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.
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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
I have been on this diet for over 3 weeks now and have lost around 14 pounds. One concern I have is that I observe the Passover holiday coming up and I am wondering if anyone has advice for me to keep to the diet. I am not allowed to eat legumes and i will probably eat a whole bunch of Matzah over the first 2 days. I can still have all of my protein though.
Any advice would help. Thanks.
I mentioned this tip on another post of yours but it also applies here as I have found it improves overall metabolism. . Proper hydration is extremely important. A technique I was taught about a year ago is to drink six glasses of water (it’s difficult when you are starting!) first thing in the morning. Then wait about 45 minutes or an hour (while you are getting ready) to eat or drink anything else. Then continue drinking clean pure water the rest of the day as normal. This technique stimulates all the internal organs and brings them rapidly to prime condition. You will feel the difference in a few days. Also another tip is to take ice cold showers. It will fill you with super energy and also make you sleep better at night.
Art Gonzalez
Hey everyone,
Came across this site and I am going to start this diet tomorrow.
I want to lose 20lbs in 4 weeks. I am off on study leave and actually have the time to prepare food.
I am going to have the following:
Breakfast: Omelette with onions and turkey bacon(1-2 days a weeks, I will add cheese).
Lunch: I am going to fry minced beef and add onions and make burgers from these along with peas and pinto beans.
Dinner: I am going to have chicken (grilled with paprika sprinkled on top) and mixed veg.
If I get hungry during the day I think I will have a cup of veg broth soup.
I am not planning on having a cheat day as I want to cut all crap out of my diet altogether.
I plan on doing a 45 dance fitness dvd in the morning and an hour walk in th evening.
Do you think I would lose 20lbs by doing all of this and can I add mayonaisse, or is that against the rules.
Congrats to all who have lost weight and are trying the diet.
Maria 🙂
I NEED SOME FREAKIN HELP!
I am going to write a book because I seriously need help.
I have been battling with weight since I was a young child…probably around 9 yrs old. I am now 25 and I am freaking sick of it! I have always been over weight be about 15 lbs. I would always get into I wanna be skinny more than anything modes, and would exercise like crazy and hardly eat anything. It would always work of course and I would be happy and then the mode would leave and I would not exercise that much and start eating again and of course the weight came back. Well about 2 years ago it was my brothers wedding and I was going to be in the bridal party so I literally believe now, started to be anorexic. I would eat 3 perogis a day. Some days a little more but only when my mom cooked and I didnt want her to be suspicious, I then exercised with HIGH cardio for about 1 1/2 hours and followed it up with about 45 min to an hour of walking my dogs late at night. I literally did this every day. I lost 28 lbs in a month and a half and was thrilled. Of course I eventually went back to a normal eating lifestyle and exercise style (which was very rarely) and not only did the weight come back but then some, I am now 185 lbs at 5’5″ (I am woman by the way) and I hate it. I can not look at my self in the mirror without being disgusted. I have tried Atkins (from ediets.com and the Atkins book. I stuck to it pretty good but I didnt have the time to keep cooking the meals) and I have been going to the gym for over two months about 2-3 times a week which is way more than I used to, which was none. I have only lost 4 lbs. I work full time and have a part time job and I am pursuing my bachelor’s degree online full time. I do not have time to even do laundry.
I am just so worn out. I do not have time or even the motivation to exercise like crazy like I used to, and I do not want to do it the starvation way because that just bit me in the ass, I gained way more than I lost by doing that. I need help.
I need something totally laid out step by step. Something that does not take a lot of time but with at least decent results. Problem with me is I do and I do and I don’t see results as quick as I used to and I just get discouraged and off track. I found the main problem with the atkins is I do not have time to cook…even quick meals. I have been doing atkins shakes in the morning, another one for lunch (sometimes I will have an egg sandwich, yes with the bread) and then if I feel like and have enough time cook something. I was wondering if I should possibly do something like the ediets.com that has the food delivered to you? I probably should have done that first before I wasted so much money with everything else and the food that I have not cooked which now needs to be thrown out.
I just need help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok i’m from England so alot of these foods,especially the beans and the grass fed beef are hard to come by,so i have put my own twist on this diet,i have just done 2 days of it,and i’m not hungry all the time like i used to be.
in the last 6 months after breaking my shoulder i have lapsed on training and eating and gone from a lean,athletic 6ft,4′ 15 stone (210lbs) to a slightly chubby 17 stone 5lbs (245lbs) and lost my abs and gaining love handles and a double chin! I want to get down to around 13 stone 5lbs and have a very very low body fat percentage (5-6%) to go with my already well muscled frame.
I am a security guard by day which is stressful mentally,not physically,although it does have a impact on my legs ad knees and i don’t always feel like working out when i get home nowadays….not as much as i did in my early 20’s i’m now 26 and can feel the difference.
Anyway this is what i have started doing
Wednesday 27th March 2008
17 stone 7lbs
Work 7 hours
0900 Breakfast: bowl of Muesli with red milk
1230 Lunch: Bowl of Lettuce,tomato,cucumber,Green Pepper rings and Tuna Mayo
1800 Tea: 7oz Rump Steak (fat removed),Broad Beans,Mixed Veg (small broccolli,Carrots,Cauliflower),Lentils,Peas,Spinach
1900 snacks: Apple
Drinks: 5 pints of water,5 coffees (red milk,1 sugar in each)
Excersise: none
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday 28th March 2008
Work 8 hours
0900 Breakfast: bowl of muesli with red milk
1230 Lunch: Bowl of Lettuce,tomato,cucumber,Green Pepper rings and Tuna Mayo
1800 Tea: 3 small Chicken Breasts (half size),Broad Beans,Mixed Veg,Lentils,Peas,Spinach,Mange Toute,Baby Sweetcorn
2100 Snacks: 2 strawberrys,1 apple,1 plum
Drinks: 6 pints of water,4 coffees (red milk,1 sugar in each)
1900 Excersise: 30 mins shadow Boxing,40 high knees,jogging on spot,70 bicep curls,50 over head lifts,10 across chest (20kg dumbells.40kg total)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
can you give me a simple answer whether i am on the right track or not,or could anybody else give me any tips? (i know this thread is pretty much abandoned but others do read it + post)
[…] before you do anything else go and read the Hackers Diet and Tim Ferriss’s How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise. Both free and […]
hi tim,
i put on alot of weight after my pregnancy a year and a half ago. most of the weight has fallen off naturally with no excercise or diet but i have a stubborn fifteen to twenty pounds that just won’t budge. i’m not looking to gain any muscle mass or anything. i just want to fit back into my pre-baby clothes. will your diet really just make me drop twenty pounds in a month or am i setting myself up to look like those orange lumpy people in spandex athletic thongs?
