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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Hey guys,
Anybody know if Almond Butter is okay? I know we’re not supposed to have more than 5-10 almonds a day, but could that be substituted with, say, one tablespoon of almond butter? Thanks in advance for any thoughts…
Just finished my fourth week on this diet, and went from 205 to 200. Body fat percentage and measurements indicate greater fat loss was not obscured by muscle gain; body fat currently about 20%.
FOOD: Followed the diet precisely, consuming only eggs and eggs whites, chicken, pork, steak, the recommended beans, spinach, vegetables, and the occasional bit of broccoli or mushroom. Consumed at least 30 grams of protein per meal, often more (especially for dinner). Breakfast had within one hour of waking, with one exception, and usually within 30 minutes. Avoided fruit. Rarely had almonds, never more than 10.
CHEAT DAY: Ate eggs and beans for breakfast on cheat day, and then had larger amounts whatever I wanted. Did regular bouts of air squats and wall presses before and 90 minutes after unhealthy foods. Took an extra policosanol in the morning. Favorite cheat day meal: pizza.
DRINK: Drank lots of water (at least a gallon), more on cheat day. Had diet soda on most days (12 oz), and glass of merlot less often. No milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice (except on cheat day, when I had grapefruit juice before second meal). Had a rum and diet coke at bar third Wednesday; my biggest deviation from diet. Had coffee regularly. When cream added, never more than tablespoon or two (measured).
GLUCOSE: Had cinnamon with coffee, limited amounts of lemon juice with every meal.
SUPPLEMENTS: Took potassium, magnesium, and calcium at recommended doses. Also took PAGG at recommended doses, which produced extremely bad insomnia starting second week. Missed three days of PAGG due to delayed Amazon.com delivery in third week, then resumed. Took one day off every week.
EXERCISE: Went for a walk every day, and followed Occam’s Protocol after the first week. Moderate cardio on Tuesdays.
COLD: Took cold showers five days a week, did ice pack six days a week, regularly went without jacket or sweater on walks. Did not start drinking ice water until second week, regularly consumed thereafter. Did not try ice baths; found showers unpleasant enough.
So: did I do something wrong? I am feeling underwhelmed by the results, and am honestly at a loss to see what I might have done differently/incorrectly.
what is the policy on responses, Tim?…i’ve seen several direct questions get asked without an answer…is there a FAQ page you are updating somewhere with questions beyond what was in the book?
My hubby and I just started the diet this week. Too early to tell but I have questions– can Tim or someone sure of the answer reply?
–no white foods but tim mentions cottage cheese in the book. Yay or nay on that?
–he says no dairy but iread in the blogs that he said cheese is ok. Should we add it if we want or will it stall fat and weight loss? I LOVE cheese so if it’s allowed my meals will be so much yummier!
— I need some kind of creamy texture sometimes and guacamole isn’t always the answer. Any tips on sauces? Normally I would do sour cream or yoghurt
–is damage control a “if you want to ramp it up” thing or a ” must do”?
Thanks all!
I definitely don’t know it all but I have seen several questions that I think I can help out with on here regarding this “lifestyle of eating”
I believe that it is important to include lean protein, healthy fats, low glycemic carbs, and veggies every day. Some do well mixing a bit of each in every meal. I eat carbs (which in following the 4HB plan would be my beans) with protein and a veggies with my first three meals (ex. 5 oz of chicken with 1/2 cup beans and veggies). Meals later in the day (after 4 for me because that is when I am least active) are 5oz chicken, veggies and 1-2 oz of avocado or 10-15 almonds or any other healthy fat that you choose. Fats help you feel full which is helpful if your not having a carb in your meal.
I read a post where a young girl has an apple for breakfast. The 4HB says no fruit but in my opinion if you are going to eat a fruit, mix it with a couple of hard boiled eggs, I would actually suggest 5 egg whites and 1 whole egg. Fruits are read by your body as sugars and in turn may cause sugar cravings. It needs to be balanced with a protein and a fat.
I am 5’6″ 147 pound female and 19% body fat. I eat about 6 times a day and drink a protein shake after workouts. I have read many posts of men eating an egg or two for breakfast. I really think that you should consume 25-30 grams of protein with each meal. 2 eggs doesn’t meet that number.
Being prepared will make a health eating lifestyle much much easier. I try to cook at least a weeks worth of 2 of my meals and have them ready to put in a cooler and go. This often means that I eat cold chili but I’m fueling my body not wining a chili cook-off. I also always have hardboiled eggs in the fridge and protein powder in the car in case I am stuck without a healthy meal on hand. If I am hungry and it is too soon to eat again I will eat either just a white or a whole egg to get me by. I also chop up all of my veggies so they are ready to go. I like to make a cookie sheet full of zucchini, asparagus, onion, bell peppers ( orange and red are my faves!) and green beans. I broil them until they are a tad burnt on top and sprinkle with sea salt then eat to my hearts content ( I share with my husband!).
something to snack on that is like a chip?….that’s a hard one but my pick is orange bell peppers!!! They are very sweet and crunchy, during contest prep they are my best friend!
Water water water!!! keeps you from fake hunger and is also good for flushing out the bloat from a cheat day. Try to double up on water for the day of and following your cheat day. Alot of the weight on the scale is water weight that you have gained from the over consumption of carbs especially sugar (carbs hold water) It makes me swell horrendously. I am also taking dandelion root the day of and after a binge.
Binge day….it is not working out well for me. It may be because I do not have much to loose. I was about 5 pounds from my goal weight before my first binge day and I gained it all back plus one and I managed to loose all but one of the 6 pounds I had gained by the Friday after but then it was time to binge again. I told myself I’d go easier on the binge so I eat foods that I used to eat all the time and I miss like oatmeal, corn tortillas and greek yogurt. I did have dessert but I did not sit in front of the TV with a bag of twizzlers. I didn’t weigh myself because it really does bad things for my ego but I don’t feel 6 pounds heavier this time!
just keep it simple like Tim said in the book. I am basically eating the same way that I have always been taught to eat except now instead of oats and yams I am eating only beans for my carb meals (always with a protein) This really helps with hunger but it also makes it easier. 5 oz meat, .5 cup of beans, what ever veggie I want.
My weak times are nights when I am with the family sitting around watching tv. This is when my munchies hit and that is not when I want orange peppers. with no contest in my future I have been eating whatever I want but that has to stop and that is why I am making this change. I am finding new things to help with those times. The boiled egg whites really can be a lifesaver. Especially sprinkled with sea salt. Also I keep boiled shrimp on hand. I make cocktail sauce with reduced sugar ketchup ( I know it’s bad but just a tad!) and horseradish. but most of all I really think that the beans are making huge difference! An all out binge day isn’t working well for me so I need to tone that down a bit but all in all I think this is a great plan and if you stick with it you will succeed!
Oh, I realize that some of you are not exercising ( but seriously, exercising isn’t just about weight loss, it’s good for you so get moving!!) so your caloric needs my be much lower than mine. I am shooting for 1700 calories. That might be too much for most women. In Tim’s book he says eat until you’re full but make sure that your eating because your actually hungry. I can’t see it being okay to eat a whole chicken and 2 cans of beans with every meal just because you can. Portion control! Also for those of you that are having trouble getting in more protein I know of a company that makes egg whites that come in gallon jugs. They are pasteurized so you can mix a little coco powder and stevia and make a protein shake. I’d put the name on here but I don’t think I am allowed to ( I am not sure this will even get posted, most of my comments have not and nothing I have written has ever gotten answered) but you can find an add for them in most fitness magazines.
Try not to get frustrated when You don’t recieve comments on your post. I have found that it isn’t exaclty easy to find a post and respond to it. Everytime I want to respond to something, I click on the link and I have to start from 2007. Just keep going! good luck every one!!! I’m starting over this week, I’m planning on loosing 5 pounds with my “clean bean” eating and getting to get back in to the gym after a long break with a sick child! Can’t wait! I have a party to go to so that is my short term motivation. Long term motivation is Summer time! we are lake junkies and it is no fun on the lake if you feel crappy in your bikini!!!
Hey Tim (& all),
I’m working on doing the slow carb diet, but I have some interesting circumstances:
I’m currently deployed in the middle east and I don’t have a lot of control over what I can construct my meals with. I’m doing okay so far with it, I think, though I’m swinging close to a CKD diet (I did this before with great results).
My biggest problem is that I can’t get beans (yet). We have them maybe twice a week. I’ve got some on the way in a care package, but that’s a couple of weeks away. I’ve got the PAGG stack on the way too.
In the mean time, I’m replacing the calories from the beans with additional protein and fat for now. If I can’t get enough calories from the prepared foods I’ll usually throw in some of the following to add calories:
-Tuna w/ mayo
-Cottage cheese (in small amounts)
-Salad with oil & vinegar
I’m curious about two things:
1. Is ham bad? Its sweet, and usually sweet is bad
2. I’m eating some premade chili too, to get at least some beans. Is chili okay? It doesn’t have much sugar.
On top of all that… anyone have any comments or ideas on how I can do this diet close to right while I wait for my beans to arrive?
Thanks!
Danno, I think you’re doing a great job of getting close until your beans arrive. Forge ahead. If the ham is sweet, I’d keep in minimal.
