All tactics, no excuses.
This post will explain exactly how Briana, a mother of three and reader of this blog, lost 100 pounds. It’s a lot simpler than you might think.
For additional real-world examples and the fundamentals, I suggest reading “How to Lose 100 Pounds on The Slow-Carb Diet.” There are several men and women profiled.
Sidenote: Many of you have been asking for a free 4-Hour Body support group… so I created it here. It’s designed to improve success rates by 50%+. In a recent four-week test, 86% of people who finished lost an average of 8.6 pounds. Many lost more than 20 pounds. If you’re serious about progress, take a look.
Now, onto our post, which was written by Briana herself. I’ve avoided any major edits to preserve her voice.
Please add any questions or tips of your own to the comment. Both Briana and I will jump in to help…
Enter Briana
If you’re meeting me for the first time today, you’d never guess that a little over 1 year ago, I was 100 pounds heavier and the furthest thing from being proud in a bikini.
And if you’d met “the FAT me” a year ago, you probably never would have guessed that the over-weight mother of three was actually an accomplished personal trainer who’d lost 73 pounds years earlier… and gained it all back.
That is really where my introduction to the Slow-Carb Diet (SCD) began.
Five years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom.
I had a husband, two kids, a house in the suburbs with a white picket fence, and a great dane. I was a young mom in my early 20’s, trying to balance everything and be everything to everyone BUT neglecting myself. I made my family the priority, which was great for them, but I lost myself somewhere along the way. Despite numerous failed attempts to lose weight and get in shape, the scale just kept creeping up.
Fat, depressed, and frustrated, I ended up surfing the internet one day for some new nutrition and training inspiration, when I stumbled across Tim’s blog and the post he wrote on How to Lose 20 lbs of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise. Four paragraphs in, I was HOOKED! I read it, I applied it day-in and day-out, and within 6 months I had not only lost the 73 POUNDS I had gained after having my first two kids, but I had completely transformed my body!
Needless to say, the experience was life-changing. After it, I felt compelled to pursue a career as a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist. I wanted to empower, educate, and inspire other women to transform their bodies and regain a renewed sense of self — just as I had.
Shortly after I became certified, I went through a devastating divorce. As a newly single-mom, I set out to “4-Hour Workweek” my life, started my own multi-faceted health and wellness company, and spent the last 5 years helping to transform the bodies and lives of hundreds of women around the world in ways they never thought were possible.
Along the way, Tim wrote and released The 4-Hour Body, and my story was featured on national television and throughout numerous editorials, spreads, and fitness publications — the biggest of which was an appearance with Tim on the Dr. Oz show.
And then? I got pregnant with baby #3.
Long story short: despite being a personal trainer and all my previous hard work to be a “weight-loss success story,” I ended up being one of those Mego-Prego women who really went for it! By “went for it” I mean – if my weight gain had been an accurate barometer of my son’s birth weight, I should have given birth to a kindergartner!
From the moment I first found out that I was pregnant I decided to use the “eating for two” excuse. I indulged my cravings, and I packed on the pounds by way of ice-cream, Mexican food, lasagna, and a total break from the adapted SCD nutrition principles I worked so hard to establish in my own life and subsequently teach others.
Needless to say, I exploded over nine months, and by the time I actually gave birth to my 8 lb. 6 oz. bundle of joy, I found myself weighing the heaviest of my life–100 pounds heavier than normal.
So my baby is born… and I find myself asking, “Now what, fatty?”
TRANSFORMATION: ROUND 2
Faced with the depressing reality that the new weight wasn’t “baby weight” and was really ALL ME, I made it my mission to swiftly re-apply the SCD principles to shed the post-partum pounds in record time.
It began with a commitment to change, and a real look in the mirror.
So many of us are miserable over the current condition of our bodies, we get motivated and inspired by reading stories such as mine, but that’s not enough. We need something lasting. Something that will motivate us to walk away from the bread basket, or in my case — back away from the sour cream twice-baked potato!
For me, that motivation came in the form of photos.
Before I began, I committed to document the entire process via a weekly pictorial where I would stand raw, real, and exposed in front of a camera wearing nothing but the same tiny black bikini. When I felt discouraged, or was having a internal struggle over something I shouldn’t eat, I would look at the photos of where indulging got me — FAT.
I took it one day and one meal at a time.
Beginning the day after I gave birth, I followed every slow-carb principle that is outlined — except for the cheat day.
The reason? I was breast-feeding, and through trial and error, it turned out that keeping my diet consistent by eating the same thing (more or less) everyday was much better for my baby (and my sanity), than trying to sooth a horrific colicky newborn 12-24 hours after binge eating on a “cheat day.”
The biggest SCD keys behind my latest post-pregnancy transformation were:
– Structuring every meal around a lean protein
– Meal frequency (eating every three hours)
– Totally avoiding refined, processed, starchy carbohydrates, and wheat (I came up with some wicked slow-carb recipe option substitutes)
– Eliminating dairy
– Completely cutting out fruit, which was my biggest craving during my pregnancy
– Drinking a gallon of water a day
– Upping my daily fish oil to 1 gram per 1% body fat — liquid form. Obviously, that’d otherwise be quite a few pills.
