(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)”
###
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.??
###
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”
###
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
###
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.)
Hi Tim,
I really like your book and am trying the diet. However, I have had problems with acid reflux/food allergies, so i had already started cutting out food with gluten, which is most white items, bread, pasta, etc.. I haven’t eaten any bread or gluten filled items for about 2 weeks now. I just started your diet yesterday. Since I have started it, it now seems like the beans are giving me a problem as I am feeling acidy after eating the meals. Are there any slow carb substitutes for beans?? I am trying to lower the amount of beans at each meal in order to control that and I really want to do the diet, but the one thing that helps me the most with acid is an apple and I am not supposed to eat that! Any thoughts/suggestions?
Lisa
… I suspect Tim includes legumes in the SCD to increase compliance, have even seen him mention that; but if not concerned about the percentage of people that will stay on the diet, I would bet he would eliminate the beans. Eat the apple!!! The pectin, Vitamin C and fiber are all very beneficial… plus, 1 apple with less than 100 cals can really help fill you up. have a few nuts with it, or a small piece of protein to moderate insulin and you are golden… and apple a day keeps the doctor away!!
Hey Lisa !
Haha i actually have the same problem sometimes, but i have it because i suffered from stress for a prolonged period. I would suggest you eat lentils instead. They are part of the legume family. Try it and see if that does the trick 🙂 If not i would suggest you ask your doctor for medicine that reduces the acid production in your parietal stomach cells.
Jason
Hey everybody ! 😀 Finally found a forum which i could ask questions !
I just started on my slow-carb diet and i really love it 🙂 Just one question though.
Is it all right to eat white beans ?? Or is there something in those beans that i shouldn’t be eating ?? I’ve read about the different beans on wiki and the internet and it sounds like white beans are just as good as the other “not white” beans.
Thanks ! Jason
Hi Tim,
I just started reading 4HB. I love your writing style – great mixture of research and humor. 🙂
For the Slow Card Diet, I was wondering if Ezekiel bread is on the plan since it is a sprouted grain and from what the label says, the body processes it more like a vegetable than a gain since it is sprouted.
Also, I read where you mentioned cottage cheese and wondered if unsweetend greek yogurt would be allowed.
Hi Tim,
I don’t know if this had been asked before (I searched all related post’s comments):
When is the right time to follow the “Last mile”-programm? I’m down to around 14% bodyfat and you wrote that following the “last mile”-programm takes you beneath 8% and further. Just curious about when to switch from “normal” slow carb to that programm 🙂
And a tip for all slow carbers who are not best friends with beans:
Mix them with tomato paste, water, salt, garlic powder and pepper. And for the extra plus: Add kerrygold: Big nom nom.
Hey Tim,
The book is awesome…so far so good…lost 4 lbs in the first week…only gained a pound from the binge day but bounced right back to pre-binge weight by Super Bowl Sunday evening. I was wondering if Xylitol is an allowable sweetener? I read a comparison between it and Stevia and they seemed very comparable and both are derived from plants. Xylitol is from birch bark. Ideal is a sweetener that uses Xylitol and I’d like to use it if possible…also, are onions allowable? Not sure if this was answered before…thanks again! I feel great eating this way and so does my wife. No cravings for sweets or snacks…pretty cool!!
John
I don’t recall Tim mentioning Xylitol specifically but he does recommend staying away from ALL sweeteners (‘natural’ or otherwise so that includes Stevia). There have been so many questions about sweeteners already that I’d be very surprised if he forget to mention one that was okay to use.
Hey David, thanks for the input. Tim doesn’t say to stay away from ALL sweeteners. Aspartame and Stevia are OK in limited quantities. Being that Xylitol is relatively new and not yet as popular as Stevia or some other artificial sweeteners, I thought I’d ask to make sure. If Xylitol is on equal footing (from a slow carb standpoint) with either Aspartame or Stevia I’d be thrilled because it has a more natural flavor than either of those. I can make do, however, with the other two alternatives if need be. I only use a packet of sweetener each morning in my coffee so it’s not like I want an approval to go hog wild with sweetener. Have a great day!
John
P.S. lost 6 lbs in 8 days…woo hoo!
Hi John, I was referring to Tim’s tweet on Jan. 21st:
“A reminder to eliminate sweeteners, including stevia and — perhaps most damaging — agave nectar: http://su.pr/5sRK4R”
I think the confusion stems from him mentioning his Diet Coke addiction (which has aspartame in it) in the book and writing that he found that 16 ounces or less didn’t interfere with fat loss. I’m guessing he later figured that other people might not be so lucky?
Two other tidbits I have. The store brand vanilla extract I buy has corn syrup in the ingredients list. It’s one of three…I guess I need to find another brand or type of vanilla extract! Shouldn’t be adding that in my coffee or anything else! Also, is golden flax seed OK? I know you use flax oil in your slow carb breakfast but I wanted to make sure that ground flax seed is OK. I have used ground flax seed and spices to bread chicken and bake with olive oil. Comes out great!
2 things – I assume unsweetened almong milk is OK to make the protein shake (mine has no sugar and no starches)?
Also, I posted earlier how sometimes it is difficult for me to eat lentils in the am (and I am not a bean fan except for garbanzos). I have found the solution that works for me – I buy red lentils. i find them much nuttier than any other lentils. They cook quickly and are great if you like to add Indian spices. I toast them first (with a drop of grape seed oil) and then add water to keep them somewhat moist but I never cover them with water. I add a tiny bit of water at a time as needed and take them off the burner when cooked al dente. I find that cooked that way, it is easier to eat for breakfast. They almost have a “cereal” quality then.
Athletic Greens raised my thyroid level from normal level to a level or palpitations. I used it as directed. Why would this happen? I was hospitalized because of this and it scared me in such a way I don’t think I could ever use supplements again.
JB
Whoa JB. I am very sorry to hear about your close call.
Active Greens is a company run by people who love their families [and their customers I would guess]. You should be more careful not to mistake correlation with causation. I do not profess to know anything about the truth in your case, I have never even tried athletic greens myself but a bald assertion in an influential public forum like this one can have a real negative effect on good people you do not know.
Respectfully
Etienne Taylor
Clinical Trial Select, Inc.
Agreed with Etienne. I’m very sorry to hear about the hospitalization, JB, but I suspect there are other factors that contributed. As Etienne said, do not mistake correlation with causation.
In any case, please consult a doctor before taking any supplements or making dietary changes in the future.
All the best,
Charlie
hey tim i just saw your video of unboxing items at your house and saw the drink entropy and the meal replacement primal fuel. the powder gets me really excited because like a lot of others, i have struggeled to get meals in at the right time especially in the morning. so i really hope you can get back to me on this board or in an email but will this meal replacement work adequetely on this diet? and also what about entropy? it sounds great but i dont know if i can have it. i would really appreciate a response. thanks tim
-tucker
Does anyone know why Tim recommends taking the Policosanol (the ‘P’ in PAGG) just before bedtime? Is is just because he is, besides the fat loss side effect, also after the cholesterol lowering effect? Or does one go with the other (no cholesterol lowering = no fat loss side effect)?
I’m asking because I have quite a big container of an expensive greens supplement (Active Greens) still on my shelf which contains (to my surprise!) 30mg of Policosanol complex but also 50mg of Green Tea extract which makes it probably more suitable to take it in the morning.
Cheers,
David
Hi, you say eat within 1 hour after waking up (30 min is even better). I like to work out in the morning. Which is better:
Wake up and have coffee
workout
eat (this will be 1.5 hours after waking)
OR
wake up and have coffee
eat within 30 minutes
workout at least an hour later
I prefer the first option so I don’t have to worry about food sloshing around in my stomach, but is option 2 better for fat loss?
Thank you!
With great respect (and I mean that), I’ve thought long and hard about posting this, so please take this as a constructive critique, rather than a rant – which it certainly is not. But I was a little annoyed by your post, and a sense I got from it, that you were tired of so many questions, and told everyone off for not experimenting on their own. So I just want to point a few things out :
1) The book wasn’t called “The 4 Hour Body : Here’s what I did, work out on your own what works for you”.
The book made some amazing claims, and gave some very specific instructions as to how to achieve the same results.
2) The people who are asking you questions are the same people (like me) you called upon months ago for extra information for your book, and the people who helped you artificially inflate your sales (I bought 5 copies), bought your FHWW (I bought the first and most recent version), read your blog regularly, contributed to your community answering questions of other readers, and who have promoted your books pationately to their friends and family (I must have offered strong recommendations to getting on for 100 people by now). Be careful about APPEARING to turn your back on those people a little once you don’t need them. I’m sure this isn’t the case, but it could come off like that if you’re not careful.
3) You publish a blog, which you point people to from the book. The book was released amidst an explosion of PR and marketing. Presumably a great side effect (I’m not knocking this) of that, is the increased popularity of your blog, which you can wield for your own wicked (notice the mood-lighting joke! 🙂 ) ends, as you see fit on your next venture. I think you need to be careful about your slight complaint about getting what you wished for (noteably the hype and activity on your blog).
Why am I compelled to write this?
Myself and my girlfriend have been doing your slow carb diet for 6 weeks. In the first week the “weight” fell off – about 6lb each. Second week, wasn’t bad either, about 4lb each. Then each week after that has been about 1lb or nothing. Worse than this, the tape measure has been showing almost no change at all in me, and I’m convinced I’m shedding muscle rather than fat, and our intial loss was water just like many diets. My GF has lost a few inches, but no more than you would expect on a more traditional diet.
I’ve posted a few unansewred questions – I accept you can’t duplicate yourself repeatedly, but you’ve had time to promote the book to new customers, and to write new blogs about unrelated topics, leaving some of us feeling a little used for all the help we offered and then swept under the carpet once we need some help in return. A little melodramatic, but I hope you can understand, at least a little, how that could look / feel. You threw yourself at our mercy, and now almost seem to be discarding those who are doing the same.
I’ve had bloodwork, and all was normal. I have been 100% diligent (and I mean that) not to eat any of the forbidden food.. only eat organic meat and veg now. Only cook with organic butter. If it’s beef, it’s organic grass fed beef. If it’s eggs, it’s organic, freerange eggs. We cook everything ourselves to ensure it’s exactly what we want. Eat a protein rich breakfast within 30 mins of waking up and drink between 3 and 4 ltrs of evian a day. We’re getting 8+ hours a night sleep, and I’ve given up coffee (as I don’t like it without milk or sugar). The vast majority of meals are much larger than normal, dominated by expensive, high quality protein, plus legumes and fists of steamed veg. The remaining few meals may omit the legumes, but go overboard (as suggested in your book) on extra veg, and a little more protein.
We don’t take ANY sweateners of any kind, don’t drink calories of any kind. Don’t use any cream-based sauces, and don’t even use non-organic stock cubes.
On Saturdays, we go carb-crazy, and have a great time. Usually putting on about 4 – 5lbs for the next morning, which is always gone by about Wednesday.
We take our measurements every wednesday morning, after morning poo!
I even bought an Intelametrix ultra sound device to track my bodyfat incase I’m just missing something in the measurements. Sadly in two weeks it’s showing no improvement in body fat %, and it even looks worse in some areas. I’ve now ordered PAGG to see if that will help!
I appreciate I could well be doing something wrong, which is restricting the fat loss but I would just appreciate a bit of help to work out what that is.
Example meal plan :
Breakfast :
three egg (one yolk) omelete with onions, garlic, tomato, capsicum, and harricot beans. Fried with a bit of butter.
Lunch :
Either
a) Homemade Chilli Con Carne with extra kidney beans, and four – five big dollops of homemade guacamole.
b) If eating out (only thing which is almost certainly not organic) Two chicken breasts on the bone with skin on, plus extra cabbage, leeks and peas, plus scallops with a tomato and rocket salad, with olive oil and balsamic dressing.
Evening meal :
Either
a) Homemade spanish chicken with tomato based sauce, onions, and half a heaped plate-full of green beg like broccoli.
b) Chilli as above, but also with loads of veg.
c) Steamed line-caught organic salmon, with loads of vegetables and a lemon based dressing.
Cheat Day :
Breakfast :
a) Continental breakfast (white bread, croisants, jam, etc)
b) Fried English Breakfast (sausage, fried bread, baked beans, bacon, etc)
Lunch :
a) Wagamamas feast
b) KFC or other junk
c) long lazy lunch at restaurante with wine, pudding, etc.