Good luck!
Tim
Hey Danno (or Tim),
Where are you getting the PAGG stack from. I am based in the UK and was wondering if it (or equivalent) was available here.
Book ordered (delivery due end of Jan according to Amazon). I want to be prepared.
Any info would be appreciated.
Regards,
Garry
My update. I lost 9 pounds since 1/1/11, 7 of it since I stated SC diet. Cheat day was Suinday.
I had a sausage. egg and cheese on wheat bagel for breakfast. Ordered a pizza for lunch and dinner. Had six slices throughout the day. (Had three slices for lunch and almost hurled) Plus I had a growler (1/2 gallon) of beer watching the football games.(And a couple glasses of syrah that night)
Stepped on the scale Mon morning and almost crapped myself. 7# gained in one day!?! I went back to the book to ensure this was ok, but jeez! Only lost 1.5# of that 7 the next morning.
Breakfast is basically the same as last week:
Container of eggbeaters, 3 whole eggs, splash of milk and cheese, Mrs Dash, Garlic, pepper, chopped tomatoes and 1but a cup of spinach into a dish. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Gives me 6 breakfasts.
Lunch is chicken thighs, pinto beans and hot salsa.
Dinner is lean top round, black beans, salsa and green beans or mixed veggies.
Good luck all!
Hi,
This diet seems to be working for me. It has been two weeks. I started off in pretty good shape. I eat well and exercise regularly. I only want to loose a couple lbs. My main problem is that it is so difficult to maintain. I miss one exercize session or eat one bad thing and I start gaining weight. My other problem is hypoglycemia. I am constantly hungry if I don’t eat somethign every hour and I have been going for sweet things (healthy sweet things) but that was what was holding me up.
It seems legumes was the missing piece. Since I’ve added legumes to my diet and omitted my sprouted grain bread and gluten free carbs and healthy sweet things, my food cravings are going away. A meal will now last me 4 hours! I’m not constantly hungry and when I am hungry I am not getting the shakes and dizzy spells like I used to! It’s like my hypoglycemia is gone. So weird.
The cheat day isn’t new, but I had given it up for a while, because I had so many oopses during the week I figured I’d give up the cheat day in trade. It seems it doesn’t work like that. Since I started this diet, I went back to the binge day. After the first binge day I lost a lb?? lol. This week I gained weight after my binge day, but I am confident I will loose it.
easy and tasty lentil recipe:
1 cup lentils
3 cups water
2 tbsp chipotle puree
1 tbsp chopped garlic
sea salt to taste
add lentils garlic, chipotle, and water to a pot. bring to a boil, them reduce heat to simmer. let the lentils simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. season witht the sea salt.
That’s it, easy lentils. Make extra so you have them all week.
The cheat day is not working anymore. I’m on the fourth week. Started at 128 lbs (5’4 female) and then pre-binge I was 119 (ecstatic to be under 120 again). Cheat day was Sunday and now it is Wednesday. I’m still at 121.2 🙁 The weight is not coming off! I ate loads of rice on Sunday and like 6 apricots and maybe 5 cookies…I drank loads of tea and water. I’ve eaten waaaay more on previous cheat days and the weight came right off about 48 hours later.
What’s going on here (Tim or anyone else)?! Was hoping to lose an additional 4 lbs this week…or at least 2 lbs 🙁
On a slightly different note, I’ve decided to stick to this diet for as long as I can…I don’t get sugar cravings anymore (thus saving me lots of money on snacks) and I have lots of energy throughout the day. My skin is incredibly clear as well. I’m thinking about nixing the cheat day at the end of this week and going into week 5 w/o the cheat day on my side…just to see what effect not having a cheat day will have. What do you think?
Sarah, you are getting extremely lean so I don’t think it’s surprising your fat loss is slowing a bit (4lbs is really unrealistic for a woman of your size. If you had 50 pounds of fat to lose, maybe. Or maybe if you were a 19 year old boy.) But you’re a small female, and your fat loss will be slower as you get leaner.
Also, that cheat day is not to cause a drop in the scale (although I guess some people do see a drop after they cheat, most people see a slight gain). That’s to keep your leptin and thyroid humming along and to prevent you from getting bored on the diet. I think you’ve seen such good success (128 to the 119 to 120 range? Seriously? I’d sell my mother for that!) it seems odd to mess with it now. But that’s just my non-expert opinion.
I’m starting at a much higher bodyweight than you (140) and we’re the same height. It’s been 7 days and I’ve lost 2 pounds. But I’m an old lady (32) and have been on a diet since I was 9, which means my body is used to my dieting tricks and won’t drop fat like it used to. But this way of eating is the only thing that seems to keep my appetite in check, so I”m sticking with it too. Good luck!
@Sarah
I have to agree with elizabeth here…your progress has been great. I also agree with the point that the cheat day isn’t directly to stimulate weight loss. It’s purpose is to “trick” your metabolism into not reacting to sustained decreased caloric intake. I think it’s really important for ongoing maintenance…and, of course, it satisfies your need for some variety.
I am still stuck at around 10 lbs. loss in roughly a month, but I think somthing just “clicked”…I’m at 10 net loss with two more days to go until my cheat day…I think I’ll wind up at around 12-14 net loss just before cheat day (I like to officially weigh early AM on my cheat day…saturday).
I hope everyone keeps posting!
M
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for your kind words of wisdom and for the reality check! What you’re saying makes so much sense. I completely forgot the whole thyroid function purpose of the cheat day. Perhaps I should just add in some exercise to increase overall fitness. My sister and mother (140+ lbs) are also in this with me so that makes things easier.
Good luck to you as well! 🙂
My pleasure! I think it’s awesome you’ve got your mom and sister for support.
Question for you since you’re one of the few women of my height who are (a) doing this diet (b) getting rocking results… do you have red wine? It’s one of my true loves (well, my husband is one as well, but he doesn’t make gain weight) and I know it’s permitted on 4hb, but I’ve read so many bodybuilder types who discourage it when trying to lose fat. Have you any experience with that?
Also, if it’s not being too greedy, are you willing to share some of your daily meals?
See you in the 115-120 lb range (oh dare to dream!)
@Matt
Thanks! I also weigh in on cheat day morning 🙂
@Elizabeth
I don’t mind sharing my meals at all! However, they are terribly boring and generally the same every day:
Breakfast: 1 whole organic egg with as much egg whites/substitute as I please (w/o going overboard) – I mix in lots of ground black pepper, ground cayenne pepper, chopped spinach, chopped mushrooms, a little bit of chopped tomatoes…basically, w/e amount of vegetable that will fit to make a nice hearty omelet! I eat omelet everyday b/c it’s very easy to make. I usually drink my morning coffee with this (black OR with a zero sugar, zero dairy creamer OR with a cinnamon stick).
Lunch: Usually left overs from dinner which would include one palm sized portion of meat (usually chicken, maybe salmon once a week), lots of lentils, and lots and lots of green beans or steamed brocolli. Sometimes steamed brussels sprouts (YUM!) I season all of the steamed veggies with w/e seasonings I have on hand.
Smaller lunch: A bowl of lentil or black bean soup – sometimes I skip the second lunch, because I don’t feel hungry or I just don’t have time.
Dinner: Same as the first lunch, maybe different types of green veggies or beans to go with the meat portion. Every night I eat green veggies like green beans or broccoli or okra. I guess I eat these with every meal since I eat spinach in my omelet.
I drink lots of unsweetened tea every day. All kinds too – from Pu-erh to oolong to matcha green tea to white tea…w/e I have on hand. I count that as my water intake.
I don’t drink alcohol so I can’t comment on the red wine. Maybe someone else will have some insight for you there 🙂 I hope the meal plans help and the fat starts dropping for all of us! Everyone is so helpful here 😀
My comment is still awaiting moderation 🙁
Been on this diet for almost a month and I haven’t had a single solid bowel movement since starting. What’s up with that? (I also haven’t experienced any noticeable fat loss.)
Hi there,
My husband purchased 4hour body after loving 4 hour work week, and I snuck a few peeks in, and was really inspired to start this diet after gaining cookie/alcohol weight during the holidays… We are on day three, and have been making the following meals
Breakfast: egg whites cooked in ghee(holy crap delish- thank you Tim) with one whole egg mixed in, with cilantro, black beans, sriracha, and salsa
Lunch: bean/chicken/veggie soup
Dinner: fish or other lean protein (i made cinnamon/cumin dry rubbed pork loin last night) with pinto or black beans and steamed fresh asparagus
I drink lots of wine, so I have had my allowed 2 glasses of Cab every night.
The sugar cravings are INTENSE! Few questions for anyone who cares to help 😉
When do those sugar cravings start to subside?
Also, we both only have about 10 lbs to lose… what is the maintenance phase, or do you eat like this all the time?
Quinoa is not mentioned anywhere, but we love it… It does have carbs, but tons of Protein, is it allowed?
I have already lost 3 lbs… thank you!
Yes, my sugar cravings are almost gone now after 2 weeks. i’m actually dreading my binge day tomorrow cause after the last one I felt like my old bloated self again for a couple days. boo.
Good tips. Most people would lose fat just by adding vegetables to their diet every day. It’s amazing how people tend to skip over the basics, yet the basics in anything is what sets a solid foundation for success.
