Housecleaning and Clarifications: Blog Content, 4HB Corrections, Competition Winners, Slow-Carb Mistakes, and More 2,007 Comments
(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)
Borders Books Q&A [TEXT]
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”
Posted on January 21st, 2011
2,007 Comments
MrEricSir — January 21st, 2011, 4:43 pm
“changes in bold”? I don’t see any bold text…
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 4:57 pm
I indicated in the post that the bolding was removed. Simply look at the parts after “Replace with” and follow those.
Heidi — January 26th, 2011, 4:29 pm
Tim,
Thanks for the update, I am a 43 year old women that had 2 children. I started the 4HB 1/1/11, and have only lost about 2 lbs per week. It is frustrating because I expected more. But I love the kettle bell work out, and I can physically tell I am loosing inches. I will keep the experiment up and see after 12 weeks.
Elle May — January 27th, 2011, 5:38 am
Hi I am a 46 year old female with 3 kids and want to tell you that I love this diet. Started it last week Thursday and have lost 4 lbs. I have been working out for years and ran a marathon 2 years ago in 4 hours and 10 minutes. I consider myself above average fit. My body fat as per 1 month ago was 17 % but wanted more visible results. I love this diet! Will keep posting as I continue on my journey to hopefully below 15 % body fat. One question.. Is there a shake that I can subsitute for breakfast? Sometimes all that food is just hard to eat. Thank you!!
pandora — January 31st, 2011, 11:37 am
I have only been on the 4HB for 5 days and lost 4lbs already, but I am having trouble finishing a meal let alone eating 4 meals a day. I am a 42 yr, 4’2″ single mother who is stuffed and would like to know if I can get away with only eating 3 meals a day and less food at each one? Also, I know you dont have to exercise, but will it affect my results if I do?
maika wiezbowski — January 31st, 2011, 3:37 pm
A real quick question: is drinking coconut water allowed on the slow carb diet? I’m not eating the meat of the coconut, just drinking the water.
Jason — February 16th, 2011, 11:15 pm
HI Tim! Thank you for 4HB and am dipping into 4HWW now and lovin it. Any way do you or anyone else know if there is fructose in maple syrup? I couldn’t find much online. Can I use it as a sweetener for slow carb diet?
Also is my new zealand whey protien shake a no no? Its unsweetened but was wondering since its from milk if its off limits for SC diet. You rock! Oh and ditto on the coconut water question.
JeffW — February 17th, 2011, 7:41 am
Jason,
I think it was said elsewhere in the replies. If it tastes sweet, it will mess with insulin and in turn interfere with weight loss.
jeannie — February 25th, 2011, 11:53 am
what about unsweetened almond milk…in protein shake vs h2o?
VLx — May 16th, 2011, 6:12 am
Hi Tim, love your work! just watched your preso @google…. the girl in your powerpoint freaked me out RE: body musculature. it was a bit ick! what kettle-ball w/o changes would you recommend for a female preferring to train to a VS model body shape rather than a female Incredible Hulk (however commendable her training/look may be to other audiences). Thx VLx
F Dixon — June 2nd, 2011, 9:19 pm
VLx,
You may have noticed I’m not Tim.
Even so I’ll say something. Women (natural, non hormone users) who look relatively large and muscular generally have two things in common:
-They only look scary when they are working out, when they aren’t all vasculated and pumped they generally look super fine. Some VS models have followed a fairly aggressive training regimen before, do some research on it, it’s fascinating!
-They work out a lot. Professional athletes will look like professional athletes, bodybuilders like bodybuilders, and an average person who takes care of themselves will look like such.
I wouldn’t be too scared of some kettlebell swings making you scary looking unless you’re on another two workout programs and eating over ~.8g of protein per 1lb of body mass a day. Even then, you’ll probably realize that you look better that way!
Jeff Johnson — December 15th, 2011, 10:30 am
Tim – Should I split the 650 MG caplet of Allicin into 1/3 portions (essentially 217 MG per each 1/3 to more closely equal the 200 MG you state as the portion part of each PAGG throughout the day…or do you do 650 MG x 4…Confused. Please help!! Thank you kindly.
Jeff
Mark Donovick — June 6th, 2012, 8:54 am
Tom,
Maybe your virtual assistant can answer this one for me… What is your take on consuming ephedra on a more rare basis – ex. long plane flights or during trips when you have less time available to work out?
Jane — April 6th, 2011, 4:11 pm
Tim- great book- I love to multi-task so trying to combine the Shangri-la diet with the 19 hour daily fast in the longevity chapter- my question is if I take the flax seed oil at night- am I breaking the fast? I eat between 8am-1pm only.
Thanks in advance.
Britt — April 22nd, 2011, 9:03 pm
Tim,
I had a complete thyroidectomy in 2007 which caused me to gain a lot of weight quickly 90 lbs to be exact!
I am about to start this program after seeing great results of people around me that are using this book.
Do you have any advice for someone who has no thyroid ( I take the hormones of course), insulin resistance ( YUCK!), and something called PCOS which is common in women who are childbearing age that are overweight. I am a female that is 24 and stand 6’0 tall weighing in at 250.
Sheila Talley — July 21st, 2011, 11:59 am
Where can I read the answer4 to the lady who had the thyroidectomy? I recently had mine totally removed (age 67). Am fighting weight gain tooth and nail–and loosing! Maybe gained 30 pounds in 3 months. Getting desperate!
KCJ — August 10th, 2011, 4:17 pm
Brit, did you ever find/get an answer? I am in the same boat as you but 20 years older. Looking for answers.
Michael — January 21st, 2011, 4:51 pm
Thanks for the extras, Tim! At a time when a lot of the marketing gurus are preaching maximized prices, you’re truly giving value. (Next book: “The 4-Hour Marketer”?)
I’m currently experimenting with a few chapters (mostly diet-and-exercise-related), and combining some of your findings with some of mine and others. There’s so much more I want to try when I’m done with that.
Oh, and people, don’t try eating that tsp of cinnamon all at once! (To get the joke, look up “cinnamon challenge” on YouTube.)
SPS — January 22nd, 2011, 7:36 am
Tim,
Looks like the problem with dairy, the high insulin response, is not caused by lactose, but whey:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15531672
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413098
Regards,
SPS
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:20 pm
Hmmm… back to the lab I go. I’d need to look at the combo of insulinemic and glycemic responses. If possible, I’d also look at glucagon. I’ve noticed lactose as a good correlate to increased fat gain (or decreased fat loss), but I can consume unflavored whey isolate with impunity if I avoid consuming carbs (CHO) simultaneously.
In all cases, avoid all dairy if you can. I simply use cinnamon in my coffee and skip the cream. It’s takes 2-3 days to learn to like it.
Thanks for the references, SPS — I wish more people did that.
Best,
Tim
JD Moyer — January 23rd, 2011, 8:02 pm
Mark Sisson had a great post on dairy and insulin recently:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-insulin/
SPS — January 24th, 2011, 7:34 am
Tim,
Coffee without milk is fine, but I wanted to see if yoghurt (organic plain with nuts, seeds & cinnamon) would be fine as the fermentation breaks down (some) lactose. But alas, fermented milk has the same insulin response:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11451723
Casein is only slightly better than whey, so cheese is out too:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15531672
Curiously, adding fibre seems to reduce the negative effect:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19796383
Based on your results with whey, it could be that in the absence of carbs & fat (e.g., whey isolate), an insulin peak doesn’t result in fat gain and might slow down proteolysis. The correlation that you found with lactose and weight gain might thus also be observed with any carb & whey, assuming you consumed lactose with whey. But I’m not a biologist, so I should read up more before making any claims. I might do experiments with this, but only after getting to my target bf%.
Thanks!
Regards,
SPS
Sally — January 26th, 2011, 10:59 pm
It is not lactose that stimulates the release of insulin into the the blood; it is, as SPS, said the whey or the protein, but this is not a bad thing!
All high-protein foods, including fish, beef, eggs, beans, etc. (and high fat pastries) stimulate the release of insulin into the blood, though they contain relatively few carbohydrates and a proportionally lower glycemic index (Wikipedia insulin index). Also:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292828/pdf/jcinvest00267-0143.pdf
One, however, seems to be good and the other not so good for a person.
Insulin is necessary for the uptake of both glucose from ingested carbs and amino acids from ingested proteins (and for many, many various other cellular functions).
But, it seems, a high-protein meal which is also low in carbs also stimulates the release on insulin’s other half, glucagon. Insulin and glucagon, being opposites, basically neutralize each other; one puts a glucose in a cell, the other takes a glucose out.
This is the best source i could find: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1448457
A summary, the last sentence of the abstract: “In conclusion, the present data demonstrate that the postprandial rise of amino acid levels in arterialized venous plasma can account for most if not all of the postprandial increase of insulin and glucagon during the ingestion of a protein-rich meal. In contrast, only 35% of postprandial PP [pancreatic polypeptide] levels can be ascribed to the rise of plasma amino acids. In contrast to the effect of carbohydrate-rich meals, an enteric augmentation of insulin release seems to be of minor and possibly of no importance during ingestion of protein-rich meals.”
I hope this makes sense. I’m think this is right, but it’s possible it’s not.
Tim Ferriss — January 26th, 2011, 11:24 pm
Thanks, Sally! Great comment and excellent linking to sources. Hope to see you comment again!
Vladimir Tomljenovic — February 4th, 2011, 1:36 pm
Great book, thanks! I think a found a 4HB approved way of satisfying my latte cravings. I add two shoots of espresso and a few drops of stevia to my micellean protein shake in the morning. I make it with hot water and not too much protein powder. Micellean is kind of like powdered milk without the lactose and fat (or whey). What do you think? 4HB approved? Do I need to alter anything? Or is it one of those ‘if you have to ask’
etienne taylor — February 7th, 2011, 4:49 pm
“Dietary Supplements” all 995 open and recruiting clinical trials can be found here.http://clinicaltrialselect.org/faceted_search.php? (select an intervention = “dietary supplements” should = 995 clinical trials.
Antonymd — February 7th, 2011, 5:46 pm
OK so I’m a 6’2″ healthy 200lb guy here trying to loose weight on the SCD with PAGG and regular exercise. I’ve been on the diet now for 3 weeks and yet have not shifted a single pound, I’m still 200lbs!
I follow the SCD to the letter, with one slight alteration. Due to my size I thought I would take a protein supplement (30grams x 3 times a day) to ensure I get enough protein. I also was very cautious to choose one that was a 100% Whey Protein Isolate with NO sweeteners what so ever, currently the best fit I’ve found for this is the Allmax Isonatural, it has nothing else in it except 100% WPI.
I’m now wondering though if based on this comment if I should not also cut down or out all together the WPI? Could even this basic WPI still be impacting the fat loss?
Christina — May 26th, 2011, 8:25 pm
I was under the impression that kefir, yogurt, and aged cheeses lack lactose. In fact Weston Price people suggested the kefir and yogurt to me when I was trying everything under the sun for my infant son’s formula. I thought he had lactose/milk protein problems but it was actually just pasteurized milk.
Isaac — January 21st, 2011, 4:53 pm
FYI, in the corrections/typos section where there’s notes indicating that changes are in bold, I’m not seeing any bold words.
Julian — June 22nd, 2011, 11:49 am
Hi
Tim
I love the book, especially the chapters on muscle gain and fat loss.
I have tried to find the answer to this question on the blog as i thought it would be a common query…but i’ve had no luck. Most people who I know who are trying to achieve physique transformation want both fat loss and muscle gain at the same time.
The chapters in the book are both great for people ‘aiming’ to achieve one of these fitness ‘goals’ (i.e fat loss/muscle gain) but what if someone wants to achieve both at the same time? As you know both fat burning and muscle gain require different nutrition and training modalities. is it just a case of manipulating your diet to fit in with your training at specific times to support either catabolism or anabolism?..i.e reduce carbs/calories on cardio days to support fat loss and increased carbs/calories on weight days to promote muscle gain?
Also how would you combine the 2 training modalities with rest days/recovery etc? Would the amount of rest days be about the same for the weights even if you were taxing the body more with HIIT?
What do you think an optimal fat loss/muscle gain training & nutrition regime might look like with exercises/rest days etc?
regards
Julian
James — January 21st, 2011, 4:53 pm
Thanks for doing this Tim,
It’s great that you are so active with your book and it keeps evolving and that you aren’t just sitting back.
It shows true passion (as much as I hate that word!)
James
Harrison — January 21st, 2011, 4:54 pm
Again Tim, thanks for all of this, especially the importance on remembering the PRINCIPLES you preach and not the exact nuts and bolts of what worked for you or your Test Subjects. If you have to ask, DON’T EAT IT is something simple you can remember instead of the list of every recommended food you list in the book. I’d recommend writing down every principle you need to remember and keeping it somewhere you can see it every day. The more you internalize the principles the easier it’ll be to stick to the plan (especially the Slow Carb Diet) because you’ll be doing a lot of this subconsciously.
DP — January 21st, 2011, 4:57 pm
CHANGE “Heinrich” to “Henrik” on pg. 256, parag 3
should be
CHANGE “Heinrich” to “Henrik” on pg. 265, parag 3
Brian — January 21st, 2011, 4:57 pm
Barbara Walters is a tough sell ehh? Haha pretty funny.
Sarah — January 21st, 2011, 6:46 pm
dude… she is a b*tch! lol
Peter Nguyen — January 21st, 2011, 4:57 pm
Thank god for the greentea explaination! I’ve been halving my capsules and taking it as a powder (which is terrible by the way), but I’m glad to know that the 325 was for the EGCG, not the entire dosage size on the label.
Josh — January 23rd, 2011, 6:02 pm
totally agree with you!
Corey — January 21st, 2011, 5:00 pm
A monthly sub for a forum is a bit much. A one time registration fee is sufficient. Numerous internet communities utilize this to be completely effective and deliver quality.
Claudie — January 21st, 2011, 5:01 pm
Oh my, Tim, it looks like you were indeed chased by quite an avalanche!
But what else was to be expected with such a phenomenal book: every action has an equal and opposite reaction after all.
In any case, thank you for all the info. Today I’ve started my second week of polyphasic sleep… self-experimentation is the way to go
And by the way: it’s great to see all those new videos with you in them.
Greetings!
Andrew Hall — January 21st, 2011, 5:04 pm
The book is awesome Tim. I’ve read the first four chapters and started the slow-carb diet which is super easy.
Also wanted to say the video trailer for the book is great, it would be cool to see that turned into a 30 minute or 1 hour show for television. Anyway, thanks for the great info.
John S Jones — January 21st, 2011, 5:04 pm
Thanks for the updates. Not even two weeks in and I have dumped 8lbs. I thought that the Alpha-Lipoic amounts were too high, having experimented a bit in the past with this supplement in combination with L-Carnitine (a very good combo). But I said to myself, what the heck, results are results. Having read the book several times now (to get the rules ingrained in my brain), I can honestly say everything works. I especially enjoyed reading the parts about fruit and how it really is not anyone’s friend if they are looking to lose weight. Having read statistics on the dietary intake of Pacific Islanders, one can easily see the role fruit consumption has on on obesity.
John Fawkes — January 21st, 2011, 5:08 pm
Regarding all the people who say they don’t see results with the slow-carb diet: The Glucose Switch should be required reading for people trying to lose fat. You don’t say that it is at the beginning of the book, yet in that chapter you state that even low-carb meals (and therefore presumably slow-carb meals) cause fattening glucose spikes if eaten quickly.
If eating too quickly can ruin an otherwise great diet, then the chapter on eating slowly should be mandatory, not optional. I also recommend Ice Age to everyone, as drinking ice water and putting a cold pack on the back of your neck is just about the most effort-effective fat-loss trick ever, and I see no reason for anyone not to do it.
Lynn Berry — February 10th, 2011, 6:48 am
Loving the slow-carb way, but I’m just at the early stages – 10 days in and 5 lbs loss. I’m experimenting on a variation of the ice age – the wet T-shirt. I thought maybe part of the 12,000 calories that Michael Phelps needs is not just because of BAT but the whole water immersion factor – so I’m wearing a wet T shirt around the house and finding that the evaporation is speeding the weight loss and for me is easier to do than to be stationary with ice.
Tipera — August 14th, 2011, 5:18 pm
I tried the ice pack on my neck and got my period within 3 days. I’m breast feeding and have only gotten it once since having my baby. The first time was at three months after the birth and the second time was after the ice packs. (I’m still nursing) This could be a total fluke but was wondering if the ice also stimulates certain hormones that would cause this, and would those hormones affect my baby through breast milk..Any ideas?
J — January 21st, 2011, 5:09 pm
awesome shoes – what brand?
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:28 pm
I assume you mean on The View? “J Shoes” — they are great.
J — January 22nd, 2011, 5:12 pm
Yup, thanks!
Kevin — January 21st, 2011, 5:09 pm
Thank you, Tim.
Josh Crocker — January 21st, 2011, 5:15 pm
The “gear” portion of this website is a hidden (well, not anymore) gem!
Great stuff Tim. Thanks for answering the questions so we can direct people (that would’ve otherwise tried to clog up your lines of communication) to them here.
Cheers!
- Josh
Siobhan — January 21st, 2011, 5:24 pm
Really looking forward to private paid forum. I entered to be one of the 100. I am so into this. This may be a cult. Oh no. AM I in a cult? Kidding of course. Thanks for catering to your readers.
Madeline — January 21st, 2011, 5:26 pm
Thanks for the guidance, Tim, I have checked in on the site a few times and have seen some conversations about an upcoming forum site, and was wondering about the status of that? I am finishing my first week of slow carb and am looking forward to cheating tomorrow!
I really enjoy cooking- unlike several of the examples in the book- and I already made the fake mashed potatoes (cauliflower) you referenced in the book. They were really good so I am hoping to get some more ideas like this… maybe a great forum topic!
Its too early to talk results yet (though I have enjoyed increased energy, but that may just be the green tea!) but in any case the book is fascinating. Thanks again!
BrianH — January 24th, 2011, 7:15 am
Check out the forum Tim mentioned. http://www.4hbtalk.com
It has really taken off and there are some good discussions going on there.
Nneka — January 25th, 2011, 5:46 am
~Madeline
I enjoy cooking too. I’m actually inspired to write my own slow carb/ ketogenic diet cookbook.
nuno sousa — January 21st, 2011, 5:36 pm
Thank you for the updates
Alistair — January 21st, 2011, 5:36 pm
Thanks Tim,
I did the slow car. Diet about a year ago (from your blog) and it worked
like crazy. This time it’s going well but without the dramatic results.
However I know for sure the difference us in my implementation. The first time I was super strict, while this time I’ve allowed myself (small amounts of) milk and cheese etc.
The devil is definitely in the detail.
Thanks for the follow up info.
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:26 pm
The Devil is DEFINITELY in the details. The difference between strict and a little can be the difference between success and failure. True with many things in life. Try getting a little pregnant or cheating a little on a spouse! Some things are absolutes.
Tim
Nneka — January 25th, 2011, 5:42 am
The devil is in the details hmmmmm…
Can you elaborate on why Quinoa is prohibited on this diet. Quinoa was supposed to be my saving grace since I am struggling with eating enough protein. Also, what do you think about Shirataki noodles? So far, I’ve still managed to get results.
mische — February 1st, 2011, 7:37 pm
Hey Tim,
Regarding the strictness of this diet: I am doing well and enjoying new recipes but I am concerned with my milk production or other issues (I am breastfeeding my 5 month old)….have there been any studies with breastfeeding participants?
Karen — February 8th, 2011, 8:53 am
in response to Mische – my bf is doing this diet. I am not. But I am 33 and I breast fed all 3 of my kids. I weigh 122 to 125lbs and I am 5 foot 7 inches. I just wanted to say that I’m a vegan and if you are breast feeding and on this diet please take extra trouble to make sure you eat the recommended caloric intake for a breast feeding woman- the positive thing for you is that by breast feeding you are burning off more calories just sitting there feeding your baby than you would by not breast feeding at all- so GOOD FOR YOU! That will help! So make sure you consume those calories girl and your milk production should not decline- also make sure you drink a ton of water! I know I struggled on my diet being a vegan and trying to eat all the extra calories for my breast milk so it wouldn’t decline but if you take the trouble to make sure you do it then you shouldn’t have any problems with your milk production and you should still experience weight loss on this diet but how much you loss might be affected either positively or negatively due to your breast feeding. What matters most is that you are taking care of yourself and your baby! Good job! hi5!
KC — June 22nd, 2011, 7:33 am
Hi, Tim! I am just 3 days into the diet and want to make sure I AM following the diet precisely for maximum results, but I do have one question: In the book you mention using salsa with corn (I’m sorry, I neglected to note the page #). I have always considered corn a starch with high sugar content so assumed it was off limits. Because you mentioned in the book using the salsa containing it, I’m wondering if a little is ok in something such as bean and corn salsa, which is something I love and a great way for me to get my bean count higher. Thanks for your time!
Eric — January 21st, 2011, 5:41 pm
Great work Tim. LOVE the part about writing when you are passionate about it. Right on!
Don’t let the babies get you down. You can lead a horse to water…
I’ve lost over 10 lbs so far, and love the diet. Even the beans.
4HWW and 4HB have really helped me and my business.
So, thanks dude. Keep up the good work.
EC
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:24 pm
Thanks, Eric
Emmet — January 21st, 2011, 5:54 pm
Awesome job Tim, you’re so well spoken. I’m sure all your media experience has you well prepped for these sorts of things now
Josh — January 21st, 2011, 6:02 pm
Hay Tim its Josh
Could you do a post on applying the D.E.A.L. process to the people in your life. i know you wrote briefly about it in the 4hww but it lacked dept
the post would consist of an example of your principles, guidelines, philosophy of how you
D : Define the people in your life according to 80/20 and who plays what role in your life, and what role you play in theirs (trade off, obligations)
E : Personal preferences in all the categories that you place the people in and the architecture of your categorization process be it friends, best friends, public friends, family, mentors.(what ever labels you personally use) Where you draw the line of conduct in these categories that help you define the best of the best and help you eliminate the rest.
A : Bring more of the type of people you value into your life through automation and your own automation for keeping them around
L : what you do with each group to, tend to your social garden so to speak with efficiency without sacrificing effectiveness
A Tim Ferriss inner game D.E.A.L. on human interaction
Flight to JFK today will see snow in NY for the 1st time out of my 4 trips there have a full 14 hour transfer so i am thinking since i don’t have anywhere to put luggage ill just grab a seat and devour ur 4HB book which i haven’t had a chance to start underlining
all the best Tim
peace
Bret — January 21st, 2011, 6:04 pm
Thanks Tim;
Please comment on use of sourkraut. You mentioned that you eat sourkraut while waiting for your breakfast to cook, but that was about the jist of your statment. Can you elaborate.
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:24 pm
That’s all there is to it. Nothing to elaborate that isn’t in the sidebar on fermented foods.
Kalyn — January 21st, 2011, 6:12 pm
Is it safe to eat sugar free candy everyday (sweetened with splenda or maitol)? I do that instead of cheating, and it makes my cravings go away. I have a feeling that it could have the same effect on my body as sugar though.
BTW…
I am still happy you don’t have a girlfriend!
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:23 pm
Haha… I appreciate the comment. Don’t eat the candy. Eat 10g of BCAAs (Google it) per meal if you have sugar cravings.
Jeff — September 6th, 2011, 4:31 pm
Is there a product you recommend for this? Sugar-free candy was my go-to for sugar cravings. On BodyBuilding.com, it looks like I’d have to take TEN 1g pills of BCAA every meal. That’s a lot of pills… Is powder better?
Janet — January 23rd, 2011, 8:14 am
p. 83 you refer to a sidebar in the last chapter on “The Forbidden Fruit”, which I cannot find, nor can I find correction. I need it. Thanks.
Jorgia Gunn — May 10th, 2011, 10:19 am
Hey Janet had that problem too. Its actually in the Previous chapter on page 77 in a grey box. I think the wording is gramaticaly correct its just a little confusing huh?
Rowland — January 21st, 2011, 6:44 pm
For all the people who still have a question about how to perform kettlebell manouvres, what food they can or cannot eat, here’s a really good link:
http://tinyurl.com/5wjl3ma
I promise you you’ll be using it a lot!
Dwight — January 25th, 2011, 7:15 am
Rowland – hahaha! That was delightful! Literally LOL! Needed that.
Jason — February 3rd, 2011, 7:16 pm
Rowland, that certainly deserves a good chuckle!
Mike — March 6th, 2011, 10:56 am
Great link.
I can think of a number of places to use it straightaway.
Thank you
Mike
Fernando pinzon — January 21st, 2011, 6:49 pm
AWESOME BRO !!! my results start to make sense now.
One more thing do you have any damage control tips for excessive alcoholic intake(during bing day) ?
thanks for sharing your knowledge
Frances — January 21st, 2011, 6:59 pm
Yogurt: If I make yogurt at home with a 24 hour ferment time (this gets rid of lactose) would that be acceptable for the slow carb diet? I’m asking because you recommend yogurt in the paragraph about fermented foods and I’m just trying to clarify. Thanks. Loving your book!
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:22 pm
Try it out and report back!
Marigold — July 20th, 2011, 9:27 am
Interesting about yogurt made at home. My mother recently shared with me that if she makes her own yogurt at home, she can eat it without any side effects.
Mother is lactose intolerant and has problems with every kind of milk, cheese, yogurt product, store purchased.
So perhaps there is something to the yogurt made homemade fresh. Perhaps the natural fermentatation without any added preservatives or whatever “other additives” in store bought yogurt is just not present in the yogurt that is homemade. I found this to be quite interesting and when I saw the comment here, thought I’d contribute this observation.
venizio — October 6th, 2011, 4:05 pm
also farmer’s cheese, cheedar cheese and gruyere dont have lactose.
i lost 30 pounds, staying lean at 180 (6’1”) following the4 hour diet. but i also add:
- yogourt fermented for 24h
- all the cheeses mentioned above
- honey
another tip, try spaghetti squash if you need a filler (that’s allowed i believe)
AVR — January 21st, 2011, 7:15 pm
I bought the kindle version of the book and it seems you’re limited to download it to one device this (unusual, as far as I know), this limitation seems petty. I’m not going to pay 10 bucks just to be able to check if the gym I’m considering has all the machines in the occams protocol program on my iphones Kindle app, it’s annoying that you have to. Because these limitations aren’t clearly advertised when you buy books they always come like an unpleasant surprise. They also sometimes mean your book is stuck on the device because you ordered it to your mac.
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:21 pm
If that’s the case, it would be an Amazon limitation. Sadly, I can do nothing about that.
AVR — January 21st, 2011, 7:34 pm
I’m not sure that’s the case. The amount of times you can download a book has a limit that varies, I would guess it depends on the policies of the author/publisher (http://boingboing.net/2009/06/22/some-kindle-books-ha.html).
AVR — January 21st, 2011, 9:11 pm
it was a technical problem
crunchysue — January 21st, 2011, 8:05 pm
@AVR – I bought the Kindle version, too, and have successfully downloaded it to my iPhone, iPad, and 3 Macs, and only paid the once. On any device where it’s not downloaded yet, you’ll find it under “Archived Items.”