Dinner :
(usually feeling pretty rough by now)
a) pizza
b) homemade curry with white rice
c) take away chinese or curry
–
I’m very sorry if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick, but in my businesses I am a firm believe in everyone giving me hard, cold feedback, so I can address how things are PERCEIVED, whether they are accurate or not. I am pretty sure you’ll have a similar attitude. I may have gotten this wrong, but I’m giving you honest feedback as to how it’s coming across (to me at least).
Thank you for any help you can give me, and if you don’t have the time, that’s just how it is, and I’ll respect that and move on.
Hey Simon,
I’m Charlie, Tim’s assistant. First off, thanks for the feedback. I can definitely see how that part of the post could be read as him being irritated and telling everyone to buzz off. As you suggested, though, this isn’t the case. Tim has zero issues with questions about the diet. He does, however, have an issue with those who ask questions where the respective answer lies in the very chapter they just read. Those questions are frustrating because they stem from laziness, not curiosity. If it had been a handful of times that this happened, it would be totally fine. But this happens dozens of times each day on the blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Hopefully you can understand that — even on this post with nearly 1,000 comments — we still read every comment and try to respond wherever we can add value.
In any case, I’m sorry you felt burned by this post and appreciate that you reached out. I hope you eventually attain your desired results with the diet. You didn’t indicate what your body fat % is or any other details to assess your overall health, so it’s tough to say whether the diet has truly reached its limitations or not.
Best,
Charlie
Hi Simon,
I’ve only been on the slow carb diet for 3 weeks now and I read and re-read the “Subtracting Fat” Chapter. Each time I read it, I take something new from it and if something isn’t working for me, I try to change it up.
Check out, Rule #4 on page 74 of The 4-Hour body. Just from reading your comment, I noticed that you eat a lot of tomatoe based meals and have large portions of guacamole. These fruits, are allowed on the diet, however in moderation. Try cutting the portions in half, or limit to 1 meal a day. I hope this helps!
@charlie & @simon I completeley understand. I think there just needs to better organization maybe specifically on the SCD broken down into food, supplents,and spices, (by supplements i refer to protien option, the PAGG and extracts of tea and garlic, and athletic greans) I like the forum about 100 people paying like ten bucks a month to join. I been reading the book, I studied actually; taking notes and reading the sections in groups like Tim suggest. Still have question and was nervous when I found out there was errors in the measurments. Charlie you seam to be doing your best at answering questions maybe you need some help like another assistant might be needed later. Of course these are just thoughts. I spent hours reviewing the Tim’s blog following him on twitter and facebook . Three hours this morning looking at questions that tim has answered and found out that you were also knowledgable to answer and searched for yours as well.
Simon,
You are obviously very serious about this book, ad I agree with you. As Charlie said however, you shouldn’t take Tim’s comment personally. I’ve been following this thread for a week now, and see a lot of questions that are right there in the chapter. At first I tried to re-answer some of those questions, but what’s the point? Most of the answers are in the book.
I think the other point is that we really should be experimenting. There are lots of ideas out there, and maybe bringing in some of those would have a better effect for you.
I’ve also noticed that sometimes that things have to “kick in”. I think Tim even mentioned this, especially will people over 40. Maybe you’ll hit your stride in week 7!
First, thank you very much to both Charlie, and Jeff for a) taking the time to reply, and b) taking my post the way it was intended.
Charlie,
Thank you. I 100% understand the concept of people asking things which you’ve already answered 10 times with the response “It’s in the book, you just didn’t read it”. And I also appreciate that this would have been draining. So fair enough.
Without dragging the point out, which I also appreciate you acknowledging, I’ll move on, as I couldn’t ask for more than your response, so thanks.
In terms of your comment re current fat %, I’m currently running a hefty 30% and 243lbs (Started at about 247, about 6 weeks ago). So I would expect at least 40 – 50lbs to come off before any plateaux, based on my reading.
Since this post, I’ve thought about more comprehensive blood testing. Will read the book again to see if there are specifics on what to actually get tested for, and if not, will seek advice on that.
I also haven’t start training yet, as want to test with and without, so am considering doing the training for 4 weeks, and monitor, before starting the PAGG.
Thanks also Jeff. I really appreciate your comment. I’m 37, so I also considered Tim’s comment about older people. My GF is much younger though.
I am convinced it’s something we’re doing wrong, but having read the relevant chapters a number of times, followed this blog closely, monitored with Intelametrix, and been as diligent as I can, I am yet to work out what it is.
I have no problem with serious hard work, commitment and will power – I just like to know I’m putting effort into something that’s going to work.
Thanks again guys.
Simon,
I’m glad if I can lend any encouragement. You seem committed to finding the answers, so I’m sure you will!
Simon,
I just skimmed your meals, but a few things stand out – tomatoes, onions, guac – all can be ok I guess, but I try to limit all of these. Sugar in the first two, and guac is just heavy, heavy with richness/calories. I would pull that down to 3 per week, I eat it mostly b/c potassium, not because I’m craving it really. Finally, although your meals sound wonderful and you clearly love to cook, simplicity is key. The diet (or way of eating, whatev) is not supposed to be fun. I stick to the same meals all the time, very simple, hunk of chicken, black beans, broccoli, cauli, eggs. That is pretty much it. I don’t eat for enjoyment, except Saturdays. I’ve never been all that food focused personally anyway, so it’s not too hard. Just my thoughts, understand your frustration, you clearly are trying to do this perfectly. Good luck.
Thanks again Jeff.
Cynthia, thank you very much for an interesting perspective, and possible idea.
I think this is a key example of what I’m trying to get clarification on. If the rules of the diet are not a simple as stated in the book, then it would be great to get at least an opinion from Tim, as to whether your suggested approach sounds like it has a good chance of working.
For instance, in the book, Tim suggests limiting Avocado to one meal a day, which is what I do, but you suggest three times a week. He also talks about extra large portions of Guacamole, which sounds like over consumption in one hit, rather than careful limitation.
As my original post. Some clarification would be very much appreciated, and thanks again for you post.
Aloha Simon
Obviously you are dedicated to this. But, it is my opinion that Cynthia is correct about making your meals too complicated. Tim was very specific in his book that you wanted to have a simple meal plan that you could repeat over and over again.
Your meal plan sounds elaborate – can I come over for dinner? I too would suggest that you follow his meal plan to the letter. I am in the same boat as you and ive lost over 25lbs in 6 weeks.
The thing is when you have a lot of weight to lose it is called a diet and it is not supposed to be a walk in the park or following the same principals one would when you are trying to maintain your weight. The first one is unpleasant no matter how you slice it, the second one maintaining your weight is enjoyable in comparison.
It reminds me of when my Father explained to me the difference between work and play; play is always supposed to be fun, not so with work.
Good luck to you and remember simplicity always rules
Hi Again guys.
As you can see from Tim’s latest post. There doesn’t seem to be any need to keep the diet boring / monotonous.
I understood Tim’s comment about using the same few meals as a means of avoiding non-compliance, rather than to create optimal results. Eg. If you can’t find anything to eat, and nothing’s cooked, you might end up order take away.
–
An update
I just got back from a four-day business trip where it was basically impossible to stick to the diet. I didn’t eat a lot, but most of what I ate was rubbish (with starches, etc).
Interestingly, within two day of getting back, my weight returned to pre-trip, and I’ve dropped about half an inch here and there!?!? Work that one out!
Starting to wonder whether I’m just not eating enough.
But, have started lemon juice and cinamon before every meal, and have reduced the amount of butter I use for cooking to almost nothing. Will see how it goes and report back.
Hi,
I’m a 28 yr. old female. I’ve been doing this diet for 4 weeks,lost inches steadily but then this week I gained an inch on my TI. I added the kettlebell swings 3 days a week starting last week along with my few-times-a-week treadmill excercise. I eat legumes,lean protein,oil and vegetables only and follow the guidelines on my cheat day. (Sat.) I’ll keep at it but I’m discouraged. Has this happened to anyone else??
Hi Becky,
Are you measuring everything?
Check your weight/bodyfat/water/inches.
I have a scale that throws in some maths to get muscle mass too ($30)
You’ve probably put on some muscle 🙂
Cheers
@Becky James, I noticed you said this…
“I gained an inch on my TI. I added the kettlebell swings 3 days a week starting last week”
I’m not sure what TI is, but I will share my experience. I gain bulkage immediately upon non-targeted weights. For example, I did the side to side/abs rotator machine at the gym a few months ago 1x/week. Sure enough, a few weeks later I was wondering why my tummy was bigger! I swim, & my shoulders get bigger. I do squats, & my abs get bigger.
Maybe go back to the treadmill for a couple weeks to see if there is correlation between the KBs & the inches gain, & then you can pace how often to add the KBs back in…?
Now I do targeted weights (bis, tris, quads, hamstrings, adductor, abductor) & I walk a lot. I also bought the Kettlebell, 10 lbs, upon Tim’s suggestion. I use it 1x or 2x/week. But I fully expect if I used it frequently I would get something else (bigger abs) along with a deluxe posterior!
Fun article (with some research reference) about Scottish Showers (cold)
Looks like it does more that boost metabolism.
Enjoy
http://bit.ly/6QoXyn
I am enjoying following the the slow carb diet. I am however a little confused with the exercises. Do I need to follow the progression of “Building the Perfect Posterior” then “From Geek to Freak” then “Occam’s Protocol 1 and 2”? Does it matter?
In addition, in the “From Geek to Freak” section, are taking all of the supplements necessary? If yes, how do you include that in the Slow-carb diet?
I appreciate all feedback and comments.
The ratio of good questions to ignorant ones here is getting staggering!
I’m not even DONE reading 4HB. I’m about a third of the way through (and am taking Tim’s suggestion of not reading it ‘in-order’.) I know the answer to most of the questions asked within the past 48 hours.
It’s all in the freaking BOOK, people. Sounds like a bunch of the slow-carb-ers here just read Tim’s blog about the diet and never bought the book.
Read. The. Book. It’s absolutely worth the money. Do it. Stop badgering Tim with questions that just prove you’ve been sleeping through class.
What a fantastic comment. +10 points for Alex.
I concur! Best Wishes to you,~Bethany
Alex…you are spot on! Although the purpose the blog is to collaborate ideas and answer questions….I find myself why people haven’t bought the book?……step up people guaranteed to lose 1 lb for every dollar you spend….if you go with the slow carb portion.
heehee (Please allow me one chortle)
Good article discussing sugars. Personal experience – same exact food two days in a row, one day w/diet-coke. Diet coke day much more hunger – not the kind that can be statisfied…
http://bit.ly/idlO8t
whoops that would be ‘satisfied’! =)
For Tim,
On pages 516-517 you mention how you seem to have a lot of mercury in your system that you can’t get rid of, I think it was in reference to why you are eating Brazil nuts for their Selenium.
And in an early part of your book you mention how Tuna and Lentils is one of your favorite foods.
My understanding — because Tuna is on the top of the food chain — that it has way more Mercury than acceptable and should not be consumed too often, if at all. Maybe that is why you have high Mercury levels in your blood.
googling “mercury in tuna EPA FDA” can bring back some useful info.
I’m a canned Wild Alaskan salmon sort of guy. Put dill wee on it to take out the “low tide” taste. Oh, and always lemon juice. Hope I am helping someone.
all the stores seem to be sold out of policosinol 20mg. Even my online supplier says they are out of stock. Someone must be reading this book! 😉
Some people posting here are saying NO SOY and referencing page 523 of the book, but on page 72 of the book, soybeans are listed under legumes as one of the foods you can eat as much of as you want…
which is why I am confused about using Silk brand creamer in my coffee in the morning… I thought lactose was the thing to worry about and why Tim suggests not eating dairy? Silk creamer is made from soy, but has no lactose…
If Silk/soymilk is no good on this diet, is almond milk or coconut milk/creamer ok? I see Tim references using these with protein powders on page 524…
I am confused based on the above references from the book… Anyone know the answer??
@KW:
As regards to soy: I think there is a BIG difference between processed soy products (like soy milk) and actual soybeans.