Just with the slow-carb diet ALONE and ZERO exercise (due to some postpartum recovery issues between week 1 and week 8), I lost 36 POUNDS.
(Click here for larger image)
And 12 months after giving birth, I hit my goal and lost 100 pounds (23 pounds of which were pre-pregnancy), and completely transformed my body.
Consistency is key. A typical day on the SCD might look like this:
Breakfast @ 7am
Egg white frittatas (made with veggies like mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion)
Snack @ 10
Veggies with hummus
Lunch @ 11:30
Usually dinner leftovers from the night before (i.e. Bison marinara sauce over zucchini spaghetti; Tuna stuffed avocados; etc.)
Snack @ 2
Small mixed green salad with chicken, cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes with a homemade lemon/garlic vinaigrette
Dinner @ 6
Tilapia fillet served over broiled garlic carrots, and coconut “rice” (cauliflower)
Biggest tip: If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail
As a mom, life can be hectic, and it rarely goes according to plan.
I always prepare ahead of time for those moments with some quick-grab protein snacks. Turkey wrap “roll-ups” with a little hummus and a sliver of bell pepper or cucumber inside is my fave! Or little snack-sized baggies of almonds sprinkled with cinnamon. Hard-boiled “hummus deviled eggs” is another.
Prepare or fail, the choice is yours.
Conclusion
Putting on a bikini 7 days after you give birth is uncomfortable. Some might argue it’s insane.
Standing in front of the bright lights of a professional photographer week-after-week (often times without seeing much change), especially when you’re a personal trainer who is 100 pounds over weight, is humiliating, humbling, and painful.
But transforming my body, documenting the journey, inspiring other mothers, and ultimately founding BikiniBodyMommy.com has been the most empowering 12-month process I’ve ever undergone.
The journey isn’t always easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.
My name is Briana. I am a 31-year old mother of three, I’ve lost more than 100 pounds on the Slow-Carb Diet, and I work every day to be a success story.
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Odds and Ends: New 4-Hour Body Support Group
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
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Briana’s story is definitely inspirational which should help alot of people lose belly fat and get fit for summer. Thanks for the push to just go out and get it done.
Wow, amazing transformation Briana, really great job!
I’m trying to get my mom to loose some weight and become more active and healthy. It seems like the hardest part is to get into the habit of doing it every day and not cheating. What did you struggle the most with?
Keep it up!
Navid
Pretty incredible story. It’s interesting to read about how the weight comes and goes. Congratulations on the massive weight loss!
Hey! Great inspiration, Briana.
I work in a wilderness therapy setting, and I am trying to find appropriate meals for breakfast and dinner in the field. Does anyone have good backcountry SCD meals they can suggest? I am also open to nutrition bars or things like that. I’m typically only out 2 days at a time before returning to civilization. Any help appreciated. I’ve been struggling to find things that are not just snack foods and will actually fill me up at meal times.
Candace
Great article what an amazing transformation!!
Amazing, Briana!
I am wondering though – do you EVER eat beans/legumes? Isn’t that a top priority on 4HB? I still have 60 lbs to lose and it has been incredibly slow going, and am trying to figure out what’s going wrong.
This may sound like a cliche as it is always been told to you, but for me the essence of the word “inspiring” would never be dry to be listened to. You’re story is an example of having the courage to actually face what is wrong with you, acknowledge it, accept it and do something about it. One of the things I learn about your story is that one should be glad when you’re in a situation that you can actually do something about. Being fat, and not feeling good about it is not easy to acknowledge but once you are enlightened by the fact that you alone can change such reality, then one should persevere and work hard. You can never go wrong when you set a goal for yourself! 🙂
Very inspiring guys, well done!
Hi Briana
Thank you for sharing your story. It’s truly inspirational. Your use of photos is a great idea. Photos don’t lie and it can be harsh to see yourself in a place that you don’t want to be.
Cheers Rachel
B, congratulations! You inspire me. Unfortunately my kids are in their 30s and 40s, and I never lost the weight. Plus I added 20 more going through menopause. Do you have any suggestions for moms (and grandmoms) pushing 70…and still 30 lbs overweight? Thx!!
This is a very inspiring true story that I think everyone should know. Did you feel lethargy or anything else at the beginning of adapting this diet?
I am very happy with the results thus far! I want to scream it from the roof top! Thank you for the stories. It is all very helpful!
Hi Brianna,
Mother of 2 here! Yo-yo dieter expert. But I just got tired of being tired. I want to finally be proud of what I see in the mirror and not hide behind baggy clothes. Here’s my question: when did you find the time to get your meals ready and work out?
