How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise 1,356 Comments
It is possible to lose 20 lbs. of bodyfat in 30 days by optimizing any of three factors: exercise, diet, or drug/supplement regimen. I’ve seen the elite implementation of all three in working with professional athletes. In this post, we’ll explore a variation of the “slow carb” diet as used by Dean Karnazes, an ultramarathoner famed for completing 50 marathons on 50 consecutive days in 50 different states. The most impressive part of this, for me, is that he did so, not with the typical anemic marathoner build, but with a well-muscled mesomorph body.
In the last six weeks, I have cut from about 180 lbs. to 165 lbs., while adding about 10 lbs. of muscle, which means I’ve lost about 25 lbs. of fat. This is the only diet besides the rather extreme Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) that has produced veins across my abdomen, which is the last place I lose fat (damn you, Scandinavian genetics). Here are the four simple rules I followed…
Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates
Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.
Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again
The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, costructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:
Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork
Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans
Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables
Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.
Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.
Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:
10am - breakfast
1pm - lunch
5pm - smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm - sports training
10pm - dinner
12am - glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed
Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:
Scrambled Eggology pourable egg whites with one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables
Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)
Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables
Post-workout pizza with extra chicken, cilantro, pineapple, garlic, sundried tomotoes, bell peppers, and red onions
Rule #3: Don’t drink calories
Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.
Rule #4: Take one day off per week
I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.
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Posted on April 6th, 2007
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1,356 Responses to “How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise”
10:08 pm
This is quite possibly the most important thing dieters can now:
“Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat.”
I’m going to do this for one next week and let you know the effects of just one week!!! Thanks for this info Tim. As always you’re the man in the know…
10:03 am
What about breakfast? What do you typically eat for breakfast?
9:37 am
Where it’s available, I recommend substituting turkey for chicken, especially for the post-workout meal. It’s got a lot less fat and more protein, and IMO tastes better anyway.
12:49 am
Rod, believe it or not, my breakfast is the egg, black bean, and vegetable combo. I actually prefer lentils over black beans.
Breakfast is usually the hardest meal for most to modify, as we’re a country of toast and cereal-eating junkies. Moving to slow carbs and protein requires a more lunch-like meal for breakfast. This is easier when you realize that breakfast can be a smaller meal, particularly when followed by a lunch 3-5 hours later. Try it for 5 days and you’ll see the difference. Not only will the increased protein intake in your first meal decrease water retention, it will also increase resting metabolism about 20% if your breakfast calories are at least 30% protein.
12:51 am
Vladimir, good recommendation. Turkey (or ostrich, if you can find it) is a great alternative. For those adventurous souls looking for lower-fat and high-protein red meat besides beef, I also recommend bison (American buffalo).
3:19 pm
I want to know more about that pizza. Where do you get it / how to you make it? It looks delicious.
Isn’t there a lot of white carbs in the crust though?
8:00 pm
i was clicking my ’stumbleupon’ button and came across this. i’ve been looking to lose some weight, and trying. once i read this, and because i hadn’t eaten in a few hours, i quickly made myself some chicken, pinto beans, and vegetables. this is the exact diet i was looking for. i’ve never been much of a breakfast food person, so i have no problem substituting the typical american breakfast foods. but one question….are canned foods alright?
8:44 pm
Thats what works for me too, but you left out the meth.
8:49 pm
What about 100% whole wheat bread? I love Acme’s whole wheat walnut levain. Whole grain plus protein.
9:21 pm
Sounds great, but eating the same 3-4 meals cycle after cycle is going to get BORING! Also, what do you have to say about the idea that men’s metabolic rates generally allow them to lose weight faster/easier? Thanks.
9:43 pm
[...] author says that it is possible to lose 20 lbs in 30 days without exercising, but by changing what you eat and how you eat [...]
2:11 am
i have a question. how does whole grain wheat fit into this, if at all? would it be considered “white carbo” and is thus to be avoided?
4:03 am
Hi All,
Thanks for the great comments and questions! Here are my answers:
1. Canned foods are absolutely fine. No problem. All of my vegetables are either frozen (80%) or canned (20%). I’m a huge fan of canned tuna in water mixed with lentils and chopped onions. If you’re trying to gain muscular weight, just add durum-based macaroni to that and you’ll be set.