Also, Tim writes about protein powder shakes in the muscle gain chapters (Geek to Freak / Occam’s Protocol). Don’t confuse the information in there with that in the fat loss chapters! They are basically two completely seperate programs with different ‘rules’ (even though he still recommends a lot of the same foods).
I has been a while since I have used it, but if I remember silk cream has A LOT of sugar.
If you can try to use whole cream (all fat, no milk sugar).
Or best of all just cinnamon (this is my goal – still using cream)
Tim does also suggest using unsweetened whey.
Best of luck!
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert.html
soy should only be eaten in a fermented form, legumes should be prepared properly by long soaking and rinsing prior to cooking
Has anyone noticed very strong smelling urine from the PAGG? I’m sure it’s the garlic but a definite difference since starting the PAGG.
Hey Everyone,
I’m loving the 4 hour body and it’s proving to be an absolutely invaluable tool. This is a clarification/question I have about the Slow Carb Diet. I’ve been using spices in my cooking and have noticed that they have rice flour in most of them. Would this be detrimental to fat loss?
Thanks,
Marcus
Tim
Just wanted to comment…..awesome book. If you haven’t bought it yet and you are reading this, go buy it now! Download it from amazon, you can have it in 5 minutes.
I’ve read the book once, but I’ve read the slow carb portion 4 times. I consider this blog a great resource for tips and creative ideas to improve my success.
It’s been 6 weeks and I am down….36 lbs…thanks Tim you are the man
John- That is amazing!! 36 Pounds in 6 weeks. Congrats!! Did you follow the diet to a T or did you add some of your own elements or do PAGG or the ice baths? Would love to see some sort of success story and tracking from you since you had such great results. Maybe do a blog or something. I bet people would love that. Anyhoo, congrats again 🙂
I wish I had better tracking, but I don’t. I have never dieted, but I figured i would give this a shot because I was a big fan of tim’s first book.
But I have lost 36 pounds and I am on week 7 right now. I followed the diet strictly and have been doing very moderate workouts two to three times a week. I did start at 298 so I think being heavy allowed me to lose a lot of weight quickly.
I was not sure how long i was going to make it, because I just couldn’t imagine not eating all those carbs that I loved. But it really has been really easy. All the new energy I have is a far better trade off.
I’ve lost at least 6 inches off my waist, but it has to be more but i didn’t measure initially. Same thing on the body fat, I have never measured, but wish I did.
My boosted energy and my weight over the first week 10 lbs, really kept me motivated to continue. Ive been on pagg for 4 weeks, and only added it because i seemed to plautea at about 24 pound.
Anyway let me know if you have anymore questions.
Im getting further convinced its all about the blood sugar. Witness: for the first time in my life I only ate 1/2 a chef salad, BTW I only had the good parts, and took the rest home to eat for lunch the next day. Im coming up on my second cheat sunday. I just started the supplements this week. Im measuring anything but I’m judging my results by the tightness of my jeans. I bought a new fat pair of jeans just before I started. They were a size 42. I thought I was wearing a size 42. Im wearing a size 38. So much for body image vs size. I did have trouble sleeping the first night on the supplements and I just realized I forgot to take them before dinner. All in all ok. Friday I am traveling to the east coast. will take my food with me. I wonder if I will get busted for more then 4 oz of beans?
Tim, thanks for the fantastic books. Wish I had found 4HWW when it was first published. I am doing the slow carb diet (on my second week, down 8lbs). Can Chia seeds fit into the eating plan or should I Stop. Great health benefits all I have read (especialy in Born to Run, another great book) but I want to make sure I am maximizing the outcome. Thanks again, recommending your work to those I care about.
Miles, (Rose)
I reckon on this diet, we are all “full of beans” and airport security may be subject to multiple”gas” attacks given the popularity of the book.
Re: Details about diet. I have the hardbound book – but found the index frustrating and have now also purchased the e-book. I have it on my computer using the free Kindle app. As someone else suggested, it has a great search feature and I can look up many of my questions. As a female baby boomer who has yo-yo’d many times, my weight loss on this plan is much slower than many others have enjoyed. But, a pound a week is still weighing less each week – I feel fine and am not hungry!
Jeni,
The Kindle version is really the way to go. I was amazed when I first saw a hardbound copy. It’s so big compared to mine! 🙂
I think the biggest statement you made is about how you feel. I’m doing SCD and Geek to Freak. I’m noticing some physical changes and have lost a bit of weight, but a more looking to gain muscle. The biggest noticeable result right now, is that I feel great all the time, don’t feel like snacking, and really don’t feel much temptation to jump off, partly thanks to binge day. It’s a great experiment for me!
Tim,
First of all, thanks for the great book!
However, I’m having a ton of trouble finding a good Potassium supplement. All of the ones I find online are 2-3% RDA of Potassium, and I don’t really want to take 33-50 pills. What do you use? Or do you get it all through food?
Matt, the FDA limits potassium supplements to 99 grams of potassium so you wont find a legal one with more than that. However you can add NuSalt or other potassium salts instead of sodium salt to get more potassium in by eating. Getting it in via pills is expensive and a lot of pills. You can hit up google for potassium in foods and arrange that waybill you are concerned about your intake of it.
Hi Tim and Everyone,
My boyfriend and I have been on the 4HB for exactly one month (I posted on 10 Jan 2011).
So far, so good:
In total I have lost 5.2 kg’s (11.4 pounds) of weight (no exercise at all and no supplements – that pure slow carb diet!)
Lost 4.5% body fat
My body water is up 3.3%
Muscle mass increased 1.5%
Total inches lost: 7.7″
Whoohoo!
My boyfriends lost 4 kg’s as well, but is packing on the muscle, and finally sleeping great.
Now we’re starting kettlebells which I’m sure will ratchet things up a notch!
Feeling great, motivated and loving life…
So – “My Body Redesign: A Journey to 60kg’s” is well on its way – only 17.1 kg’s to go!
Greetings from Lovely Cape Town!
Lisa
Hi All;
Thought I would share my dilemma today and hope to make the best of a bad situation.
I have been on the Slow Carb diet for (almost) a week. Tomorrow was to be my first binge day, but I woke up today with a really nasty cold/flu. I seldom get sick so I am assuming that my body is adjusting to the changes and my immunity is down a bit.
When I got up today, the thought of any high protein food made me sick to my stomach. I did get 2 eggs and some ice water down but that is it. As I sit here with a nasty sinus headache, a heavy chest (feels like somebody is sitting on it), a scratchy throat cough, and chills; all I could think about was Gatorade, orange juice, 7UP….I have decided to compromise with my cravings and eat oranges and grapefruit (rather than drinking emptier calories). If I feel like some substance later, I am going for chicken broth with beans. Also, I will not workout today.
As of yesterday, I had lost 4 lbs. I have not weighed today. I will report back as to how this works out (feel better or worse, gain or lose weight, etc).
Ok, so here is the update I promised:
Day 3 of the nasty flu. I thought I had kicked it yesterday but it came back stronger than ever over night. If anybody else gets this, just give up and go straight to the chicken noodle soup….the dog has been very happy to get a big helping of noodles after I drink the broth.
I can tell you that I have gained some weight back but I think I will drop it right away when I go back the SCD. I feel bloated and sluggish (even by flu system standards) but I have been eating processed over food and getting no exercise. I can’t wait to shake this and get back to good food.
I am sure most of you have already realized this, but once you get used to SCD food, everything else tastes like crap!
Anybody have any experience brewing their own kombucha? I just drank my first bottle today and really like it! I’m more the homebrewer type though and see that there are resources out there. Just thought somebody might have a favorite site or recipe.
Thanks!
JeffW
I am unsure if Alex’s rather edgy comment about stupid questions was aimed at me with my repeatedly unanswered question about Xylitol as a sweetener but let me go into a little more detail. I bought the hardback book for $24.99 at Barnes and Noble so I HAVE purchased the book. I have also read Slow Carb 1 and 2, four horsemen and damage control several times each. Maybe my reading comprehension is down (although it’s usually quite high) in this case but what I gleaned from the reading Ihave done was that sweeteners are ACCEPTABLE in small quantities and low frequency and if one is to ingest those sweeteners it should only be Stevia or Aspartame. Now, I stumbled onto Xylitol (Ideal) a few months back but it’s very new and not yet as popular as Stevia. It has been compared very closely to Stevia since it is plant derived. I am sorry to keep asking this question but I think it deserves an answer. Thanks for bearing with me.
Maybe the answer to this question is found in other chapters and if so, I apologize. I will try and squeeze in more chapters as time permits this weekend.
BTW, I found organic vanilla extract does NOT contain the corn syrup I mentioned previously that I found in regular store bought varieties such as the supermarket house brand or McCormick, for example. Great news there! Thanks again Tim for a great eating plan and VERY interesting book. We’re down 6 lbs and averaging about a pound every other day.
John
John
I think your question about Xylitol is valid. I didn’t see it in the reading. It is really new, and that might be the problem. There might not be a good answer yet.
I’m curious what you’re using the sweetener for. Coffee? Can you cut it? I’m coming from the perspective that pretty much anything food companies put out (and especially artificial, highly concentrated compounds such as aspartame) are poison.
My thought is that if you can do with out, it’s better. It makes binge day all the better for it!
Hey Jeff,
Thanks for the reply. I am using it solely for coffee sweetener. 2 packets along with a little cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of heavy cream (as advised in the book). My wife and I could use Stevia but since Xylitol has a more natural taste and is plant derived we prefer it. Let me post a link to the review I was reading. The cons don’t affect me for what I want to use it for:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Xylitol-vs-Stevia-The-Pros-and-Cons
Have a good one!
John,
If it works for you and doesn’t have a detrimental effect on the program, sounds good! I have no sympathy however. I’ve been a black coffee drinker all my life. Even adding cinnamon for the positive effect is a bit nasty to me.
Hi John,
I haven’t read noticed Alex’s comments but I read this article about sweeteners and found it very informative.
My biggest take-away from the article is the following quote
“that all sweet tastes raise insulin”
http://bit.ly/idlO8t
Hopefully you will find it helpful.
Hey John, just read your post about Xylitol. As others have suggested, better to eliminate sweeteners, but one interesting thing about xylitol is that is has antibacterial properties. My dentist recommended that I use a small amount in my coffee to reduce the possibility of tooth decay. So if it isn’t affecting your results, maybe one more good reason to use a little.
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they carry delicious natural vanilla. The stuff in the grocery store is typically Imitation Vanilla. Ick!
Ugh! I just found out that Ideal sweetener does contain xylitol but it has been discovered by a watchdog agency that the company who makes it has admitted that much of its sweetness comes from sucralose! AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHH!!! I still would like the Xylitol question answered but buyer beware for those who think they’re getting pure Xylitol with Ideal – you’re not! I have found some sweeteners that are pure xylitol and may try one.
Reference my earlier comment about food companies. They are not your friend. I’d be curious about the difference in sweetness between pure xylitol and the sucralose laced stuff.
*FOODIE WARNING* Tim is a caveman!*
For the love of all that is holly please do not put Cinnamon in your coffee. It belongs in your pre-meal lemon juice! (3 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 3 times a day, before each meal)
There is no reason this diet can’t be tasty. Just paint with the pallet you’ve got.
Tim specifically tells you to put cinnamon in your coffee. Also — which page talks about the lemon juice? I seem to have missed that part. Thanks!
I am not advocating the use of Xylitol, and I my mother-in-law uses the brand “Designs for Health” which was recommended by her Naturopath.
I have nothing to do with the company – but understand from her feedback it is a high quality product.
Best of luck
Hey Tim! Love the book! Sorry if you covered this but I am currently still nursing. I am concerned about removing dairy from the diet due to the decrease of Ca. If I chose to keep the dairy, would I expect a slower fat loss response or minimal to no loss? I can take a supplement but thought you may have an idea about it. I am a cheese junkie but will give it up if it interferes too much with my results.
Thanks,
Katie
Chocolate Heaven
(I posted it in the wrong place so i’m re-posting it)
this is my favourite drink for binge day:
– 250 ml Whipping Cream (don’t whip it, about 30% fat, got to love it!)
