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
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That's how we're gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you're rude, we'll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
Has anyone ever tried the MIRACLE NOODLE with this diet? It’s made from the root of a plant, and you can probably find it locally for much cheaper than ordering it online. We found some at the local Asian market… look in the fridge section.
Less than a gram of carb, taste is similar to ramen – so if you want to have meat and beans, maybe some sauce on the “noodles”, I recommend you flash boil, drain VERY WELL, and then add sauce/etc.
You can get the stats from the web, but apparently there is a brand of this that even HUNGRY GIRL reccomends. Would love to know if Tim recommends this… thanks!
hello
i am a girl of age 14..i have too big breasts ..i wanted to ask you how could i reduce my breasts by rotating my arms but in which direction?and how could i reduce my breast without using any gym materials and having the diet i like??
Paul – my spambox email is jb828558@yahoo.com
Send me an email there and I’ll reply with my real email – just so I don’t have to post that on here.
hey sent you a email john
finally i would like to know if i eat high calories at night but no carb or low carb like some vegatbles with some meat and prawns at night before bed still ok , last night i was out late and got home and ate , and think i want to sleep at 2500 calories but i worked a 1hour and half same day so i think i havent gained any weight
Hm no email in my inbox – make sure you got the address right. JB828558@yahoo.com
And to answer your question – anything you eat before bed should be fine. The idea that your body stores everything as fat while you sleep is nothing more than a myth; and furthermore many people will tell you that nighttime nutrition is actually important.
I go with a casein shake right before I plop down for the night.
As long as your calories are good – you’re good.
Lynne,
Google the term “crash diet”
By restricting your diet to that cocktail alone you are essentially starving yourself. You’ll lose some weight initially but living on a few hundred calories per day will not work for very long. You will start feeling fatigued, irritable, and just over all miserable.
More often than not, people who go on crash diets like this will gain back all of the weight they lose and then some. When given very few calories for an extended amount of time (I think it is less than 600-800 per day for over 72 hours if you are a numbers person) – the body will enter the so-called “starvation mode” where essentially it is fighting to survive and trying to make itself super efficient (manifesting itself as the symptoms above) It will try to hold onto body fat.
So as soon as you give up on this diet your body will be primed for fat storage and eating what your maintenance level is currently will actually cause weight gain.
Try Tim’s plan. His diet will help you lose weight fairly quickly and actually allow you to keep it off.
Best of luck
Did you get my email john?
lynne
try the book eat more weigh less, it will tell you, you can eat more and weigh less before you ask it does work! and will give you a easy to learn understanind what and what not to eat, even tims recommendation protein power it is my best read book i highly recommend
These are all really good tips, however I am on an extremely limited budget and cant afford the good stuff. By good stuff I mean the organics and all the great stuff in the healthy section of the grocery store. Do you have any suggestions for me? Also when I was teenager I was obsessed with my weight and lost a lot of it by not eating anything. Because of that experience my metabolism is all out of whack and when I try to eat little meals during the day I end up gained weight so I always revert back to not eating because it seems to be the only thing that works. Do you have any ideas for how I can get my metabolism strait without gaining anymore weight?
Has anyone experimented with splitting up the day off over two days? For my schedule it would work best to “free eat” on Saturday night, but I’d love to be able to eat whatever I’d like on Sunday morning too. Would this mess up my diet? If I still keep it to only 24 hours of free eating does the timing matter? (For example, I’m thinking I would begin my free day on Saturday at 4pm, and then stop eating Sunday at 4pm.) If anyone has tried this I would love to know how it worked for you. Thanks!
I would stick to one full day. Eating over two days means you’re eating crap before two sleep cycles vs. one. It might work, but I would vote one full day for maximal fat loss.
Good luck! If you choose to split it, please keep us posted on your results and findings!
Tim
Lucy,
This diet can work on a very low food budget.
As long as you can afford chicken, beans, brown rice, eggs, and some vegetables you’re fine.
Repost…never got an answer =)
Dear Tim:
Ok… so I’m writing this as a kindda of last resort… maybe you can give me additional tips regarding this weight loss regime, which really seems to work for a lot of people. I do believe it works…
The thing is, for me it seems not to work. And in my opinion, it might be the fact that I’ve suffered with Hypothyroidism since I was 12 (i’m now 30).
I was a runner and running was my thing. I enjoyed every minute of it, every single aspect of it for as long as I can remember. I even love the running pains after 2-3 hours of uninterrupted running. I have always been a bit heavy for being a runner (I’m 6 feet tall and used to weight 180-190lbs, 15% fat), but I still clocked in some good numbers: best 10K @ 45min, best half-marathon @ 1hr50min. My food regimen was a simple plan of 4 meals a day, same meals all the time, and I always take my morning medicine to keep my T3, T4 and TSH hormone levels in check (note: my meals included everything I could find to eat).
My problems began after I moved to Buenos Aires, 4 years ago. I immediately began preparing for the BsAs marathon (full 42K) in 2006. The joy of running changed for me. I kept to my eating habits, but as you know, foods here in this crazy town are a whole different story (huge portions, lots of meats, few veggies/fruits and HUGE meals late at night are the norm). I came here with 190lbs and ballooned up to 230lbs.
And believe me, i’ve tried to keep up with my running and to keep my eating under control. I got to the place where I would drop 10lbs just to bounce back up +15lbs a week later. My running has come to a halt: i’ve hurt myself, my tendons, and ligaments, trying to run with this extra weight – and came to the sad conclusion that I just cannot go on running until I drop the 30-40lbs i’ve gained
I also feel my metabolism has seriously slowed down. My doctor tells me that my thyroid function is low, but that it is to be expected due to my condition. Maybe aging effects are further slowing my metabolism?? But I feel like crap, slow, sleepy, and cannot rest well even after sleeping 14 straight hours.
Bottom line: I’ve tried 3 thyroid specialists and 2 nutritionists in the last 3 years. The doctors have slightly modified my hormone intake, but it doesn’t help much. The nutritionist have given me the most crazy diets possible and they are simply too ridiculous to follow for more than a week or extremely forbidding (for example, one diet said I had to eat for lunch every day a skinless salt-less chicken breast and two lettuce leafs slightly sprinkled with lemon drops – that is simple impossible to do constantly working 12-14 hours per day in an IT company in downtown Buenos Aires).
What would you recommend for me Tim?? Anyone?? I’ve followed your plan and, sadly, I’ve bounced back all the lost weight after 1 month in your plan. Should I completely skip the free-for-all saturdays and keep to the regular meals? Should I take out legumes and replace them with additional animal protein?