2. The pizza is from Pizza My Heart, based here in Nor-Cal (http://www.pizzamyheart.com/). It’s wonderful. Most small independent pizzerias should be able to help you customize a pizza, and you can always have chicken strips at home that you add on top for the finishing touch. Frozen chicken breasts from Safeway can be microwaved and cut in a matter of a few minutes.
3. Meth is bad, unless you want to look like 80s Axle Rose or Kate Moss.
4. Whole grain is not recommended on this diet, due to high caloric content and generally high glycemic index. I challenge you to find one that is not “enriched” (it is bleached, then vitamins, etc. are added back in) or that doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup in its first five ingredients (the ingredients of the “ingredients” listing on all food products are listed in descending order of quantity). It is tempting but not good for fat loss. True whole-grain bread is better than white bread and actually tastes pretty rough, but if you’re serious about fat-loss, I discourage consuming it. Saturdays allow you to go nuts, so be strict otherwise.
5. Eating the same meals over and over again is boring, yes. I will generally eat the same 3-5 meals every day for 1-2 weeks and then rotate to a new 3-5 meals that comply with my diet plan. It is not practical to have consistency and variety at the same time, so I rotate in this fashion to prevent feeling like a POW. That said, being in incredible shape usually justifies having good but familiar food from Sun-Fri. Saturday is no-holds-barred.
Hope that helps!
Tim
1:05 pm
All of this sounds intruiging, but what about substiuting the bread for a corn or flower tortilla, making a wrap or a buritto or sorts, and eat with tomato based salsa? I do not know about you, but A diet with tortillas and salsa could never get boring.
4:32 pm
Are there any further resources on this tye of diet? I’d like to learn more about meal options and recipes. Do these types of meals work better with any kind of spices or light sauces?
thanks for the info.
James
8:27 pm
What do you think about (lacto-ovo) Vegetarian alternatives? I’ll eat eggs, but no meat whatsoever. Think it’s safe to stick with eggs & beans?
1:24 am
Hi All,
Tortillas are not ideal, as they’re still calorically dense without much added nutritional value, but if you must have some carbs, corn is typically the least damaging.
Salsa is outstanding, especially chunky medium spice salsa with corn, beans, etc. I can’t stand egg whites by themselves, as it’s too boring even for me, but if you just add a few spoons of salsa on top, it’s a delicious little meal (just don’t put the salsa and lentils in the same bowl, as the mix is disgusting).
For books, I recommend “The Glucose Revolution” (http://www.amazon.com/Glucose-Revolution-Authoritative-Index-Groundbreaking/dp/1569246602/ref=sr_1_15/103-9756133-3205402?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176358832&sr=1-15) and “Protein Power” (http://www.amazon.com/Protein-Power-High-Protein-Low-Carbohydrate-Health/dp/0553380788/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9756133-3205402?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176358929&sr=1-1) for some good basics on low-GI eating and how protein affects hormone levels and metabolism.
Last but not least, lacto-ovo is fine. Meat isn’t necessary, but it does make the job easier. Egg and beans will be sufficient to lose weight, but if you’re sticking to the “lacto” portion, I would also include 1% milk in combination with the eggs. Casein protein and calcium will aid in fat-loss; just don’t exceed one glass per meal, as the lactose will spill over to bodyfat past a certain point.
Cheers,
Tim
11:50 pm
tell us more about supplementation - are you saying you can lose 20lbs in one month just from supplements?
please share… :)
11:26 pm
Hi Jay,
That’s exactly what I’m saying. Supplements can be used for this, even if your diet and exercise is mediocre. That said, the regimen of supplements that would accomplish this would make your liver and kidneys most unhappy, as both will be affected, and the liver will be filtering most of them from your blood.
In the next 10 days, I’ll be doing a full expose on the regimen I used to gain 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days while cutting bodyfat percentage by 4%, including supplements. Keep an eye out!
Cheers,
Tim
12:32 am
i’m on day 2 of your plan - if you are cool w/sharing the supplement info, would love to see it!
thanks!
jay
1:35 am
Hi Jay,
Congrats on jumping on the plan. I’ll suggest a few that I currently take in exchange for you keeping us all updated on your progress via comments on this post ;)
I could recommend several hard-core thermogenics like ephedrine hydrochloride, but the trade-off in liver and kidney damage (not to mention things that few people realize, like sinuses) isn’t worth it.