Alot like my own home-made fitness plan, with a few differences. This is a great story and I look forward to sharing mine soon. Thinking of going the personal training route as well. Briana looks amazing. – JP
Hi Briana and Tim,
Thanks for the posts, -it’s very inspiring! Is it possible to tweak this diet for vegetarians or pescetarians? I don’t eat lots of meat, it is very hard for me to do it, I usually feel heavy or ill afterwards. I do eat small amounts of fish, a few times a week. Is it vital to eat meat in order to lose weight? Thanks for your response, I am buying your 4-Hour Body book today.
– Desiree
Reading “The 4-Hour Body” begs a question from my wife: What about post-menopausal women…will the diet work for them as well?
I am 68 and need to drop 70 lbs…my wife is 63 and needs to drop 30 lbs.
I plan on starting the diet on Aug, 1st. after we have moved into a new rental.
My wife is concerned that it might not work for her?
Thanks for any help and replies…much appreciated.
Ron Bednar
This is a nice case study that would be useful for a small group of people. It’s nice that we get meal sample and inspiration. But there’s little to no info on support, culture or habit change. Maybe as a stay at home mom she didn’t need to find a support structure to help her fight office donuts and birthday cakes every week.
This would be more amazing if she hadn’t been a trainer for 5 years before she gained weight the second time. And when she lost weight the first time, and became a trainer, she was in her 20’s. Then she lost weight a second time, having a trainers body to go back to. And still barely out of her 20’s.
It’s surprisingly painless to lose weight in your 20’s. Sure you have to put in some effort, I’m not saying she didn’t suffer and work. But it’s really minor effort as compared to fighting a slowing metabolism, loss of muscle mass, and 20-30 years of office butt. It’s lovely that she got back to her bouncy body. It’s a completely different animal.
What would be Really Awesome is to show someone in their 40’s or 50’s who has been fighting their weight all their life. Not someone who lost weight in their 20’s, then became a personal trainer, who then put in some effort to lose baby weight (even if it was a lot of weight, it was still put on when her body was in weight gain mode for childbirth).
Someone who has never had the beach body, or the tone, or was a trainer for a living. Someone who actually has to fight decades of bad habits, bad food, a busy if sedentary lifestyle.
That would be of interest to me.
Seeing this is like seeing someone who has never been a smoker in their life, that had to put in some effort to break a habit they developed over one summer. Not someone whose body has been addicted to cigarettes and the deep office/friend/movie culture of smoke breaks and cool kids for 40+ years. There are more americans over 40 than under. We’re a Big Audience.
Some people may find this useful, but those of us who never had a trainers body to go back to, and are no longer in our fashionably cute years, would benefit from a different weight loss profile. I look forward to seeing one on here eventually.
I’m happy for Briana, just would prefer a profile that is more directed toward my demographic.
I agree! I was naturally thin until I hit menopause, then over 20 years gained 50 lbs. Now turning 65, still working, like, 48 hours a week in 12 hr. shifts, where I have to bring my own breakfast, lunch and supper. That’s a LOT of planning and not much time to cook. Plus my oven is broken and no $ to repair/replace. In my 30’s I had to follow a similar diet successfuly(for yeast-overgrowth),
but that was still when I had METABOLISM!
I, too, would like to see dietary help for older folks whose metabolism (and youthful enthusiasm) yawns better than it does anything else!
Amazing! You’re such an inspiration! Congrats & lots of luck 🙂
What an inspiring story.
My favorite parts:
No Cheat Days! – Crazy Dedication
I took it one day and one meal at a time. – This is key to eliminating slip ups
Good luck with BikiniBodyMommy
Hi! I’m ready to begin, but I’m confused. I’ve read the chapter on the slow carb program about 10 times, I’m reasonably intelligent, so why can’t I understand exactly what to eat and what not to eat? I read the list of foods. Great. Three pages later, other foods are mentioned. Three pages later than that, peanut butter is mentioned. Then carrots, then onions, then oils….. Please help me!!! I just want a definitive list I can follow, and it’s really frustrating for me because it changes every few pages. Can someone please help me out?? Thank you!
Very impressive Tim, you must be so proud! I have followed you for some time, since reading your “4 Hour Work Week” book three short years ago. This has inspired my current online business which only takes 20 minutes a day to run…perhaps I will follow up with the “4 Hour Body” book!…makes sense.
Congrats!!! I’m the lowest weight I’ve been in 12 years! Last year I ran my first marathon at 235lbs (6’2″), now I’m down to 205!
I can’t wait to see what I can do this year! Mostly using combination of slow carb and intermittent fasting!
Ok. I am here. By God’s grace only cause I swear this is my last shot. Im tired of pills, potions, diets, exercise mags, ” shake shake shake”….you name it….Im a 56 year old grandmother, 260 lbs, the heaviest in my life, beautiful but fat……i want just the beautiful, but I refuse to cut myself (surgery) to lose fat….I wanna do it myself. So….today…August 5, 2013, I begin….I aint getting in no damn bikini (YET!!!), but imma do what Tim says do….Imma believe…one mo’ time…..Imma check in monthly for updates, and my quest is that come birthday time (November 7)….i’ll be that girl…or least real close, or even, close enough ….to know what I know and that I know…that this WORKS IF YOU WORK IT!!!