Between this and the Pavel powerlifting routine, I am now 14 stone and 13lbs after years of veering between sixteen to seventeen stone. The book isn’t out here in the UK yet, but I cannot wait to read it. I am joining a gym after a month of a home workout that gives me energy, has slimmed me down and I look in the mirror and see gains beyond my previous efforts. Thank you, you are helping people by bringing all of this into one space and when I get my six-pack, it’ll be because of you.
I tried something similar to this, but only went about halfway. I just started my career with a hell of a commute, leaving me with very little time to exercise and counteract my now-sedentary job. I’ve been a steady 125 lbs at 5’2″, which isn’t UNhealthy but it’s not great when you don’t exercise. This summer I attempted to go on a ‘semi-slow carb’ diet by swapping all my carbs to whole grains, but still too many carbs in my diet for my liking. I dropped to 120 lbs and stayed there with non-instant oatmeal in the morning, yogurt and fruit for lunch with two egg whites, and then a sinful serving of whole-wheat pasta for dinner…repetitive meals but still not the best. I have SAD which causes me to struggle to wake up in the winter months, therefore I’ve been rushing to work and opting to buy breakfast there…going from oatmeal to a croissant! Between that and Thanksgiving and Christmas, I shot up to 130 lbs!
My BMR requires around 1300 calories, and I’m afraid to constrict much further for fear of muscle loss…so I think this diet is for me. My questions are:
What is the ‘spread’ of calorie sizes for each meal? Higher calories in the morning, lower in the evening? Alternating? What would be a reasonable restriction for me assuming I can only do light exercise?
If I can squeeze in any exercise time at all, what time of day is best? Morning before or after I eat? After I get home from work? After dinner? Would working out and then partaking of my 1-cup serving of wheat pasta & marinara allow me to not to have to give up my vice? :]
If I may interject on the red wine…I have lost 7 lbs in 3 weeks and only have another 7 to go and will be thrilled. I have a glass of wine nightly, sometimes 2, and it hasn’t stalled my loss so far. I really look forward to slowly sipping in the evening and so far I have lost the weight I wanted to. My loss seems to plateau for a few days, then drops a couple pounds at a time. I luckily haven’t gained on my cheat days, but I must say, I do not see it as a”binge” but see it as a day to enjoy the foods I miss the most. My calorie intake is defintely higher than other days, but not off the charts. In my third week now, I have lost my daily craving for sweets, and have little hunger between meals, I’m vegetarian so don’t eat meat, but use egg whites and brown rice protein powder, lots of veggies of all kinds, and beans of all kinds. I also have a daily handful of nuts, and a bit of guacamole. I also advise to take measurements, that shows a loss of inches when the scale doesn’t budge. Love reading everyone’s comments!
Thank you Lorrie! I love your attitude about not seeing the leptin-boosting day as a binge day but a chance to eat the foods you miss (bananas! coconut! peanut butter! mangos! bring it on ya’ll!!!)
I had a bit of a set back today. Yesterday was my “binge” day and I was hungry all day long, I think the carbs just mess with my appetite. Today, post-binge I ate about 1,200 calories of macadamia nuts on top my regular food. Which I am pretty sure is not part of the 4hb plan….
I hope you have continued success on the plan (and that I can get my act together for the next 7 days.)
-E.
Hey Tim,
Just started the diet a few days ago, have a few questions. I’m looking for a snack and since nuts are high in protein, do you recommend them? Which ones and how much quantity?
On your page where you show pictures of the food, the last is a pizza, is this a regular pizza made with white flour? Can I eat pizza if it is loaded with vegetables?
I am also starting the Uberman sleep schedule, with strictly 20 minute naps round the clock, do you suggest any specifics concerning the diet with this in mind?
Thank you so much Tim, I’ve read the 4 hour work week 3 times now and your writing has really opened my mind.
-Greg
Tim,
I started the program almost three weeks ago and I have to say that I am very impressed with how simple this is. Things went kind of fast in my first week, dropping almost 16 pounds in the first week! And I felt great through the entire week. I expected things to slow down and they did, but I feel like I’m running into a problem. After my last two cheat days, my time to reach my pre-cheat day weight is longer than I expected. After cheat day #1, I didn’t show a weight gain until Monday (my cheat day is Saturday) and didn’t lose it until Friday. This week (291.4 on morning of cheat day), I saw a gain on Sunday (294.8) and Monday (297.6). I presume that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I may finally be back to pre-cheat weight (showing about a 1-2.5 lb loss per day).
I’m sticking to the foods, so the only thing I can think of is the cheat day itself. I’ve been pretty moderate with the whole day, eating meals to the point of being satisfied. My water intake on cheat day has been pretty low too. I am sticking my normal breakfast on cheat day and drinking grapefruit juice before the first cheat meal. Am I missing something?
Hi Rob,
Nice work. I’d increase water intake on cheat days.
Good luck!
Tim
I’m all for experimentation with new diets and I’m a true believer of high protein and frequent mini-meals. So I was on The Last 10 Pounds Diet for 4 days and GAINED WEIGHT. I had a headache, low energy and generally felt like crap. I’ve been restricting carbs for the past 8 years so this diet may have provided more carbs than I’m used to eating–certainly more nuts, fat & cruciferous veggies. I was eating 4 oz of protein and 1/4 cup nuts. I’m thinking it’s just too many calories and carbs for me. Easy to consumer 2,100 calories. Also the cruciferous vegetables may bind with my thyroid medication. Experiment failed.
I am on day three of the diet and not feeling well. I think I’m getting sick and as such I’m really tired and not hungry. am not sure what to do in this case. Any advice?
Please see your doctor. I have no idea what the cause would be.
Is coconut and coconut milk ok? And how important is it to stick to the vegetables listed? Is it ok to exclude them completely in favor of other vegetables? Thanks.
Hi Tim,
I’ve been following the slow-carb diet for about a month and
a half now and have already lost about 10-12 pounds. Kudos to
you!!! I just have two quick questions that I hope you will answer for me.
1st Question:
Since it is not a white carbohydrate, is pumpkin okay?
2nd Question:
With regards to the go-all-out, hogwild cheat day, does it have to be restricted to 24 hours consecutively?
For example, since there are basically three meals in a day,
could I spread these meals out over the week and
have like a cheat meal on Monday, Wednesday and Friday?
Hope to hear from you,
Rich
Kudos everyone for sharing your results! I love reading them all.
I’m waiting for the next weighing day to officialy rave like a lunatic about the diet. Lost inches but little weight but pre-and during period is not an accurate starting pont anyway. Do I fit better in my jeans? Oh Yeah.
Have I not read the book correctly or did I see something about scotch being ok? Anyone, please tell me it’s true, it would make all this so much better!
One last thing I have to mention is that this way of eating is affecting the way I do burn the energy I ingest… I’m sure there is science behind this, probably how the liver uses up the energy instead of making fat-stores in our thighs, but I went cross-country skiing last night (In the full moon, beautiful!) and the initial climb is pretty steep. I usually get out of breath quite easily, whether Im in good shape or not, but this time my heart was pumping but I was able to keep going even though my heartbeat was way high. The only way I could describe this is that it felt like my body was burning energy in a clean way, the way it was meant to. Does that make sense to anyone?
Quick update.
Sun was cheat and now it is Wed. Still 2# over my starting cheat day weight. Exercise this week was identical to last.
Diet has modified as follows:
Added about 1-2 Tbs og homemade guacamole with morning eggs. Will skip this next week.
Lunch last week had tuna 4x. This week has been either chicken thigh or lean beef. Will go back to tuna next week.
Other than that, no real difference, but I have to admit, last week felt like my ‘core’ was warmer than normal. I don’t feel that this week. Will see how next week pans out.
Oh, and cheat day will add a better mix of protein and carbs versus mainly carbs like last week.
Good luck all!
Bill
I’m having trouble having a bowel movement. Any healhty suggestions?
Sara,
I’ right there with you! I’ve tried everything..I am hoping my body is just adjusting to the diet..
Me too 🙁 Thought I was the only one.
Thanks for this information presented in an easy format Tim! I started less than 2 weeks ago and have already dropped 10 lbs while never feeling hungary or restricting my portions. I’m simply amazed and looking forward to continuing on this diet for several months at least. I usually don’t diet because I have a hard time sticking to most of the diets out there for various reasons, this one is easy, I love beans and lentils. I’ve added grapefruit, which you don’t mention, but from my research they seem to fit the right GI/GL profile.
i’m a 29 yr old female, at 215lbs. my goal was to lose 40lbs in 7months (now 6months)
i was very excited to read your book and start the slow carb diet. but the pounds are not melting off. the first week i lost 5lbs, second week 1lb, third week none. i feel like i’m eating too much food, so i started measuring my food. I’m eating within 30min of waking and my meals are space 4hrs apart. I’m a little hungry by the next meal but not starving. and my dinner is now at 8:30pm which i noticed i now go home, and am not ready to binge cause i’m starving again. I’m also doing the PAGG, and ice pack to the back of my neck 5days a week.