I approach the problem differently. Rather than focusing on speeding up the metabolism via adrenal hormones (adrenaline, norepinephrine, etc.), I prefer to increase insulin sensitivity. Most people get fat via a moderate “Syndrome X” of resistance to insulin, which is a storage hormone. Just google “syndrome X” and “insulin sensitivity” for more. Before bed, I take:
200mcg (that’s micrograms, not milligrams) of chromium polynicotinate (not “picolinate”), which is niacin-bound GTF chromium; this can be found under the brand name “ChromeMate”
500mg of slow-release niacin (nicotinic acid) under the brand name “Slo-Niacin”
23mg of policosanol (I use Nature’s Life brand)
1-2 glasses of red or white wine: I believe these have fat-loss properties, plus they taste great ;) Look at the research on resveratrol and other wine compounds.
This cocktail not only aids in fat-loss, in my experience, but it lowered my total cholesterol from 222 to 147 in four weeks (!). If that is your goal, I’d also add an organic orange just prior to bed.
Keep us posted on your progress!
Tim
I take another 500mg of niacin upon waking in the morning.
6:03 am
[...] How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days? Without Doing Any Exercise - The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss [...]
11:01 pm
Dude. Just stop eating. Seriously. You’ll go bald and stuff, but you’ll definitely lose twenty pounds as well!
11:08 pm
Hi,
I am curious about the legumes. Should I limit myself to these listed or can I elaborate into other kinds of beans? Also, are there any fruits or vegetables to avoid?
I have around 10-12% bodyfat right now, and I am in the process of resistance training in order to gain more muscle mass. Will this diet help me gain muscle AND lose bodyfat? I look forward to your expose on your experience.
11:19 pm
Sorry for leaving two in a row, but I have found more questions.
I have been reading about slow-carb, and it says to avoid white-bread and refined cereals. The only cereal I eat is organic health cereal, ‘wheat squares’ and ‘bran’, and the only bread I eat is whole grain wheat.
I asked about tortillas because I thought the whole wrap-instead-of-bread craze was about the low carb diet. Is there a diference between tortillas used in wraps and burritos?
They have alot of information on low-GI diets and a refined food pyramid on mypyramid.gov and askmen.com
2:08 am
Dude - if you stop eating… that’s a serious eating disorder! My site can help with that!
12:32 pm
I find it insane not to be able to eat any type of vegtable out there. Why only the four you’ve mentioned? Also what’s wrong with brown rice? Will I have enough energy to exercise?
Leslie
12:33 pm
Another question, do any of the supplements you mentioned cause insomnia or anxiety?
12:59 pm
Hey i came across ur whole lose 20lbs in 30 days and of-course i wus intrigued. N e ways since april of last year i started working out and went from weighing 217 to now weighing 145 , by now im obsessed with fitness and nutrition . Well i dont wanna give you my life story:)but the point to all this is the whole saturdays dieters gone wild day seems to good to be true. Can i just treat myself to one chocolate bar and maybe ice cream u know stuff i normally i wouldnt eat, or is your advice to literlly stuff myself 4 dat day??
4:25 pm
Thanks for the great article. A few questions though:
I love my carbs, but could probably give them up if egg whites and chicken are involved. However, I hate vegetables, making the rest of the diet tough. Are there any other “normal”/non-veggie foods that could be successfully integrated into the diet?
I’ll also echo the previous poster and ask how fruits could play in. Any particular good ones for this diet?
5:07 pm
“I prefer to increase insulin sensitivity”
This is a great approach. I’ve read that cinnamon, fenugreek seed, and vinegar all have similar effects. I take 1000 mg of cinnamon per day and use either red wine or apple cider vinegar olive oil to make a salad dressing on my mixed green salad (mostly spinach though).
Also, I’ve read that one or two drinks a day of any kind of alcohol (probably except for high sugar drinks) lowers risk of just about every disease known to man (including obesity). These positive effects stop at the third drink.
Great article by the way!
6:16 pm
Hi,
I read about your diet with interest. I do something similar, but without the beans, lentils etc.
I have a couple of questions. Can you eat cheese and nuts with this diet? Especially cheese, because I like to snack a little with swiss cheese.
Is fried chicken OK? Turkey bacon? When I’m traveling I eat a lot of KFC.