– 100 ml Whole fat milk
– 2 or 3 heaping tbsp of Demerara sugar
– 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
– 50 gr. of Organic cocoa butter (melt it into the warm milk)
Enjoy the soothing taste and feel it clog your vains like nothing you experienced before!! 😀
(sometimes, but thats because i’m a psycho, i melt some real butter into the mix from grass fed cows which is available everywhere in holland and good quality)
If the taste is too strong just add milk or reduce cocoa powder.
ps: i’m not liable for resulting addictions
ps2: in combination with Tim’s sex machine protocol this is also a real kicker 🙂
Anyone out there taking PAGG who is timing how far ahead of the meal they are taking the pills. I have just been taking the pills and then immediately eating, but maybe there needs to be a bigger gap of time so that the PAGG (AGG) is absorbed into the system……??
Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you.
I just bought the book and want to try out the Slow-Carb Diet. I don’t eat meat for ethical reasons. Can I use eggs as my source of protein for every meal?
pg 91 under Can I do this if i am a lacto-ovo vegitarian
Ok, can someone help me understand how if I lose 4lbs in a week then have a binge day only to gain it ALL back and then some how you can ever lose any real weight or inches?!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im in the middle of my third week and now weigh more than I did when I started! I am 42 and have two kids so I am hoping that it will kick in soon but am lossing motivation due to lack of any results!
Pandora,
In the book, Tim said that for women over 40 it can take a couple of weeks to work, maybe that is the problem?
The other suggestion I have is to check all of our food labels. There is sugar hidden in so many things. When I went to the store the other day, I was stocking up in beans and all but 3 types of beans had added sugar.
As for the binge, I have several friends who do the paleo diet and they binge weekly (maybe not as enthusiastically as Tim) but they find that it all passes through their bodies the next day. The theory is; as long as you are supplying your body with food, when you occasionally feed it crap, you r body will not hold onto it because it knows good food will be coming.
Good luck!
Pandora,
I would really encourage you to measure your body composition. Not just weight – it really can be a poor measurement of what is going on in your body.
I can’t remember where it is in the book – something about GPS I think. But please do that. I don’t want you to give up because the scale isn’t shifting!
Keep on keeping on!
I was in the same boat – total frustration!! I didn’t measure at first. After two weeks in I measured. Day after day no change on the scale – I analyzed, I upped water – no change and then I decided why don’t I check my measurements again – down 3.5 inches in one week and 9.5 in two – I am on target to lose another 2 this week. Sometimes the changes show where we don’t look. Good luck!
ON ULTRA-ENDURANCE: A Reader’s Experience, Update 1
Hi Tim and all other endurance interested people out there
I decided, next to asking questions every one in a while, post some updates on my own experiences with Tim’s proposed approach when it comes to endurance running. Since he left us with a cliff hanger and we don’t know yet when he might start posting his updates, I guess it can’t hurt if the running community posts updates for the other interested ones.
So here it goes:
The status quo before the training started:
33 year old male, 5′ 6”, 150 lbs
Shape: athletic, taking runing serious as a passion since early 2010 (first full road marathon in April 2010, since then a 25k and 30k mountain race plus the classic road marathon in Athens/Greece)
last real training period: Jan to April 2010 for first marathon, for the rest no training
So, why do I change from the usual training methods to Tim’s approach?
Mostly because I believe in Tim’s advices, i.e. in the advices of the people he interviewed, such as Joe DeFranco or Brian McKenzie, although I had never heard of them before. And: because the traditional trainings take up about 7-8 hours per week, time that I just can’t allocate, I have a life 🙂 Tim’s approach, from what I can see after about a week, indeed is more a 4 hour training week. When with the old plans I had to calculate with about 1,5 – 2 hours only for the long jogs (15-20k), now I am spending about 30 mins for the sprints or the 5k TT etc. That really is a big difference. But: of course the training is way more intense, at least the running part of it.
As just mentioned, I am only some days into the program and I am basically following Tim’s own plan which Brian came up with for him. I do think I can work with that as well.
The most difficult thing actually was to overcome this feeling of uncertainty. Not so much the uncertainty that I would waste time with Tim’s program, no. More the uncertain feeling of how my body would ‘react’ to this much more intensibe training. The solution: just go out and do it.
Another challenge: getting to know your body and knowing how to best define ‘all out’. Is that VOmax, is that heart beat, is that 95% of what you think you can give? Of course, you have to tackle a 5k TT in a different way than an 8x200m sprints exercise.
Anyway, I do have to say that I feel quite comfortable with the program so far, for what this statement is worth after 4 days into the new training. Today I had my first 5k TT and I set a time of 24 mins as maximum, I ended up at 22 mins 06 sec (avg speed 4:25 min/km, avg heart beat: 169 bpm). I have never measured my 5k time but I am quite pleased with the result, as my best 10k time (some while ago) was about 49 mins and I haven’t been able to break the 50 mins since a while (although I haven’t tried really hard since quite a while).
I also had to buy me a press bench in order to do most of the other (CrossFit) exercises.
So, I do feel comfortable that I am on a good road.
On 10 April I will have a full road marathon here in Greece (www.atgm.gr), then we’ll see. I had my goal set at 3:30h earlier on, not sure if the training will take me there. ‘Unfortunately’ I have scheduled also a 25k mountain race end of March (www.aethlos.gr) so that will affect the training, and might also have an affect on my marathon race two weeks later… But I just love running, especially on the mountains, so I couldn’t leave that one out, as it is really in the neighborhood.
So much for the time being, I will keep you updated. Hope it’s interesting.
Best regards from Greece,
David
——————————————————
We don’t stop running because we get old,
we get old because we stop running.
Another endurance post: I’m interested in your results, too… I’m trying to apply Tim’s methodology to training for my first full length triathlon (Ironman length, that is.) I’ve done two halves already, and the training takes SO much time, and as I have a budget (I’m poor) and a super busy extracurricular life (I’m a comedienne and writer/actress type, gotta do shows and record silly things) I *desperately* need an approach that’s more efficient. The good news is, I appear to “take” to endurance, so no matter what I think I’ll survive. But I want to actually *achieve*! I’m gonna post my results on my blog (at my website)… will be interesting. So if you find certain tricks or have tips, or an update on progress as contrasted to your previous experience, let me know. Also, I’m curious if you’re following and of 4HB’s food tips. I’m scared to go into training without bananas! Beware the bonk! I like SCD because it just seems smart to cut out sugar and stuff, but I feel like I should add bananas and sweet potatoes back in once I really start the running and stuff, while still being Paleo and avoiding the white stuffs. Also wondering about using fruit instead of Gu’s and Powerbars… that’ll be messy. But it’s exciting to experiment! Hah.
I’m currently trying out the SCD with pretty intense yoga classes everyday (1.5 hr) to improve strength and flexibility (hopefully will prevent injury). I did the Catalina Eco Marathon (tough ass trail course!) in late November (got second in my age range, what’s uuuup!), but haven’t started building my base since then, really. Figured I’d first drop a coupla Christmas pounds before getting heavy into my endurance training. I’m already seeing a pretty significant change in frame (not relying on the scale too much, going off pictures and jeans) and have evidently lost a couple pounds, but soon I’ve got to get back in the pool and back on the bike and back on the trail, so pure SCD can’t last forever. Like I said, I’m gonna keep track of it on my website, and I’d like to hear from any other endurance folks who are doing this experiment too! (Esp triathletes!) We can swap stories and advice. (I did like that SCD protein bar recipe, for example.) First race coming up fast is the heinous long course at Wildflower around May 1. It’s gonna suck. But we’ll see.
nik
Hi Tim,
I feel so lucky to have started reading your book. I knew within about 30 minutes that I wanted to commit to it, because it acted as a confirmation of exactly what I already felt in my gut was the best way to eat. (Well, with one huge exception, binging lol).
Someone earlier commented on your generosity with regards to the information and contributions in so many forms of media that you make. I want to echo that very strongly because it’s rare and it’s a real treasure!
To me your book says:
1. Don’t eat crap (that makes you feel bad in the end anyway)
2. Do eat nutritious, whole foods
3. Don’t eat sugar
4. Do drink lots of water
It adds a few things I would never have considered per se:
1. Binge! (once per week)
2. Don’t eat fruit
3. Ice packs on my back (and stuff like that 🙂
And it adds up to something that makes so much sense and which gives me so much inspiration because I know it is going to work.
—————————————
Two small anecdotes:
1. I spent some of the first day a little worried about certain nutrients etc. that this “diet” (to me it’s not a diet) might cause me to lack. The funny part is, I then realized hmmm: where exactly did I think I was getting those nutrients from before? Surely it was not cookies, or cheeseburgers and beer, or bagels, or french fries? 🙂 — Clearly, I am eating far better than I had been before! (That said, I’m mindful that there certainly could be things I’m not getting anymore, but the point is still the same)
2. Uh, er, I know I must be missing something obvious but….I don’t get the “4 hour” part lol! I don’t see it anywhere, at all. Maybe I didn’t read far enough, since I took your advice and am acting for a while before I read more. But still, I felt kind of silly that your biggest fan Barbara “I’m going to stick rabidly to my preconceived notions” Walters seemed to at least be aware that that was part of what you were saying, and yet I could not identify any of the hours 🙂
Two small questions:
1. By not reading further I think I did miss two important things which are: Have some grapefruit juice before, and also do the air squats after a binge. Now, I’ve not binged yet (looking forward to it lol), but I assume you think it would be valuable to do these things after EACH time I eat during a binge day? Any clarification would be appreciated
2. Another on the binge. Do you feel the 7th day schedule is absolutely critical, or as an example: If I chose Saturday, but in two weeks I’m going to be somewhere Monday that I would love to use my binge day, could shift my binge day to Sunday the next week and then Monday the week after, in order to “hit” the right day? Basically, is it OK if it’s 6, 7 or 8 to accomplish this or is that 7th day really critical.
Thank you so much for everything you are doing!
DaveR
Hi everyone,
I am enjoying and learning from your comments. I have a few questions. Does it matter which day is the day off from PAGG/AGG? I am assuming it is not supposed to be the cheat day since Tim reports taking them on his cheat day. Also, anybody have any feedback re use of Hemp Hearts?
Charlie,
Nancy posted a good question that I haven’t seen answered yet. On page 117, Tim says regarding PAGG:
“This dosing schedule is followed six days a week. Take one day off each week and one week off every two months. This week off is critical.”
Nancy asks: Does it matter which day is the day off from PAGG/AGG? I am assuming it is not supposed to be the cheat day since Tim reports taking them on his cheat day.
She is referring to page 104, where Tim says regarding cheat day:
“If I’m going whole hog, I will have another PAGG dose upon waking”
I have been taking AGG/PAGG every day for 6 weeks because I didn’t read carefully enough and have taken no days off. Luckily, there has been no negative impact and have lost 12 pounds with limited exercise.
To summarize, the questions are:
(1) Does it matter which day to skip P/AGG? Is Cheat Day the recommended day?
(2) I am coming close to 2 months and am wondering why he says taking a week off P/AGG is “critical”? I have not seen this more fully discussed in the book or blog.
Thanks!
Hi Tim,
I was wondering if, in all your testing, you came across any lesser known cures for hair loss. I’m a 22-yr-old male and hate to see myself loosing my hair at such a young age.
It would make a great addendum to the 4HB as many men struggle with it.
I’m a big fan of all your works. I’ve been using your “body experimentation” method on myself but haven’t been doing any particular regime for long enough to see much results or have good data. Please help.
Thanks.
Starting the slow-carb diet on Monday, and I got a 50 lb. kettlebell and all my PAGG stuff yesterday. Can’t wait to get all thin and muscly.
A quick question for everyone: How does corn (and corn meal) fit into the slow-carb diet? Can you have corn tortillas, and more importantly, tamales? I would eat tamales constantly if I could get away with it. So delicious.
Now a quick tip for everyone: next time you’re grinding your coffee beans, throw some red pepper flakes into the grinder. It’s delicious, easy, a real eye-opener, and fits in perfectly with the diet. My roommates just about flipped out when I discovered it. You could throw in cinnamon in there, too.
Best of luck everyone, and thanks Tim for writing this book!
This has been the best diet ever ! I’ve been dieting off and on for nearly 40 years and I’ve seen better results and felt better than anything else ! I’ve purchased the book for 2 friends and one family member, too!