(i do a thirty minute cardio everyday with some sit-up but i don’t do any weight lifting.)
thanks a bunch,
stellz
Tim,
Getting started on this tomorrow. You mention no milk in Rule#3 so does this extend to all dairy? How about cheese?
Also, I assume soup is viable as long as no potatoes or other white carbs are in the mix?
Thanks!
G-
Thank you so much for this article. Maybe I really should stop starving myself. Someone stop me please ;p
Hi…Great info…I will start 2day…just had a question about fruits, can i or not? Or do i wait for my cheat day..and what about Oatmeal for breakfast?
hey all i have a couple of questions i just need to know what to do…..
i normally have tea with a sweatner and a small spoon f sugar is this ok?
and is gum ok? cuz that’s whati normally use for desert! so just tell me if there’s a problem with that …. and what if i dnt lose weight ….would i have to do some more stuff than what other people do?… i usually run for 30 min like 4 times a week and do some other exercise so i should lose weight fast right? pls i need an answer….. thx
Hi.
I think the diet will realy work..
Im a 17 year old male from vic, Australia.
Personly i think i am fat. Im going to go on the diet above and see if it works. i look forward to trying this and geting healthy and fit.
Hi i hope Tim can answer this questions, first same like Staci can i consume some (not all) fruits, also what kind of exercise would be good to complement this diet? i started running but i dont know if its the best. I have started seeing that ppl on the blog started mod the diet to things that SHOULD NOT ne consumed so idk if they are ok or not.
I want to answer to maria: you need to take the day off cause it helps your metabolism doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction, as said by Tim.
I am Jay from India, a fourtyone year male with 220 pounds weight. Currently, I am working in the middle east, but i won’t go behind fast food.Still 40 pounds increased in the last 6 years life here. I want to come around 160 pounds. Anybody can help me. I eat rice two times and something with wheat in the night.I don’t take much fried items, mutton,beef etc.,But I like chicken very much. I like vegitables also. Now my belly is too much and tyres also formed. I do not do much exersises, cause I am tired after office hours.How can I become slim? friends please help me.
love,
jay
hey tim
i have decided to get onto the plan. however when it comes to breakfast, im addicted to cereal. is there something else that i can eat that is fast. for am working full time and going to school full time… and im only 18.
thanks!
Hi Shaina J,
I’m also a full time student, at UCLA. And your right we’re busy and don’t have time to cook and plan out meals. I just saw your post and decided to share what I’ve been doing and what’s worked for me. It’s a total meal replacement shake, which has over 200 nutrients and tastes great. It takes me about 20 seconds in the blender and I’m out the door. Info is in my link.
Aaron
Hi everyone,
I have been reading the blog and sticking to the diet for 2 1/2 weeks now. Although I feel great and like i have lost weight, the scale shows only 4 lbs over the last 18 days.
But the good news is that this is a lifestyle I can definitely stick to especially with the day off which I look forward to immensely.
Thanks and good luck everyone!
M
Tim,
I’m sure you could do a full post on this itself, but what else can you advise for increasing insulin sensitivity?
Would you be able to touch upon:
cinnammon
vanadyl sulfate
bitter melon
So far, I’ve read that vanadyl sulfate is unconfirmed as far as its help in increasing insulin sensitivity (it supposedly acts as insulin does, so in the end you’d still be storing more fat instead of burning it?) and that bitter melon has been found to be toxic (in at least animal studies), depending on dosage.
Cinnamon seems like a safe bet, but you don’t mention it above.
Thanks and great blog you have here!
Great stuff Tim, really appreciate all the great information you share.
Thanks
Glenbo,
I am also from England, i managed to find most of these beans but only in tins, I did the diet for 2weeks and lost 10lbs i then thought i would come off it for a few weeks to see if i put it all back on. After 3 weeks off i only put on 3lb which i thought was pretty good. I read all of the info and every blog on here before i started, the only thing with the exercise is that the weight may not shift as quickly, but belive me after a week people noticed the diference, it is well worth doing this.
i am now going to do my second stint and lose the final pounds i wanted to, good luck people.
hey, well right now im weighing 155 lbs(after my baby)…i used to weigh 125 lbs…i am definetly going to try this!!!i have faith that this will work…i am only 18, and don’t want to look like this…i am trying out some “natural diet pills” and i eat breakfast, and take a pill …….then i eat lunch and take 2 pills…..after this i can’t eat anymore because i throw up anything else because of the pills, except water…is this bad?
3 short questions:
– the kashi golean cereal –> 1 gm fat, 37 gm carb(5 fibre and 9 sugar) and 13 gm protein..is it ok?
– Hi-Lo cereal –> 1 gm fat, 13 carb(6 fibre and 3 sugar) and 12 gm protein. is it ok?
– the post-workout-pizza…everyday after a workout or saturdays? (this question came up no less than 15 times i think)
I read every single post but have not found a reply to these questions?
Thanks.
Forgot to add that the Hi-Lo cereal has soy grits, gluten, soy protein isolate some natural stuff(corn meal, rice flour and Vit E) listed as ingredients
Just wanted to share:
I am in training to become a flight attendant and was looking for a diet that I could stick to for the month of “barbie” bootcamp. I am 23, I have had 2 children, I am 5’4″ and weighed in at 155 lbs last sunday. I stocked my fridge in my room the first day with lean meats, tomatoes, cucumbers, avacodos, and bottled water. I prepared a few days worth of meat and cut up all my fresh veggies for ‘ready to use’ portions since I dont have much time to cook. I combined black beans, fresh spinach, salsa and veggies for a mexican style salad which tastes great! I bought canned tomatoes with chiles for ‘salad dressing.’
Anyway.. to make a long story short I have lost 6 lbs the first week and I have energy to spare. I am feeling great and (sorry gentleman) its even that time of the month! (which always consists of water weight, bloating and cramps so bad I dont want to get out of bed!) I only have time for the “hotel room” work out which is about 15 min of push ups, sit ups and stretching.
So two big thumbs up from phoenix az! I can’t wait to weigh in next week!
so this diet really work on people?..
well, this is for Crisia..ummm hi, i jux want to tell you dat taking pills is a bad thing because it can lead to a bad health in the future and you should think of it…
you jux got ur baby and still young you should eat natural food that will benefit ur health in the future and pills are drugs..so what’s with the pills..
it jux makes you feel great for a moment but it’s bad i understand that everyone wants to be skinny/lean quickly but it’s jux how our body develope but yea i’m jux saying..^_^…
In my culture if we got our new born baby we eat chicken breast/drumstick with rice or eggs for 30 days..then your done..it’s LONGEVITY..
but dang this diet might work too..ahaha..i wish..hopefully..