PS: I’ve also followed your recommendations on running without shoes (or with a pair of Vibram five fingers) but I will not try until I have lost at least 20 lbs!
Dear Ed,
I’m sorry to hear of your running and thyroid pains. Here are my suggestions:
1. Talk to your doctor before doing anything I suggest (have to say it)
2. Forget running and move to resistance training a la “Geek to Freak” (search on this blog)
3. Ensure you get at least 30 grams of protein per meal. If need be, get a food scale and weigh at home to get a good eye for it. If using a scale, aim for at least 70 grams of meat weight, as most of it will be water. Chicken or other is fine is you prefer to avoid red meat, though it is great in BsAs.
That’s it for a 3-4 weeks. Ensure you are getting enough calories to fuel growth, but follow the slow-carb diet’s rules of avoiding white foods. No rice, but “calabaza” is fine and really delicious on top of the meat.
Good luck!
Tim
Hi Tim/everybody,
I am a week into this and have lost just over 5 pounds! I am continuing with it as it has been very easy, (bar the first couple of days) to stick to. I thought I would just do a quick breakdown of a few of my meals as I thought it may be of use to some people who, like me, may have found some of Tim’s meals a little boring. (No offence intended Tim!) So, here goes:
Breakfast:
Fritata.
(chop all ingredients fairly small) Fry broccoli, peppers, muushrooms, onions, garlic and bacon. Pour over 3 lightly beaten eggs and add tomato on top. Turn down the heat and cook for a few minutes. Place under grill for a few minutes to finish. This can be frozen and microwaved for a quick meal. I like it with refried beans.
Lunch/Dinner
Chilli.
Fry mince, onions, peppers, garlic with a beef stock cube. Add a tin of tomatoes, paprika, chilli powder, salt and pepper and a little cumin. Cook for a few minutes and add a tin of haricot beans and cook for a few more minutes. Finally add a tin of kidney beans. Cook longer if you like it thick as the haricot beans will break down and thicken the dish.
Enchiladas.
Fry turkey or chicken with garlic, sliced onion and peppers. Add paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and a little tomato puree. Cook dry and wrap in corn tortillas. Place in a baking dish side by side. In a separate bowl combine tomato puree, water, cayenne pepper and paprika to make a rich sauce and pour over the enchiladas. Bake for about 10 minutes and serve with refried beans.
Tacos
Fry beef mince, onion, peppers, haricot beans and garlic with a beef stock cube. Add tomato puree, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook until the beans almost completely break up and make a kind of paste (sounds horrible but it tastes great!). Serve in tacos with salad leaves, salsa and a little grated cheese.
Curry
I am still perfecting this but will post when it is tasty enough. I have it with lentils.
Anyway, I hope that information is of use to some people. I also started Tim’s resistance training program today, which seeing as I am a skinny fat bloke I found bloody hard! I will keep posting on the results of that too.
Thanks Tim!
I hate long posts and just realised how long that post was. Sorry.
Thanks for the advice Tim! I’ve decided to stick to only one day of free eating per week. I might experiment with splitting it up once I’ve lost some weight, but for now I’m anxious to see results as quickly as possible! I started the plan today; I’ll keep you posted. Thank you!
Valerie,
I think if you really wanted to split things up you could have a couple of cheat meals over the course of the week. Don’t go overboard anything – just enough to vary your caloric intake by a few hundred every other day maybe? I favor that approach to pigging out once a week.
You may as well try it Tim’s way first – that’s what I did for awhile. You can adjust later as you get more comfortable with the diet.
I’ve managed to add a lot of different foods into my diet and still keep up the weight loss (though I do exercise and lift weights). I regularly eat fruit (mostly berries), wheat bread (no high fructose corn syrup), steel cut oats, dairy (cottage cheese and 1% milk on occasion), and even some white rice. Right now I’m at 14% body fat – probably about a month or two away from a very lean 8-10% which is my ultimate goal. I still have not plateaued and my weight loss is consistently a bit over 2 lbs per week.
I think it’s good to follow the diet as prescribed for awhile. It helped me to gain a lot of self control in the beginning (lacking that caused me to be overweight in the first place).
Best of luck to you
Valerie,
Unlike John if I add little things – like oats or low fat cheese I don’t gain any weight – but I plateau. When I go strictly by the diet I continue to lose weight at the rate of 1-2 pounds a week.
For anyone wondering what happens on vacations if you want to enjoy yourself food-wise, I went on vacation to Sanibel/Disney World this past week with my family for 9 days — meaning I pigged out like no other on any fattening treat you can imagine. I’m 5’9″ I started at 162 lbs in January and 2 months later I was at 147. I went on vacation and pigged out and only gained 4 lbs – I’m at 151. I mean, I’m not proud of gaining it back, but after what I ate I’m happy. Moral of the story, in my experience at least, if one time a year you wanna eat whatever you want on this diet you won’t gain all the weigh back (I was terrified I would). Please note, however, that at WDW I walked 10ish miles a day, but in sanibel i just layed on the beach for 4 days. Hope that helps anyone worried about going on spring break.
Hi… im goin on a trip to the bahamas this summer and i need to look good in a bikini, but my winter weight just doesnt want to come off this year… are there any other diet foods that you would recomend?? im not a big fan of peppers, onions, or anything along those lines and im very picky about vegetables so diets are quiet hard for me to accomplish
I have adopted this approach for the past year and am in the best shape of my life. If you stick with it, like anything, it will give you the results you seek.
My only specific contribution to the group, that I don’t recall Tim mentioning in his original post, is incorporating Miso soup into the diet. Now if this was mentioned in one of the previous 7 pages of comments great, but I didn’t feel compelled to weed through them to find out. Back to the topic at hand – I find Miso to be great for either breakfast or one of the lighter meals. Its nutrient rich, low in fat and has a high protein:calorie ratio (something I look for in many of the foods I consume).
Hi Tim,
Very important question.
I’ve followed your diet and lost 31lbs in a month.
The problem is the amount of gas the diet is generating in my system is unbearable! It’s reached the point that by mid day until bed time, it’s a constant thing.
I don’t know how my girlfriend can stand me because I can’t even stand myself lately.
I also train at an MMA gym and this has become a distraction in my training.
Any advice would be very appreciated as I have had much success in eating this way. If I can’t resolve this problem, I will unfortunately have to stop the diet.
Thanks
Hey GW,
Just soak the beans/legumes overnight and then rinse them all before cooking. This should cut the problems in half at least. Hope it helps!