What have you got against the egg yolk? Are egg yolks bad on this diet?
Oh, I like Middle Eastern food, and they use a lot of garbonzo beans. Are they OK?
Thanks, much appreciated.
Bob
12:32 am
Dear Tim,
It is with great interest that I write to you. I’m an opera singer from South Africa and have been struggling with weight related problems for long.
I have recently been on a diet regime combined with Lipolytic Injections. The result was OK, but I still have at least 8Kgs to drop before finally goal weight,
I do exercise regular by walking for an hour 4-5 times per week. And burn quite an amount of calories this way.
Question: Why is there no fish in your diet?
Would grilled tuna steak/Hake/Cod not be a great
low fat protein?
I’m looking forward to a lean mean singing machine!
Thank you for sharing your success with us.
Warm greetings from Cape Town
Marion Roberts
Q
2:20 am
Wow! This post is getting out of control. I’ll do my best to answer a few of these, but with the book launch (www.fourhourworkweek.com) coming up next Tuesday, I won’t be able to give specific diet recommendations to each person. Grab the books I recommended, and you’ll be set.
A few things:
1. Cody, excellent observations. I use vinegar on salads, cinnamon, and even lemon in drinks to lower collective meal GI. Smart lad, you are.
2. I never said you need to limit veggies to those I listed, but I’ve found that the more variety you try and build in, the less you stick to your diet. My diet is not designed to be fun — it’s designed to be effective. Those four are the four I’ve found to be most tolerable when eating again and again. Feel free to substitute whichever you want, but some legumes are a good ideas for sufficient calories.
3. On MY diet (this is not to say it’s for everyone), brown rice is not OK unless within an hour after exercise. Too calorically dense and still normally high GI. Some will disagree, but here’s the thing. I’m not trying to get to 12% bodyfat (bf), I’m trying to get to 5-6%. This is HARD and requires that I be more strict that the average person.
4. This diet is great for gaining muscle. Just up volume and ensure you get a good amount of low-GI starches (organic whole-grain brown rice or quinoa; the latter is my favorite) after training sessions. Macaroni mixed with tuna is also a great bulking meal.
5. None of the supplements I recommended generally cause anxiety or insomnia. None are stimulants.
6. Fruit, and fructose, are not good for fat-loss diets — period. Fructose is easily converted into fat after it spills over from the liver. I eat one organic orange before sleep to increase HDL cholesterol, but this is not for fat loss.
7. Cheese (ideally low-fat), nuts, and occassional fried food (ideally without a ton of breading) are fine on this diet. Notice that all are protein-rich and low GI.
Buy the books! They’re more comprehensive than I can hope to be on this post, and I apologize in advance if I can respond to more personalized requests.
Please help each other if you can, and thanks for the discussion!
Tim
2:21 am
That should read “I apologize in advance if I CAN’T respond to more personalized requests” ;)
3:13 am
Im very interested in this diet, however a few quick questions.
One, I cant stand chicken Breast that isnt properly grilled. Is it possible to grill them for a few days(lets say 8 or so) then jam them into the fridge and just heat them up quickly via the microwave or over a skillet for a few mins? or does that lose a lot of its nutrients?
Also Im heavily swimming and doing some light lifting, and push ups. Will this diet along with Whey Protein be enough to help my body maintain itself under this strain? Arnt those all way below the fats that you need? wouldnt an avocado a day or two also help in this matter? Im quite new to this, and greatly appropriate your help.
Lastly, how about posting some cooking instructions for us cooking impaired ;).
I would be more then glad to take some before and after photos and stick to this regiment if it can fit into my lifestyle (IE, being able to slap something together quickly as a meal).
Thanks.
1:25 am
Hey Tim,
Just one more question. :) Can you recommend some nutrition blogs if there are any good ones that you know of?
Cheers and thanks in advance,
Ivan
7:32 pm
ProteinPower.com/dreades is one by the guy who wrote one of the books Tim recommends.
4:10 pm
Interesting article, thanks. I have a couple of questions:
1) This diet is one of the closest I’ve seen that gets close to a “change your lifestyle” approach versus a “reach your goal” diet. However, it still has components of a “reach your goal” diet, which is destined for eventual failure for most people as it doesn’t address the behaviors or emotional reasons for over-eating. Have you written, or do you provide in your books, a “bridge” type program where you move from this diet to one that instills healthier eating habits for life? For instance, I find gorging myself on Saturdays to be a temporary diet, not a habit one should indulge in for life.