I have fats on my belly which i hate it..and it’ll be embarassing when I hip hop..all you will see is the fat on your belly when you pop..and move and dance..ughh,…well..ok..i’ll try this..i did at first but i quit then stuck into it again..lol..ok..well..bye..i’m only 17 pretty funnie huh..but shoot how come my fav. food contain so much fat..ahhh..
I have been doing this since the 25th of March now and i have gone from 17 and a half stone to 16 and a half stone so i have lost 14lbs in 2 weeks!
On Saturdays i really have been going nuts…fizzy drinks,alcohol,Chinese food then during the week completely self disciplined.
I have been getting terrible stomach pains and sleepless nights tho,ad my doctor said this diet is very bad for your health if kept up to long….he said you may look good on the outside but youll be terrible on the inside.
I’m so exited to have attracted this site! I know I will be toned and sexy in no time
I’m starting up this Diet today. My only concern, is my complete hatred for Beans of nearly all kinds. Is there a suggestion for a replacement for them, or, just try to suck it up and eat them? Or, just suppliment more lean protein instead?
Just found all of this, you guys sound like you’re making wonderful progress. There aren’t any amounts listed though and are they different for men and women? Does working out help, I know it’s not “necessary” but I would go insane if I didn’t, any suggestions? Thank you in advance for any help you can give, my largest problem are the people around me, anyone willing to share a magic wand to make them vanish? Darn! That would make it easy wouldn’t it?
I need help. I’m 12, turning 13 in July, and I weigh around 125. I’m only 4ft. 10in.(yes, I’m short) I need to lose around 20-25 pounds before June. This is my MAIN problem: I don’t like any vegetables whatsoever. The only fruits I like are bananas, grapes, and apples. I barely have any time to do anything, I have a dog, a cat, and 4 new-born kittens-so I really don’t have any time. I come home from school at 4:30 and have to go to bed at 10 PM. I have a very, very hectic schedule. When I come home, I only have time to make a sandwich. I really like the sound of this diet, but I’m not sure if I have any time for it. I don’t even eat breakfast in the morning because I simply don’t have any time. PLEASE HELP ME!!!
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Hi Adriana,
You need to create time for any diet or exercise. Substituting food doesn’t take time, and working out can be done for 10 minutes before you go to be. Just remember that if you don’t have that much time, you need to prioritize to create it.
If you don’t create the time, you will not be able to make this change, so it’s a matter of sacrificing other small unimportant things.
Cheers,
Tim
Has anyone on this blog tried this eating plan (besides Tim), & if so, what have been your results?
Tim, great book. Very real world and simple. Great eating plan, really has prompted me to make some great changes. Read Paleo Diet and reading Protein Power, next will be the Zone books. Same coin different sides. Wondering where you got the cheat day idea from? Haven’t seen much support for that idea. Taking the supplements you mentioned as well. I eat a Chipotle Bol(no rice) at least 7 times a week, usually 10. Easiest way I have found.
Tim, you may want to check out Crossfit. The nutrition and workout beliefs are very similar. Big body change for me. Muscle where I have never had it. Thanks.
Whiskey,
I workout and am on the eating plan. The best thing is to look at the other workout Tim has recommended: one rep to failure.
i recommend you give more information about the amount of rec doses of the supplements you take!
THIS IS A WARNING- i just got violently ill from following your rec dose of nicacin (i assume that was the culprit bc the rec dose is 250 + i was taking 500– twice a day)
i admit being i am smaller than tim + female i am more than somewhat at fault and feel very foolish but on the same token i Trusted his advice.
i spent the last 72 hrs ill, several over a toilet bowl.
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Dear Sam and all,
I’d add another caution to the post, but please, please 1) get medical approval to use any supplement, ideally and 2) start with the smallest recommended dose for any supplement and work up to assess tolerance.
This is very, very important!
Best,
Tim
Wow. I think this will work. Hopefully I’ll have a good metabolism. I’ve been working out for only 18 – 20 minutes daily for the past 3 -4 days now, and I’m not so much looking to look a loooooad of weight as I am getting into tip top shape. I want to tone up and be a lean size since the summer is going to hit us pretty soon now. I’m vegetarian, I eat no white meat or red meat, that is to say. And I’ve been having wholewheat bread – NOT white bread. IS that still okay? Oh. And I’ve been having small breakfasts and bean soups for dinner. Is that going to work for me? I’m so impatient!!!!!!! I wish I could just tone up and slim down VISIBLY. But these past few dews show me nothing. My legs and tummy are just soar from workouts…=(
Wish that all goes well for me!
What about corn? Corn is a vegetable, but I’m next to ignorant when it comes to healthy eating. I love corn and am wondering if I can eat it as much as I’d want like the list of spinach, etc.
I was just wondering how many people are doing this without the supplements? Can this diet work the same without supplements and plenty of excercise
@amanda: I believe corn has too much starch to be of any use in this diet, similar to potato.
As a side note, I have decided to try this diet myself. First-time dieter, and now Day 1 nearly finished, I have to say it’s going better than I expected. I hope the trend continues. I noticed I like eggs and beans and veggies a lot. 🙂 Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll start a blog that records my progress…
– Jani
so this will work without exercising?
Thankyou Tim, I will try to prioritize for more excersizing and eating anything else healthy besides junk food. Are fruits ok to subsitute for vegetables or beans or something? If it is, I will eat a lot of fruits. Also, are waffles white carbohydrates? Also again, are luncheon meats ok? Such as, ham, turkey, bologna.
I just wanted to throw my hat in the ring about my take on a slow-carb diet, and specifically, this diet posted by Tim Ferriss.
Male
Age: 30
Previous weight: 155-160 lbs
Current weight: 140 lbs
Height: 5′ 7″
Length of diet: Approx. 30 days
I am not using any supplements other than a multi-vitamin and some Omega-3 which I usually take.
I only do home exercises (push-ups, crunches, bicep curls, etc.) about twice a week for about 30 minutes. I don’t know how many pounds of muscle I have put on, but I have noticed a gain.
My “fat day” is on Friday or Saturday, depending on my schedule.
I usually cheat once in the middle of the week, around Wednesday, and have something sweet like a soda or a piece of pie to keep my morale up and to satisfy my insatiable sweet-tooth.
