(Photo: Felipe Morin)
Holy crap. The 4-Hour Body (4HB) has ended up producing an avalanche of questions.
There are definitely a few gems hidden amongst the rubble, and more than a few typos were unearthed in the process.
This post — mostly how-to with a few bits of entertainment — is purely for tying up loose ends. I hope it helps.
Covered in this post:
The blog moving forward: 4HB content vs. 4HWW content vs. random topics
4HB Bonus Materials – If You Missed It
4HB Tools and Tricks – All Online!
Contest winners
Slow-carb clarifications
4-Hour Body – common questions and Q&As
Audiobook PDF downloads
4HB reader-generated goodies: desktop wallpaper, etc.
Media samples
4HB corrections and typos…
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The blog moving forward: 4HB content vs. 4HWW content vs. random topics
Some readers have expressed interest in more business-related posts, instead of physical-focused posts. Not to worry — there will continue to be both on this blog. In simplest terms, I write about what I’m most interested in (or passionate about) at the time. If you don’t find a post interesting, skip out for a bit and then check back in. I don’t expect anyone to read all of my posts.
4HB Bonus Materials – If You Missed It
The 4-Hour Body bonus materials have been up for a while now. If you missed them, all can be found here. Enjoy!
There are a number of forums and message boards for 4HB, including this blog and the reader-generated 4HBTalk.
For those interested, I’ll be experimenting with a private, paid forum (probably $9.95/month to start, but not sure) for 4HB. I’m going to test it with 100 people first. If you have any interest in being one of the 100 for $9.95/month, please fill out this form. My hope is that this forum can be a central troll-free and spam-free gathering point for people who are willing to test, gather data, and contribute to each other. I don’t want participants who ask others to Google simple questions for them. The price is a simple mechanism to separate out those who are most serious.
Regardless, information wants to be free. There are a ton of free resources and communities online, not to mention a 600-page book, that should be enough for anyone to make exceptional progress.
4HB Tools and Tricks — all online!
Ever wished all of links in the 4-Hour Body “Tools and Tricks” were online? You asked and I heard you — all of the resources links are now online here. Enjoy!
Contest winners!
CONTEST #1
Blog post: Have a Good Eye for Ads? Try the (Lucrative) 4-Hour Body Experiment…
Date: October 13
Winner: Salman Sajid (Congratulations!)
Prize(s): North Face Prophet 65 Trekking Pack (Retail: $319), A round-trip anywhere in the world Star Alliance airlines fly (or $1,000 cash), All 4-Hour Body revenue via ads on my site for two weeks (potentially every post ever written), using your Amazon affiliate code.
Notes: Here is Salman’s winning ad (he also won the smaller banner), based on click-through rate. I’ll be doing a longer analysis in a future blog post. The genius “Eat Like Santa, Look Like Jesus” ads, which I also used to great effect, was designed (visual and copy) by Conway Anderson. Amusingly, he and I randomly met on the Embarcadero sidewalk on the SF waterfront. He gave me his card “just in case” and here we are.
CONTEST #2
Blog post: “The Land Rush: 48 Hours to Claim $4,000,000 in Prizes” + “The 4-Hour Body is NOW OUT – Live Q&A Today, New Trailer, Free Books, and Much More”
Date: December 2010 (sadly, there were some great submissions who posted too late, like David Batchelor)
Winner: Camille. Runner-up: Roger P.
Prize(s): Free trip to the person who promotes The 4-Hour Body best this week. If you are the best promoter, judged by me and a panel of friends, you get to pick one trip of a lifetime… for free. I will almost definitely be in attendance: 8-Day Argentina Snow Adventure in Patagonia, or 10-Day Private Tour of India, including Miss India. Includes roundtrip economy airfare from and back to the U.S. Addendum: I’ll give the runner-up a round-trip anywhere in the world that Continental flies (or StarAlliance). Camille, you can also take this, if you prefer. No expiration date.
Slow-Carb Clarifications
I’m currently getting at least 500-1,000 questions a day via the blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. about the slow-carb diet. Let me clarify a few things:
Do not eat the following, except for cheat days:
Yams
Sweet potatoes
Quinoa
Dairy (this includes cheese and yogurt of all kinds)
I mention cottage cheese at one point as a last resort. It is low in lactose, which is what you need to avoid. Ghee and cream (for coffee) should contain little or no lactose, hence you can use them. The same goes for effectively lactose-free, unflavored whey protein, etc..
[Note for the PubMed readers: It’s true that whey is partially (or wholly) responsible for the insulinemic response of most dairy, but avoiding lactose seems to be more directly correlated to faster fat-loss in the diet subjects I’ve tracked. Needless to say, avoiding all dairy is the simplest solution.]
SUPPLEMENTS: There is NO need for supplements on the slow-carb diet, besides magnesium, potassium, etc. in “Slow-Carb II.” PAGG is NOT necessary, so if you find it confusing, just omit it.
Post-workout carbs – If your goal is fat loss, and assuming you are not training for endurance competition:
– If you male and not 12% bodyfat or less, no post-workout carbs.
– If you are female and not 20% bodyfat or less, no post-workout carbs.
In the end, the point of 4HB is intelligent and responsible SELF-EXPERIMENTATION. I will not answer all of your questions, precisely because I want you to think for yourselves and figure it out. Hundreds of you have already done so. It’s not that hard.
The following will address 99%+ of confusion:
– If you have to ask, don’t eat it.
– If you haven’t had blood tests done, I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.
– If you aren’t measuring inches or haven’t measured bodyfat % with an accurate tool (BodPod, etc. and NOT bodyfat scales), I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.
– If you’re a woman and taking measurements within 10 days prior to menstruation (which I advise against in the book), I don’t want to hear about the lack of progress.
– On the critical 4-6 week window:
For people over 40 and women (especially after two kids), it’s quite common that the most dramatic fat-loss and weight change comes after 4-6 weeks on the diet. I have no explanation for this. Needless to say, if you haven’t done the diet for AT LEAST four weeks, please don’t post a comment about plateauing and panicking. I can’t give you meaningful advice without a ton of other supporting data (blood tests, etc.), and it’s physically impossible for me to respond to each person.
To reiterate: The entire goal of 4HB is to make you a self-sufficient self-experimenter within safe boundaries. Track yourself, follow the rules, and track the changes if you break or bend the rules. Simple as that. That’s what I did to arrive at my conclusions, and that’s what you will do — with a huge head start with the 4HB — to arrive at yours.
Do it for 4 weeks and then troubleshoot if you’re plateauing.
If you post a plea for help anywhere, include at least two FULL days of your meals and snacks so people can actually help you.
Most of those saying they’re “following the diet to the letter” are doing nothing of the sort. Reread “Slow-Carb II” in 4HB.
Last, I’ll repeat the basic approach to the unknown: If you have to ask, don’t eat it.
4-Hour Body – common questions and Q&As
Most of the questions you could possibly ask about 4HB or slow-carb have been answered, whether related to carb-loading for endurance, orgasms, or other. I’ve done a few Q&As over the last few weeks, and I encourage you to check them out — lots of good questions:
4HB Presentation and extended Q&A at Twitter Headquarters [VIDEO]
4HB Presentation and extended Q&A at Twitter Headquarters [AUDIO] (after clicking the link, just wait 45 seconds to download the file for free)
Presentation and Q&A at Google Headquarters (the preso is the same as Twitter, but the Q&A is different and starts at 18:00)
Audiobook PDF downloads
The PDFs that accompany audiobook downloads (which I have nothing to do with) are apparently really hard to find. Please note: on Audible and elsewhere, there should be a small download link on your purchase confirmation for downloading the PDFs.
4HB reader-generated goodies: desktop wallpaper, etc.
Just for the fun of it, here is some desktop wallpaper created by Cole Morgan.
Media Samples
If you’d like to see how you must compress your sound bites for television, here is a brief clip of me from The View. I REALLY want to get Barbara Walters huge on creatine. She’d look amazing with killer forearms:
I will also be on Dr. Oz this Monday (Jan 24), and it should be a much longer segment and worth seeing. Find your local times here. I’ve been on his radio show twice, and we’ve always had a good time digging into the details. He doesn’t hesitate to challenge.
4HB corrections and typos
Through the editing process, which included more than six passes of the manuscript and a team of copyeditors, typos inevitably ended up in 4HB. I’m thankful to you, my readers, for pointing most of them out. Here are those we’ve found so far. These are my notes sent to the publisher, so forgive the odd formatting, and most bolding has been removed:
1) HUPERZINE DOSE TYPO, PG. 280
“As I double-checked pg.280 of your 4-Hour Body book, I see that you indeed recommend 200 milligrams of the extract, however, the reader suggested that … it should, in fact, be 200 MICROgrams.”
TIM: I’m not sure how this happened, but he’s right. It should be “micrograms (mcg)” NOT milligrams. Please change to “micrograms (mcg)”
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2) IODINE TYPO and add to biotin, PG 524
“Hello,??I noticed two typos on page 524:??* Iodine does not have a USRDA value of 1,500 mcg…it is actually 150 mcg.”
TIM: This is correct. Please change to 150 mcg. I don’t know how this happened, as it was accurate at manuscript stage. Needs to be “150 mcg”
“?* Biotin does not have a USRDA value of 30 mcg…it is actually 300 mcg.”
TIM: He is incorrect here, I believe, but we should still update, as Biotin does not have an USRDA. Put “(no USRDA)” next to biotin like a few others.??
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3) CINNAMON TYPO, PG. 101
“Under DAMAGE CONTROL you state that during your binge you consumed 1 tbsp cinnamon in your coffee. However under THE GLUCOSE SWITCH, when explaining types and quantities of cinnamon you stressed the importance of not exceeding 1.5 teaspoons a day. Which would mean you had consumed double that “safe” amount during your binge. Can you please clarify?”
TIM: “1 tbsp cinnamon” on pg. 101 (under “12:45pm”) is a typo and should be “1 tsp cinnamon”
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4) PG. 26
“That is, if you’re a critical intervention patient, such as a morbidly
obese type 1 diabetic.”
Should be changed to “type 2”:
“That is, if you’re a critical intervention patient, such as a morbidly
obese type 2 diabetic.”
###
5) PG. 116, PAGG
The end result was PAGG.
Policosanol: 20–25 mg
Alpha- lipoic acid: 100–300 mg (I take 300 mg with each meal, but some
people experience acid refl ux symptoms with more than 100 mg)
Green tea fl avanols (decaffeinated with at least 325 mg EGCG):
325 mg
Garlic extract: 200 mg
Daily PAGG intake is timed before meals and bed, which produces a
schedule like this:
Prior to breakfast: AGG
Prior to lunch: AGG
Prior to dinner: AGG
Prior to bed: PAGG
Should be changed to (changes in bold):
The end result was PAGG.