Breakfast: 2eggs, 1egg white, spinach
lunch; 4oz meat, 1/2 cup beans, 1cup veggies
2nd lunch;4oz meat, 1/2 cup beans, 1cup veggies
dinner;4oz meat, 1/2 cup beans, 1cup veggies
2-3 cups of coffee black with cinnamon
1000ml of water through out the day
my only exercize is PT 2x a week for 1hr. due to a ACL injury, I am 3months post surgery and am doing awesome but still not allowed to do anything that has my jumping, or twisting type movements, (i can’t even run yet)
I’m not sure where i’m going wrong?
Increase water intake to 3 litres (3000ml)
I am thinking that this diet may not be for everyone. I have been following as strictly as possible for almost 3 weeks now (I have a total of 2.5 individual creamers a week but that is my only cheat) I do kettleball 2x a week, and walk 2x a week, and don’t think I have gone too crazy on my cheat days. I however have lost nothing the last 2 weeks, and I actually gained a lb between week 1 and week 2.
My husband hasn’t been as strict as me (adds in a bit of cheese here and there and even had a cappuccino and a small section of brownie) and he has dropped a significant amount the 1st week and this week (he also went up 1 lb between week 1 and 2).
I am not sure why it is like this, but it is a bit disappointing. It is always easier when we can diet the same way, and I was truly hoping this diet could be a life long thing.
Hi KL,
I’m not Tim but my gut reaction is that you’re gaining muscle. We’re eating tons of protein on this diet – and Tim has mentioned that you should be measuring more than just changes in weight. There’s a section in the book that deals with a particular slow-carber’s situation.
Have your Total Inches changed and / or your body fat?
For myself and my girlfriend we’ve flat-lined this week weight wise but lost inches and body fat.
My overall indicator is how I feel though, and I feel much better than I did before starting. Is that true for you?
(Side Note: I used to have poor sleep issues, and that’s cleared up as well – my sleep habits have improved on the diet, tired at the right times etc.)
Hope that helps, keep it up.
Z.
Thanks for your menus Sarah! Much appreciated.
It seems that for many people, this slow carb diet has a sort of magical thermogenic effect and fat just melts away. For others, like me, slow carb is what manages sugar cravings and allows us to stay in a reduced calorie range. For those not seeing sheets off fat melt off, you could be in the later group. If the calories you eat are less than what you burn, YOU WILL lose weight. And if you’re doing strength training and eating enough protein, it will be fat you’re losing, not muscle. So keep the faith!
Some things to consider if the scale will not budge:
– check your sodium levels in the foods you’re eating because it can cause water retention. My canned beans have between 1500 mgs and 2000 mgs of salt for the entire can. I can’t find low sodium beans anywhere (and yeah, I could just cook ’em from scratch but I don’t wanna). I just rinse them from the can to get most of the sodium off. The canned refried beans are just ridiculous so I don’t buy those.
– eat veggies like asparagus, cucumbers, lettuce etc. to flush out any water or toxins that may be lurking around due to sodium and drink plenty of water.
– for those of us experience a, er, digestive slow down, that will keep the scale higher as well. I don’t need to go into extra detail there. Remember the water! You can’t poop if you’re dehydrated. 😀
LOL that last paragraph made me chuckle. Try the beans from Whole Foods, the 365 Whole Foods brand. No hidden sugars and waaay less sodium.
I started eating this way on November 1st, 2010. 1st weigh-in was 277 lbs. Weigh-in last Saturday was 254 (after taking a week off in between Christmas and New Year’s Day). My cheat day is Sunday, and I really have adapted to eating this way on a permanent basis. I am a 3-time in-transit melanoma survivor, went through a massive chemo procedure (Isolated Limb Perfusion) in June of last year, and I had been looking for a way to get healthy. All melanoma has been in my lower right leg, so I am unable to do much cardio at all due to structural changes. At my heaviest I was 307 lbs. My ultimate goal is to hit 200. Thanks for all the good information, Tim!
My husband and I started this on Monday, so far the hardest bit has been eating everything, especially the breakfast. I feel like i’m having to forcefeed myself. But I haven’t even thought about eating anything not on the plan. Am loving it and can see how you can easily incorporate this long term
My only concern is that I am running the London Marathon in April and am training really hard (running 4 times per week with a long run of up to 22 miles) what can I do to get the extra energy needed for my runs. I did 7 miles on Weds and my legs felt completely dead the whole way round.
I know there was a section in the book on endurance and running specifically, but I only have the audiobook thus far as I live in the UK. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Tim,
I am totally agreed with your rules, especially rule # 2. I am trying to it the same few meals every day. And it works great for me 🙂
@KL: Yes, while the 4HB plan does seem to be working for some there does appear quite a number of us for which it doesn’t work, at least not without tweaking. I am now almost a month into the diet, plus KBs twice a week, and I’ve seen no change worthy of mentioning – the biggest difference I’ve noticed is that since starting this diet I have yet to have a single bowel movement that wasn’t extremely loose!
I’m curious as to how many people have had great success with this diet while actually not paying close attention to their portions. Calorie counting isn’t precribed by Tim but it’s the variable I first think to tweak.
Tim, any thoughts on what to tweak first? I’m thinking less beans (also to help with my bathroom experiences) although conversely I’m considering increasing my protein intake based on the suggestion in 4HB that eating too little can also be the issue.
I’m loving the KB swings but the 4HB SCD needs some more troubleshooting for the many of us who aren’t seeing results. Any help would be appreciated!
Matt,
I have no idea how this diet burns fat so quick (although I partially suspect much water weight). I’m not much into biology or chemistry… However also consider your previous diet – mine was primarily made of frozen meals/fast food for lunch and high-sugar beverages. Perhaps yours was already decent?
At the same time – I was at 165 for over a year with that diet so I’m assuming I’ll stay at 145-155 when I’m done unless I start lifting.
Here are my backups if I stop seeing progress:
* Weight training (or even just KB)
* Air squats
* Ice pack to neck for 20 minutes
* More ice water drinking
* Attempted increase in binging
I’ll have been on this plan for 2 weeks tomorrow, and my weight last night was 6.5lbs less than when I started. If I didn’t snack on nuts I’m sure I’d be even lower. Additionally, I only have about 15-20lbs tops I can really lose to begin with, so I’m going to start employing the ice pack and exercises as well.
THANK YOU Tim for sharing this honest method with us! Being able to trust you with this diet is helping me to trust you with 4HWW.
Where are you getting your anti-oxidants, your alkaline to balance all the acid from more meat and legumes and your fiber? Im assuming all the beans it to up the fiber… but is that enough?
@Matt – I am with you on the BM thing…
Also, really hope that calorie counting isn’t the answer. If I wanted to count calories I wouldn’t be eating only beans, meat and veggies 6 days a week…The positive about this diet was that I wouldn’t have to count calories and that I could eat until I was full.
I know I am getting the recommended protein per meal as well. Even topping the 30 grams suggested for breakfast. Hopefully Tim or the others can give us some tips…
@Zane,
My inches did go down last week even though my weight went up. So you may be right. I really would have thought that I would have lost more of the fat before gaining the muscle though. I didn’t really add that much exercise and have a good 18 more lbs to lose. I am not sure about the fat% though because we just did measurements and weight.
As for feeling better, sometimes yes, sometimes no. I seem to be more sleepy than normal (not worn out, just sleepy) and I feel bloated more often than not. Other things (stress) could be causing that though.
My weigh in, and cheat day (YYYAAAYYY!!!) are tomorrow, so fingers crossed. Even 1-2 lbs will make me happy. It really isn’t fun being on a diet and gaining weight…
this is the 6th day on the diet and although I feel great and enjoy the food, I have not lost weight NOR inches…in fact I went up about .5 inches here and there. I understand fluctuations on the scale or muscle replacing fat, but it always seems to be followed by “measure b/c inches tell the real story”. So–my inches say the plan is not quite working.
I could try to up the water more. sodium from beans less…I will try that next week. Tomorrow is binge day and though excited and I will do it–I am afraid of more weight/inch gain that will not be gone by Wednesday!!!
I think I will close my eyes and go for the plan whole hog–still–until the 3rd week. If nothing starts going my way I may bail 🙁
Help or support anyone? I am determined and am following the plan to a T (for Tim!)
would love input….
Sue I second your thoughts on water increase. Personally I found that ice water was actually crave-able for me so I would remember to go to the water fountain for refills more often. Maybe that helps?
Jake
Thanks for the reply and tips– I am only first cheat day today! Yay for me but I am going to try most of the damage control tips from the book and up ice water …. I am down 1 lb this morning though! That is good news even if I lose it on te binge today:)
Will let you know!
Maybe this will be helpful to people? Here are my diet and observations for 2 weeks.
Diet:
* Egg whites every morning (sometimes also egg yolks but afraid of cholesterol) with canned & drained black beans and salsa. Try to eat as much as I can within first hour of waking. Eat the rest about 2-3 hours later at work.
* Lunches include leftovers mostly leftovers. Chicken liver salad from the recipe book, lentils (Leon’s Lentils from recipe book), steak. Also Chipotle burrito bowl swapping rice with lettuce on bottom and both mild and medium salsas (adding mild is like free extra food since it’s chunky, and this bowl lasts me 2 lunches at work) – no cheeses or sour cream.
* Snacks are generally black beans in balsamic vinegar and olive oil (they don’t event seem like beans at that point – it’s amazing).