I do have a question about the AM protein. I cannot eat within 2 hours of waking up – I just cant do it. I’ve been making chocolate or vanilla whey protein shakes as soon as I wake up, during exercise. Am I supposed to be using non flavored whey protein powder? (googling it asap).
Thanks! I’ll post my results !
Lisa
Your parents must be very proud! I have seen many opinions of you, but I just see a guy who took an interest in life and turned into something that people want. You interest me greatly because you seem more interested in life than soooo many people I see. You are my reminder today to tell my 14 year old son to follow his dreams, give it your best work and I will support him 100%. Thanks, Tim!
Wrap your golden pill in some Weight Watcher points if you seem to be stalling. You should be dropping 2lbs a week after the first couple of weeks. The sky is the limit the first week or two. You CAN eat too much. Trust me.
I love tim’s books and his blogs. I plan to use pieces here and there to improve on my already very effective journey into muscle gain and weight loss. I can’t put the book down and I have everyone at work looking at chapters. Vegetarian triathelete boss. Russian co-worder with high chlorestrol. gluten free young lady that is going wild about black bean brownies with no flour.
I am having the time of my life with my low carb high fat tons of protein rep to failure grunt and groan weight lifting program but my fastest gains always occur at the same time I watch that it is inside my Weight Watcher points system. Weight Watchers has a cheat day — you get 49 extra points a week to splurge. The cheat day concept is not a new concept. I found I could easily eat enough sat fat and protein on regular days to gain weight. I bought a food scale and it really helped.
Anyway, believe me or not, but for sure quit nit picking over sweetener’s yay/nay and what the heck to put or not put in your coffee. You leave those things alone — especially if you are embarking on this huge journey that requires a complete social and emotional change and commitment. You think changing your sweetener is going to do anything? Or how you drink your coffee? You have not gotten serious yet. Giggle all day about how you are going to cheat. But when you still don’t lose weight (one reason is you think you don’t need to exercise), wrap it in the points system. It’s been around a lot longer and takes into account your age. Get real, go slow, there are no miracles.
I am so excited by this diet… or better yet, lifestyle change! I started the diet 11 days ago and I’ve lost exactly 11lbs. I love that I get a day off to eat whatever, so I never feel like I am depriving myself of food I love. I have no idea why I never thought of that! I feel better than I have in years! I have so much more energy since i started eating healthy. Because I’m not a meat eater (other than fish), I generally over indulged in carbs. My first binge day made me feel a bit sick even though I chose not to go overboard. I think that was how I had been feeling before starting the diet…. tired, queezy, sluggish. I don’t think I was eating enough protein prior to this diet, which explains why I seemed to always feel hungry. Now that I eat a lot of protein, I feel full all the time. I really am impressed. I committed to a 1 month experiment, but I plan to continue far beyond that. I feel too good to stop, and I plan to step up my game next month by adding some exercise (besides the air squats). I’ve always accomplished everything I focused on in life, with one exception- my weight. I have been dieting my whole life (I am 40 with a teenage son and twin 10 yr olds), and this is the first time I am accomplishing healthy weight lost. BTW… I love cinnamon in my coffee.
As a side note, I am not following the diet exact (though pretty close)…. imagine if I did!!! It works 4 sure. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Congratulations, Wendy 🙂
I have been on the Slow Carb Diet for about 2 weeks with decent visual results (some self sabotage has probably slowed the possible results quite a bit). I’ve just gotten the first two Occam’s Protocol workouts done also with promissing beginning results. Today I started PAGG. I see quite a few comments on the Green Tea Extract, but not one that addresses dosage. I have the one you mention you are taking in the book, Tim. It has a recommended dosage of 1 capsule per day and in bold to not exceed the recommended dosage. The current PAGG (adjusted) would have me taking 3 to get the 975mg of EGCG. That would come along with 2100mg of polyphenols. Is that still the correct dosage according to your experiments? Other than trying to cover their butts, why are the manufacturers drawing the line at 1 per day so stringently? I’m going to go google polyphenols now to get more details, but if someone here has the answers already, please chime in.
Loved both books, Tim. Thanks
ON ULTRA-ENDURANCE: A Reader’s Experience, Update 2
After my first update yesterday, here’s number two (no worries Tim/Charlie, won’t update every day, only if I think there’s something to say 😉 )
So, today I had my first ‘2x800m on 3’ sprint workout. What can I say?
Well, how about: What the F***?? I mean, 2x800m as a all out is already something that makes you wanna puke (I did have this feeling after 600m of the first 800m) but then on THREE??
As I said, after 600m I had to considerably stlow down after the 3 min/km I started out with, and ended up with about 3,5 minutes for this first sprint. I had to pause for half a minute. The second 800m was ‘better’ because I went with a slower pace from the beginning, about 3:30min/km and ending up with somewhere around 3:15min if I remember correctly now from the top of my head.
OMG, this training, as Tim put it in the endurance section of the book, won’t be a peace of cake, but at least it won’t take long since the whole 2x800m naturally was over after about 7-8 minutes 😉
Take away: my pulse is down to 120 after about 1:30mins, so I guess I am good to continue.
More to follow, whenever there’s something worth sharing.
Regards from Greece,
David
ON ULTRA-ENDURANCE: A Reader’s Experience, Update 3
I am entering week 4 now. This week was rather ‘relaxing’, especially since it had only 2 running exercises (which for me means I get to sleep a little longer because I do them before work).
So far I am ok with how it goes. It’s just those 800m ‘all out’ sprints that really p… me off. Well, I have to correct that: the time goals really p… me off. Last week the plan said 800m on 2:30 min and today it said 800m on 2:00 min. Last time I checked neither me nor Tim from what I know is Usain Freaking Bolt! OK, I know, it’s the plan that is customized for Tim’s needs but I would assume that he’s a worse (long distance) runner than I am. So: 800m on 2:00 mins is just NOT feasible.
No idea how Tim is doing that, IF he’s following his plan at all to finish an ultra race. There’s still no content in the fourhourbody.com/ultra link. Still saying: coming soon… well, ‘soon’ is subjective, I suppose.
I decided I will start the running year 2011 with a half marathon on March 20, then a week later I will do a 25k mountain run and on April 10 a full marathon. While I do have a pretty good base line I am hoping that Tims’s program will give me some more endurance than I think I already have.
Best regards from Greece,
David
Hi Tim
Just started the diet and so far haven’t cheated. I have just a quick question could I just do the ice treatments and still lose the weight I want quickly.
Thanks Stella
Great book. LOTS of info to sift thru and try. So far results have been good. A quick question on increasing testosterone. Have you ever tried or heard anything about Korean Red Panax Ginseng as a way to help naturally boost testosterone? I’ve run into it a few times in reading and wondered if you ahd any thoughts on it. Thanks.
Becky: Thank you for commenting about the sugar in beans. I checked my S&W Black Beans and sugar was listed…off to the food bank.
Pandora: I also took the entire week to recoup my pre-binge day weight. I am a geezer-ette and expected slower results but the lack weight retraction after binge day was annoying. To expedite losing the binge day weight , I’m trying the CQ discussed on page 110. I added the CQ to my binge day & the day after. It appears to be helping, but I have only tried it for 1 week so far. I have not considered giving up on the program since it’s what I should be doing anyway.
Can you elaborate on the protein shakes you would recommend as part of the slow carb diet? Is Muscle Milk Light (lactose free) acceptable?
I just had an “ah-ha” moment. Screw dieting….start experimenting! To me this means starting to take control of your own body! I know most of you are saying “well, duh” but I just got it! All my life I have walked away from doctors who said “you need to lose weight”……which depressed me right into my next bag of chips. Now I realize that any doctor of mine is now going to have to get on board with ME….They may have a phd, but that doesn’t mean they know what is best for me 100% of the time since they don’t really know me. I suppose it will take some “experimenting” to find the right doctor to support me on my new mission, but I feel immense freedom in this. Change your thinking, change your life, huh?
While I find great info here, I am curious about issues people have experienced around the following and would love to hear your comments:
1) experience getting primary physician on board to partner with you along the way (as opposed to those who say negative things about the book and don’t want you to do anything that they didn’t think of ..ie GOD COMPLEX)
2) Anyone dieting and failing for many years but finding experimentation to work. Why (not interested in reasons Tim already uncovered ie; binge days)
3)Tim is obviously a very disciplined person. I am not; ideas on pushing through negative patterns and getting on a disciplined track? My best idea so far was Tims….”Just try to lose 20″ but am looking for other feedback. Thanks!
Experimentation and accepting the challenge that only you can fix you is right. This is not an easy path, there will be lots of self doubt and frustration. I think that weight management is just as much a mental game as it is physical. HabitJudo and The Checklist Manifesto are tools that i am incorporating into my plan. I also think Tim’s suggestion of BodPod or other testing before starting is key, a scale does not give the full picture.
Hi Tim,
Saw your piece on Dr. Oz and immediately bought the book to try the Slow Carb diet. I’ve been dieting for 20+ years and this is the first time I really feel confident I can handle this diet for a long time and make it a permanent way of eating (always been a yo-yo dieter in the past, did well on Weight Watchers but got tired of counting points and gained it back). Giving up dairy and artificial sweeteners are the biggest challenges for me, but I am doing it and I am seeing the scale and TI going down so it’s reinforcing my efforts.
Ending my 2nd week now, I’ve lost 6 pounds total, after a pretty horrific first binge-day gain of 5lb. This week I will follow the damage control methods more closely and not go AS crazy. I know it’s a process and so I’m experimenting with myself to see how things work best and still be livable.
I bought the 4HB book for 2 friends, in order to form a little competition and support network, but unfortunately Amazon won’t let me order more 🙁
And I am especially looking forward to trying out the 15 minute orgasm chapter with my boyfriend this weekend for Valentine’s Day… thanks, Tim !
started the Slow carb diet just 12 days ago, too the letter and have to date as of this morning lost 14 pounds with no excersise. it works everybody. at least in is for me.
What about healthy fats? Almond Milk as a substitute given its made from nuts and not dairy??
I love Oat Bran. With vanilla whey protein powder, peanut butter or not, maybe coconut oil. But I love 2 cups of cooked Oat Bran with a cup of coffee.
So I got to thinking and looked on NutritionData.com and compared Oat Bran to Black Beans.
hmmmm. . . . Black Beans has a GL of 14, the same as Oatmeal (a 4hour no-no).
Oat Bran has a GL of 8. It is super cheap, $2.29 for a huge bag at TJ’s, and only takes a minute to cook.
There are other differences, but I can’t see sitting down to 2 cups of black beans and coffee. . ..
I’m not whining.
“If it tastes good, spit it out”
–Jack Lalane
Tim or Charlie,
Am I the only one with this question, or has it been answered elsewhere:
Does a hot shower/bath after ice packs on the shoulders, have a negative impact on fat burning ?
:^)
Hey Tim…I’m a little frustrated. I’m 42, Started out Jan. 2 at 265lbs, 35.5% bodyfat. After 42 days of SCD im down 11lbs and about 1/2 inch on measurements. I’ve followed the diet to the letter. I’ve been dealing with a strained groin and a sciatic nerve problem that has limited excercise. The one variable that I do is instead of coffee in the AM I drink a 16oz Lo Carb Monster energy drink (I’m addicted). Here are the ingredients:
CARBONATED WATER, GLUCOSE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, TAURINE, SODIUM CITRATE, COLOR ADDED, PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT, CAFFEINE, SORBIC ACID, SUCRALOSE, BENZOIC ACID, L-CARNITINE, NIACINAMIDE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, SODIUM CHLORIDE, GLUCURONOLACTONE, INOSITOL, GUARANA SEED EXTRACT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN, MALTODEXTRIN, CYANOCOBALAMIN.
A.) How bad is this?
B.) Could this be throwing a wrench in my plan to lose weight?
Thanks,
Steve
Steve- I’m Tim’s assistant, Charlie. You said you “followed the diet to the letter” and “drink Monster energy drink in the AM” in the same paragraph. That’s a pretty big contradiction 🙂 And yes, it could absolutely be throwing a wrench into the diet.
Replace the energy drink with a low-sugar, low-preservative protein. Try the whey protein on strongerfasterhealthier.com. Drink 30 grams within 30 minutes of waking up. Save the energy drink for cheat day.