Great work on the loss!
Tim
Tim,
Glad to see you’re still keeping up on these older posts–how do you find the time for that? Anyhow, I used this diet back in Santa Cruz about 3 or 4 years ago and lost something like 30 pounds in a relatively short period. I was also using a bicycle for transporation, but I really liked this diet and think it had a huge effect–used to make myself sick on my day off though. lol
I’m living in Thailand now and have gotten pretty hefty again–a lot of beer hasn’t been helping. But unfortunately not a whole lot of beans out here. I’m really craving some of those mexican style dishes I used to make on this diet….
Anyhow, would tofu work as a replacement for beans or lentils? It’s made from soybeans, so I would imagine that is a legume…There are some mexican restaurants out here but I don’t have the dough to eat at those places everyday right now. but I do know a couple restaurants where I could probably get them to work with my diet, cut out the rice, and throw in some tofu.
Can you offer some clarification on this before I get started? much appreciated, Tim.
Cheers,
James
I’ve been more-or-less on the diet for nearly 4 weeks now & I’ve lost about 8 pounds. I say “more-or-less” because I’ve been having smoothies for breakfast. I eat lunch out every day during the week, usually mexican food, but that’s gotten a bit boring so I’ve also been going to Indian buffets, since I can get beans (daal or lentils), tandori chicken, & vegetables (often spinach with potatoes & I don’t eat the potatoes).
Anyway, at present I’m 6’2″ 182, with muscular legs & fairly muscular triceps from cycling. I’m not exactly sure what my goal is in terms of weight, I’m just looking to get rid of the fat that likes to congregate around my mid-section. My question is if someone is already fairly lean, is it more difficult to lose weight?
@james Hey James, I’m in Santa Cruz, CA. I don’t think the Tofu would provide the fiber or caloric load of the beans. Could you possibly find Chana Dal or Split Peas in Thailand? They might not be optimal but would probably serve a similar function.
This diet has a lot in common with other diets that work. Most diets are hard to be consistent with. I’ve found that eating less more often is working very well. I noticed an immediate change within the first week of dieting, and working out. Even on cheat day, I tried to cheat, but could only fit so many jellybeans and other junk in my stomach. I went out to eat, and got a to-go box, something I haven’t done in a long long loooong time. I was amazed, my stomach must have shrunken in size. It felt extremely uncomfortable to try and even eat anymore. Great diet, great book, by a great guy. Thanks a bunch!
what about exercise, is that a must? if it is what do you recomend to be done at home and for how long?
Hi Tim,
I’m not sure if this has been asked already, but are nuts ok? Particularly salted peanuts as I am eating some now!
Thanks,
Lloyd
Hello Tim.
I’ve been trying lose body for some time now,I usually always have an intense weight training workouts and good cardio sessions…But I just never lose the weight I’m always at the same weight or I’ll lose weight than gain it back real quick…Right now I’m 17yrs old, 5″11, 200lbs and BF is 24%..I do NOT want to lose my muscles I already have or really gain any that much,I just want to lose my bodyfat show more definition…And I think the reason for me not losing this fat is probably because my lack of dieting,I really don’t if I could really lose 20lbs of fat in 30 days just by doing what you said above but, I’ll try this plan and see if it works and I’ll keep you up too date…If you have any advice you would want to give me,it would be much appreciated. 🙂
hey, what about fruits, what type of fruit can we munch, also, what other foods must you avoid?
Hi Tim.
I am fascinated about this blog with 3200 comments and want to say thank you for all your advises. From the comments I gathered that most people are fit and great. Can you give me some feedback on what is the best way for me to start? I am over 110kg and should be in 60kg and at this moment it hurts to do any exercises as when walking too much my feet hurt (or they get squash) therefore I need to lose about 20kg before I start cargo (i know some people here will call me lazy). I work extremely hard during the day so often forget about breakfast or no time for lunch and my access weight came from eating too much crap a night when I feel too hungry and too tired to take time for preparing heath (I must change asap). Can you give me a tips what will be the best start (kick off) and how to loose minimum 20kg in 2 months? Thank you so much.
I find it utterly amazing that people go through the effort of posting questions about what’s allowed on the diet when, in black and white, it is spelled out very clearly at the top of the thread:
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
That’s IT people! There ain’t no more! No fruit, no nuts, no bread, no milk, no cheese, no NOTHING that isn’t in the list above.
So…eat what’s on the list…and lose weight…simple. If you want to eat other stuff then by all means do so, but you are no longer on this diet. Get it? 🙂
Sorry, just read above…… 10 nuts per day! I have lost 8 pounds in two weeks!
THIS REALLY WORKS!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS TIM!!!!
Hey Tim,
thank you for your blog, very inspiring. My husband has bought your book and is absolutely stoked about it…though he has been living according to half of your recommendations already.
Anyway, back to your diet program. I wanted to ask about the muscle gain. I am hoping to lose body fat, which this diet is perfect for. I am a Zumba and aerobic instructor as well, with a really good genetics when it comes to muscle gain. I was hoping you could give me some advice how to LOOSE my muscles. Is there any alteration to your diet which could help me out?
thank you and CONGRATS again with your new book
Hi everyone,
Today’s me:
29
female
6’0 tall
37-27-42
Start: 160 lbs.
Goal: 144 lbs.
Today is 4/3/10 (Day 1), so I will be back 5/1/10 (29 days, eh)
Hi,
I am on day 2 and decided, what the hey — I will make myself “report” in my status: maybe that will help me stick to the plan!
In case anyone is interested or it helps any other women with weight loss goals: I am 25 and a musician. I have always been slim but I have never have been “lithe”, as I would like to be. Last summer, I got pretty close to my “ideal” BMI (I was about 17% and I would like to be 16%… That’s approx healthy Nicole Richie-sized). Unfortunately, my fiancée had dumped me (part of the impetus for the weight loss: I simply couldn’t eat) and I was too depressed to enjoy the way I looked. I have gained some of the weight back, which puts me 19% BMI.
I have always eaten pretty strictly… To anyone wondering how healthy or long-term Tim’s personal diet regime is, I can testify that it is a viable option. I have eaten very similarly since I was 14, and I have always been in exceptional health. I have never even had a cold, and I believe I have avoided certain genetic health issues I may have been predisposed to.
The things I am going to change/ incorporate:
1. I never keep track of how much/what I am eating, so I’ll start doing that… My short-coming is that, right now, *everyday* is my free day: I eat unlimited quantities of peanut butter (a couple of jars a day) and dark chocolate and greek yogurt. I am going to limit these to my binge days, and substitute them with raw almonds and avacado during the rest of the week.