Policosanol: 20–25 mg
Alpha- lipoic acid: 100–300 mg (I take 300 mg with each meal, but some
people experience acid reflux symptoms with even 100 mg)
Green tea flavanols (decaffeinated with at least 325 mg EGCG):
325 mg
Garlic extract: at least 200 mg (I routinely use 650+ mg)
Daily PAGG intake is timed before meals and bed, which produces a
schedule like this:
Prior to breakfast: AGG
Prior to lunch: AGG
Prior to dinner: AGG
Prior to bed: PAG (omit the green tea extract)
6) PG. 120, PAGG PARAGRAPH AND TOOLS AND TRICKS
[SECOND PARAG]
“Until further research concludes otherwise, I suggest using an
aged-garlic extract (AGE) with high allicin potential that includes all constituent parts, including S-Allyl cysteine.”
Should be changed to [changes bolded]:
“Until further research concludes otherwise, I suggest using an
aged-garlic extract (AGE) with high allicin potential that includes all constituent parts, including S-Allyl cysteine. If AGE isn’t available, unaged garlic extract appears to work at slightly higher doses.”
[CHANGES IN TOOLS AND TRICKS]
I currently use the following products. I have no financial interest in any of them:
Vitamin Shoppe— Allicin 6000 Garlic, 650 mg, 100 caplets (www.fourhourbody.com/garlic)
Mega Green Tea Extract (decaffeinated), 725 mg, 100 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/greentea)
Vitamin Shoppe— Alpha- Lipoic Acid, 300 mg, 60 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/ala)
Nature’s Life— Policosanol, 60 tablets (www.fourhourbody.com/policosanol)
Should be changed to (please just copy and paste the below):
I used the following products for my testing, but I’ll update links based on availability and reader feedback. I have no financial interest in any of them:
Allicin 6000 Garlic—650 mg, 100 caplets (www.fourhourbody.com/garlic)
Mega Green Tea Extract— 325+ mg EGCG, 100 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/greentea)
Vitamin Shoppe—Alpha-Lipoic Acid, 100 mg, 60 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/ala)
Nature’s Life— Policosanol, 60 tablets (www.fourhourbody.com/policosanol)
###
7) CHANGE “Heinrich” to “Henrik” on pg. 256, parag 3
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8) PG. 15 — “500 scientific citations” needs to be changed to “300 scientific citations”
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.)
Thanks for the mention in the post for the winners but I’m thoroughly confused and bummed out right now.
I’m 100% positive I made my post before midnight PST. I actually was on a date and had to cut it early so I could head back to my place and make the post. What time zone is the time stamp on the blog posts?
Camille, if you don’t want that snowboarding trip let me know.. 😉 I was really really hoping to do that.
Ahh ha the time stamps are off an hour. I thought I was going crazy.
My post above shows 11:42 when it’s actually 10:42 PST.
Tim, sorry for all the posts..
Just double checked my original contest post and it was timestamped at 12:45 am which actually would have been 11:45 pm PST; within the contest deadline.
Hopefully that changes something.
Being a vegan for the last 6 months and an ex-professional athlete, I was thrilled to read the extra interviews/case studies online with vegan athletes. You say in your book that Brendan Brazier was interviewed, yet I was disappointed to not see his name mentioned after that. I would have loved to have heard your critique of his philosophy thats details in his book, The Thrive Diet. Also, it would have been great to hear his response to your concerns of veganism, such as low testosterone.
My vegan diet doesn’t stem from a soft spot for Bambi, so I’m still open to incorporating a small amount of animal products, but only if I’m seriously lacking something that I need from the flesh of my furry friends. And I’m especially interested if being vegan is keeping me from oozing testosterone, or from at least keeping it above average. I mean, if my goal is to see my abs for the first time in my life, while maintaining a vegan diet, it’s not worth it if Saturday night rolls around and I’d rather spend my cheat day sitting on the couch with a few pints of Coconut Bliss and a good book, rather than a few pints of an IPA and attempting to undress a few new lady friends.
Any feedback is appreciated!
Hey BigBrev,
Thanks for the comment. I do think veganism could (and often does) negatively affect testosterone. Read the “Sex Machine” chapter and see the sidebar on SHBG, as well as the points on higher fat intake.
If fertility and sex drive are a high priority, I would encourage a small amount of ethically-sourced animal products.
Hope that helps,
Tim
@BigBrev ~ Thought I would share a little about my experience after reading your comment. First, I should disclose that I am a woman and was vegetarian for only a brief time [but now not so much]. So, It goes without saying that we are coming from different places.
However, for whatever it is worth, since starting SCD I have added more animal products, primarily chicken, into my everyday meals. Beyond the physical successes I’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks, there is a remarkable increase to my overall energy. Furthermore, not only is my sex drive off the charts but I seem to have unintentionally flipped on a switch of animalistic magnetism.
While generally I would say I am someone who blends in w/everyone else, it seems I am now emitting a cosmic force of sexual energy. My evidence is as follows: (1) Even though I have not reached my body re-composition goals just yet, I don’t seem to be able to keep people’s frisky hands off of me [both men and women, either trying to feel me up or touch my posterior]; (2) I dance for fun/ stress relief [but don’t get the wrong idea, it’s just west coast swing, argentine tango, and a little two step]. At any rate, I will admit my dancing has been more sensual as of late as a result of how I am feeling, but you won’t believe the graphic details would be observers have whispered to me. Wednesday night alone, I had a handful of straight women ask me to go home with them, not to even mention the men [who if even one of the men could have danced w/me, I would have likely dragged him out by his collar to violate him in any number of ways]; And, for limitations sake despite having numerous other examples, finally (3) I have had a slightly ridiculous school girl crush on a particular gentleman, J, for roughly 7 or so months with little to no responsiveness from this individual; Now while I’d obviously have to say my school girl crush has been replaced by likes of one very clever Tim Ferriss :0), J suddenly let his own full disclosure slip out [unfortunately, it was just a little too late for me].
Now, I can’t say for certain that all of this sudden explosion of sensuality stems from the addition of chicken to my meals but I am willing to acknowledge that it is the single biggest change to my everyday eating habits. And it is since that change that I have an overall increase to my energy with particularly noticeable higher sex drive [Ex: The aforementioned (in previous comment) manhandling gentleman should consider himself on high alert status; At this point, there is no way he is safe in my company considering my current state/desires]. Again, I understand we are in different places. However, I hope this was of use to you in some way or another, or at the very least entertaining to you. And, hey, when your libido picks up, grab your dance shoes ~ it’s the easiest, minimalist effort to put forth in seducing women. Seriously!
Best Wishes, Bethany
I’ve been doing the diet and cold showers, kettle bells/Kiwi workouts with Cat Vomit (love it!)… My body has responded beautifully. I keep getting comments from my Zumba friends like “Girl, you’re looking hot, your arms are smoken! You teaching Zumba is slimming you out!”
That’s when I say: “Actually, have you heard of the Four Hour Body?, well…” and go on about my cold shower regime since the end of 2010.
That said, I’m also experiencing unusual break out on my chin. It’s like acidity is coming out through really weird zits. I’m def eating more protein than my body is used to (and food all together) for my liver to process.
I cut my finger pretty bad yesterday (I think I’ll to get stitches today, ugh!) To me, it’s a sign (because it wasn’t the first stupid distracted move I’ve made over the last 10 days) that I need to slow down…and chill a little more. My system has been revving up–at the expense of mindfulness–or so it seems.
I’m cutting down on my number of Zumba classes (even though I considered it hobby exercise) Just TOO much. Refocusing on what’s important: my book, speaking and coaching biz…Hopefully, I’ll need a little less food for fuel and be less of a strain on liver/digestive system.
Other than that, could the showers be turning on my testosterone too much? My libido seems almost uncontrollably high?
I am getting brain chemistry/hormonal testing results back soon, and will be tracking progression as I move forward from now on. I’m intrigued to see if this is the storm before the calm–as far as skin and energy are concerned.
Thanks Tim… and company,
Stay Golden! 😉
hey Tim
this has probably been pointed out already, but i didn’t see it in your typos list so i’ll point it out again:
on page 21, on the first line it says “Gaining 7st (15.4kg)”
this is an conversion error of using 1st = 2.2 kg, instead of 1kg = 2.2 lb
sorry to be a math douche, but it you said in the book to give feedback so here it is :p
Hi Daniel,
I’ll let the UK publisher know. I’m definitely not the one who screwed that one up 🙂
Best,
Tim
The U.K. version has enough typos to write as second book.
e.g. pg. 476 1135g = 4 ounces
Thanks for all the clarifications Tim 🙂 If anyone’s looking for a good SCD protein bar recipe – check out my blog!
Tim
I just want clarification; a diet for a resistance training, such as Occam’s Protocol in my case, could be the Slow-Carb Diet with skipping rule no.1(no white carbs), right? Or is it just for 30 minutes after my workout?
Thanks Peter.
Does anyone have a high calorie meal they use for Occam’s Feeding that wasn’t mentioned in the book?
Tim,
I am one of the “geeks” who likes, no needs, all the info. I see that a lot of people posting loose more weight when they eat no cheese, so I’m not arguing that, but why is it? As far as I know, the major components of milk are: lactose, whey (which has proteins lactalbumin and lactalglobulin) and casein. Aged cheeses, like brie or parmesan, have trace amounts of lactose (0.36 gm in one ounce of cheddar, for ex.). The whey is drained away when the cheeses are made. That would leave only the casein to provoke an insulinemic response. I’ve been searching all morning and can’t find any data. Do you have any information? Or is it something else, like other compounds, or maybe the combination of cheese and legumes is the problem?
Cottage cheese has about 3 gm lactose per 4 oz and a little bit of whey, so I would think this would not be recommended over other cheeses. (I know this is 4 times the amount of the cheddar example, but who is eating 1 oz of cottage cheese?)
Anita I don´t understand your point. The harder the cheese the more fat it has. I don´t find it difficult to se why people that do not eat cheese lose weight.
Under “Slow Carb Clarifications” Tim says that it is the lactose and whey that are the problem with cheese and he (reluctantly) recommends cottage cheese because it has less lactose. There are cheeses that have much less lactose, and there are also low fat hard cheeses. Fat content, however, was not the point Tim was making about cheese. As I understand it, the point of the diet is about reducing insulenemic and glycemic responses, on which fat has no effect. As an info geek, I would love more info on the insulenemic response to aged cheese.
Tim doesn’t say anything about the fat content. I am suspecting that it is the combination of cheese and legumes, as humans didn’t evolve eating that.
Tim, Thanks for the 4HB & sharing so much info in your blogs. I am a 48 yr. old woman w/3 kids & have had fantastic results with the slow carb diet, kettlebell swings, & ice packs. I want to add to your encouragement to those that are frustrated by the numbers on the scale to not get caught on fluctuations. I am at 28 days now. I’m not sure about my starting fat % but my measurements have changed for the better (scale weight went down 5 lbs). I went to an experienced trainer/MD to get a caliper reading this week and he definitely knew what he was doing. I am at 14.79%! The diet is not easy but it is not hard, it’s the easiest plan I have ever done, especially since coffee, red wine, & cheat days are allowed. I’m no dummy, I know that we are all different and we each need to tweak a bit to see what works best. I am also using the Philips goLite and going for morning walks. I have never slept better in YEARS. Plus, my mood is MUCH better. The kettlebell swing is FUN…wish I could do it every day…I love it! I have 2 goals: (1) prove that you can get rid of cellulite without surgery-it’s greatly reduced but still there (I started dry brushing too); (2) I don’t have much of an hourglass shape so I am hoping for that too! Best to you, Tim. -Holly
p.s. I would love to share your book with one of my teenagers, he’s a wrestler, however, I wouldn’t want to him to read the obvious chapters. I had to delete my Kindle version of your book because I share the account with my family since all 5 of us have Kindle readers. Also, I don’t really tell people that I don’t know well about your book because of those chapters. Any chance you would published a G rated version of your book?