* Dinners are steak, chicken, fish, etc… with veggies such as squash/onions/peppers or most rarely a taco bowl (just feels unhealthy to me even though I exclude shells, cheese, and sour cream…). Also sometimes have grilled hot dogs with no bun but with a heaping side of sauerkraut.
* Beverages: sparkling water (pomegranate lime, delicious), glass of red wine at night sometimes, coffee with no sugar or cream (rarely with a little cup thing of creamer), unsweetened tea, iced water all day at work, bottled water most other times.
* Supplements: men’s multivitamin, calcium pill, 3 fish oil pills daily for cholesterol help (hopefully) for egg yolks and chicken livers.
Observations:
* Yes, my BMs are not as satisfying as they once were. They are healthy but every other day for me now.
* Slight unfounded depression early in the week but it wears off by late Tuesday morning (does my body want/need more sugars?). Always revolves around diet thoughts, nothing else for me.
* “Cheap caviar” taste from fish oil pills. *Don’t burp*
* Not much belly circumference difference yet, maybe 1 inch over my two weeks?
It’s the first time in my life that a program works for me… Day 12, 4 lbs and 2 inches total… I was waiting to get all excited and make sure it works before I go and tell everyone… I’m cooking sausage right now and toasting raisin bread; today is “no bean” day. Cheers to evryone who are making this saturday their own no-holds-barred, eating-absolutely-anything day.
I’m particularly happy because fridays are haaaaard, there is always somewhere to go to, last week I tried to stick to red wine and then found myself having various shots, but for the meals part I stuck it out. Yesterday same, someone made flambé coffees with rum and whipped cream, and all there was to eat was fried stuff and those little bacon-wrapped wieners. I was hungry and even more scared of slowing my metabolism down so I ate a little bit. Still have results this morn.
Leaving for Mexico in a few days… Will try to stick to plan food-wise, should be easy enough, but will be on a steady tequila regimen will try to avoid the overly sweet margaritas… If I don’t gain back, I’ll be thrilled.
Already planned lunch. Poutine, the ultimate bad-carb, bad-fat, junk- food meal of this neck of the woods. Enjoy the cheat day everyone!
I got on the scale today to check my progress. I can see more definition in my stomach and my legs (definitely the fattier part of my body) are looking a little more cut.
No change on the scale and my body fat % hasn’t moved either. That’s a little bit of a bummer. I did try on a pair of expensive jeans that were snug after the holidays and they fit comfortably. I’m going to assume hormones and other factors are affecting the scale and keep on keepin’ on.
My wife read that a woman’s cycle can throw BF% off a lot. Never do scale BF% first thing in the morning either.
I have read that many are having very loose bowels. I am the opposite extreme. When I was eating oats yams and brown rice i was extremely loose stooled but now eating beans I am solid, a little too solid sometimes. drinking plenty of water and getting my veggies in really helps. Probiotics may help with the loose ones.
I have had good results on the slow carb diet, down 13.5 llbs. in 3 weeks and I’ve lost 3″ in waist circumference around my navel.
Like some of the other posters in this forum, I’ve also experienced constipation. Before I started this diet, when I had yogurt every day, I was as regular as a Swiss watch. I’ve started taking probiotics to see if that will help. I’ve been drinking plenty of liquids, so it’s not due to dehydration.
I’ve also experienced lack of energy while working out while on the diet. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, and normally do 30 minutes of cardio (high-intensity intervals) and 30 minutes of weight lifting. But since starting the diet I can’t always make the cardio for a full 30 minutes. The other day I did 30 minutes of weights, and then could only manage 10 minutes of cardio. I’ve seen suggestions on eating nuts before working out, and I may give that a try next week. But I’m open to other suggestions.
Any word on when an actual 4HB forum will be set up? Although helpful at times reading/sifting comments is not a efficient mode of discussion…
I’d love to see a forum set up too.
Hi there Tim, I’ve been on the slow carb diet for almost a full 3 weeks now, Monday being my cheat day. I’m an 18 year old male and decided not to exercise to see the effects of the diet. The first two weeks were freakin’ amazing. I lost 14 lbs total the first two weeks, but after my 2nd week binge, I gained about 5 lbs, and I didn’t lose all of that even by Thrs! I’m about 6 ft tall and I was 163.5 lbs pre-binge a week ago. I’m almost done with my 3rd week and I’m not even back to 163.5 lbs yet; I was 164.7 lbs this morning though. I’m not complaining, because I’ve lost a lot of weight as it is, I’m just curious as to why I didn’t drop the after binge weight and whether or not that will happen again this week. Let me know your thoughts.
Best regards,
Jones.
My experience so far…
Stats: 40 year old male, 5’11”, vegetarian
Starting weight: 245lbs, ~37% BF
End of Week 3: 233lbs, ~33% BF, no tape measure differences, but I can feel the difference in my clothes.
I modified the 4HB to adapt things I’ve liked in other programs. I am, against Tim’s judgement, counting calories with Lose It! app. It also lets me gauge my protein, carb, fat %’s through the day so I can take in a protein shake if I need to. My sodium is through the roof (canned beans). Many days my energy is up.
Things I’ve learned.
-Drain and RINSE your beans to drop the sodium about 40%.
-Indian lentil dishes rock (add a package of steamed veggies too). Some of the prepackaged ones aren’t that high in sodium either.
-Black beans work best with eggs. I do a 3 white, 1 whole egg scramble with black beans and salsa most mornings.
-Guacamole makes an awesome salad dressing and Cannelloni beans make a good accoutrement.
-Homemade (crock pot) veggie soups are fantastic and go a LONG way.
-100 cal packs of almonds are practically worthless in tiding over hunger.
-I don’t drink enough water.
-NEVER weigh yourself when you first get up. My scale (does BF% too) varies wildly through the day. A reading about 1/2 to 1 hr after waking is better.
Hi Tim,
Nice post- low carb diet works. However, I disagree about recommending high intake of legumes which have a lot of carbs! Better to eat meat, fish, eggs, poultry and some nuts and vegetables.
Okay, so today was the end of week 4 (30 days) on this diet. I lost 10 lbs on the scale (starting 128 lbs —> current 118 lbs) and lost around 0.5-1% body fat? I’m not sure, I don’t have a body fat scale, so I used an online calculator. I lost 1 inch off my waist, an inch off my neck, and stayed the same elsewhere. No, my jeans are not fitting better, because I tend to store fat on the lower half of my body and that is the last place I lose anything : Oh well, I’m keeping up the diet until I reach my goal weight of 110 (I’m 21 and short, so I think this is reasonable), so only 8 more lbs to lose. The first week I lost 5.2 lbs, second week I lost 1.7 lbs, third week I lost 2.1 lbs, and this last week I lost 1 lb 🙂
Also, a note for this last week, my weight from cheat day didn’t come off in 48 hours, it came off on the last day before the next cheat day. So all week, it was as if I gained weight, and then I woke up on cheat day and I had lost a lb from last week! I guess you just have to keep the faith and resist the urge to weigh yourself everyday.
Overall, I’m very happy with my results 🙂 I can’t believe I’ve lasted this long on a diet, the most I’ve ever gone before was about 3 days!
So I hadn’t first cheat day yesterday and it was delicious– but I found that after a regular 4hb breakfast and a rather huge carby lunch that I was not really hungry for a giant dinner. I did have dessert though( chocolat croissant bread pudding – shared).
For scary kicks I weighed in this morning after and—I LOST .8 lbs and body fat dropped from 24% to 22%.
WEiRD right? I wasexpecting a gain of 2lbs.
Now I am wondering of I did this wrong!
I’ll take it though and actually notput too much stock into this weigh in. Te will tell!!
End of week 2.. Up 2.8 lbs ;(.. But still 3lbs lost. I did lose 1/2 inch on pooch.. (ladies over 45 will know what this it). That is a total of 2.25 inches in 2 weeks. Not bad and the lack of wieght loss is I’m sure, is my lack of BM’s.. Still working on that and trying to stay positive. I was eating cottege cheese, I swore we could but have read since only as a last resort. So I am making a few changes for week 3. I am also going to track my calories also, just curious as to how many I am eating…
Be back in a week!
I was having trouble with my BM’s. I added chilli made with chilli beans, kidney beans and black beans to my diet.(at least once a day) It also has corn, tomato, and turkey in it. I know that that really helped me. I am not having any trouble now. And I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks!!
Good Luck!!
can you eat like nuts and almonds and like dry fruits like trail mix or something during the diet? and can you eat like bananas or like apples or oranges? please respond ill really appleciate it 🙂 thanx
No fruits at all. I would assume dried fruits are packed within even more not-so-friendly radicals that wouldn’t help facilitate fat loss.
Could you please comment on low glycemic fruit (eg blueberries) and, more importantly, lowfat plain yogurt which you seem to endorse but which is not allowed on the slow carb diet…
So, end of week three and I lost 3 lbs this week (YAY) but gained 1/2 an inch in overall measurements. I have decided to give the diet another week and see how it goes.
3 lbs is wonderful, and hopefully I will be able to lose that much next week AND lose inches…
HEY, JUST WONDERING WHERE I CAN BUY THE SLOW CARB COOKBOOK?