2. I don’t believe in exercise… (a side note: ever notice how so many people spend hours in a gym but don’t lose the weight they wanted to?). I’m not going to exercise, but I am going to incorporate some strength-testing asana varations in my morning meditations and walk everyday (I live in Manhattan: why walk on a treadmill??!).
3. I’m going to check in. A lot of people are reading and responding to this post. It’s a luxury, to have a mastermind group of people to kind of “hold you accountable”!! There’s no excuses: either I stick to these three things everyday for the next 30 days, or I don’t!
I hope that I haven’t bored you all! I will be posting daily (short posts lol) to clock in on those three points above. Thanks to you guys in advance for your support!
Catch you later,
Heather
Hello Tim,
one question: would it be useful to, except for having “one day off”, drop calories by 50% one day to avoid protein downregulation?
I’m starting with your dietary plan just after the Easter holidays. I’m 19 (160lbs, 5′ 10″). I’ll be sticking to the list of products mentioned in the post, with the exception for a 250ml of freshly squeezed orange juice per 4 evenings a week. I’m also going to reduce the amount of salt intake by using the potassium chloride-enriched salt. Muscat – one small glass 3 times weekly, because of the resveratrol. I’ve also heard that the Cayenne pepper and vitamin C may be beneficial for fat-loss.
BTW, I would like to thank you for sharing so many useful ideas in ‘4HWW’ book. I hope that they will help me in building the stable financial future of my family and let me enjoy the freedom of travelling and living with my passions.
Cordial greetings from a Polish neuroscience student,
Marcin
Hi comrades,
Happy Easter!
Day 2…
1. I did not keep track of what I ate, haven’t figured out how I’ll realistically do this yet. And I ate more nuts than planned (8 oz. can
of deluxe mixed). Other than the nuts, I had canned tuna and spinach for breakfast and lunch, a Chips Ahoy chewy cookie, and Mexican (lean steak and guacamole) for dinner.
2. I walked around Columbus Cir and Times Sq and played with two rowdy three years olds.
Have a great day everyone!!! I’m off to take on Day 3
I’ve tried lots of low-fat diets for a couple of years but none of them made me feel satisfied. Although, there are lots of diets,like Atkins diet but it’s making me feel weak and unhealthy. But when I tried Medifast Diet,i feel like I’m on the right kind of diet plan. It doesn’t make me feel weak.
The caloric intake is around 800-1000 calories.It’s a bit pricey, but there are lots of coupons available on the internet
Even if you don’t pay full price.You just have to choose a diet plan which your body reacts positively.No one knows your body better than you do…
Great topic. Probable my main weight loss program based on this idea.
Now days nearly everyone’s watching his weight regarding great obesity problem in the World. Of course many questions rise: How to lose weight? Where to get the information about it or/and the help of professionals? And more particular question: how to get rid of belly fat or how to make your belly flat. In the internet lots of sources about healthy lifestyle, fitness, diets etc. Every one’s looking for most convenient for him/herself. From my own experience I can say, it is not too hard to control your own weight on vital level, if you already have found right program. If to explain in simple way it is: – Don’t eat a lot of food per day
– Eat mostly vegetables and fruits and dairy products
– Drink plenty of plain water (at least 2,0 litres per day)
– Exclude from your ration bredish products, sugar and soft drink
– And, of course, you have to do any kind of exercise
It is summary. More detailed information you find on particular websites.
I keep my weight almost at the same level for many years following this simple plan.
Hi Tim,
Do you still recommend the regimen of 200mcg chromium, 23mg policosanol and 500mg slo-naicin before bed, followed by 500mg slo-naiccin in the morning? Thanks!
According to “Eat to Live” by Joel Fuhrman, MD and “The China Study,” in order to truly and dramatically lower our cardio, auto-immune diseases and cancer risks, we need to cut our animal-source intake down to 2% or fewer of calories. The key is doing eating what we all already know is right: dark leafy greens, vegetables, fruits – in other words, making a large salad the main dish at almost every meal. I have been doing this and my glycerides, cholesterol and weight have ALL gone to normal, and no hunger required! Cannot recommend these two books enough. Sincerely, John
Sounds like a diet I can stick to. I started today but I have some questions:
Can I use fat free powdered non-dairy creamer in my morning coffee? Is edammame considered a vegetable that I can mix in with my beans for better flavor? What size portions should I be eating 4 times a day? Are supplement necessary for this diet to work & if so are there different supplements for women vs. men?
Thanks!
Hi Tim,
few new questions appeared, and I think that they may be shared by a huge number of people, so it would be extremely helpful if you (or someone else, as I can see many competent people commenting) could answer them.
What is your opinion about combining this diet with protein bars and protein isolates (pure whey, etc.), would it improve the results in general? If so, can you recommend any specific products?
Your diet is based on four bigger meals – how can I keep the effects of a diet when I have to eat something quickly far away from home, like during the short break between long lectures? Let’s say that taking a container with a prepared meal (chicken, lentils, vegetables) is impossible.
Finally: how to deal with a lack of sweet products and sugar? As I can observe it on myself, I got accustomed to sweetness. How can I overcome the need of this taste and the mood decrease/feeling od weakness?
Thanks,
Martin
I’ve been eating like Tim for a couple of years now (How time flies!) .This is a valid lifestyle…it works. I have gone from 194-6 to 165.
However, this Christmas I was thinking I could go to the next level. I reviewed Tim’s site and decided to try Pavel Tsatsouline method of weightlifting. I also come across a Paleo diet link on Tim’s site. The Paleo diet is the same as Tim’s with the exception of beans (not allowed). Other than the beans I have not deviated from Tim’s principles.
The results after three months: I have not lost any weight but I have dropped two pant sizes from a 31 to a 29 and have gone from looking like a smoothy to being rock hard…well semi rock hard. My bodyfat is at 13%…I will bring it down with sprints this summer…but at the end of the day I’m happy with where I’m at, and happy about where I’m going. And I’m happy that a 50 year old man (me) can look so good…
Thank you Tim for showing me how to improve my life.
Best
M
im going into the marine corps in 30 days and i exercise everyday. i figured if i lose about 15 more pounds ill be in my target weight for boot camp. should i follow this plan or should i change it at all? any thoughts would help.
thank you
[…] A few weeks ago, I was searching the internet for healthy diets geared toward fat loss, but with an emphasis on quick and easy preparation. What I found was a popular slow-carb diet practiced and advocated by entrepreneur and best selling author Timothy Ferriss. The diet can be found on his site 4 Hour Blog. […]
Hey! I am starting this diet tomorrow… still debating on whether or not to start a blog about it though.
