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
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
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.)
If 1 cup of cooked white rice is estimated to have 200 calories, then how on earth does a 1/2 of cup of rice have 350 calories? BRO, YOU’RE CLUELESS. SMH
Hi, Richard –
Tim’s approximate calorie count of 300 calories per half cup is for uncooked white rice, and I think you were looking at cooked.
Best,
Team Tim Ferriss
Susie…
No corn, no starch (i.e. White or brown rice, potatoes, etc.). As my doctor said, it’s almost like eating sugar. What I did was picked every food I craved all week and ate it on Saturdays, my off day. Less is more on this diet. Tim makes a good point. If you add to the program, you’ll end up cheating.
Thank you about posting the “No Corn”….this is a Carb! High Carb for that matter. This whole diet is to avoid the Carbs. So all you who think that corn is a veggie…think again, you are just hurting your progress.
I have one question for you. When you eat breakfast is it alright to eat eggs,toast,and a prtoien shake or is tat to much????????
Dairy also isn’t included in the groups we’re NOT supposed to eat, so while I don’t use it liberally, I feel totally free to use it. There’s also nothing about spices.
But if you, EZ, choose to be a “man” and eat bland food, power to you.
I’ll remain all woman over here, follow the diet, AND look hot doing it ^_~
So I talked to a personal trainer the other day about this diet and he seemed to think that this is a pretty good way to trim down. The concept from this diet I’ve seemed to gather is that by cutting out the sugar and fast processing carbs, we are triggering the body to metabolize the stored fat to substitute for energy. My question is, why is it reccomended to eat carbs after a workout vs. before? If simple carbohydrates convert to sugars quickly for ease of use for the body to expend as energy, wouldn’t eating something like oatmeal or a turkey whole wheat sandwich “before” a workout be more beneficial than after? I’m confused on this, if we eat the carbs after and don’t expend the sugars because we worked out before hand, then doesn’t this defeat the purpose of triggering the fat to be utilized? I always thought that consuming something like a protein shake after a healthy workout is better for the body as it refuels the muscles? Also, can anyone answer the question about banana’s? I cramp very easily due to heavy workouts and loss of potasium and salt, I normally blend 1 banana with my protein shake mix and 2 cups of soy milk. Do banana’s convert to fructose like other fruits that are more juicy such as oranges, apples, berries, etc?
hi again!
susie-actually he does mention not having dairy, but I say, definitely always do what your body says is right!
Raina–you are the nutrition maven. thank you for your solid information base and the detailed info on how to make almond milk. i am humbled by your knowledge and thank you for sharing it.
to angry guy–i dont think anyone thinks Tim is a nutritionist, but he has experienced success and people want to know exactly how, and he leaves a lot of holes. thanks to all who try and fill them for us hopefuls!
in my progress i will say that i get really bored of my same-damn-thing-every day diet, but i seem to figure out new ways to parse it. my new fave is chicken and veggie fajitas in romaine leaves. i am ashamed to say that i bought “accent” seasoning falling prey to the claim of “less sodium” without reading the very prominent ingredients, which were only, “MSG” damn. three bucks in the garbage.
but vinegar is my friend, garlic and onion as well and may the heavens bless the all natural salsa. also, black beans, tuna, mustard, vinegar and onion make quite a lovely salad. and i am not sure i could live without my morning egg white scramble. but the candy crave is seeping in. my sweet tooth is fighting against me a bit. but empty bread-like carbs are all but dissolved, which is amazing for me. im still not sure this is exactly the right diet for me, but what i do know is that my shape is lighter when i am doing it. i am also convinced it is really best for men, as the ones that write in seem to experience miraculous results. but they have an easier time shedding fat anyhow. jerks. 🙂
keep strong, sisters!
Hi everybody, I was on this diet for the past 6 days and I lost about 4 pounds (i.e. 2 kg) so far. Hoooraaaaaaaaaay! I look forward to the 2nd week. Wish you all luck.
Breakfast: egg lentil mixed vegetables
Lunch: Chicken Salad (lettuce, chickpeas, bell pepper)
Snack: 2 thin slices of turkey raw unsalted peanut cucumber.
Dinner: minced Beef mixed vegetables red beans and a small glass of red wine (yummy!)
Just a quick update on my progress. It’s aprox day 12 on this crazy diet and I was freaking out when i looked at the scale. When I started the diet i was 195 and when i looked today i had to rub my eyes a few times. I am now 182 and only have about 10 to go until I am at the weight I was at when I started college in 01. I am then going to keep living healthy but not as extreme and maybe try to put on a few lbs of muscle.
Hi Gang…Like JLA said, dairy products are not permitted. Mainly due to fat content. (Check Rule # 3). However, don’t forget about supplements; Things like Vitamin D, which are plentiful in dairy…you can replace with a supplement.
Ladies, hang in there! Though guys tend to lose weight faster, and in more obvious places (i.e. gut), I believe that this diet can be just as successful for you. Based on some of the responses, it seems to be going well. Whereas men seem to show results faster, by week four, the advantage should be eliminated. Keep going strong!
JMR…I wanted to attempt to tackle your question regarding eating before/after workouts. Protein is actually less important in aiding your recovery than carbohydrates. Studies have shown as little as 6 grams of protein helps protein synthesis get moving. But exercise, coupled with this diet, can trigger a fat fast by our body. Consuming carbs immediately after the workout, whether on this diet or not, helps replenish your short term glycogen stores, and help with overall body hydration.
One big point about this diet we all could pay more attention to is staying hydrated. I ran into that earlier this week and had a very slow recovery from a leg workout.
As for the banana, may I recommend avocado? It has three times the potassium and double the sodium that a banana has. I mix mine with salsa, and have it with scrambled egg whites. If you’re concerned about getting enough of those two after workouts…that’s a better solution than a banana. The biggest concern with any fruit is sugar content. On average, a ripe banana contains 17.5 g of carbs, 1.7 g of starch, and 15.7 g of sugars. An avocado contains 2.2 g of carbs, 0 g of starch, & 1 g of sugar. So although avocado and bananas are both slow burning fuel sources for your body, avocado is the winner for this diet. It does contain higher levels of fat, but primarily monosaturated fat (roughly 3 g of saturated fat). One avocado a day is all you’ll need. Avocado will help you feel full longer. And help with cravings if you choose to have a few slices of one avocado with each meal throughout the day. Good luck!
Just was saying don’t fool yourself. and as for the carbs i drink waximaize before and after a workout its a fast delivering carb supplement that produces pump and high energy levels. admitedly i am not dieting to lose weight im dieting to “lose fat” exclusively not necessarily pounds. i eat huge quantities of the allowed food and have actually gained 3 lbs while losing 2% body fat in about 1 month while doing HIT (High intensity Training) i feel great! you dont need sugar (lactose, fructose) to feel GREAT! the reason your body “needs” those things is because of cravings. why do you think people become lactose intolerant as they get older? their bodies can no longer process the sugar in milk! everyone is entitled to their opinion but sauces and marinades are high in calories fat and all the other stuff you dont want to eat
Hi All,
I wanted to share what has been working for me. To really make this diet easy, I have a system where I can go from start to eating in 4 minutes or less (after initial prep time). I boil up some chicken and beans beforehand and keep them in the refrigerator. When it is time to eat, I grab a Pampered Chef 4 cup microwave steamer (it is awesome, I highly recommend buying one or two). I drop in some cut up chicken, beans and frozen vegetables. I add a little bit of water, put the lid on and put it in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Then you just dump out the water (it has a built-in strainer) and eat. The only way it could be easier is if someone did it for you.