Sorry about the caps but I am willing to pay money for this book.
Hi Tim,
I’ve read your book but I am just wondering about protein powder? Can I drink this in the morning instead of a meal…I do cardio in the AM and I can’t run with a full stomach. I did my research and found protein with only 100 calories with 18g protein & 3g of carbs.
If you can let me know…Thank you, Leesee
Week 2 is done.
On my cheat day my breakfast was close to my normal breakfast, except for some additional milk and cheese in my eggs.
Last week took the entire week to lose the 7# I gained on cheat day. I eneded up down .5 # for the week bringing the total to 7.5#. Again, doing this with P90X, so I know I am putting on muscle at the same time.
Had a 12″ Subway buffalo chicken sub for lunch and Olive garden pasta and chicken for dinner. Only bumped up 1.5# over my morning weight.
I started a notebook yesterday so that I can remember what I ate for meals.
Good luck all!
I have been working out (1 hr. cardio) before breakfast for a boost in fat loss. However, Tim recommends 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. I wonder what I should do now in order to optimize weight loss?
Also, it may seem odd, but if I am not sleeping well and just lying there should I just get out of bed and eat the protein? At what point does the 30 minutes begin?
Tim,
Regarding the ice baths or ice pack to lose body fat (pg.128-129), after
the session is over, is it detremental to take a hot shower to eliminate the chill, or does that negate the effects ?
Thanks
Okay Ladies, if you can handle it I’ve found something that finally worked for me with the BM problem! I have tried everything, more water, more spinach, laxatives.. It’s been about 2 weeks without a significant BM and last night I tried Cod Liver Oil.. I know gross, but it worked within 2 hours! Wow what a relief! Three tablespoons did the trick.. So anyway.. enought about BM’s 😉
CORRECTION, SO SORRY. It was Caster Oil, Not, Cod Liver Oil!
Tim,
I love your book so much that I’ve created a Facebook Group so that people can talk about your diet and answer each other’s questions, post results, etc…
The link is: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_103604729716668&ap=1
I would like to have a lot of people join so that we can encourage each other…
Thanks
Vanessa
Hey Tim,(or anyone else that can help)
I was feeling a little hungry this afternoon(2 hrs after lunch)and did not feel like cooking so I had a vanilla flavored whey protein shake(sweetened with sucralose 2g carbs) and a Table spoon of Almond Butter. Was this an acceptable meal replacement for the Slow carb Diet?
Thanks
You forgot the veggies but you got the protein that you needed. If you are looking for an all drinkable solution you could consider a can of v8 vegetable juice. It will give you a tad more protein plus it gives you a good amount of potassium.
What about Vodka and Sugar Free Crsytal Light?
Well that would help you lose weight but you would need to substitute something else for the sugar free crystal light.
15 days
7 lbs
(+5 additional lbs just before start due to food poisoning)
I don’t remember looking this good. been telling everyone about it. i’m 5lbs away from my goal, but it’s easy i’m not stopping till i get a 6 pack – never had one in my life, but it’ll happen, unless the beans kill me or make me go crazy.
tim- i’m in SF (lower haight) and would love to buy you beers as a thank you sometime. or wine if it’s not a cheat day 😉
comments:
* my appetite is much smaller, eating like 3 solid meals, 4 is a pain in the ass.
* i usually snack on a handful of nuts for my last meal if i’m hungry.
*i ‘m doing the opposite of the “keep it simple” rule. i like food too much. it’s got me cooking again and i’m coming up some some great recipes. even made my own mayo as i couldn’t find one in the store without sugar in it. new favorite quick meal is spicy Italian sausage with fake cauliflower mash. so tasty!
* i will never eat beans again after this diet.
* doing supplements along with meals only (skip meal, skip supplement)
* other than the allowed foods, i’m a sugar nazi. don’t miss it.
* diet coke give me the sugar taste i need.
question:
how do you people tolerate the bags of frozen veggies. disgusting. uck! i squeezed 1/2 the volume of a carrot out of it in water. as if it was a sponge in the shape of a carrot. my go to veggie are fresh green beens saute’d in garlic and olive oil with a quick splash of organic soy sauce and that’s it. will never get tired of them.
I have just started reading the 4-Hour Body. I have a few questions before I jump in and would be thrilled if someone could answer them for me.
1- Is Quinoa allowed on the diet? I know that it is really high in protein but have heard it referred to as a pseudo grain so I don’t know what category of food it falls into.
2- Are there any other “breakfast” type foods allowed besides eggs? I had my gall bladder removed three years ago and I can no longer be more than 30 minutes away from a bathroom after consuming eggs without disastrous, and humiliating, effects. If the answer to question 1 is yes, then my problem is solved….otherwise I am open to suggestions.
3- All I ever drink, besides my one cup of coffee in the am, is water. However, I always put lemon or lime in my water. Is this a no no because of the no fruit rule?
Thanks for taking the time to help out a newbie!!! I am excited to get started.
1) quinoa is not allowed
2) ok to put lemon in water
3) don’t know any substitute for eggs
You could substitute a glass of whey protein for the eggs. Or steak with bacon. Or grill a hamburger patty with veggies for breakfast.
sugar-free jello? If I NEED something in week 3 for desert, can I break into my kids sugar-free jellos and puddings? BTW, lost 5 pounds first week, 1 pound the next, but seem to have gone up again 2 lbs. So, I am sticking with it, but I will try harder to eat the second I wake up and drink H2O more.
Hi TIm,
On day 26 of the diet, and have lost 10 lbs so far! Still loving the book 🙂
Does coffee increase your GI levels? This research seems to indicate it:
http://bodytransformationinsider.com/access/why-your-morning-coffee-is-making-you-fat/
Do you recommend coffee on non-binge days?
Thanks!!
If eggs are bothering you post-gallbladder surgery, it’s probably the fat that’s the culprit. Can you do eggwhites? Just buy a carton of them from the store. If the eggwhites are a no-go, then you can still have beans and chicken/steak/other lean protein for breakfast. Or you can have a sugarless whey protein for breakfast mixed with water (Prograde makes a decent one, I use one by Beachbody but it has a bit of fructose so it’s not the best. Check the carb content, try to get one sweetened with stevia).
In the middle of my 5th week…back to school and walking around campus gave me minor shin splints (SAD I KNOW). But, I think it’s a combination of the walking, the diet, and the 8 minute leg workouts (found on youtube) I’ve been doing…my saddle bags are gonnnne! so is a lot of my thigh fat. yaaay. no weight loss to report as of yet. in a rush in the morning, so hard to weigh myself, except for on saturday-sunday morning 🙂
Hi Sarah!
Can you give me the link to this youtube video you found…i’d really appreciate it…thnx
You should come and tell everyone how well you’ve done on the facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_103604729716668&ap=1
It would be great!
Thank Tim,
I did this for 6 weeks only and with my regular exercise routine (I work out 3 times à week and do Kickboxing 2 days a week), I lost 20 pound of fat. Although I exercise quite a big, my body still retrains a lot of fat. This was just what I needed to to give my body the boost to lose it. Especially after the holidays 🙂
What an amazing blog!
Fantastic Job Tim – thanks
Have a cold so I’m trying to follow the 4hb as best I can (I’m drinking ginger kombucha like crazy and this helps the cold but I think it’s something Tim reserves for his cheat day).
I’m also using those zinc meltaway lozenges that are supposed to help the cold end quicker. They don’t help my cold, but it sure does help get things moving, digestively speaking. So if you can find zinc supplements that aren’t sweetened (these are) maybe those would help the bathroom issues. (I’m not a doctor though, so check with one first you know… yadda yadda yadda…. don’t be that person with the obituary that says they got anonymous internet advice and croaked.)
Finally, I’ve lost about 3 ish pounds on the diet. I have been far from perfect. I’ve had 2 extra binges (one was a wine tasting even in Boston and my conscience is clear there). I also have been experimenting with sprouted Ezekiel toast for breakfast to see if weight loss will still occur. Grains are not allowed except on cheat days but I figure the carb count is similar to beans and damnit I want toast and eggs in the morning not toast and beans.
So if you want to know if weight loss can happen with Ezekiel bread the answer is yes, but it’s slow. I’m going to try a week of un-hacked 4hb and post my results.
I’ve been on the SCD for a couple weeks, and taking PAGG as well but haven’t had time to exercise. I have developed a dry bumpy rash on my arms, back and thighs. It’s not red or itchy, just rough. I suspect one of the supplements. I stopped PAGG today,but wondered if anyone could shortcut the research for me.
Also, I think I’m following the diet carefully, but not losing much weight. I do drink about 32 oz of diet soda some days, though. Could that alone screw this up? I upped the water and nixed all diet soda starting today, too. It’s discouraging to continue the diet without knowing what’s wrong. I’ve already trouble shooted some other possibilities without success.
I know the diet soda is bad for me – but I’ve been drinking it for years – so although I know it’s not good, I do know it’s not the cause of the skin rash.
Hi Susie,
Definitely stop the PAGG/supplements and see a doctor if it continues. The 32 oz is definitely enough to stall fat loss.