Best of luck,
Charlie
Thanks for getting back to me so quick Charlie. Humor me for a second…I’m aware that energy drinks are not part of the program and I understand the stigma that goes along with them. Are you saying that if the diet is followed accurately, adding the drink will derail the results? If so, can you give me some facts or science to back up your claims? Thanks for your patience.
Steve
Charlie, please respond. I have been looking for a “whey” protein shake for weeks and was glad to see this post. But then I went to the site and found seven whey protein products listed. So which one? Pure Whey, or “Hunger and Weight” or what?
Thanks
@Steve- Try two weeks of sticking to all the rules laid out in the chapter, then compare the new results to your previous two weeks with energy drinks. If there isn’t a change in weight loss, we can reevaluate.
This isn’t a matter of providing more information to confirm that Monster is hindering fat loss; it’s a matter of following the SCD rules without adding any variations. Who knows- Monster may not actually be the culprit in this case, but until you’ve spent a significant amount of time following all the rules, it’s impossible to conclude that the diet is not working.
@Terri- All their stuff is good. Try Pure Whey.
Hello Steve,
First of all congratulations on losing the 11 lbs. That_is progress.
I have a feeling you are very close to making much more progress because…
Second of all; you are me:-)
My name is “Etienne” (Steven in French)
I started the 4HBody diet on Jan 1
My bodyfat was err over 33%
I weighed 263 lbs.
(I am 50 years old)
This morning (my 32nd day) I weighed in at 246 lbs. (I am throwing out my scale once I break 225lbs) My body fat % is unknown but I will purchase a high end measuring device to replace my scale)
I eat egg white, beans, lentils, fresh and freshly cooked veggies, lean meats of all kinds and no more then a handful of nuts, up to 3 days a week.
I do not snack. I do not cheat. I do not drink. I do not smoke.
My cheat day includes fresh fruit and maybe pizza, only a few slices and a pastry (maybe).
I do take my AAG/PAAG (6 days a week)
Food is fuel, of the highest quality in its natural state.
If you must consume potions then stick to unflavored whey and/or Athletic Greens (athleticgreens.com/)
If this does not work for you at least as well as it has for me I will apologize profusely.
Keep up the good work.
Best,
etienne
Etienne, Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Reading your response was somewhat erie to me because you are right…we are alike.
Every morning (within 30 min of waking) I eat egg whites, black beans and spinach. I also consume Athletic Greens 1 or 2 times a day. My other meals are usually lean meat or canned solid white albacore tuna with black beans, lima beans or spinach. Every so often I will have a handful of raw almonds or a low carb, low sugar whey protein shake and/or 1/2 avocado.
At night periodically I’ll have a glass or 2 of red wine and/or maybe a spoonful of almond butter.
The structure and repitition of the meals hasn’t been a problem…I actually like the food and my cravings for beer and tacos has gone away.
As far as cheat days go I havent really gone too crazy…I found I get a nasty headache soon after gorging myself with carbs, fat and sugar. Luckily my love of pizza and pasta is still strong.
Nevertheless after 6 weeks my frustration is also strong. After week one I was down 5lbs. I lost nothing in week two. After three I was down to -7. Week four -10. Week five -12. Finally it seems I gained a pound during week six for a grand total of 11 pounds lost through 42 days.
I plan on doing the Bod Pod thing to measure body fat again at the end of the month before I begin an aggressive excercise program (Crossfit), assuming my nagging injuries have ceased.
Realistically I shouldn’t be complaining…afterall, 11 pounds isn’t bad. But when I constantly read and hear about people dropping twice as much weight in less time I think it’s human nature to wonder what I am doing wrong.
In the meantime I will 86 the Monster…as I mentioned previously it has become an addiction. Yippee.
Thanks again for the encouragement.
Steve
Steve,
That’s the cool thing about this book. There is plenty of science to back Tim up, but now, we are the experiment. If something doesn’t seem to be working, we can run our own experiment for a week or two and see if it makes any difference.
Hey Hey. I am down 17 pounds which leaves me at a lean 372 haha. Anyway, I am devouring mozzarella sticks right now and chocolate waffers. One of my safety foods has been beef jerky. It doesn’t seem to be too detrimental to the diet as far as I can tell. It is loaded with Protein as they really are just cut up steaks. The brown sugar on most of them seems very small. Hopefully it doesnt get to a point where this becomes a domino food. Anyway couldn’t have done it without you. I start using the kettlebell monday wish me luck!
Tim,
@!!$#! I just purchased my 5th copy of The 4HB for my friends that are too dense to speak to about nutritional requirements of healthy dieting.
Although most people can’t or won’t read, my friends being no exception, I dearly hope that “The 4HB” and this blog will be that exception and make these conversations a little easier to bear.
Thank you.
P.S. No before pictures but stay tuned for the after pictures! e.t.
NUTZ!?
OK so I’m just trying to get the baseline correct before the self experimentation begins….
Slow Carb day meals are protien, legume, veggie
However – there is then discussion in the Slow Carb II chapter about using nuts (as natural magnesium sorces) and cautioning about nuts (as DOMINO) and even suggesting almond butter and peanut butter as emergency preventions in cheating. So how do Nuts fit into the Slow Carb meal
Also – what do you think about corn (is it too high in sugar, like yams)
Greetings fellow 4HBers,
Hopefully you can help me figure out my flaws
I started the Slow-carb diet about 3 weeks ago and thus far i’ve lost a mere 5 pounds, on the measurements side I’ve lost ZERO inches, if anything I have a couple of total cm’s more…
No exercise, my typical daily intake is similar:
– Breakfast within 30 mins of waking:
2 scoops of Gold Standard Rich Chocolate flavored Whey Protein with water (tried unflavored and couldn’t bear it), each scoop has 24 grams of proteins, 3 grams of carbs (approx 1g of sugar) and aprox 1 grams of fat.
– No snacks on mornings or afternoons
– Lunch about 5 hours from breakfast:
about 1 cup and a half of dry beans
about 1 cup arugula
about 1 cup of meat of any kind (including fried chicken, but never with any flouring)
– Dinner about 7 hours after lunch:
similar to lunch
I’m drinking about 2.2 Liters of water a day
On my free day I have the same breakfast and then I start eating and drinking as if my life depended on it, I EAT A LOT!!! and also consume some whiskey… Most of the times I forget to do the pre binge exercise as I get confuse as to what constitutes an actual food (I mean, again… I EAT A LOT)
So, any and all help is greatly appreciated, sorry for the long post and thanks,
Geo
Geo,
I couldn’t tell you for sure, but two scoops of protein? Wow! That’s a lot!
What are you results pre-binge/post-binge? Are you just gaining it all back? If you’re just eating throughout the day, maybe you should just do the squats throughout the day to make sure that your system is up and running. Also, are you doing the other stuff throughout the day like lemon water, caffeine?
Add a lot more water – I find that I am drinking 5-6 liters a day. I have lost 3 pounds and 10 inches (the inches in 3 weeks)
Greetings from London…
I’m a week in and there are results! Just a few points:
Gilman earlier in these postings repeatedly asks about vegan alternatives on the diet..no one answered.. I too am really keen to know this.. Doubtless it’s been answered somewhere but not that I can find..
I’m a lifelong vegetarian who doesn’t eat eggs and the eggs in the morning are killing me… whilst I’m really pleased to see signs of weight loss I’m sitting there close to throwing up as I smother the egg in salsa, hold my breath and hum to myself as I chew to take my mind off the taste..the most savoury tastes on the planet 29 mins after i’ve woken..Its so unpleasant!! I can do it for a bit but not for ever… An alternative really would make the world of difference to me….so if anyone has any I’d love to hear..
Is there a searchable food-based resource online connected to this diet?
Secondly there appears to be only one place in the UK to get bodpodded. It’s not cheap! £240.00 for three sessions (i got them down to £200) but if you close the book, make the decision to do the diet you need to get tested asap and that was my only option (Ki-Fit behind Oxford St). That sizeable outlay will definitely stop me from falling off the wagon!!..
Cheers
Dan
Dan- Try 30 grams of whey protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 1-2 liters of cold water.
Here’s a high quality protein with no preservatives and very low sugar: http://strongerfasterhealthier.com/product/12
Hi Charlie,
Thanks very much, I’ll try the protein and water and let you know how I get on.. Much appreciated…thanks too Jeff.. I’ll try some days egg and beans some days shakes.. That’ll help a lot I think…
Cheers
Dan
Charlie, does it matter if you drink the ice water before or after the protein?
Does drinking it after have the same effect as consuming it first thing on an empty stomach?
Thanks,
Ross
@charlie thanks for the site on the natural whey protien. I added it to my favorites to order. I saw that there is flavors. Im guessing natural would be preferable, so is it alright if I add some almond butter for flavor any ideas? also more links of different types of protien shakes would be even more helpful. like from bodybuilding.com
Dan,
My wife has a really hard time with eggs too, and I’m not a huge fan. We generally do a protein shake. The days we decide to do eggs, we usually eat them with black beans. Salsa is a great addition as well. The combo of the black beans helps me quite a bit, but the egg problem is partly flavor and partly texture for me and the beans seem to anchor them well.
I see Tom Nixon posted the question that i have about L-Glutamine where he quotes what’s in the book about the high quantity of this substance that needs to be consumed i.e. 80 gm and asked if this was correct. Somebody replied saying yes that’s what it says in the book, i am still trying to fathom the point of that answer. The question I believe we are both asking is is that quantity correct or an error?
Thanks,
Phillip
Thanks for the good book Tim.
I’ve always been thin, so I’m not interested in the slow carb diet to lose weight, but I think there are a lot of things in there that can help anyone with gaining more energy and being healthier. Just eating breakfast within 30min of waking and eating more protein is huge. Also the sugar/insulin effects on cardiovascular health are very important.
Im very curious about the ultra results. Hope it went well. I’ve been a runner/cyclist for a long time with more traditional training. Your method is interesting. It’s made me start experimenting with my program. I’ve added more strength training and am working on imbalances. I’m thinking of adding PAGG or maybe just the ALA because of the benefit of increasing carbohydrate storage. I’m looking into this more and think it could help with endurance sports. Has anyone tried the Ala supplement for endurance sports rather than weight loss?
Thanks for getting me to try some new stuff.
Hello everybody.
In the spirit of the great and immortal Fonzie; here is a very useful link I picked up from a fellow 4HB forum member if anybody wants some facts or science (above and beyond what is contained in the book) to back up the claim that sugar makes you fat.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%22how+do+i+use+google%3F%22
Respectfully
etienne
My 1st “WOW!” moment, a green tea / yerba mate recipe idea, and a question:
1) I’m an almost 44 yr old male fighting off the weight I gained last year after having a series of injuries and hernia surgery. So far, 2 weeks of SCD with PAGG & kettle bell swings 2-3 days a week … I have deliberately not taken a second set of measurements yet, as I was waiting until week 4 to have a real “AHA!!” moment. I feel great and personally haven’t noticed any dramatic changes in my body makeup… however….
Friday night, my girlfriend spent the night and when I got out of the shower Saturday morning said, “WOW!!! That diet is REALLY working!… you look GREAT. Your gut is almost gone and you have so much definition in your butt & legs”
That my friends is all the motivation I need!
2) Now my iced green tea / yerba mate recipe
I was concerned that my morning cup of hot tea (a mix of loose green tea & yerba mate leaves) was negating the impact of my morning ice water. So know I make my tea as usual but I pour it into a pint glass full of ice after steaping. I like it plain but it’s also delicious with lemon juice squeezed in as well.
I like it so much, I’ve purchased a large french press and now I make it in quantity and drink this throughout the day.
3) Now my question… on my PAGG off day, in the afternoon, I find myself with intense bread/cheese cravings. I don’t have them any other day, not even my cheat day. It’s all I can do to not order a pizza on my PAGG down day. Per recommendations I see online about doing PAGG on your cheat day, I’ve separated my PAGG down day and my cheat day by 2-3 days (usual cheat day Sunday, PAGG down day Weds or Thurs). Has anybody else experienced this phenomena and/or have any ideas on how to combat it?
As long as you are carefully measuring and documenting everything why not try and moving your PAGG off day to your cheat day?
If it would be very interesting to know if that helped your cravings. As a life long fruit-atarian my cravings have gone to zero on this combined off PAGG/cheat day.