@Tim – thanks so much for the added info about how it can take longer for women, and especially “older” women see results. I’m 47 and not seeing much loss yet, but I’m still a believer! And even if I never lose any fat (although I’m certain I will), I LIKE the diet and I’m not gaining, which is progress!
And one request, Tim: if you ever do a second edition of the book, would you please remove the heterosexual bias? It’s not always a man facilitating a woman’s orgasm, and it’s not always the “opposite sex” that people want to attract. Thanks!
AVR — January 21st, 2011, 8:44 pm
strange that I can’t I guess I’ll contact amazon
Karen — January 24th, 2011, 2:16 pm
Hear! Hear! Totally with you on that last point! Thank you for bringing it up, CrunchySue.
Roger P — January 21st, 2011, 8:12 pm
For what it’s worth, I also bought the kindle version and haven’t had any problem loading it on multiple ereaders. Maybe there’s something with your account? I have no idea, but it doesn’t seem to be the case across the board anyway. Good luck getting it to work, hopefully you can get around the limitation.
Ian — January 22nd, 2011, 12:33 pm
I downloaded it to alll my devices without problem. Sometimes you can’t open them simultaneously, so maybe try with only one device open.
Good luck.
Ian
Cassie — January 22nd, 2011, 8:59 pm
I have the book downloaded to my kindle and have been able to also load it to my iphone no problem. Possible user error.
Michelle — February 6th, 2011, 10:44 am
Christ, Tim, my farts smell terrible. But I’ve been trying to fend off guys lately, so this diet is a godsend.
jodelle — January 23rd, 2011, 9:46 pm
Ooookay…so here I go. Tomorrow morning I start the diet! I’m a 49 year old female and it’s been a crazy few months. I had Achilles surgery in October and managed to put on 30 lbs., just like that! I know that some research suggests that anesthesia can cause havoc on the metabolism…I sure hope I can reset it.
I am a very well versed user of the Atkins diet. It has always worked terrific for me, but always felt like it couldn’t be long term…you eat more than 20 grams of carb and the body shuts off the D.I.K. effects. So, I’m scared to death of adding in all those extra carbs in the Legumes…I understand the fat-burning D.I.K. process, but this process, not so much. I think all the research is crazy astounding, so here I go. I am going to completely trust in all the hard work you’ve done for 10 years. This should be interesting, as I also went thru surgical menopause 14 years ago, so physiologically, this is a 64 year old woman trying it out! Let me know if you have any additional tips with someone with my strange challenges…, and thanks again for this fabulous book!
Vince — January 24th, 2011, 2:29 am
I don’t believe this to be true. I have the Kindle version of 4HB downloaded on my iPad, iPhone, and Mac. I often switch between them and I have not noticed any limitations.
Derek — January 25th, 2011, 5:30 pm
You can download books to your kindle, but they also have applications for PC or MAC to read them. You can sync last page read, highlight, take notes, and search the same way you do on the Kindle. As far as not being able to put the book on other devices, this is the case for all books you buy for the kindle.
Josh Bobb — January 28th, 2011, 9:40 pm
I have it on 3 Kindle “devices” – iPhone, iPad and laptop (Kindle app). You’re usually limited to 5 Kindle “devices” per Kindle account.
PatD — January 31st, 2011, 1:58 pm
I purchased the kindle version as well but I was able to download it to several devices. You might want to try again.
Kathy — March 3rd, 2011, 9:43 am
Kindle recently had an upgrade, last week. I didn’t try to read off my kindle before, but in testing out the upgrade my 4HB kindle version seems to appear on all my devices now.
Great book – working on program since January, but few positive results? Not discouraged, just keep tweaking and reading blog for ideas. I feel great at 55, on this diet – love the food, but very few inches or lbs lost. Will power through – and keep reading!
siobhan — January 21st, 2011, 7:25 pm
Not sure why my comment was deleted, when the person who criticized Babs Walters was not? So much for sense of humor. Thanks for catering to your readers.
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 7:28 pm
It wasn’t deleted. You need to be patient with moderation
AC — January 21st, 2011, 7:57 pm
Hoping not to upset anyone here, but is the cheat day, one day (awake time on that day) or up to 24 actual hours (Friday night to sat night). Wanted to see if I could kill it twice for dinner and drinks. I appreciate the book and all your effort Tim.
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 8:33 pm
No problem, AC. It’s one wake cycle; don’t split it between two days or you will gain fat. Enjoy!
Laura — January 21st, 2011, 9:57 pm
Oh, drats!!! I’ve always had my cheat days from Sat night to Sun afternoon.
Laureen — February 2nd, 2011, 11:35 am
Is it okay to change which day it is occasionally? If you normally do Saturday but want to switch to another day for an event?
Roger P — January 21st, 2011, 8:09 pm
Hey Tim, you have no idea how excited I am!!! Thank you so much! I can’t want to hear more details about this roundtrip ticket anywhere in the world. Is there any fine print? Is there some way I can contact you or one of your assistants to get more details?
Again, thanks so much! I’m actually on a flight right now, and I can barely stay still in my seat, I’m so excited
-Roger
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 8:32 pm
Glad you’re happy! I’m happy for you. One of my assistants will be in touch in the next few days. Start thinking of options
Have a great weekend,
Tim
Camille — January 23rd, 2011, 4:33 pm
Congrats Roger!
Gregg M. — January 21st, 2011, 8:23 pm
Tim,
Thanks for an excellent book! I have had mixed success so far with the SCD, but I know experimentation is the key, and I’m not giving up yet! I’ll figure it out and get to where I want to be.
I do notice a couple of inconsistencies in the book, and I’m hoping you can clarify in a comment or elsewhere, when you have time:
You mention artificial sweeteners are a problem (p98,99), yet your father restarted his fatloss with the slow carb diet (p 95) by using Myoplex, yet Myoplex (both original and lite varieties) contain Maltodextrin (= sweetener) and Fructooligosaccharides (= like fructose), specifically 2g sugars/42g protein in 1 serving of original and 4g sugars/20g protein in 1 serving of lite.
In addition, in the “Meatless Machine 1″ section (p 524), you mention 3 different protein powders that you have tried and suggest, yet 1 contains Fructose (Pure Advantage Pea Protein Isolate), 1 contains Stevia (Sun Warrior Chocolate Brown Rice Powder) and 1 contains both Fructose and Stevia (Nitro Fusion Plant Fusion). (note that “Sun Warrior Protein Raw Vegan Natural” has no sweeteners at all, though I don’t know how it tastes)
My question is, in light of what I’ve pointed out, is there some amount of sugar (fructose/glucose/whichever) or artificial sweeteners that will not impact the efficacy of the SCD, and if so, what is it?
Tim Ferriss — January 21st, 2011, 8:31 pm
Hi Gregg,
You just need to do your best.
- My dad used an imperfect product for convenience. Better still would be unflavored whey protein.
- Almost all vegetarian protein powders will screw you one way or another. Sad but true.
SCD can work with a little sweetener here and there, but I try to avoid it all when I can.
Good luck!
Tim
Daniel — February 15th, 2011, 4:11 pm
I can vouch for the vegetarian protein powder predicament. In my own experiments, I was losing 2-3 pounds per week following SCD without compromises (the lower amount of loss has more to do with not drinking enough water and not eating enough food, I suspect) when I ran out of why protein (I was having it first thing in the morning with a tablespoon of peanut butter as I can’t stand the thought of food in the morning). The week I switched from whey to Sun Warrior I lost 0 pounds. Total plateau. The next week I ditched it and actually just skipped my pre-breakfast shake. Back to my losing ways at 4 pounds lost that week. Sun Warrior is rice, rice can be white. White carbohydrates are out. It is what it is.
Shannon — November 14th, 2012, 8:04 am
Daniel I’ve noticed that if I make ANY changes to my diet I tend to plateau for a week to ten days, but then like magic I can drop 4-7 pounds one day and I return to my cycle of 1.5 – 3 pounds per day. So your change to the Sun Warrior shakes my not have been a plateau due to rice (carbs), but due to your body resisting the change.
My first week on SCD I gained 9 pounds two weeks later I was down 9.8 pounds from the first week, nearly twenty pounds in three weeks. I changed from scrambled egg whites with one egg to frying in butter two whole eggs (the beans were just two dry w/o the yolk) and gained 1 pound in that week, yet three weeks I am down 34 pounds with minimal exercise from Occam’s Protocal.
I’m going on my 11th week almost 40 pounds lighter and feeling much younger than my 42 years. I still have 45 pounds to go, but I’m getting very excited about feeling confident enough to take my shirt off in appropriate public places (water parks, pools, beaches, etc.).
Tim, if you’re catching this, thanks so much for being you and doing what you do. I am starting a website http://www.shannonsjones.com which will track the continuation of my journey now that experimentation is out of the way. SCD works, 4HB is phenomenal, my goal of >50 lbs is approaching which allows me to reward myself with a copy of 4HWW, so excited!!!! Namaste
tom — July 2nd, 2011, 7:16 pm
Hi TIm,
Just on the vegan protein discussion – the Mike Mahler protein cookies you recommend in the book include Sun Warrior rice protein; yet above you note that vegan protein powders “screw you up”. I think you mean in regards to weight loss only? – I.e. if you’re at your weight goal, and are (now) looking at muscle gain, or increased strength, or whatever then it’s OK to eat vegan protein powders?
Would be great to hear back from you, or others on this thread
Cheers
Tom
(12 kgs down in 6 weeks!)
Aubriann — February 28th, 2011, 9:24 am
Dan,
In your reply you mentioned mixing your whey protein with peanut butter. I think I love you for it. I’ve been searching for a way to use my protein powder in the morning that won’t make me gag or resorting to sweetened protein shakes. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me as I love nut butters. This was especially helpful since I tried incredibly hard, but still cannot stomach eggs.
Thanks!
Cory — January 21st, 2011, 8:43 pm
First off Tim, really enjoy your work. Great Stuff!
I have a quick question, what is your take on protein shakes? I currently have both a blend (whey iso, whey concentrate, micellar caesin, and egg) and a pure caesin powder. I consume the blend post-workout and the pure caesin before bed. Thanks Tim!
Brad — January 21st, 2011, 8:51 pm
Hi Tim or anyone else who wouldn’t mind helping me out,
A couple of quick questions.
1. I am currently working on G2F and in about a month I am going backpacking in Asia for 4 weeks. As someone who is always on the go do you have any tips or tricks to hold onto gains made?
2. You mentioned in the first chapter ginger and sauerkraut if you are under muscled. I only saw sauerkraut for probiotics and fat loss later in the book and ginger was never mentioned again. How do they help you if you are under muscled?
I have really been enjoying the book. It’s fun creating a new me. I preordered the signed copy on B&N but it is taking forever to get here in Germany. I am glad that I got the digital copy for my kindle to hold me over till it gets here.
Also, 4HWW gave me the kick in the ass I needed. I am currently setting things into motion and creating the lifestyle I want and not the one my job dictates. Thanks for writing such an inspiring book.
-Brad
Tim Ferriss — January 22nd, 2011, 1:32 am
For G2F when traveling, focus on single-leg exercises like pistols…
Brad — January 22nd, 2011, 9:55 am
Thanks. The water bag you recommended for the TGU, is it strong enough for swings?
One a side note, your book arrived in the mail today. Looking forward to diving into it.
Keep up the great work.
-Brad
RMW — January 21st, 2011, 8:57 pm
Tim, thanks again. DVR is set for Dr. Oz! I’m glad you pointed out that people need to realize that they need to do their own experimentation. The rules are clear, and self experimentation is key. One question: can you elaborate on why you omit the greet tea supplement from the before bed dose of PAGG? Just wondering. I’ve been doing the full PAGG before bed so I’ll have to change my process. Thanks!
David Nilsson — January 21st, 2011, 10:51 pm
Green tea before bed, can make it harder for some people to fall a sleep.
Josh — January 22nd, 2011, 8:23 am
I’ve never had any problems with green tea before bed – even with caffeinated types. BUT I think I’m an anomaly because I’ve always been able to drink expresso before bed.
RMW — January 22nd, 2011, 9:32 am
So is that the main reason? If it ISN’T an issue, is there any benefit to keeping the full PAGG plan for the before bed dosage? Just wondering…
Mark Reimer — January 21st, 2011, 8:58 pm
Thanks for posting this. Where can I find more scientific literature about eating 30g of protein within 30 minutes of waking and fat loss?
Andrew Huhn — January 22nd, 2011, 1:50 pm
Google/everywhere… I’d be surprised if you went to any news stand and couldn’t find at least one publication every month with a relevant article. In my experience, the magazines worth subscribing to cite their sources one way or another for more involved investigation.
Courtney Reimer — January 21st, 2011, 9:04 pm
Hi Tim! I am currently working on natural ways to improve my fertility (acupuncture, supplements, diet) and am very interested in getting more information about what you’ve discovered with women and a gluten free diet (mentioned in your interview on The View and in your Twitter discussion). Can you point me to any good resources? Thanks so much, loving all this experimenting!
Peter Bold — January 22nd, 2011, 8:45 am
Dr. Mercola on the link between gluten-intolerance and infertility:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/02/23/can-foods-contribute-to-infertility.aspx
Rick Rakauskas — January 21st, 2011, 9:22 pm
Awesome! I am 58 and back into weights and kettlebells because of this book.
Not much weight loss yet, but I suspect I am not super strict on the protocol and as Tim says, for us older types, patience is a key. But feeling stronger and happier within myself.
I know I will get 200kg off the ground sometime this year.
Cheers
Chatham — January 21st, 2011, 9:30 pm
Lobster, Shrimp, Crab (all kinds), Oysters and Scallops aren’t mentioned, as far as I can tell. Are these discouraged in the Slow Carb Diet or do I need to refer to “if you have to ask, don’t eat it”? Thanks.
Tim Ferriss — January 22nd, 2011, 1:12 am
All are fine.
Rebecca — March 30th, 2011, 7:33 pm
YAY!!!! Thank Goddess! I can’t live with out Lobster, Salmon(any fish really!), Oysters, Shrimp, Scallops… The sea is the way to go! That and a really great steak!
Chris D — January 21st, 2011, 9:33 pm
Tim,
You mentioned in the Twitter talk experimenting with home made sauerkraut and the appropriate duration. Is this simply a matter of taste or were you looking to measure levels of lactic acid?
For home made kimchi, I have found three weeks to be optimal fermentation.
- Chris
Kerry NZ — January 24th, 2011, 12:58 am
What was the ambient temp that you got three weeks under?
I’m having a go at homemade sauerkraut at the moment, but my previous experiment with sourdough bread (a no-no now
on the SCD) is that recipes based in the US assume a quicker fermentation than is usual in NZ (oh I love our well-insulated homes 
Adam — January 21st, 2011, 9:33 pm
Great job on The View, Tim.
Is it me or was Barbara’s reception colder than the ice baths I’ve been taking!
Keep up the awesome work man.
Mike C — January 21st, 2011, 9:45 pm
Hey Tim,
Just blasted through the gaining mass portion of your book and so far so good. I know you’ve received plenty of questions about what foods are allowable, but do you think you can be more clear with the eating list for those trying to gain mass?
On page 212 you write,
“The meal composition is nearly identical to the Slow-Carb Diet, as are the tenets, though we now add a starch such as brown rice or quinoa to the non-shake meals.”
But later in the book you mention a calorie-dense macaroni dish as well as the GOMAD technique.
So does this mean that pasta’s and dairy are okay for those trying to gain mass? And you didn’t mention white rice or breads…are those still not allowed?
Love the book. Thanks for the help
mike
Naomi — January 21st, 2011, 9:50 pm
Hey Tim,
the 4HB was great – hugely detailed. What I’m most interested in though (I was hoping it would be in the book) is ‘speed learning’ – or how you manage to master skills to a high level in a tremendously short time. (ie. 6 months from nada to world class tango.)
Are you planning to go into this at a later stage?
cheers
Naomi
Sima — January 25th, 2011, 7:51 pm
He has a lot of that type of info on the blog
S
Justin — January 21st, 2011, 9:54 pm
Tim,
Regarding Brazil Nuts, I know you eat them daily and so do I now that I’ve read your book, I found a disturbing study that shows them to be slightly RADIOACTIVE:
http://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/consumer%20products/brazilnuts.htm
According to this study Brazil nuts have some 1000 times more Radium than most other foods, but “most of the Radium of ingested Brazil nuts was not retained by the body.”
I don’t know whether this is reassuring. Any thoughts or your own research on this matter? Thanks
Gregg M. — January 22nd, 2011, 11:01 am
It might be interesting to look at the actual studies in question. It could be (as happens) that they’re all pointing back to one specific study, which may or may not be rigorous or statistically strong.
I think I remember reading that stud(-ies) have shown that a modest (but very low) level of radiation is actually beneficial, though I can’t cite anything.
etienne taylor — February 14th, 2011, 12:10 pm
Yes indeed. Some of us (former) extropians keep old glazed pottery under own beds because_the radiation is thought by some researchers to be good for you. (Japan was a large clinical trial that produced these results far enough away from the blast center.)
A general link on the subject. http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller12.html
I am not a doctor and don’t play one on the Internet but my advice to you is to enjoy your Brazil nuts!
Good luck.
Etienne
nigel — January 21st, 2011, 9:57 pm
I loved the book, Tim. I’m a week into the slow-carb diet and its working a treat. One point of confusion though – does the protein content of the beans/lentils count towards the protein required per meal?
Tim Ferriss — January 22nd, 2011, 1:11 am
Yes, it does.
David — January 21st, 2011, 10:09 pm
Yo Tim
Good job dealing with those ladies on the View, and it’s different not seeing you in your usual leisure clothing haha.
BTW gained about 14 lbs of muscle so far from 4hb recommendations I’ve made!
David
Nick — January 21st, 2011, 10:24 pm
Why was Green Tea eliminated at night from PAGG? I know some people say they experienced sleeplessness, however the back of the bottle says that it contains a max of 3.6mg of caffeine per serving which probably has zero effect. Therefore I think it should be included in the regular dosage schedule
Tina — January 24th, 2011, 10:28 am
It’s not the caffeine, it’s the minimum effective dose. In the book (paraphrasing here) it notes that the effect of the EGCG on fat loss has a “hockey stick” effect (a sharp rise) between 900 and 1,100 mg. So depending on the brand you’re using, you calculate how much of the supplement you need to be between 900 and 1,100 mg per day. The brand Tim notes in the book has 325 EGCG per tablet, so you take 3 per day. Taking more won’t produce more results.
hrho — January 21st, 2011, 10:34 pm
Hey Tim,
I know you suggest “recreational sports” is not measurable and I would guess may impede progress for pure muscle-building (g2freak/occam’s). I recently fell in love with the game of squash.
Should I stop until my bulking period/g2freak is done or is there an optimal way to allow cardio-like recreation/sport in between HIT workouts?
Also, should I worry about left/right imbalances when playing sports. E.g. Development of right arm (right-handed person) in racquet sports.
Thanks!
Stephen — January 21st, 2011, 10:43 pm
Hey Tim, just want to know if you know of any progress on the cheaper ultrasound device ($500) mentioned in 4HB?
Loft — January 21st, 2011, 11:09 pm
Quick question – what was with the muscle milk on the table? Looks like they cut you off before you got to it. Thanks in advance!
Nikki — January 23rd, 2011, 4:03 pm
Yes! I really want to know too… I have a bunch of muscle milk light and now am guessing I can’t drink it anymore as fructose is an ingredient. If that’s not so, you’ll make my life better (as I’m way bummed about the no sweet potatoes thing.)
Darya — January 21st, 2011, 11:47 pm
OMG, I can’t believe you told Barbara Walters how her vagina works on national television. So epic.
Tim Ferriss — January 22nd, 2011, 1:10 am
Fuckin’ A — of course I did
Tara — February 6th, 2011, 12:32 pm
Admire you both (Tim and Darya) so much, but I really wish we would all stop using “vagina” when referring to a women’s vulva. Certainly, vagina is better than “down there”, but it continues the miseducation about Women’s genetalia. Tim, loved that you included illustrations in your book. Do you know how many men (and women) have never even looked in the light of day. It’s time to lose the mystery and educate the people on what’s really going on “down there”!!
Ganzorig — January 22nd, 2011, 12:07 am
Hello, Tim. Greetings from Mongolia. I’ve read your 4HWW and am starting to read your 4HB. Your book has changed my view in a huge degree. So I’ve 2 questions.
1st. What are you planning to do next? I think maybe if you do a documentary based on your books or some other things, it’d be wonderful. I just watched Freakonomics the movie. It was great, but it didn’t meet my expectations. If you do some documentary of your own, I think it’d blow it up.
2nd. I’m 19 year old and 5’7”. It has always been of interest to me for the last 1 or 2 years to grow in height. Have you ever done research on that? If not, it’d be a great topic for people under 25 who would like to grow more in height.
Thanks, Ganzorig
Tim Ferriss — January 22nd, 2011, 1:10 am
I think a screenplay might be next. For height, just focus on strength and you’ll be fine. Rock it!
Ganzorig — January 22nd, 2011, 2:54 am
Man, height means much to me. Even 2” would greatly affect me in many things. Do you have any idea how I can increase my height? Oh, BTW, I read somewhere that doing intensive strength exercise thickens the bones. Is that true, I mean do you know people who have had this? Anyways, thank you for your response and I’ll sure focus on strength. Thanks Tim
Danielle — January 24th, 2011, 6:25 pm
He’s right, a documentary on 4HB would be stupendous.
Peter S — January 28th, 2011, 11:29 pm
Tim is right, you can easily make up for height by just being fit. Watch this video of my friend who is no more than 5’7″ http://www.vimeo.com/17329744 — spend your time working on strength (because it sounds like it’s too late to do anything about your height).
S Leigh Schmidt — January 22nd, 2011, 12:27 am
Oh my gosh, Tim. Your book is amazing, and thank you for posting your clip of you on the View. Don’t get that show here in Denmark, so I love being able to watch clips of you and get your soundbites so we can trim down your tips into little improvements in our lives. (:
I didn’t know the thing about gluten and fertility, and we’ve been trying for almost a year and just started the slow carb diet. So fingers crossed on that and good luck to us and thank you so much for publishing that wonderful book!
I’m not even finished but I’m recommending it to every friend I can who’s having trouble with weight loss and body issues.
Craig — January 22nd, 2011, 12:38 am
Tim, I’d love to read your “4 hour body” book, but it is not available on the Kindle in Australia. Anything you can do to get it released here? (Now i’ve got a kindle, i cant see the point in buying hardcopy books anymore). thanks in advance, Craig.
Tim — January 23rd, 2011, 8:51 pm
@Craig – You can get it in Australia by just changing your country on amazon. I live in Australia too and got it that way just fine.
Pon — January 22nd, 2011, 1:03 am
TIm,
You mentioned to use the following:
Should be changed to (please just copy and paste the below):
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)
but here you recommended:
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)
The followng:
Mega Green Tea Extract— 325+ mg EGCG, 100 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/greentea)
[Links to a lightly caffeinated version on bodybuilding.com]
Vitamin Shoppe—Alpha-Lipoic Acid, 100 mg, 60 capsules (www.fourhourbody.com/ala)
[Don't use 300mg?]
Thanks!
Pon — January 22nd, 2011, 1:05 am
Sorry for elaboration. Use the lightly caffeinated version instead of the decaffeinated version?
Deepak — January 24th, 2011, 9:38 am
Yeah. The link takes you to lightly caffeinated version instead of decaf. I bought it blindly with double checking and realized only after I got it.
Jon Davey — January 22nd, 2011, 1:07 am
morning tim from the uk … excuse my ramble but hopefully its helpful …
i’m currently reading your book and telling folk to grab a copy but being me the title change in my head from 4 hour week to 4 hour month, etc and so i am sending folk to your blog … but it is not easy for them to access the way old book as the new slim jim book is taking over your brain and therefore this blog …
it will probably take 5 years for the rest of the world to catch up and if they are all being sent to this blog then you might think about allowing this space to remain dominated by the working week, with a link to the new foodie blog
perhaps its time for a tim ferris … in fact just did this timferrris.com and it brought me to the fourhourworkweek.com which does pitch up about the book … i see, the blog dominates when i look for tim ferris on google … got it …
there is a tiny link at the top that says the book … this was probably cool when you had just the one … now the right hand side says eat santa, the middle focuses on the 4-hour body and even your recent post with santa’s little helper has the body tag and not NO 1 BOOK YEAH tag
congratulations on hitting the top spot … and can I just ask for a small image top right of the working book, maybe between THE BLOG logo and the search box, that links to amazon so when i send people over they know they are in the right place and buy the right book
cheers
keep nibbling at what life has to offer
jon
Jscott — January 22nd, 2011, 1:36 am
The bonus section on DNA was incredible. Mainly because of the links to the links to the links.
Thanks for providing the people and the research. It is like you are doing introductions.
(BTW the people visiting your blog with GREAT sites…well the list is growing and it is one helluva one to maintain )
I am doing fMRI tracking as an interesting offshoot/Trojan horse with the physical. Looking at brain storms dealing with depression/anxiety/rumination and some of the crossover is INCREDIBLE.
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:22 pm
Thanks, Jscott. I’d LOVE to see the fMRI results if you ever post them.
Best,
Tim
Andreas — January 22nd, 2011, 2:18 am
I am slowcarbing for 3 weeks now. Initially I was very strict with the diet, for 10 days or so. Then I gradually started adding a little cheese and cottage cheese in the morning instead of the eggs, because I could not face another egg again. —-> My fat loss slowed down considerably.
I will be more strict from sunday on (today is freeloader´s day).
I the beginning I had MAJOR problems with gas and I felt full and bloated all the time, but I think my metabolism got used to the diet.
Bottom Line: It works and I know what has screwed up all my previous low-carb diets: Lack of legumes, too much sweetener and dairy.
andy — January 22nd, 2011, 2:31 am
tim maybe you could make a recommendation to AMAZON. Maybe you could have them implement a system where when the author logs into the kindle or digital book he is allowed to make changes to HIS book. Which then take effect automatically on all digitally downloaded books. So that when people are reading the book it can say ” their are changes made by the author on xxxx would you like to review these changes now?”
would save hassle of authors trying to post on blog and readers hoping to find information and looking for info in multiple places.
David — January 22nd, 2011, 3:39 am
Hi, Tim.
My last day of eating beans for the week. CHEAT DAY!
As for the avalanche of questions, it was to be expected. A lot of science in the book. Also, you being somewhat of a obsessive genius with means, (which enabled you to produce such a good book) could be the reason for all the questions being generated. Most people are not particularly obsessive with clinical details and lack the means to gain access to accurate measurements. Millions of people without health insurance means no check ups, no doctors, no blood tests, no ultrasound equipment, no BodPods, and certainly no stem cell growth factors. As readers, we do hope authors would exercise more patience and be mindful of current times.
Self-sufficient self-experimenting (now three times faster) might have been the point of 4HB,(as stated above), but unfortunately there is very little on the subject inside the actual book. One might think such a important subject would be included in the title(ex, An Uncommon guide to Self-sufficient Self-experimentation) or occupy its own whole chapter. Sadly, the subject is limited to only the appendix, 8 little pages of the 500+. 13 individual pages according to the Index. Remarkably short and well hidden.