I read that Tim’s Dad used protein powder. What kind of protein powder is acceptable? Most are whey based, which comes from milk. Won’t that provoke an insulinemic response?
I was surprised by this guy Mark with body weight exercises and what results he is showing he can get. Similar to Tim’s.
In an effort to lose the 100+ pounds I am overweight, I decided to do 4HB. I first month went great – lost 19 pounds. After that, nothing. I stuck with it faithfully for 4 months with no more results – lbs or inches. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Do I have to take the PAGG stack & athletic greens? Drink more water? I aim for 7 cups but sometimes only make it through 4. I also drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of waking up: 10 oz unsweetened almond milk & 30-48 gms unsweetened, plain whey isolate. Exercise w/weights per the building strenghth chapter? I walk to work and back 2-4 days a week – about 3 miles roundtrip. I have stopped 4HB temporarily but want to go back to it because I feel so good on it. I just find the lack of results frustrating. I know it’s me but I don’t quite know how tweak it. I will gladly send my food log if that is helpful – but I get about 30 gms of protein or more at each meal & 1/2-1 cup of beans and plenty of roughage. Please help. I am desperate to lose this and get healthy. I had surgery on both knees in December 2012 – orthoscopy and bilateral release – and don’t want to have this pressure on my knees anymore. Plus, I like to travel and see sites and it is so uncomfortable right now. Help! Thank you.
So far this diet has been awesome! I can fit into all my old jeans. I have no idea what weight is going to be ideal for me but I do know what I want to look like. This diet is about getting real with yourself!
Brianna,
So impressed with your results!
I am personally more of an “inch loss” barometer kind of person- would you mind sharing your inch loss from your body transformation? I know for a lot of women seeing a change in inches is often more of an indicator that you are improving than actual weight loss.
Regardless, congratulations on your incredible achievement!
All this sounds great, and I’m so ready to look the way I want to look. I weighed 106kg after I had my son. I am now 69kg, so I lost a lot, but I would like to she’s the remaining fat but retain the muscle. Does the slow carb diet preserve or build muscle? Also, I am anxious to banish cellulite – and loose skin on my belly from pregnancy. How did you do that?
Congratulations to that transformation! this is really amazing, I feel that especially the part about planning or failing is crucial! I lost a few lbs myself, but these days things are going slow. What would you advise me to do? I have to say though, that I can’t do more than four meals in one day, it’s just too much for me – or should I do the snacks too?
congrats again and all the best,
joanna
Inspriing!
Maybe you can help with my journey-
56 yrs old,
Inspiring- help! Lost 10 kg, need to loose another 10. Doing the same regime ( I record exercise and food intake)and the weight loss has stopped for the last 6 weeks.
How to kick start this again?
Thanks!
Great meal ideas!
Hi Briana, you ROCK! Thanks for sharing. I started the low carb diet last week, but I haven’t been able to walk within the first hour of breakfast. Could you please answer the following questions?
How many minutes (the minimum) do I need to walk after breakfast?
It will work fine if I replace the walking with fix bicycle or gazelle for 10 to 15 minutes? I have two little ones at home, so taking them for a walk after breakfast ins’t doable for me right now. I want to loose a total of 9 pounds since my last pregnancy, unfortunately the extra pounds I have are mainly in the belly area so I look like I am pregnant again.
Wow you look stunning Briana!
The area that I struggle the most is the fat on my arms aka batman wings. How did you manage to do that?
Very motivating accomplishments for sure!!
I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and for the last four weeks I had stopped working out and started eating a lot of unnecessary calories; I have gained about 19lbs already. I have always been one to eat what I want but make up for it in the gym. I was at my max wt for my ht (158lbs) when I got pregnant.
I am working out again. Doing ‘The Pregnancy Project” by Tracy Anderson. Additionally I am counting calories and trying to watch what I am eating. My question is would it be safe to start this SCD now? Or Do I wait until I deliver?
Fantastic story. As you alluded, planning and perseverance are the key to success. Your determination to succeed and indeed achieving success with consistent effort has empowered me to be successful despite roadblocks.
You have lost 100 lbs in a year which is about lbs a week which is medically considered within the normal range.
All I can say is go girl with your determined self and more power to you.
Thomas Saunders
Wow congratulations Briana, you look amazing, I just have a few questions
Did you take the pills, that Tim recommends?
Once you loose all the weight you wanted, are you still doing the diet? the weight loss continues?
I can’t get your book. Not from you, not from Amazon, not from anyone. Please tell me what to!
The Baby’s face is priceless in the after shot, he’s like “you’ve lost it I’ve gained it”.
I just stumbled across this after googling “fat loss”. I am so motivated by you. Today is the day I choose to change my life and drop this weight (65 lbs). Thank you for sharing.
wow, that is a great transformation and case study, I’ve also been trying to lose weight. My best tips would be to have alot of fruits and vegetables around the house to keep me from snacking. That is a big problem of mine. I just eat a ton of fruit and my weight has been pretty good.