My results are meaningless unless you or someone else to reproduce/confirm them.
Good luck
Etienne
I have posted a couple of excited entries earlier in the diet, then a couple of frustrated entries a few weeks later. I’m 53 and wanted to lose 10 lbs, and it’s been slow. But the best thing of all about Tim’s plan is he talks about doing experimentation on oneself. After a few weeks of following the plan as best I could, I decided it was unsustainable for me in the format suggested. But usually I would give up, and because of Tim’s basic philosophy of finding what works for you, I’ve decided to not give up but adapt what works for me.
As a vegetarian and not willing to change that, I couldn’t stomach all the eggs for my protein. Tried the unflavored protein powder and uggh. And I love good food and don’t mind cooking at all, and missed the variety. What I did love about the plan is the lack of hunger, and the great amount of energy, and wanted to keep that up. So I’ve devised my own plan and at at this time I’m down 8 lbs and over 5% bodyfat. I’m still so grateful to Tim!!
I have been using Nonfat Greek Plain Yogurt which has a whopping 20 grams of protein per cup. I mix it with Sweet Leaf Stevia and some sunflower/pumpkin seeds or nuts, a little vanilla or almond extract and am in heaven. I have also incorporated back some of the soy products Tim speaks against, but not the stuff that’s too processed (I use marinated baked tofu so it’s chewey) and some Gardein or Quorn products. I also will have low-fat cheese once a day. I also use the PAGG, although still haven’t gotten my decaff green tea supplement in the mail yet. This now is a sustainable diet that works for me, I’m not hungry between meals at all, and the jeans I’m wearing at the moment are ridiculously loose all over. I do spin classes, which are tough, 4 times a week and have great energy.
Thank you Tim…I know I am not following your protocol perfectly, but used your philosophy and what worked for me, and I’m sticking with this for the long run.
Congrats, Lorrie!
@lorrie My dad eats the plain greek yugort as well and cottage cheese with peanut butter or almond butter. I use to prefer eating the chobani greek yogurts that had flavor, but then i read Tim’s book and cut all my dairy out in hopes to catch up to my father. He is not folloing the SCD but is following one similar from books he reads. He had lost tremoundas fat and now im competing with my 39 year old dad with visible top four abs. Im more muscular than my dad but not at cut and he’s not far behind since he trains with me and I push him to lift more. I just turned 20 and I hope that the SCD will get me my full six pack before my dad hehe.
DLC posted on January 29th, 2011 and i didn’t see a response. I would be very interested in people’s ideas.
QUOTE
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?
QUOTE
Is one square of dark chocolate instead of a glass or two of red wine going to destroy my progress or even retard it any more than the wine would?
Maybe/Maybe not is probably the best answer.
Start with a baseline of your best possible results over a long enough period of time, measured and documented carefully.
Then change only a single variable and post your results with all your measurements and documentation.
That is really the only to move science forward and probably the best way to get a meaningful answer to your question.
Good luck!
Best
Etienne
Hi everyone, I thought I would post my first week result.
I have committed to the SCD for 5 weeks, took before photos and have kept a photo food diary. I’m 47, female with 2 children (darn, the hardest group to lose fat!). I need to lose around 10kg or alternatively, be low fat, strong and have some muscle definition.
I started on 7 Feb and finished week 1 yesterday. The scales this morning said I’d lost 1.3kg so I am happy! The tape said I had lost 3 cm from my waist (well, the narrowest part of my torso, about 5cm above the navel). Nothing lost from any of the other measurements.
I stuck to SCD completely. Eggs, spinach and various beans for brekkie, tuna/beef/chicken with mixed salad and beans for lunch, steak/chicken/lamb/beef etc with veggies and beans for dinner. I had 1-2 glass of lovely Aussie merlot or pinot noir most nights too (thanks Tim!!!). Had cinnamon in my espresso coffee in the morning, iced water with lemon juice when I woke up.
I drank about 1.5 litres of water each day.
I was nervous on binge day. In the morning I weighed myself and I was 2kg down. I was too scared to eat much, just a cornish pastie for lunch and takeaway Thai food for dinner. Didn’t even have my beloved cheese. I forgot to do the muscle contraction exercises as I was at a shopping centre but I had done my 2nd exercise session that morning (kettlebells, glutes, flying dogs, planks, abs).
I did 2 sessions of the exercises, Wednesday and Saturday. During the first one, my husband nearly fell over laughing looking at me in my pyjamas in the garage doing wobbly flying dogs.
Great karma – on day 1 I had an eye infection so sent to the GP who said since I was over 45 I was eligible for a heap of free blood tests from the government – would I like them? “Is the pope a Catholic??” I said. I go back to get the results in the next couple of days.
Then I googled DEXA scans and found a guy not 10 mins from me here in Melbourne who is doing them for free in February. Happy days! I am booked in for Thursday this week. I suspect the 1.3kg I lost was really only water, so the DEXA will help establish a base line. Then the 2nd DEXA in 6 weeks is only $72.
I got the PAGG assembled by mid-week so did that for the last 4 days. I noted that now, with Tim’s correction, it is now AGG for breakfast lunch and dinner and PAG before bed.
So 1 week down. As a woman over 40 with kids I accept that it will probably take longer so will review after the 5 week mark.
Thanks Charlie for your help with the book this week too.
Tim, hope you’re having a lovely time in Colombia.
Hi everyone!
Has anyone experienced decreased libido on the diet?
I am a 31 year old woman, 4 kids, trying to lose those last 10 lbs…I started taking AGG (cannot find the Policosanol where I am) and I wonder if all the caffeine (couldn’t find decaf green leaf extract) could be doing some damage to my libido. I’ve never ever had problems with sex drive, even after my pregnancies (the little one is just over 1).
So could it just be the diet change or the caffeine?
Thanks!!
I know alot of people on here are using Whey Protein powder but after hearing that whey protein can be hard on the digestive system I went looking for alternatives and found egg white protein powder. It contains one ingredient: EGG WHITES! How coo is that? It was $13.99 for a 1.2 lb container on netrition.com. It’s by NOW foods for whomever is interested. I believe a 1/4 cup serving contains 16g of protein. I am going to try combining a scoop with unsweetened almond milk, organic vanilla extract (no corn syrup!), cinnamon and a packet of Stevia to see if I can come up with a Slow Carb friendly and decent tasting protein shake. Trying to get 30g of protein via eggs, b eans, etc in the morning is tough. Any input on this is most welcome…also, I ordered pure xylitol from the same company to see how it works in the experimentation process. I can’t seem to get a definitive answer on whether it’s on par with Stevia in the context of the slow carb diet so I’ll just have to pull a Tim and be the guinea pig! Down another 2 lbs for a total of 8lbs in 2 weeks…
I just had this for breakfast and it ROCKED my world: 1.5 scoop unsweetened whey protein, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, dash of cinnamon, dash of unsweetened cocoa powder, a little leftover coffee and a bunch of ice cubes. SO GOOD. Would work with egg powder too!
Quick question: sugarless gum and insulin levels?
I chew it pretty much constantly between meals and I’m wondering if that’s keeping my insulin levels high and thus making fat loss more difficult. I tried to find articles confirming or denying but couldn’t – does anyone know?
Ok, so I am a little confused now.
So for breakfast i’m not supposed to take Policosanol?
for lunch and dinner I do have to take it with the rest of the supplements AGG?
I have been taking PAGG for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Help anyone? Thanks! 🙂
Prior to breakfast: AGG
Prior to lunch: AGG
Prior to dinner: AGG
Prior to bed: PAGG
Just PAG prior to bed as Tim posted in his corrections.
This link:
http://www.fourhourbody.com/munger
forwards to this link:
http://www.paladinvest.com/pifiles/MungersWorldlyWisdom.htm
which fails (for me) on multiple browsers.
Thanks for the heads up, John. This should be fixed within the next 24 hours.
– Charlie
Hey Tim;
just a little request. I was hoping you could put links to all the interviews you have done for the 4HB. I have found that everytime I read or watch any of your interviews I get a little more understanding on the program so it will be good to have em all.
Thanks again for the awesome material you provide.
Hey Tim,
Not sure if you have seen this one yet, but there is now an app out for android phones called “Sleep-As-An-Droid” that is similar to the sleep tracking devices you mention in the book. It works by having your phone set on your mattress, and then tracks your sleep by gyro sensor movements. It even has an alarm function that will wake you in a lighter stage of sleep, and also requests you rate your sleep on a scale of 1-5 with comments in the morning upon waking.
Tim,
thanks for an awesome book. Some questions if I may.
1)
If my goal is weight gain, should I avoid foods that accelerate gastric emptying such as coffee and yerba mate tea? It seems these foods only make sense for damage control when bingeing.
2)
Day 1 of Occam’s protocol does not seem to work out the whole body as you otherwise recommend doing on each exercise day, as there is no leg exercise… am I missing something?
3)
Am I correct in the understanding that the weekly caloric uptake for gainers is the opposite of slow carbers in that cheat day for a slow carber means increasing calories one day per week when gainers eat many calories each day except for one day when calories are halved… to “prevent protein uptake down regulation” as it read in your original G2F post… but I couldn’t find information on halving calories once a week anywhere in 4HB.
Thank you in advance for any clarification on this.
Hello Fellow 4HBers
Hacking the SCD
It occurs to me the way to think about all the questions around “Can I substitute this food with the same amount of sugar for that food that has been tested and recommended as part of the SCD with the another food with the same amount of sugar?”
When designing this diet Tim undoubtedly decided he was going to allow his favorite sugar (in the form of moderate wine consumption) and test to see if that consumption altered the results on the SCD. It did not. Switching one sugar (wine) for another (insert your favorite here) of equal or lessor quantity may not (or may) either.
There are basically two ways to go. Try substituting like quantities of sugar in an approved food for like quantiles of sugar of an untested food. Your results may work for you but they will be fairly worthless to anybody else.
There is a better way said the man with the thick glasses and the white lab coat.
1. Try and follow the rules 100% to establish a baseline result.
2. Switch one allowed sugar, say wine for your bon-bon (or substitute of choice) follow all other rules as close 100% to establish your alternative baseline result.
3. Post (Publish) your findings for the good of humanity (the community here)
I coach a team of 14-17 year old teenage athletes (karate) and weight can be a big issue in kumite/fighting. The categories all have reasonably narrow weight categories and athletes need to predict, a year in advance, their weight for nationals as points can’t be transferred. (The spread is reasonably low, 5-7 kg for boys, considering this is also a peak growth time.)
One of our 17 year old athletes (tall wtih a very slim build) now needs to gain 5-7 pounds (minimum) in 5 weeks so he can fight in an 18-20 spot that has opened up.
So I really have two questions for you … first, how safe is what you are recommending for teenagers (esp. boys who are still growing)? Second, how would you modify your recommendations for gaining a lot of muscle to limit it to just 5-7 pounds and should we be concerned about a loss in performance/technique from this reasonably fast change?
Thanks! Julie
Charlie or Tim,
PLEASE ANSWER!
“EATING WITHIN 30 minutes of WAKING” as it relates to SCD: WHEN does that AWAKE-TIMER begin??? I have researched on my own from various sources but can find nothing conclusive. I’ve noticed the same confusion on all the other blogs also.
As soon as eyes open? or as soon as feet touch floor? after hitting snooze 3 times? etc… I desperately want to hit the goal as close to exact as I can.
Thanks for all your hard work guys,
Meegan
17.63 minutes after you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock for the second time. (You should not question my answer because I AM a scientist)
Respectfully with tongue firmly in cheek.
Etienne Taylor
My 4-hour Body notes
Today is 2/15/2011 and I will attempt to recount as best as I can in some sort of format my experience with the Slow Carb Diet from Tim Ferriss’ book. To net it out why I am writing this; I have lost 38 lbs. since 12/20/2010 and this is the best I have felt in literally 20 years
· I started the diet on 12/20/2010
· Even though there was Christmas upcoming I decided to go for it
· I regret that I did not take any pictures, and I did not take any measurements.
· My starting weight at this time was 298 lbs.