Luckily, this blog has many readers and a series of posts on the subject of Self-sufficient self-experimenting would be enough to illuminate the hidden points of the book.
On a lighter note, congratulations on you appearance on the view and dr.oz. Didn’t like the format as much, but it is what could be expected. I’m not a fan of either show but any publicity from a major television network is great exposure. Well Done!
The forum is coming which is awesome!
Trying to make my own protein bars. Still trying to figure out something to bind the ingredients together which does not include sugar, fat, oils, or anything against the slow-carb diet. any suggestions will be helpful.
David
AmandaS — January 24th, 2011, 3:42 am
Try using virgin coconut oil to bind everything together. Must be kept in the fridge or it will start to melt.
V. coconut oil helps fat loss and is filling. Google it for more info. I’m really surprised Tim didn’t mention it in the book.
Try nuts, coconut oil, raw cacao etc
Markus B — February 8th, 2012, 5:14 pm
Why not go with eggs as in normal cooking? And I am sure a little olive oil will not hurt.
Cheers
Rowland — January 22nd, 2011, 5:36 am
@Ganzorig : there are numerous clinics in Asia that will make you taller. It’s painfull and risky though (they break your legs and then stretch your body on legs).
It can also be quite expensive if you use real doctors..
But hey, since, your’re a fellow 4HB-er, I’ll break your legs for free
Most of the asian clinics are cosmetic surgery-type of businesses.
There are a number of clinics in the western world that perform the same procedures, but focus on people with underdeveloped/malformed limbs.
Google on “leg lengthening surgery” for more info.
(I was going to insert an insanely funny joke about short people, but I won’t. I got punched in the privates by a midget last time)
Ganzorig — January 22nd, 2011, 6:00 am
haha, man, you are such a man who have not much to be proud of, so that you keep teasing people of simple things. I’d never consider that surgery, maybe that’d be better for u, cause u’d be able to tease more people than now. Good luck buddy =P
Simon M — February 4th, 2011, 8:47 am
Hi Ganzorig,
from what I know the only methods of increasing height are the surgery mentioned above, or growth hormone therapy when you’re younger (if you’re deficient in it).
why are you looking to be taller, is it for women or social status? you don’t need it for either (see Tom cruise) body language/ posture can make an incredible difference, increasing core strength will improve both of those things.
Simon — January 22nd, 2011, 6:06 am
Hi Tim,
Enjoyed the 4HB generally, lot of great content.
My only grip was that while you make a very good point about causation etc early on you then go on to make the same mistake yourself.
For example, yes “x” number of women lost more weight eating eggs in the morning but it’s a really flawed study and probably had a lot more to do with the fact they simply stopped either eating nothing or eating high gi sugary cereals, the eggs themselves may quite well have played zero part in the equation.
Generally I bit my tongue on a lot of small issues , overall it’s a great read.
Thank you.
Edward Johnson — January 22nd, 2011, 7:03 am
Excellent post! Do the blood work; you can get a profile at most any pharmacy these days; just make sure you have fasted. As for kettlebells besides the two hand swing; make sure you you can do 75 swings alternating with each hand (harder than it looks); 75 snatches (even harder but effective); make sure you know how to clean it to the rack position, etc before you move up in weight; especially when moving from a 24 kg kb to a 32 kg kb and above. The best of if you have to ask don’t eat it!
Ed
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:21 pm
If anyone here wants to learn the snatch, etc., please get proper RKC instruction. Otherwise, just stick with swings.
Best,
Tim
Ed — January 24th, 2011, 6:29 am
Ditto; I took a course from an RKC instructor. It is worth the $, as it will keep you from injury.
Ed
David — January 24th, 2011, 8:10 am
Didn’t we learn about the snatch in the 15 minute orgasm chapter?
I believe that was plenty of instruction.
Rowland — January 22nd, 2011, 7:14 am
Ganzorig, I tease all kinds of people, it keeps me fit (ever been chased by a bunch of hooligans after teasing them? I set a personal record on that one). Can you imagine that jokes sometimes get misinterpreted?
I did not post with the intention to offend you, and if I did, it takes a big man to appologize, and I do.
Seriously, there are a lot of people desperate enough to endure operations and 6 to 9 painfull months afterwards to become 3 inches taller. Your answer means that you’re not *that* desperate, which is good.
One question though (in dr. Phil mode now): why do you want to become taller? Because of physical limitations, social status, or other reasons (babes, intimidation, highplaced showerheads?). There are solutions for all of them, besides having your legs broken by a doctor. If you can’t work through it, work around it.
David — January 22nd, 2011, 7:38 am
By the way,
I am trying to find some research of the negative effects on soy.
My focus is if the negative effects are isolated to certain species of soy produced in certain areas or is it a wide spread among all soy in all countries.
In asia, one person consumes a ridiculous amount of soy and soy products. Yet, no wide spread negative effects have been acknowledged there. why is that ? Do they use better soy ?
If anyone has any research on this matter, send me a email.
thank you.
Rowland — January 23rd, 2011, 3:49 am
David,
While it is true that soy has been eaten for thousands of years in Asia, most of it has been consumed in fermented form, until about 20 years ago.
Not-fermented soy products have been associated with a load of negative health effects, see below.
Moreover, there *have* been pubications about negative effects of soy consumption in Asia. Somehow, they just didn’t make it to the mainstream media. The funny thing is, most of the positive reports did.
Here are some articles on the negative issues concerning soy:
- Dietary soy and increased risk of bladder cancer: the Singapore Chinese Health Study. (older study, performed in Singapore)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12496060
- Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2721724/
There are some hints in this paper that the physical differences between asian men & caucasians may partly be because of soy consumption.
-High tofu intake was associated with worse memory in elderly Indonesian men and women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18583909
If you want more, go to pubmed, and look it up..
AmandaS — January 24th, 2011, 3:48 am
More soy info has been written up by the Weston A Price Foundation (love these guys!) ‘the Ploy of soy’ I believe, Kaayla Daniels book on soy, Donna Gates (Body Ecology Diet) and Dr Mercola’s website.
Asian countries often have mineral rich broths (incl seaweeds with iodine) with their tofu which help to negate some of its effects.
David — January 25th, 2011, 2:11 pm
Thanks. Rowland!
It’s exactly what I was looking for.
Tina — January 24th, 2011, 10:33 am
Here’s some meta-info on the topic too, so you can draw your own conclusions. From my own experience, non-fermented soy makes my body acidic, which just causes all kinds of issues from gas to yeast infections. In children, I have seen kids on soy formula develop nasty skin conditions and allergies. When switched to raw dairy and assisted with probiotics, all the issues went away. Another good resource is the Weston Price Foundation (great recipes for fermented foods too). http://www.westonprice.org
Syracuse Karl T. — January 22nd, 2011, 8:16 am
I am your biggest fan.
Respectfully, Karl T.
Ron Turner — January 22nd, 2011, 8:17 am
Hello Tim from China! Awesome interview ON the View, always good to see BW squirm…so as you know, the food here in China leaves little to be desired by the old digestive system (ala Kevin Rose when you guys were here). Have lost 30 pounds in the last 10 months, and hit a plateau after that. I am glad to report that after using the FHB diet, abs, supplements, and those f***ing cold showers (damn you!), I have lost another 10 pounds just in the last 2 weeks! Thanks for helping me be the “new” me!
Joe Adkins — January 22nd, 2011, 9:04 am
Your thoughts/experiments on Piracetam combined with Choline…or other nootropics?
Lawrence — January 22nd, 2011, 5:05 pm
I’ve been taking piracetam and choline for about two months now. Its helped me think more clearly, made me a bit more creative, and has made colors really seem super bright and vivid. I came to the conclusion that it makes me interpret the world a bit more like how i did when i was a kid. the only downside i’ve experienced so far has been a couple of headaches i got when i didn’t supplement with choline, and its changed my taste in music a bit…really heavy beat driven music used to be my staple (dnb, dubstep) and now more melodic and vocal driven music has all ive been able to tolerate.
Joe Adkins — January 22nd, 2011, 9:46 pm
Can I ask how many mg of piracetam and choline you take and how often?
Lawrence — January 22nd, 2011, 10:27 pm
It’s something i’m still experimenting and toying around with, to be honest. I bought a kilogram of it in bulk form from a nootropic mail order place out of Florida for 70 bucks, which has been highly cost effective, considering that already capsuled bottles run for 25-35$. I went and bought #10 capsules at my local sunflower market (its like a low cost whole foods) and have found that three of those capped to be the best so far. Its kind of a pain in the ass to make that many per day (i took that three times a day) so I reduced it down to 3 and then two capsules twice a day, where the effects began to diminish rapidly. From what i’ve expereinced there is a sweet spot around 3 caps 3 times a day for my body that works. I don’t have a scale that measures weights under a gram well, so i am not sure exactly how much those caps weigh. I did find that if i took too much i got a little scatter brained. Your initial dose should be somewhere around 4 grams, but not less than 2. It takes about an hour for the effects to begin to manifest. It took a full day before it really began to start to work on me. Oh, and if you plan on taking it, make sure you have some sunglasses with you, ive found that daytime headlights on cars to be super bright at times. The effects on my vision have been the most pronounced so far along with much clearer thought. So yeah, front load a 3-4 gram dose (get your self a decent scale that can take measurements under a gram) and start out with 3 #10 capsules three times a day and see what works on you. I wake up in the morning, take my caps, then wait ten minnutes and swallow down the pagg stack thats in the book along with choline, fish oil, cold liver oil, a b vitimin complex, then make myself a non denatured whey protien/coconut milk shake that has a few blueberries and black berries thrown in for good measure every morning. Be sure to take the choline or headaches will ensue, as the piracetam effects the levels of acetalcholine and your body needs this to supplement with. 120 250mg caps of that were at whole foods for 19$, which is pricey, but it all that was nearby to me. should only be 12 or so.
Ank — November 30th, 2011, 11:05 am
Hi Lawrence ,
Have you ever tried listening to TRANCE music. Give it a try. with the effects you are talking about I think you would really dig Trance. A god place to start would be Above and Beyond
Lane K — January 22nd, 2011, 9:07 am
Tim, This is fantastic for me. I started a week ago Thursday, but did a cheat on Saturday 1/15 to have Saturday as cheat, and now I am on cheat day today 1/22. Down around four to five pounds and just not sure when good time to weigh usually in the buff when I wake up after peeing.
Bought the Escali scale but forgot the hydration before initial fat % and today’s fat % which was up one tenth of a percent from Monday. In one part of book it mention to not use the scales with fat percent but in tips after taking measurement you give the website to the one I bought. However, I am down an inch at bellybutton measurement. Guess I expect too much too soon. Just want this belly gone after 50 years. Need to drop another 20 and cannot wait for the next three weeks.
I hope I did not f*** up the first leg from what I did to get started. Thanks.
Mary-Margaret — January 22nd, 2011, 9:14 am
Hey Tim
I was never so excited about a book as the 4 Hour Body. Has lived up to my expectations! I’m always looking forward to what you come up with next on your blog or where ever!
I live in Canada and therefore couldn’t enter your Land Rush Giveaway
What I’d really like to see is the Slow Carb Cookbook for some fresh ideas….
A new blog post along those lines would be great or a digital download!
Thanks Tim….back to air squats before my next crap meal!!
Len Williams — January 22nd, 2011, 9:18 am
Thanks for clarifying some issues from the slow carb diet. I’ve been testing this diet now for 5 weeks, and I am down a little over 4 pounds. I’m having a ball on my days off!
I have also been using the PAGG stack method for weight loss for about 3 weeks now. My wife is complaining about my strong ‘garlic breath’, and I can only assume that the garlic is causing this.
My question is this: Is there a benefit of taking the other supplements without the garlic?
Thanks in advance.
Dominique Martin — February 23rd, 2011, 5:26 am
Hi Len,
It sounds like you are taking the unaged garlic which can make you a bit whiffy.
I take AGED garlic capsules which dont have the smell and have all the good stuff you need.
John — August 4th, 2011, 7:29 am
Try an odorless garlic extract, which is available in stores like the Vitamin Shoppe. I had the same problem.
Jason Clements — January 22nd, 2011, 9:31 am
On Dec. 15th I said I would report back about my results about rock climbing.
BEFORE: Prior to rock climbing trip weekend of Nov 13th 2010, I could not even hold myself up on the fattest section of campus bars in my gym.
AFTER: Exactly 62 days on the SCD with a 2-inch smaller waist, I could hold myself up on the first rung and climb up to rung 4. Start on 1, go to 2 and match hands, got to 3 and match hands and go to 4 and match hands, then drop off.
I dropped off and felt so psyched – like I had just climbed my personal Jumbo Love. True, measurable results from SCD that translate to real physical performance. Tim, thank you for that!
For those of you that don’t know what campus bars are – imagine a ladder made out of the decorate wood around your door frame. Now try to do pull ups on that or even just try to hang on it for a second or two. Now imagine that decorative wood continues up and makes a ladder that you can only use your hands (or finger tips) to climb up. Now build that ladder up an inclined wall that goes back up over your head to increase difficulty. That is what campus bars are.
I had my Harajuku Moment the weekend of Nov 13th, 2010 when I went rock climbing with some friends that are all younger and with less fat. I got really pissed that I couldn’t climb some bouldering problems that they could. So I made Nov 15th my true beginning to the SCD.
I had tried the SCD in the past from when you first wrote about it; but never with any consistency or true commitment to myself and the process of self-discovery.
This time, I used the free version of DailyBurn and discovered that I ate way more carbs and more calories than I realized. The self-discovery inside of DailyBurn was another Harajuku Moment.
My next proj is to tackle some of the tendinitis I have in my elbows – I have already found a Chiro in my area that specializes in Active Release.
I’ll keep you updated.
Thank you for everything,
Jason
JeffW — February 8th, 2011, 2:16 pm
Jason,
I think tools like DailyBurn are great. Until you can see a pattern in data, you are kinda lost. I’ve been using myfitnesspal, which seems similar. I was wondering if people had experience with both and could recommend one over the other. They both seem to have mobile apps, though DailyBurn seems to be Iphone only. I’m an Android guy and so probably will continue with myfitnesspal.
Also, I’ve visited DailyBurn twice now, and MalwareBytes has warned me both times of a potentially dangerous site. I can’t imagine that, but it does make me a bit cautious.
Sam Ben-David — January 22nd, 2011, 9:45 am
Great post Tim, definitely cleared up alot of questions i’ve had about the 4HB.
Thanks!
Mike Burngasser — January 22nd, 2011, 10:31 am
****Continued comment due to actually hitting the “Submit Comment” Button. Moderator: Please merge this with the last post****
I prefer the 1 min static squat over 50 Air Squats as it allows you to set a timer and zone out for a minute. Plus you don’t look creepy making weird noises in public bathroom stalls…
Personal Note to the 500-1000 Questions Per-Day Crowd: Tim is a smart cookie, but stop humping his leg with weird questions.
If I eat 10 grams of BCAAs at breakfast, will I die?
What if I eat beans, but consume 5000 calories of them every meal, will I gain body fat?
You mentioned a supplement that has 2 grams of sugar in it! Doesn’t this break all the rules of slow-carbing and immediately make me fat?
Seriously, come on you guys. The rules of the book are meant to educate us on basic principles of blood sugar control, exercise, and intelligent supplementation, not answer every possible question about human physiology.
For everyone on the blog contributing knowledge, you guys kick ass!
I learn some killer tips every time I read the comments here…
Bernard — January 22nd, 2011, 10:33 am
Hi the chapter on Six Minute Abs doesn’t say anything about frequency. How often should these be performed?
Ryan Baudoin — January 23rd, 2011, 7:42 pm
it’s in the occam’s protocol section.
Rich — January 22nd, 2011, 10:40 am
Just erased 3 years of weight gain (10 lbs) in 3 weeks on the diet. No exercise. I have more energy than before the diet and I am rarely hungry. Awesome!
Now to reverse the clock by another 4 years (12-15lbs) and I will be dialed in.
My favorite fast food meal: El Pollo Loco, Skinless Breast Meal, 275 kcal, 39g protein…comes with veggies and side salad.
Thank you!
P.S. Tim, like your last book, 4HWW, you should consider expanding the content in the Improving Sex chapter…possible title: “4 Hour Orgasms: Superhuman, Rockstar Sex for the Masses”
>
Mike Burngasser — January 22nd, 2011, 10:45 am
As a pilot, everything we do has a checklist. Every checklist has a trigger.
Approach Flaps, Approach Checklist.
Gear Down, Landing Checklist.
You get the idea…
When you’re traveling 300 mph, this habit-trigger formula becomes an obvious need.
I’d argue that when your body is headed for “fat and nasty”, these habits are just as mandatory.
Here are a few I’ve picked up after reading the 4HB:
Trigger – Wake Up
50 Air Squats
20 Pushups
10 Snake Turns Over (Kung Fu Strength Exercise)
5 min Cold Shower (32 degrees F or Colder)
Trigger – Go to the Bathroom
1 min Thighs Parallel Static Squat
Trigger – Cook a Meal
2 Glasses of Water
1.5g Creatine
3 caps Fish Oil
3g BCAA
AGG Stack
To fulfill the vegetable requirements for meals, just stop by Wal-Mart and pick up bags of frozen Great Value Sugar Snap Stir Fry. Each bag is something like $1.27, and if you manage to finish the whole pound of veggies, you’ve consumed a whopping 150 calories total!
Tim: I’m torn between Occam’s Protocol and the typical Bodybuilding workouts recommended by Dr. Fred Hatfield (“Dr Squat”) in Hardcore Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach.
Occams would be 1 workout every 4 days. Dr Squat would be 6+ workouts a week, cycling very specific body parts based on recovery times. The problem is I’ve been lifting for 3+ years, and have been working out a good bit lately…so Colorado Experiment type results are probably out of the question.
Decisions, Decisions…
Alberto — January 22nd, 2011, 11:09 am
Hello,
In the video
Part 2: 4-Hour Body Presentation and Q&A at Twitter HQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lrgu1FVPo&feature=related
at min 8:40 what is the substance you mention that is like an expresso shot, asparagine?
Thanks
Manuel — January 22nd, 2011, 11:11 am
Tim, what’s your connection to Argentina? I’m from Argentina myself (Cordoba) and I was impressed to read about your tango spins world record. I can’t even dance tango at all!
Anyway, I really hope this is the right place to ask this (I can’t seem to find any other forum or discussion board).
My typical day:
For breakfast: 3 or so big spoonfulls of black or pinto beans, California mix veggies, one or two egg whites and a whole egg.
For lunch: Tossed salad, sometimes with some kind of grilled meat or tuna (I’m a school teacher so I’m away from home 10 hours a day, and it’s hard to do better than that!)
Dinner: Tossed salad with grilled chicken or pork (hey, I’m poor, and the chicken alone is putting a dent on my budget!)
After dinner: some mates or green tea with Splenda.
I’ve lost about 7 pounds since I started a week and a half ago, and about two inches of total inches. I’m really excited about this, but I’m worried I’m messing up in some respects, and I have some questions.
1. The most important one: I don’t poop anymore. I pee like crazy, two or three times more than usual (I’m not retaining liquid anymore, I suppose?), but I only pooped on my first cheat day. I always needed assistance form milk of magnesia, but now not even that’s helping. I figured that with
all the fiber and protein I’m eating, I would be very regular, but not only I’m not regular, but I’ve even had stomach aches due to gas.
2. I bought two big bags of spinach with the best intentions of eating that for breakfast, but the texture alone makes me gag, and the first day I was worried I was going to throw up my breakfast. Since then I switched to California mix veggies, which are better but are becoming gross too. I’m
mixing half a serving of those with a half tomato (I freaking love tomatoes), but I’m worried that I’m not having enough veggie variety? Am I being dumb by eating so much more tomato than any other veggie (yes, I know, I know, tomatoes are not vegetables).
3. You mentioned that diet soda in moderation was ok. I’ve always hated diet sodas, but now I’m cravig sugar so bad that I’ve been drinking half a 17oz bottle of Diet Coke once a day and it’s the highlight of my day! Is that too
much? I also gave in and started having Splenda with my mate. Again, is that not ok? Sugar is what I miss the most, and my mouth feels weird since I quit it, so it’s not just craving, but a physical response as well.
4. Is it ok to eat whole eggs like I’m doing? I know they have too much cholesterol, but then you said that cholesterol is not necessarily bad. I’m also having one or two hard boiled eggs a day. Too much?
5. Finally, you mentioned that plain non fat yogurt was ok, so I started having that with a pinch of Splenda for texture sakes, but now you mention here that all dairies are a no-no. Did I mess up by doing that?
Of course, if anybody else can help, I’d appreciate it!
Manuel
X — January 23rd, 2011, 11:09 pm
I’m going to reply to this because it’s almost exactly the experience I had when I did the South Beach diet a few years ago. And I haven’t had any of those troubles with 4HB, so I’ll respond with I see as different:
For breakfast: 3 or so big spoonfulls of black or pinto beans, California mix veggies, one or two egg whites and a whole egg.
For lunch: Tossed salad, sometimes with some kind of grilled meat or tuna (I’m a school teacher so I’m away from home 10 hours a day, and it’s hard to do better than that!)
Dinner: Tossed salad with grilled chicken or pork (hey, I’m poor, and the chicken alone is putting a dent on my budget!)
After dinner: some mates or green tea with Splenda.
I’ve lost about 7 pounds since I started a week and a half ago, and about two inches of total inches. I’m really excited about this, but I’m worried I’m messing up in some respects, and I have some questions.
1. The most important one: I don’t poop anymore. I pee like crazy, two or three times more than usual (I’m not retaining liquid anymore, I suppose?), but I only pooped on my first cheat day. I always needed assistance form milk of magnesia, but now not even that’s helping. I figured that with
all the fiber and protein I’m eating, I would be very regular, but not only I’m not regular, but I’ve even had stomach aches due to gas.
==========================
Keep up the veggies, but go ahead and take some off the shelf laxatives (e.g. Dulcolax), eat some prunes, (yeah, they’re fruit, it’s only temporary), until you start “moving” again. What happened to me on SB is somewhere in the first few days my fluid and fiber intake was low and protein was high. I didn’t notice it as I was changing so many things at once but it locked me up solid with exactly the symptoms you’re describing. So bring on the laxatives and all will be well afterwards.
2. I bought two big bags of spinach with the best intentions of eating that for breakfast, but the texture alone makes me gag, and the first day I was worried I was going to throw up my breakfast. Since then I switched to California mix veggies, which are better but are becoming gross too. I’m
mixing half a serving of those with a half tomato (I freaking love tomatoes), but I’m worried that I’m not having enough veggie variety? Am I being dumb by eating so much more tomato than any other veggie (yes, I know, I know, tomatoes are not vegetables).
============================
Plain spinach is gross. If you have nothing else to mix it with then at least add butter, salt, garlic powder, and/or other spices. Better if you can combine it with something (anything!) else. Spinach in equal parts with sauerkraut and eggs it’s actually quite tasty. You might want to add an equal fourth part of (re)fried beans to keep the GI moving though.
3. You mentioned that diet soda in moderation was ok. I’ve always hated diet sodas, but now I’m cravig sugar so bad that I’ve been drinking half a 17oz bottle of Diet Coke once a day and it’s the highlight of my day! Is that too
If you think about what the imbalance of bacteria does, it’s causing the sugar in your bloodstream to be out of whack as well. So what you are taking in isn’t being used and your body is still craving. I did a bit of a retrogressive on my previously large Splenda intake and realized that my weight gain rate close to doubled after I started using Splenda. I was simply packing in a lot more calories because I was always hungry! No problems at all since I cut it on Tim’s advice and I find that my sugar sensitivity is at an all-time high. I still use one or two Stevia in my tea but that’s the only sweetener I use at all now.
much? I also gave in and started having Splenda with my mate. Again, is that not ok? Sugar is what I miss the most, and my mouth feels weird since I quit it, so it’s not just craving, but a physical response as well.
============================
Splenda is the problem here. Read p.111-112 several times slowly.
4. Is it ok to eat whole eggs like I’m doing? I know they have too much cholesterol, but then you said that cholesterol is not necessarily bad. I’m also having one or two hard boiled eggs a day. Too much?
============================
Should be fine.
5. Finally, you mentioned that plain non fat yogurt was ok, so I started having that with a pinch of Splenda for texture sakes, but now you mention here that all dairies are a no-no. Did I mess up by doing that?
============================
Yep
Of course, if anybody else can help, I’d appreciate it!
===============
De nada…
Note: even though we aren’t supposed to have to count calories, the restaurant calorie tables are invaluable for figuring out where they’re sneaking on corn syrup! (Balsamic vinegar dressing at 300cal? Tomato soup that tastes like sugar? Eww…) I don’t even bother with salad dressing in restaurants anymore and I mostly stick to local mom’n'pop places now as it’s usually the national and larger regional chains that are on the corn syrup bandwagon.
Manuel — January 24th, 2011, 11:42 am
Thank you so much!
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 6:33 am
Manuel,
For constipation try a big plate of sauerkraut.
Regarding sugar cravings Tim suggested to use BCAA elsewhere on the site. Or you could try one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Try eanting raw spinach it has a crunchy texture, jusl like salad.
Cholosterol from egg yolks should be of no danger to your health, I´m eating up to 12 whole eggs every day. Most of the time I eat the yolks raw and cook the whites do avoid developing an allergy.
All the best
Peter
Shawn — January 27th, 2011, 6:15 pm
Manuel,
I can comment on a couple of things…
First – Spinach for breakfast. I too can’t stand the consistency or smell of cooked chopped spinach. The trick for me is to mix it with the eggs. I put a big handful of the spinach in a pyrex bowl and then add 2 or 3 eggs worth of the liquid eggs (egg beaters or eggology) and microwave for about 3min. Makes a kind of spinach souffle. Top that with salsa and it’s really good! Egg beaters makes a “southwest style” that adds peppers and onions. Even better.
Second – DRINK MORE WATER. Try that before anything else. If you aren’t pooping start with that. Replace any drinks you normally have for a few days with just plain old ice water and force a bottle or two on yourself and I bet the problem resolves.
Get off the Splenda. My vice is that I must have sweet coffee. I thought a tiny bit wouldn’t hurt. After about a week my weight loss stalled. Switched to Nutrasweet and I’m back on track. I still keep that down to about a half packet a day and avoid diet drinks whenever possible.
Hope this helps….
Tloa Soarian — January 29th, 2011, 11:26 am
Spinach & eggs sounds real good. Can’t wait to give it a try this w/e! I take my coffee black & unsweetened, but I add agave nectar to my tea.
Nicole — February 2nd, 2011, 6:53 pm
Hi,
I don’t believe in using nutrasweet or splenda… I use sugar in the raw when i have coffee or tea. I only drink a cup of coffee or tea each day and I have about a teaspoon of sugar in the raw with it. Do you think that is detrimental to this diet or any diet?