Congratulations, Holly! Keep up the great work and you’ll get there. 14.79% is outstanding.
Thanks for the encouragement, Tim…I’m at 8 weeks now & still going strong…love this diet and the results…I’m SO very close to my goal. I am trying to get to it without the “The Last Mile” but will go there if needed. I’m skiing faster, longer, & better than I have in years too!
Hi Tim,
Just checking in, it’s been almost 6 months now. I have been hovering around 12% bf and slowly reversing back to my youthful figure and energy level. Still sleeping better than I have in many many years and getting lots of positive comments and inquiries about what I am doing. I’m not shy about sharing your book anymore. I’m still doing the Perfect Posterior and wow, it is working fabulously. The strength and agility I have gained is amazing. The SCD is now a natural part of my lifestyle. I already reported to you that I had my best snow ski season ever and now that the weather is starting to finally warm up in the pacific NW, I will get to see how my wakeboarding skills have improved. To those that I still struggling, I urge you to stick with it and to be truthful with yourself about following through as Tim has detailed in the 4-Hour Body.
Holly-48 yr. old mom of 3, skier, wakeboarder, racewalker, lover of great food/drink
Hi Tim, Just wanted to update my status/progress. I got my bf% down to 12.88% at the present but still have some cellulite AND I’m trying to sculpt an hourglass out of a rectangle which I am finding challenging as my obliques develop at slightest bit of exercise. Once I got down to 105 & 12.88% on the SCD, I began to gain weight and size but not bf-I concluded that the extra calories were going into my muscles but I didn’t need bigger muscles as I already have them from P90x. That went on for at least 3 weeks so I recently cut back on my calories but stayed with SCD foods and have dropped back down to where I was before I started to grow. I’m 5’2 w/small frame so it seems calories do matter for me at this point anyway.
Hi Tim.
A couple of quick questions. Is it okay to drink any alcohol other than red wine on your non cheat days? I’m thinking something like vodka soda.
And I’m a breast cancer survivor and take Tamoxifen. Do you think that could be slowing my weight loss down? I am 41 and 3 weeks into the plan. I feel awesome and am seeing changes in my body but no big weight loss (just a few pounds so far).
Thanks!
Hi Tim,
I have a question on how the binge day relates to metabolism. I had a complete thyroidectomy two years ago. I know that the binge day is supposed to keep one’s metabolism from “down regulating” but considering that I take a daily dose of T4 with a T3 supplement that does not vary, is the binge day still a good idea for someone like me? I’ve googled around to try to figure this out but can’t find anything. I’d appreciate your thoughts (and any other poster’s) on this!
Did you ever find out anything about this? I have been wondering about this also but haven’t been able to get any good information either way. I am 6 weeks in and while I’ve lost a few inches, I’ve gained weight and the cheat day completely undoes me. It takes me the entire next week to get even close to where I was the previous week and I am not even going crazy. A few small treats. Not sure if this is right for me but would love to get more information if you have any to share!
what should i eat for protein as a vegan? do eat occasional eggs, more often dairy but books says bad (damn, love organic sour cottage cheese with live cultures.) suggestions greatly appreciated! love the book, brooke
I am a 41 y/o mom of 2 young boys, and started this eating plan 1 week ago. I get up at 600am to get them up and ready, so eating within 30 min of getting up seemed a challenge. I opted for a vegan pea, cranberry,rice protein shake with 20 grams of protein. But it has 11 grams of sugar. My first question is should I ditch the drink due to sugar. I know Tim states I fall in the category of weight loss may take 4-6 weeks. But I don’t want to hinder myself every week
2nd question, any suggestions for an easy breakfast that has worked for anyone else who is pushed for time in the am? Maybe something pre made the night before?
I am open to suggestions from anyone, I can imagine the author is a tad busy!
Thx u
I am looking for some advice. I am a 41 y/o mom who gets up at 6:00 to get the kids up and running. Eating within 30 minutes seemed a challenge because of desire and time constraints. I went for a premade vegan shake made of pea, cranberry, and rice protein. BUT it has 11 grams of sugar each serving. So, will this shake even tho very simple hinder progress and I should ditch it? i suspect yes, because it tastes good.
2nd, does anyone have a simple breakfast suggestion that meets criteria, I can make the night before, that works for them? I don’t really want to even eat at 615 am, so I thought the shake would be a no brainer. I am guessing it may be hindering results, and I am working too hard for hindering.
Thank you for any suggestions:)
Carrie – I noticed in an earlier post that Tim said he sometimes substitutes a cold water mixed with unflavored whey protein in the morning instead of a cooked breakfast. I haven’t tried that yet but I’m going too. Also – I have resorted to eating a hard boiled egg and a few raw veggies when I’m really pressed – the beans are the hardest for me in the morning but I don’t find that I’m hungry an earlier without them so I just make sure to eat some at my next meal.
On p. 81, you recommend 4,700 mg of potassium per day. Surely that’s a typo.
Ugh. Certainly seems like it. I imagine it got chopped up by the copyeditors during editing.
For the time being, I suspect it’s supposed to be 470mg.
Thanks, Alan,
Tim
according to http://www.nutrientfacts.com/AlmanacPages/Potassium_Recommended_Daily_Allowance_RDA.htm
potassium’s RDA is 3500mg, so the 4700mg rec. in the book seems realistic.
(the morning shake in occam’s feeding has over 2000mg)
Wow, been doing the slow-carb and PAGG stack since Dec 20th. A month in and the fat loss slowed. This week I added 26g of extra protein to my breakfast (2 eggs, 1 cup of spinach and 1/2 cup of black beans) via whey protein and man, the loss is more dramatic than ever. This is going to be my biggest losing week yet!
Thanks Tim. You truly are helping me hack my body!
My pleasure to help in any small way, Scott, but you’re doing it! The morning protein makes a HUGE difference.
Try whey powder with cocoa and vanilla
Stick with it and don’t worry about the scale… I lost 2lbs in the first 6 six weeks. In fact it went up too. Then all of a sudden I lost 11lbs in three days.
I was psyched and skeptical to read your book when my boyfriend told me about it. I read all the chapters you recommended and followed the diet to the T for two weeks including drinking lots of water and eating within 30 minutes of waking and I only lost 1 pound! My boyfriend has been doing the diet and has lost weight not sure how much because he doesnt weigh himself but it is evident from his clothes. Is the diet more effective for men? What should I do? Im really bummed about this!
About the 1-2 glasses of red a night, isn’t that really a daily sugar allowance in the program? (As alcohol converts to sugar?) Any harm in subbing out with a few squares of dark chocolate, or an apple, some other food that has a benefit but also contains sugar? If so, would you recommend adding a resveratrol supplement?
I just got a bunch of supplements and noticed you put a lot for the potassium recommendation. 4,700 mg is a lot but when I look at the multivitamin im taking and the potassium supplement I got (which I got at walmart haha), it only has 3 percent of the recommended value. Per caplet, unless im reading it wrong, only 99 mg potassium is usable out of 595 potassium gluconate. Is it hard to extract potassium or should I just get a better supplement for it?
That might be what I’ve been missing in the past. I’d have to have tons of this supplement to reach my daly value, I did get some spinach though so that could contribute to it.
Hey Tim,
Ordered my PAGG from BodyBuilding.com, but as I live in Europe, I had to make an international order, the package got stopped at customs and now I have to pay an extra 60€. A 70€ package turned into a 130€ one…
Do you have a 4HWW-style ninja hack to prevent situations such as these?
By the way, lost 5kg 2 weeks into the SCD using ice treatments. Great book!
Please clarify “cream” for coffee. I can only find Half and half or whipping cream at the grocery stores in my area. Which is better for the diet?
You advise large amounts of water but i couldn’t find any specific suggestions on quantity in the book.
Hi Tim,
I’m a classically trained chemist and so I love your “test & learn” philosophy. Treating your efforts as a hypothesis of what I could do with my own body, I’ve been using your guidance in the book as a baseline to see what I could achieve. The results are here:
A week of what I’ve been eating (with pictures for some meals)
http://www.robashby.com/journal
A month of results:
http://www.robashby.com/dietscorecard
I can’t say that my results have been as dramatic as I would have hoped. In your book, you refer to a woman who said that if you’re trying to lose 80-100 pounds and not losing 5 pounds per week for the first few weeks, you’re doing something wrong so I’m questioning my methodology.
I know my scale is not optimal but I thought it would give me trended accuracy over precision. I also reread your slow carb II chapter and fixed an error of not eating within the first 30 minutes – lost weight faster for one week.
Any thoughts here would be welcome.
Hi Rob,
Have you measured bodyfat or inches?
Appreciate the methodical approach — you seem to be following the diet properly, though your meals seem small.
The breakfast within 30 min is critical. Please keep that up and update us on your progress over the next few weeks!
Best,
Tim
Hi Tim!
I wanted to reach out to you about reversing injuries. I had a very traumatic c-section delivery of my son about 16 months ago that has left me with a host of “internal Injuries” (bladder damage, scar tissue, pelvic floor issues, period not returning, sorry if that’s TMI) that I have not been able to repair. I have had so many blood tests done but they don’t show any hormone abnormalities other than the presence of Graves/Thyroid disease that I’ve been managing for years. I do yoga every day which has helped some with repairing the muscles and I have been seeing a Naturopath who has helped me some with Accupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Supplements but the internal trauma remains. I have seen several doctors/specialists for help but they often send me away saying there is nothing they can do (just give it time) and/or take this medication. I read the chapter/s in your book about reversing injuries but I am not sure how to possibly apply this to internal organ injuries. My husband and I do want to have another child but I don’t think my body could handle it if it stays as it currently is. Do you have any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations by chance?
Thank you SO much for this book. It’s helped my husband and I in so many ways!!! I am so grateful.
Best,
Courtney
Hey Courtney, I had a lot of the same pelvic floor related issues from c-section/childbirth as you and what has helped most is to work on fixing my pelvic tilt. I did 3 months of PT this summer for lower back and hip pain and it didn’t just help the pain, it helped my poor prolapsed bladder so much and got rid of much of my potbelly (it also made it so I no longer walk/stand on the sides of my feet, but I had never really known that was a problem). When I was first flipping through the 4HB I thought “Wow, everything helpful my physical therapist had me doing is in here somewhere, no wonder it worked!” Everyday I basically did the same things as on pages 167, 179, #1,2 and 4 on 303-305 and 376-378 (well, the physical therapist didn’t ever tell me to do anything barefoot, but I had given up shoes already and only kept a pair of sandals for any place that told me to put on shoes). The only thing is I have to keep at it or I start having trouble again. Maybe it would help your issues also.