I continue to eat cheese with my meals whenever I want, even though dairy is frowned upon; I have a glass of fruit juice in the morning with breakfast; I have a little bit of gravy with my meat sometimes.
In addition to the foods listed in this article, I also eat turkey, chicken legs, non-grass-fed, non-organic beef like big fat t-bone steaks, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes (yes a fruit), corn (but not much), broccoli (with cheese!), and tofu, just to name a few.
My point is, I did not strictly adhere to Tim Ferriss’ posted methods, but I was still able to lose quite a bit of fat while gaining muscle. I cheated, but stayed within acceptable limits. Don’t cheat if you don’t have the willpower to stop yourself though.
My apologies for such a lengthy comment. I just wanted to put out some real anecdotal evidence of this diet in action. There have been a ton of questions, so I am just trying to help out whoever I can by explaining what I have done and the results I have experienced.
If anyone has any further questions about what I have or haven’t been eating or doing, feel free to post them here and I will try to reply shortly after.
PS. Remember this is not a miracle diet. It takes real determination and willpower to stick it out. The ground-work is here, the rest is up to you and your brain. You can do it!
Good luck everyone, and thanks Tim.
in addition to the question about the supplement do you really need the book like what are the portion sizes
Adrianna et al –
Guys…if you are really that unknowledgeable on Glycemic index and slow carb diets, read the books Tim mentions in the early comments. Another good one is Sugar Busters.
Seriously, you are all wasting good comment space and all of our precious time with very basic questions that (1) have already been answered or (2) can be found by simply browsing the books at a local book store – much less internet search, blogs mentioned in these comments or your library.
Either you want to try this diet or you don’t. If you modify, clearly modifying with other low GI carbs is preferable. If you modify and it doesn;t work, go back to strict following. If you accurately track your progress and choices, then posting THAT would be helpful. Get it, by now?!
Those “anemic” marathoners are fitter than you’ve ever been in your entire life. They also outlive power athletes by four years on average.
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Relax, big fella! Lack of sense of humor kills you 10 years earlier than average sumo wrestler death age 🙂
Tim
Dear Tim,
Always wanted to know your views on…
1) A cardio workout: Is it required? If yes, how much of it would you recommend.
2) Metabolism: How to increase it? How big a part does it play in loosing weight?
Looking forward to your reply.
Well, this is weird indeed. I decided to measure myself every day in the morning, after the morning’s number two, with only boxers on. It’s good to be concise. Anyways, after todays measurements, and remember, I started yesterday, I thought to myself, as expected, nothing happened, yet.
The measurements are just simply to see the progress, I’ve been telling myself all the time to not trust them too much. Well, after that, I calculated my approximate body fat percentage, and noticed a 2 % loss. Measurement errors, I decided, and calculated that I should have lost 2 kilos, which seems quite not possible in a window of 24 hours.
After that, bowel movements told me that I hadn’t remembered to go to number two before measurements, and after the procedure, when I measured my weight, it was 2 kilos short of what it should be! I haven’t been under 97 kilos for many months, and I have been measuring MANY times my weight after number two in the hopes of getting lower weight from the scale, to no avail.
So the odd thing here is that I seem to have lost 2 kilos of body weight (either fat or muscle mass, I hope fat), in 24 hours following this diet for only one day! I have to keep hopes up and expectations low, in order not to get ahead of myself… but good progress nonetheless! 😀
– Jani
i love this pretty basic diet… if i combine this with the adages only eat until you are full and then stop (ie don’t eat until you are overful, which is a tendency i definitely have), i find on this diet that over a period of a few days, or even two weeks, i can’t eat as much as i used to.
and i absolutely have rave on about quinoa. i usually have some (in the form of quinoa flakes, almost like oatmeal for consistency) for breakfast, with some fruit. if i have that and then a ‘sensible lunch’, by the time i get to dinner i’m hungry, but i can’t eat a whole lot. one plate full of food is more than enough, often with access getting put away for leftovers. i don’t know what the quinoa does.. i’m sure it is high in protein, but i’m also pretty sure that it balances out your insulin, so that your body’s hunger isn’t reacting in a regular way.
ooh, another thing that i’ve found very helpful in various combinations of ‘diets’ that i’ve been on was the ‘weight watchers zero point soup’…. recipes for it abound on the internet. it is a veggie soup – no potatoes, no pasta or other stuff – just veggies. if you make the broth yourself without salt (or buy a low salt broth) and throw in tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and whatever other veg you want, and keep that on hand, i’ve found it is great for those times when you need ‘something’ but aren’t that hungry. between that soup, this diet and attempting to ensure i’m not ‘overeating’, i’m finding that i can eat less and less. and while i haven’t seen a direct change in my weight, i feel better around food.
I think I’m gonna start this! I have 1 question though…. Are there any breads or any starches or anything like that? I’m wondering becuase all of the other diet plans I’ve found have some sort of carbohydrate or starch…. Just curiouse! Thanks!
here goes….45 F, 5’7″, 175 lbs size 10-12. Everyone says I look like I weigh 145. I was always all muscle…. I know there are 30lbs of fat here to be delt with. I have know idea how to do a workout? My muscle came from the way I lived life. I’ll just ride my bike and do yoga…..It would be so much more pleasant to go to a Tim Ferriss boot camp than to work through 30 days of this method on the solitaire in my own home. This home is what created the weight gain in the first place.
Well today was day one and it was a saturday…so tommorow is really day one!
I’m confused. Are waffles a white carbohydrate? I used to eat cereal, but now I can’t so I need to know if waffles are white carbohydrates? Like the frozen waffles, and frozen breakfast things. I really need to know this because this is what I’m going to eat every morining and I naturally don’t eat breakfast. I’m starting it tomorrow so please hurry and answer back!!!!!!! Also, the lean cuisine frozen dinners, is the pizza a white carbohydrate? I don’t know any of these kind of things because I never counted calories, never looked at the nutrition facts when I went food shopping, and I never really cared about what I ate. But everything is going to change. I really, really, really need to know this. This is a list of things that I will eat, please tell me if I’m eating any white carbohydrates:
____________________________________________________________
Breakfast: 2 frozen waffles with syrup and water.
Lunch: Special K Meal Bar, Special K Snack Bar, and water.
Afterschool snack: 100 calorie Chocolate Chip Little Bites, Chiquita Red Apples, and water.
Dinner: Frozen Lean Cuisine Deep Dish 3 Meat Pizza
____________________________________________________________
These are the things that I will eat, but I need to know if any of them are white carbohydrates so I can subsitute any fro “non-white carbohydrates.”