AGD — May 7th, 2012, 11:40 pm
To speed up access to breakfast, I make a kind of bean and spinach stew to keep in the fridge. I rinse a can of red beans and a can of black beans thoroughly under running cold water, then saute a couple of sliced shallots in a teaspoon of macadamia nut oil, throw the beans into the pan and shake Bragg’s Liquid aminos over the beans to season them, After a minute or so, I add a can of unsalted tomatoes with some basil, and after letting that cook a while on low heat, I add half a 1 lb bag of frozen spinach. Voila! A four day supply, if you can hold back.
The spinach and bean stew is great with hard boiled eggs, which can also be done ahead- boil a four day supply at one time to keep in the fridge. Best recipe for hard boiled eggs- http://bit.ly/xzCXdY.
For a 4HB party, you can make deviled eggs with avocado instead of mayo, and get a nice Dr. Seuss effect if you add a bit of prosciutto.
Another good breakfast is to get those frozen grass fed beef sliders and use two of them instead of bacon and then do sunny side up eggs in the same pan and add some cherry tomatoes o the plate- all inside the one hour time slot- though maybe not the half hour.
Mushroom+ frittatas are great too, but they take too much time to cook for breakfast, imo. Saute sliced mushrooms and maybe peppers and shallots and chives, cover under low heat and while they are cooking beat as many egg whites as you want together with one yolk- salt and white pepper added- then pour the eggs over the vegetables and cook slowly. When they are getting firm underneath, then either flip the frittata like a pancake, or, if you’re using a cast iron pan, stick the whole thing under the grill until the top is firm.
Aaron — January 29th, 2011, 11:12 am
Manuel,
I hate generally do not like vegetables, so moving to the slow carb has been a bit of a learning experience for me. I have found that raw baby spinach is actually quite good straight out of the container. I get it at HEB (Texas grocery chain) and eat it with either black beans, dry roasted peanuts, eggs for breakfast, or sometimes just to munch on alone. It’s nice and crunchy with a very subtle taste.
Give it a shot, you may be surprised!
Good luck.
Heather — February 11th, 2011, 2:17 pm
I think you need to add beans to your salad at lunch and dinner. They’ll provide more protein and you’ll want to drink more water. Your poop should be fine after that. I believe you’re supposed to have 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Do you put the raw spinach in your salad? You can mix it in with the other veggies which will make it easier to swallow. Skip the Splenda completely. I think you’re better off with one sugar packet than false sugar. You could also add a few Kalmata olives to your salads. They provide the good fat and salt which will help your toileting activities as well. I’ve been on the diet for 1 1/2 weeks and having good results.
Alberto — January 22nd, 2011, 11:17 am
This link in the Gear sectionis dead:
Protein-Cycling Diet by Dr. Ron Mignery (www.fourhourbody.com/protein-cycle)
but the diet is available here:
http://knol.google.com/k/ron-mignery/protein-cycling-diet/2s3nmvrwklbxs/1
Brian Evans — January 22nd, 2011, 11:21 am
Not even a mention on my contest entry huh? Just kidding =P
Jon L — January 22nd, 2011, 11:24 am
Tim,
So you’re saying cheese is ok, then?
Anyway… to sum up your post: “Basically, f@#$ all of you and your questions.”
Loving the book, and still trying my best to not annoy people with my new obsession.
Thanks,
-Jon
Deone — January 23rd, 2011, 11:25 am
I’m sure it was sarcasm, but cheese is not okay.
Holly — February 15th, 2011, 10:14 pm
I know, RIGHT! I’m OBSESSED! The poor people I work with, run into at the store, pumping gas… LOL!
Ian Anderson — January 22nd, 2011, 11:31 am
Hey TF!
Thanks for clarification, but a bigger thanks for taking the time to write this book.
I pre-ordered and read the entire thing throughout December! It was amazing! I learned some great ideas to implement and I even setup an entire website dedicated to tracking my daily progress (and promoting your book!) complete with half-nude photos, meal times, etc…
I have also been making weekly “jiggle videos” where i record myself shaking my fatness (it’s mad funny!) so I can compare the results – I’m a little embarrassed to post them on the site right now, but they’ll get on there someday!
I know I can’t put my website link here, but I’d love for you to check it out the site and see what all your hard work and crazy experimentation can do for a reader. I’m not special, I’m no fitness expert, I just followed along and I tweak where necessary.
I know I speak for all readers when I say that you’ve given me the guidance and inspiration to get off my fat ass and get sexy. Thanks.
I f’n love your style man!
Thanks,
IA
Ian Anderson — January 22nd, 2011, 11:51 am
Another question… is there anything that can be done about the bad breath? My hot wife is protesting kissing me and that really sucks.
Any ideas / products / treatments, etc…?
IA
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 6:44 am
Ian,
maybe you should consider doing a ketosis urine test. If you are in ketosis you could raise your carbohydrate intake slightly until you get out.
I experimented a lot with carb-restriction and ketosis wasn´t necessary for rapid fatloss.
If you eat a lot cleaner the before, the smell could also be a sign of the detox process.
All the best
Peter
Asp — February 28th, 2011, 9:54 am
2 drops of pure clove oil swish it around you’r mouth for 5 min, and do it 3times a week, and if it’s too strong add it into 1T of olive oil/w 2drops of pure clove oil and swish it around you’r mouth it does wounders and if its too weak just add 3drops into the olive oil. It helped my husband
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:15 pm
I love the idea of the jiggle videos! Keep up the great work, Ian.
Victor (VICKLES) Randolph — January 22nd, 2011, 11:45 am
A SCREENPLAY might be next?
That piqued my interest. You would demolish that industry after 6 months. You would end up writing the definitive book and cut through all the bullsh** that’s floating around out there. It needs to be done. There are too many pretentious loud mouths with an opinion on everything who haven’t even sold a spec.
I would be very interested to see a screenplay from a guy who’s seen Casino Royale and The Bourne Identity hundreds and hundreds of times. AND a guy who has really lived life more fully than 95% of people in the world. AND a guy with a sharp sense of humor.
Why don’t you get Doc Oz to intro you to Oprah and get your own show on OWN? Trial by Fire has to work as a great pilot piece.
It’s a young network and ready for molding from true influencers and bright/smart-assed people.
I look forward to seeing your mug on protein bars and shakes within two years.
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:14 pm
Thanks, Victor
Victor (VICKLES) Randolph — January 23rd, 2011, 10:05 pm
My pleasure.
Next time you’re in LA taking meetings with Paramount/Universal/Sony/WB, I would consider it a blessing and an honor to share a cup of tea with you.
You’ve probably squeezed in a pitch meeting with Scott Rudin or Harvey Weinstein while in NYC, huh?
Anyway, you’ve probably been told this already, hell, you probably know the real identity of the blogger, but the place to go to get a pulse on the spec script market/scene is scriptshadow.blogspot.com It got a good write up in Wired maybe a year or so ago.
In terms of books, like I said a lot are junk, but Syd Field’s ‘Screenplay’ and Viki King’s ‘How to Write a Movie in 21 Days’ do offer some foundational practical lessons that have lasted a couple of decades. The most recent decent book is Michael Hauge’s ‘Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds’ practical, helpful advice explicitly for pitching, but it helps shape ideas too.
But, of course, you know this better than anyone, the best way to learn a new thing is to just do it over and over again. Although a neat thing about the screenwriting game in particular is that so many great specs and great movies have their full screenplays in PDF form floating through the intertubular webbaconnectors. You can read, analyze and rip through half a dozen fantastic pieces a day before fatigue sets in. If you did that for just one week, you’d have a better idea of what goes into a great screenplay than 95% of the general public. That’s what I did last summer going into my senior year at UC Irvine. It was exhausting but it was more than worth it. I now consider myself to have four or five really solid and fresh ideas that I can craft into a solid first draft in 7-10 days. Always best to get them first drafts out asap.
Anyway, good luck and I hope our ideas don’t overlap too much, but I suspect they might….
(A mid-21st century Blade Runner-esque extrapolation of the current population’s genetic and phenotypic landscape, but with more nanotech and cybernetics hacking. Instead of a detective-style story ala Minority Report, it’s more of an Inception-style heist flick with beautifully colorful characters with rich, truly international backgrounds and a dedicated professionalism to their grey-hat jobs.)
Did I nail it or did I nail it? Not much point doing anything less in your position.
Hell, you’re already a great enough non-fiction writer, and must be a snazzy storyteller amongst friends, you probably don’t need to read a single book or screenplay and deliver a better spec than most people.
Best of luck, it can get frustrating wringing out every drop of your visual and aural imagination onto a blank page.
P.S. Final Draft 8 is the software to have. Mac friendly.
Tim Ferriss — January 26th, 2011, 2:26 am
Freaking great comment, Victor. Thank you for contributing and hope to see you here again.
Tim
Harper — January 22nd, 2011, 11:46 am
Thanks for the extra info. ^_^
I’ve already brought my HBA1c down by a point or two.(Type 1 diabetic) by using certain principles in your book and am loving Occam’s protocol.
If you ever need a diabetic for something, I’ll be around!
Milad — January 22nd, 2011, 11:54 am
10 lbs down tim! Will keep you posted, oh and thanks for the updates on the dosages for PAGG I figured it out after getting your recommendations though. I was however, taking the green tea at night yikes! Working out made me tired so I really didnt feel it.
For your insomnia have you tired brainwave therapy? I call it my KYTFO (knock you the fu ck out) playlist.
Tilman — January 22nd, 2011, 12:04 pm
“cream (for coffee) should not contain any lactose”
Cream actually contains between 2.8 and 3.6% lactose.
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:13 pm
Fair enough. That said, full-fat cream will have less lactose than milk. The point I was attempting to make was that the less lactose you consume, the more fat you will lose.
Professor X — January 22nd, 2011, 12:15 pm
WILL THE CORRECTIONS BE AVAILABLE IN THE EBOOK VERSION of your book? or should we look for those citations and make the changes manually?
thx!
Charon — January 22nd, 2011, 1:25 pm
Thanks for the clarifications Tim.
BY FAR the most dramatic impact I’ve experienced on the SCD is through the addition of breakfast. I’m alert and full of energy these days. I can’t stress enough what a major difference this has made.
Inches did not alter dramatically the first three weeks, but are starting to move now. For those first weeks I focused on the major positive changes I was experiencing in energy and mental clarity. This made it easy to keep with it.
Am taking your advice to heart about keeping notes on additions and alterations to the protocols you lay out, basing my decisions on what has been beneficial and detrimental in my own experiences with diet and exercise. Small changes make a HUGE difference and I have it all written down.
Just started back at the gym and I’m certain the caliper measurements we took a few days ago will alter dramatically in the next three weeks.
Also looking forward to working with a gifted chef I know to help create some easy and awesome SC meals within the proper parameters. Should be an interesting experiment!
Thanks again.
Loren — January 22nd, 2011, 2:58 pm
Tim,
The 4 Hour Body is freaking me out…. because it’s working.
I’m an MD who has never been able to figure how to manipulate my physiology to produce meaningful, lasting weight loss (or body recomposition, as you more ideally put it).
I’ve changed my body more in the past four weeks than after years of running and calorie restriction.
To the naysayers, I say you aren’t following the guidelines as laid out. if you make the commitment to follow the plan, instructions, and advice, the Four Hour Body will work for you.
Tim, thanks for the clarifications/corrections/resources in your last post and keep up the good work!
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:10 pm
Thank you for the kind comment, Loren, and congratulations!
All the best,
Tim
Paul — January 23rd, 2011, 9:48 pm
I’m an MD as well, and have had good success from the diet in this book. The low-glycemic index carbs and the idea to use foods that minimally stimulate insulin is a great recommendation.
I’ve thought for a long time that some of the typical recommended diets in medicine are generally outdated (refer to diets recommended by American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association). My guess (and hope) is that some formulation of the diet recommended by Tim will become more mainsteam in the next few years…
Paul
john howard — January 23rd, 2011, 10:09 pm
Hey Tim
thanks for your reply, I am the 390lb guy, that everyone is pushing the gastric bypass on, and my Dr. bummed me out about 4HB and a Dexa scan, well its been a couple of weeks, and I have to say I have kind of fell off the whole diet wagon, i’ve been cheating modestly, but I have been consistent with eating withing 30 to 60 minutes of waking, and cold showers(friggin blow my mind) and have been using PAGG, and I have lost 8lbs since my bummer Dr. visit. Also I have started taking the huperzine a before bed and some magnesium and have been sleeping very well, thanks for the book, and thinking past what everyone blindly believes. what do you think of the gastric bypass, I have been large my entire life, I did a biggest loser type contest and lost 80lbs but did not keep it off, because I cant resist temptation, I over indulge and never feel full or satisfied, I am married and have two beautiful little girls, all of whom, I love with my whole heart, and am desperate to lose this weight, and increase my chances of being with them for as long as possible. do you think gastric bypass is wrong. just looking for some different insight.
AmandaS — January 24th, 2011, 4:05 am
Jon Gabriel “the Gabriel methoed” mentions that emotions can sometimes be a factor with weight. E.g. Your fat might ‘protect you’ in some subconscious way.
Seriously, check out Jon’s website and his book. It is compatible with the 4hb. His big thing is to add foods rather than subtract – for people who are sick of dieting. He says to have either protein, omega 3 (eg fresh ground flaxseeds, krill oil, chia seeds etc) or some live food (raw carrot/cucumber/salady foods etc) before eating anything else.
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 6:56 am
John,
I was once at 330 lbs and lost 120 lbs while gaining muscle mass by low-carbing. In my opinion the bypass is one of the dumbest ideas on earth.
When starting slow or lowcarb at your weight, you should eat MASSIVE amounts of protein and fat. It makes the transition a lot easier. At least in my experience. The cravings will go away.
All the best
Peter
Dwight — January 25th, 2011, 7:53 am
John,
I think that Amanda and Peter make great points about alternatives to consider before a gastric bypass.
Tim has a page in the book on Reversing Permanent Injuries where he goes through a progressive set of stages he works through to fix a problem. (They are: Movement -> Manipulation->Medication -> Mechanical Reconstruction p.298) Obviously a gastric bypass is a pretty extreme step to take, and (while it’s highly anecdotal) the one person I know who did it lost the weight for a few years but has been slowly creeping back up there recently.
So one suggestion I’d offer is to explore hypnosis, in addition to what Amanda and Peter mention. I heard a radio interview last year that planted a seed and this year I plan to check out hypnosis for weight-loss with the psychologist interviewed in the program below.
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2010/mar/19/please-explain-hypnosis/
And acupuncture is also on my list of things to try for weight-loss this year- depending on the results of SCD, and hypnosis and exercise.
nobody — January 22nd, 2011, 3:12 pm
Hi tim,
(sorry for my poor english)
1) Could you drop your raw datas of when you were isolating the cold bath factor when looking for improving your testosterone please?
i would love to see how much this parameter alone has increase your testo level
2) how about a 4hour brain book next ?
Jon — January 22nd, 2011, 3:32 pm
Do you have any tips for me if I want to start making my own sauerkraut?
dana — January 22nd, 2011, 11:30 pm
Save yourself a world of hurt and buy it. My aunt used to make it and it’s amazing how much attention & work goes into making something so apparently simple. Also, it takes a couple of months for the cabagge to become sauerkraut…
Scott — January 23rd, 2011, 7:40 pm
All of that is incorrect.
AmandaS — January 24th, 2011, 4:12 am
If it’s from a commercial outlet, it will be pasteurized and all the goodness gone… buy from a farmer’s market or make your own if you want any of the benefits.
Jenna — January 23rd, 2011, 1:26 am
Making saurkraut is easy, google it or pick up any pickling book. Its basically you slice cabbage and put it in water and a little salt and let it ferment in a cool place. TA DA saurkraut
Breen — February 17th, 2011, 1:25 pm
Making your own kimchee is equally easy, and it’s awesome. Just google for recipes. You can start eating it right away, and it peaks in fermentation in about 3 weeks.
Kombucha tea is also really easy to make, but you have to wait 2-3 weeks before it’s ready to drink.
Kerry NZ — January 24th, 2011, 1:15 am
See wikipedia which has a link to a wiki-cookbook page:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Sauerkraut
I’m trying this approach at the moment
Jennifer — March 3rd, 2011, 1:03 pm
Actually, I just started making sauerkraut and it is much better than anything store bought. (If you do buy from a store get fermented sauerkraut in the refrigerated section) I heard on Dr. Oz about this thing called a picklemeister and bought one. It is a lot cheaper than the Harsch crocks and a lot smaller. I bought the 1/2 gallon and am ordering 2 more for friends. It only took 6 days to ferment…it was really cool and tasted great. Good Luck, Jennifer
Bryan — January 22nd, 2011, 3:38 pm
WOW,
Great article, really enjoyed all the tips.
Like how you have answred all the questions
Bryan Carlton
Alberto — January 22nd, 2011, 4:29 pm
I see Tim recommends yerba mate in the videos, book and this blog.
Now there is yerba mate with prebiotics (inulin): Unión Bio
http://www.yerbaunion.com.ar/web_new/bio.html
95% yerba mate, 5% inulina
Made by Las Marías, which also makes Taragüí which you may know.
http://www.lasmarias.com.ar/eng/home.htm (English)
I am using it and it has the same flavor
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:09 pm
Sweet! Thanks, che!
Lawrence — January 22nd, 2011, 5:00 pm
Just wanted to express my gratitude for this book, Tim. Ive already lost 16 lbs on slow carb/pagg and even have been able to reduce my running a bit. I can gain weight (muscle or fat) super easy but its always been a damned struggle to get it off. The tips and tricks and science behind some of the mechanisms you described were the missing ingredient that i haven’t been able to get a handle on, ever.
Anyways, keep being rad and keep doing what you’re doing.
Mark Webster — January 22nd, 2011, 5:13 pm
Been following Slow Carb for about 3 weeks, have dropped almost 13lbs of body fat. Just started PAGG stack this week, going well so far.
Quick question – how much should I be concerned with meat portion size and/or fat during each meal? Should I be keeping a limit on the amount of meat I eat each meal? Does it matter what the fat content is (say, difference between a 6oz filet and 6oz filet wrapped in bacon?)
Most no carb diets let you go nuts on the meat and fat, just wanted to know what kind of guidelines are good to follow for Slow Carb.
(The Website link goes to my food blog, if that would help illustrate the kinds of portions I’ve been eating).
Jon L — January 22nd, 2011, 5:36 pm
Regarding a membership fee as a spam-blocking device… I can speak from experience that sometimes there can be unintended consequences. A couple years ago I was a part of a niche music forum. They had lots of great discussion and it was awesome. Then they decided to charge membership fees, and justified it by adding extra features and bonuses. It all made sense on paper, but the community didn’t care as much about those added features as much as it did a vast and diverse forum community.
Obviously, you are free to run a beta test however you like, but maybe there are other ways to weed out the spam.
Either way, you’re going to have to decide what to do with these out of control blog comment-section discussions. Will this be the de-facto shitty forum which you are going to have to moderate either way. It seems like the benefit of a dedicated forum is a single inbox for community discussion.
-Jon L
p.s. Tim’s section on “The View” reminded me more than ever 1) that we are complete nerds and 2) that most of the population is more interested in the consistency of Creatine and trying out a sleeping device on their children (i.e. they’re missing the point).
Mason — January 22nd, 2011, 5:36 pm
Oi! Today was my first cheat day and I destroyed myself. Pizza buffet and then a LARGE helping of chicken tikka masala. I am stuffed beyond reason and can’t wait to get back to my eggs, steaks and spinach…
X — January 24th, 2011, 12:19 am
Gonna chime in a bit on the cheat days. The first couple of them I regained 5+ pounds each time! And that wasn’t just water weight. Totally killing my weight loss progress! (Literally two steps forward and one step back). But I realized that since I’m not exercising yet and I really(!) was bingeing, it was a simple matter of calories consumed. So this is another case where a wee bit of attention to calories is actually warranted. Now I only regain about a pound.
John A Davis — January 26th, 2011, 10:46 pm
Yeah, I have been doing the same thing on cheat days. Eating everything in sight. Going from one restaurant to another eating all my favorite carb foods. I gotta stop that.
Denise Duffield-Thomas — January 29th, 2011, 11:38 pm
Yeah, my cheat days were turning into 3 day binges with not much exercise! I’m going to be one of the crazies “Tim, your diet DOES NOT WORK”. LOL
Salem F — January 22nd, 2011, 5:39 pm
Hi Tim
I have read the 4 Hour Body and follow your blog, I may have missed it but I am curious about your thoughts on post workout isolate whey protein shakes, avoid or take?
As well, I tried the Geek to Freak with success but the NO xplode did not treat me well, can you suggest an alternative? Is there a need for a nitric oxide in rapid muscle growth?
Keep up the amazing work, I recommend your books and blog to everyone I know interested in lifestyle change.
Thank you
Rick — January 22nd, 2011, 6:42 pm
Tim,
Slow carb does work. I’m 3 weeks in and down 10 pounds and my wife is on week 2 and she too is down 10 pounds. Found a gym with a Bodpod close to where I live.
We love Saturday’s more than ever. Cheat days are fantastic. Just finished a piece of homemade peanut butter pie!
Great book!
Jimmy — January 22nd, 2011, 6:46 pm
Is there any way to tell whether my testosterone levels are rising without having to get a before and after blood test???
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 7:03 am
Jim,
elevated libido and strength performance could be a hint but isn´t necessariliy so. Only multiple blood tests will give you reliable results.
All the best
Peter
Deepak — January 22nd, 2011, 7:20 pm
Hey Tim
I just wanna say thanks man. I have been doing the slow carb diet with no training for 3 weeks now and have taken off 5 kilos and about 4cm from my waist … that is just.
In the past I have done really tough dieting and training from books and articles with very disappointing results for the effort i put in.I had actually given up on reading articles and books but your marketing got me to even though I did not really wanna give it a go. I’m glad I did and I am just plain excited at the prospect of maybe reaching my genetic potential in 6 months,
Thanks again Tim you are the man
Hector Adrian — January 22nd, 2011, 10:50 pm
Hey guys,
Where is a good reliable website to order Brazil nuts from?
There are many and I’m an extreme skeptic. You have no idea how skeptic I was of the 4HWW when I first read about it.
Thanks
John — August 4th, 2011, 7:40 am
Trader Joe’s carries raw Brazil nuts if there is one by you.
Emilio — January 22nd, 2011, 10:55 pm
Hey Tim, great work with this book, Im loving it and following its principles for losing weight and cough.. sex since it came out.
I have lost 9 lbs since then after being in a long plateau with keto.
I have one question and maybe it has been answered somewhere but the information is spread in a lot of sources (forums is a great idea):
monterrey Jack Cheese has cero grams of carbs. And I did some research and it seems is very low in lactose : http://bit.ly/eDvJlM
Have you tried this cheese? Would you recommend it? This cheese is a great addition to the diet but have been avoiding it because Im following the book recommendations
Thanks in advance!
Adam — January 22nd, 2011, 11:18 pm
Tim,
Awesome book! I may have missed this, but could you recommend a good protein powder? A lot of them seem to have artificial sweeteners, etc. I found one, BiPro Whey Protein Isolate Supplement, which looks like it is free from anything artificial (Ingredients: Whey protein isolate (from milk), less than 1.5% soy lecithin added to aid in product dispersibility). Thoughts?
Thanks.
Joyce — February 3rd, 2011, 5:09 pm
Jarrow makes a great unsweetened plain whey powder.
Victor — January 22nd, 2011, 11:25 pm
Tim, I’m slightly allergic to most raw nuts. Is there a difference between raw and roasted in terms of nutrients/benefits/calories? Also I want to purchase them raw and then somehow roast them myself, as I know many nuts you find in the grocery store that are roasted also have a lot of salt. Any suggestions as to roasting your own nuts (no pun intended) would be beneficial.
Cheers
Sophie — May 12th, 2011, 6:56 am
Stick them in the oven for about 10-15mins or until golden OR if they are slivered you can put them in the frying pan, no oil needed and keep turning them until they are golden
dana — January 22nd, 2011, 11:25 pm
Wow, this is major: I found pasta and chips made of beans (black or mungo). The ingredients are water, beans and salt. Sure, they probably existed since the Creation days but I only found them now ;p
But…I am afraid to eat them…i don’t want to spoil my amazing results so far…
So, has anyone had these on the SCD and managed not to became Cartman overnight?
Tim, any thoughts on these? It seems too good to be true….
Hernan — January 22nd, 2011, 11:36 pm
Hi Tim, I have a question:
Where did you get the fact/quote that Matt Mullenweg did polyphasic sleep?
I ask because I couldn’t find any evidence on the web or his blog on that matter.
Thanks!
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:07 pm
He’s a friend and told me directly.
Dan Cugliari — January 22nd, 2011, 11:53 pm
Just thought I’d drop you a line
Really appreciate your generosity in fixing up B&N’s bull**** with international orders, even though it wasnt your responsibility
Muchos Love
Dan
zeyd — January 24th, 2011, 4:33 am
Amen to that
B&N do it really wrong with intl orders.
Aj — January 23rd, 2011, 12:32 am
Tim,
I have been in underweight category naturally since I was a kid. Some people mentioned it is due to genetics factor. Both my parents are very healthy and look young compared to their age such that I was even told by many that they thought my father is my younger brother..Sigh!
FYI, I am an Asian(Indian) who typically consumes lots of rice almost for every meal. I like also to consume fenugreek, pure honey, black seed, olive oil, vegetables on daily basis without fail.
So my question for you : I would like to know whether your newly launched book is suitable for me? If you would recommend me , then I would buy it.
I am little bit skeptical whether your book is suitable for my way of life; almost-typical indian way of eating.
My aim is to have a strong and high-endurance body ala Mark Twight without sacrificing my rice-based meals. Very important for me!
Apology, if you problem understanding my English.
Leonard — January 24th, 2011, 12:07 am
Aj,
I live in Singapore. I’ve just put on 2.5 kg in 2 weeks eating Chinese, Malay and Indian rice-based meals.
If you pop over to my blog you’ll see a bit more detail about what I’ve been eating — but it’s all Tim’s Occam system that’s making the difference.
Cory — January 23rd, 2011, 1:02 am
Finished my first week (today was CHEAT DAY! Beer me!) of 4HB and was about to panic when I didn’t see the scale move (insert 8am lip tremble) – but then brained up, consulted the “manual” and ahhhhh- I forgot about my pesky uterus and what havoc it and it’s cycles might wreak on my progress! Since Mother Nature is about to re-visit me right…..about……..now… I will climb off the ledge and cowgirl up! Thank so much Tim for all the wacky experimentation and your swell book- onward and upward!
Mike Baker — January 23rd, 2011, 2:56 am
Im heer in Iraq at the moment and my goal while here was to get my body “back-on-track”. Im 40 so I wasnt trying to fool myself it would be harder then ten years ago, but in the first tw0 months I dropped about 16lbs and leveled out. I was a little frustrated to say the least since I was really working hard.
Well I was chomping at the bit for the 4HB since I had already read 4HW.
Long story short, I dropped 3 lbs in the first 4 days and had a wonderful cheat day for the first time in two months (which, honestly, felt more like a year). Whats more, i didnt wake up the next day feeling bloated, as I had consumed alot of water, as the book said to do.
I look forward to the next couple weeks to see what I can get done.
I appreciate the simple approach. It’s refreshing.