In 2 weeks I am down 10 lbs (215 to 205). I am also doing the H.I.T. training. When I was younger I did a lot of weightlifting so it has been pretty easy to put the muscle back on. I didn’t feel a standard H.I.T. routine hit my shoulders and arms enough so I added one exercise for each and it has made a big improvement. But everyone is different, so I would recommend experimenting with what feels best for you. I’ll tell you though, this workout is tough if you do it right. I am dizzy in the middle of it, and downright nauseous at the end.
I have to say though the most important thing (for me) is having a mental pattern change from previous bad habits. For example, whenever I would smell a bacon cheeseburger I would think, “Wow, I can’t wait to eat that.” Fortunately I have a $300 bet with a friend on who will lose the biggest percentage of weight by the last Sunday in January. So, now whenever I am in a compromising situation, instead of thinking, “Wow, I can’t wait to eat that” I think, “Must crush Mike!” Changing that mental pattern alone I feel is huge in meeting your goals, be it losing weight or quitting smoking cigarettes, etc.
Good luck everyone!
-Web
[…] I have not read Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich but I did run across his blog recently. The most popular post he has written is titled How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise. […]
Well for all those neigh Sayers, for my personal example I lost 45KG (100lbs) (123KG->78KG, 270 lbs -> 170 lbs) in around 6 months with a low carb (no white carbs!) low fat diet based on lean meats and fresh (low carb) vegetables and so far 8 months along I have kept it off; am I happy about it … you bet! My blood pressure is reduced dramatically, I fell healthier than since I was in my 20’s.
In my honest opinion to lose weight (fat) you need to get yourself in a low insulin, low carb zone (sugars and starches) in which your body starts burning fat (Lipolysis) and keep it in that state for a many hours a day as possible. Carbs were limited to kiwi fruit or 1/2 apple twice a day to keep myself out of ketosis. Tim has some low GI beans, but I didn’t in my case eat beans; it is all about keeping low insulin levels and STAYING in that fat burning zone. Dairy was limited to low fat natural yogurt for breakfast.
Drink lots of water. Trust the tape measure more than the scales, the tape measure doesn’t lie, it happens that you don’t lose weight for a week or two but your waist line reduces consistently, then almost overnight 2KG is lost.
I believe rapid loss is the best way to lose weight as many have experience is easily achievable (1.5~2KG/week men, 1~1.5KG week ladies) any less of a rate and you are just prolonging the “pain”.
Keep protein intake at reasonable levels, have some every meal, staying low carb is more important that zero fat. For example Salmon is a great fish to eat, dont worry about it being high(er) in fat. Lean proteins include Lean beef, chicken without skin, turkey, pork without fat, tuna (fresh and canned), tofu (but not as much), fresh sea foods such as lobsters, prawns, fish, shell fish.
When going off (any) diet do it slowly and methodically over 2 to 3 weeks this is important, gradually increase quantities and reintroducing foods. This is really important.
It is an absolute no-brainer to say that you will gain all the weight back back if you start eating like what you ate before, it made you fat before it will absolutely make you fat again…don’t do it and don’t lie to yourself! If you are ex-fatty you will need to maintain the low GI for most of your meals each week with the occasional exception ( twice a week)
Hi, I’m 172 lbs and want to be 145 lbs in one month but my problem is I am vegan – no eggs, no meat intake. So anyone have any tips for me for protein sources other than animal and dairy products which is a big no. Really need help on this as want to start this diet very soon.
Anyone have any tips for “mitigating” the damage from all the heavy meals during the holidays? I’m talking more in terms of exercise, other meals, supplements when you know you will overeat, not avoiding all the great food with my family.
What is the impact of cardio or high intensity training before/after/around large meals? I know I won’t lose any weight this week, but it’d be nice to enjoy food with my family without gaining 5lbs
Chris,
Obviously, everyone’s different…but I would recommend trying your best not to overeat to the extreme and also picking one dessert. And having one portion of any sweets.
I would exercise before you eat, because that will help the furnace get going. Consume large amounts of water and other non-alcoholic, sugarless beverages to help fill your stomach and prevent you from overeating too much. If you can’t get to the gym…take a brisk walk for at least a mile. It’ll burn more calories than a jog or run will do. And don’t forget to eat your vegetables. Avoid potatoes/starches, but sweet potatoes sans marshmallows are actually good for you.
Avoiding things that create cravings (i.e. starches & sweets) will help you manage yourself. Stick to breast meat on the turkey, and maybe skip extra gravy.
Have a glass of wine instead of beer.
Good luck!
Tim, this is a great post, which is not surprising since your book is also great. This is a simple and effective diet plan that should be easy enough for the “everyperson” to follow, and has some very important advice, not the least of which is that to burn fat, sometimes you have to take a ride on the crazy train and eat like crazy for a day.
Again, great post!
The Middle Manager
This is exectly what i did lose the few extra pounds that were bugging me.
I am naturally skinny but u had that fat belly that just wouldnt dissapear.
I combined the eating habits you suggest with some cardio exercises and finally can say i have a flat stomach.
Thank you for the great information.
hi tim, what is the pizza base made of, is there any cheese on it please, & what does post workout mean…?? how many pizzas can you have in a day or a week…& what size in inches is it please…?? PLEASE GIVE ME THE COMPLETE INS & OUT DETAILS PLEASE…& WHAT EXACT VEGATABLES CAN YOU HAVE, as i see carrots & other stuff on pictures, but you’ve not mentioned them, thankyou for your every effort in listening, please reply,
Warmest of Kind Fruitful Regards Mr C. =)
This is an excellent diet but I do have a few things to mention. People who start diets tend to drink a ton of water. Water should be taken in a quantity dependent on your lifestyle such as activity, protein (and other acid forming food/stuff) and caffeine intake, etc.
The other thing is veggies really need be emphasized alongside proteins (especially if you’re not eating a lot of fruit). Green Tea can help, but from the looks of it, you’re diet doesn’t provide adequate antioxidants and phyto-nutrients. These are most bio-available in raw friuts and veggies.
Green food is key too. A lot of that food is acid forming. People still might lose weight, but they are at a higher risk of cancer and other diseases, especially when not having adequate antioxidants. Google up the benefits of an Alkaline diet.
Lastly, it’s not a good idea to use supplements unless your diet is missing something in whole form. A life of supplements isn’t a good idea unless it’s an absolute must (such as persons with high cholesterol needing more niacin). Supplements should be used only when other methods aren’t available.
I know there are tons of long term benefits of losing weight. There can also be a ton of long term adverse effects from HOW you lose weight.
Regardless, it’s good your putting people on the right track. Kudos.
Interesting that the acceptable cereals, and other foodstuffs, you refer to in the list of what you can/do eat, are all brand/manufactured.