Hi Tim and All! I am on day two of this diet and love it. I do have a few minor questions just to help me out a little.
1)Can I mix foods in one category? Ex #1: Can I add a couple eggs to beef in the morning with my beans and spinach?
Ex #2: Can I mix pinto beans with my black beans and add that to my protein choices?
Ex # 3 My perfect meal would be organic sausage with a couple poached egss, black and pinto beans, and spinach. Is this ok?
OR
Do I have to choose only ONE protein and ONE legume and ONE veggie?
2)I will definitely keep my two glasses of red wine per night!! Thank God 🙂 Any suggestions on the ounce amount per cup?
3) I have been cooking all my meals with either ghee butter or olive oil and am cooking with around a 7 out of 10 on heat level. Is this ok, or should I be using grapeseed oil or macadamia oil since I am using a little higher heat?
4) Lastly, I definitely will be adding exercise in soon. Thinking about the kettle bell because I have done kettle bell workouts before and love them.
**Any time of day or suggestions on when to workout and how often? Or please send me to the place in the book that tells me what to do.
Can’t wait to see my results!! Thanks a Latte.
Tim said that including beans “makes compliance with the diet at least 3x higher”. He’s right. I’d rather have a diet with beans that I can stick with (and still lose body fat) than one without them that’s a daily struggle. Beans are cheap, tasty, and reasonably filling!
Same goes for having a day off every week. It’s a lot easier to resist a big bag of M&Ms if I can just keep telling myself “wait for Saturday…” Even resisting the candy on Sunday, at least it’s only a week and not FOREVER!!
Gas hasn’t been a problem so far. For me, gas seems to be more about an excess of onions and garlic in the beans and less about the beans themselves. Also, beans are a common feature in the local cuisine so my system is already adapted to it.
Hi Tim,
I posted a similar question in an older article but it seems that you didn’t reply yet…
As I said in my previous message, I think that my question concerns a LOT of people and not just me. It’s about gynecomastia. I’m 18 and I have it since at least 3 years, it seems that it won’t go away by itself as it is the case for lots of other young men (and older men who get gynecomastia later). I wanted to know whats your thoughts on the possibility to get rid of it by others way than surgery (through medication, natural supplementation…)?
I read a lot on it and the only answers I’ve got come from bodybuilding sites and forums since it’s seems common among steroid users. They generally recommend using Aromatase inhibitors (such as Aromasin, Letrozole, AIFM…) and Prolactin Suppressors (dopaminergic protocols) such as Cabaser/cabergoline and Pramipexole for at least 6-8 weeks. Here’s a link and the recommandations by a member called Kraftydog : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=113704311
What’s your thougts? Is it dangerous?
PS: Just to make things clearer, my gynecomastia is natural, I never took any steroids or drugs, the only supplement I took is Omega 3 fish oil.
Thanks in advance Tim it will really help me and others,
Jordan
I thought I already posted this comment but I do not see it so my apologies if this posts again!
Hello Tim and Everyone Else 🙂
I am on day two of this diet and love love love it! Can’t wait to see my results in 30 days. I have a few Questions just to help me along:
1) I am slightly confused on weather we can mix and match foods within each category. EXAMPLE: my favorite meal would be pork with a couple eggs, pinto beans mixed with black beans, and spinach. BUT, this would be mixing two types of food within a category…Is this OK??
OR
Do I have to stick with only ONE food in EACH category?
2) I will definitely keep drinking my two glasses of Red Vino. Thank God! Any suggestions on the ounces alloted per glass?
3) I have been cooking with Ghee Butter and Olive Oil on a heating level of 7 out of 10. Is this OK or should I be cooking with grapeseed/macadamia oil since it is a higher level of heat?
PS…I really miss cooking with coconut oil 🙁
Only downfall thus far.
4)Lastly, I will be adding in exercise soon. Any suggestions on how often or how many times a week to do kettle bell exercises or other types of exercise? You can also send me to the part in the book where it states this info.
5)Ok, I promise this is the last one. On cheat day, should I start adding in the exercises Tim Recommends right off the bat?? And Should my first meal be a protein or can I have whatever I want?
Alright, I am Done!! I hope this posts. Thank you for any suggestions you can make for me. Cheers!!
So I did a little self-trial regarding aspartame or Nutrasweet. For one week, I allowed myself all the nutrasweet I wanted in the form of diet pepsi and lo-carb monster energy drinks. I lost 10 lbs.
The next week I cut out all nutrasweet and the drinks I mentioned. I lost 10 lbs. I kept my diet and exercise the same over the 2 week mini-trial. I have a decent amount of weight to lose so I am NOT saying I won’t hit a wall in the future because of aspartame but as of right now as long as I’m getting the results I want I am happy. Obviously this only applies to me, and I plan on doing the same mini-trial again in a couple months to look for a change. There probably will be one.
Jake
Hi Tim, Big fan read both your books and watch’ve been watching you on Dr. Oz and the View. My main goal is too lose weight.
HELP!
I need help in I’m 30 years old, in 1998 I was 150, I went to college gained 30 lbs, never lost it. This year 2010 I’m 30 years old and 185 lbs plus or minus 5 lbs.
I want to lose weight and tried your diet for a month and have lost nothing. I love the cheat days. I’ve follow your diet.
So on January 1st 185lbs and I’m 5’4
Biceps 14.0 and 13.7,
Hips 42”
Waist 36”
Legs (24” each)
Total inches 153.7
Body Fat 25% using the pictures.
Today is January 29, 183lbs No change expect for Weight I’m 183.5 lbs and waist 35” total inches is 152.7.
Last two days diet
Wake up 7:30
8:00 2 egg (hard boiled), ½ of beans (black or red Goya), ½ Green peas (AGG+ multi +tonalin)
12:00 Chicken thick thighs, ½ beans (black or red Goya) ½ spinach, hot sauce(AGG)
4:00 Hard boil egg, some beans or green beans(AGG)
8:00 chicken or steak or fish, bean or spinach (AG no green tea)
10:00 1 cup of red wine with some caffeine free diet coke
Other facts:
Got to bed by 12, 7-8 hour sleep
Some times I eat a poll-o string cheese.
I also go to the gym and run 2 miles -3 miles (2x a week and swim once a week)
I need help, I’m frustrated, don’t know why I’m not losing weight.
Tim Can you help me.
Tim, have you read Kurzweil’s “Transcend”? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
Tim – The 4 Hour Body ahas been great – I can’t believe I’ve had Success that was measurable. Before I discovered your book – I was beside myself. I jumped on the Scale at Chrismas time and saw 291.2 – The most I ever weighed… I’m a big guy – but shouldn’t be that big… SInce I started using this in January – I am not at 277 and I have lost 7.1 total inches.
And That has been the key tracking – I read certain things from the book that have helped me stay in focus that Might be of help to others:
1- I decided to start small – Change a little and add on. I I still like cream in my coffee in the morning – I just don’t drink it all day any more. I Like a little Cheese in an omelet now and then – But I use hard cheese and shave it instead of pile it on – I did not try to do everything at once.
2-Tracking my weight – I think the number one way to stay on is weigh in every morning -on an accurate, digital scale – and write it down. I’m using the spread sheet you offered up – and Even with the up and down’s of a day – I stay with in my range each day – to get to my ideal weight in two years. Less discouraging to gain two lbs one day and see it go a way a bit the next – than to see you gained 10 lbs over two weeks you didn’t track it.
3-Less concerned about how much I eat and more concern about what I eat. I realize that some days and at some meals I will be more hungry than at others (I tend to be LESS hungry on Cheat days and don’t cheat so much – go figure that). If I’m still hungry – I get a bit more of the protein and veggies – And then Stopp worrying. This is a lifestyle change and not a crash diet for me.
4-Exercise – I have always jumped back and forth with my ability to stay on a
regime. I stopped fighting that about me – This is a gradual change too – I use a Fitbit ( http://www.fitbit.com) to track my activity and auto tweet it. It auto records my steps and and estimate of calories burned ( including the Ones from sleep and body functioning) – It makes me conscious of my activity without much effort from me – I like that I “outsourced” charting my steps each day. I also try to Do the Wall push ups (at least 30) and Air Bends ( 30 as well) at meal time for each meal – Minimal out put – added results. I am getting back to a swimming routine and other exercise too – kettle bells being ordered – but adding something , better than nothing. Its a process.
5- Bought a Myotape – to take measurements – $6 bucks – Easy to use – as I go along I’ll probably get the more expensive tracking device – but maybe not – my goal is not to be a master diagnostic tracker – I want to feel better and enjoy life – If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.
I had green tea extract – been taking it – Ordered the rest of PAGG – Now ready to add this. Figured Every little change helps AND makes the change more likely to be permanent.
The Energy I’ve gotten from this change is amazing… It’s giving me the extra energy I need to Work on finding and testing my MUSE and living the 4 hour work week life – Thanks!
I am a 38 year old female. I have always been healthy and within a normal BMI with the exception of after 1 pregnancy. In the last 10 years, the only way I got below 155 lbs and to a low body fat percentage was through 5 days a week of an exercise bootcamp, 2 days a week of martial arts training and weight watchers all in one. I was always tired and stressed for time. Cooking, shopping for food and feeding the entire family was very expensive and challenging.
Today is my 3rd cheat day after starting the 4HB nearly 3 weeks ago and I am already down 12 lbs. More importantly, I already need a new wardrobe. My clothing size must be down 2 sizes. I haven’t even started a regular exercise routine yet.
I know that I will need to add supplements once I begin the work outs, but I’m not sure which way to go. IS it better to take a multi-vitamin or is is better to take specific supplements your diet is lacking in?
Any suggestions on a trusted supplement store? GNC? The Vitamin Store?
About to finish my first 4HB month… I’m so nervous. I’ll publish the (so far fantastic) results in a couple of days.
Hang in there, friends! It really pays off!
Thanks so much, Tim.
Carrie-
As a working mom of 2 young boys who has to wake up at 6:30 each morning to get them to school and me to work, I know exactly what you are talking about. I can’t ever make the 30 minute deadline but I try my best to get breakfast in by the hour mark. Do you know what I do? Each Sunday evening, I make 5 portions. It can vary with what you like but I usually sautee any veggies, beans, 2 eggs and egg whites and I divy up each portion into 5 microwave proof containers. i then cool it all down and then store it in back of fridge. I grab one each AM and pop in microwave for a minute and half. Nothing to think about that way. I also do this with lunches for work where i premake salads.
I’m 3 weeks in now and down 10 lbs. Was a bit discouraged but then found Tim’s comment about giving it 4 to 6 weeks so I am reenergized. First diet I’ve EVER stuck with.
Tim, if you are reading this, one question regarding the whole eat within 30 min to an hour direction. From your findings, does the clock start ticking from when you open your eyes or when you actually get out of bed?
Thanks so much.
Tim,
I often see reference to unflavored whey protein. Is this because flavored protein powders have carbs and sugars?
I just started to use Isopure which has neither. It’s 100% pure whey isolate. They have multiple flavors and supposedly have no carbs, no sugars and 50g of protein per serving.
I tried it with 2 tps of organic unsalted peanut butter and a hand full of spinach. Freakin awesome for breakfast.