Alex — January 23rd, 2011, 5:08 am
Hey Tim
Just googled a bit and found a interesting site (Siousxcountry.com) where overmuscled women are bashing your book saying they “feel bad for the people who try to follow through his program”.
Th best thing :What shocked them most was the SEX part and the pictures
“didn’t even touch the sex stuff- I was afraid to go there! ”
” the sex stuff was way over the top. No need for the pics he put in there”
I guess they didn´t read the intro chapters carefully…
Anyway I can´t wait to do my own version of Geek to Freak.
I have damaged the radiushead in my ellbow when snowboarding when I just was 2 wrkouts in the First attempt. From that allone I put on 3 kg.
I´m sure that I can get to over 10 kg in a month when I do it again in March.
I love your book but was a bit disappointed by the Sleep chapters.I expected much more content and details.
I would really like to hear your experiences with polyphasic sleep.
Catherine — January 23rd, 2011, 7:08 am
Finally expressing my gratitude for all your work and creative genius…Thanks for bringing to the forefront such great resources!
For anyone who’s considering ART for shoulder injuries, etc. DO IT! It saved my shoulder in 1999, one year short of the Sydney Games. Treatment hurts like hell, but the pain is well worth it!
I’m blown away at how much the cold showers reset your energy, metabolism and hormones (also great, by the way, to clear body field of nasty Electro Pollution from the day!) 5 minutes of freezing your ass DOES pay off!
Hugs!
Energized Cat
Anthony Mychal — January 23rd, 2011, 7:18 am
Tim,
Thanks for the 4HB, I got it for my parents so and it’s been on their coffee table for three weeks. Considering my mom cleans frantically, it’s a worthy accomplishment.
I had a question about sex drive:
Before reading your book I ate around 1lb of red meat a day, six eggs, and healthy fats here and there, but I had a very low sex drive. Now, in addition, I take the vitamin D + butter fat combination+ fish oil (not cod) before sleep, I eat sauerkraut daily, I take one cold shower daily, and I lift weights (2xBW squat). But, I don’t feel any improvements
I’ve narrowed it down to two things: as you were, I could be selenium deficient, or it could be because the meat I eat, isn’t organic. Both of these are that way because I don’t have the money. Brazil nuts are expensive, but I think I can manage the initial money for some worthwhile testing. Organic meats, not so much with how much I eat. I know it’s important, but do you think it could be the limiting factor in my sex drive? Any other suggestions?
C. Fitzgerald — January 23rd, 2011, 9:29 am
Tim – I am 41 year old male, father of 3 young (all under 12 years old) children, had gotten fat and out of shape over the last several years… started to “self-experiment” with diet a couple years ago after doctor’s solution to chronic heartburn was a pill… “next patient please”… I was able to totally eliminate the HB with food modification – bread, grains, flour, gluten, all that bad stuff were the culprits… I can eat grass-fed beef, salmon, other meats, spicy stirfry with chilis meat and veggies (cooked and raw) tons of spinach, salad, etc and never get HB (I kept good records of what I ate and when and paid attention to what worked and what didn’t)… tossed prescription for “Acidwhatever” in the trash… Have followed the slow-card diet strictly since New Year’s… in a word (2 really) IT WORKS. Have shed 12 pounds since Jan 1st. Thanks… keep writing… I’ll read it all.
Eric — January 23rd, 2011, 9:30 am
Hi Tim,
When you say, with regards to the Slow Carb diet: “If you haven’t had blood tests done, I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work,” what specific blood tests are you talking about? The glucose monitoring? Or was there something else I missed?
Kevin Swan — January 23rd, 2011, 11:04 am
Tim,
Above you say cream for coffee is ok because it doesn’t have lactose. I thought cream is high in lactose (and carbs!)? Can you clarify?
Andrew — January 28th, 2011, 3:05 am
Hi Tim (re:cream) have a look at http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/49/2 to see what’s in cream.
There’s about 4g of carbohydrate per 100g (make sure you select an appropriate serving size from the pick list at the top) but 0g of sugar. I don’t know if they class lactose as a sugar or not.
There’s less than 1g of carb in a tablespoon (again, use the serving size) so I wouldn’t worry about a couple of tablespoons of cream in a coffee or two.
Cheers,
Andrew.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:48 am
Hi Andrew,
Precisely right. This is why I subbing 1-2 tbsp of cream instead of milk can have a strong cumulative effect. Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Tim
Heather — February 3rd, 2011, 3:51 pm
I just started the plan this week and I’m doing pretty well so far. 3 pounds in 4 days. I’m not hungry or tired. I’m totally psyched for my day of indulgence…. I miss bread and cheese.
I LOVE this book so much that I’m talking about it to everyone I know. I even got my coworkers into it. We’re all women in our 40′s with families to feed and ‘whole health’ minded. One of the things I’ve been trying to figure out is whether or not soy milk is OK? It seems to have quite a bit of sugar in it, so I’ve been avoiding it, but I do miss it in my coffee. If soy milk is not good, what about almond milk (commercial or homemade)?
Since I have to cook for my family, I’ve been looking for recipies that are family friendly. I’ve made quite a few delicious dinners (all family members agreed) and become so inspired that I’m going to start posting them, possibly even put together a cookbook. Is there another site you’d recommend recipies supporting the 4 hour body diet?
Nikki — February 7th, 2011, 10:32 am
If it has sugar in it, don’t use it. So for soy or almond milk, the unsweetened should work. Personally, I get a soy creamer from Trader Joes that has ZERO sugar and is super creamy, and it TOTALLY does the trick!!
Heather — February 9th, 2011, 12:33 pm
NO SOY! page 523
Cathy Ferguson — July 23rd, 2011, 4:30 pm
Today I made a delicious chili in minutes by using my black beans that I boil by the cup every couple of days to use in my low carb meals. I started with 1/3 lb extra lean (9% fat)100% grass fed organic ground beef
1/2 teaspoon of butter
1/2 teaspoon of Spicely brand organic chili con carne spice (Whole foods carries it)
1/2 teaspoon of Spicely organic ground chipotle
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano (I grind my own in a coffee grinder I keep for spices…well worth the $20 for the extra grinder and can be easily cleaned by grinding a piece of bread, a good use for leftover bread purchased for binge day and then follow by wiping with a damp cloth to remove spice residues)
1/8 teaspoon cumin
after the meat was browned I added 2/3 cup of cooked black beans two tablespoons of tomato based salsa that included onion, mild green chilis, jalapenos and cilantro. I followed that with a few chopped pickled jalapenos with a dash of the brine from the bottle because I like it hot and Viola! it was spectacular, didn’t diverge from the diet and I topped it with 1/4 cup cottage cheese to replace the sour cream and cheese I used to top my vegetarian black bean chili I used to eat before. Next time
I love to cook and experiment with spices to suit my tastes and this was so quick, easy and delicious I figured I needed to share this with Tim’s readers. Feel free to include it in your cookbook and I will post recipes as I make them up. I am a fiend for fresh organic produce and meats and the easy fix. Enjoy!
Santi — January 23rd, 2011, 12:28 pm
Hi
is there’s plans to publish in spanish ?
Santi.
Steve S — January 23rd, 2011, 1:17 pm
Tim,
I noticed in a few of your speaking engagements you mention Vitargo S2 as being a good carb source for endurance athletes. You refer to it as being a Waxy Maize Starch product. I just want to point out that it in fact is no longer a waxy maize starch carb source. Currently it is made from barley and is loaded with gluten.
It used to be made using waxy maize starch but as far as I know that product no longer exists in the US.
Great work!
Star — January 23rd, 2011, 1:19 pm
So I’m wondering when the second package of bonus stuff from buying 3 4HB books is going to be sent out?
Conway Anderson — January 23rd, 2011, 1:33 pm
Thanks for the mention Tim. I had a lot of fun working with you.
Cheers,
Conway
Steve — January 23rd, 2011, 1:49 pm
Tim,
Thank you so much for all the info. Great updates. I will say, as someone over 40 who has had minimal changes being on the diet for two weeks, and as someone who has purchased the 4HWW first and second ed as well as 4HB, that your comments ending with “I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.” makes me less inclined to recommend your blog or products to many more people. I understand the response has been overwhelming, but wasn’t that your desire? Isn’t there a responsibility on your part to move from a place of compassion, when people, like myself who are tracking measurements, who are following the recipe to the T, feel stuck and frustrated. We need your calm reassurance, not “I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.”.
In rereading both chapters on the Slow-Carb Diet, I see nothing addressing those over 40 specifically. So your update that for someone like me it might take 4 to six weeks to see results to show up, seems like an important nugget of information. Glad to know that now!
Be the leader that you are. Lead with your heart. If you feed our frustration with more frustration what do you imagine that will lead to? If you feed our frustrations with compassion what’s the result there?
Have a great week! I’ll be posting my measurements tomorrow.
Steve
Ron Turner — January 23rd, 2011, 4:51 pm
Steve, I think Tim was maybe hearing from people who were pointing fingers and saying the diet wasn’t working, but were the same people who were enjoying their third “cheat day” that week (just a guess). I WILL say that I am a 45 year old male, and the diet has worked amazingly well for me (lost 10 pounds in my second week). Having experience in the physical fitness career, I will say that each and every person is different, and bodies especially will react differently with age as metabolisms go through extreme changes during that time. Hang in there!
Vasco Patrício — January 23rd, 2011, 2:05 pm
Hey Tim,
I have possibly made a kettlebell out of a dumbbell.
http://twitpic.com/3sstcm
The idea is to hold the upper disc on both sides (acting as the handle) and to use the other three discs as the volume to swing.
You reckon it might work?
Thanks!
Mike Burngasser — January 23rd, 2011, 2:23 pm
I love the idea, but the problem is how fast you go up in weight.
I bought a friend of mine a 35 lb kettle-bell for his birthday last year. Within a week he had moved up to the 45 lb version. After a month, the 45 lb one was a joke.
The dumbbell idea still works well if you’re going for high reps and endurance.
But trust me, you’ll want more weight very soon
SR — November 26th, 2011, 9:26 pm
Time to start swinging both two handed. The asymmetry will energize the core. Just switch hands between sets.
Mike — January 23rd, 2011, 2:06 pm
Dude, I think you are forgetting the E part of DEAL and failing to reduce your own book down to it’s essential message. You’re going to spend the next 10 years answering questions if you keep this up. The only question I would answer is “Where do I find more information about X?” Am I wrong to take this book as merely an insane idea generator for the potential of the human body? It’s not an all-encompassing encyclopedia, in fact it seems like you barely scratched the surface on most of the subjects simply because the book is big enough as it is (it’s a big f*cker). That’s how I’m using the book – am I alone on this one?
S — January 23rd, 2011, 2:13 pm
Just wanted to report:
Boyfriend and I have been on the slow carb plan since the end of December. I’m down 5 lbs, which puts me almost under 20% body fat and also past an annoying plateau that seemed impossible to break. My energy levels and moods are higher and more stable than usual. Boyfriend is down over 10 lbs and has an emerging six pack (and yes, that does dovetail nicely with my higher energy levels.)
Cynthia Loomis — January 23rd, 2011, 2:52 pm
Tim and Alll,
I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned by any, but my favorite results from the slow carb diet are not actually the trimming effect (though it’s stellar, too, believe me.)
MY SKIN looks sooooooo much healthier. I marvel at it daily. Before it was so ashen, pasty and uneven? It glows, looks younger, not dull, etc. Wow!!! I have naturally very pale skin, so I thought it was just bad genetics prior and my attainment of the age 30, but was it really instead a reaction to Wheat/Gluten/Grains that was making my skin look so horrible – palid, uneven in color, translucent, etc? Is it possible that removing Grains has made my skin so much prettier? (I eat more sugar now — cheat day— than I did in the previous months, so I don’t think it was the removal of sugar from the diet that had this instant effect. Although, I am vastly interested in the ways that sugar ages the body, etc. and believe that it truly does a lot of bad things including immune system suppression, inflammation, aging, etc…..)
Anyhow, curious if anyone else has had similar results w/ skin on the slow carb diet.
Also, I feel a lot better than I ever did before. Cheat day actually makes me sick.
Tim Fan #99,999,999
Cyn
Cynthia Loomis — January 23rd, 2011, 2:56 pm
PS. I’ve been on the diet for seven weeks. I started realizing I had nicer, prettier skin on week six.
indris — January 24th, 2011, 12:21 am
Hi Cynthia,
Same here for the effects of the diet! I have oily skin – which is good as I have few wrinkles at age 40 – but I no longer have micro break outs. Also, only wash your face with baking-soda as it’s super cheap and has micro-exfoliants. Toss out any expensive facials scrubs you’ve ever bought as they’re all a rip-off! Baking soda also controls skin oiliness for a few hours longer than anything else out there, without drying it out.
Cheers,
Indris
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:02 pm
Congratulations, Cynthia! Yes, this is thankfully a very common effect: markedly better skin.
Glad you’re enjoying it
Tim
Lisa Johnson — January 23rd, 2011, 7:56 pm
My friend the med spa owner said it’s because of the ALA, it’s known for really helping your skin. I’m entering week 4 and noticing things looking a little dewier
Cynthia Loomis — January 24th, 2011, 6:23 pm
@Tim, I’m very thankful! : )
@Lisa, thanks for the info — I did not know about ALA prior to googling it in regard to your comment. Do you know anyone who takes ALA and likes the results? (Not that I believe that I need to while slow carbing!) Is it ever applied topically in the spa?
For anyone interested, I’m fairly* certain we’re discussing Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA).
@Iridis, that’s very interesting. Will have to remember that.
Anouar — January 27th, 2011, 2:47 am
Better and nicer skin are probably also the merit of drinking liters of water and eating loads of vegetables you never ate before.
These two changes will probably have huge favorable effects on your health on long term (along with lower fat-% and lower sugar- and other crap-intake).
Slow carb seems to be an effective diet, and a healthy lifestyle.
A votre santé,
Anouar
Jenn B — January 23rd, 2011, 3:27 pm
Hi Tim,
Must be frustrating to feel like such clarifications are necessary. Very thoughtful of you to compile this post.
I live in Dallas but am leaving for SF first thing in the morning and will be there all week. Any suggestions for tasty dining while experimenting with slow carbs? My go-to’s in the bay are usually A16, Barbacco and The Slanted Door but my most of my fave dishes are out of the question (oooh maybe not the shaken beef…). Any recommendations you would have for breakfast or dinner would be great.
Thx!
Sailing the Seas of Cheese | Scott's Body — January 23rd, 2011, 3:31 pm
[...] of these points were brought up by Tim Ferriss in his latest blog post with a bunch of insights, corrections and tips for the 4 Hour Body. He [...]
Daniel Conway — January 23rd, 2011, 4:51 pm
Please clarify the Eric Foster’s Chipotle diet:
There’s no mention of having black beans with the Fajitas meal but you include having cheese and sour cream everyday in this meal. Is this correct?
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 7:01 pm
Omit the cheese and sour cream, while adding in beans.
Shaune Allan — January 23rd, 2011, 5:17 pm
Hey Tim, love your work! I kinda get the feeling you are already working on the second book from a few hints you’ve given away through seminars and interviews. Do you think you could add weed to your testing methods. I would love to find out some real answers about the drug as you obviously have the means. I do not smoke weed but used to. I stopped because i thought it was unhealthy even in moderation which i think is questionable.
Love and light
Shaune
indris — January 23rd, 2011, 5:51 pm
Hi Tim and All,
I can’t drink black coffee so I measure 1-2 Tbl spoons of heavy cream in it.
I’ve read up on “Almond Breeze” and “Trader Joes” unsweetened almond milk and it seems compliant with the diet and has lots of nutrients at 40 calories per cup. Unsweetened “So Delicious” brand coconut milk seems compliant with the diet also to use in coffee or for making scrambled eggs. Both available at Target for best price.
What’s your take on these as they seem like a good substitute for dairy for moderate use? (I know…don’t drink your calories)
Thanks,
Indris
Mary — January 29th, 2011, 7:10 pm
Indris & Tim – I also wondered about Almond milk. I bought some unsweetened as well and was going to try it in my coffee. It’s only 40 calories per serving – can’t imagine that a little in your coffee could be a problem.?
Laura — January 23rd, 2011, 6:35 pm
Tim,
I am almost 5 months post-partem, 3rd baby. I am starting week 3, and have lost 10 lbs, pretty easily. I am not planning on doing any supplements as I am nursing, and tend to nurse my babies for at least a year. Thanks a ton! Have you collected any data on lactating mamma’s?
Tim Ferriss — January 23rd, 2011, 6:59 pm
Hi Laura,
I haven’t, but I might stick to a less aggressive fat loss program. Please speak with your doctor. If your body is releasing toxins from stored fat, I wouldn’t want that to get passed to your child.
Thank you for your comment!
Tim
Sarah — January 25th, 2011, 8:02 pm
How would you modify this diet during pregnancy? I am currently on the SC diet and hope to make it a lifestyle change instead of a temporary diet. With that being said, I also plan on a pregnancy or two in the future, but loathe the idea of abandoning the diet altogether. Any suggestions?
Andrea — February 3rd, 2011, 4:23 pm
Just the question and answer I was looking for. I am 4 month postpartum after 2 children fairly close together. I have heard that the body wants to hold on to about ten pounds until nursing ends.
Tanner Campbell — January 23rd, 2011, 7:08 pm
Tim,
Thanks for the corrections, there were a couple “whaaat?” moments … but first editions always have oversights.
I had a specific question about green tea, either for you or anyone who can answer it:
LOVE Green tea – unsweetened and iced … somewhere in my daily doings I’ve I got wind of a little bit of discouragement about green tea, and that was: “Green tea dehydrates you” … I was hoping this wasn’t true, as I was psyched about getting at least half of my daily water intake from Starbucks green tea.
Say it ain’t so.
Christy — February 4th, 2011, 11:07 am
Caffeine is known to cause slight dehydration for the short term. However, recent studies have found that there is no noticeable effect on hydration over the course of 24 hours.
RMW — January 23rd, 2011, 7:24 pm
Hey Tim, just wondering… what were you drinking during your presentation @Twitter? Scooby Snack? ; )
Lissy — February 4th, 2011, 1:24 pm
He mentions in one of the videos it is green tea. Not sure of brand.
Michael — January 23rd, 2011, 7:41 pm
Hey Tim,
couldn’t help but notice all the surfing references in the book. I’m a sports chiro backstage at alot of the pro surf events.
Surfed Ft. Point yet?
If you’re ever in orange county looking for some waves I’ll show ya around!
Jeremy — January 23rd, 2011, 7:43 pm
Hey Tim,
I saw a comment earlier where you said this:
“For height, just focus on strength and you’ll be fine. Rock it!”
Do you think this would work for a male who is over 25? More specifically 33?
Thanks!
Lisa Johnson — January 23rd, 2011, 8:01 pm
Hi Tim,
Quick comment on the 10 days post-menstruation for accurate measurements for women. That might be the bell curve but it’s not true for everyone (like me). A better way to put it is for women to measure themselves on their “skinny” day. We all know what that means. For me it’s two days after my cycle. There’s really such a range with menstruation that it needs to done on an individual basis I think.
Thanks,
Lisa
Tim Ferriss — January 24th, 2011, 3:20 am
Great recommendation. Thank you, Lisa. I’m still learning about such things
Jill — January 23rd, 2011, 8:30 pm
Tim,
I’m still on the 4-hour Work Week, haven’t made it to the 4-hour Body as yet and have a question.
You said you challenged some students to ask 3 questions of someone famous, what were the 3 questions?
Thanks
Matt — January 23rd, 2011, 8:31 pm
@indris: I use the almond milk in a protein shake I make & it’s been stated that’s OK to use.
Personally for me seems to be OK as I’ve gone several days without it at times and don’t see any major differences. YMMV of course, but a tablespoon or two shouldn’t hurt.
(Can’t see why you can’t drink the coffee black; I’ve been doing it since nearly day 1 and love it. Actually now I and you can also try this…put some cinnamon in it)
indris — January 24th, 2011, 12:00 am
Thanks for clarifying about almond milk as I enjoy the taste of it and it gives coffee that satisfying “mouth-feel” along with cream added. Similar to when you know you’re drinking a sugar-laden soda as opposed to a diet soda that doesn’t leave a sticky mess when spilled. I have had black coffee many times while climbing mountains and I just don’t enjoy it, but admire anyone hardcore enough to drink it.
It feels like I’m drinking liquid cigarettes, plus my stomach gets irritated regardless of chasers.
I add unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond and/or coconut milk in the mix of my scrambled eggs with cinnamon and it makes an appealing custard-like breakfast. For variety I mix in non-fat buffalo wing sauce (Safeway) and/or green tabasco sauce. Your pulse will go up and you’ll notice some sweating.
Some of my cheat day items:
For resistant-starches I switch in a big can of Bush’s or B&M baked beans during the day – with the brown sugar sauce.
I like the pancake batter in the Readi-whip can that you spray on the skillet pan. (Sold next to eggs in most grocery stores) Top off pancakes with a few spoons of warm Nutella and cut-up banana.
IKEA sells the best pickled herring, which is lots of protein, Omega fats followed by some sugar….careful to anyone sodium sensitive. If you like sushi you’ll like pickeled herring.
I grill chicken thighs and wings 1-2x a week and pull skin off after grilling, but on cheat day I use dip them in a small pyrex glass bowl of Curley’s BBQ sauce or O.T.’s at Safeway. I have tried almost every BBQ sauce around and Curley’s is the best value for taste and quality for the buck. (sold at Barbeques Galore for best price, otherwise order online)
I’ll post my weight loss results soon. I just turned 40 and am on week 6 of the diet. I didn’t weigh myself the first three weeks, but was 250 before Christmas. (I’m 6′ with a good build and when leanest at 190 lbs.) I have yo-yo’d from 244 to 250 this Sunday 1/23/11, but have added muscle over the past three weeks. My forearms are well-developed and firm, my chin doesn’t droop, I don’t see sockline marks on my ankles when I take them off (bloating gone). From using the diet I actually lost 2 lbs over the holidays instead of gain 5-10 like all other years. Like I stated before I’m yo-yo’ing, but my pants are getting looser and I’m phasing out the 36″ ones as they’re getting annoyingly baggy (Goodwill donation!)…and pulling out the smaller waistline ones from storage. I could care less what the scale says, because the belt never lies! I’m using the tape measure now.
In a nutshell, my two cents are: “The belt never lies!”
aglassman — January 26th, 2011, 10:07 am
Great suggestions on food ideas! I’m going to try those pancakes this weekend.
Michael P — January 23rd, 2011, 8:38 pm
42 year old male 5′ 10″.. 273lbs 4 weeks ago….started SCD and lost 11 lbs 1st week…..4 the 2nd week…1 the 3rd week and 4 this week for a total of 20 lbs in 4 weeks (weight 253 now)…..loving this diet and I am someone who was running 4 miles every other day at 273 lbs and couldnt lose a pound(bad diet)….my exercise has slowed dramatically due to SCD but i dont care cuz i am losing weight….I have found that I get the most energy to exercise after my cheat day so that when I do most of it (hope this helps someone else)…excited to hear about 40+ getting best results after 4-6 weeks and cant wait to post numbers…..Thanks Tim keep the data coming bro
creed — January 23rd, 2011, 8:39 pm
tim,
love the book! how much potassium and magnesium should i take per day?
thanks
Scott Dinsmore — January 23rd, 2011, 8:53 pm
You know you’ve nailed it when you’re getting The View of creatine loading cycles! So excited to see you getting all the traction you are Tim. You deserve it!
Scott
Chase — January 23rd, 2011, 9:05 pm
If you’re planning on getting rid of a couch there’s a certain guy in college needing one for his apartment.
Thanks for considering!
Chase
Chase — January 23rd, 2011, 9:06 pm
*Or a nice blender, OR a couple tubs of protein powder.. you know.. just whatever
.
Alex — January 23rd, 2011, 9:19 pm
It’s working – 5 kg lost in the first 2 weeks. Starting out at 132 kg so I’ll have some dramatic before and after pics for you.
Stuff I’m doing “wrong” but am doing it anyway as a little goes a long way in taste. No doubt it’s costing me but whatever gets me through.
- A little onion in with the eggs. Onion burns a little in cooking to caramelise/sugarise it.
- Mushrooms. They are white but I’m eating lots.
- Spicy cooking sauce with less than 5% sugar. One or two tablespoons goes a long way.
Stuff I need to work on
- Too much Diet Coke. Fruit tea. Sugar free chocolate. Zero is NOT Zero.
- Bacon and sausages. The good news is they are so salty I now don’t want to eat them
- Nuts. No more than 20 a day.
Tim Ferriss — January 24th, 2011, 3:18 am
Congrats, Alex! To your points:
“- A little onion in with the eggs. Onion burns a little in cooking to caramelise/sugarise it.
- Mushrooms. They are white but I’m eating lots.
- Spicy cooking sauce with less than 5% sugar. One or two tablespoons goes a long way.”
The first two are fine. The last one could hurt progress. Just minimize the sugar.
“Stuff I need to work on
- Too much Diet Coke. Fruit tea. Sugar free chocolate. Zero is NOT Zero.
- Bacon and sausages. The good news is they are so salty I now don’t want to eat them”
The first will hurt you more than the second. Good luck and keep us posted!
Tim
- Nuts. No more than 20 a day.
Debra — January 28th, 2011, 4:10 pm
Alex, Tim’s advice re: the cooking sauce is spot on for me. That little bit of sugar hit somehow messed with all of the other good stuff I did during the same week that I had the fascination with Thai stir fry sauce. I need to be especially careful as I am 55 and full-compliance seems to be the only way for me to get results.
Brad — January 23rd, 2011, 9:40 pm
Tim, one a few occasions you had said in the reference to the clit and the location that it was on the left side at 1 o’clock. I think that you had that wrong and meant right. I will have to check the pages but pretty sure you mentioned it a few times.
Manuel — January 24th, 2011, 11:49 am
Your or her right? I had to think about that one
Mary — January 29th, 2011, 7:16 pm
Brad – and all the other guys out there. As a WOMAN, I can definitively say that if you head to HER left – Clit is 12, go to 1o’clock and keep it very, very soft. She will thank you eternally!
Ryan Critchett — January 23rd, 2011, 9:42 pm
Love it man – I’ve been thinking about and acting on some things to help people upgrade their understanding of their brains, and how that relates to their lives directly.
Dude.. Barbara Walters with Killer Forearms!
Allan — January 23rd, 2011, 10:07 pm
Hey Ferris,
Bought the book(congrats on its success) the day it came out. I’ve read through it a few times since. Being a fitness studies major I have a high degree of understanding with the content and I’ve since had to question much that my courses have taught me over the past few years. I’m now even more intrigued by the idea of self-experimentation then I have ever been.
To make this blunt, I have been out of the gym for almost two years because of my so called “incurable” Achilles Heel(AH). I gave up on my goal of gaining lean muscle mass becaue my AH makes eating food like playing Russian roulette, sometimes eating one thing triggers it and other times it is’t triggered. Not only am I affected physiologically but emotionally as well. I literally haven’t been myself for two years; I’m devoid of all desire to live my life to the fullest.