I find so many USA products, have added sugar that the same brands don’t add when being exported.
The problem I found with your suggestion is that by 10am I am flat as a pancake .. no energy, can’t think .. then need something I shouldn’t eat to get me back on an even keel.
My breakfast before this was rolled oats (nothing added) with dried fruits (apricots, sultanas, cranberries etc – no added sugar) nuts (pistachios, almonds – salt free) and seeds (linola, pumpkin, sunflour) with natural yogurt.
Any ideas?
[…] lasses will post a running record of how they get on with a tweaked version of Tim Ferriss’ How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days […]
[…] Original WOE (way of eating) Tim Ferriss shared How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days in April, 2006. After reading through the comments and responses, we’ve extracted, added and […]
Dear Tim…
You are something! I think you should think President in 2016!
Anyway, on the diet. I have exactly 20-25 lbs of water and fat. I am 65 (66 on Dec 4) so I need to lose this weight without developing “turkey neck” or “floppy tits”. I have worked out in the past so am not a couch potato. I run a gallery and it has been a two year (wonderful) headache and put an end to my working out as I do not have much time to myself. I have two full-time jobs, plus voluntarily direct a national non-profit that suppports teachers working with at-risk youth.
I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, but use soy milk instead of cow’s milk. It just does not sit right (cow’s milk) and I can tell: Not Good For Tony!.
Soooo, how can I use the plan of losing 20lbs in 30 days with soy, seafood, eggs, soy, as my only source of protein?
You can just skip to this last paragraph if you do not want to publish it all.
Thanks so much.
Tony
P.S. My wife and I both read your book in late October and are developing our “product” so we can climb out of gallery debt, and get our property in oceanside Yucatan Peninsula and work 4 hours a week. Maybe I will write the next book: “The 3.5 Hour Workweek!” hahahaha
I am serious about the weight loss. So please answer that part. Thanks.
Happy Holidays, Tim.
I have lost 11 pounds in about 4 weeks on this diet and that includes Thanksgiving and cheat days. I started at 227 Im now 216. I really really enjoy the diet and I am not ever really low on energy like low carb diets or starving like low fat diets.
What did u do in order to get fit within 4 weeks? with or without exercise? 🙂
I just found this post. Coincidentally I have been doing almost EXACTLY what Tim posted here. Except I have been hitting the weights as well. I went from 215 to 180 lbs in 4 months. I figure I lost 45 lbs of fat and gained 10 lbs, muscle. Here are my most recent results. The before photo was taken in the changing room as I realized, “damn I got fat!” (hence the expression on my face)… http://www.sixpeeps.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/beforeafteremail.jpg
Tim, I am going to try your techniques on gaining 32 lbs of muscle in 28 days. If I accomplish this, can I get some props in your next book, Tim? 🙂
P.S. My “off” day is a full on eat-fest. I eat everything I can, ALL DAY LONG and I love it (until about 8 PM).
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Hi Mark,
If you gain the muscle in 28 days and document it (photos from different angles and measurements from someone at a gym), I’ll find a way to get you BIG props 🙂
Good luck!
Tim
Hi
That is a good suggestion.
Thanks.
OK Tim, it’s on. Today I will print out the Colorado Experiment details and your rules here. I will read all and set my plan for a start date of Dec. 1
That “after” photo you see was taken about a week ago and Thanksgiving week I don’t think I was able to transform my body for the better so I figure I’m exactly the same. I have several photos from that shoot. I’ll get measurements size and body fat before my first workout.
This is perfect timing, just finished my 12 week experiment and needed a new one.
Also, on another note, after listening to your audiobook several times, I have decided to take on another experiment; in lateral thinking. Utilizing your testing process in chapter 10 and the google-ad words, we are going to test my new web site which will launch tomorrow. I will tell you all about it after we get results worth bragging about.
Our startup cost is looking to be less than $2000 which is getting us a call-center (VirtualOffice), a web site, and google ad-words (starting with 50 search terms).
Can’t wait to become a two-time case study for you.
This comment is just intended for you, I don’t really care to have it published if that’s OK.
Thanks for all the great inspiration.
Mark
re: Omi’s reply:
I couldn’t agree more with Omi. What I do is this: My omelet in the morining consists of 1 egg white, 1 egg. On the wet side,before I flip, I load it up with raw spinach. I flip. Once done, I flip back to spinach, put in meat such as chicken, tuna or beef, add a piece of pepperjack cheese, a little hot sauce and Wheew baby! MMMM!. Now, I make up a bean and veggi mix that I put with my protein:
Blk beans
peas
pinto beans
asapragus
onions
your fav. spices.
I cook that up and add it to my protein. I’ve gone from 300lbs to 268lbs. I also make sure I eat lots of raw vegis as well. Took a break…lost 12 more lbs and am back on the plan for 7 more months. I will be at 193 lbs when finished. I drink lots of water, run, excersize on Gazelle by Tony Little, hike, ride my bike, walk and so on. This has changed my life. Oh yeah, I went from size 42w pants to 3436w. 2xl shirts to MEdLarge depending on teh brand! This works!!!!!! I tell everyone I know about this plan! It’s not a diet for me, it’s a life change.
Tim H.
Hi all,
I have been reading your posts and am really excited, I am a 53 year old female that weighs 156 lbs. I have been exercising every morning for 20 min. I haven’t been able to loose any weight I am also a carb, bread and chocolate junkie.
Can I use the egg beaters instead of egg whites. Today is day 1 for me.
Hi everyone!! it’s me again!! I followed this diet for a bit…took a few week hiatus, but i’m back! It’s awesome…I cannot tell you how many times people asked “What have you been doing, you look great!” So though my number were kind of weak, the overall results are awesome… one question though…
Do you think not including a cheat day is a good idea??? I mean at least until Christmas! Or is it an aid in the whole process??
Hi all, great article! I’ve got a few questions though before I give it a go. (I’ve had a good read of a lot of the comments but there are so many, so apologies if these have been answered).
1. How about tomatoes? There isn’t much about fruit. Tim says to avoid fruit juice, but also says that salsa is ok. So I’m guessing tomatoes are ok?
2. Are butter beans and chick peas ok? They’re both legumes right?
3. Do I have to cut back on drinking wine? Tim says a glass a night is ok, trouble is I have about two bottles a night about three nights a week, (I’m British, lol). I suppose this is a silly question, maybe if I cut it down to saturdays, that could be my binge food.
4. On saturdays, (freedom day), are you allowed white carbs? Tim only says he eats chocolate, I’m not bothered about chocolate, but a chicken vindaloo with loads of basmati rice would go down a treat!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks all
Hi,
This is a great opportunity for me to try as you said. I want to reduce atleast 20 pounds in 30 days. The only problem is, I don’t see a lot of vegetarian items. I am a pure vegetarian who takes no egg, no fish or no meat. I drink milk, bread, cereal and other vegetarian products.
Pls let me know of some diet to follow and I am sure it will be useful to a lot more people. I am in real need of this plan very soon. I appreciate your help.
Thanks,
hello gita ,
good to now that you are also vegetarian like me . wanted to know if you really lost weight .
what was ur meal plan … plz share …may be it is helpful for me.
thanks
that sounds great and all and Id bet a thousand dollars your plan would work, but it sounds like to much of a hassle for me. Starvation and strict exercise actually works for me. Thanks though.