I let my whole family and some friends know about this as well, just so I don’t have to hide it (like i have in the past)
2 years ago, i decided to drop some weight. I was 192 pounds. This summer I was at my lightest of 135. I want to get back to that weight, I felt great. I am not 163….
I would be fine with being at about 140, so we will see what happens.
I dont eat meat, although i do sometimes eat fish. So i will be doing vegan boca burgers in place of meat at lunch and dinner.
CHECK BACK SOON!!
Great article and love the pics. Such a simple way to shed fat that actually works.
I’m not a huge fan of the day off though…. I agree that spiking calories after you’ve been depleting for days can really rev up your metabolism but I don’t recommend it to clients who have not yet learned to reel it back in.
If this is an issue for people I think they should spike calories with less junky foods at least until they start seeing results and feel more in control about food.
I have no problem with it so I’ll be trying that yummy pizza you suggested : )
Hi Tim,
This is an excelent article. What I’m curious about is I have fibromyalgia and some thyroid issues ( low/normal Free t3). I also take 1 to 2 tbl of flax seed oil daily. Will this pose as a problem with losing weight following everything else as you have suggested? I have five children and am 37. I really need to lose about 15lbs all around the middle and cardio exercise has not helped. I’m limited on strength training due to the fibromyalgia. Any help or advice would be appreciated!
This has been working brilliantly for me. I’d wondered for so long why “eating healthy” hadn’t made much of an impact on my weight, and now I’m realizing it was probably because I’d been eating all the wrong healthy things. (rice, fruit, grains, etc.)
My only difficulty is actually consuming this many meals in one day, and getting enough calories. I’m a college kid with a job, and with my work schedule and income I can rarely put together a whole meal, or find time to pack one ahead of time and eat it during class.
I was wondering if there were any transportable, calorie dense meals options – either ones I could make well in advance out of the foods you’ve listed, and eat on the sly – or possible substitutes. Reading through the comments, I saw one woman mentioned almond butter, which is something I’ve also been eating substitutionally. Are other nuts okay? Being similar to legumes and also calorically dense makes me hopeful, although another commenter has unhelpfully opinionated otherwise.
hi my name is caroline i am 13 and imnot fat i just look fat and i think its because of my breast size is there any diet i could take to posssibly shrink them? thanks so much tim
Rei, i’m a college student with a job and I had the same trouble as you with time effecctiveness. I have been eating nuts and I’m doing fine. Especially soy nuts because they are high in protein. I’ve also been eating Trader Joe’s chickenless nuggets. I’m not a vegiterean but I like them and have continued losing 1 – 2 pounds a week with them as lunch. I also snack on peanut butter if I need it (one spoonful) or low fat string cheese. One day a week I bake 6 lemon pepper chicken breasts that I get marinated from the grocery store. I also take lean ground beef or ground turkey and cook it with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and capers. I also sautee lots of mushrooms and and peppers for the week with my chicken and snack on organic baby carrots even though they are not recommended.
@ Martin K
1. You could add in a whey isolate – but I would only do that if you are using it because you lift. Otherwise it would probably be better to get all of your protein from whole food sources as it will take more effort on behalf of your body to break them down. Whey isolates are absorbed very quickly. Optimum Nutrition makes good whey proteins – and the chocolate flavors are the best (might even satisfy your sweet tooth).
2. Only eating the traditional 3 meals a day will not kill you. Your body’s metabolic rate will probably differ very little between 3 and 4 meals. If you want to snack then a few nuts are a decent choice. A snack that I eat fairly often is an almond butter sandwich – 2 pieces of Nature’s Own whole wheat bread (no high fructose corn syrup) with about a tablespoon of almond butter. Totals to a little less than 200 calories and usually does the trick. I know Tim doesn’t recommend bread – but its a complex carb and fairly low GI.
3. Avoiding the sweets is just going to take some will power. Like I said before – you might find a decently flavored protein shake to be gratifying. And in reference to weakness you might feel after not eating much for sugars – this will likely disappear after a few days on the diet. Make sure that you are getting some good sources of carbohydrates however (this isn’t really a low-carb diet). Not eating enough of those can greatly affect your energy levels.
Good luck
hello comrades
something very surprising as happened! I started this diet in Feburary with mt weight at 232lbs ( ht 6’1″) and started this diet with alot hope. i wrote back here in the second week of march and my weight was 211. which was amazing, but then life started to get in the way, school, work and family was just getting too much and my dieteing ended when i had to give up meat, drink and such for religous reasons for a week. ever since then i have gone back to my regualr eating habits of pretty much eating anything i want anytime i want. yet suprisingly my weight has not gone past 214lbs (i just weighed myself 10min before typing this up). and tommrow moring iam finnaly starting this back up again and hoping to get below 200lbs. So to all of you debating whether this works or not, i say give it a chance. it has wonders for me. WOOT! i love you tim no homo
oh yeah, on my dieting holiday i also happened to play a full indoor soccer game everyother day!
Check in.
Started this diet 3 days ago… down about 4 pounds! I have been doing exercise classes at the gym and at home and I have been just staying active by choosing to walk and stand and take the stairs.
This is awesome. I TOTALLY forgot today though to make my lunch and dinner while at work so I am eating a Boca burger and soup… hope it doesnt mess with me.
To everyone wondering about being vegetarian and doing this….
I just replace the beef and chicken with Vegan Boca Burgers. They have the ratio of protein found in a regular slab of meat and I have been getting the same results. ALSO edamame is a life saver!
HAPPY DAY
well i tried tims “Geek to freak” kept strict for 5 days and to parnoid stomach always swollen trying to eat that much, and i was 161 lbs now 168lbs
so i am back again on this diet starting tommorrow and back to no cheat days
i prefered eating like this i have been on this for 3 months and got pretty lean so i am sticking back to this tiem t get some control and waist line back lol, although i havent moved up a waist size i just keep staring at myslf in the mirror at my stomach not good lol
so hopefully i feel happy in the next 5 or 6 days back to normal
i have ate above 3000 calories last 5 days so time to go back to feeling better
Hey Kate, thanks so much for those suggestions! That is all completely do-able! ~<3
This is something that really works but you will have to be very consistent with your diet. The average person would have to combine this with exercise. I myself lost over 80 pounds by modifying my diet over a period of 1 year.
hey tim, can we eat rice cakes for a snack during the week, b/c there’s nothing in them 11 carbs, 3 sugars, and 50 calories? thanks good luck to everyone
Hi Tim,
I’m looking to lose about 30-35 lbs before I get married in December. I’ve read this diet and am eager to try it out. My question is, no exercise? How does that work? Also are small quantities of butter exceptable to use on this diet?