Thanks so much!!!
-Adriana
Tim,
On your BrainQUICKEN website you have an article about Micro-Clustered Water.
1) Did you use this water with your diet, or do you see a benefit to using it for weight-loss?
2) What do you say to chemist that say this is pseudoscience?
Thanks,
Dana
###
Hi Dana,
Please let me know the URL, as I thought this article had been taken down. The micro-clustered water science has been disproven over the last several years. There are some who think the Panasonic machine is still useful for alkaline water production, but I have my doubts there as well.
Hope that helps!
Tim
Adriana – the foods you listed have NOTHING to do with this diet plan. look it over and read what it says is ALLOWED. Not that what you are eating is wrong, you are just on the wrong weight loss page.
ok so i’ve taken the time to read nearly every comment posted on here and the further i read i noticed most of you out there are looking for a short term solution to a long term problem. long story short, dieting is not the answer. what is needed is a lifestyle change. some have commented that this is a program that they can see themselves using indefinitely (and that’s great for them)but the truth of the matter is that we are not all the same. there’s no way that we all can commit to eating the same things over and over and over and over (the regimen becomes as annoying as the sentence). currently 2/3 of adults and 1/3 of children are either overweight or obese, 1/3 are dieting, and 1/3 are maintaining their current weight. did you know $30 billion is spent on diets each year (in the u.s.a. ALONE!). medical studies show us that nearly everyone that looses weight on a diet will gain all the weight back and more in just a coulple of years. if you are truly are interested in losing weight and keeping it off i suggest that you and others that you feel could benefit as well, read through the information on the website i have provided and please don’t hesitate to contact me for further information.
i wish you all the best in becoming healthier, happier, and adding years to your life.
Miss Liss, what are you talking about??? I’m only suppoed to eat egg whites with one whole egg for flavor, chicken breast or thigh, grass-fed organic beef, pork, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, spinach, asparagus, peas, and mixed vegetables????????? I don’t think so!!! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!???
I know I’m just a kid, but I don’t get. This list seems really stupid to me and I don’t know if I can try it! You have no idea how much calories I’ve been eating lately. But I,m still not losing weight. Any help here???!
I find it hard to lose my weight, I am not advice to escape meal since I have gastric ulcer. But my stomach is getting bigger, contrary to the advice, my breakfast is Kellogs cereal with milk. Lunch is green vegestable salad at 4pm I eat meals(rice). In the evening I only have 2 slice of bread or tuna sandwich or nuggets or hotdogs or beef or chiken franks. Am I doing the right thing? Is my food intake healthy for me? Another thing is I love to match my rice with fish, I believe that this is rich in protien but my husband says this is one of the reason why I’m gaining weight.
Appreciate our advice. Thanks.
hi tim, my question is am i allowed to have fruit,salt and pepper?
###
No fruit. S&P are totally fine. Good luck 🙂
Tim
but on the one day to eat anything like anythign at all is okk irght. and milk isnt allowed. reeli. lol
Okay, My wife and I have just started trying to lose weight and get in shape. She has very little fat to lose, but lacks energy and I have about 30 lbs to lose. I read your plan and it sounds great but we have 4 kids (from 3 to 9 years of age) and are very busy with no time to cook meals in the mourning so quick a breakfast is about all we have time for. Any suggestions on foods that are quick and easy for breakfast that don’t require a pot and pan?
Hi Tim
Love your blog. I have a few questions about the diet. I am concerned about my fiber intake, and does this diet provide enough of it? Is this diet just for fat loss? Can I maintain this diet after getting back in shape? My last questions kind of nitty, but I don’t’ want to mess it up. I have done it for a few days, and I really feel terrific. I would like to know could I eat tilapia fillets as one of my proteins, broccoli as one of my vegetables, and black eyed peas as my serving of beans. That’s all the questions I have for right now. Thank you for your time. Please respond!
Hi Tim,
Well I have read all of your blogs… and am impressed with how much you actually answer back, THANK YOU. I am a 38 y/o female with 5 children. My youngest is 5 months. After my first three children it was easy getting back to that 5’8″ 130ish pounds and feeling great… after number 4 I honestly did not try and stayed a “lovely” 165ish pounds until we were ready to have our last child number 5. Right now I am about 180 and if the calculator I used on the internet is correct that is 28% BMI (I honestly dont understand that other than FAT and feeling unhealthy). I am going to do your plan for one week, working out has gotten harder and harder as I have less and less time for myself. However, I am desperate not to be this heavy any more, I do not have to be 130 as I am much older now, but 140-145 would be great! I will continue to read your blog, and update you next Thursday. Thank you in advance. ~Liddy
Hi Tim, I have been following this blog with interest and humor at some of the comments. My wife and I have loosely been following your advise at the top on foods etc and have also been doing exercise in the form or biking and walking/jogging. We have adaped your meals to suit us and our family and we have had great success. We have both gone from 83Kg down to approx 70kg over the last couple of months. We are over the moon with this weight loss (13kg or 29lbs) and I for one would like to thank you for the inspiration we got from this blog to encourage us to give it a go. It really was not as hard as I thought it would be and we both feel so much better for it although the new walldrobe is costing a fortune as nothing fits anymore. I’m sure we will keep it up and stick with the new lifestyle we have achieved, at the end of the day it is a lifestyle choice not just a short term change of diet. Thanks again and good luck to everyone else in achieveing their goals of a healthy new lifestyle.
###
Thanks so much for the comment and kind words, Warren! I’m thrilled that you’re doing so well, and congratulations to both you and your wife. Well done and keep it up! 🙂
All the best,
Tim
Hello,
I have been sitting here reading a lot of the posts and it looks like those of you who are giving this a good go are doing really well. I’m looking for something simple to help me shift about 21 lb and this could be it! I like most foods but wouldn’t mind the repeatition of the limited foods. I’ll post back soon and let you know how I get on starting from this weekend I think. Why not!! 😉
Wish me luck,
Gemma
this diet looks very similar to the “Body for Life” program – even down to the before & after photos – Tim, any comment?
looking forward to reading 4HWW this weekend –
###
Hi Lucius,
I’ve never read Body for Life, but there certainly could be similarities. Bill, the author, is a smart guy. Good luck!
Tim
Whoa!
I just wanted to leave a comment with some encouragement for those of you who are in the same boat. Here are some stats:
Started (again, but this time I’m sticking with it): Tues, 4/15; 151.5 lbs
Today: Fri, 4/18; 146 lbs
I did start my period yesterday, so I am certain a lot of this has to do with the water retention and bloating from last week. But I do know two things: 1. I never lose/gain this much from PMS alone; 2. I can see a six pack that was not as defined three days ago!