My AH was unknowingly aquired from having protected sex with only the second and last woman I have been sexually involved with in my 22 year life; it is HSV-2. I refuse to believe there is yet no cure for this disease, as my doctor and big pharma would like all to think. I see it as just another disease that big pharma uses to make money at the expense of human pain and suffering. So this is what I ask of you Mr. Ferris, is there a potential cure?
I already have the small pieces to the equation out of the way. I’ve purchased several of the supplements described in the book as well as joined a fitness facility. Without the last piece of the equation, a cure, I will not be able to put it all together to get any results for my small 150 lb frame.
To be honest with you, I’m at the point where I would give up everything I own for a cure. This is the first time I have approached someone, besides my dr., with this question and for help. A few months back I purchased a 50 day mineral detox that claims to push out all disease, it put me back for a few hundred dollars. I have yet to fool myself into starting the detox and hope that I don’t have to resort to it. Any suggestions/ help would be beyond greatly appreciated.
Allan
Tim Ferriss — January 26th, 2011, 2:10 am
Hi Allan,
Thank you for your candid comment. I am not a doctor, but here’s what I can say:
- Professional athletes, males at least, tend to fool around on their wives and sometimes contract things like HSV-2
- There are a few docs out there whom these athletes go to
- The doctors generally try and eradicate the disease with high-dose IV vitamin C, which is sometimes combined with lower dose oral l-lysine (8-10g/day)
WARNINGS: Vitamin C is not something to take lightly when administered via IV. High doses can cause rapid hypoglycemia and you can die. For that reason, if you’re going to look into this, you need a credible MD to assist who specializes in such things.
I don’t want to get your hopes up, but the above is what I’ve heard (very anecdotally) looks promising.
Hope that helps — don’t do anything IV without a good MD,
Tim
Allan — January 28th, 2011, 1:43 am
Much appreciated Tim. I will certainly look into this asap. I live in the Indianapolis area so hopefully I can find the type of MD you are describing so I can set up a consultation. Let it be my first of many successful self-experiments.
Thanks again,
Allan
ESC — January 28th, 2011, 9:17 am
My doctor also recommends a simple blood test, G-6-PD, prior to Vitamin C IV treatment to check for a genetic mutation which can lead to hemolytic anemia.
http://www.g6pd.org/favism/english/index.mvc?pgid=intro
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:37 am
Indeed. You absolutely need to work with an experienced specialist.
Jeremy — April 29th, 2012, 6:22 pm
@Allan, how’s the HSV-2 experimentation coming along? I live in the Indy area, too. I’ve had the herp for almost two years now, and I’ve only ever had two short, painless, tiny outbreaks. Another commenter above mentions nuts leading to outbreaks. Interestingly, my second outbreak was only a few days ago and occurred after bingeing on like four bags of cashews! Haha, watch this turn into a herpes forum…
Dan — January 23rd, 2011, 10:07 pm
Tim,
What’s your opinion of Kombucha tea? I see you frequently mention tea and eating fermented products but have never heard you mention Kombucha.
Thanks,
DD
Shawn B. — March 8th, 2011, 10:39 pm
I’m guessing Tim is pro Kombucha seeing as how the book mentions it in his entries on fermented foods and he has it in two of his food logs.
Steve S — January 23rd, 2011, 10:30 pm
Tim,
Poliquin and many others are in favor of BCAA supplementation for both mass gain and fat loss. How do you suggest incorporating them?
What doses and form? Powder or Capsules?
Most of the powders contain sucralose so capsules are looking better, but that many caps seem a bit like a bit much. Thanks again!
Miki — January 23rd, 2011, 10:47 pm
Hi Tim,
I was wondering if Barnes & Noble will re-ship a signed copy of 4HB if the first one hasn’t arrived?
I’ve placed a pre-order back in Sep ’10, and the book has been shipped on 14 Dec ’10 to Australia, but hasn’t arrived yet. From conversations I had with BN, I was told that if it doesn’t arrive by 25 Jan ’11, it’s considered late and only then I’ll be able to ask them to re-ship (or ask for a refund)…. if it’s not what I’ve ordered (signed copy), there’s no point in getting it from OS.
Cheers.
Miki — January 26th, 2011, 6:14 pm
Ok, I’m so pissed off with B&N.
Spoke to them today after not receiving the book. They can’t re-send the book as it’s an international delivery, so was asked to re-order it while they refund the original order.
Ended up asking for a refund… might order it from somewhere else or get the eBook.
pdxHollym — January 31st, 2011, 8:36 am
Miki, Having the ebook on my computer is great as it’s searchable, I also have a hardcopy, & the audiobook…I use the ebook the most and would recommend getting one as it’s not that expensive.
pdxHollym — January 31st, 2011, 11:02 am
Just to clarify, I would recommend you keep your hardback book on order, the physical book is useful to refer to when you are doing the exercises…so what I’m saying is-get both! A lot of the answers to questions people ask on this board can be found in the ebook using the search feature.
Ryan Baudoin — January 23rd, 2011, 11:03 pm
Master Tim!
First and foremost, I’d like to thank you. I honestly think that i’ll be able to stick with this new lifestyle you’ve introduced me to for a good, long while.
I have just one question, and it’s not imperative if you answer it, because I know I can make up the difference later on, but i was just wondering how bad cheat MEALS were. i just came off a successful cheat day yesterday (2 hard boiled eggs and grapefruit juice for breakfast, followed by a gigantic deli sandwich, a couple dozen chicken wings, and enough ice cream to freeze a penguin), and i was starting up my SC week again, when my girlfriend asked if i wanted to get crepes to help her relieve some of the stresses of college. I obliged, and i pre-empted the banana-nutella crepe with air squats and an espresso, to try to limit some of the damage. I was just curious how much this could potentially set me back. Again, i’m not WORRIED, per se, since i know i’ll be below my binge-morning weight by mid week anyway. If you have the time, i’d love a response, if not, thanks again.
Looking forward for the mail to get here this week so i can start PAGG, and continually reading and re-reading 4HB.
-Ryan
Blair Slavin — January 23rd, 2011, 11:16 pm
So Tim,
What one factor is the cause for most failure on your plan for waitloss. I thought I had been following the diet, but so far not really moving the needle much. So before I tighten things more I thought maybe you might list the top thing to look at.
Thanks.
William Herring — January 24th, 2011, 12:10 am
I’m currently reading the 4HB. What about the 4 Hour Mind? A book on Nootropics and natural ways of increasing cognitive abilities?
Simon — January 24th, 2011, 12:14 am
Hi Tim,
).
My wishlist (from Facebook) if you happen to purge these:
BodyMetrix ultrasound body fat measurement device (I will be happy to help and share with others in my area if they want to know their body fat% using this device), therabands or minibands, the DexCom seven Plus or WaveSense jazz, Bosu ball, the MiR weighted vest, a 16kg and/or20kg kettlebell, any material from Charles Poliquin, the UV-B/F lamp, the iphone pong case, the Zeo sleep coach device, the Philips goLite or the Nightwave, any unwanted Anatomy or physiology books, Gray cook bands, high speed camera recorder… non 4HB stuff that would be great: Fujitsu Scanner, Macbook…if books are big part of your purge then I would welcome them e.g Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger. Finally, if you happen to have any round the world tickets lying about, I would love one to use to get back home to New Zealand for the rugby world cup in September (cheeky I know, but as has been said, you don’t ask, you don’t get
Jose Santos — January 24th, 2011, 12:15 am
Hey Tim,
I’ve been enjoying the book a lot. Not only is it delivered in a more easy-to-digest way than regular health books but it makes me laugh too.
Examples:
a) the first MED example you gave (about tannning) made me laugh so much… at myself.
I just came from the Philippines a few weeks ago and while there (spending 4-5 hours every day in the sun) I had the feeling that I was doing something “wrong”… you just confirmed that to me.
b) many of my friends go to the gym 3-4 times a week and waste themselves for around 1 hour each time. Their progress is not bad but when I learned I can do more with 2 exercices (Occam’s) each session you again made me laugh… at my friends, this time.
Don’t want to get into the usual bootlicking mode, here. Want to say that regardless of the occasional critics (including mine) some do to you, you have been breaking a lot of the status quo crap going on. To say the least: you’ve been responsible for a few thousands of headaches of corporate managers (will continue to be) and will be now responsible for even more headaches of doctors and such. You force people to question themselves and that’s a bless. You don’t have to be always right to make society evolve. Thanks Tim.
Last note: your tone in this post is slightly different from the one less than a month ago where it was all about “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU… “.
Relax brother.
Peter — January 24th, 2011, 12:58 am
Tim,
I would love to see a blog post from you on the topic of blood testing – what to test and how to interpret results.
Thanks, Peter
Ryan — January 24th, 2011, 2:04 am
Hey Tim,
Your two books have been life-changing. I’m currently a Senior in college and everyone in my fraternity is addicted to your book…pretty awesome! Anyway, I’ve been experimenting with different supplements for overall well-being, mental performance, etc and I’m wondering if you’ve ever experimented with any of the following products and if so if you have any feedback on them:
-E3 live with BrainOn (http://www.e3live.com/all_products/e3_brain_on.html)
-Cell Food (http://www.amazon.com/Cellfood-Liquid-Concentrate-1-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B000F4F9JS)
-Raw Maca powder
Thanks for everything Tim! You work affects more people than you know!
Misryane — January 24th, 2011, 2:20 am
Hello Tim !
It’s been the 3rd week on the slow carb and everything is doing well !!! Thank you SO MUCH for this book.
You mentionned that for “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 explanation for this”. As I just gave birth to my 3rd kid I’m really interested in your explanations…Do you have a link or sommthing where I can find them ?
Bethany — January 24th, 2011, 2:34 am
Thank you, Tim! For everything that you do and everything that you are, thank you! I sincerely hope this has eased up the volume of questions for you [and let's face - the whining!]
Also, wanted to share that I am having a blast with 4HB! As healthcare provider, I frequently give into oversight of taking care of myself. During the holidays, I came across 4HB while delayed in the airport for hours upon hours and unwittingly begun an experiment! BTW, want to confuse an airport full of passerbys and people awaiting a flight, just practice some boleos and the like! Haha!
At any rate, it was a wake up call; It was a reminder that it was okay to take time to care for myself. So, after carefully reading through specified goal oriented sections, I kicked off my new year with a restored attitude about life and started the SCD. Easy enough, one week, 6lbs gone. Now, I haven’t taken any measurements since then due to that pesky menstruation deal but I am certain I have continued to have significant results as evidenced by the following, some of which are quite atypical, events.
During the past two weeks: (1) I feel awesome! (2) I have been nearly felt up no less than 6 or 7 times by my female dance instructor and fellow female dance friends as they commented on how much slimmer I appeared, (3) I have had to carefully maneuver around the advances of a couple of patients and coworkers, (4) Amongst friends, I have earned a new nickname, perky, as in “check out that perky posterior,” and (5) Apparently, my inner most sensual/ sexual subconscious has been freed and is confidently shining through [particularly in my dancing by way of a few dozen or so individuals disclosing FYI - There is no pole involved here! It's all west coast swing, baby!]
Honestly though, the measurements really don’t matter, I just plain feel good; Perhaps more importantly though, the message I took away from this experience is about optimizing life through trial and error whether that be professionally or private matters. Bottom line: You’re awesome & thank you! Oh, as far as your purge goes, I will again plead with you to not purge your dance shoes! Instead, I say take up west coast swing!
Best Wishes, ~Bethany
P.S. For all the guys out there -> If you want serious game with the ladies, learn to dance! You do not even have to be all that good at it. Seriously, I repeat, you do not even have to be a good dancer to have ladies throwing themselves at you. Ex: There is a man that is part of the local argentine tango community; Although this man’s personality is very attractive, he is not the most physically attractive man or even close to being the best dancer. However, on several occasions, it has taken every ounce of my inner strength to NOT drag him out of the ballroom and have my way with him. Can you guess why? This man has figured out to perfectly execute manhandling – It’s confident, it’s assertive, it’s balanced, and yet somehow gentle. In other words, I feel he is in complete control and I am completed resigned to his control; I don’t have to fear an arm fracture or any other injury though b/c he’s just the right amount of gentle at the same time. Manhandling = HOT = Instant Magnetism = Ravaging of Man What are you waiting for fellas? Get dancing! I recommend argentine tango and/or west coast swing.
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 10:58 pm
Haha… love the comment, Bethany
And TOTALLY agree on the dance recommendation. Gents, for real. No exaggeration.
Pura vida,
Tim
Cat — January 24th, 2011, 3:37 am
I’m liking all these Q&A’s. Starting to feel so good from the diet that binge days are a turn off. Until the first bite of chocolate, of course…
For those who are looking into blood testing etc. I believe Tim has the latest and greatest on that mentioned in the book. I would ALSO inquire about neuroscience (health via your nervous system). I have found that http://www.neurorelief.com is at the leading edge for finding and addressing imbalances in brain chemistry, hormones and immunity, which are often are the cause for failed weight loss, stubborn binging and addictive patters.
Check it out and find a practitioner that uses these tests!
In regards to 4HourMIND, Brain-Body is SO connected… 4 Hour Body will transform your mind too!
Off to that cold shower! Ouch.
Ok, off to my morning cold shower! And it’s going to be a COLD one this AM!
Tim C — January 24th, 2011, 4:30 am
Hey Tim
Loved 4HWW – loving 4HB too
2 weeks 4 days into the fat loss stage – lost 4kgs in weight, 7cm off chest, 5cm off waist and 3cm off hips- this shit works!!
Still have sugar cravings though, especially at night after evening meal. Been having sugarless jelly to fill the need
Saw your comment on 10g of BCAA’s and did in fact google it – most products talk about mcg of the AA’s so just wanted to check your recommendation – any chance you could clarify? Do you have a favorite?
Thanks mate
Tim
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 10:56 pm
Thanks, Tim. I use Dymatize BCAAs. I do mean grams. 1,000mg = 1g. Check it out here:
http://www.amazon.com/Dymatize-Nutrition-BCAA-Complex-Caplets/dp/B000GOUAQE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296021329&sr=8-1
Tim C — January 26th, 2011, 5:47 pm
Thanks so much Tim
And I can get it in Australia which makes it even better!!!
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 5:55 am
Dr. Mercola mentions 4HB in his newest posting and recommends the binge day for fatloss:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/24/8-tricks-for-boosting-your-metabolism.aspx
Heyward — January 24th, 2011, 6:52 am
I am happy to see so many people succeeding on the diet- well done! Did any of you have problems during the first few days?Today is day 4 for me on slow-carb and feeling like crap.
I’ve been eating organic veggies, organic salsa, hand-gathered eggs and the finest grass-and-bug fed “pastured” chicken. walk around feeling terrible. what is the deal?
I’ve been having a multi-vitamin every day and enzymes just to help me adjust.
Also, this is the first time in four years that I’m eating meat. Maybe that has something to do with it…?
Misryane — January 24th, 2011, 6:57 am
did you try to stop the multivitamins every day ? They can give nausea to some people like me…
and maybe the “meat thing” is a point yes…
Jen Wardell — January 24th, 2011, 6:57 am
Hi Heyward,
It doesn’t sound like you’re eating enough calories. I know Tim doesn’t want us to actively calorie count but it’s important to get an idea of where you are if you’re feeling like crap. Try something like fitday.com and just input the numbers, because it really sounds like you’re not taking enough in. Also I notice you didn’t say anything about beans/legumes. Since they are the largest bunch of calories you’d be eating every day on the slow carb diet, make sure they’re in there. Otherwise you could, as I said, be eating way below what you need.
Cat — January 24th, 2011, 7:11 am
Hey Heyward,
I re-introduced meat into my diet just over a year ago after being all raw/vegan and going down a road that wasn’t conducive to long term health, for me… Meat can create fatigue at first, but, from my experience, it does get better.
That said, I also found it VERY beneficial to find out my genotype and eat mostly foods that are superfoods for my genotype. Example, I do great with lamb and turkey, not so much with beef and chicken. (That’s for my “Explorer” type). For those of us who have sensitive systems or a history of chronic disease or stubborn weight issues, I think it’s wise to experiment with Dr. D’Adamo’s Type and Genotype testing and recommendations.
I’ve been doing the 4 hour Body with Genotype superfoods for my type and feel the best I’ve felt in YEARS! I don’t think I’d have the same results if I was including foods that I know don’t work for me, like beef and tomatoes for example
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 8:01 am
Heyward,
do you know your makro nutrien intake carbs/protein/fat. Maybe your total energy intake is to low or you need more fat to facilitate the change from glucose to fat for fuel.
All the best
Peter
Ramona — January 24th, 2011, 10:09 am
Yo! I had trouble too, so I looked up carb stuff online and found out about the carb crash, which I just mentioned below before I saw your comment. I don’t know Tim’s stance on it, but finding out about it helped me, cause I was also feeling a bit dodgy but learning it’s normal helped me want to stick with this diet! I’m not a dieter, by the way, but I thought this might make sense as a lifestyle change, for multiple reasons…
and okay, I’m like 3.9 pounds from my goal weight, dangitt!!! So I wanted to test if this diet (plus slow motion weightlifting) would speed it up!
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 12:14 pm
I think you might want to crank up your bean/legume intake. Also tons of water. I remember Tim mentioning a women who was struggling as she was focused on the veg – when she changed her focus to the beans here energy was up.
Also make sure you are eating enough. Tim also mentions how a cup of rice does not equal a cup of spinach!
Keep up the good work – you will feel better.
Jen Wardell — January 24th, 2011, 6:55 am
Hi Tim!
Normally I just lurk and read the articles and comments but I felt the need to tell you how much your work has helped me over the years. A few years ago I had a bunch of major life changes and went to the book store looking for some books on how to “sell”. I had just started a sales job (which I hated) and needed help. But someone had left your book open on the shelf and I started browsing through it. I spent the lunch hour reading it and then bought it to devour in a single night.
That same job I believe is the reason I gained a bunch of weight (they brought candies, fried and crappy food, etc right to your desk. It seemed great… until my weight started to creep up. And the stress of meeting the deadline or you’re fired probably didn’t help with cortisol and fat gain). I’ve been out of that job for 8 months and slowly my weight was dropping without me doing anything.
But I started your slow carb diet a little over a week ago and have already seen a weight loss of 8 lbs. I believe a lot of that could be water weight, but still. I’m the type of person who gets anxious if I don’t see results quickly and this has given me that boost I needed. I’m looking forward to having more dramatic results and to post my blog with the journey of all of this and more when I am finally done the experiment!
I sound like a highschool teen gushing about their latest heartthrob boy band but I’m just so thrilled that I found your work and thought I’d relay that!
Thanks Tim!
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 11:01 pm
Thank you so much for the kind words, Jen. Made my evening
Tim
Jen Wardell — January 26th, 2011, 10:16 am
So in reading your book, I have a question for you. I’m sure you’ve been asked it before. But… *drumroll* What has been the best day of your life and why? I specifically ask this because with all of your experiences you could say any of them, but I feel it will likely be something unexpected.
Carolyn — January 24th, 2011, 7:57 am
So, Tim, this is probably a stupid question, given the fact that we’re not supposed to have yams, but:
Can I eat konnyaku on the slow carb diet? When I lived in Japan for a month, I fell in love with the stuff. It is basically a jelly-like substance made of yam starch, but has little to no nutritional value (1-2 grams of carbohydrates, 6-15 calories at the most per serving, and no sugar).
In case you’re curious, Tim, or if anyone else wants to know what I am talking about:
http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/konnyaku_and_shirataki_ojftmhy.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konjac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirataki_noodles
Ben — January 24th, 2011, 8:33 am
Quick question about activating Glut-4 and directing nutrients to muscle by using muscle contractions. I understand that this is an effective tool for binge days, but for someone who wants to gain muscle, would it make sense to do some form of this before every meal, so that nutrients are constantly being directed towards muscle?
Heyward — January 24th, 2011, 9:31 am
@Ben
I do it before every meal, just to be on the safe side. So, I got yer back!
@Peter
“more fat to switch from glucose to fat burning.” You know, that was my feeling earlier. Body may be switching over to fat burning. In any case, I said went and made a glass of yerba mate and green tea, drank ‘em BOTH, and am feeeeeeellllling gggllooooorrriioouuss.
Nathaniel Cook — January 24th, 2011, 8:45 am
Tim,
Have you by chance ever tried egg whites in powder form? I’m in BsAs and can’t find liquid, and am hoping not to have to separate them myself. :-S Apologies if this question has already been asked.
Saludos,
Nate
Hunt — January 24th, 2011, 8:53 am
Hey Tim…
I am a vegan and I am trying to implement the 4HB diet. MUCH harder I think without being able to eat meat because I am having to really focus on loading up on protein without getting all the carbs.
I am losing weight but not very fast and I am wondering if it is because I am drinking protein shakes to get my protein (usually Pea or Vega brand protein) and those often have sweeteners in them to make them bearable such as Frutafit Inulin or organic coconut palm nectar.
So two questions.
1. Any vegans giving this a go and having success? If so how?
2. What do you think about the protein shakes? I am not sure I can handle the shakes without the sweetener. They are bad enough as is.
Thanks SO much for your help.
Lissy — February 4th, 2011, 2:10 pm
There is a raw vegan protein powder you can use. It is Sun Warrior protein powder, but you have to get the “natural” flavor. It doesn’t have any sweetener in it. It doesn’t taste the best, but Tim has suggested using vanilla extract and cinnamon or unsweetened cocoa powder in it to give it a little flavor.
Hope it helps! My sister has been a vegan for 7 years, I am used to having to be aware of ingredients. You can get a lot of protein in a meal with split peas and lentils, as well.
ALSO – Check out the book RAWVOLUTION by Matt Amsden. You will have to be careful but it offers a lot of creative ways to eat veggies, in particular a boy choy salad with namya shou and almonds that would offer extra protein for you.
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 12:17 pm
Checkout the meatless section in the back of the book. Tim gives some specifics, including which protein drinks don’t taste like gack.
Ramona — January 24th, 2011, 10:01 am
Enjoying the book, and had a great cheat day yesterday, hahahaha…. gotta say, it DOES get it out of your system, getting it out of your system! ALSO, it helped me though the week when I had a craving… of course, on cheat day, I could only eat so much!
I had intense carb cravings, I gotta say. Apparently, there’s such a thing as the carb crash… I’m still reading the book so I don’t know if that’s mentioned anywhere… but they do discuss it on the web…
Anyway, thank you, Tim!
Bethany — January 24th, 2011, 10:18 am
My computer absolutely hates me today – but I am going to give this one more try!
Simply stated, Thank you, Tim! For everything that you do and everything that you are, thank you! I sincerely hope this has eased up the volume of questions for you. Thought I would also add that I am having a blast with 4HB! In fact, most of the people in my life are jumping into 4HB b/c of my rave reviews.
As healthcare provider, I frequently give into oversight of taking care of myself to instead dedicate time towards continuing education and fulfill the commitment I have made to my patients & co-workers; Yes, I know, shame on me. During the holidays, I came across 4HB while delayed in the airport for hours upon hours and unwittingly began an experiment! BTW, want to confuse an airport full of passerbys and people awaiting a flight, just practice some boleos, gauchos, volcadas and the like! Haha! It’s a wonder I wasn’t tackled and patted down by TSA!
At any rate, 4HB was a wake up call; It was a reminder that it is okay to take time for myself. So, after carefully reading through my specified goal oriented sections, I kicked off my new year with a restored attitude about life, and started the SCD. Easy enough, one week and 6lbs gone. Now, I haven’t taken any measurements since then due to that pesky menstruation deal but I am certain I have continued with significant results as evidenced by the following, some of which are quite atypical events.
During the past two weeks: (1) I feel awesome! (2) I have been nearly felt up no less than 6 or 7 times by my female dance instructor and fellow female dance friends as they commented on how much slimmer I suddenly appeared, (3) I have had to carefully maneuver around the advances of a couple of patients and coworkers, (4) Amongst friends, I have earned a new nickname, Perky, as in “check out that perky posterior,” and (5) Apparently, my inner most sensual/ sexual subconscious self has been freed and is confidently shining through [particularly in my dancing by way of a few dozen or so individuals disclosing ! FYI - Just to be clear, there is no pole involved here! It's all west coast swing, baby!]
Honestly though, I’m in a place where the measurements just really don’t matter at this point b/c I just plain feel good and have a renewed sense of self, of life; Perhaps more importantly, the message I took away from this experience has to do with remembering the goal is aimed at optimizing life through trial and error whether that be professionally or private matters.
Bottom line: You’re awesome! Hope you are really enjoying your success and getting some sense of how grateful so many are to you. Oh, as far as the purge goes, I will again plead with you to not purge your dance shoes! Instead, I say take up west coast swing! I suspect you’ll end up loving it.
Best Wishes, ~Bethany
P.S. ATTENTION MEN! – Want to easily seduce women with minimal effort? Learn to dance! You do not even have to be all that good at it. I repeat, you do not even have to be a good dancer to have ladies throwing themselves at you – Seriously!
Ex: In local argentine tango community, there is a particular man who could easily seduce any woman in the room [Now, whether he knows that or not is another question]. Although this man’s personality is very attractive, he is not the most physically attractive man or even close to being the best dancer in the community. However, on several occasions, it has taken every ounce of my inner strength to NOT drag him out of the ballroom by his shirt collar and have my way with him [but, truthfully, its really only a matter of time, right?]. Can you guess why?
This man has figured out how to perfectly execute the art of manhandling – It’s confident, it’s assertive, it’s balanced, and yet somehow gentle. In other words, I feel he is in complete control and I am willing to be completely resigned to his control; Yet I don’t have to fear an arm fracture or any other injury though b/c he’s just the right amount of gentle at the same time. Need more? How about a simple formula:
Perfected Manhandling = HOT Dancing = Instant Magnetism = Ravaging of Man
Please note: This formula maybe modified to whatever may be your expertise: [Insert Expertise] = HOT Dancing = Instant Magnetism = Ravaging of Man
So, what are you waiting for fellas? Get dancing! I highly recommend argentine tango and/or west coast swing. For the sake of women’s toes everywhere, please wear proper dance shoes! I thank you kindly!
Bethany — January 29th, 2011, 6:16 pm
Oops! Dear Moderator, Please delete this message & the message I am replying to… It seems my internet connection is a bit hanky [as I kept getting connection error problems when iwas trying to submit my initial comment] and it ultimately led me to creating duplicate message. Deeply apologetic for the hassle. Best wishes, Bethany
Ravin Chand — January 24th, 2011, 10:55 am
Help! I’ve been on the slow-carb diet for 3 weeks and haven’t lost any weight. Plus, no significant signs of fat loss. Am I eating too much or two little? I’m 28 years old, 6’1 and 206 Ibs., and between 20-30% body fat. I’m testing the diet without exercise. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Typical non-binge day meals:
Wake up – 10:00am
1000ml ice water
3 Brazil nuts
Breakfast – Between 10:30-11:00am
1 can of drained 365 Organic black/red/pinto beans (around 300 calories)
3 eggs cooked in 1 tsp. of KellyGold butter
1 cup of loose-leaf green tea
10 apricot seeds
Lunch – Around about 5pm
Either:
a) Chipotle
Burrito bol with no rice, more black beans, vegetables and meat. Meat is usually Barbacoa or Canitas.