Your story is incredibly inspiring. I’ve been on the diet for 2 1/2 weeks and haven’t lost a pound or an inch. Not sure what I’m doing wrong, I’m following it to the letter. What keeps you motivated when the results aren’t there?
I followed the slow-carb diet for a few months in 2012 and lost 30 lbs., all without exercise or supplements. I got back on it in 2013 and lost 10 lbs in a month, but then the holidays intervened 🙂
Even when I’m not strictly following the diet, I follow the general rules and that helps keep my weight steady.
I’m following Slow Carb + cold showers again beginning Jan 1, along with the addition of a supplement of Garcinia Cambogia. (I tried the PAGG supplement before and it was too hard to follow — at the time I was on the road a lot and never had the supplements with me when I ate.). I’ve already lost 4lbs. I plan to add exercise into the mix next week after the holidays calm down.
We’ll see how it goes… but I’ve had success on this diet when I’ve followed it, and I absolutely love the food.
I’ve noticed Briana hasn’t been on here in a good 6 months. What’s her status now?
Heck of a great story. I showed this to my wife, who was in total disbelief that anybody could have more than 1 child and get back their pre-baby body. Really glad Briana documented the journey. It’s inspiring to the rest of us.
BIG congrats to you Briana 🙂 The BBC Horizon documentary at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03t8r4h/Horizon_20132014_Sugar_v_Fat/ has some really interesting new findings regarding fat and sugar in our diet that may surprise you all.
Thanks for the inspiring story! You look AMAZING. I just want to lose 10 lbs so I am hoping this works for me. My body is very comfortable at my current weight and always seems to want to stay where I am at. If I lost 10 lbs I would be the size I was 10 years ago when I was 21. I think it is the women like me who have a really tough time. It’s only 10 lbs and it is SO HARD!!!! I am on day 2 and will keep plugging away! 🙂
The only turnoff in Tim’s diet for me is the amount of beans, which give me a lot of gas. I also have an Ulcer history, so my body doesn’t react very well to them. Does anyone has a good suggestion for me?
I have been following your diet for 2 weeks and it makes me feel so much more energetic. (I think its a sugar issue)
Before this diet, I was on the bloodtype diet (I am A+) and I gained about 15lbs over the course of a year. However, there were benefits- before the bloodtype diet, my legs were cramping, I was bloating and had terrible wind. Those went away on the bloodtype diet.
On your diet, I started eating things like tomatoes again and the digestive issues are back. What do you think about this? Do you think it’s another facet that should be explored?
I am a fit, healthy mother of 4 children. After my fourth child, I started training to run a half marathon and by the time she was 1 year old, I had returned to my pre-pregnancy weight and was running my 3rd half marathon. After each child, I was able to lose the baby weight within a year. However, the difference this time is I have actually gaining about 5-7 pounds since my lowest weight after having my 4th child. I have tried everything, Insanity, running more half-marathons, eating only whole, real foods, and can’t seem to budge past this plateau. I am 5’7″, 140#, 42 years old and would like to lose 10 pounds and be in the shape of my life. I have decided to commit to the slow carb diet. Assuming I lose the weight, do i need to continue the diet? if so, for how long? What do you recommend when you reach your goal? I have read the 4HB and can’t seem to find anything about this. Thank you!
I NEVER post to blogs. But I had to share my experience with this diet so far. I was browsing the web last weekend and came across this page. I am always very skeptical of diets because NONE of them ever work for me. (atkins, weight watchers, slim fast, you name it, I have tried it) Mainly because I always give up too soon or they are too hard to follow. BUT THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT, I CAN ALREADY TELL. I started this diet on Sunday, it is now Thursday and I have already lost 4lbs! (for reference, I am a 25 year old female, 5′ 5″ and weighed 181.5 lbs. Today I weigh 178.1) I could not believe it. I don’t care if it is only water weight, you don’t know how long I have waited to see that scale go down. I was already watching my calories (eating 1300 daily and excising 5 days a week) and wasn’t losing at all, I think because I was simply eating too much bread and sugar. But now, I am so excited to see how much I will lose by the end of the month, as it will be my birthday then! I already fill less bloated and more energetic. I am not going to lie, it is tough to follow this diet with all the temptation around, but seeing that scale go down this morning just made it that much easier to keep this going. Thanks for this!
I’m curious as to what everyone (including Tim), think of light of recent reports coming out about the deleterious effects of high protein diets. Seems indisputable, and would see to render this diet obsolete, if we’re being responsible and honest.
I did the diet for a while, with some success. I think it play a role in the development of acid reflux disease, or at least the progression.
Hi Briana!
First i want to acknowledge you for a few things:
1) For basically being a superwoman. i know how hard it is to loose the amount of weight you did and i am in complete awe of the amount of will power and strength you have.
2) For living out the life that you want when you wanted it. It takes an extraordinary person to create the life that you have right now and the results that come with it.
3) For being a mom. i have a mom, i know mom’s, and you guys are amazing.