Way to go, Tim! This is the easiest and cheapest diet I’ve ever tried. I have been strict in following it, with one exception – I can’t give up the fat-free milk in my coffee. I also ordered he books mentioned above and look forward to more details about slow carbs. For those of you wondering, I am 5’8″, not taking any supplements (save a daily multivitamin), and have not been working out (just got back from vacation and have been too busy catching up).
Thanks to all for the informative comments.
P.S. Tim, your book is slowly changing my life. It’s about time somebody wrote down what I have been thinking my whole life and motivated me to actually do it!
hey tim.
are ANy green vegetables okay. like brocolli, l;ettuce, asparagus and so on; and any egg is okay as well with fried egg? what type of egg is ok? all or are there certain/
so take off onde day every week and eat whatever u want . r u sure it will work would it ruin my thirty days diet?
hi tim,
quick question would this plan work for a 17 year kid who is 6’6 265 pounds. im tired of doing other plans and having nothing work and this plan looks very promising just curious if it would work for someone my age and size
thanks
Well, I have to say that I love this diet. I started five days ago and I’ve lost 7.8 pounds since then. I haven’t been able to stick to the diet 100%, but I’ve been dang close. My routine is:
M/W/F – 1 hour on the elliptical
6:30 Breakfast (1/2 c beans, 1 egg, 1/4 c egg beaters, 1 c veg)
9:30 Snack (2 c spinach, 20 almonds or 1 string cheese)
12:30 Lunch (1/2 c beans, 6-8oz of protein, 1 c veg)
3:30 Snack (1 c carrots, 20 almonds or 1 string cheese)
4:30 – 5:30 1 hour on the elliptical
6:30 Dinner (1/2 c beans, 6-8oz of protein, 1 c veg)
9:00 Glass of wine
T/Th/Sat – 6:30 Breakfast (1/2 c beans, 1 egg, 1/4 c egg beaters, 1 c
veg)
9:30 Snack (2 c spinach, 20 almonds or 1 string cheese)
12:30 Lunch (1/2 c beans, 6-8oz of protein, 1 c veg)
3:30 Snack (1 c carrots, 20 almonds or 1 string cheese)
4:30 – 6:00 1.5 hours on the elliptical
6:30 Dinner (1/2 c beans, 6-8oz of protein, 1 c veg)
9:00 Glass of wine
I will keep to this routine for as long as I can. One thing I did do, was have a whole wheat waffle and two tablespoons of natural peanut butter after one of my morning workouts. I also ate one cup of broccoli and one cup of spinach.
I do not take any vitamins, but I did opt to go on a weight loss pill…phentermine. My dietician did recommend that I eat the vegetables first and then the protein. It had something to do with the vegetables/beans filling you up and the protein making you feel full longer.
I definitely am NOT tired ith this diet, but I attribute that to the phentermine, which is an amphetamine. We have a weight loss competition at work and I needed something to help lose the weight fast. I saw this and thought I’d give it a try.
For those who are fearful of eating beans, the gas goes away after a day or two. You’ll definitely be taking three healthy s*its per day. Should you decide to do as much cardio as listed above, I highly recommend that you condition yourself before doing it.
My day off will alwaysbe on sunday. I have a group of friends that I go to brunch with and we always go to a different restaurant. So I have a LOT of mimosa’s for brunch and whatever they serve.
A couple questions I have:
1 – Can I have the whole wheat waffle with peanut butter?
2 – Does everybody keep it to four meals or do you slip in a fifth?
3 – What are some of the items that everybody else is having for their second or fourth meals?
I am not trying to gain any muscle weight…this is for a weight loss competition at my work. After the competition, I’m going to try Tim’s muscle routine. I’ll keep you updated. Thans for answering the questions.
-Chris-
I’ve followed this diet with great success. I’ve been lifting weights the whole time, so I’ve only lost 15 lbs of weight, but I’m quite sure I put on around 25 lbs of muscle in the process (this is over a long period of about 9 weeks). It’s quite possible to lose even more if you can cut things like fruit out (which I couldn’t do, nor necessarily need to do it since I’m about 150lbs at 5’8″ with a decent amount of muscle mass).
The big question I have is this: Where’s the mention of shirataki (yam flour) noodles?
Not only are they unbelievably low in calories(like 10 calories per serving) and no fat, but they contain 80% glucomannan which is also known to block carb absorption. The fiber in this pasta-substitute turns into a gel in your stomach, filling your satiety (fullness feeling) as well as slowing down the uptake of any carbs you DID eat with your meal (if you even had any). It’s almost a miracle food in many senses. And it’s not all that expensive?? Just that it can be hard to find (I heard some whole foods have it, but other than there, you have to go to an asian/japanese food market).
I’d be very curious to hear your input on shirataki noodles when you get the chance, Tim.
Great article!
CAN SOMEONE ANSWER PLZ. ARE ANY TYPES OF EGGS OK. AND TAKING ONE DAY OFF PER WEEK DOES IT WORK OR WILL IT RUIN THE THIRTY DAYS./
Ok so I’ve started properly today, but can I ask if houmos is ok Tim? Thank you, Gemma
I have started this life change and I must say it is very easy. I started with eating eggs and beans in the morning. A hand full of nuts for snack. Lunch is a big salad with some sort of good meat and some more beans. I have either one once of cheese or some more nuts if I get hungry before diner and I work out about an hour before diner and then I can have a normal meal with my family. Our family already ate organically and I grind my own wheat for our flour so I make great carbs that I can eat a diner. Then I try to go to bed within 3 hours of diner so I don’t get hungry. I have also “scheduled” my “day off” with things I know I will want…tater tots and hot dogs…and chocolate cake, so I don’t over do my off day. So far it has been fun and easy…I will check back in within a few weeks and let you know how things are going.
Does it really work?
i am going to start this plan tomorrow and wondered is eating eggs everyday for breakfast not bad for you?
are their any side affects? im doing xamz next month and dont want 2 b a moody cow…
I have had awesome success with this diet! I actually stumbleupon’d this page last year and was so intrigued I actually tried the diet for several months starting last April. I started out weighing around 175 and by late June I was hovering around 150-155. I have evangelized Tim Ferriss to all my co-workers and have 3 of them trying the diet now. I’m also putting the 4-Hour Workweek on my Fathers Day wish-list 🙂
You rock Tim!
tim
im 15 years old and im 5″ 9′ and 170 lbs i would like to get to at least 150 and have those lbs be fat i was wondering if u have any recomendations for a teen-ager and summer is coming up and id like to be not fat any more so if u could help please
I read your book, and I am amazed.