[…] “The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again,” he writes in a blog post at http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-of- fat-in-30-days-without-doing-…. […]
Hey Guys,
I’ve been following this plan for 4 full weeks (4 or 5 small meals as prescribed minus the pizza)
Breakfast : Salmon and half tin of pinto beans
Lunch : Chicken and full tin of black beans
Dinner: Large pot of Cottage Cheese
***Workout***
Evening Meal : Chicken/Tuna/Haddock with a small tin of Green Lentils
After 4 weeks I have lost 12lbs on the scales and my body fat has dropped from 13.1% to 10.1%
I think 4 more weeks of this and I’ll be 6 Pack Ripped (for the first time in my life)
Awesome plan.
Stephen Naylor – UK
Oh and just the record my Saturdays usually look something like this….
Breakfast: 2 or 3 bowls of honey nut cheerios
Lunch: a full 9 inch Pizza (thin base) – I like Dr.Oetker
Afternoon Snack: Large bag of Malteasers
Dinner: Pasta dish (god I miss a good pasta during the week)
Evening: 2 or 3 bottle of beer
Stephen Naylor – UK
hi mate im from the uk i live in birmingham, where bouts u from, i started this diet today and am just having the foodsthat tim pointed out above, just wondered if u carried on with the diet and how much weight u lost in total, i am having trouble picking something for my second lunch can u help
Hi everybody!
After reading all the posts on this blog, I decided to give this a try.
Had my first breakfast this morning (beans, veggies, egg)
Took some getting used to, I’m like most people who are used to eating cereal in the morning.
Looking to lose 30 lbs – will keep you all posted on my progress 🙂
it was hard to loose wight but now i have lost 23 pounds and i feel so good
I only need to lose 10lbs and have not been able to do it for a year. I workout all the time, so eating must be my issue. Will this work for me?
I only need to lose ten lbs. will this work for me? I have not been able to lose any weight for a year.
How to lose 20 pounds in 30 days – My quest…
Here’s a recap of my attempt at losing 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise….
Hello all,
My whole life I had always been skinny, until the past year. For reasons I’d rather not discuss, I put on about 30 pounds of fat (200-230). Yuck. The scary thing is it really only looks like I put on 5-10 pounds… until I sit down, and rolls of fat start tumbling out of my belly. I have tried diets before, but never sustained long term results. This sounds like a promising diet. My goal is to lose fat, and gain a lot of muscle. Below is my routine, please feel free to give advice!
9:30 Take Hydroxycut pill (Yeah I know it may not work. The thing is buying all this crap from GNC makes me go to the gym, because I feel guilty wasting it. Secondly, for those of you trying this diet I strongly suggest not to take this pill, as it has copious amounts of Caffeine, and I have a hard time going to sleep, and the longer I am awake the more time I notice the grumblings in my stomach)
10:00 Eat breakfast. Same as above (all of my meals will be based on the original post)
10:15 Take Creatine.
10:45 Lift weights in the gym for about 30 minutes.
11:30 Drink Protein shake
1:00 Eat small lunch
1:30 Play Wii boxing. Don’t laugh, this is my cardio. I challenge anyone to play this game for 20 minutes and not sweat your ass off.
2:00 Take second dose of Hydroxycut
3:00 Go to gym again. Work out same muscles for another half hour, or at least I try to. Usually I am pretty spent by then.
4:00 Take second dose of Creatine
4:30 Eat second lunch
7:30 Eat dinner
9:00 In bed, though I do not go to sleep for another couple hours.
Well, I have been working out this much for about a week now, and just started this diet today. Will update my progress in a month.
Hi all,
Well my first week is over and I lost 6 lbs. I was really excited.
I am following the diet with eating moderately on Saturday and I also exercise every morning.
Everyone keep up the good work.
Hey everyone, here’s my recap of how I did on this plan for the first 30 days.
http://www.slybaldguys.com/serendipity/archives/155-How-to-lose-20-pounds-in-30-days-My-quest.html
Hello all,
My whole life I had always been skinny, until the past year. For reasons I’d rather not discuss, I put on about 30 pounds of fat (200-230). Yuck. The scary thing is it really only looks like I put on 5-10 pounds… until I sit down, and rolls of fat start tumbling out of my belly. I have tried diets before, but never sustained long term results. This sounds like a promising diet. My goal is to lose fat, and gain a lot of muscle. Below is my routine, please feel free to give advice!
9:30 Take Hydroxycut pill (Yeah I know it may not work. The thing is buying all this crap from GNC makes me go to the gym, because I feel guilty wasting it. Secondly, for those of you trying this diet I strongly suggest not to take this pill, as it has copious amounts of Caffine, and I have a hard time going to sleep, and the longer I am awake the more time I notice the grumblings in my stomach)
10:00 Eat breakfast. Same as above (all of my meals will be based on the original post)
10:15 Take Creatine.
10:45 Lift weights in the gym for about 30 minutes.
11:30 Drink Protein shake
1:00 Eat small lunch
1:30 Play Wii boxing. Don’t laugh, this is my cardio. I challenge anyone to play this game for 30 minutes and not sweat your butt off.
2:00 Take second dose of Hydroxycut
3:00 Go to gym again. Work out same mucles for another half hour, or at least I try to. Usually I am pretty spent by then.
4:00 Take second dose of Creatine
4:30 Eat second lunch
7:30 Eat dinner
9:00 In bed, though I do not go to sleep for another couple hours.
Well, I have been working out this much for about a week now, and just started this diet today. Will update my progress in a month.
Dana, while I am no expert I did do some research on the internet about diets which include “cheat” days, and overall people were skeptical it actually helps the process physiologically. However, no question it does help psychologically, and if this day of “utopia” is what you need to stay on the diet, then it absolutely helps. However, if you can make it without having a special day, my bet is you will lose weight faster, providing you eat enough calories a day.
Hey Tim,
I’m wondering if this diet for weight loss is temporary or perhaps long term. I avoid all animal products. From research I’ve done, carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy/fuel for the human body. I’m also aware of the “protein myth” in this country as compared to others’. People in this country way over consume protein. Plant foods have adequate amounts of protein for the human body without having so much that extra amounts have to be eliminated through the urine via the kidneys. Ultimately this can lead to bone loss as nature’s perfect way of protecting the kidneys by utilizing buffering calcium drawn from the bones. When I switched to an all plant food diet, my excess weight came off with ease and effort. I was still able to rollerblade 10 to 15 miles per day in 90 degree weather without suffering energy loss. Plant based diets provide clean fuel for the body to burn and promote cleanliness from the inside out. You seem like a very intelligent man and I just wonder what your long term diet philosophy is all about. Have a healthy day, I know I will 🙂
I read this blog a couple of weeks ago and since then, I had been reading all the comments off and on last week. I started on Monday, and as of this morning, I have lost 4 pounds (it is now Wednesday). I’m pretty excited about that.
The only this is, I’m not sure what to eat for snacks. I have an office job, and I find myself getting hungry off and on durring the day. I’m not sure what I should be munching on that is good for this diet. I’ve been eating peanuts because I know they are low in carbs & calories, however they are high in fat. Anyone have any suggestions??