OK now that that’s out of the way i have a few questions 🙂 ive been following the slow carb diet for a while now and i’ve just started reading the 4hr work week and like you i now want to start to train to be a fitness consultant and a nutritionist so that i can coach people to be the healthiest they have ever been in their lives. my questions are,
How did you start to become a fitness trainer and a nutritionist?
How long did it take to become both?
What is Tim ferris like in person???
thats all, i appreciate your answers to theses questions and i wish you all the best for you and your family 🙂
Can you recommend a protein powder for females which I could take as Breakfast. I don’t like the thought of lots of unnecessary additives. I never take powdered anything but am finding it difficult to eat all that protein within 30 mins of waking up as normally I never have breakfast.
Hi, i’m on my 2nd pregnancy at 41 years old & trying to maintain a low carb diet of 50 grams or less per day, per my dr’s suggestion. My first pregnancy was at 32 & i gained over 50 lbs. I’ve done low carb in the past and before my pregnancy i managed to stay at a thin weight of 120, i’m 5′ 5″, for 7 years by going low carb anytime i felt that i was gaining. My problem is that at 22 weeks i’ve gained 18 lbs, 8 lbs above what most experts suggest i should have based on pre-preg bmi, height & # weeks pregnant. I rarely cheat, maybe 2x’s per week at most, but when i do, I show huge weight gains. Last night i had 3 pcs of pizza & this a.m. I showed +2 lbs!! Am i doomed to spend an entire pregnancy without ever being able to indulge? What am i doing wrong? I want a healthy baby, but not a fat mama!
Hi guys,
Quick question, what protein powder/supplement would you recommend for use in breakfast if it’s a slower day and not as much time to prep the usual eggs, black beans, salsa, spinach concotion?
Thanks!
Are there numbers on the effects of the slow carb diet on women. Briana looks fantastic and no doubt the diet works for weight loss but I’m wondering if the health benefits are the same for women. I used to work in a birthing center and learned a lot about women and am aware that their biologies are different from men, mostly due to the testosterone/estrogen difference. I’m just wondering if there are suggestions or cautions for women. Also have any women subjects themselves to consistent blood testing the way Tim did? Not doubting Tim or the diet but curious about any adaptations necessary, if any, for women for health reasons.
Hi, Briana, did you know that your before/after pics are being used to endorse raspberry keytones? Great testimony by the way, truly inspirational and keep up the good work 🙂 Sam x
I ready to lose 55lbs. Please help!!!
I am going to give this all I’ve got and I pray it works!! I’ve done a lot of diets and even when successful I’ve gained the weight back. I have three kids and my three siblings live with me so there are six total, any tips on FAST meals? I can cook for them but I need fast meals for myself. Also, any workout tips?? Thanks!!
Hello…I’m 20 years old…a mother of one and I’m 205 pounds and 5`4 tall…I’m obese and since I’m always with my daughter…what can I do to lose weight…I don’t mind exercising but I don’t got much time inn my own…during nights I work…and during days I’m with my daughter…busy. what can I do…I’m desperate =( please help…I’m touted of people especially own family calling me day and bringing me down… please help. [Moderator: Email removed]
I think taking the pics of yourself is a great idea if only to look at when I want to cheat is a very good idea.I think being able to cheat one day a week makes this a very doable me and a way of life diet . gonna try this your story is very motivational thank you for sharing. I hope I have the same results…
mum of three 34 year’s old ten half stone work till half three everyday except weekends finding time to excersise and eat healthy around the family is hatd id lpve to be 9 stome and toned please help x
You are completely amazing and incredibly inspiring. Thank you for sharing your story with such honesty; I am absolutely going to give your plan a try. ; )
hard to believe I started doing paleo, just ate 4 oz chicken or fish each meal and as many veggies as I wanted. so far lost 35 lbs in abt 90 days and enjoy eating real food for a change.
i ve done a lot of reading on this, interested.
what do you do if you work out first thing in morning and dont eat 30 mins upon waking?
and do you have to use PAAG as supplements?
thoughts appreciated
Well done Briana, it’s not easy to admit failing twice but bouncing back and harder and faster is an inspiration to everyone out there not just us mums. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, Well done!
I’m a former Marine that was injured in Iraq in 2004. Before my injury I was 180 pounds with a 31″ waist and a 44″ chest, 19″ biceps. I was a total health freak, running 10 miles 4 times a week and 20 minute 3 mile runs. When I was medically discharged in 2006. I couldn’t exercise in any capacity for 5 years after my discharge. As soon as I was able to workout I had a heart attack that slowed me down to 0. Since then I have gained 40 pounds and have a 41″ waist. I’ve tried every diet. I need ideas. Thank you, Kevin Wells.
did you have lose skin as a result of weight loss
I was wondering what condiments I could use. I have a hard time eating chicken and pork without something on it.
Thank you so much for sharing your success! I have been doing almost all with minor difference! I ate two fruits a day! I’m sitting at 132 for about 6 months and not losing an oz and I exersize everyday! I think to avoid fruit I will manage to take the lastv10 lbs off soon! Yeah!