· On the morning on 12/25, when I weighed myself I had already lost 10 lbs. I couldn’t believe it and I was motivated to continue. It had only been 5 days
· I stuck to the diet to a “T” and by the name 12/31/2010 came around I had lost 20 lbs
· This is where a lot of my information get distorted, but it is roughly right
· On around 1/7/2011 I was down to 24 lbs, weighing in at 274
· On around 1/15/2011 I noticed that I was plateauing, I decide to give PAGG a try. I noticed immediate results. I started losing weight again and was down to 269 by 1/22/2011. I finally decided to measure my waist ( I really regret not doing this in the beginning). On 1/22/2011 I was at 46 inches. I don’t know where I really started but I think I was in the low 50 inch range.
· I again appeared to plateau and was hovering at 269 around the 29th and then I decided to add the other supplement “cissuss” whatever it is.
· As another note I have been taking potassium, magnesium, and calcium the whole time
· After that cheat day on the weekend, which I was at Disneyland….I noticed I had only added 2 lbs. So here I was sitting at 271 on 1/31/2011. I was the first cheat day that I did not pack on 5-7 lbs.
· I seemed to be stuck at 269 that whole week (2/2 to 2/5). I decided to cut out almonds ( I ate them as a snack) and boost up my protein in the am with egg whites mixed with one egg. I saw and immediate drop in my weight. By the morning of 2/11/11 I was now down to 260 lbs. That evening I did measure my waste at 43.5 inches
· Keep in mind during this whole time I have been working out moderately. At least two times a week, about an hour at the gym. Every other week maybe twice.
· So her it is at it is no 2/15/11. I am gained about 4 lbs during my cheat day on 2/12/11. No surprise really had a huge BBQ at my house.
I do really enjoy the experimenting portion of this diet, but I can say I have done any real experimenting that was “out of bounds”. I have been just adding in supplements and making minor changes in the moderate workouts I was doing.
Today I received the Whey protein and Athletic Greens. I am going to experiment with those as well. Well this might be along blog, but I was inspired by a lady on the blog here who told me to blog my experience. I hope that everyone can forgive my lack of detail on the lost of my first 38 lbs. I admit I should have done a better job tracking, but I still have a ways to go for my ultimate goal. If this helps anyone good luck!
Here is the link to my blog to any who are interested.
http://jt4hourbody.blogspot.com/
Thanks Tim…this is awesome
Wow John, that’s 17kg!!! Congratulations on a fantastic result so far.
Tim is kwel I’ll go that far but John You are my hero!
Best,
Etienne
once and for all is coconut or almond milk – unsweetened okay in coffee???
>coconut = NO!
>almond milk – unsweetened = okay
I have to amend answer on “no coconut milk” to a neural (I don’t know)
There is much research that supports using Coconut Oil for its health benifits. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that are easy to digest, and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems.
Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, thereby burning out more energy. I may add it to my SCD hack after a few more weeks of baseline testing.
If you’d like to read some of the research:
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=coconut+oil+health&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
Best,
Etienne Taylor
I think Barbara needs a snatch test. ASAP.
You know the kind I mean 😉
Tim –
I don’t get what the cold showers have to do with increasing testosterone.
JJL
Did we get any final word on the 4700mg of potassium versus 470mg? Tim mentions 99mg supplements for it, that seems like a lot of pills if it is 4700mg. But the RDA for is is 3500mg so 4700mg doesn’t seem that out of line then.
I’m taking the PAGG stack, but I notice the book warns against mixing it with anti-anxiety drugs like clozapine. Does this warning extend to Benzodiazepines like Klonopin (Clonazepam)? If so, which part of the PAGG stack interacts with Benzodiazepines so I can avoid it?
Thanks — I LOVE the book and the slow-carb diet!
Week six update.
Male age 42, 5’10
Started on January 9. Starting weight was 200lbs, BFP= 19%. At week six weight is 196lbs, BFP=20%
Starting overall measurements 165 inches
Week six measurements 159 inches
Daily meals;
Wake @ 7:00 am
Breakfast @ 7:15 am: Four organic eggs, over easy cooked with a small amount of butter.
Snack @ 10 am: One cup beans (either black or pinto with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast and some apple cider vinegar).
Lunch @ 1:30 pm: Plate full of salad greens with apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing, either a chicken breast with skin, a can of tuna or can of sardines, half a cup of beans (pinto or black)
Dinner @ 6:30 pm: Chicken breast with skin, half a plate of salad ( greens, cucumber, green onion), half a cup beans (black or pinto)
8 pm glass of Pinot Noir
10 pm bed
Drink 54 oz of water per day.
On cheat day (Saturday)
Start with three over-easy eggs (9 am),
10 am two croissants (one chocolate one almond) and a 16oz latte with whole milk
11 am Citrus Kombucha
12:50 do 35 air squats and 35 presses
1 pm medium pizza with sausage, peperoni and chicken
3 pm snack of bagel with chicken breast
5pm Pasta in cream sauce with Chicken, ciabatta bread and red wine
8 pm Snack of 12 oz vanilla yogurt with raspberries and almonds.
54 oz of water on cheat day also.
Although I am happy to have lost four pound I’m a bit shocked to have gained a percentage of Body Fat. Both measurements were with calipers by a sports nutrition specialist.
I was hoping for a bigger result. Can anyone point to something I am missing here? I have been very diligent except for week 5 when I had a 12oz latte mid week. Since there was no change in measurements that week I have not dared to have more than my cheat day latte.
it is still a bit disheartening to be on a diet touted to shed 20 lbs in 30 days, be six weeks in and only down 6 inches and 4 lbs.
My thought is to go a full twelve weeks and then add ice therapy and the kettlebell routine. I’d love to hear feedback from others over 40 on this diet.
Thanks,
Steve
hey Tim,
great info in your book,
i do have one question.. 2morow i will have my first cheat day (yay) buttt im kind of nervous due to the fact that i can make some serious damage lol! i can easily eat a dozen donuts and god knows what else…how is it ok??
I may be an exception, but I never eat as much as I fantasize. After three binges, I’ve lost the weight gained within a day or two. It definitely doesn’t seem to have a long term effect.
I am signed-up for a few different email subscriptions to popular fitness experts/personal trainers from around the country and daily receive different tips, studies, and naturally fitness programs for sale. Today I received this study and it was contrary to your findings in the book. It is basically saying don’t eat breakfast and lose more weight. I was curious to get your opinion on this.
http://www.leanhybridmuscle.com/skip-breakfast-jm.htm
from an email of Joel Marion
Hey there Cipriano,
Although the article skip-breakfast wasn’t very useful the actual study (http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/74/4/757) confirmed what I have read elsewhere, e.g. Starving (people with enough to eat often refer to this as “fasting”) will increase the subjects serum GH levels.
Serum GH concentrations are increased in fasted or malnourished human subjects. (First line of the abstract) So far so good.
However (Last line of the abstract) = In conclusion, the present data suggest that starvation-induced enhancement of GH secretion is mediated by an increased frequency of GHRH release, and longer and more pronounced periods of somatostatin withdrawal.
[note: Growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), also known as growth-hormone-releasing factor (GRF, GHRF) or somatocrinin, is a releasing hormone for growth hormone. It is a 44[1]-amino acid peptide hormone produced in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus]
How does the author get from this study that skipping breakfast increasing GH production = fat loss I am not sure. Of course I am not really sure that he read quite as much of the study he quotes as I just did.
While there maybe a place for fasting (I am skeptical in almost all circumstances myself) you need to concern yourself first and foremost with what you think starving (fasting) for up to 12 hours each day does to your blood sugar levels.
Ask yourself what effect to your insulin response do you think daily starvation / fasting will have on your fat loss goals?
Best to keep postings on science to references to the actual science itself.
As an aside as someone who has squatted over 560lbs for reps myself I respect Elliott Hulse, as a strength athlete.
In the meantime welcome aboard! What you read about in the 4 Hour Body does work just about exactly as advertised for the reasons Tim documents.
Respectfully,
Etienne Taylor
I had my third baby 9 weeks ago and of course I’m anxious to lose the baby pounds. I had a friend recommend the 4HB diet which after reading, I couldn’t see why it would interfere with nursing as it seems to offer enough calories. I’m finishing my third day and I feel pretty good although my baby seems to be hungry more often and the duration of her feedings are much longer. So my question is have you had any nursing moms have problems on the diet and if so what suggestions might you have to keep milk production up and my nutrition optimal. It’s really important to me to nurse for at least 6- 8 months.
Thanks, Patrice
Hi I am an RN that works in home birth. Other posts I have read by nursing mom they have not had any problems. It is possible that your little one hit a growth spurt and is nursing more because she needs more and to help your body adjust. Just make sure you are getting enough water. Also if you are concerned about supply, fenugreek is and herbal supplement that increases supply. It can be found at most natural food stores. Good luck!
Quick question, did you find that sugar alcohols affected your blood sugar levels and are they ok to eat?
Also I like dried split peas instead of lentils, on the nutrition label they seem pretty similar. Are they ok to eat instead or should I learn to love the lentil?
Not enough info but try AAG before each meal PAAG before bed. Be sure to do lemon juice and cinnamon (if not before every meal, certainly on your cheat day) On your cheat day start with a normal SCD breakfast before you go crazy.
I am 50 years old and in 48 days I’ve gone from 263 to 228lbs. I’ve done everything except ice (I have $70. of new ice packs in my freezer I’m afraid of)
Keep it up. I bet it will work for you too.
Best,
Etienne Taylor
Cipriano:
I used the link you provided and read the article/advertisement. The end of the article says the book to explain this diet is available for $47. When you go to leave the page, a pop up appears asking if you want to leave (without ordering). ..Since buying The 4HB book, I have spent a lot of time reading research and various articles on how the body functions. I consider this a positive outcome of the diet. Therefore, am highly resentful (sounds better than pissed) at reading an advertisement disguised as information.
The author didn’t even seem to read the complete abstract, The last line of the abstract he quoted to back up his starve yourself fast everyday – insulin response be damned send me $47.00 bullshit post was “In conclusion, the present data suggest that starvation-induced enhancement of GH secretion is mediated by an increased frequency of GHRH release, and longer and more pronounced periods of somatostatin withdrawal.”
I am not upset with someone who might have shared a link as I am with somebody cynical enough to peddle such nonsense as the author of this post.
In the field(s) of diet, nutrition and exercise hucksters and ignoramuses abound. Thinking people of goodwill should do their best not to propagate bad information.
Never-mind what else may work what makes Tim book so special is that he backed up his claims with actual personal research. Really quite a gift.
Sorry for the rant. I am better now.
Respectfully
Etienne Taylor
@ robby
1st off I want everyone to understand that I am not a fitness expert or involved with that program in any way. It was just a email I recieved that sparked my interest but seemed too good to be true. For you to be pissed about me asking other people’s opinion on this “study,” is unnecessary. If there was a ad in there at the end which there probably was (all these free fitness emails try to sell you something) it had nothing to do with me. I just thought I should add the link I got so all the info was there.
you can be mad at the source : jmfit_news@getresponse.com on behalf of Joel Marion (jmarionfitness@gmail.com)
HELP I THINK I’M LOSING MUSCLE!!
I’ve been doing slow carb for about 2 months now and am down 18 pounds total, AWESOME! But after losing so much weight I still feel like I don’t look any different than I did when I started. (I was 213 lb 5’8 inches, now I’m 195)
I’m really worried that this diet is causing me to lose muscle and not fat!! I look the same as I did when I started, and I thought at least I would look a little more toned, but I really don’t think I do.
my diet is:
morning: protein shake with 2 scoops peanut butter (i started using 3 brazil nuts last week instead)
early lunch: lentil soup (occasionally with a tiny whole grain roll on the side)
lunch: ground beef/turkey, or chicken, with black beans and spinach
snack: 15 almonds or beef jerky
dinner: ground meat or chicken, mixed vegetables, beans
Cheat day: I eat whatever I want.
I work out 3 days a week, with Kettlbell swings and pushups on M and F. On Wednesday, total body workout. About 30-45 minutes each. (dinner immediately after workout)
Am I doing something too drastic here that would cause muscle loss??? Help!
Cipriano,
I am sorry if it appeared that I was annoyed (pissed) with you personally, I am not. However, if a link is identified as an advertisement, the material may be reviewed differently.
Tim,
Just wanted to let you that I am extremely happy with my success:
*Started 12/20
*Lost 40 lbs. as of today 2/18
*More energy than I have ever felt!