Thanks so much,
MB.
I started this diet this week and I hope its going to work because I have tried all other diets on planet earth. Will keep you posted on the process.
Hi, Tim,
I’m 5’4″ and weight about 150 now, I’ve already lost ten pounds in the past few months and maintained it, but I’d like to speed it up a bit and get into the 130s by June. I’m going to start your diet here, but I was wondering if you had any suggestions for vegetarian options to fill the protein catagory. Boca burgers without a bun? Morningstar Farms products?
am sad…am fat… am 95kg and 209lbs…. i feel sad that am fat, and am only 15..i am doing the diet, but i still feel sad and i have not lost anything, its been roughly a week and am still the depressing same fat person i am….ok..will countinue with it, today is not a good day for me.. i feel real sad, and i have for the past year or so.. today is not a good day.
I was on this diet last year (lost 37lbs). I got off and I am not back up 17lbs. I want to get back on (an stay on)…. wish me luck!
@LISA
I was stuck at a weight that bothered my for a LONG time, and I tried a bunch of different things to change that. It took a while on the diet, but I’m starting to lose weight now…I try not to think about food at all if I can. I have a ton of canned beans, frozen veggies, and lean meats in the house if I need them. When I get bored I go hit balls at the driving range or read or take a walk – food isn’t on my mind nearly as much now.
Every day you eat this way you should feel confident that you are on your way to getting leaner! IT WILL HAPPEN. Doesn’t that cheer you up to know that? 🙂
Matt
Tim needs to either start a “meal” section or someone needs to throw one up! I like to hear what others cook to give myself some ideas.
Oh, not to worry. That’s coming 🙂
Tim
Not to worry — that is coming very soon 🙂
Tim
Hi. Just wanted to say that I enjoyed your tips. I lost 30 pounds in a few months and for the last month, haven’t lost a single pound. So I’m kick-starting it again (I’ve got 25 more fat pounds to go) with a lot of the tips you gave.
I also wanted to say that a big part of my weight loss was due to my ‘cheat day’. You are absolutely right, do it up, your body needs the fat to recognize it as something it want’s to dump. And yes, you don’t even really crave it for the rest of the week!
Thanks again for helping people like me!
Hi Tim,
I’ve been eating similar to this plan for the last few months, but wondered why I wasn’t losing weight, only maintaining. I believe now the problem was I was drinking chocolate soy milk and lots of fruits, in addition to the chicken, veggies, and beans I love eating all the time without issue. I would eat wheat toast in the morning with two egg whites, but no dairy, no white or processed items.
I am going to try your plan out (on day two) and see if I can get those last pounds off 🙂 I’ll update in a couple of weeks with results and at the end of the month.
I am 5’7, size 8-10, and I do stairclimbing, running, light lifting for 30-40 minutes about 3-4 times a week.
Lunaar
Baghdad, Iraq
wow! i love this! i see this diet has been posted since 07,but its 010 now and i’ve been reading up on this diet and ppls comments for about 2,3 months now.finally started it just last week. was wondering,does everythingg on the list have to be eaten?like for example do i have to eat beans everyday or can i just eat whats on the veggies list??? and have my protein??? also if i do eat beans.are green beans ok? i don’t see it on the list.
does this really work
Great Day Tim,
Im from the Philippines, im working as online advertising specialist, I happen to stop going to the gym due to super busy schedule. Tim can you advice me on what would be the best food to eat on the following meal;
1. breakfast –
2.Lunch –
3. Afternoon snack-
4. Dinner-
I really need to lose more fats, some how diet is hard or changing meal habit but im so eager for a change. Hope you can give me advice or email me more suggestions please. Thank you so much
Cyruz Honoridez
email: cyruz.h@gmail.com
I’ve tried every approach possible, the (only) one that works for me at age 35 is that I just basically don’t eat. For 2 days or so I will basically fast except that I might have a grapefruit or some apple sauce or a glass of juice. I keep my calories at maybe 500 or so for 2 days and then I eat a substantial dinner every 3rd day (but I don’t stuff myself). I have lost 5 pounds a week for 3 weeks now. I have combined this with weight training and cardio but all other diets have left me stagnant.
Sugar High Crash and burn:
Be careful with your crazy day.
I’ve been doing the diet for 3 weeks now. I’ve lost about 6-7 pounds so far. And I did stopped working out due to an overweight injury.
If you drink, DO NOT GET HIGH SUGAR FOODS into your system the next day. This will cause that you will feel tired for the next two days. Also be moderate on how much sugar you get at any given time, do not get all the sugar you plan to get at any given moment. Distribute it along the day.
Hi Tim,
question: Am I suppose to not have any meat at all on my 6 diet days for the first 4 weeks? For example all I eat everyday all day for the first 4 weeks is just black beans and eggs. Is that correct or can I have black beans with egg beaters for breakfast, chicken breast and spinsh for lunch and salad for dinner?
Please advise. Thank you for your time.
Hi Tim,
I just found your website as I was looking up the health benefits of black beans. I will be starting your diet this week along with some light training (5km run or walk with some push-ups, situps, squats/lunges and some dumbells) 3 or 4 times a week.
I am now living in Japan and I am 5’4 and currently I am at 182lbs and would like to get down to about 155. I have been told by friends that all I need to do is tone down and keep the muscle that I have and maybe add a bit more. Which is what I intend to do.
For the past couple of months this is what I have been eating.
Breakfast 7am:
half a cup of white rice and brown rice (will go with all brown rice when I start your diet) with a boiled egg and a can of tuna in water. I usually take some multi-vitamins as well.
Lunch 12-1pm:
Is 3/4 cup of white & brown rice mixture (will go w/all brown rice when I start your diet) with a cup of black beans, boiled chicken breast with frozen veggies thawed (broccoli/cauliflower, asparagus & carrots) and sometimes water coffee or other drink (I will stick with only water or Japanese tea when I start your diet).
Dinner 6-8pm:
Has just been varied. Will be having meals with your recommended 3 food groups.
Can I have soba with some chicken and a salad without dressing for dinner? My friend has told me that soba (made from buckwheat flower) is good for dieting and then drink some whey protein with water for my dinner after my training?