2) You mention grass-fed beef in your article, but don’t mention why grass-fed is important (grain-fed has a higher, hidden caloric/carb content due to the corn feed, and consuming the antibiotic soup required to keep grain-fed cattle from exploding is probably also unhealthy; I’m sure there are other reasons). Is this also something you mention in your books?
3)How do you personally use this plan? Is this how you eat all the time, or is it a temporary meal plan to reach a goal weight or bulk?
Thanks again for the article, and I look forward to any comments you might have.
5:31 pm
Hi Cris,
Gotta run out the door, but here are a few thoughts:
1. I didn’t address the emotional eating concerns b/c I was just trying to explain my diet, not prescribe one to others. That said, they’re important, and I found Dr. Phil’s book (”Weight-loss Solution”?) to address this surprisingly well.
2. Grass-fed, in addition to those reasons, has higher nutrient content, such as CLA (conjugated linoleic acid):
http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-natural-beef.asp
3. I eat like this all the time and have for 7 years. If you don’t want to binge, there is no need to be, but I find that everyone does if they don’t cheat on their meal plans. I just preschedule it to limit the damage.
Thanks for the good observations!
Tim
P.S. I’ll let you guys help each other on this post from here out. I have to focus on the book launch next Tuesday! http://www.fourhourworkweek.com
1:48 am
[...] Your answer: » How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise [...]
5:48 am
great idea , you´re right , white carboidrats sucks
11:57 am
Tim,
I just lost 23 pounds last month on the most revolting diet plan ever. If I had heard about this a month ago, I would have spared myself and my family alot of misery. Also, I just preordered the book. Congrats on a living well.
11:23 pm
[...] stumbled across Tim Ferriss’ interesting article on How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise at his blog, http://fourhourworkweek.com/blog/. Usually I quickly review then ignore articles like [...]
8:01 am
That Dr. Phil book is great! I went out and bought it on your recommendation Tim, because stress eating is a major problem for me. Thanks for pointing it out. The book by the way, is The Ultimate Weight Solution, The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom.
I also wanted to mention that you can buy eggs made by hens that were fed feeds high in Omega3 fatty acids. These things are passed down into the eggs the hens lay. It is a good (and relatively inexpensive) way to get additional omega3s into your diet.
11:38 am
Is this diet good for your health?
Thanks,
Frank
7:13 am
[...] » How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise [...]
9:38 am
Frank, this diet is very healthy. It contains lots of vegetables, healthy, lean proteins, and refined starches/sugars are almost nonexistant. Everyone can benefit from a diet like this. Eating this way will even out bloodsugar, provide lots of phytonutrients, is high fiber, and offers quite a few essential fatty acids.
I personally would consider this a method of eating that is sustainable for the rest of your life (which will also probably be a considerably longer life eating this way).
That being said, if you are suffering from type 2 diabetes or are borderline, you may want to restrict all carbs for a few weeks/months and then gradually move to this type of diet.
Also, someone who is extremely overweight/highly metabolically resistant might still not lose weight on a high-protein/moderate fat/slow carb diet. The reason being that protein can be converted to glucose (from what I understand). Fat however, cannot. Your body can burn fat directly. This is why some diets (like atkins) stress lots of fat in the beginning. You don’t want to be eating lots of lard, though. :) When your body no longer has any glucose left (this can take from two to six days because your muscles store a form of sugar for energy called glycogen), it will switch to fat burning mode full time. This may very likely be unpleasant at first, but you get used to it, and its temporary to fix your body’s insulin resistance. Contrary to some folks’ opinion (probably all carb addicts by the way), this state (ketosis) is not dangerous to a healthy individual. They mix up ketosis with a dangerous state caused by kidney failure called ketoacidosis. Not the same thing. Also, there has been no record of a low carb, high protein diet causing kidney failure in a previously healthy individual, ever.
Bottom line, if you are only moderately overweight (i.e. not morbidly obese), then this diet should work great for you, in combination with regular strength training and aerobic exercise. If you are morbidly obese, then I’d suggest looking at a diet like this as your long term goal. In my opinion, you want to start out much more restrictive on the carbs, eat lots of healthy fats and protein, and work your way up to this type of eating as your long term maintenance/lifestyle plan.