500 ml bottled water
A few dabs of original Tabasco sauce
Or:
b) Whole Food Cafeteria
Southwestern salad/Cuban Brisket/Tandoori chicken (Thin sauces. Confirmed both do not have any sugar, dairy or fruit in the listed ingredients.)
1 cup of Spinach
2 hard boiled eggs
1 cup of black beans
500 ml bottled water
Dinner – around about 10pm
500 ml of water and:
a) Steak dinner
About a 1/2 Ib. grass-fed rib eye steak garnished with a little salt and pepper, fat removed, cooked in 1 tsp. Kellygold butter.
1 cup of spinach
1 can of lentil beans or black/red/pinto beans
Cholula hot sauce
Or:
b) Chicken dinner
1/2 Ib. of chicken breast garnished with a little salt, pepper, thyme and basil, cooked in 1 tsp. Kellygold butter.
1 cup of spinach
1 can of lentil beans or black/red/pinto beans
Cholula hot sauce
Before bed –
3 Brazil nuts
1000ml water
In addition, I’m doing PAGG, Cod liver, Vitamin D3, and Aloe Vera supplements, 2 cold showers (in the morning and before bed) and getting about 7 hrs. of sleep a night.
On my binge days, I got all out, eating cookies, bread, almond butter, fries, cream soda, etc., although my first meal is high protein like my non-binge days, and I have Kombucha at lunch. I also have Yerba Mate with Cinnamon and no more than two insulin spikes. By the end of the day, I feel like a gross pig and never want to eat sugar again, if that’s any indication.
Okay, that’s about it. Any advice would be great appreciated. Thanks!
Misryane — January 24th, 2011, 12:04 pm
forget the 1000 ml ice water and 3 brazil nuts upon waking and eat your breakfast instead…
Peter Bold — January 24th, 2011, 2:33 pm
Ravin,
maybe you have too much legumes seems like 150 g to me, even after subtracting the dietary fibre.
All the best
Peter
Matt — January 24th, 2011, 4:02 pm
When are you weighing yourself? There could be fluctuations based on that.
Are you also taking measurements? This might tell more of the story.
I would stick to the diet to complete the 4 to 6 weeks and get your body fat tested. You might be surprised. Since you mentioned a wide range of 20% to 30% body fat I’m guessing that you based this off of the pictures in his book. It takes a little while before a loss of body fat becomes visually noticeable.
Danielle — January 24th, 2011, 6:15 pm
When are you weighing yourself?
Michael Lemus — January 27th, 2011, 10:42 am
@Ravin
So I had a similar problem myself when I started the SCD about 4 weeks ago. I’m 5’10″ and weighed 206 lbs. For the first 3 weigh ins, I lost a total of 2 lbs and no changes in any of my measurements (waist, thighs, arms). Instead of getting discouraged, I focused on the qualitatives like my general mood and feelings of well-being. Also, as you will find out from reading comments, we are not alone in our apparent inability to lose weight while following the diet strictly. Luckily, now in my fourth week I lost 4 lbs and am now under the 200 lbs mark for the first time in years.
My diet looks eerily similar to yours, down to the supplements and testosterone protocol. Keep your chin up and stick with it. If you are doing exactly as you say you are, then there is no reason you shouldn’t start seeing results soon. One other thing I would do is to make sure to take those waist, thigh, and arm measurements so that even if you can’t weigh it, you can measure some changes in body composition.
Best,
-Michael
Greg H — February 2nd, 2011, 9:52 pm
6 hours without food is too long
MN — February 24th, 2011, 4:44 pm
try substituting ghee for the kelly butter. could be a lactose issue.
Cameron Dyck — January 24th, 2011, 11:26 am
Hey Tim,
Notice one thing that fall through the cracks in the corrections.
The Allicin 6000 Garlic should be 350 mg, 90 caplets. They are not produced at 650mg caplets in quantities of 100.
Kevin Swan — January 24th, 2011, 11:31 am
Tim,
Above you say cream for coffee is ok because it doesn’t have lactose. I thought cream is high in lactose (and carbs!)? Can you clarify? I’m moderating a group of 4HBers, and want to make sure we’re steering them in the right direction.
Kevin
(Down 45lbs in 4 months. Stronger than ever! Thanks, Tim!)
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 10:50 pm
Please see http://www.nutritiondata.com — full-fat cream. I recommend cinnamon instead, of course.
Heather — February 11th, 2011, 2:59 pm
This may seem trivial, but I’ve been putting cinnamon in my coffee and it doesn’t melt or mix in. It turns to sludge at the bottom of the cup. Is there a certain kind of cinnamon? I really want a little (3Tbs. of vanilla soy milk, but I want reults more).
Rebecca — March 30th, 2011, 8:36 pm
okay – I’ve seen this at least 2 times now so while you can put it in your cup it is much better when brewed in – this is how I make cinnamon coffee. Fill the pot with water, fill the filter with coffee…then add 1 tsp (that’s teaspoon) to the GROUNDS. Let the coffee maker do the rest. The only time I add cinnamon to a cup is for my tea, then it is for heat (holistic healers know that if you are cold, use cinnamon in your tea to ward off chills) I also use 1/4 tsp tumeric (helps relieve achy joints) and 1/4 tsp ginger powder (helps with digestion) I grate ginger into my protien drinks and when I cook. The site I use is asianhealthsecrets.com by authur Letha Haddady. I have several of her books and have successfully used her remedies, many of which are already in your kitchen.
Tim – check out the site – I’d like to see a collaboration of you and Letha. That would be a phenomenal book!
Vanessa — January 24th, 2011, 11:35 am
Hello, Tim,
I love your book, and have already lost 7 pounds in two weeks…not bad!
So, to keep me motivated and others, I have started a group on facebook for people to post their results and questions so that we can help each other.
I hope that you don’t mind…
The group can be found for those that want to excel in this diet at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_103604729716668
(copy and paste the link in your browser if it is not active)
Please join so that we can all keep up with Tim’s latest news. You may post your results or any new findings or interesting story you see about his book.
Not many of my friends are doing this diet, so It would be great to have all of you join so that we can discuss the diet and progress.
Karen — January 24th, 2011, 2:08 pm
Also, did you mean “sriracha” instead of “srichacha”? Thanks for turning me on to the kettlebell!
Chris — January 24th, 2011, 2:20 pm
Is it normal to feel high (like a crazy sugar high) on the cheat day? Every cheat day I have had I feel like I have been eating Pixie sticks all day. Although I am eating a lot of really good stuff, it really is not a lot of sugar. Has anyone felt this way? Is there anything I should do to keep it at a minimum?
Cathy Ferguson — July 23rd, 2011, 5:19 pm
I had my first cheat day yesterday since that is my husband’s day off from his resident manager job and had the same rush even though I was trying to stay away from too much sugar and opted for high calorie meals…I started with my usual scb breakfast. I don’t eat a lot of sweets as a rule. I had my grapefruit juice followed by a sweet potato, 2 Barbara’s organic shredded wheat bisquits (no sugar or, added sodium)l with berries ( and a little milk, My homemade eggplant spaghetti sauce with whole grain pasta (my husband eats the rest during the week) with lots of grated Romano and Parmesan cheese, cheese is my all time favorite food…explains the need for the diet. I also ate out and had a japanese bento box with gyoza, beef teriyaki and california rolls with low sodium soy and wasabi. I had 1 cup of Haagan-Das 5 Vanilla ice cream after dinner with fresh peaches and drank green tea and ice water all day. I was sooooooo full all day and don’t think I could have force fed myself any more, but I had a floaty feeling all day and this morning I was crabby and had trouble waking up. I had dizzy spells mid morning which concerned me but they disappeared after and extra cup of coffee with cinnamon. Could be I need to add a little more caffeine on my binge day or, do more squats after meals. I haven’t read the entire book so there may be other things I need to add to the process. I couldn’t imagine doing the sugar consumption Tim mentions. Anybody out there with suggestions?
Manuel P — January 24th, 2011, 2:26 pm
Hey Tim,
Really been into 4HB and 4HWW and would love the opportunity to bring you to Columbia Uni for a speaking engagement. Let me know how we can this happen via Email or twitter @MOPFresco. Hope you see this.
Rob — January 24th, 2011, 2:35 pm
Tim,
You may have saved my life, or I should write prevented my early death!
Based on suggestions in the Four Hour Body, I had a comprehensive blood test, which identified excess levels of Iron in my blood (Hemochromatosis) . Turns out this is pretty serious if left untreated.
I don’t have any symptoms of this and would never have found it without your book and recommendation to pony up for the “mac daddy” blood and urine test.
Just wanted to say thank you and recommend others consider having the blood testing, too!
Rob
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 10:43 pm
Great work, Rob, and so glad you made the find. Everyone, please get blood testing done. It’s invaluable.
Charlie — January 24th, 2011, 2:52 pm
Hey thanks for summarizing some of the common slow-carb issues. I lost only 0.2 lb and almost zero total inches last week. Looking back, maybe it was due to an increase in Cheese Meals. I’m trying to do this as a vegetarian and figured a bowl of cheese cubes or a layer of cheese dip on my broccoli had to be better than a loaf of bread. I’ll have to back off on the cheese and see what happens.
In the long term, if it’s me or the animals, too bad for the animals. But I want to try it the no-meat way first. Which means I’m also breaking the no-soy and no-gluten rules in my favorite imitation meat products. We’ll see how things go for the next few weeks.
I might have gone too far with almonds and other nuts too… Maybe I should just go back and re-read the relevant chapters.
I’m not offended at all by the apparently curt attitude. There was a section in 4HWW where Tim did something similar with outsourcers to empower them and take himself out of the information flow. This feels similar. I’ll consider myself duly authorized to self-experiment and RTFM.
Charlie — January 26th, 2011, 9:52 am
Note that, even with gluten/soy based fake meats and the occasional dairy products, I’m still down about 8 lb in 3 weeks. On “Dorito Day” I can really feel the difference in blood sugar & insulin levels. I could be doing better, but this is still an improvement.
Meghan — January 24th, 2011, 3:05 pm
Hey, Tim: so eating 30 grams of protein has been a challenge–my body rejects that much food in the morning– and though i’ve lost about 12 lbs in a couple of weeks, i’d like to give it a 100% go. any pointers on the best shake i can drink in the morning–as in, doesn’t taste like hell and doesn’t include a million extra calories? Anybody?
Tim — January 29th, 2011, 1:02 pm
I love Vega protein shakes. Produced by vegan triathalete, Brendan Brazier. Highly recommend it.
Alison — February 28th, 2011, 3:24 pm
Hey Meghan-
I know it’s been awhile since you (and others) posted about looking for a shake option. I’ve been giving the slow carb diet a try and wrote a bout the smoothie I make for myself every morning. http://healthnutnation.com/2011/02/09/the-4-hour-body-breakfast-shake/
It’s really good!
Scott — January 24th, 2011, 3:07 pm
Tim or anyone else…whats a good resource for slow-carb food/meal alternatives. The cookbook is very short, and I dont eat several of the things mentioned (tuna, etc) Or, shoud I simply be using the “no white carb” rule-of-thumb?
Ross — February 1st, 2011, 8:54 am
Google palaeo recipes and besides the ads for a book, you can find some great ideas – or learn to cook mexican – just do the substitutes Tim talks about.
Cheers
Vince A. — January 24th, 2011, 3:24 pm
Tim,
Great book, I’m really enjoying it. I’ve been doing the SCD for two weeks and have already lost 18 lbs!! Did I mention that loss is without exercise? It is! I have a question about muscular contraction on binge days. Your Dr. Oz segment reminded me of a question I had. My guilty pleasure is Ike’s Place in SF, afterward I walk back home to the Mission.
Do you think that a brisk 1.8 mile walk (mostly flat/takes about 30 minutes) is sufficient to activate GLUT-4 content, or should I be doing air squats once I arrive home?
Thanks again, I hope to continue to make progress and will add in exercise to this end!
You rock,
Vince
David — January 24th, 2011, 3:48 pm
I did the Ice packs last night and drank ice water with my protein shake this morning and lost a kilo since yesterday!
Thanks Tim!
Quick question though:
I’m doing the cinnamon and lemon juice and the muscle contractions before and after EVERY meal during the week, even when I’m not binging, am I overdoing it? Will this added effort brink quicker results?
Matt — January 24th, 2011, 4:06 pm
Seeking advice on the ice baths.
I’m working my way up to 10 minuet cold showers (because I’m a wuss.) Five minuets currently. What are the rules for warming up afterwards?
For example. Can I immediately wrap myself in blankets and get some coffee or do I need to bask in the crazy cold until my body gradually warms up?
McKenzie — January 24th, 2011, 4:12 pm
Tim,
Amazing book, I blasted though it, dropping weight like it’s cool. Saucy cocktail dress hanging on the fridge as inspiration. PLEASE tell me you can convince a guinea pig to assist in a second edition that helps us lady folks with things fifteen minutes of fun, some of us ladies would like to improve our skillz too, besides, who doesn’t appreciate a little gift giving? Also wondering if you had any pointers on female fertility improvement, granted, weight loss and some healthy fitness and sleep quality are a huge move in the right direction, but if there’s pointers out there like a handful of almonds that anyone knows and would share, it would be greatly appreciated.
~m
Sonia Simone — January 26th, 2011, 10:06 am
Four Hour Body for Women would rock.
I realize there’s plenty of information for women there now, but it would be cool and inspiring to have a women’s book with more examples from the gal’s side of the fence. Also, please don’t make it pink.
Matt — January 24th, 2011, 4:20 pm
My wife is pretty jealous.
I’ve been on the diet. Slo-Carb and the Testosterone Boost plan for about a week. The difference is noticeable. I lost an inch off my waist. I’ve even had to go the basement to dig out the old college pants.
Problem is my wife is pregnant again and can’t get on the diet or get into the exercises like Kettleball. It’s a bit too strenuous you
You have any lower intensity work-outs she could partake in?
Gen — January 24th, 2011, 4:33 pm
Nice work on Dr. Oz! Just watched it online. That was more like 3 months worth of binge food…
Thanks for the clarification section. Its been really helpful. A friend and I have been challenging ourselves with the plan, and we’re both doing good. I’m loosing weight, but the biggest thing is very little sugar cravings or hunger at all! Love it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Alex — January 24th, 2011, 4:35 pm
Hi Tim,
I just read your book and love it.
Once again, you make me thinking about the common believes and questioning them.
I am overweight and would like to change that. Therefore I will try out the slow carb diet.
But I am a little bit skeptical. Usually a diet is only temporary. Is the slow carb diet also meant to be temporary (until I have lost the weight) or is it meant to be a longtime nutrition plan? If it is meant to be temporary, what should I do after diet? I kind of am afraid to of the jojo effect. Should I eat only certain food after the diet?
André — January 29th, 2011, 11:42 am
Alex, this is meant to be a way of life, as far as eating goes. There is no reason to go off of the SCD. The only time you would change it a bit, is if you were to try the Geek to Freak/Occam’s Protocol, as you would need more calories. However, the SCD would still be the base for your eating.
One thing I can tell you, is after the first week I no longer craved the “crappy” foods. Today is cheat day #2. I’ve had a piece of cake, and an apple so far as my crappy foods(after a good breakfast, of course), and it’s weird. I wanted them, psychologically. Not physically. After eating them, I was almost disgusted with the taste. Well, on the cake, anyways. The apple was okay, at best.
So, by all means, try this diet. However, be honest with your effort, and don’t be overly critical. Today marks the end of week 2, and the scale never changed from last week’s 7lb loss, HOWEVER, last night I was able to put on an old pair of 36″ jeans. Before starting the SCD, I was wearing a 40″ jean. In 2 weeks, I lost that much arse and waist!!!! And I’m not even that fat. Fat, yes, but not obese, and I made that kind of loss.
Give it a go Alex. If you don’t like it after a month, you can always go back to what you were doing before, right?
Tanner Campbell — January 24th, 2011, 4:41 pm
Tim,
First day on the program (20lbs in 30 days) — I’m getting pretty intense headaches. In the book you mention the most likely cause is insufficient portioning … I don’t think that’s the case. I know I’m not supposed to post my website, but if you click on my name above my user icon, you’ll see the portions I’ve been giving myself, I’m photographing everything I eat as you suggested. I’m not being shy on the portions.
I’ve consumed about 6 glasses of water today, could it be a lack of hydration? Could it be a withdrawal symptom of not eating carbohydrates?
Any input you could offer, even if it’s just copy and pasted from the book — maybe something I missed — I’d be grateful.
Thanks,
Tanner Campbell
Carolyn — January 24th, 2011, 8:39 pm
Your problem might be the corn. It’s a grain. Eliminate that and see what happens.
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 3:20 am
Hi Tanner,
first of all your website looks great. How big are your glasses of water? 6 glasses doesn´t sound that much anyways.
Your protein intake seems low to me, even when counting in the protein from the lentils. My girlfriend eats more than double the amount of meat at 120 lbs (funny coincidence: I lost her weight in body fat).
Is this around 1 cup of cooked lentils with each meal or less? How much oil or butter do you add to your meals?
On the other hand I would leave out the corn, as it is a grain and will give you around 30 g of carbs per cup with only 3 g of fiber and 4 g of protein.
All the best
Peter
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 4:03 am
As Peter said I think your not eating enough. I agree for the corn too
At Least 8 glasses of water is a minimum to keep yourself hydrated.
Good luck !
Tanner Campbell — January 25th, 2011, 4:55 am
Peter,
I hadn’t considered a lack of protein. To be honest I wasn’t all together sure what an adequate amount was. Perhaps you have a suggestion as to the total amount of protein I should be looking to ingest?
I overlooked the fact that corn was a grain, you’re 100% correct. I’ll cut it immediately.
Misrayne,
8 glasses at least, check. Perhaps you could clear something up for me — I haven’t been able to get a definitive answer. Green tea: does it dehydrate you? I’d have a much simpler time drinking 4 glasses of green tea and 4 glasses of water than I would trying to choke down 8 glasses of water.
Thanks guys, I appreciate the hand holding.
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 5:44 am
Yes you can drink the water as green tea no problem…BUT be careful about cafein AND NO SUGAR
Tanner Campbell — January 25th, 2011, 11:31 am
Misrayne,
When you say “be careful of the caffeine … do you have a daily limit in mind? Thanks for the input!
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 3:00 pm
No I don’t have a strict limit, you’ll have to test to find how much you can drink without having any troubles (like sleeping problems…)
Claire Taylor — January 25th, 2011, 6:04 am
From my experience, it could be withdrawl symptoms from sugar but I would also try and drink more than you are.
Tanner Campbell — January 25th, 2011, 11:33 am
Hey Claire,
Appreciate the comments. I have been trying to drink more water, and I’m sure lack of sugar has SOMETHING to do with it … today the headache has been minimal … perhaps I’m adjusting? Thanks again.
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 9:34 am
Tanner,
at your weigth I would shoot for at least 200 g of protein. I tried up to 400 g and felt great.
Also upping the fat intake made starting a weight loss phase a lot easier.
I´m drinking around 50 ounces of green tea and 50 ounces of mate every day without problems. You could also try putting some lemon juice and cinammon in your water.
Peter
Tanner Campbell — January 25th, 2011, 11:30 am
Peter, can I ingest that additional protein in pill form? Does it matter? Thanks for your help.
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 6:25 am
Hi Tanner,
you could try shakes it would be a mountain of pills to swallow.
Peter
Rewdy — January 28th, 2011, 11:21 am
Tanner,
Maybe someone else already mentioned this, but the other thing you could do if you find yourself hungry and light-headed is add some more legumes–beans, lentils, etc. I didn’t see a lot of these in your pictures. I know some people don’t like them, but I’ve found that adding a half cup to a cup per meal makes a huge difference in how long I stay feeling full. That, in addition to what Peter has already noted–making sure you get enough protein–may make a big difference for you.
I think in the book Tim says make sure you have a minimum of 20g of protein per meal. That means 20 OR MORE grams is good.
Good luck!
Meghan — January 24th, 2011, 4:56 pm
Hi Tim,
A big congratulations on your success; I just watched you on Dr. Oz, and he looked pretty impressed!
Two things I want to say:
THANK YOU for your respectful yet discerning attitude toward vegetarianism. As a vegetarian, I was thrilled to even see mention of this way of eating, as most athletes positively laugh at anyone wanting to be fit without including meat in their diet, and this attitude is simply ignorant. There really isn’t one health author out there who can discuss vegetarianism without being self-righteous and condescending, no matter what side they are on. Your call to sanity in discussions of the topic was just so refreshing. For someone who reads health stuff all day long, it was a relief. I truly hope more will follow your example.
I want to point you toward just one very interesting article–a letter, actually, written by Dr. Gabriel Cousens to Dr. Mercola on the subject. You might find it interesting. http://www.gabrielcousens.com/SACREDSPACE/SPARKTHESOUL/GABRIELSBLOG/LETTERTODOCTORMERCOLA/tabid/525/language/en-US/Default.aspx
You mentioned you have searched for an indigenous culture that was truly vegetarian. I would say even if there weren’t any alive today, it doesn’t mean there weren’t plenty at one point of time. When humans find something that tastes good, whether it’s meat or refined sugar, they’ll eat it, whether or not the body is equipped to handle it.
Number two: Thank you for the 15-minute female orgasm! That chapter alone was worth the price of the book. It was beyond gratifying to actually read USEFUL advice on sex for women. Not to mention just personally validating. I’m really tired of our reputation as just being weird, impossible to figure out, or just “needing too much to be happy” in the bedroom. It ain’t rocket science! Finally, the “mystery” has been broken down–for the male and female mind. I don’t have to try your suggestions to know they work. THANK YOU for giving us some attention!!!
builder — January 24th, 2011, 5:17 pm
Tim,
I have loads of respect for your work. But I’m genuinely curious, are you not afraid that some of your recommendations, predicated on case studies rather than submitted to peer reviewed journals, might actually be bad for some people? Are you concerned about this legally and / or ethically? You had a bunch of typos in the book, but the consequences of that aren’t somebody’s life. I would hate to hear of someone suing you because of some allergic reaction or unintended effect of some of your more unorthodox prescriptions.
Cheers
Builder
Ali Zaidi — January 24th, 2011, 5:44 pm
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the follow up points on the Slow Carb Diet. I’m planning on getting a DEXA Scan and BodPod done. You recommend getting a blood test done if I’m not seeing results with the slow carb diet. What kind of blood test should I ask for? It seems my body adds on the belly as soon as I eat any carbs regardless of the form they are in (starch, fruit, wholegrains even legumes). Thanks again.
Ali
Miles Rose — January 24th, 2011, 5:58 pm
I ate tape measures. My weight is is my stomach and my back, but I dont look at my back. So yesterday I went in and purchased Jeans in waist sizes 42, 40, 38, 36, 34, 32 and 30. The cashier thought I was a little strange. I am. I have lost 70 lbs twice and gained it back 3 times. Its getting too hard to do at my age, 56, so Im going to do it Tim’s way. Except no tape measure. Jeans measure.
carl Johnson — February 10th, 2011, 11:58 am
Awesome!
kls — January 24th, 2011, 6:42 pm
Can anyone tell me…can you boost your metabolism, if you do not have a thyroid and take synthroid?
Lynn — January 24th, 2011, 7:01 pm
See “Science Daily” for research results on enhancing levels of adipinectin: exercise , taking resveratrol and African mango (Irvingia) increased adiponectin levels.
The tone of all you write in this blog seems addressed to men. Can you speak to that? Wish someone would do for female breast enlargement what you are doing for weight loss and heath. It would be too dangerous to experiment on one’s self, though.
Nick — January 24th, 2011, 8:06 pm
holy cheesecake batman,
congrats on the dr. oz show
Courtney — January 24th, 2011, 8:31 pm
Hey Tim! Congrats on all the appearances!
Question: Since I’ve read Dana’s comment on the black bean pasta…I was curious and researched this myself…
I’ve stumbled upon black bean flour…Ingredients: Black Beans.
Though I know the bulk of the meal shouldn’t be BEANS BEANS BEANS…I was wondering
is this new-fangled “Black Bean Flour” ( And some other friendly bean flours )
Could they be used to make a pasta ?
and therefor my question is ( as is Dana’s ) Is there something awful and unheard of in black bean flour that we should be aware of ? Or do you think we should be able to count it like any other bean that we add to our plate?
P.S: I love the idea of self experimentation, which my question MAY fall under, but I wanted to run it by you and see if you’ve ever heard of using such a thing.
Thanks so much! Best wishes and Congrats with the new book!
Jason L — January 24th, 2011, 8:53 pm
Hello to the 4HB community,
First off, thank you Mr. Ferriss for your tips and tricks covered in your book.
The fiancee and I are trying to make positive changes in 2011. Mostly organic produce, no artifical sweetners, slim to no dairy products, and this was all before 4HB. Now after Dr. Oz, 30g of protien within 30 mins, cold showers/ice baths and grapefruit juice + active squats prior to bingeing are nice little add-ons. We’re physically inactive but that will be changing soon.
To pose a question to the community-at-large, I am a sailor with the Canadian Navy and well don’t have great access to nutritional food on-board during sails/deployments. I try and substitute breakfast with protein powder (whey isolate or soy from VEGA) mix in a bit of Omega 3-6 oil and a scoop of Greens+ or VeggiePlus for the nutrients. I get around 33g of protein according to nutritional labels and try to drink water and tea (green exclusively). I stay away from potatoes as much as I can and eat mostly the protein option for lunch and dinner. Often there is salad and such available but covered in huge amounts of dressing making it virtually pointless to consume. Fresh fruit is available ranging from bananas to kiwis. Hardly any grapefruit juice.
So I ask of anyone who could provide any tweaks to this plan that’d be great. Couldn’t find a better place to post this request.
Good luck to you all on your progress, will post updates when they come available.
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 6:29 am
Hi Jason,
I would suggest getting rid of the soy protein powder.
All the best
Peter
J — January 24th, 2011, 8:55 pm
Tim,
In your book you mention a few resources designed to get women over their reservations about sex. I was wondering if you had any such resources for men?
Raised in a very strict religious family I have discover that there is quite a bit of shame / repression for me in this areas as well….
Thanks
Chris Formosa — January 24th, 2011, 10:21 pm
While tim’s book is great, i think its absolute crap that Tim recommends Alibaba.com – 85% of products on that website are fraud. Any supplier can get “gold” status without any verification other than providing an address.
85% of suppliers on alibaba use address from manufacturing plants in china and then post fake products and then accept a western union money transfer.
DO NOT USE ALIBABA.COM SO MANY SCAMS!
greg — January 24th, 2011, 10:24 pm
Tim,
Thanks much for the book. fabulous! I’ve lost 12 lbs, going for 8 more!
I found this fabulous book called “My System” by Muller. (free at google books). it’s written in the early 1900′s and it’s a classic masterpiece. suggest you check it out if you haven’t seen it. suggest you check it out in research for a follow-up book on how to maintain health and fitness. his routines regarding the skin as a body organ are really fascinating. i’m sure with your skills in figuring the least for the most gain, you could come up with a fantastic maintenance routine. all of his exercises don’t use weights. it’s a great read.