Is there any thing I should change in my eating habits from what you see? Also usually once or twice a month I like to go and drink. So should I stay away from the beer and just stick with certain drinks.
Any suggestions/comments greatly appreciated. Getting Motivated again! Can’t wait to start shedding the pounds!
Fong
I read Tim’s blog 2 years ago, found it interesting but didn’t try it. My wife and I booked a trip to the Caribbean a few weeks ago. I stepped on the scale and saw the number 214 (I’m 34, 6 ft, Male). I started eating according to Tim and I’m down 8 lbs in 16 days with zero exercise. AWESOME! I’ve been following Tim’s food list for the most part.. I really enjoy my wine so I probably go over a glass or 3 per night. I’ll be starting some light exercising/weigh lifting over the next couple days and will send updates. I’ve read most of the comments on this blog and find them extremely helpful. I really enjoy the recipes so I plan on posting any new recipes I come up with (Yes, I do all the cooking… The kitchen is a complete mystery to the rest of my family) I have staggered weight lose goals, but the final is 175 – 180 by Aug 1st.
I am in a nutrition class in college and also a lifetime fitness class and all the things that everyone is saying seems to be pretty knowlegable and I think this diet is actually pretty gud and i am definity thinking of trying it myself, thanks everyone
okay, so i’m a little different than most people on this post. i’m a 30 year old female. i weigh 135 and i wear a size 4-6. i’ve always been relatively thin, minus during and after my 3 pregnancies. i have no desire to lose pounds or inches. my problem is i have quite a bit of body fat that i want to get rid of. i have slowly accumulated fat over the last nine years (since the birth of my first child). I lost most of it, than got pregnant again (repeat). i was unsuccessful at losing all the fat i had gained before each subsequent pregnacy and now it seems harder and harder to get rid of.
i have excercised 5-6 days per week since january and haven’t had much of a change in my body. i alternate p90x with my pilates machine. i have known for a while it was my diet but i haven’t been willing to change anything. until now.
i have been eating like tim suggests since thursday, today is wednesday. the first five days were horrendous. not because of the diet, but because of severe coffee withdrawals, i was drinking 3-5 large cups of coffee daily. i had severe headaches that ibuprofen wouldn’t touch. yes, i know i can have coffee, but i like coffee with my cream. 😉
I have felt full all day, sometimes having to force myself to eat because it’s time. the only thing i can’t wait to have on saturday, my cheat day, is a giant cup of coffee. i don’t feel sluggish anymore and i know my eating habits are much better than they were before. somedays i would eat hardly anything, other days i would eat way too much. lots of processed foods and white grains. i am going to wait about 4 weeks before i expect to see any results. my eating habits were so bad i assume my body is way out of whack and will need some time to adjust to eating good food on a regular basis.
for breakfast i eat:
2 eggs
3/4 chicken breast
1/4 avocado
for lunch and dinner:
1 1/2 cups pinto beans
3/4 chicken breast
salsa
veggies
i also have a snack of 10 almonds daily
wish me luck. please feel free with suggestions or comments.
thanks
forgot to say i was 5′ 9″
Thanks Tim. . . Looks good I am going to go for it!
Two Questions: 1. Is soy cheese slices okay? It melts nice is only about 40 calories and is protein without dairy. 2. In your schedule you have “sports training” I thought this was done without exercise? I am a full time student and I work two jobs – this appealed to me because at this time I dont have much time for exercise. Thanks again, Sandy
Hi everyone,
My birthday just passed and i was in the hospital. I consider myself a pretty healthy individual. I am very social, have a ton of friends and am very active in my day. When i say active i mean i get out of my house, see people, do things and “live” life! However, i have never been one for exercise. One i cant run, weak ankles, asthma, EE breasts, and bad joints do that. However, i love to swim, but the natatorium at my campus is always packed and i am the typical girl self-conciouse in a swimsuit. I just went to a physical about 2 days ago and my doctor said he is concerned about my weight. Honestly, even if he wasnt, i have been. So today, i am starting this diet. I have been on the computer litterally about three hours reading all the posts and stuff and i think, one, that i can do this, and two that this would be good for me, in many aspects. So here it goes, and i will keep you posted. 23, female, 5’3”, 226 llb’s. starting now…
MAC
Hey Tim,
I recently bought your book here in the Philippines (about 899 pesos = 19 dollars. I saw your book being reviewed in Entrepreneur Magazine Philippines while I took a haircut) I already finished it! Awesome book! I’m reading it again to start doing the principles and exercises. I’m starting my journey to be part of the New Rich!
Now onto the blog… I agree with your eating plan! I follow it the same way.
But what I really agree upon is the “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I do that all the time. Worth the wait and the hard work for better health. Rock on Tim!
Thanks Tim! Hope to meet you in the near future.
Mabuhay!
Miguel
Anyone hit a wall after about 20-25 pounds? Maybe I’m slowing the scale a little with muscle gain, but I doubt I’m putting on that much muscle. I’m 6’0 went from 190 16%BF to 170 10%BF. Now the scale is stuck. I lift heavy and do killer cardio 5 times a week. I may look at portioning my food but I don’t want to if i don’t have to, and I haven’t had to so far. I”m looking to be in the 7% range of body fat for summer. I’m following the plan right on.
Any secrets?
“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.”
It is impossible to at 10 lbs of muscle in six weeks w/o the use of steroids. I mean litterally impossible. Google it all you want.
I had to LOL when a saw the number of posts on this topic.
I laughed a second time when I saw the pizza picture (I think food picture taking is a great way to “explain” things, not only to tourists haha.)
But the guacamole pic did it (yes I am an addict!).
I am starting tomorrow (as it is bedtime for me now).
Calcium intake seems fairly low though…
Succes to all!
Ruth Beretta (an MD from Belgium)
tim, what about FRESH (raw) fruits?
Hi. I have known about this diet for a long time and have made half arse attempts at it numerous times but this has got to stop. I am 3 days in and i haven’t touched anything “white”, which is pretty epic for me lol
I am 230lbs about 6ft. I am flabby but i don’t look obese. I have a heavily muscular physique underneath the fat lol So I want to know if this abundance of muscle will help with the fat loss process?
and if so how much? I know that sounds vague
Third, how long does it take on average for the body’s metabolism to slow down? A refeed is recommended every week (cheat day), so i assume a week is a good point to start before ones metabolism starts slowing.
So here I am, i am currently on Day 3. I will check back every week so the next time you hear from me will be Day 7. I will note any changes I have noticed aestetically as well, after all thats one of the reasons we lose weight.