Thank You for this book Tim. Thank you for changing the game, and for the work you put into it! I’m only on week 2, but am more inspired than I’ve ever been about a diet and have already made more progress than I have in the past 10! Cheers!
I really like your book and appreciate all your research. I don’t know how I will measure my body fat…don’t know of anywhere in San Salvador that measures body fat, but will start asking around. Have experimented with this slow carb style diet before combined with exercising in the pool, had the Giselle Bundchen body going. Then I got out of the pool…hello size 10! What happened? Cold is definitely a factor in staying trim! I love to XC ski, and I get so sleek when I have the chance to do it. So I like this idea about being in the cold helping to burn calories. My big problem area is the belly/upper thigh area, otherwise because I am a competitive athlete the rest is okay. Experimenting with lots of supplements now at age 45…Lysine, CoQ10, Arginine, soya lecithin, omega 6, vitamin C, green tea, etc. This is designed to help with explosiveness on the court (tennis). Losing the dynamics out there while competing, like I lost the spark or something. Any suggestions?
The book is great Tim! I am one of those over 40 with 2 children women. Been on it for the last four weeks and it sure does work. My hubby also took it up within the first week. Has been working great for both of us. Although, we have different goals – he wants to put muscle back on and I want to remove fat and then add muscle. I think this leads to part of the confusion some are having…look at the beginning chapter where you go over goals and what chapters. Read….reread…read again. If in doubt – don’t eat it. I have found so much of it “habit” snacking. With kids you kind of have to do “mind over matter”. On binge day, sometimes, I am not really craving anything…it’s all about when I am told I cannot have it!
You cannot be hungry with the food choices! It also incorporates well into our family meals. I always send my kids off with breakfast and we eat dinner together. It took a little tweaking but I use my old recipe standbys…make the kids a pasta/rice/kasha/grain/potato (my son runs XC and has about 6% body fat…he needs some major carbs) to go with our entree and vegetable and my husband and I add in a legume. Some of the classics like a cassoulet follow Tim’s guidelines to a “tee”. Just start flipping through some of those classic cookbooks.
We have both lost over 10lbs. Husband is lifting weights again too. I have lost over 10 lbs and 8 1/4″ . Not bad – figure I will add cardio and the kettlebells back in soon. Just wanted to see what the 4 hour body could do for me before hitting some cardio and weights again. My husband put together the kettle bell for me. I did “sample” it….I know it has been mentioned before that the weight for women was too much. Noooo. I went to 25 immediately and thought I wimped out some on weight – should’ve went to 30. It just depends on your upper body strength. I look forward to next month when I will see what I really can do.
Off to make our binge dinner of Pasta Carbonara. Thanks again Tim!!
Hello Tim,
You have been talking about how this book is supposed to inspire people to start doing self-experimentation and god help me you have planted the seeds on me.
My question though is, where do you find medical studies? And which books and websites do you recommend? I have read Body by Science long time before even knowing about you, and now am reading Gary Taube’s new book and really want to know more this subjects.
Also, does anyone know of any hack to cure skin eczema? The normal prescription is hidrocorstisone but I have found that to have no effect and actually worsens the itching when applying.
Google “medline” or “pubmed” for a great directory of studies. Enjoy!
Tim,
Great book, i take it everywhere and re-read things all the time. Oddly enough, i did many of your principles for the past year (food diary, tracking, like meals,etc.) I dropped 30 Lbs on the scale and leaned out quite a bit. I hit a floor or platuea, but 3 weeks into the 4HrB, and I blew right thru it, Thanks!!! By the way, I did it while suffering with a herniated L5/L4 S1 Disk. I haven’t done any cardio in over a month. So, right now I’m reading and re-reading your injury chapters. I read most of them yeasterday waiting for a surgical consult. Anyway, I have a few questions:
1) How does your Sex Machine “Protocol Suppliments” impact the slow carb effects? I’m wanting to experiment in that for a while!
2) Is there a difference between regular Cod Liver Oil and Fermented cod Liver Oil? And where the heck do you get Vitamin Enriched Butter Fat? You should see the looks I get!
3) On page 299 and 300, you weren’t doing all of those medications at the same time, right? Was there a final cocktail that worked the best for you? I’m on HgH for 17 weeks now and it’s seems to be awesome, I’ve done a couple cycles of Cypionate, again awesome.
Last but not least, I’m totally stoked that results for Slow Carb increase after the 4-6th week. I’m going to be 51 soon and it just got me totally pumped. I was about to cheat (read extend) on my cheat day…not now!
Can’t wait to buy the 4 Hr Work Week, if it’s anything like this book…Woo Hoo!
Info about fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil is available at Green Pastures Website. Just google.
More info is at the Weston A Price Foundation website.
Hi Tim,
Regarding the functional screening section of your book (pp 326 – 329), I’m a little confused. On p.326, you list five self-assessment tests. On p. 329, under the ‘Testing’ section, you then prescribe another set of tests that were introduced two pages earlier as measures to fix the weaknesses revealed in the original tests! Surely this section on Testing should be deploying the five screens presented on p.326, no?
B.T.W. did I mention…I LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!
Best,
Jeremy
Just a quick question. Can coconut milk, now sold at supermarkets, be used in either a protein shale or in coffee?
I have a related question. Stores are now selling a couple of brands of coconut water. It is full of potassium and zero sugar/fat. It is supposed to be good for hydration. Do you have any experience with it or would you have an opinion on whether it could be used (perhaps as an occasional substitute for water) with the Slow-Carb diet?
Tim has said coconut milk is allowed as long as there aren’t any other ingredients in it, you can google it. Coconut water has about 50g of sugar per liter, so maybe what you saw wasn’t coconut water.
It’s been 29 days and I gained, lost, gained, lost but net 29 days, my scale is the same. Of course I’m disappointed because in my fantasy I thought I would have lost 20 lbs in 30 days as advertised. Inches slightly down, clothes feel a tad better, nothing to write home about. Vegetarian, 53, female, only wanted to lose 10 to 12 lbs. Work out hard 4 days per week.
Heres what I loved….simple, did not feel hungry, could have my red wine at night. Here’s what I hated….don’t really like eggs but ate them twice a day, and a whey protein once a day, but i simply can’t stomach that for a lifestyle. The beans and veggies are easy for me, and I understand if I was a meat eater I could have some good meals. But I’m not willing to eat animals, that’s not an option for me, even the eggs and whey are a compromise for me.
So what to do? I love that Tim says to do our own experimentation. I’ve read the plant based chapters several times and still don’t see how to apply this diet if I don’t have eggs and protein powder three times a day, and yuck, can’t do that. Eating out is very challenging if vegetarian and following slow carb.
I gave up two days ago, and find I am so hungry between meals, which makes me irritable and cranky and thinking about food all the time. So I ask again, to Tim and fellow vegetarian bloggers, what to do? I want to keep the benefits of not being hungry, but I want to lose weight, and I have to be able to eat better meals incorporating vegetarian proteins without eating an egg factory daily!
I welcome all comments…
Lorrie, Sorry for your frustration, I can relate and as a 48 yr. old w/3 kids. I would like to encourage you stick it out a bit and perhaps add some of the Slow Carb 2 stuff, ice packs, etc. I think the diet requires a bit more tweaking and time for the older set, especially women. I saw lots of fluctuation with the scale but bottom line, I could see and feel the difference in a good way. A few years back my DH & I did a low carb diet & it took a while for stuff to happen but once it did…the fat began to melt away more quickly than the beginning. Do you like or can you eat fish? I stock lots of canned low mercury, no sodium tuna. I also stock lots of frozen wild salmon. I have to be careful cooking eggs because my husband is deathly allergic so I mostly use a lot of tuna and even cottage cheese (whole milk) which works for me. I also use a lot of edamame (frozen from Trader Joes) that I microwave and add corn salsa & veggies to. I also drink Premium Protein Chocolate shake that I get from Costco, which is probably not ideal but is working okay for me. Between meals I snack on “Handful of Raw Almonds” pack from Trader Joe’s or maybe some almond butter on celery. I recommend adding a few more protocols mentioned in the book and see what happens. Good luck!
Nice to hear that I’m not the only one feeling a bit frustrated with the lack of significant change in 2 weeks! I am 49, 2 kids and with 50 looming in 3 months I want to drop the 10 that changed to 15 and is now almost 20 lbs.!
Do you do the “binge”? I’ve been somewhat reluctant. Any specific tricks you’ve found helpful? ice water,etc? Anyone else at that perimenopausal stage feeling stuck? Tim… any advice?
Thanks!
Hi Irene,
I’m one of Tim’s assistants. My mom went on the slow carb diet and was initially skeptical of the binge day concept. But once she added those cheat days in, she was able to drop 25 pounds in about six weeks. By spiking calories once a week, it improves thyroid output (which is especially important for women). But most of all, it helps make the diet sustainable. If you don’t binge, your odds of quitting increase dramatically. It’s important to do the binge, so be sure to cut loose once a week 🙂
Good luck!
– Charlie
Hey Lorrie! You do not mention if you lost any measurements (arm, waist, hip, thigh). There were a couple weeks where I lost a smidge of weight but my measurements went down. I also started tracking the types of legumes I was eating…for example, navy beans packed on weight while lentils didn’t. I cooked both from dried and I am not sure if it was the final prep that caused the weight increase…I used the navy beans in a soup…lentils on the side of tuna. I just figured I would take extra note of how I was preparing from now on. I also purchased Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything, Vegetarian.” I needed a few additional ideas for preparing beans and this book has been great. I eat sooo much at my meals I am not really hungry. I keep a jar of almond butter (kroger has the most inexpensive with no additives in Indiana) and have always had natural peanut butter. Stock those babies and you should be good! Keep up the good work…don’t give in yet!
Lorrie,
You are attempting to run your body (who’s architecture is millions of years old) on inefficient & ineffective fuel.
You have to prioritize your goals – do you want to be healthy or maintain your current eating habits? It appears the two are not currently congruent.
Is tofu OK to eat while doing SC Diet? I love making kimchi stew and use tofu as one of the ingredients.
Interesting report of a study done on policosanol. I don’t have any info on the website or the blog but worth a look:
http://fanaticcook.blogspot.com/2006/03/policosanol-for-cholesterol-reduction.html
Scroll down til you see adverse reactions. They don’t seem to be all that adverse…
Now I’m curious, regarding your tweet about the comment about splenda, why aspertame would be better (or different) if the reason is that there is an insulin response to anything that tastes sweet? Am I getting that right? Thanks!
You could cut it all out and then not have to worry about it….
Tim-
Doing some research, my wife discovered some correlation between Yerba Mate and cancer. Specifically, it appears to have high enough concentrations of PAH’s to be a risk factor.
http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions
Do you have any information about this or evidence to refute it? Thanks.