Lacey,
My Dr. has recommended a very similar diet for me, which i feel great on btw, and I had the same question about snacks. Nuts are a good snack, Almonds are preferrable, but an actual portion is only like 9 nuts. A better snack is carrots or celery with almond butter. Make sure the only ingredient in the almond butter is Almonds, no added sugar. I just put the veggies and 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter in a plastic baggie altogether and bring a napkin. Another good snack is any small portion of protein by itself. I like a few rolled up pieces of turkey.
Hope that helps 🙂
For snacks I prefer dill pickle’s. A good protein shake always tastes good as well if you figure out your taste buds. After a workout I mix 2 cups of soymilk, a scoop of EAS chocolate protein mix, & a frozen banana.
[…] recently discovered the blog of author Tim Ferriss, and his post about 6 weeks on a “slow carb” diet has gotten me motivated again. But his post about “Real Mind Control: The 21-Day […]
Thanks Nicole and Josh for your input! I’ve actually been munching on dill pickles when I’m at home, but I don’t think I would bring them into my office ( I don’t want to smell like pickles all day 🙂 )
As for the carrots and celery, I have been munching on celery (thats the only thing other than nuts that I can think of to munch on), but aren’t carrots just like potatoes in the aspect that they are good for you, but very high in calories and carbs?
In regards to: ( I am going to do the 4-Hour Body experiment/plan)
“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,”
When you say fruit juices you mean the fake packaged kind? Can you have fresh fruit juice? Also would soy protein be good? I drinnk soy milk. And what kind/type of wine is preferred?
Thanks!
I don’t think you can have Fresh fruit juice either since there is ALOT of natural sugars in them. Your body can’t tell the difference between the sugars. After you have lost your weight than it is fine to have fresh fruit.
As far as wine, I would go with reds and I am pretty sure I have read that Tim does as well.
Make it a Great Day!
In regards to: ( I am going to do the 4-Hour Body experiment/plan)
“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,”
When you say fruit juices you mean the fake packaged kind? Can you have fresh fruit juice? Also would soy protein be good? I drink soy milk. And what kind/type of wine is preferred?
Thanks!
Thanks Trish! Much luv to ya!
Tim,
You should really check out http://www.arthurdevany.com. Art advocates what he calls an Evolutionary Fitness lifestyle, both in diet and workout habits (see this paper: http://www.arthurdevany.com/Chapter1.pdf ). It’s very similar to the ‘caveman’ diet. What makes Art really interesting is that he is an economist by training and trade who also likes to ride dirt bikes. His love of fun/adventure and his analytical side remind me very much of you. At seventy he’s as sharp as a tack and looks harder than a coffin nail.
check it out.
I need to lose about 15-20 lbs. I will def try this diet. I sit in a cubicle during the day and try to take pilates.. but i am lazy. I was always in shape– not, at 26, I am just not happy with myself (still not “fat” though). I was looking for someone to just tell me what to eat and how to eat it and WHY I am eating it.
SATURDAY FREE-FOR-ALL… I think I can handle this!! Thanks for the Help!!
“…I was always in shape– NOW, at 26, I am just not happy with myself…”
**correction
Hey everyone!!! I am a female who is soo exited about trying this diet!! I really need to loose 30 pounds and this seems like the perfect diet, and I have read many of your comments and it seems like it works pretty good!! To make sure that i stay on track im going to blog everyday at…
http://precious-preciosa.blogspot.com/
Check it out!
Luv-
Precious
PS: Support is appreciated!!
hey is tofu a good substitute for meat
I have been trying this diet. I lost seven pounds the first week-and-a-half, hooray! This past Saturday (December 8) was my first day off. I knew better to weigh myself on Sunday, but I figured the damage would be somewhat mitigated by this morning. Well, I have gained six pounds back. What? Is this normal? Should I really be taking a cheat day once a week? Am I going to lose that six pounds plus more in the next five days before the next cheat day? What do I do?
I have been following this diet since November 28th. I lost seven pounds since then, and I took my first cheat day this past Saturday, on December 8th. I didn’t weigh myself on Sunday, knowing there’d be damage, but this morning the scale said I put on six of the seven pounds I lost! Should the post-cheat day change be that great and last for two days? What happened? Should I not be having cheat days?
Hello Tim,
I come across this website just today and would try it right away, starting tomorrow. After I do my grocery shopping tonight. I am about 5 2′ and weighs at 140lbs. Ever since teenager, I am always the chubby one and being labeled as ‘the one size bigger than usual’ girl. I have always been struggling and would love to see myself slim and not chubby. I hope this will work for me. I am sure I will have questions along the way. Thank you for posting this up, Tim. Appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Sylvia
This is a reply to Jules above; Jules, only you can determine your cheat day or no cheat day do’s or don’t’s as everyones body is different. My first week I lost 7 lbs, but the Cheat day put me back up 3-4 lbs and the following week I only lost 3 as the other 3 lbs was from the cheat day. I think ultimately having no cheat days would be most benificial to all of us but Tim does it to give himself a break from the routine. Maybe for those of us who gain it back so quickly should only do a cheat meal once a week, like Saturday night pizza or … This way we don’t go hog wild consuming whatever in every meal defeating the purpose that ultimately we are to correct the bad habbits that got us this way.
I am almost positive i know what is going wrong with the people who are gaining weight. the cheat day is not psychological its scientific. your metabolism can’t get used to one eating routine! changes made to the diet can cause drastic changes to your body. with that said, not dieting “perfectly” or exactly by the rules will cause you to gain weight on the cheat days…. why? because your glycemic index is low enough for you to lose weight but not enough to make a drastic change in your body chemistry. if you diet perfectly and then cheat, the cheat day is a shock to your system that allows for your body to react to the diet when you follow it next week. a few questions 1) do you eat any white carbs ever? because they are not even allowed after a work out.
2) are you eating any dairy because dairy is not allowed
3) are you eating enough??? if not your body will start to store fat because it doesnt know how much food is comming into the body the next time you eat.
4) are you eating at the same times every day?? if not your body will store fat because it doesnt know when it will eat again.
5) are you sleeping on a consistent schedule? no you dont need 8hrs a day but you do need to sleep the same amount of time at the same times every day to creat a pattern that your body can identify.
now honestly the point of the diet like almost all other modern diets is to lower your glycemic index to put you in a state where your body creates waste out of sugar and muscle out of protein. if your body chemistry is wrong where your glycemic index is too high, you wont be in the correct physical state so when you cheat its as if you never dieted. most people eat like crap and any change makes them lose weight so they get excited. if you dont eat any carbs besides the beans and you eat whole wheat within 1hr of a work out, you can spike your calories one day and it will benefit your body chemistry. if you have one cheat meal then you dont understand the biology of the diet. if you dont have a cheat day then you dont understand the biology of the diet. if you adjust the diet at all then you dont understand the biology of any diet. if you could eat like crap and lose weight everyone would do it. the way i stay focused is i always remember what you put into your body is what you get out. another thing, toxins in your body may be forcing you to store fat, go get a colonic ( i never have but i heard it helps a lot to kick start weight loss)
what would you possibly have for breakfast?? i am rearly confused
Ok, a couple of points for Jules….