For more information, pick up Dr. Atkins’ book. I highly recommend it. Most folks seems to miss Dr. Atkins’ point that you want to start out with a highly restrictive diet and move to include slow carbs in phases. The highly restrictive diet helps to eliminate your sugar/carb cravings and increase insulin sensitivity. It kind of tears you down and builds you back up in a healthy way. By the end of the diet, you’ll be eating lots of berries, nuts, beans, and other healthy carbs, once you are moving towards life-time maintenance mode. It also stresses whole foods and lots of vegetables.
I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, just someone who has had a weight problem their whole life, done a lot of research, and who is trying to be as healthy as possible.
10:50 am
Thought I’d let you guys know, I started this diet on Monday and I’ve already lost close to 4lbs. I am 29 years old and I started this diet weighing in at 229, now I’m close to 225. I am very active, training for a muay thai kickboxing fight in Nov. where I have to be around 185 (my goal weight). It’s imperative to me that I do not lose muscle or cardiovascular strength during my weight reduction period.
So far I am very pleased with this diet, I weigh myself every morning and each morning, I have lost another pound. We’ll see how long I can keep that up till I start to plateau.
I have also modified the diet somewhat. For example I do not limit myself to the veggies that are recommended above… I eat a salad with oil and vinegar mainly. For my post workout meal I like to eat a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread, and a chocolate chip cookie (so I do crave it later) or some fruit (I really feel that fruits are vital to good nutrition… and I happen to really love mangos)and cottage cheese (all small proportions).
I can say that I have been feeling very hungry between meals and I know that my caloric load his drastically decreased due to this diet. However, I have not seen a drop in my training performance, which is surprising as I have normally felt fatigued during low carb diets.
I am also trying to lift weights or do some form of cardio for at least 20 mins a day, but normally I train at least an hour a day.
This diet is not for the faint of heart. It’s been 3 days and I’m already getting tired of all these damn beans (my girlfriend too is tired of the beans, but for different reasons). I’m craving carbs pretty hardcore, I can’t even watch a pizza commercial. But all in all, I’m glad to see results so quickly and I intend on maintaining this diet for the next few weeks. I’ll let you all know how it’s going. Wish me luck.
Thanks again
Del
10:52 am
Thought I’d let you guys know, I started this diet on Monday and I’ve already lost close to 4lbs. I am 29 years old and I started this diet weighing in at 229, now I’m close to 225. I am very active, training for a muay thai kickboxing fight in Nov. where I have to be around 185 (my goal weight). It’s imperative to me that I do not lose muscle or cardiovascular strength during my weight reduction period.
So far I am very pleased with this diet, I weigh myself every morning and each morning, I have lost another pound. We’ll see how long I can keep that up till I start to plateau.
I have also modified the diet somewhat. For example I do not limit myself to the veggies that are recommended above… I eat a salad with oil and vinegar mainly. For my post workout meal I like to eat a peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread, and a chocolate chip cookie (so I do crave it later) or some fruit (I really feel that fruits are vital to good nutrition… and I happen to really love mangos)and cottage cheese (all small proportions).
I can say that I have been feeling very hungry between meals and I know that my caloric load his drastically decreased due to this diet. However, I have not seen a drop in my training performance, which is surprising as I have normally felt fatigued during low carb diets.
I am also trying to lift weights or do some form of cardio for at least 20 mins a day, but normally I train at least an hour a day.
This diet is not for the faint of heart. It’s been 3 days and I’m already getting tired of all these damn beans (my girlfriend too is tired of the beans, but for different reasons). I’m craving carbs pretty hardcore, I can’t even watch a pizza commercial. But all in all, I’m glad to see results so quickly and I intend on maintaining this diet for the next few weeks. I’ll let you all know how it’s going. Wish me luck.
Thanks again
Del
2:15 pm
A thank you to TIm for a glimmer of hope - something that seems doable. Trying for variety and not being BORED has always tripped me up in the past. I am excited to begin with SIMPLE.
I also want to say thank you for giving me the impetus to DO something. So often I read a diet book or a blog and think “yah, I should do that. Sounds hard though. Who am I kidding? I’ll never do that.” But what Tim is describing makes me think “That I could do.”
