptical for an hour or 2 on my days off from running. I also play football, basketball, and soccer. It is a lot of activity and I’m pretty sure I don’t consume nearly enough per day even from a weight loss standpoint.
It can be somewhat tricky to reach at least 2k calories – simply because I don’t feel like eating. I try to use things like almond butter (and also the protein powders) which are fairly high-calorie just to get to my bare minimum needs. )I also was eating at the Mexican restaurant Chipotle – as noted in some of my previous posts – and this made it easier to get the calories. What I didn’t like about Chipotle was the high salt content and the water retention it entailed).
So, while most people in a bulking phase would generally overeat to build muscle – I find that it is quite possible to make some gains even on this low calorie budget (and so did Tim apparantly). I do however take some supplements to help achieve this.
I have been using Kre-alkalyn creatine and AMP Wheybolic protein for a few weeks now – finding them both to be very beneficial.
I also began using USPlabs Jack3d pre-workout and am also taking OxyElite Pro which is a thermogenic which ideally would be increasing my metabolic function.
If you are looking for a boost in the gym, I’d def. recommend the creatine and protein. I’ve only used jack3d for a few workouts, but that is nice as well.
To summarize, I think there are two ways you can go about this. You can do what I’m doing – which is trying to build muscle and lose fat simultaneous. This approach is rather tricky as I’m sure you can imagine (I can’t say for sure I’m doing it “right” – but it seems to be working). The other downside of what I am doing is you wont get to see the scale move all of the time – you either need to recognize that clothes are fitting better or get a bodyfat% to track progress.
If you go the other route of simply trying to shed some pounds – you will probably lose some muscle on the way – probably about 1/4 lb muscle for every 3/4 lb fat – though you could perhaps do a bit of resistance training to persuade your body to cling to that muscle. Then, after you are happy with your weight, you can go back and bulk up.
Hope that helps!
John
@LK
I don’t think you will find overeating on this diet to be an issue. After you get over any cravings for sugar, you probably won’t even feel like eating much more than say, 1800 calories per day – which at your weight should be enough of a deficit to see some really good results – especially if you add some exercise.
I would recommend using a website like CalorieKing to track your intake. I like to write down everything – calories, macronutrient( protein/fat/carb) breakdown, sodium, fiber, etc.
As for the seasonings – I would think that anything in your cupboard would be fair game. I like to take it easy on the salt so I don’t retain water so much though.
Good Luck!
John
I love the simplicity of the plan. I wonder if I can simply just pick a few meals I can eat everyday. Tim, what do you do when you have the impuse to eat but your not hungry?
so adding any kind of beans to your diet is like adding chicken to your diet?? does it substitute fattining sides?
Sounds about right. However, your pizza looks take-out-ish and a little on the white side, wouldn’t that go against what you just wrote about cutting out refined grains etc.? Especially after a good workout…..
Hmm…comments not posting
J,
I’m lifting M/W/F and going the hardest on Friday and take 72 hours for recovery. I’m also training for a half-marathon so I usually run 3-7 miles at least every other day and walk/eliptical for an hour or 2 on my days off from running. I also play football, basketball, and soccer. It is a lot of activity and I’m pretty sure I don’t consume nearly enough per day even from a weight loss standpoint.
It can be somewhat tricky to reach at least 2k calories – simply because I don’t feel like eating. I try to use things like almond butter (and also the protein powders) which are fairly high-calorie just to get to my bare minimum needs. )I also was eating at the Mexican restaurant Chipotle – as noted in some of my previous posts – and this made it easier to get the calories. What I didn’t like about Chipotle was the high salt content and the water retention it entailed).
So, while most people in a bulking phase would generally overeat to build muscle – I find that it is quite possible to make some gains even on this low calorie budget (and so did Tim apparantly). I do however take some supplements to help achieve this.
I have been using Kre-alkalyn creatine and AMP Wheybolic protein for a few weeks now – finding them both to be very beneficial.
I also began using USPlabs Jack3d pre-workout and am also taking OxyElite Pro which is a thermogenic which ideally would be increasing my metabolic function.
If you are looking for a boost in the gym, I’d def. recommend the creatine and protein. I’ve only used jack3d for a few workouts, but that is nice as well.
To summarize, I think there are two ways you can go about this. You can do what I’m doing – which is trying to build muscle and lose fat simultaneous. This approach is rather tricky as I’m sure you can imagine (I can’t say for sure I’m doing it “right” – but it seems to be working). The other downside of what I am doing is you wont get to see the scale move all of the time – you either need to recognize that clothes are fitting better or get a bodyfat% to track progress.
If you go the other route of simply trying to shed some pounds – you will probably lose some muscle on the way – probably about 1/4 lb muscle for every 3/4 lb fat – though you could perhaps do a bit of resistance training to persuade your body to cling to that muscle. Then, after you are happy with your weight, you can go back and bulk up.
Hope that helps!
John
What if you hate beans what are some good alternatives?
Kevin,
Try lentils? I’ve also read people using Quinoa on this blog – but I’ve never tried it.
Also, I was never much of a bean person before I started eating like this, however I don’t mind the several cups of black beans I now eat daily. Once you start seeing the results – I don’t think you’ll have a problem with any of the suggested foods.
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Started eating what Tim suggested last Tuesday and as of Sunday morning lost a little over 8 pounds. Had a free day on Sunday and weighed myself Monday morning and gained 4 pounds. Here it is Thursday and I’m down the 4 that I gained on Sunday plus a few extra.
This is very easy to do as I don’t have to watch how much I eat.
BTW. The only thing I have been eating is spinach, chicken breast and black beans except for breakfast where I substitute the chicken for 2 eggs. Kind of boring but it is working.
hey tim, im tim, i am in high school, there are about 250 kids in my school including elementry and junior high, i have a weight routine with my football team if i put this with that will i get the same results?
There’s another great trick that I do, which you can easily add to this diet, it to fast one day per week. Pick a weekday and NOT Friday. Your metabolism won’t know that it’s not getting any food that day and will keep humming along at it’s normal pace, burning fat like a champ.
-Joshua Black