Firstly, if you are losing more than say 3lbs in a weeks then there are a lot of other factors involved too, such as water, glycogen etc.
On my first week I lost 7lbs (for the above reason) but then after that my weight loss stabled out at 1-2lbs for every subsequent week.
Next, focus on your body composition NOT your weight on the scales, by that I mean BF% and Lbs’s of mean mass to body fat – this is a far more accurate way to measure your progress.
And fianlly, ‘cheat day’…you cannot gain 7lb’s of fat in a day, simple as that! Again if you are gaining a lot of weight quickly again this probably has more to do with the water, hydration stuff too.
Take a look at my diet plan above if you like as a refernce, that above plan has had me losing 1-2lbs of FAT (not weight on the scales) every week since day one.
Last point…when all else fails, keep track on the calories.
Sun – Fri my calories are in the region of 1800/day
Saturday around 4000.
But that’s me, this is not a rule for eveyone and I’m a bloke – so take that into account too.
Hope ‘some’ of that might be of help.
Stephen – UK
Ezra, well said.
The great value in Tim’s post is that he is outlingin a very simple to follow and understand diet with rational underpinings that he has used himself sucessfully. To change it is probably necessary for most of us in some way but you must stick to the principles.
What are the principles? Well Tim is pretty clear so read it again if you don’t understand. Regarding the low-GI aspect, it’s pretty important to *only* eat low-GI type carbs such as legumes (beans of all kinds really, just not ones in tomato sauce as they are full of sugar – a white carb, geddit?). Here in the UK you can get loads of great little (ie pocket sized) books on the GI rating of almost any food from a mainline supplier. It’s well worth getting one and you soon get the hang of it. I think I paid about £4 too so they’re cheap too.
To reiterate what Ezra said, eating low-GI carbs have a slower, more gradual effect on your raising blood sugar levels which is exactly what you want. White carbs in general spike your blood glucose levels which forces your body to produce more insulin to bring it back to within desired levels. Having blood full of excess insulin can be damaging to health in a variety of ways. The most damaging to our immediate goal is that insulin is the hormone that promotes fat storage.
That’s right. You will store more fat if you eat foods that put your body into a high insulin state. Proteins and fats have almost no effect on blood sugar levels and therefore produce no insulin response. That’s why unless you’re real strict with the low-GI carbs your ‘gone wild’ day is ineffective, damaging even. If you’re cheating during the week your body just uses all that extra carbohydrate (ie energy) to make fat tissue and you put the weight back on.
My advice? If you can’t be real strict all week you really have to avoid the gone wild day. If you’re strict, go for it. It helps because on this or any other diet you may not be getting enough calories and if this persists your body will store energy as fat because it thinks you are starving. Literally. A once weekly binge is enough to trick the body into staying in the fat-for fuel mode and not the fat for storage mode. This way you will continue to lose fat even if your weight isn’t changing all that much. Remember that losing fat, not weight is what it’s all about anyway. Be slow to make haste as they say.
Anyway, I’ve said too much but it’s all in the book ‘Protein Power’ by M & M Eades that someone in the other diet/exercise thread here:
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/29/from-geek-to-freak-how-i-gained-34-lbs-of-muscle-in-4-weeks/
HTH
Badboybob
im still 13 and my classmates are calling me fatty i need to start dieting or im going to die of embarrasment. My friend ate 1 apple for breakfast lunch and dinner and rides his bike to the highschool which is 5 miles away should i do that? He lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks and i want to lose that much because im 140 pounds and i should be 120 pounds im so over weight plz help me i should eat some more of those steamed egg things and egg yolk in milk thing that they suggest on youtube
Louie,
I feel for you, I was chubby in school during the younger years and kids were not nice. Just ignore them, you will probably grow into the little bit of extra weight you might carry. One tactic I always used was to figure out what so called “defaults” the bullies had so that when they made fun of me I would use their flaws right back at them. It normally shuts them up for good. However if you really want to try and eat right it’s really simple, just avoid things with sugar in them; pop, candy, chocolate, etc. Eat small amounts of breads and focus on protein. Don’t limit yourself to such diets as your friend did as that’s very unhealthy and could cause permanent long term damage. Good luck!
I have been a vegan for several years now and have somewhat naturally adopted a diet similar to this one. Quinoa is an amazing food and contains more protein than many people realize. Also chick peas are a great adaptable food also high in protein.
For all you vegetarians out there, you CAN gain muscle without eating meat, it may just be a little slower. And you will never become hulk-like, but I suspect this is just fine with a lot of people.
Using principles I learned on this blog I have managed to gain 10 lbs of muscle in three weeks. I know that may not seem so much, but it is steady growth and I have done this with no animal products or supplimentation.
I just ran across this site today. I am about 5’10 and 150lbs and while I do not appear fat, I have a lot of fat on my body that I would like to replace with muscle. I am interested in trying this diet as soon as possible, but I wanted some advice to make sure I am doing it correctly. I have been working out with a trainer for 3 months, but I can’t seem to escape some of my old habits.
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, black beans, slices of cheese
Lunch: Grilled chicken, pinto beans, carrots
Dinner: Beef, black beans, avacado
Post-workout: whatever I am craving, without going overboard
Do my choices seem like they will work?
Also, is preparing food on sunday and just reheating it throughout the week ok? Can fish fit into this diet? On the binge day am I able to go out and drink and can I literally eat anything?
I really enjoy hearing about people’s progress. I also like hearing about good meals people have come up with to eat. I really hope this will work and I can stick to it.
Once people reach their ideal weight do you still stick to this diet or do you change your eating habits?
Thanks!
-Amy
Does anyone have any recipes they would like to share? I want to begin the diet but I am not sure I have many recipes to use.
My husband and I just started this – we are going to lose weight before our trip to Maui.
I have hypoglycemia so every low carb diet backfired and I ate my weight in food because my blood glucose crashed.
I know the diet above says eat all you want- but if you stop when your full… isn’t that the point? :o)
A recipe that I love is a can of blackbean soup (look at the label should have just seasonings – no flour or sugar – Goya makes a great one- it is super thick and CHEAP) add 1 pound of frozen spinach, 1 tbs of cumin, a good shake of garlic powder. Serve with fresh cilantro and chopped onions OVER a chicken breast. A serving size for me was 1/2 cup – for my husband 3/4 of a cup. We added mixed veggies as well and were STUFFED!
I have others that I will post later…
Could someone direct me to a good website for an exercise plan that I will actually STICK to?
Thanks!
tim,
where do fruit fit into this diet?
cheating days, I guess…
What I want to know is the formula for doing that extreme weight loss described in the book. It had something to do with dehydration and rehydration…
BTW, I’m chronicling my own Four-Hour Work Week journey on my blog at http://www.fourhourworkweekdiary.com/ and I’d love everyone’s encouragement, feedback, etc. Also, I am selling some merchandise related to my efforts to conquer time and money, and would love to know what you think of that!
Rex
I wonder if my posts are showing up? Just a test.