You lead the kind of life that I thought only the rich could live, it has been a shoot of adrenaline.
I’ll give your book to my son, he is almost your age, he is pretty smart but he is practicaly a slave.
I will change my life, That’s for sure.
This diet is great! Never been fat before, but i just gained 30lb after i quite smoking. I just passed the 1 month mark on this diet and have lost 16lb so far. easier than i though.
[…] having followed the diet over on Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Work Week for a fair while now. I’ve certainly not lost 20 lbs of fat in 30 days, but I have lost 20lbs […]
I am having problems with this diet, so I have made a decision. I am going to do this diet in Summer, (1 1/2 months) and that way, I will have more time to handle it and be more strict. I have been planning my food schedule for Summer already:
Breakfast- 2 scrambled eggs with a little salt, apples and water.
Snack- 100 calorie pack(maybe apples and water if I’m more hungry).
Lunch- Special K Meal Bar, Special K Snack Bar, apples and water.
Snack- 100 calorie pack(maybe apples and water if I’m more hungry).
Dinner- ???
____________________________________________________________
I still don’t know what to eat for dinner, any suggestions???
Thanks so much for your time!!!
—Adriana
microwaving your vegetables is the worst thing you could do. It kills a large percentage of the nutrients and is America’s ‘easy’ fix. Steam them! THEN it’ll be healthy! 🙂
This way of eating is something I can do and may enjoy, a lot of my favorite foods. How about non fat yogurt, oatmeal (steel cut) with breakfast and a few protein shakes during the week after a work out. These are a part of my diet now, do they fit the plan?
Adriana,
Your diet seems alright, but it is not anything like the diet that Tim wrote about. Other than your scrambled eggs you are not eating any protein. And though I don’t know which 100 calorie snack packs you are having, chances are they are mostly white carb based. Same goes for your Special K. And apples are also very dense in carbohydrates. You should give this a try … it has a lot more protein, less white carbs, and vegetables (which you didn’t have any of):
Breakfast- 3 scrambled egg whites (1 yolk for taste) with a little salt, water. I usually make a “protein omelet” (recipe below) and it keeps me full until around noon when I have lunch, so I don’t have to worry about a snack.
Snack- Veggies … maybe a garden salad (little or no dressing) or some baby carrots. You could also try a salad that is spinach based so it has more nutrients. And you can always add egg whites to a salad for extra protein.
Lunch- Chicken Caesar Salad (with minimal dressing and cheese)
Snack- More veggies. Maybe a salad that has some of the beans Tim mentions so that you are getting the fiber to make you feel fuller.
Dinner- Grilled Chicken or some kind of fish (tilapia or salmon) with steamed broccoli or mixed vegetables and some beans again
The issue I see with your diet is that though you can loose weight on it, the meal replacement bars have just as many calories as a good well balanced protein and vegetable meal like chicken and broccoli, but they do not have as many nutrients or protein, and instead are mainly carbs. Plus, with all the pre-made and pre-packaged diet food you are going to be eating, you are still consuming a lot of unnecessary preservatives. I read your post from earlier. White carbs are pretty much any carbohydrate that is flour based. Including bread and waffles. And Special K. Other than the eggs, you are eating nothing but carbs all day if you follow your diet plan. Read through Tim’s description of the diet and then read through the blog comments … a lot of them are very helpful.
The plan I gave you was just an idea to start you off. It doesn’t follow all of Tim’s rules, but from what it sounds like, you are not ready to commit to the plan he outlined. I have been on this diet for about 2 weeks and I have lost 7 1/2 pounds already. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but the difference is in appearance … my gut is pretty much gone and the cellulite I had when I started disappeared. This diet is very effective. If you lift weights a few times a week to build muscle you will see amazing results in muscle tone, especially in your arms and legs, thighs included. I have 5 lb dumb bells and all I do every morning before I shower is: 25 curls with each arm, hold the weights at my sides and lift my arms out to the side until they are parallel to the floor 15 times, 50 crunches, 2 sets of 25 squats holding both dumb bells when I squat. It takes like 10 minutes and it gives me energy in the morning, plus with Tim’s plan it shapes the muscles so that they show once the fat melts off. I don’t know what your weight is or what your goals are, but I was 5’6 and about 120lbs. I just wanted to loose some of the fat around my belly, but since I wasn’t very big to begin with diets like the one you planned took me a looong time to see any kind of result, and it was usually minimal. Eating protein, legumes, and vegetables cuts out the carbs that make you look bloated (at least thats what they do to me) and you still have a lot of energy because you are getting nutrients and calories that you need. And you get one day a week to pig out. This diet seriously rocks. Like I said, in about 2 weeks I lost like 7 pounds and gained a lot of muscle.
Give it a try if you can!
Kaitie
Protein Omelet:
2 mushrooms, sliced
3 tomato slices
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 slice fat-free cheese (if you want, I usually don’t add it)
l cup egg whites
4 oz chicken breast, chopped
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp basil
Cooking spray
Toss vegetables in nonstick skillet and sauté with seasoning. Cook eggs in skillet. Add cheese and vegetables, and fold over to make omelet. Garnish with tomato slices. (You can also add broccoli if you like)
[…] Losing weight fast isn’t important. Losing weight permanently is. That said, some people like Tim Ferriss have done some amazing things with minimal-effort, fast weight […]
You guys are slaying me. Great posts, and some well…could use a good dose of common sense.
If your not losing weight after chowing pizza and working out, well are you gaining muscle? And if the answer is no, then lay off the pizza. Your like having your Free Day–everyday–because you worked out. Why change your diet at all?
I think some people don’t look at the big picture here.
It’s not about what you can and can’t switch out. It’s about following it and doing it right and for your body to get the fat off that you yourself put there by putting crap in your mouth.
If you don’t crave baddies–don’t have a naughty Saturday.
A rice cooker works wonders for this program and no you don’t have to cook rice in it.
I throw my meat veggies beans everything in there with a little water, it cooks in 30 minutes or less and shuts itself off, never burns, and the pot can go in the fridge for later.