Hey Eric – I read quite a bit about this a couple years ago – the cancer link (from what I remember) was attributed to the fact that people who drink it a lot (where it is grown) also smoke cigarettes, and possibly that the leaf itself it sometimes smoked (not literally like tobacco, but smoked like as in cooking). Anyway, see:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774
for a bit of info, but of course would love to hear if Tim has other links/resources…
I have read some sources (admittedly not particularly reliable ones) that say that we should avoid regular ALA because it is a 50/50 blend of R-ALA and S-ALA. Apparently, S-ALA works against the effectiveness of R-ALA, and (stabilized) R-LA is much more effective and requires a smaller dose than the blend.
I don’t know if you have heard of this Tim, but perhaps you can consult with your expert network to see what’s up with that.
Love the books,
Lucas
Looks like Barbara Walters is in that 50% of women who’ve never experienced an orgasm.
along with all my exes
Central Heating May Be Making Us Fat
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/central-heating-may-be-making-us-fat/
But could lowering the thermostat make a notable difference in people’s weight?
Dr. C. Ronald Kahn, a Harvard Medical School professor who does research on brown fat, says it might actually help with weight control over time, provided people stick with it.
“When we put people in a 60-degree room, they increase their energy expenditure by 100 or 200 calories a day if they’re in light clothing,” like hospital scrubs, he said. “They’re not shivering. They activate their brown fat.”
Dear Tim,
I was wondering if you could clear up what the deal is with *baked beans* – the ones that are usually tinned in a tomato sauce. Would these be ok for the week-time consumption or would they be more of an off-day thing?
My concern with these is that they usually have some added sugar, though some brands now come with reduced sugar and fat options. Any info, thoughts, or recommendations?
Thanks!
i’m confused – after the binge – you lost 15kgs in 48hours page 103? – its not really explained or am i being dumb?
Damage Control chapter
On page 103 there was a 15kg weight loss in 48 hours, is this a typo?
How often should one test bodyfat?
Just a quick question Tim. On the view you showed a black tube type thing that you used to rehab your back. What is that and where can you get one.
That was a “Perform Better” foam roller. Just google to find!
Has Tim (or anyone) thought about–or tried–adding calories = 2x body weight in lbs of Extra Light Olive Oil (ELOO) or Flax Oil to the Slow Carb Diet (SCD)?
I get that the fructose alternative is at odds with SCD, but I see nothing in the ELOO/Flax Oil approach that breaks the rules.
Thanks! — Barry from Maine
Is there an opinion on using cooking sprays? As a go-to for eggs I’ve always used PAM.
Hey Phil,
I suggest trying out Kerrygold Irish butter instead, which you can pick up at King Soopers or Whole Foods. Tim introduced me to it last year and it’s fantastic. Not only is it good for you, it makes the eggs taste WAY better. Enjoy 🙂
– Charlie
Hi Tim,
First of all, Thanks a million for all the crazy experiments you’ve done and continue to do, they are all Amazing!
I just started the SCD a week ago and have already seen results! Amazing! I have been reading your book 4HB non-stop and reading blogs from other fellow readers to clear up some questions I had. But, I still have one question for you:
I have been having my 30gm of protein within half an hour of waking up, usually lentils, egg whites (with one whole egg) and spinach. (And some ice water of course)
The thing is, I would like to start doing a 20-30 min right upon waking, with an empty stomach because I learned (on Dr Oz) that is better to do a small work out in the morning bc, you will burn more fat since the body won’t be able to take energy from the food in your stomach and thus, see results faster.
(something like that)
So, is it okay to do a small workout (some cardio, kettle bells, and sit ups etc) for 20-30 mins and then have the 30gm of protein all within one hour of waking? Or just have the 30gm of protein and then work out?
Just yesterday I started having 300mg of Alpha-lipoic Acid per day, hoping to aid the weight loss.
P.S. I can’t believe that in one week I have seen dramatic changes! Lots of more energy and better sleep=Less cranky and a whole lot more of sexy! 😀
Next time you go on vacation you gotta stop by Costa Rica! That’s where I’m from! 🙂 Oh and please go on Oprah! I think she would really love this diet because it is easy,very clear and fun, the best part is that you actually eat! Maybe she’ll give you your OWN show! That would be amazing!
By the way, I am getting ice packs and putting them on in the evenings and switching to only taking one cold shower daily and ice packs in the evening. The first time I tried it, i seriously thought my neighbors would call the police thinking I was being brutally murdered! It was brutal…but then again, sooo worth it! Plus you go numb after a few mins. 🙂
Keep up the great work! Best of luck on all future projects,
sincerely,
One more loyal follower! 😀
By the way, I just ordered the 4HWW, can’t wait to read it! 😀
I don’t understand offering smart things like cheap kettlebell alternatives and then charging $120 per year to be part of a forum.
If the goal is to make money off the forum, I think that’s great, but you’ve stated your goals as being to eliminate trolls and keep the discussion serious.
It’s not necessary to make it expensive to achieve these things. Simply require registration with a credit card, Paypal account or other I.D. exposing method. I’ve seen this work on other forums. It’s anonymity that causes trollish behavior, not a lack of financial commitment. If anything, you’re likely to see folks thinking that they are entitled to be rude or lazy since they’re paying… Maybe a one time $10 fee that registrants would loose (along with access) if they flame or troll…
I’m not trying to get free forum access. I don’t feel I need the forum at all as I’m very good at Googling my own answers, extrapolating from the book, self experimenting…
That’s it from the unsolicited advice dept. Thou art a Rock Star, sir!
Tim, thanks for putting out all the great information you have in the 4 Hour Body. You included some of my favorite resources which makes me all the more eager to explore the ones I’m not familiar with.
Here a tea I like that some folks may like to try to see how it works for them:
Simmer 5 or 6 cinnamon sticks and a few 1″ chunks of fresh ginger in 1.5 quarts water (covered) for about 45 min, then let cool to room temperature. Store in a glass pitcher in the fridge and enjoy a cup before meals either cold or warmed in the microwave.
Ginger has significant anti-inflammatory and also helps the GI tract. Plus I like the taste.
You can also try adding some lemon juice and/or stevia
Hi,
First of all thank you for an amazing book! I am looking in particular at adding muscle, however I want to keep my body fat percentage as low as possible. I was considering trialling 8 weeks of muscle gain using Occam’s Protocol and 4 weeks of fat loss using the slow-carb diet and PAGG on a continuous cycle. Would you recommend this approach?
Also a few other questions:
Would I only do the GLUT-4 exercises during fat loss stage?
Can I continue weights during fat loss stage?
Do I still do a cheat day on Occam’s protocol?
Can I do daily CV workouts during Occam’s protocol? I do Kenpo and need to stay fit…
Many thanks for your advice?
I’m starting the slow-carb diet tomorrow morning. I really need help with an answer to this:
I have coffee with cream, sugar-free hazelnut & 4 splenda packets every morning. The book addresses cream, but I’m wondering about the sugar free hazelnut and splenda. Are either of those ok? Is regular sugar ok?
The coffee is my only serious sticking point so I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask this: if splenda/sugar/hazelnut is not recommended, how much might it derail the effort? In other words, would it make the diet worthless? Or just slow it down?
Thanks!
Hi Ben,
Get off the Splenda! It significantly reduces the amount of helpful bacteria in the gut (the kind that aids in fat loss). As is recommended in the book, replace it with a bit of cinnamon.
Best of luck 🙂
Splenda will absolutely ruin all your efforts, Tim recommends cinnamon with your coffee and cream instead of milk. (No lactose at all on this diet) And if in need of a sweet fix, try some sugar free jello. 🙂 Good Luck!
So how were do we get provigil from the “Creativity on demand article” ?
I just tried the breath holding exercise, and am quite amazed at the results. My before time was 1:45, and my after time was 4:09! The other three people I tried this with at least doubled their original time, and two of us beat Houdini’s best – and all of this was right after eating. I can’t wait to try out some of the other technique-based improvements you went over in the book. Thanks!
Tim,
Can you please expand on the warning in 4HB regarding PAGG stacking while taking thyroid medication (synthroid); I’ve run into at least 3 people with the same unanswered question regarding the linkage / ill-effects….
Thanks,
I have been on diet for two weeks. I seem to have lost some belly fat round 1.5 inches but my weight seems to be stuck down five pounds. I bougth an Escali from the web link and it show I am pretty much exactly at same spot fat percentage wise. Ugghhhh
I finally have in house athletic greens, taking PAGG as directed/updated (wife hates the garlic ouch). I have started mostely consuming lentils which I love, yet I expect to be down at least ten pounds. My only area of need for loss is belly.
I know I have gained some muscle as I start the minimal exercise of leg press, incline bench, and bent row.
My biggest concern is my protein powder. Using Muscle Milk pure isoloated and concentrated milk protein. Wonder if that is f-ing things up. Using it to make sure that I get that 30g in the morning and adding athletic greens as well.
I have a pre-made Myoplex shake available but the sugar content is 5g and afraid to use it for the sugar. Help…seem stuck but starting third week slo-card today Sunday 1/30.
Kinda confused if I should start looking at building muscle instead to speed fat loss. Dying to see my abs after 49 years of life.
Thanks to any one for a response.
patience and persistence.
Your body is probably freaking out over the changes – stick to the plan and keep going.
Hi Tim,
Loved the book and have been on the SC diet for two weeks now. I know that there have been endless comments now about artificial sweeteners, even though you go over them pretty thoroughly in the book. I apologize for bringing up the subject, yet again.
I am wondering, though, does chewing sugar free gum impact insulin response at al? I am an obsessive gum chewer, and want to know if I should eliminate it.
I understand how Aspartame and sucralose would trigger an insulin response when ingested, but do you think that the mere taste of these compounds does this as well?
I have tried doing a little research on Google Scholar, and am not turning up any informative studies.
Thanks,
Jon
I believe xylitol may be an option. (Tim, please weigh in.) Xylitol is a sugar substitute that comes from birch trees. It reportedly does not create an insulin response, and it is actually good for your teeth. Spry is a brand of gum, you can also find dental products that contain Xylitol, and buy it in a shaker as a sugar replacement. All available at Whole Foods and elsewhere.
As the chemical properties are not the same as sugar, substituting in recipes can be tricky. It’s also a little pricy compared to sugar.
John,
I´ve read, that in at least 15 % of the population sweet tastes lead to a secretion of insulin.
Gary Taubes talks about this in “Good Calories, Bad Calories” too.
All the best
Peter
I presume tomatoes are not considered a fruit since you mention eating salsa. Although you also mention corn in the salsa (pg 91), I’ll also assume it’s best to avoid corn since it’s a grain??? Thanks for throwing us a tomato :-). Day one starts tomorrow…nervous :-/. I’m a healthy semi-fit woman looking to drop 6-8 pounds in the next 3 weeks…fingers crossed. Going to take it one week at time…not having my milk-based protein shakes and/or bananas after my runs will be the most challenging and missed *sniffle*.
Sara,
you are right, corn should be avoided and tomatoes are allowed on the slow carb diet but should be avoided in the diet plan form the chapter “The Last Mile”.
All the best Peter
Tim,
I’ve been following Neil’s food schedule to the T and Occam’s exercise frequency for 3 weeks. Sushi/Rice, Chipotle Bowl and Chicken/Potatoes with Balance Bars in between and a shake for breakfast and before bed.