Hi folks… I breezed through the other posts and have to ask: does anyone else out there have a problem with beans?? The gas pains KILL me. I agree that having a slow carb is necessary with meals, otherwise I get woosy/cranky with the low calories, but it’s hard to be happy with losing weight when I’m so damn uncomfortable!! If I can’t tolerate beans, what other options do I have? Help!
[…] Diät, Tipps | Tim Ferris, Autor von The 4-hour-workweek, gibt ein paar Tipps zum Thema Abnehmen. […]
Help! I have hit to a plateau after losing 10 pound in 5 weeks!!! What should I do? By the way, I jog on a treadmill 75 minutes 4 days a week. Comments are appreciated.
Maggie, your probably exercising too much imo which is what could’ve made you plateau quicker. Are you making sure to take advantage of your binge days? Those are pretty vital on this diet, in order to keep you from plateauing.
Just as a example, I started running in the summer, did strength training a few nights a week, and followed a diet that was similar to this but had whole grains in it instead of beans…
I lost 20 pnds in 2 months consistantly, but plateau’d after that… I tried exercising more, so I was running for 1 hour, 4 times a week, and 25 minutes of strength training 2 times a week. That went on for about 3 months and I only lost 5 pnds, in 3 months!
so I quit for a month… pigged out, gained 8 pnds…
I started this diet, with no exercise, and lost 5 pounds in my first week… 5 pounsd in the week after as well.. and I don’t seem to be plateauing at all… not yet… my method this time is just how Tim explains it in the book.. “put in the least amount of effort to get the biggest results.”
So, I’m not lifting a finger for the first month, or untill I start to plateau, and then I’m going to introduce the exercises mentioned in the book slowly, to hopefully kickstart the fat loss into gear again.
hi maggie…. your body has grown accustomed to your workout. you need to either do something different, can do intensity workouts. can take on something new that requires you using different muscles… i found boxing classes to be awesome… can also add in some weight training.. not only is this good with speeding up your metabolism but also helps you reshape your body.. more muscles does not mean more bulk…. sleep …. drink plenty of water,….
Hi again! … I forgot to share the following recipe with you guys. I consider it a good breakfast, hope you enjoy it.
Roasted Mushroom & Lentil Cakes
150g mushrooms, sliced
100g dried lentils
60g walnuts, chopped
1 medium onion
1 egg
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
Cook the lentils in boiling water for 10 minutes, skim off any scum then simmer for a further 15 minutes. Meanwhile finely chop the onion, mushrooms and walnuts
Drain the lentils, then when cooled combine with all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together.
Lightly grease a baking tray. Form the mixture into four evenly sized cakes using a pastry cutter or similar and place them on the greased baking tray. Cook at 190°C/380°F/Gas Mark 5 for 25-30 minutes.
I lose 2 pounds in a week 🙂
Excellent article BTW
Hi Tim, I saw there were 478 comments on here but I just couldn’t resist. Who knows what might come of it… especially with a creative powerhouse like me.
Cheers..!
Sam
Hey guys,
I’m a freshman in college and well.. basically I’m starting to feel the freshman 15 =/
The variety of food serve at my school consists of: sandwiches, deep fried food, food cook in huge amount of oil, stuff that i can’t the calories in.
The food are usually served in LARGE servings and I hate waisting food. We also don’t have a kitchen where I can cook my own food, I also don’t have a mini fridge.
so…HELP!
what can I eat?!?!
Has anyone tried the Shangri-La Diet? It’s an interesting concept. You take a healthy oil and/or sugar water (yep) between meals. The idea is to lower your “set point.” The author of the book/diet is a pyschology professor who spends lot of time doing experiments…with himself as the guineau pig.
I’m starting this tomorrow at 215 lbs–should be closer to 185-190. Will report back weekly. Here we go!
this sturr really works so thanks to the creator
my @$$ used to be huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[…] to post less frequently, but shockingly good stuff that makes me rethink my life. I read his weight loss post (and no, it is not a health blog, it is a lifestyle blog) and implemented the ideas. I have […]
if we all ate grilled chicken and egg whites for every meal we would all be skinny. thats the hard part. its not about finding things you CAN eat and thinking about what you can’t eat.
1) any sauce or dressing you are thinking of using (besides mustard) has fat or carbs or both. like veggie oil has a lot of fat. i have a place by where i work where they FRY chicken in soy bean oil, FRIED IS FRIED just because its fried insomething healthier doesnt make it healthy!
NO DAIRY! NO CHILI! chili powder is loaded with sugar!
for the youngsters, the more you can get yourself used to eating raw veggies and BLAND proteins the better off you will be. Think about how hard and gross it is to chew raw brocolli with no sauce (right no blue cheese) lets see you eat 3 pieces and still be hungry! i guarantee that you will be exhausted from chewing. and you will not be hungry!
im not here to movitate you im here to make sure you have no excuses for failing
hi tim!
i was doing some browsing and came across your diet plan and was very impressed.its definitely something i could commit myself to.see, i was a content 110-115 lbs, but over the holidays put on a horrible 15 pounds!!(good ol momma’s southern cooking..ah!) but now that the holidays are over i have got to drop that weight again! i have another photoshoot in just one month, and doubt my agency will be pleased that i am 15 pounds heavier than before, and…this photoshoot spread is VERY important to me! last time i dropped 10 pounds or so, i did so over the time span of 3 months or so( but without exercise,just dieting)but i dont have that long this time. so…just wanted to know if it was possible for me to lose these 15 pounds in just one month. i’d appreciate your advice and all the little pointers you can give me. thanks!
I have been doing this diet for about two weeks now. Jen asked about gas with beans. My legume of choice has been canned organic black beans. I have had ZERO gas problems with them.
However, I used my crazy day on Christmas, and ate a bunch of cookies and fudge and candy, and it was a different story then. Hope that helps!
I used to drink regular sodas as a kid, but I could never do that again. You might as well inject liquid sugar directly into your veins. Today, I find regular sodas far too sweet to be even remotely enjoyable. When I tried Thums Up (an Indian soda containing real sugar instead of corn syrup) out of curiosity, I felt like I was on speed.
Now I like diet sodas, but I wonder about their health effects. Raina Gustafson (comment #392) mentioned excitotoxins, and I’m definitely concerned about their purported ability to explode brain cells. I also read somewhere that diet sodas have been linked to obesity, although no details were given. Finally, most of the places where I’d get a diet soda don’t carry caffeine-free varieties.
I’m trying to drink more water (with lemon where available), and cut back on the diet soda.
Hi Hunter,
I asked the same question a couple of months ago and was pretty shocked at the answer. I looked on the back of a pepsi max and googled the ingredients one by one. Every single one had links to cancer and other nasty things. There is some shocking reading when you take a look at the studies undertaken to get these substances approved in the first place aswell. The best thing in my opinion is to avoid them completely, your body doesnt need all those chemicals flying around it.
As regards diet drinks and obesity, there was some research done that indicates the sweet taste prepares you body for calories. When these dont come it was shown that people over eat to make up the calorie deficit. Subjects who drank diet drinks before a meal ate something like 15-20% more vs those who didnt. Pretty interesting.