That said, I’ll have to keep you posted.
Best of luck to all you seekers.
7:52 pm
I used muscle milk protein powder 3 times a day to get the protein I need (1 gram per pound of body weight). Any problems?
Randy
8:25 pm
Cody-
Thanks for getting back with a reply. I am going to give the diet a shot, except maybe expand the list of veggies a bit for variety’s sake. I’ll start in two weeks when I finish school for good. It would be virtually impossible right now, as I routinely put in 80-100 hour weeks between grad school and work. I wish you absolutely the best in your quest to stay healthy!
Frank
PS - Tim’s book is quite good - lots and lots of food for thought!!!
12:00 am
Tim,
I can’t stand beans because of something that took place in my childhood. I am hoping that eliminating the “white” products is more important than eating the beans. Your thoughts?
Randy
3:50 pm
Frank,
I would think that any non-starchy vegetable would be ok. I think Tim’s point is that his diet is a no-brainer. He probably has almost the same exact grocery list from week to week. You’ve got the gist, though.
Randy,
I’d double check the carb content on that Muscle Milk. It looks like it has about 10 grams of carbs per serving (not counting fiber). That’s 30 grams per day you probably don’t need on this diet, but depending on your goals, it shouldn’t be a big deal.
I’m not Tim, but the benefit of the beans is that traditional low-carb diets are lower in fiber and very low in carbs. Beans, becuase of their high fiber content and high protein are not going to cause a massive spike in blood sugar. You’ll need a food that delivers something similar. I.E. complex carbs, fiber, and protein.
Have you ever tried quinoa? This is a seed from south america that was a staple food of the Incans. It is a pretty good slow carb food. Also steel cut oats with some kind of protein powder might suit this purpose for breakfast.
Also Randy, does this dislike of beans extend to all beans, or can you stomach black beans? I’m assuming your issues from childhood may be from Navy or pinto beans?
6:12 pm
I don’t like or eat meat of any kind; so eggs, cheese, canned tuna and nuts are my main source of protein. How can I adapt this diet to suit me?
9:21 am
This is probably a dumb question, but is it okay to have a bit of butter with the vegetables, or are they best eaten dry? Also, I do see the logic of keeping things simple. On the other hand, I usually have a nice garden every summer, so I tend to have a variety of veggies on hand.
Frank
PS Quinoa rocks!
10:12 pm
I wouldn’t think that a bit of butter would hurt anything.
Gardening is great. You get so many rewards from it. Excercise, lots of sun, fresh air, and great food.
Also, from a pure biological perspective, the wider variety of food an organism eats, the healthier that organism usually is.
I think Tim’s examples are really his preferences. We are an adaptive species. The idea is to eat good, natural sources of protein, lots of veggies, and slow carbs. You can mix and match to your hearts desire and with whatever you have on hand.
Tim’s recommendation on having the same thing over and over is a sound one, though. I’ve read and heard that people who are succesful at losing weight and keeping it off, tend to have the same thing for breakfast EVERY SINGLE DAY. Its a no brainer. You start your day off right, build up some positive momentum, and its easier to make good choices the rest of the day.
Something I’d like to point out as well is that recent studies have shown that the saturated fat in eggs and diary does NOT raise your risk of heart attack and stroke. They do raise LDL levels, but the LDL molecules are larger and don’t pose any risk.
I really believe that in a few years, the medical and nutritional community will come around to the low-carb/slow-carb way of thinking. Its all about insulin and blood sugar control. Its not about how much fat you eat. Butter never killed anyone. Stress and white bread? Now that’ll kill ya…
10:58 pm
Tim
That is awesome you train at AKA!
Have you ever seen my articles in Tap Out mag?
I co presented w/Randy Couture at the Arnold Sports Fest on MMA Conditioning the day before he defeated tim sylvia, it was awesome.
Your books is rockin’ my world!
Keep kicking ass and hope to chat soon!
–Zach–
NJ native!
6:55 am
[...] was reading Tim Ferris’s blog and came across this title: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in Thirty Days…Without Doing Any Exercise. I really don’t like to exercise, so this sounded perfect for me. I know that I need to [...]
7:03 am
Okay, so I am changing my eating habits starting today (Sunday, April 29th). I had my pig out day yesterday. :) I am also fatblogging: http://julieannebonner.com/losing-20-lbs-in-30-days/ So, I am hoping that will help keep me motivated too.