God send on the boat, and hub can eat whatever he wants and my food is cooked q
Kaitie,
Thankyou for the help, but the reason why I didn’t put any vegetables is because I don’t like veggies AT ALL. So the’s my main problem. My second problem is that I only like apples, bananas, and grapes. So, based on that, do you mind if you can give me some tips on what to eat? Thankyou anyways for the other tips on what to eat! I know you must have taken a lot of time making that post. Thanks again!! 😀
—Adriana
Adriana,
According to your posts, I don’t think this diet is right for you. In order for Tim’s diet to be effective you need to essentially only eat lean proteins like chicken and fish, and have vegetables and beans. It isn’t a diet that is designed to be appetizing; it’s purpose is to cut out unneeded carbs and fats and give you lean protein to help build muscle while you shed fat. If you don’t like one of the 3 components of the diet, you are left with very little options for substitutes.
Since you don’t like vegetables, and have an affinity for pre-packaged snacks and mini meals, maybe you can try something like Nutri-system. It’ll come pre-made for you, and I know they have a lot of meals you can choose from that wouldn’t have a lot of vegetables. Plus, they probably have some kind of waffles and cereals you can have for breakfast and snack bars for you to eat in between meals. That kind of program would take the guess work out for you and then you can feel confident that you are eating all the right foods for your particular diet. If you need a little more room for variety in your diet, give weight watchers a try. My boyfriend’s brother’s wife went on weight watchers after she had her third child and she lost probably somewhere around 30 lbs. I know you can eat whatever you want on weight watchers as long as you don’t exceed your points. None of these diets are as quick as Tim’s diet, and they probably won’t help you build muscle as quickly. On weight watchers and Nutri-system you’re results will be measured more by what you see on the scale, where as TIm’s diet delivers visual results much quicker. Loosing 10 lbs on a regular diet will probably look the same as loosing 5 on Tim’s because this diet also builds muscle and makes you look leaner and less bloated.
The most important part of any diet is whether or not you can stick to it, and I think you could probably stick to weight watchers or Nutri-system better than any other diet plan because it’ll let you eat foods you like and have a craving for, and that seems to be very important to you. I do think that if you give Tim’s diet a try for just a week, the results will motivate you to toss your waffles and snack bars and continue only having the protein, legumes, veggies combo. And I know you said you don’t like vegetables … but there has to be at least one you can live with eating. Maybe broccoli or canned peas, carrots, or green beans?
Good luck with your weight loss,
Kaitie
I tried this diet and I guess it aint for everyone. I got bored, gasy, and bloated. I did the extreme fat smash from celebrity fit club and lost 13 pounds. I think I’ll go back to that.
Kyana – I am with you. I am very disciplined and have mostly adhered to a low glycemic diet for the last 10 years. I haven’t tried Celeb Fit Club so can’t compare that. But regardless, I think the protein and calorie needs of a male under 40 who works out 1.5 hours a day are quite different than a female of any age, for anyone who does not have the same muscle mass and/or does not work out and certainly anyone who pre-menupausal/over 40. Still, I am a firm believer in cutting sugar and white carbs.
Adrianna – please go read a book and don’t waste our time with your posts until you get it. ANYTHING with sugar or flour of ANY KIND in it is NOT on this diet (or many other diets for that matter). Look at the labels on the side for ingredients and sugar grams. Are you for real or are you just messin with everyone here? In case you are for real, here’s my last shot for you: another great nutrition book is by Dr. Arnot. He is not high protein but he does explain nutrition and glycemic. Also, Dr. Oz’s YOU on a diet. You can also find tips from Dr. Oz on Oprah’s website.
What about plantains? I usually have plantains and legumes but for this diet are plaintains good?
Dr. Oz is wonderful! Nice lifestyle and you will lose weight.
hey i read ur website and have been looking for several weeks and months to find a helathy weight loss diet. this one seems to catch my eye very well.. and i was all wrong i though to loose weight i needed “white” carbs i was eaiting pasta salad everyday for lunch and i wasnt eating regularly and was using the elliptical trainer for 35:00 everyday after school.. can you please give me some advice!!!
Hello!
I am a 30-year-old, 5’6, 150 lb female, and I am comfortable in a size 10. I am always starting diets, or talking about going on a diet, but I can never stick to anything long enough to get below 145 lbs, not even for my wedding!
I tend to gain weight evenly. My legs have always been big, but I think it is from cheerleading in middle and high school. I would like to slim my hips from the current 40 inches to about 36 inches. If I could fit comfortably into a size 6 again I would be so happy!
It isn’t that I don’t understand how diets work. I know what to do. I just can’t seem to do it!
I am starting this diet today. I think the hardest thing will be giving up the fruit and cutting back on dairy…I love them both!
My goal is to lose 20 lbs over the next 6 weeks.
Hopefully, this plan is simple enough that I can stick to it.
I will post my progress in two weeks, May 15th. I should weigh-in at 143 lbs…we will see!
Anyone else out there like me (always starting diets but never sticking to them) who has been successful with this one?
Hi! This sounds terriffic. I am needing to shed at least 45 pounds to be in a healthy weight range. It’s May 1, & I am hoping to do so by July 17. Are there any other pieces of advice you can give me? Do you think with this program that the weightloss above is an attainable goal with exercise?
Thanks much!
“ghetto princess April 23rd, 2008
4:39 pm are their any side affects? im doing xamz next month and dont want 2 b a moody cow…”
Ghetto.. no. To the contrary, you will be energized physically and mentally. Just changing what you eat for lunch and breakfast and you will see a huge difference. It’s the carbs and sugar that make you hungry, feeling lousy and depressed.. until you eat carbs and sugar again.. then you repeat the cycle an hour later.
Just eating protein for breakfast and lunch, you’ll see a huge difference in your attitude.
All the people who posted, yes it does work. The slow carb diet is essentially similar to Atkins and South Beach and Dr. Phil’s… Eat the right foods at the right time so your body uses what it gets instead of storing it. When your metabolism is reset to work this way, your body functions as it should which helps your mind and body.
This last sentence is important.
“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.”
Else, your body will adapt to your food patterns and begin to store fat when you eat fat and carbs instead of “resetting” itself once a week.
I have been taking the supplements Tim recommended as part of the diet (in one of the blog posts) for about 2 weeks now. Last night at around midnight (two hours or so after taking it) I had a reaction to the Niacin. I turned really red and felt hot, tingly, and itchy. I read on the bottle that this may happen in the beginning, if you increase intake, or if you switch brands, and that other than being uncomfortable, there isn’t any real danger associated with this effect. I’ve been on it 2 weeks with no side effects and I took the same brand and amount of Niacin at the same time that I always do. I also ate pretty much the same things. Only difference was that I didn’t drink my glass of wine … but this isn’t the first time and there weren’t any side effects previously. Does anyone know why I would have had this reaction at such a random time? Is it just something that happens every once in a while, or is my body trying to tell me to stop taking it?