Best,
Tim
Hi Susie- I’m Tim’s assistant. I highly suggest that you stay off PAGG for now, and see a doctor if the rash persists. Also, if you haven’t taken body measurements yet, you should do so ASAP. Stick to drinking water, get plenty of protein (30g) within the first 30 minutes of waking up, and keep us posted!
– Charlie
Tim.. I Am a vegan, can this lifestyle work within this parameter? If so, what is the recommendation for proteins? I Am anxious to give it a go… Also, do you think this is a good change for T2 diabetics?
Thank you…
I agree with most of what you are saying, however I heartily disagree with the recommendation not to drink milk. Several new studies have shown that regardless of whatever else you do, drinking or eating 3-4 servings of milk or dairy products daily increases fat loss. I also know of a well respected website called Stronglifts 5×5 that includes drinking a GALLON of whole milk per DAY as one of their doctrines.
Also, Dr. Oz just had a gentleman on that has found using Ice Therapy sends your brown fat(extremely metabolically active fat responsible for keeping your body warm) into overburn mode. Basically it has recently been found that adults have brown fat in their neck and upper chest and back, where they previously thought brown fat disappeared as you grew older(infants have lots of it to regulate body temperature). By placing ice packs directly on your neck and upper back/chest, it causes the brown fat to become super-active because it thinks you are freezing and it starts burning fat to keep your body warm. In fact, brown fat always derives its energy from white fat(stored body fat), and is closely connected with muscle tissue and not white fat. By putting an ice pack on your neck and back for 30 minutes a day at night, it was found that it increased weight loss from 5 lbs a month to 18.5 lbs a month, without making any other changes. I have been doing this and have found that it works just as described…
Haha… I was actually that guy on Dr. Oz, so I agree with you on the cold 🙂
Regarding the ice baths or ice pack to lose body fat (pg.128-129), after
the session is over, is it detremental to take a hot shower to eliminate the chill, or does that negate the effects ?
Bill R
Regarding the ice baths or ice pack to lose body fat (pg.128-129),
after the session is over, is it detremental to take a hot shower to eliminate the chill, or does that negate the effects ?
Bill R
Not sure if I should be concerned… I am 5 days into my diet (first cheat day is tomorrow) and I haven’t lost anything yet. I am eating 3 hard-boiled eggs for breakfast, homemade chili for lunch (includes veggies, hamburger, and a variety of beans), and a meat/bean/veggie combo for dinner. I occasionally add a fourth meal after lunch of celery and a tbs of pbutter. I am drinking 8 glasses of water – and water only, however I have refrained from the gym this week. Am I doing something wrong here? According to others, this seems unusual.
Loved the post-diet or proper nutrition is perhaps the most important component to keeping in shape-you can hit the gym as much as you want but if you are putting the wrong ‘materials’ in your body, you arent gong to get great results.
I’ve lost 7 pounds in less than 3 weeks. AND…I already had a great diet, in my opinion (gluten free, dairy free, and very low sugar, no refined carbs, no bread, no pasta…strict…). This switched it up enough and I have more energy as I am actually eating more carbs (slow carbs). The hardest part for me was giving up fruit 6 days/week. I’m a 38 year old woman and 19% body fat, and pretty muscular at 5’10”. I am working on improving pull up reps and running time, and hence trying to lower my body weight and keep lean mass. Also, I’m going for my RKC II (Russian Kettlebell Certification) in a few months, so I am looking to become uber fit!
Thanks, Tim! You’re crazy and amazing. 🙂
Hi Tim,
I was listening to Dan Benjamin’s podcast about paleo today. Robb Wolf commented that you were possibly modifying the slow-carb toward paleo. Is this accurate? If so, any updates coming? 🙂
The podcast is here: http://5by5.tv/dailyedition/11
Thanks, enjoying the book!
Tim & Crew,
I can not eat Grapefruit due to a medication I use that grapefruit can impact. Is there something I can substitute for the Grapefruit juice? Lemon juice? Something similar? Would really appreciate an answer. Thank you.
-D
Hi there!
Come and share your experiences and questions on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_103604729716668&ap=1
Many people have started the diet and are sharing what they have been doing and how…It is very helpful and encouraging. Check it out on the link above…
Hi Tim,
I’m a long time fan and purchased The 4 Hour Body the day that it came out; it’s great! I’m wondering if birth control will have any affect on the diet for women. I searched for “birth control” in this thread and found nothing, I also looked for it in the index of the book but saw nothing there either. Any feedback you can give is greatly appreciated.
Best,
Dan
hi 🙂
i lost track of my diet after winter break, and have been having trouble getting back on track since.
on sunday ill be signing up for a gym membership, would this help with my diet? because i read that the amount you exercise has to balance with the calories you eat to lose weight :S
i eat tomatoes and eggs for breakfast
veggies and sometimes chicken for lunch
and same for dinner.
I’ve been doing the diet plus weight training and cardio for the last 4 weeks and bodyfat is down 6% (18% to 12% according to BodPod).
Energy levels initially crashed in the first few days (I’m used to a much higher carb diet), but after that my body adapted and I felt great ever since.
Only bit of Tim’s advice I didn’t follow was eating the same meals over and over again – for the foodies and culinary inclined there’s some good recipe ideas out there e.g.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Slow-Carb-Diet-Recipes
http://www.damondnollan.com/2011/01/slow-carb-recipe-zucchini-pasta.html
http://www.slowcarbrevolution.com/forumdisplay.php/5-Slow-Carb-Diet-Recipes
Chris Shugart’s blog on t-nation also has a ton of great recipe ideas too.
So I am on week 2 and second cheat day today (yippee!)…I have been on the slow carb plan during the week and eating as prescribed. I keep forgetting to drink lots of water…
I have only lost about a pound (137 to 136) and just barely half an inch here and there. I am wondering what i am doing wrong. I will gut it out and keep going–and will try the ice on the nect protcol. anyone else out there not having much luck?
I must say I am not hungry and do not snack in between. I do work out a bit, but nothing hardcore…
Hey Tim: any suggestions for us stubborn folk?
thanks!
Some confusion on fructose. Tomatoes and onions can have as much fructose as fruits such as strawberries and dates. Granted, the serving sizes are not equal, but if one would rather have 10 strawberries as opposed to 20 tomatoes, what’s the harm if the fructose levels are similar?
Hi Tim!
Really like your books and the theories presented in them. I have decided to try one of the out. I am going to try and reach sub 10% body far in 12 weeks. You can follow the progress on my cheap looking blog at:
http://mybodytransform.blogspot.com/
Hopefully you can find some good pointers from reading it. Please don’t be afraid to comment on it.
Regards,
David
Tim,
Here’s a situation that I have for you. One of my friends started the Slow Carb Diet about 3 weeks ago. So far she hasn’t (or at least feels like she hasn’t since she has no scale or measuring tape) lost any weight. She’s sticking to the food list, but she’s wasn’t eating anything after 6pm, despite being up until 11 or 12. I advised him to eat something small after 6 and she’s started eating either walnuts or meat last week.
As far as the vitamins, she’s taking potassium, calcium, and magnesium. She also has a prenatal vitamin, Nature Made Prenatal MultiPlus 200 mg DHA. She just had a child 3 months ago and her doctor has advised her to continue taking it for now.
Unless this is something postnatal related, I don’t see what’s missing here. Any ideas? Any new moms out there in the blog having success in the program?
Thanks,
Rob
Hi again Tim!
Two questions that are not answered in the book.
You say that you can have any carbs within 30 minutes of finishing resistance training. Ok. What is your stance on this? Don’t you think you SHOULD eat something directly after training to not loose muscle volume or to facilitate growth?
What would you eat within in 30 mins? I go to the gym after work and don’t get home until 45 mins after finishing the session. Anything you can suggest to have directly after the session while on the SCD that you can bring to the gym?
Another question in regards to the SCD. You say you can’t eat anything white, except for cauliflower. What about wihte beans (cannellini)? Are they ok? Are they less good than say black beans or red kidney beans?
Thanks for a really good book! Keep it up. Maybe a book on learning languages Tim Ferriss style!
Ciao,
David
A lot of questions I know, but I want to be sure I am doing it right.
I have gained 1 kg after the first day, but that’s not to worry. Lots of fluids and what not. But is got me thinking. I am taking a protein shake within 15 mins of waking up. It is about 30 g of protein in that. But it is Whey Protein Concentrate.
Doesn’t that contain milk? Whey is milk proteins. Will this destroy my diet? I have 3 a day.
Can you please suggest a shake that is better. Mine is 78% protein and not much carbs. Maybe I should go for a Whey Protein Isolate instead. Would that be better?
If Tim can’t answer, anyone can have a go.
Regards,
David
Hey guys, I am on Week 3 of this diet. And I lost 10 lbs in the first week of the diet. And none since the end of the first week. I haven’t changed anything in my diet, and I have been going to the gym longer. What am I doing wrong?
Make sure you take measurements of your waist arms etc. Cause sometimes your putting on lean muscle (which is heavier than fat) Cause your waist etc can get smaller and far loss bigger but you’ll still be the same weight. Also don’t forget to drink a lot of water (might not be the case but its a common problem) or re read the blog Tim did a while ago about common mistakes etc and read through it. I picked up mistakes I was making too.