What you have accomplished is amazing! im doing the diet (for a 2nd time) the first round i did it for about 8 months and i was down 60 lbs! then life hit a really hard time for me, and i turned back to food…. and gained every bit of it back. but currently i am on day 18 and im down 17.4 lbs i have a long ways to go but im doing it , and seeing articles like this really help me keep going also as a single mom of 2 boys.
truly a role model in diet life.
-Carrie
Your mind also changes and you begin to notice things that would have gone unnoticed a few months
ago; things like other mothers playing with their kids in the park, or expectant mothers shopping for baby
clothes. The study showed that women who conceive after receiving fertility treatments are
up to six times more at risk of developing the problem than those
having a natural birth. Air The growing industrialisation of the world has meant more industry, more cars and
planes all generating toxic emissions that become part of the air we breathe.
Briana it’s really amazing what u did!!!! i’m a 16 year old obese girl and i’m a shorty too i really don’t know what to do , it will be really kind of u if u can help me with a diet plan suitable for a teenager to lose 70 pounds.
Alice, pick up a copy of The 4 Hour Body. I got mine on Ebay used for $10. The routine she followed is detailed in there, along with tons of other useful info.
I’d say best of luck, but all it takes is proper information and determination. You got this!
I’m trying to find any info on the Last Mile (5-10lbs) specifically on how to prepare the chicken/fish/beef, and whether or not I can season them or throw it in a crockpot with chicken stock???
Hey Briana,
First off, way to kick ass. Also, can you explain more about your fish oil routine? Some info on why it works, as well as the use of liquid fish oil- how is the taste? Did you incorporate it into your cooking, or just swallow it down?
Very interested, thank you!
Lift is now called Coach.me
Correct.
Any idea if the low carb diet is beneficial for someone with a pre-diabetic diagnosis. I am 57, have gone through menopause, exercise a minimum of 4 times a week either brisk walking or yoga, am 5’9″ at 153 with a medium build. I would say at minimum I should lose 13 lbs. Ideally maybe 18? Anyway, I have had success with SCD in the past losing 20 but let 13 creep back on after menopause.
I have a question. I have read it is best to work out first thing in the morning to dig into your fat stores, but the slow carb diet requires you eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. By the time I get up and walk my dogs and get ready and work out, 30 minutes have passed. I am curious about your opinion on the fasting morning workout vs the breakfast within 30 minutes rule. I’m torn between eating or working out first thing in the morning.
I’m a newbie to 4-hour body, on day 2. I “get” the slow-burn carb philosophy and i’m already a proponent of high protein. I’m just not sure about how much to eat and how best to portion. i have not felt hungry yet, rather very satisfied or full. I’m afraid of over-eating and gaining weight. Anyone else struggle with this? I need advice…. tks.
Did you take all of the supplements on the 4 hour body diet as well? PAGG? And you said no exercise right?
Can you drink almond milk? Can you use stevia
So impressive! I have personally achieved impressive achievements with the slow carb approach but your experience is fantastic! Truly inspiring
I personally do not believe in diets. Diets do not work most of the time. It is more important to have a balanced meal. 3 square meals a day and 2 snacks. While it is possible to achieve a more svelte look in months time, It can also be frustrating for most people who work twice as hard and immediately expect results. The right expectation and mentality should be slow and progressive.
Hi my name is Coreen I have four children that I gave birth to and they have always kept me busy. Then along came the love of my life after getting divorced from my kides father. I use to be 120 to 130 until I started having children like most woman.I just recently got married and he gave me three more kids. Needless to say our groucry budgets it is kind of crazy. It is also hard for me to figure out a healthy way to eat with four teen age boys around the house. I have always been a meat and potados kind of girl which has caused some of my problems. I am now 206 ponds . It seems imposable to chang the way I shop and eat. How do I cut out starch when all most all of the meals that I have learned to cook have rice potados hamburger helper in them. I need to learn how I look at foods . I also need to learn how to make healthier meals. my question is how do I replace all of these bad foods with good ones?
Very cool! I love this, but can’t help but cringe at the term “bikini body” as if there’s only one type of body that belongs in a bikini. Brianna, you have a wonderful body that has done amazing things and it shows evidence of those amazing feats and is all the more beautiful because of that.
Outstanding Effort Briana! My wife and I also followed the SCD as well. I, personally lost 40kgs! My wife lost about 15kgs. Unfortunately,she has put it back on. Not only has she gone off the SCD, but, she has developed plantar faciatus and mortens neuromas in her feet (at 49!). I personally lead a pretty active life. Martial Arts, Long walks, Playing with the kids, etc. And my wife, like all mothers is very active with the day to day things, but unlike myself does not do anything outside of that. At the end of the afternoon, or just after dinner (we both take turns cooking and cleaning btw)..its just sitting on the couch, having a white wine and falling asleep. I have tried to encourage her to go out, try yoga, try a rowing machine. Anything I can think of that will not hurt her feet. But, she seems to have no interest in any kind of exercise. Sometimes, she will come back and say, I am a mother of two and I don’t need to be a size 6 anymore! Other times, she will say, oh, I cant wear that, or I look big in everything and have nothing to wear.