My husband and I are enjoying your blog and we just ordered your book last night. My husband has 3 motnhs left in the Air Force. We are very excited! He has started a business of his own and we are very happy that we found you to help guide us on this path of giving ourselves and our kids the life we have dreamed of. More time with the family is a big reason he is getting out of the military.
Thanks Tim!
1:30 pm
I don’t think that I would do very well with this diet. I prefer to eat the majority of my calories through bread, pasta and rice. I have about a 5.5% body fat, and weigh about 140-145 pounds most of the year. I do run a lot, as well as cross train a lot; any time that I stop workout out, I lose weight too fast and have trouble getting it back. I like the concept, though, and will certainly plan some meals around it.
9:44 pm
[...] Eat enormous quantities of protein (much like my current fat-loss diet) with low-glycemic index carbohydrates like quinoa, but drop calories by 50% one day per week to [...]
10:11 pm
According to bodybuilding legened (the late) Mike Mentzer, a calorie is a calorie. Therefore it shouldn’t really matter where you get your calories from. Ellington Darden (of HIT fame) and Clarence Bass (5% bodyfat at 65 years of age) also recommends a high carb, moderate protein, moderate fat eating plan to lose fat and/or build muscle. This is very much like Blaine Moore’s (above) dietary habits and they seem to work very well.
I personally find it much easier to stick to a high carb diet where I control my calories. My complete exercise plan also consists of resistance training and walking for 45 minutes every day and I am happy with my results so far. Tim’s ideas have a lot of merit, but I find my method easier to stay with.
7:53 am
Any suggestions for those of us allergic to eggs? Use egg substitute?
Frank, try Ghee, an Indian substitute for Butter without the casein.
9:59 am
The Keto diet is a god-send. I’ve been on and off for a year, and it works! Eating increased fats (healthy, mind you) and reduced carbs –no beans even– can harbor roughly 5-8lbs per week lost. Stick with roughly 20g or less a day. My lifts have greatly increased, too. Anyone looking to lose fat fast MUST try this. After reading this, I plan to apply the lift methods listed to see if I can increase my overall LBM while still dropping BF.
Butter, olive oil, cream cheese, avacados, etc are all your friend on this diet. My overall blood work IMPROVED on this diet as well. It also helps to increase test production in males.
3:12 pm
I have to ask (and am surprised after 63 posts nobody has yet) but if we can at least agree that weight loss is primarily an equation of calories in versus calories spent, (we can, right?) why isn’t there a limit on the number of calories one should limit themselves to? Is it because it’s expected you can’t eat beyond the limit of the calories you need to lose weight when you’re eating 10 cups of spinach to match that old 1/2 cup of rice?
In any case, I’m game. I’ll give this a try and report back the progress in 4 posts (one a week). Starting at 205/6′1″ today.
Tim, bought the book today after seeing your FSB write-up this weekend. Already turned about 5 others onto it. Thank you!
3:17 pm
Thanks for the eating advice, I have some questions:
1. Can you suggest any other foods that will work in the place of the beans? I really don’t like beans very much. Is the purpose of them in this just to get the caloric content up? If so, would I be ok in substituting more protein and fat in place of the beans?
2. Can you really eat any starch that you want if its right after a workout? So, for example, if I spent a half hour doing bodyweight exercises like squats, push ups, pull ups and the like would it then be acceptable on this plan to go out and have a big cheese burger and fries?
3. What kind of calorie level are you sticking to on the Saturday blow out cheat day?
Thanks!
12:53 am
It took me 2 years to lose 65 pounds. I was looking great and then last August 2006 I had a heart attack. Is this diet O.K. to use for a person like myself who has heart disease now and who has been putting weith back on since the heart attack. I have regained 20 pounds and feel myself losing ground. I am not as active anymore and I find that the medications are making me have some water weight gain and I am craving sweets. I know I will get back on track and am reading articles on ways to lose the pounds. Do you have any recommendations for a women in my situation. I am 52 years old. I do not want to go to weight watchers but feel a buddy system would work for me . Thanyou for the good info and pictures in your article. I found it to be a fresh look for me at a way to start back on the weight loss plan. Thanks so much for getting the word out there about ways to do this sensibly.