If you want to get a bit more variety into what you drink rather than just drinking plain water all the time try this, it doesnt sound that nice but i promise, it’s great and really good for you:
Three pieces of frozen spinich, 1 sprig of fresh mint and a little grated ginger to taste. Blend with water and mix in a bottle to make a litre/litre and a half. Tastes great once you get out of the mode of eating sugar all the time and is packed with good stuff. Much better than the diet drinks! 🙂
Hello, This is Mary
I am 36 years old with 2 toddlers. My youngest just started day care last week- which still feels a little strange. I haven’t had this much time to myself in years. First thing I want to do is lose the extra pounds I put on during the last pregnancy. One of the girls next door has suggested I join her walking group two days a week. After my first pregnancy I lost around 35 pounds using the Herbalife products, but when I called the man that sold them to me three years ago he told me this week he doesn’t sell them anymore. He told me to look on the internet. It’s disappointing because he was really nice and he called me regularly to make sure I was using their products correctly. It was nice to have someone checking in with me every week to see how I was and it kept me motivated.
I searched on the internet for someone that sells Herbalife in New Jersey. I found many websites but I don’t want
just to buy the products, I want to find someone trustworthy that sells the products so I can also meet them and get started again.
Could anybody here recommend someone in New Brunswick?
.
Thanks, Mary
great info, the good thing about avoiding eating anything white is it also keeps you away from sugar. If man made it don’t eat it.
hello i just was curious did the herbalife make you feel funny at all i really need something to help me lose weight i am going to try Tim plan but wanted a little something else to help along the way.
Hi, Mary. Sorry to hear you had a good one who got away. What I’d suggest doing, if you haven’t already, is just to talk to your friends about it.
You may be surprised to find that someone you know is an Herbalife distributor, or a customer, or they know someone who is. Very often people don’t talk about these things because they don’t realize you’re interested in supplements. Good luck.
hola, soy mexicana y no se hablar ingles ( i dont spik inglich ) los amo 😀
hola
i need help tim
im 15 and wiegh 72kg
need to loose wieght but dont no how to i burn on average about 700 calories on the treadmill in 1hour and a half a day. i eat about 1000 calories a day and i havnt got a certain way to eat i just eat when ever. i drink about 2 liters of milk and 2 litres of water a day.
im not sure if im doin it right so could you please tell me what i need to change and what i can keep the same. could you also give me an ideal way to eat, the only problem is i dont eat my dinner after 7pm but i eat some sort of fruit or veg after my dinner ussualy after all my meals if i can. let me asap what i need to do.
I’m 14 and weigh 95kg. This all helps if you drink a big glass of water before you eat and after. This is because it should make you a litlle fuller and flush you out
I’m going to try that
i have been trying to lose weight for a long time and i originally went on a diet of only fruit and veggies.. i gained 4 pounds and no matter what i do to lose weight i just cant seem to lose weight i am going on a diet and i am excersising 30-40 min a day. i will see if this works but kids or teens… if you want to get skinny just to get people like guys and friends to like you.. don’t. if Ur bf wont like you cause ur weight then he is not worth it. lose weight for your sake not just cause of other peoples opinions.
—- selena
Dairy products are very high in calories. You need to stop drinking so much milk first. A glass a day is enough.
It doesn’t look like Tim replies to any of our comments, I wish he would at least do a better outline of the diet, for example, what are the recommended calories for the day, and I dont’ get the post pizza….is that every night, or is it whatever we want with in reason post workout??? Seems like overall this is a healthy diet plan, and it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out how to incorporate new food choices so you don’t get bored, no dairy, no bread, pasta, sugar…lots of protein, veggies, and a cheat day, I think that gives you something to look forward to at the end of the week, as long as you cheat within some normal moderation. I followed Simeons diet over the summer for 21 days, it was lower calories, and protein, with choices of veggies…it was bland, and boring, but I saw results immediately, about a pound every other day, and the success kept me interested. I may try this diet out, I only have about 10 pounds I’d liked to get rid of, but I would like to see the results from eating this way for a few weeks.
Good luck all, and maybe Tim will give a more detailed outline sometime.
###
Hi Michelle,
Unfortunately, I can’t possibly respond to all of the comments or I’d be doing it all day. Here are a few ideas: pizza is post-workout, and there are no recommended calories for the day. If you eliminate the white carbs, it’s very, very hard to gain fat eating excess lean protein or vegetables. Near impossible.
Hope that helps 🙂
Tim
Hi all!!! Just wanted to leave a quick note. I’ve been doing 4HB for almost 3 wks and have lost 7 pounds. It really is amazing! I have tried diet after diet and NEVER been successful. I really didn’t have too much to lose ( my goal is 14) but the smaller you are the harder it is to lose, so 7 pounds is a lot for me! I have just started working out this week so hopefully the last 7 will come off as easily as the first did. I have not been as strict as Tim is and this diet still works. These are my meals.
1. Breakfast- scrambled eggs (1″real” egg and equal part fake egg), 2-3 pieces turkey bacon
2. Lunch- palm sized piece of meat, one package steamed veggies, sugar free gelatin X 2
3. Snack- one package steamed veggies
4. Dinner- palm sized piece of meat, beans, steamed veggies or salad sugar free gelatin, 1-2 glasses red wine
No hunger whatsoever and I like the food. I won’t lie, the first few days I wanted some carbs sooo bad but now, I barely even want them. Even on my cheat day, I do cheat but never want the carbs as bad as you think and just feel yuck after I eat them. We are truly a nation of sugar and white carb addicts!! I feel so much better and have more energy now that I’m not roller coasting sugar highs. Seriously, try this diet – it really does work.
Thanks so much Cindy your review was extremly helpful and encouraging!!
Cindy, is exercise required and if so, how much
I see that you are having the same difficulty that many others are having. I will be opening a new site on Google within the following week or so.
On this site I will help as many as I can with dieting, using research that I’ve already conducted.
I will also be following a program at a local college based on a training design the i developed using the Tabata timed intervals.
If you are interested, please feel free to email me and I will share the site with you, and anyone else who is interested.
Dan Day, CPT
Tim – one bread that is high glycemic is Ezekial SPROUTED wheat. Texture is something between whole wheat bread and cardboard. Toasting is recommended. English muffin version is my fave. Don’t eat it all the time but for a change of pace I love it.
Looking back on the last year, I have evidently adopted the 11 mos diet with the 12month holiday dieters dream. I’ll try your scaled back approach for Jan!
Hi Friend’s,
I new so plz help me how to i lose my fat / weigh…
I am 27 year old and my weigh is 74 kg. so tell me how to i reduce my weigh mainly my Tummy / Bum & Thai…
I am waiting for your’s reply..
u take a spoon of honey with hot water before breakfast
Hi i am 13 and want to loose weight, my parents dont diet AT ALL!!!! Im a pretty decent weight but it wouldnt hurt to loose about 7 pounds. I really like eating heathy and i dont really like junk food. I would love to go for a walk or run evry day but my parents would get mad and think i was trying to loose weight (they dont use much common sense) i know i would be loosing weight but if i only lost like 7 pounds i would still be in a healthy weight range for my height and age(i did my reasearch!!!!:) l my parents dont know much about health but all i want to be is a teen with good habits. Does any body have any advice???