You mentioned watching out for bodyfat % when doing LOMAD/GOMAD in Occam’s Protocol. Between the morning and evening shakes I’m taking in about ~1.5 liters of milk per day.
I’ve been tracking BF daily with bio-impedance… which I know is not great, but hopefully enough to see a trend. I’m also following your procedure for getting the most constant reading once a week.
So far… I’ve noticed about a 2lb gain in muscle, but just as much in bodyfat, leaving BF% unchanged. I tracked my food intake for a day and my biggest fat portions are the morning/evening shakes, while calories and protein are in line with your recommendations. Should I cut down on the milk and/or almond butter? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Ed,
you could try substituting the calories from milk for something less insulinogemic like eggs. And drop the calories if that doesn´t work out.
How far are your calories above maintance level? You probably won´t need much more than 1000 kcal above maintance to build muscle.
All the best
Peter
Thanks for the help Peter. I’ll definitely try that out… and I do think I’ve been exceeding the +1000 calories above maintenance anyway.
Hi Tim,
First of all thanks for everything!!
I have been following the slow carb diet for 2 weeks now with great results (2 pants sizes down.., was too lazy to do TI yet:).
I have 2 questions:
1. I was thinking of purchasing the Omron HBF-306C – did you ever try it? I assume it’s not accurate, but I wonder if it’s consistent (bad data is better than no data).
2. Gynecomastia – I sent you an email through Charlie a while ago, I assume between your avg. of 750 per day it got lost. Do you have any ideas for getting rid of Gynecomastia – even if you have something in theory I would love to experiment..
Thanks!!
Tim,
I just read your book and am excited about the potential it holds.
I currently an breastfeeding my one month old, is this “diet” safe for breastfeeding mothers? Will my baby get the proper nutrition if I follow the slow-carb diet?
Thank you very much!!!
LOL… so I bought the digital version of 4HB last week and have started the program (love it, so far). Yesterday, I bought the hardbound print version, so I could highlight the parts I wanted to reference… way easier than trying to bookmark digitally, but someone PLEASE stop me because I woke up this morning (after my first binge day) thinking I needed the audio version on my ipod to listen to while driving!
Hi All,
I am looking for some help/clarification on the supplements section of Occam’s Protocol. The text says thus –
“consume 80grams of L-glutamine during the first 5 days of Occam’s protocol”
“I recommend 10 grams at a time every two hours on the dot until the daily 80-gram quota is reached”
“10-30 grams post work out will speed repair”
1 – Does this mean 80g per day or 80g over the first 5 day period?
Amazon (in UK) sells the stuff in form or capsules – the capsules are 500mg/1000mg each. So in tablet form to get the 10g dose you need to take 20/10 tablets. To get the 80g per day you need to take 160/80 tablets each day?
2 – Are these figures right? 160 or even 80 tablets a day seem excessive?
3 – Does this mean – 10g at 8am, 10g at 10am, 10g at 12am etc etc?
Any help or advice on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tom
Tom,
yes, the book says 80 g each day for 5 days – consumed in units of 10g every 2 hours.
After the first 5 days 10-30 g on workout days, after the workout.
All the best
Peter
Missing ‘spaghetti’ noodles? But want to stick to legumes? Have the EXCELLENT black bean noodles (seriously awesome) which cook in 8 mins! Explore Asian also has Mung bean spaghetti…
I get it at my local co-op but you can find them online. Here’s one: https://www.navanfoods.com/Explore_Asian_Black_Bean_Spaghetti
Also blogged this morning about food sensitivities, which should be addressed with the 4WB being gluten and dairy free. However for those who have commented on the one day binge turning into 3 day episode, you may want to experiment with the same 4HB diet (before giving up entirely) but planning a binge day with all the foods you LOVE that are STILL non allergens for you…I know, quite a compromise… but it could be just as delicious, not to mention rewarding in the end.
My 2 cents anyway.
What up Tim, I trained with JoeDeFranco for the NFL combine posted a 34 inch vertical at 303 pounds,a record for Tackles that day, your two books changed my business life and my body, keep challenging conventional wisdom, and yes I am starting to see abs at 310 pounds drug free, your advice is right on and I wished I wouldn’t have overtrained my whole life
i am doing the whole program and it is working like a dream
PV
Tim, guys,
Pls. clarify: in sexmachine I chapter, you’ re saying “2capsules of fermented cod liver oil and vitamin-rich butter fat”. There is no information on the amount of fat/oil in above capsules at the site of the producer of Blue ice brand, recommended there. Can you advise the recommended amount of fermented cod liver oil and vitamin-rich butter fat in mg, separately?
I just got the book 2 days ago and looking forward to start experimenting. Tim, you’re the pioneer of the internet era medicine!
Hi PV,
That vert is insane, man. 310 with abs! Brings back visions of Scot Mendelson (google him — 1,100-lb.+ bench).
Thanks so much for the kind words. Please keep us posted on your progress and look forward to hearing more of your adventures in training.
Best,
Tim
How about vanilla extract in coffee instead of stevia (that’s what I used to use before diet and although I have great tasting coffee, I miss some sweetness in there)? How much and how often Can I use Vanilla extract in my coffee??
Unsweetened vanilla extract is fine. Use just a dash and you’ll be good. I love the stuff.
Funny, most diabetics say insertion site where you say implantation (referring to the Dexcom).
Anyway, I am LOVING the book. On page 105, you talk about being able to increase the speed of gastric emptying for the purpose of not absorbing so much of what is in the food. I can support this by telling you that: As a type 1 diabetic, I give a unit of insulin per 15 carbs I consume. But, let’s say I have diarrhea (I TMI’d you right back). For me, it means needing a unit of insulin for every 30 carbs I consume. Big heck of a difference.
So I know you’re right when you say that speeding up gastric emptying is effective.
Hi! I’m am just starting to add the AGG/PAG stack to my plan. How long BEFORE a meal (mins.) should these supplements be taken? Thanks!
Hey Tim,
My wife and I saw your appearance on Dr. Oz and the very next day we went out and bought the 4 hour body book. Incredible and intriguing. One reason I really think we’re digging the book is because conventional wisdom repeatedly failed. My wife and I are both about 40-50 lbs overweight which has come over time. We were both thin years ago when we got together but over 18 years the several pounds a year gain with a contentedly settled lifestyle has caught up with us. Couple that to the fact that I work behind a desk all day and my wife is a housewife (no kids to keep her on her toes either) and we have a recipe for weight gain. I just want to say that today is the first day we’re doing the slow carb plan and I must say I feel great today! She does too. She started a yoga plan today as well. We are coffee drinkers and I know you recommend cream if one must have it. How about almond milk? Coconut milk? Obviously the unsweetened varieties would be a must. How about for sweeteners? Stevia? How about Xylitol? It sounds promising for use in limited quantities with the slow carb plan but I am unsure as I didn’t see it mentioned and I didn’t see much on the web about it either. Thanks again for a GREAT book. We’re having a blast getting thru parts of it and your style is refreshing and liberating. Have a GREAT day and stay safe with those experiments!
John W. Scott
Hi Tim,
I’ve been a big fan for quite a while and have a question about the slow carb diet. I’ve always been naturally lean and, upon the insistence of my strength coach stepfather, have eaten in a very similar fashion to what’s dictated by the slow carb diet for most of my adult life anyway, so as far as I can tell there’s no immediate need for me to start the diet at this time. However, my girlfriend started the diet 10 days ago and the loss has not been what I expected (.5 LB in 1st wk). I know that this diet is effective from previous experience with friends, and I literally eat every meal with my girlfriend (assuming she’s not cheating when I’m in the bathroom or something), so I’m wondering if her birth control could have a negative effect on her rate of fat loss. She began taking Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo about 4 weeks ago…http://www.drugs.com/pro/ortho-tri-cyclen-lo.html
According to that link, her BC pill is associated with weight gain, so do you think this is to blame for her current rate of fat loss, and would it be fitting to cease the use of the pill and investigate other methods of contraception as far as maximal fat loss is concerned? Thanks!
Hi Tim,
I’m a long time fan and have greatly enjoyed your books. What effects can birth control, specifically Orth Tri Cyclen Lo, have on the slow carb diet? Thanks!
Just got hipped to 4HB yesterday…(rose’s “random show”). Love the idea! I’m a 325lb 46 yr old male (6 ft) I’ve lost 20lbs recently using a modified South Beach diet (meaning “not strict”) and tracking my intake and exercise using another site (that bike rider dude’s 😉 but I really like the idea of 4HB! I’ve read through quite a bit of the book already and would be jazzed to try it, but I am not alone in my quest for weight loss. My daughters (12 and 13) are both overweight (as I was as a teen) and have had some success on our modified SBD, but I fear the strict nature of the 4HB, even with the cheat day, would turn them off. Just the nature of kids to “sneak” stuff, at school or out with friends. You didn’t really go over obese children in the book, that I can find so far. What’s your philosophy of children dieting?
Also, is this method “all or nothing”? After reading about your experiments with the chemistry of how foods work together (and against each other) it seems you must be “all in” for this to truly work (fat burning, anyway). Is my assumption correct?
tim! ur the man. im a 18 year old guy who blew out his knee my senior year of high school playing football. since then i have put on a little too much weight and have been unhappy. i got the book and have pitched it to literally anyone who is willing to listen haha. since starting the diet i have lost 10 pounds. i am five foot eight and used to weigh 175. im down to 165 and hoping for 10 more! this is super exciting though. thanks for all your hard work. its paying off for all of the people that really do what you talk about.
i just have two questions. i struggle to get enough protein in the mornings because i dont have a huge appetite. i have thought about taking a protein shake to make things simple. should i try whey? soy? hemp? any specific powders that you recommend?
and i have to admit, beans and lentils can get a little boring. i use garlic salt a lot to help with flavor and i noticed how you like beans so much because of the carbs and the saturated fat. is there possibly anything else that would fit that bill? that i could substitute every few meals or so? i understand that you dont have all the time in the world to answer these posts but any info is greatly appreciated.
thanks again tim. hope to hear from you soon
Tucker,
in some postings Tim recommended unflavoured whey. Stay away from soy.
I use a flavored mixture of 80% micellar casein and 20 % whey and never experienced a stall in fatloss from the artificial sweeteners.
For the legumes I use different kinds of spices and methods of preparing:
yellow lenitls with curry, garlic and coconut milk
lentils with salt, olive oil, pepper
mashed white beans with salt, butter and nutmeg
lentils with salt, tomato juice and oregano
lentils with salt tomato juice and curry
kidney beans with salt, tomato, pepper & chillies
mashed black beans mixed with eggs, cocoa powder, baking powder and sweetener nuked for 8 minutes make a great chocolate cake
All the best
Peter
hey peter, thanks for the great info. during the SCD i have not been working out at all save for some daily walking. is the shake in the morning still ok?
so 20 percent unflavored whey protein and 80 percent micellar casein (flavored-unfortunately) mixed together with water? how much water? and what brands of powders do you use/recommend ? and thanks for all the recipes i will definitely give them a shot. also what are u thoughts on hemp protein as well? thanks again
-tucker
Hi Tucker,
I use Micellar Casein by Elite Sports Nutrients it´s the mixture of casein and whey I talked about. If you are in the U.S. you could try the whey from Biotest I was always satisfied with their products but postage and customs to Europe can be high.