Hope this helps
This is my third day on the slow carb diet and I am really looking forward to see if I can get rid of the extra ten pounds I’ve been battling with for a quit while. ‘ve been eating healthy, one to two servings of fresh fruit and diary a day, lots of organic, fresh veggies, no soda, fried food, no white carbs. I do Bikram Yoga once a week and I run twice a week. But it seems that those extra ten pounds are still running with me!!!
I’ve read almost every posting and it seems that this diet is more popular among men. Is it suitable for woman? I’ve been following the diet meal plan for three days now, and I am experiencing these unusual headaches three days in row. I eat breakfast but by ten a clock I am starving!! Any thougs on that?
My other concern is that the canned food is high in BPA!! So if you are a follower of this diet, try to wash the canned beens with cold water before consummation, or even better cook it.
Danna
Do we have to do the “damage control” with our weekly binges, or just when we will be eating a lot over a longer span of time than our once a week binge?
This is obvious bull-shit. Your theory doesn’t add up.
None of it makes sense.
There is only one thing about it that’s worth a comment.
I just did it for 30 days (1.3 – 2.3.11) and I lost over 10 kilos & lots of cms.
Plus, I feel better than I have in years.
Joey Tranchina
Sète, France
We think alike. At Paradigm, we follow the Ideal Protein protocol with our clients with terrific success.
Lynne Finch
Been on slow carbs for 3 weeks. I haven’t been bothering to weigh myself, since I can clearly see in the mirror that I’m losing body fat (and people I know who have no idea I’m on a diet have said “you look like you’ve lost weight”), plus fluctuating scale weight is a big de-motivator for me.
Last time I weighed myself (about 10 days ago) I’d lost 7lbs, so I’d guess by now it’s 10+lbs or more.
Just some observations from my 3 weeks on the diet:
-Each week, devise a new take on the slow carbs/protein/vegetables meal structure, or you WILL get sick of eating the same thing every day. By week three, I couldn’t stomach another plate of beans, sauerkraut and eggs so I decided to cook a chilli:
Turkey mince (barely any fat, just protein)
A can of organic mixed beans
A can of chopped tomatoes
Frozen peppers (already chopped)
Frozen onions (already diced)
A spoon of Easy Garlic (from a jar, no prep required)
Herbs and spices (cumin, chilli powder, etc.)
Olive oil to fry the mince/peppers/onions/herbs+spices in.
Tasted amazing compared to what I’d been eating, and was a great way of getting slow carbs/protein/vegetables in a single meal. I’d cook a big pan of it, so it would last all day. I hate cooking, but I can manage 30 minutes for a full day’s worth of food.
Then when I get sick of that, I’ll try something else — I’m planning on making some kind of curry. Meals don’t HAVE to be boring.
-It’s easy to slip out of the finer points of the diet, such as eating within 30 minutes of waking, so if you’re not getting the results you want, remember that the slow carb diet is SYNERGISTIC — all the different factors work together, and breaking one or two of the rules (such as having sweetener) will hinder your results even if you think “it can’t be THAT bad” when you do it.
-Drink plenty of water. Especially if you’re drinking coffee.
-I went from having LOTS of sweetener every day pre-diet (i.e. 2-3 coffees with 3 sweeteners in each every day + around 3 liters of sugar-free cordial per day + Diet Coke) to having NONE.
Making this switch wasn’t easy, but allowing myself cream in my unsweetened coffee made it possible imo, and gave me a little thing I could enjoy each day. (I used to love my sweetened 2-3 coffees and there was definitely a “void” when I switched to black coffee which needed to be filled.)
Cream in an otherwise-unsweetened coffee gives it a nice consistency and taste, which I actually have grown to prefer over sweetener in less than 3 weeks. On my “binge days” I don’t even bother with sweetener now.
-Now, 3 weeks into the diet, I feel that I’ve built up a level of will-power and motivation which I didn’t have before, and I feel ready to take it to the “next step” and commit to eating every 2.5 – 3 hours (I was eating every 3-5 hours before), having a strict workout routine etc.
You will build in motivation as you go along. Allow yourself to start off a bit more “laid back” and once you see some results, your motivation will skyrocket.
I’m getting ready to start next week but I have to take thyroid medication and can’t eat for an hour after taking (first thing in the morning). Will this stop me from losing weight quickly?
#2, Could I wake at 5am take it then go right back to bed and still get the benefit????
Please! Any other shift workers out there that can relate????? Every time I go on my two night shifts I gain weight. My diet doesn’t change at all, I’m just eating at different times of the day. I work 2 12 hour day shifts followed immediately by 2 12 hour night shifts, then 4 days off. Please help! I’m so frustrated… Almost done a month on the diet and only 7 lbs down ( I need to lose about 50).
Thanks,
Laurie
On day 3 of the “slow carb” diet, had a few questions. Is hemp seeds a valid substitute to eggs or meat for protein? Is it even acceptable on this diet? Hemp protein powder has about 16g protein per 3tbsp, 5g dietary fiber 3g fat and 6g carbohydrates, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and a slew of amino acids. The carbs are allegedly of the complex variety which is supposed to be acceptable on this diet, like the carbohydrates in the beans and legumes. I’m thinking that hemp seeds would be a great addition to this diet especially for added protein, maybe in a shake for breakfast but please someone let me know if this would not be a good idea. Don’t want to screw up the weight loss. One more thing, has anybody found a good source of complex carbs from anything other than beans or legumes? To be honest, the last thing I look forward to in the morning is a bowl of beans to go along with my eggs. Refried beans are tasty and I can eat those directly from the can but it would be nice if every meal didn’t have to necessarily include beans. One more thought, fava beans or mucuna pruriens are a good source of l-dopa, might be a good way of boosting natural hgh production, anybody incorporate these beans into the diet at all?
My comment is in regard to how the use of Beano could potentially increase the availability of digestible simple sugars and thus elevate blood sugar.
I started the Slow Carb diet knowing that, with all the beans, I would need Beano to avoid flatulence. Methane is produced in the colon when intestinal bacteria break down complex carbohydrates which our small intestine can’t. Beano’s active ingredient, alpha-galactosidase, accelerates the breakdown of the raffinose and other complex carbohydrates contained in beans and other veggies into simple sugars, including glucose, in the small intestine. The complex carbs never reach the colon and, presto, no methane! Beano works.
But if the complex carbs are broken down in the small intestine into simple sugars, these become available for absorption into our blood stream.
From the Beano website: “Beano is a natural source food enzyme that works by breaking down indigestible sugars into simpler, more digestible sugars. As a result, it has been estimated that the use of Beano will produce an additional two to six grams of carbohydrates for every 100 grams of food treated by Beano.”
What does this mean in practical terms?
A can of Amy’s Organic Refried Beans weighs 455 gm. The label claims each can contains 3.5 servings, but really each can has about 2 real-world servings. So each serving is about 225 gm. Using the Beano math, a serving of refried beans taken with Beano could potentially add 14 gm of digestible (absorbable) sugar to the meal.
At the same meal, you have a 3 oz (1 cup) serving of broccoli. This is 84 gm. Let’s say you have a little more, because 1 cup of broccoli isn’t much. Okay, a total of 100 gm broccoli. Beano could potentially add another 6 gm of digestible sugar to this serving.
So far, Beano has added 20 gms of sugar to your meal.
How does that compare with a can of Coke? Coke contains 3.38 gm sugar/oz.=40.6 gm sugar/12 oz can.
Using Beano with the meal above is tantamount to adding a half can of Coke to the meal. Multiply that times 3 meals a day: If you use Beano with every meal, it could amount to as much as sugar in a can and a half of Coke.
This is substantial, especially for diabetics. Someone tell me why I’m wrong.
Regarding Beano, yes I would avoid it for precisely those reasons. I’m no expert but I’ve read enough to discourage me from using it. So use Beano at your own risk.
Regarding beans in general, I wouldn’t bother including them in your diet if you don’t want to. In fact, I find their inclusion in Tim’s diet suggestions to be somewhat curious and it wasn’t until I cut down on them that i started losing weight.
It’s a little strange how their are several instances, like the inclusion of beans as a main staple in a fat loss diet, where Tim contradicts the principles of the science and health experts that he so frequently refers to and credits for his philosohy. For example both Robb Wolf (The Paleo Solution) and Gary Taubes (Good Carbs, Bad Carbs; Why We Get Fat) both say to avoid beans, and for different reasons too.
It’s discrepancies and inconsistencies like these that make Tim’s work somewhat suspect, even if he provideds loads of useful tips and ideas.
But yeah, don’t worry too much about including beans and if you’re not seeing much success on the SCD, taking out beans or severly limiting their amounts (which is what I’m doing) might be the best and first tweak to the SCD to try.
For some reason eating meat, which I have no problem with, doesn’t help me with weight loss. My body is naturally athletic but I have recently gained weight–I just got bigger, I don’t have much visible fat except for in the but and thighs, but my problem is I am just too big.
Should I avoid meat protein in this case and eat only vegetables?
Some people have lost weight by switching to a vegan diet. Make sure you are getting complete protein (for example, rice with beans provides you complete protein, while rice or beans alone have incomplete protein). Make sure you make the right choices if you become vegetarian beause it is too easy to eat white bread and lots of cheese (which are both bad for diets). Instead substitute for lots of veggies, whole grains and other natural snacks.