I just come back with, “Well you know what to do if you want to lose the weight.”
Briana, I love my wife. And her size is not going to change that. But, I know that many of her physical problems, feet, knees, and back issues are all related to her weight and her diet. Do you have any words of advice? Anything sage, that I can say that may push her over that fear point?
Cheers in Advance.
Great post. Fantastic results. I’ve “re-discovered” the SCD – and will work on implementing this weekly. Just went to costco and got organic chicken breast, organic grount turkey, black beans and frozen medley & green beans. Will be cooking for 2-3 days at a time. I LOVE the idea about turkey roll ups or hummus deviled eggs. would love to know if you put hummus in the egg and throw out the yolk or add hummus to the yolk instead of Mayo. I also like Cashews as a snack. I’m getting my BODPOD appointment scheduled. Yikes. But looking forward to the transformation. I’m ready to look and feel great again.
I have been doing the food principles in the 4HB and have gone down 2 pant sizes. I am a young mom of 2 (1 year old and a two year old) and was struggling to lose that extra baby weight. In one month I not only got past my baby weight, but also hit my high school weight and a pant size that I have never ever seen before. I was hoping 4HB would help me lose a bit for my upcoming trip to Maui, but was blown away by the results. Thanks for sharing your insight in 4HB.
Hi Tim,
can i eat oat bran at breakfast? I know it’s a white food, but it seems to be only made of insoluble fibers. also GI and GL seems to be low as for black beans.
I want to eat it with flax seeds and cynnamon at morning as it seems to help my regularity a lot.
thanks much.
Beautiful… before and after the weight loss. Thanks for showing women that being healthy is important.
Hello,
I have used this diet in the past and have had great success. This time around, not so much. I’ve lost a few inches but not hardly any weight. I’m now on my 4th week. I start off my day with 2 organic eggs, turkey bacon and snap peas (within an hour of waking). Lunch four hours later will be fish or chicken breast with a bean soup that I made with a ton of veggies. Dinner consists of the same thing. I drink over a gallon of water a day and limit myself to 2 glasses of merlot. I limit myself to one cheat day a week. Please advise where I’m going wrong. I don’t want to give up on it.
Thanks so much,
Katlyn
My question how well did you keep it off when you got off 4HB. You need fruits maybe not all the time but how else would you get the nutrition that’s in them. No one seems to be able to answer that for me. I am tired of being fat but don’t want to be on this diet forever
Hi Tim. As a member of your podcast for 10 mins I feel we are friends. So ………………. Just kidding great info here mate thank you
Hummus? On Slow Carb?
Eating the same stuff day after day… Is for someone who doesn’t like food.
I was introduced to paleo here on Tim’s blog and have become a paleo evangelist.
Great article and thanks so much for sharing your story!! Re-reading 4hour body 🙂 The links for the supplements are no longer working. Looking for good source for garlic, CQ, etc mentioned in the book. Any suggestions?
I can’t help but feel like- yeah right. I’ve been on a diet like this for 8 months- and was working out 5 days a week for 2 hours a day… and lost NOTHING! Which sends me straight into a binge. I can only gain weight- it does not come off no matter what. I’ve tried Atkins, weight watchers, 28 in 28, worked with trainers, worked with a group in which everyone lost weight but me. You name it and Nothing. I have hypothyroid and BED. I do not believe I can ever have success. Depressing. But congrats to you…
Briana you are an inspiration
How would you suggest i show this to my girlfriend who wants to lose weight and is about 50 lbs over weight? She is very sensitive.
Joe
I’m just curious. After putting on 100 pounds, how mud did you weigh?
Congratulations Briana and thank you Tim for this.As a mum,I can really relate. Strangely though, when my son was born, I was very skinny and always hungry which was due to the breastfeeding I’m told. Then I took an overseas business trip,at around the time that I finally brought myself to weaning him completely off breast milk. I was away for 3 weeks, eating as normal (if not worse,due to being busy and eating a lot of fast food & general junk) and I ballooned! I worked on getting the fat off but it has been yoyo-ing ever since.
The 4HB is a very welcome and amazing resource.I have recommended it to everyone I know. I was on the slow carb diet a few months ago but fell off it. I started to plateau on weight loss due to insufficient protein intake and not eating in the 30min window. However, I am back on and so far all is on track.( I won’t bore you all to tears with the details).
Tim,my questions are with regard to supplements and meal replacements. I am trying to get more protein shakes into my diet especially when busy. I have heard about a company called Living Fuels who do meal replacements from one of the “bro science” youtube channels and their website seems solid but I’m not sure yet. Have you ever heard of them and would you recommend them? They also have a “greens” option so I’m thinking that this might be an alternative to the Athletic Greens that you have mentioned several times in your podcasts and book, since the latter supplement is currently in the ‘holy shit’ price range for me.
I would really appreciate the feedback, and please keep up the fantastic work experimenting, analysing and distilling information from yourself and others, so that we don’t have to. Looking forward to reading “Tools of Titans”.