Day 1: 230lb (16st 6lb) I know this is my visceral weight i.e when water weight etc is under control.
And thank you in advance for any answers, especially Tim who keeps in contact with this thread, years after its inception.
Tim-
Im allergic to legumes. Should i just stick with meats and eggs and veggies?
-DillZ
Is fish suggested? I was thinking about starting a diet, eating for my blood type, and they recommend fish and tell me to avoid lentils. And as far as the cheat day goes, it that a cheat day for every meal, or one meal?
Hi everybody,
I posted a few weeks ago with a list of recipes. I’ve got a couple more that taste good and are easy to make:
Meatballs
Mix beef or pork mince with a little cornflour, paprika, wostercershire sauce, cumin, salt and pepper and form into balls. Fry these in a little olive oil and place to one side.
In the same pan you used to cook the meatballs fry garlic, add tinned tomatoes, salt, a sweetener, frsh basil and harricot beans. Cook down and add a little tomato puree to richen if nescessary and lightly mash the beans into the sauce. Wilt in spinich, pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve.
Chicken and Spinich Dansak
You will need:
* 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
* 1 pint water
* 2 cups Lentil
* 1/2 teaspoon Salt
* 1 teaspoon of Chili powder
* 2 green Chillies, finely chopped
* 450g Chicken Breast cut into small pieces
* 1 large Onion, sliced into fine wedges
* 2 fresh Garlic cloves, minced
* 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of Garam Masala
* Pinch of ground Fenugreek
* 2 tablespoons of Lemon juice, either freshly squeezed or from a bottle
* A small handful of finely chopped Coriander
Directions:
1. Wash the Chicken and slice them into small pieces.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan, add the Onions, keeping a low heat, wait 5 minutes for the onions to start melting.
3. Increase the heat to a medium level and wait for the Onions to become slightly golden in colour. Then add the Salt, Chili Powder, Turmeric, chopped green Chillies and the Garam Masala and stir them into the onions. Continue cooking for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add the Lentils.
5. Increase the heat and add the Chicken breast with the Fenugreek and the Garlic and stir for 5 minutes.
6. Add the pint of water and put in the Lemon juice and half of the Coriander and then bring to the boil for 5 minutes and then reduce the heat, cooking the curry for 15 minutes.
7. Skim off any excess oil and sprinkle in the remaining coriander and serve the dish with a bowl of rice or Nan bread . Enjoy!
By the way, I lost a stone in four weeks. I fell off the wagon for a week and put on four pounds. I’m back on it now and going well. This works very well!
I’ve been doing this for a week and a half now and am seeing results. I seem to have more energy and I swear I can see and hear better!
otherwise, I feel my whole mentality towards food has completely changed. Americans live to eat and I’ve always wanted to just eat to live. I would say, “I need to start eating healthy”, with no real plan and, you guessed it, quickly fall off the bandwagon. This is easy and simple. Everything you can eat fits onto a note card and when in doubt refer back to it. After a few days you’ll have it memorized and you actually stop thinking about it and have more time for life and being productive, other then thinking about what you want to eat for dinner.
I’ve been cooking a lot more too which has cut down on eating out, saving my wife and I more money. But at the end of a long hard day when I just dont want to cook anymore there’s always a bowl from Chipotle, tell them to fill it up with pinto beans, chicken or pork, lettuce, guac, and salsa.
one more thing that I think has been helping is that I’ve been eating 90% dark chocolate for antioxidants and taking gummie multi-vitamins. I basically feel like I’m eating candy!! but I’m not and most importantly, I’m not breaking the diet.
O and the day off on Saturday is like heaven but usually ends with a stomach ache and you kind of can’t wait to start eating low cal again.
thanks tim!
hi tim! i’m 5’1 and 130 pounds.
is it possible for me to follow this diet and lose 15-20 pounds in 1 month?
i am a little bit overweight so i don’t know if this will be as effective for me as it is for others who are more overweight.
hi tim,
i just came across your loose 20lbs in one month and i need to be lean within 30 days to fit in my bathing suit that i bought haha..but one thing that bothers me is i have started noticing a double chin!! will this diet get rid of that too ??
That is really good lloyd! I am impressed.
I am interested in what additional things you did, if any, ontop of Tim’s diet such as what exercise you did if you did do exercises and how did you look?
Thanks in advance for your input.
And again, well done, a stone week is great.
Thanks for great diet tips friend.. I’ll follow these food in my LIFE.
Tim,
I am on week 3 and have lost 11 lbs. The problem I am having is now 3-4 days into week three I have not lost a pound. Is there a plateau? Any suggestions on how to get through it?
Breakfast
egg subsitutes
ranch style beans
peas
Lunch
Chicken
ranch style beans
peas
Dinner
Ground Turkey
Corn
Ranch Style beans
lettuce and salsa
Thanks!
Hi Tim, Thanks for your blog. This is something I have not seen before. Im trying to lose weight from having children. I’m having such a hard time because I have hip problems so exercising is so hard and can be extremely painful. Im only 29 years old so I think if I lose the weight my hip problem will get better and ill have less health issues. like I said though Im having losing weight without exercising, so do you think this diet will work without exercising? Aside from starving myself I dont knolw what else to do. Even just going on walks can hurt.
[…] me that Tim is a strategist and obsessive tester, so I decided to try the diet he recommends to lose 20 pounds in 30 days. I don’t expect to lose 20 pounds, but if I lost 10 I would probably start reading the blog […]
Well, I’ve done this diet for a week, today was my cheat day. I lost a couple pounds (I think. I didn’t weigh myself, but I’ve definitely slimmed down a bit.) and I’m ready to start up again for another week. Cheating today has been fun, but I gotta say, I felt really gross. I only felt better after guzzling a bunch of water, but I’m kind of looking forward to getting back to the heathy foods. I’m sure after a couple days I’ll be craving sweets again, though! But so far the diet’s been good. I’m never hungry, I feel great, and the closer you get to your cheat day, the less you’re tempted to cheat. At least, that’s how it’s been for me. I’m hoping this next week will show even more weight loss. It can be discouraging sometimes, but healthy weight loss happens bit by bit. Just trust in the diet. Good luck to everyone!
Hey, does anyone have any advice for the plateau? I started at 260, and now am 205. 55lbs is great, and I love how I look. I want to lose another 5-10lbs, but it just doesn’t seem to want to come off. I’ve been at 205 for almost 2 months now. Any suggestions?? To anyone who is doubting, this thing works for sure. i have before and after pix if you need proof!