Never tried hemp. Protein Shakes are good for getting in the 30 g of protein for breakfast independent of your physical activity.
If you got a tasty protein powder you can add less water and get a pudding texture. Or you can add crushed ice and lots of cold water to use it instead of the ice water from the Ice Age chapter.
All the best
Peter
You state “80% micellar casein,” but casein is milk protein. Isn’t that a no, no for this diet?
Tim,
LOVE your new book! I am over 40 mother of 2 with 20 lbs to lose. Diets usually don’t work for me, but am willing to give another a try. I have not lost one ounce yet (following the diet to the t), and am on day 7. I saw your previous comment that it may take 4-6 weeks for this diet to work for someone like me! Do you mean that I will not see ANY results, or just not on the scale? Also wondering why it takes 4-6 weeks to work. After that point, will the weight FALL off?
Desperate in Detroit! Angie
This diet focuses on the biochemical aspects of nutrition in contrast to many that overemphasize the psychological (which I think is the most pertinent way to go- if you read Gary Taube’s “Why We Get Fat” he makes some great points about the absurdity of treating obesity like it’s a psychological condition).
Even so, I’ve really liked the emotional benefits of Tim’s diet! I started on this not because I wanted to lose weight but because I’m sick of all the guilt associated with food when you’re a dancer (or even just any woman in America!!)- counting calories or even obsessing over portion size gets super old. In focusing on WHAT to eat and not how much, I feel like I’m freeing up a ton of mental and emotional energy, and getting rid of a lot of self-judgment, which is great.
In that vein, I WANT to like the cheat days because they would let me enjoy deviations from the diet rather than cause guilt, but I’m not convinced about the science behind them – do they really help biochemically? Because they restore leptin levels? Or because they enable your body to process insulin? Or what? Can anyone point me to articles about the science behind “cheat days”?
Yes, I know I should just self-experiment for myself and see what happens instead of having to be comforted by other people’s science, but I really don’t want to wildly fluctuate my weight as part of an experiment… so let me know what you find!
(Also, I want to echo some of the comments above about more women-centric 4HB posts – I think women would really enjoy more about the food-emotion connection. Also, the sex chapters were totally male-only — F that!)
I haven’t yet started the 4HB/SCD yet but planning for it. Actually, I’m on a super strict diet right now that ends in a few weeks, then I will be in a phase that doesn’t allow any sugars or carbs (including legumes) for about three weeks and will then replace the final phase of low-carbs and low-sugars with the 4HB/slow carb diet.
My current diet allows only the use of Stevia when a sweetener is used ….well specifically SweetLeaf only (liquids and powder used mostly only in my coffee)…there are many Stevia products that contain other ingredients such as Maltodetrix..these are not allowed. Can SweetLeaf Stevia be a part of the SCD? I’ve seen mixed responses in the use of sweeteners….so I am curious if others use it.
Also..I have visited http://www.fourhourbody.com/binge I’m wondering, Is this a realistic representation of what a binge day should look like once a week? I am a bit disappointed to see celery with peanut butter, fruit slices, quinoa, curried chicken salad as the deep splurges that are allowed. I’d like to see or hear more representations of a typical “binge” day.
I advance my appreciation to those those willing to share.
Jennifer,
These are excellent questions. Have you received any responses or researched these in other slow-carb forums?
Thanks,
Chris
I just bought the book and Stevia was mentioned in the book as the allowable sweetener, if you really felt like you could not enjoy your coffee without it. Tim also mentioned that he seeks out ice cream, candy bars, donuts and pizza and eats whatever he wants on his splurge day…the choices some people make are fearful ones as they don’t want to stray too far into “forbidden” territory and are probably fed by a life long guilt trip over those foods. For me, the cereal, milk, bread, sweet potatoes and fruit alone are enough to make salivate as I feel this is what I am going to miss the most while being on this diet. I haven’t spent enough time on the site to determine if changes have been posted on what’s “allowable” on binge days…it could be it has changed for the period of time on the slow carb diet while you are losing weight and trying to acheive the fat levels you want, but I will be sure to read some more of the updates on the site as I plan to start the diet this coming weekend…Friday was the splurge day for me on my previous calorie and carb restricted diet that allowed brown rice and whole grains only and my go to was Indian food…yum!!!
I am 35 and had my fourth child 2 months ago. I’ve always lost baby weight fairly easily in the past, but this time it’s not budging. I have been on the diet for about 2 weeks, with only a bit of lactose free milk in my tea a day. So far, no progress, but I’m staying with it. My question is this:
Are there any concerns or modifications you’d suggest to mothers who are breastfeeding? Am I getting enough nutrients if I eat the following every day…
– egg substitute ~1 cup, spinach, salsa, ham
– tea, splenda 1 tbsp lactose free milk
– sliced deli turkey ~/25 lb, carrots dipped in hummus, salad with oil/vinegar
– grilled meat, veggie and large portion of beans
Amanda, give yourself a break and some time! You’ve just had your fourth baby! Your hormones are surely not in place yet after a fourth pregnancy, especially if you are breastfeeding.
It looks like you are eating well, but I would drop the splenda if I were you. Not only it could compromise your goal of losing weight, but research has found it to be detrimental to your health, but mostly to your nursing infant (yes, even a little can do some harm, check out Dr Mercola’s site for all the info on splenda and other sweetners)…
I also have 4 children, and it took almost a year to lose most of the weight after the 4th pregnancy…now with this diet I’m trying to lose the last 10 lbs (gained 45 lbs with the last pregnancy).
Good luck!! 🙂
Amanda, by now you’re probably in much better shape, but I wanted to ask, why did you go for egg substitutes instead of eggs? Carrots and hummus are not on the 4HB plan, because carrots are root vegetables and hummus is made with chick peas, and deli turkey is usually loaded with weird preservatives. A small amount of milk in your tea introduces dairy. It’s dropping all these things that makes 4HB work!
Great book. I’ve lost 30 lbs in 6 weeks
John, Did you take the PAGG supplements along with following the diet?
So I’ve been on this diet for around 7 weeks and down 8kg on the scale – I’ve been sticking to it apart from over Christmas time and Australia Day, my choice. Generally everything is going in the right direction. So I’m happy…
But I’m really excited about the diet’s side effect of regaining a beautiful healthy looking tongue! My tongue has looked yellowy and slightly coated ever since getting over multiple bouts of tonsillitis over a 2 year period. I think my system continued to be distressed after the aggressive strep strain and amount of antibiotics. I know doctors trained in India are big on tongue appearance as general health indication – so I’m pretty stoked! Any other low carbers noticed this?
So thanks Tim!
And a question of Chocolate… there are certain days of the month when I crave chocolate, in a woman possessed way – normally I can take or leave it but just 1 piece (of the 85% cocoa kind) satisfies the craving. I’ve googled and it appears the craving could be to do with the magnesium content? If so, can I simply pop a supplement on the day(s)?
So I’m reading through the how to increase strength bonus material, and I can’t help but smirk at the irradiation thing. It’s something our bodies naturally know, and I think it’s something Bruce Lee understood quite well.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re angry, how seemingly every muscle in your body will be just a bit tense? Ok, now for the heresay that has room to be (dis)proven: Have you noticed that, using the ‘same’ amount of effort you would when calm to do something, like push a door open, or ‘toss’ your jacket onto a chair causes a far more violent reaction than you expect?
I always thought it was a result of anger making it impossible to judge the amount of effort you’re using… But the irradiation effect seems pretty likely.
I hope I’m not repeating something previously asked, but, I was looking to see if Tim had a protein shake recipe in 4HB and was directed from the index to p. 261 (both under ‘protein shake’ and under ‘recipes’) but there is no such recipe on p. 261.
Can anyone direct me to the correct page?
Thanks,
jim
Try page 263!
Hi all,
Great book Tim, I’m a guinea pig myself ;).
Regarding the shake recipe on page 263, I haven’t gotten my hands on the chia seeds yet since I’m in the EU and they are considered “not for human consumption” though I’ll be getting them from a pet supply store (seriously). So I’ve been using flax seed as a substitute. I have two quick questions:
Can I use flax oil instead of the seeds, if so what amount?
And if I should stay with the seeds, is there a way to grind them quickly? They don’t grind in the blender and it takes forever in my pestle and mortar.
Thanks for your help.
Hi! I’ve been on the Slow-Carb diet for 1 week. Just puchased the supplements in AGG/PAG. How many minutes before each meal should I take the AGG stack?
Has anyone else been taking PAGG? Better results than without?
Thanks!
tim,
gastric emptying: coffee vs. morning meal (within 30 min)……
i find that if i have my morning cup of coffee upon waking, i’m guaranteed to empty within 15 minutes and sometimes twice within an hour. however, if i partake in a meal instead of, or even with coffee, i find emptying near impossible and often nowhere near the quality.
suggestions, thoughts?
Gastric emptying is not the same thing as having a bowel movement … just clarifying.
Tim, I read a study on Pubmed about combining cissus quadrangularis with irvingia gabonensis (african mango) as an effective weight and fat loss combination. The results were somewhat unbelievable. The article was entitled “The use of cissus quadrangularis/irvingia gabonensis in the management of weight loss: a double-blind plaecebo-controlled study by Oben Je.Ngondi JL, Morno CN, Agbor Ga, Sobui CS from March 2008 Are you familiar with this study, and do you think the use of african mango with super cissus would be effective, in addition to SCD, PAGG and other methods in 4HB? Do you think that reasearch is bad science? Apparently doctor Oz also recommended african mango as a supplement for weight loss during one of his shows in September. Since you have looked at a lot of research, I just wondered if you experimented with this combinanation and what your opinion and results were.Perhaps this might be an experiment I will engage in to test the hypothesis.
Kelvin
So the Garlic link, http://www.fourhourbody.com/garlic, takes me to Bodybuilding.com and the product displayed is “Garlicin”,
is this meant to do this? It looks cheaper
90 Tablets
Serving Size1Tablet
Servings Per Container90
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value
Garlic Powder (Bulb) Releasing 3200 Mcg Allicin 350mg **
** Daily Value not established
Other Ingredients
Cellulose, Aqueous Coating Solution, Modified Cellulose Gum, Stearic Acid, Silica
@ Tim:
Can you point to any studies showing that low dairy diets improve weight loss?
Here are some studies showing the opposite, that calcium and especially dairy products increase weight loss:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15090625
“Calcium and dairy acceleration of weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults.”
“RESULTS: Patients assigned to the standard diet lost 6.4 +/- 2.5% of their body weight, which was increased by 26% (to 8.6 +/- 1.1%) on the high-calcium diet and 70% (to 10.9 +/- 1.6% of body weight) on the high-dairy diet (p < 0.01)."
http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/21/2/152S
More.
Thanks in advance!
I’m going to buy this Garlic since the one Tim talks about is no longer on his links:
http://www.betterlife.com/prod_home_page.asp?prod_id=27985
Tim,
After ice protocal (4HB pp 128-129), does a hot shower afterwards eliminate the benefit ?