Keep up the great work!
Greg
Mark — January 24th, 2011, 11:06 pm
Great stuff Tim. Just did 5 weeks of BR’s deadlift program (Effortless Superhuman)…Went from 315 1RM to 355 x2 reps and definatly added a inch or two to my vertical (never measured *sad face*) Unfourtantly I lost a couple pounds as well. (172 to 168 )
BTW I’m going to be giving the Geek to Freak a try. Planning continuing Paleo with the addition of atleast a litre of Goats Milk per day.
Question: Do you see anything wrong with doing IFing along with the Geek to Freak as long as I’m still getting the kcals in ? (16hr fast / 8hr feed)
Salman Sajid — January 24th, 2011, 11:07 pm
Special Case for you:
My wife wakes up at about 6:30 to feed and change our baby. She’s up for about an hour and then goes back to sleep.
She’s doing what your dad did by having a protein shake within 30 minutes of waking up.
My question to you is, should she have the protein shake when she wakes up at 6:30 or when she wakes up normally later in the morning?
ps: btw, thanks for kudos. I hope my ad helped you sell some books!
Mark — January 25th, 2011, 8:19 am
I kind of fit in on that special case too…I work a rotating shift of one week day shift, one week evening shift, and one week midnights.
I can handle the various recommendations about breakfast, lunch, lunch and dinner, but the question I have is regarding cholesterol. In the book you say that the body builds cholesterol between midnight and 4AM…Is that regardless of when the major sleep of the day is?
I’m starting today, and am very excited, this is the first fitness book I’ve read that makes sense to me.
Gregory Elfrink — January 24th, 2011, 11:40 pm
Yo Tim,
I think first-time I’ve commented here, long-time fan, in fact you’re my biggest role model in the world of business and now fitness ; )
I haven’t picked up your new book yet, but should be here in the next week or so. Really looking forward to it man, read part of the first chapter at my local bookstore and found myself laughing at all the awesome stories.
You’ve outdone yourself Mr. Ferris ; )
I’ll let you know the results of me going on it. Want to lose 30 lbs of fat and gain 10-15 pounds of muscle to start off with, but I am pretty uneducated in the world of health & fitness at the moment, so we shall see how those goals change.
Take care man, be back soon to comment again!
sssundae — January 25th, 2011, 12:00 am
Hi! I started the slow carb diet yesterday..and I am wondering about tofu (soy). I am not sure if this was already posted or not but can somebody please tell me if I can eat tofu as one of my protein sources?
Thanks!
Dwight — January 27th, 2011, 12:30 am
From everything I read in the book Sundae, it is a bad source of protein on the diet and in general it should be taken in moderation. Check out 4HB page 545 in the book.
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 12:27 pm
Do you best to avoid soy. Read the Meatless section in the back of the book. Soy does strange things to our bodies. Use unsweetened when protein. Tim lists some brands that won’t make you gag.
Alison — January 25th, 2011, 1:05 am
Wow! Barbara Walters was grouchy! What was her deal? It was like pulling teeth with her!
Biren Shah — January 25th, 2011, 1:14 am
Hi Tim,
I’ve some good success (down 11lbs in 5 weeks), while cheating like hell. (I’m happy with the progress.)
I’m loving the weight loss, but I’m loving the feeling of being effective, being in control, and having weekly–or even daily–successes even more.
This week I’m doing a series of posts about what I’ve learned so far. Check it out if you get a chance: http://www.birenshah.com/194/5-week-on-slowcarb-5-lessons-learned/
Thanks for all the work–been really benefiting from it!
Biren
Mark — January 25th, 2011, 1:33 am
Great book! I’ve recommended it to all my friends, made my own kettlebell and am getting my six pack back!
Question on the protocol for increasing testosterone: In an effort to save money, I am buying the cod liver oil and Irish butter separately, but I couldn’t find how much butter to eat if it’s the Kerrygold. Do I just eat it plain along with the cod liver oil?
Keep up the great (and insane) work!
Jack — January 25th, 2011, 2:06 am
Tim-
Just wanted to say I really enjoyed 4HB. Lost 2 inches at the waist and 10 lbs after 2 weeks. Oh, and great job on Barbara’s show. I found her reactions (and lack there off) quite funny. Will you be posting the Dr Oz segment? Can’t seem to find it any place.
Be well, Jack
Becky — February 7th, 2011, 9:35 am
Jack,
Here is a link to the Tim’s segment on the Dr. Oz show:
Juan — January 25th, 2011, 2:34 am
Tim:
He empezado a leer tu libro… me parece increible, es fascinante como puedes cambiar tanto con tan poco; gracias por cambiar mi vida. Los mejores deseos, deberia nominarte para personaje del año o algo asi.
pd: pense que un poco de español te caeria bien
Marina — January 25th, 2011, 2:59 am
Hey Tim!
I just wrote an email to Jill to enquire about translation rights to your book. I am an editor at a publishing house in Barcelona (we publish in Catalan and Spanish language) and your book fits perfectly in our list. I sent all the information to Jill – I hope to hear from her or you soon.
Best wishes,
M.
Jamie — January 25th, 2011, 3:44 am
NICE WORK TIM!!!! I’m a 25yr old chef/structural bodyworker livin in Kauai, and also back and forth between the NW and CA. Even with the travel I CRUISED THROUGH EVERY PAGE OF 4HB WITHIN 4 DAYS OF ITS RELEASE. FOLLOWING PROTOCOL. AMAZING RESULTS. HAD POOR DIGESTION AND MY METABOLISM IS REVIN NOW. EVERY PERSON I SHARE MY PASSION FOR YOUR BOOK HAS THEIR OWN COPY NOW. (wish i was on commission)
ALSO, HAPPY TO SEE DR.OZ SO RECEPTIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF ALL THE HARD WORK YOU PUT IN…. ESPECIALLY AFTER BARBARA WALTERS BITTERNESS….
IT MAKES ME GLOW TO SEE YOUR UNCONVENTIONAL METHODOLOGY SUCCESSFULLY CATCHING LIKE WILDFIRE. YOU ARE A LEADER IN TRUSTING YOUR OWN AUTONOMY. IT HAS NOT ONLY LED TO YOUR PERSONAL SUCCESS IN BOTH BUSINESS AND SELF, BUT IT HAS INSPIRED A MASSIVE SUCCESS FOR A WHOLE POPULATION. YOU’VE WRITTEN MORE THAN A BOOK, YOU’VE STARTED A MOVEMENT. (feel free to quote that one, hehe)
GENUINELY, THANK YOU. CANT WAIT FOR WHATS NEXT.
AND LASTLY, TIM (dont know why i haven’t heard any mention yet) WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH USING A MICROWAVE?!?!? SO confused by this decision as health is most definitely a common priority for us. Knowing what I know about you I’m sure you’ve done your research…. so WHATS UP? : )
Lorraine — January 29th, 2011, 2:43 pm
I was thinking exactly the same thing about the microwave…LOTS of research out there about the dangers of microwave!!
Nonetheless, LOVE the book! Thanks for being our guinea pig Tim!!
Alex CC — January 25th, 2011, 4:04 am
Hi Tim!!
Do you Know when the Spanish version will be aviable?
Thanks!!
Igor — January 25th, 2011, 4:18 am
Hello Tim!
The 4-hour body will be released in Brazil? I already bought the first book, and I haven´t found the 4-hour body stores.
Thank you for your excellent work.
Igor (from Brazil)
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 6:14 am
1 question for anybody that can answer : It’s my third week on the slow-carb and I begin to have chocolate craving this week…I take 1 pill of Magnesium befor bed every evening so I must not be low on magnesium…Can it be a symptom ? and do you have a suggestion for me ?
Thanks all.
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 9:07 am
Misryane,
wich type of magnesium do you use and how many mg? If it´s the cheaper magnesium oxide, bioavailibilty is very low and you could be deficient, even when 1 pill a day.
I use magensium citrate (bougth in a 500 g container for 15,95 Euro) at the moment and will cycle back to the chelatet version by Biotest when I do harder workouts.
Dax Moy who wrote a lengthy article about the relation between magnesium and chocolate cravings also recommends the orotate and glyconate form.
All the best
Peter
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 9:15 am
OK thank you very much Peter !
I didn’t check what type of magnesium the pharmacist gave me…It’s magnesium chloride. I will try to take more pills as the recommanded quantities are 5 to 8 pills per day and see if there’s any change…
Again thank you very much
Misryane.
Misryane — January 26th, 2011, 2:49 am
Hi Peter !
I was thinking that you seems to be in Europe so maybe you can answer me : I have a very hard time to find the PAGG and I definitively didn’t find the Athletic greens since they say that they don’t deliver in France. I found the CQ, ALA and green tea extract In England but still waiting for my parcel…it’s very very long…Can you tell me where did you find those if you’re taking them ? Thanks very much.
Misryane.
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 6:37 am
Hi Misryane,
yes, I am sitting around on Tenerife. I´m not using policosanol and ala, got the garlic and green tee extract from a phamacie and use superfood by Biotest instead of greens, thy ship to europe but it will cost you 70 $ for the shipping regardless of size.
All the best
Peter
Stephen — January 25th, 2011, 7:10 am
I’ve only been on a diet/workout routine for just over a week using this book and i’ve lost 2 inches off of my waist. All i’ve really done is clean up my diet (no more frozen pizzas, no pasta, no Jack in the Box, more celery and broccoli and eggs) and i workout every other day using strength training and the ab exercises. I still drink milk sometimes and i haven’t cut out bread just yet. So the diet works just fine for me and i’m not even strictly adhering to it.
Nic B. — January 25th, 2011, 7:11 am
Tim, I have gotten a lot of useful info out of your book so far. As of 3/10/08, I had lost 75 pounds using exercise, a vegetarian (often vegan) diet, and prayer. I have kept the weight off but never really had a tight, toned look. Although I have not finished reading your book and have only followed the slow carb diet half-heartedly thus far, I have cut back on my usual workouts and added kettlebell swings to my exercise regimen. About a week ago, I had a scare and thought I was developing a tumor, as I had a hard lump on my right abdomen. I checked the left side for comparison, and I had one there too. I felt stupid when I realized what was going on – I am finally getting the abs I’ve always wanted. Thanks so much!
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 10:39 pm
Congratulations, Nic! Keep those abs coming!
Gareth — January 25th, 2011, 8:35 am
Hi Tim,
I just read your post “How to Keep Feces Out of Your Bloodstream”. Any advice myself and other 4-Hour Body readers on good starchy ‘palaeolithic’ substitutes for the brown rice and quinoa on the “Geek to Freak” programme?
Many thanks,
Gareth
Mark — January 27th, 2011, 9:50 am
Yams, Sweet Potatoes are great starchy alternatives…
4-hour-girlfriend — January 29th, 2011, 10:41 am
Hi Tim,
what would happen if i used the supplements from ‘geek to freek’ and applied them to the ‘effortless superhuman’ protocol? Would i still gain more mass than strength? Will i get slow twitch muscle fiber?
Your book has had a big influence on all my family and friends. Thnx a lot,
Jim
Dwight — January 25th, 2011, 8:50 am
Hmmm, wish I had great news to report like so many people here but unfortunately I don’t. I’ve been doing SCD since 1/6/2011 and lost 9 lbs after the first week. Then after a free day Saturday that featured plenty of creme-filled cookies, I measured myself again on the following Tues to see I was back up 6 (net loss 3 lbs.) And now, just over 1 week later I am still down around net 6 lbs total – but not experiencing the kind of dramatic results or dramatic changes others are seeing.
Breakfast is two boiled eggs with spinach or broccoli or carrots or mixed vegetables (all originally frozen.)
Lunch is mixed vegetables and turkey sausage or chicken breast.
And dinner is normally the same as lunch. (with just a different vegetable carb source substitution.)
Canned beans have made cameo appearances in the above meals, and when they’re there the vegetable portions are reduced. But in general canned beans are HIGH in sodium (even the low sodium ones play these silly serving games where it’s 200-380mgs of sodium but the one small can is said to have 2 servings) so canned beans are not an important part fo the diet. Hummus is added to some meals but in moderation.
Snacks (before reading this post): was a mixture of plain unsweetened yogurt and cottage cheese. (If you’ve ever had plain unsweetened yogurt – you understand why.)
Fairly sedentary lifestyle at the moment, no exercise regimen or supplement schedule with the diet. I wanted to isolate the diet to see if it caused weight-loss and so far it’s nothing special for me. The 6 lbs of loss is pale in comparison to what I’m giving up as far as ignoring cravings for carbs which rarely occur, not participating in snack sharing, and staying away from eating out for now (too much temptation.)
I’m just interested in hearing your thoughts; I can’t conceive of any behavioral change between the 9 lbs down and now that can explain the lack of results.
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 9:07 am
Hi Dwight !
Did you take measurements of your arms, legs, hips and waist as suggested ? How many water do you drink ? Do you eat your breakfast upon waking up ?
I just began the third week of the SCD. The forst week I lost 3.74 lbs and 2 cm on arms, legs, and hips but not waist. The second week I took 0.66 lbs BUT I lost again 2 to 3 cm on arms, legs and hips and 3 cm on waist…The lbs is not really significant as a measurement of weight loss…As the SCD should enhance the muscles (muscles are weighing much than fat).
Finally, do you weighing the morning of your binge day ?
Dwight — January 25th, 2011, 11:48 pm
Hi Misryane,
I’ve not started taking measurements yet as I’ve searched without success for the Myotape that took me through a previous Body for Life 12 week cycle. It seemed less important to me to take the total inches measurement on SCD in this self-experiment though as I’m not exercising and therefore it’s unlikely that I’m developing new muscles and recompositioning my body that way. I’m using a bodyfat scale though with full body bioimpedance and the bodyfat has not been moving in addition the lack of weightloss. In fact the lack of bioimpedance changes success that the little weightloss I’ve seen so far is from water weight and not from fat.
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 9:59 am
Dwight,
was your first meal on the binge low carb, did you take grapefruit juice/lemon juice/ cinammon and lots of water with the meals, did you do the contractions, did you take PAGG?
Did you do another binge on 22-01-2011?
Try eating 3 eggs more for breakfast – your protein intake seem low.
Is cooking the beans at home an option.
All the best
Peter
Dwight — January 25th, 2011, 11:56 pm
Hi Peter,
I’m super hydrated – drinking lots of water one of the healthiest habits I have.
On binge/free day the first meal is the same 2 boiled eggs breakfast as every other day since it’s actually very convenient. No PAGG or cinnamon-spiking or contractions though. I’ll try the 3rd egg to see if it makes a difference, but so far my conclusions are starkly disappointing so I’m willing to try anything dietary at this point.
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 10:26 am
Dwight,
what I wanted to say was eat 5 eggs total for breakfast.
Even when not exercising you shoul get the tape measure – I once gained 4 lbs and lost 2 1/2 inches at the waist at the same time. Without the tape measure I would have been pretty discouraged as the bodyfat scale told me I was gaining fat too – they are not reliable.
BTW what are your stats age/heigth/weigth?
All the best
Peter
Jen Wardell — January 26th, 2011, 9:08 am
Sounds like you might not be getting enough calories honestly. I’d try to cook the beans myself if you’re worried about salt. And I’d cut out the yogurt altogether maybe.
And are you at all cranky or anything like that? If so, then it’s probably you’re not eating enough!
Dwight — January 27th, 2011, 7:10 am
@ Peter: I’m 5’10 (177cm’s) 30 y.o and 242 lbs at most recent check.
@ Jen – the 32 fl oz of plain yogurt which I bought after reading the longevity part of the 4HB will be gone by the end of the next free day. Fruit smoothies galore will be the cheat meals of choice – so far I’m thinking pineapple, banana,and mango but no final decisions yet. I’m slightly cranky – but that is due to the fact that old habits are fighting back. I used to eat cereal as a snack food in lieu of Danish cookies, Entemanns (spelling?), any type of cookies, etc. Now that yogurt and cottage cheese to a large extent are gone – I’m not sure what to do for a snack. A high protein pudding seems like an option to try; and I’ll try to add more beans/legumes to see if I’ve been eating too little.
I’m forming a theory based on some more careful investigation that the reason for the weight-loss plateau is due to barbecue sauce. Which sounds crazy but it’s the only change that is consistent daily since the plateau that can explain the slow down. The leading brand of BBQ sauce which I use [very liberally] has the very first ingredient listed as “high FRUCTOSE corn syrup.” Which according to the FDA guidelines that I Googled means it is the most ‘predominant’ ingredient in the sauce. Given that we know fructose spikes insulin resistance and the fact that I’ve been having the sauce at least twice a day to pour over the veggies and chicken — I think we have a culprit. Only testing will confirm but it’s the only everyday change that makes sense to me so far.
Brains — February 7th, 2011, 5:33 pm
My suggestion for cooking your own beans for the next day is to get a thermos type flask. I have a one litre, double layered one. Before i go to bed i pour in as many beans as i want for the next day, fill it with boiling water, and seal it up. Next morning, perfect beans!
Kendra — January 25th, 2011, 9:27 am
Can you please recommend a low carb / high protein shake to drink in the mornings? I can’t seem to get down 30 grams of protein in food form that early. I know you mentioned unflavored whey protein. Any specific brands or types? Thank you!
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 10:29 am
Kendra,
I used ESN Micellar Casein and Metabolic Drive Low Carb Formula by Biotest.
Both contain sucralose but it didn´t seem to slow down my fat loss.
All the best
Peter
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 12:45 pm
I use IsoNatural. It has NO sugar and all of the protein is sourced from the US. There are no artificial flavor, no sugar, no sweetener and no color added.
It tastes kinda like nothing. I add cinnamon and vanilla extract. Hope that helps =D
John — January 25th, 2011, 9:36 am
With the slow carb diet, can I lose fat without losing weight?
I’m 5’10″ and 140 lbs.
I do not need to lose any weight but getting rid of the
belly fat would be nice.
Can this diet work in this way?
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 5:47 am
John,
I believe that people with a very low protein intake can gain muscle when not exercising, when they switch to a diet that higher in protein.
If you add resistance training you should be able to do this body recomposition by burning the fat and building some muscle.
All the best
Peter
Keith Leslie — January 25th, 2011, 9:36 am
I loved the View interview, can’t wait to see the Dr. Oz segment. I missed it, but hopefully can find it on here at some point?
Vasco Patrício — January 25th, 2011, 9:45 am
Hey Tim (and fellow 4HBers),
I’m having a real hard time measuring inches. I can’t find a consistent way to do it. Sometimes I measure more tightly and get lower values, sometimes I measure more loosely and get higher values.
Also, sometimes I measure a bit off from the spot (a bit up from the mid-bicep or down) and the results go bogus.
I’m measuring in centimeters, so maybe in inches the difference is lower.
Just wanted to check if anyone has been having a similar problem, and how did you deal with it.
Cheers!
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 10:34 am
Hi Vasco,
What’s important is that you choose a way to do it and do the same eache time. So you can decide to measure tightly everytime wich I think is more easier…To find the spot to measure I agree that it’s hard sometimes…If the result of my measurement is really strange I just take another one…
Hope this help you
Peter Bold — January 25th, 2011, 10:34 am
Hey Vasco,
nice to hear from you again.
You could try measuring the same spot 3 times and take the average. This is recommended for calipers too.
All the best
Peter
Vasco Patrício — January 25th, 2011, 11:36 am
Good idea. Thanks Peter !
reddir — March 16th, 2011, 7:15 am
I found a retracting tape measure (like the retractable rolls for handyman, but softer/gentler) at Jo-Ann Fabrics.
It also has a hook on the side for holding the loose end (properly placed for accurate measurements).
All you have to do is loop the tape around what you wish to measure, place the end in the hook, and press the retract button.
This will give you consistent technique for each measurement.
(re keeping location of measurement consistent, not sure. maybe find some skin blemish that you can use for reference?)
June — January 25th, 2011, 10:06 am
Hi Tim
I was diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes one month ago. I had 3 gestational diabetic pregnancies….so was pretty much high risk for this. Still I was devastated and determined to find a way to combat the weight gain and long term side effects. I found your book 2 weeks ago and have been doing the 4 hour body diet for one week. I am still taking lantus (long acting ) insulin, but have been able to give up the short acting insulin. I have lost 5 pounds already and looking forward to more. I weigh 184 lbs and am 5′ 5″, so have a ways to go! I love the food plan, and it seems to work well for me. I realize I won’t be able to do a total cheat day every 6 days, but will enjoy some carbs (fruits) on that day. I just received the PAGG supplements 3 days ago and am taking them now. I was wondering if you had encountered any other diabetics in your research and have any additional tips? I am a RN and work 12 hour shifts and find that I have so much more energy with this way of eating.
Thanks,
June
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 5:52 am
June,
maybe you could try doing a binge without carbs, by raising protein and fat intake, to not worsen your medical condition.
All the best
Peter
NCA — January 25th, 2011, 10:42 am
LOL….it look’s as though your new book has opened up can of Q&A worms.
BTW Tim, what kind of protein do you suggest, whey or casein?, what kind of shoes are you wearing on page 258 of your book?, Who cut’s your hair?, Do you prefer Nike or Adidas?, Should I drink water after 10pm on Thursdays?, Should I drink milk on Tuesday’s?, how many pushups should I be doing on Mondays?
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 10:42 am
ààààààààààààààà 75758154356520560000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww*s,fmep^^”=”p’ovggdyèytdodufkdeuurh(ytttttttttifruztrue_ ufitu”phijuufjrurkfuifugçr85686+6++cbxthstyy zeyruzeyurztuaztraydtèeèukegi////000000000.3269p)^$)p55555555555555555522245577
Misryane — January 25th, 2011, 10:47 am
Sorry my child took control of my PC lol…
Consuelo Gonzalez — January 25th, 2011, 11:16 am
I am contemplating buying my first pair of Five Toes Running Shoes, however, I am extremely flat footed. I’m not an extreme runner, but do get out 3-4 times p/wk & average about 15-20 miles p/wk. Are these shoes fit for someone with flat feet?
Abigail — January 30th, 2011, 2:05 am
I seriously wouldn’t start running in Vibrams, if you are a runner you are traditionally used to heel striking because that is how your shoe encourages you to run. To go straight to Five Fingers without working towards bare foot running will damage your feet, seriously. You need to work up to running in the Vibrams.
Stacy — January 25th, 2011, 11:51 am
Just a note – muscle does not weigh more than fat – a pound of gold and a pound of feathers weigh a pound – the gold takes up less space than the feathers just like muscle takes up less space that fat.
Laura Brody — January 25th, 2011, 12:00 pm
I love your books. My husband & I are both approaching 50 and are trying to lose 20lbs each on the slow carb diet. We have a couple of questions:
Myoplex (ready to drink for the AM) – which one? Low carb? Regular? Skip it altogether?
Our 13 year old (skinny) son wants to gain weight. He gets “high” when he has casein (milk) – what supplement do you suggest for him? Everything I have looked at contains milk products.
Sukie Baxter — January 25th, 2011, 1:02 pm
Curious that women over 40 notice the greatest changes after 4-6 weeks on the slow carb program. I’m wondering if it takes that long to regulate hormones, especially estrogen. I know legumes are noted in Ori Hofmekler’s book The Anti-Estrogenic Diet as being a great defense against environmental toxins that act as estrogen in our bodies, so perhaps this 4-6 week period is a bit of a cleansing/rebalancing phase?
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 12:48 pm
Interesting! More reason to eat lentils! Thanks for sharing. =D
Enrique — January 25th, 2011, 1:09 pm
Hey Tim!, ive been doing the slow carb for a few weeks now, it has worked, fine, even though ive taken a relaxed aproach.
my question is more regarding on spot reduction, basically manboobs, i have a set of them, and i cant seem to be able to get rid of them, im 29, im about 89 kg, but when i was a teen after my first real weight loss, i was 70 kg, even then i had them, so, losing weight seems to not be the solution, ive thought of surgery, i dont want any, maybe is a hormonal thing, since i put on my weight prior to puberty,
right now my goal is to be a 32 pants size, but if things are easy enough, i might even go for my sixpack.
great book!!! hope you can answer.
NickR — January 25th, 2011, 1:13 pm
So I’ve followed the slow-carb diet and lost 30 lbs and put on 10-15 lbs of muscle in the last 3 months and didn’t even follow it strictly (my binging period often prolonged to 36-48 hours). So I was pretty impressed with your work. I’m 23 and have a degree in biochemistry so you’ve pretty much inspired me to engage the bodyhacking lifestyle. I now spend a lot of time reading articles and tweaking the variables to meet my needs all while eliminating excess. I’ve been employing your testosterone theories for a couple weeks and it definitely seems to be doing the trick though I haven’t gotten my new levels tested. (My original levels were low, though I suspect the reasoning was that when I originally started the slow carb I erroneously tried to lower my fat/cholesterol consumption to extreme levels as well).
Here’s my actual question. I’m 23 and on the weekends usually go out and party hard with my friends. How do I counteract alcohol’s testosterone lowering abilities while I do this? I’ve so far been experimenting with taking about 50 mg of Zinc before I start drinking but it doesn’t seem to be enough. I figure if anyone knows the answer to this its you. Keep up the good work my man.
Best,
Nick
Cat — January 25th, 2011, 1:22 pm
Sukie…I think your assumption is right on. Hormonal women need much more patience. Period
I am blown away with the positive hormonal shift I’ve been experiencing with lentils/beans 4 times a day. Seriously, first time EVER to have a painless cycle. And well Libido is well too!
As far a environmental toxins, that’s really interesting too, would explain why I’m feeling much more resilient and not so affected by pollutants as much.
I’ll have to look up how long Dr. Schwarzbein’s program usually takes as far as balancing hormones and thus producing the results!
DynastyDC — January 25th, 2011, 1:59 pm
Thanks for the update.
Audrey — January 25th, 2011, 2:34 pm
Hello,
The book is amazing, I’m totally addicted. As someone who always wants to know “why,” this book gives me all the info I could want and more.
I have one question though. Can you have sweet potatoes on non-cheat days? they aren’t white, but they sure are starchy.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Audrey
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 6:11 am
Audrey,
sweet potatoes have roughly the same glycemic index as potatoes.
I guess you should avoid them too.
Interesting sidenote: Dr. Mike Roussell stated in an article, that certain red skinned potatoes have an significantly lower glycemic index if you let them cool down, before eating them (potatoe salad).
All the best
Peter
David — January 25th, 2011, 2:36 pm
It’s been two and a half weeks on the SCD. Sadly no real difference to report.
My meals are simplicity itself.
Half a can of beans, 2 ~ 3 boiled egg whites or chicken, and heaprs of spinach (raw) per meal, 4 to 5 times a day. plus about a liter of cold lemon water. Substitute meals with protein drink when packing meals is not an option. (only happened once)
AGG 3 times a day, PAGG before bed.
Cheat day is Saturday.
That’s it!
We are talking a lot of food here. dozens of eggs and bags of spinach a week. For the first time, eating is… Work!
Reading through the book again in case I missed something. any comments will be appreciated
By the way, has anyone find or made a video featuring the “Cat Vomit” exercise? I searched youTube and well…. It almost ruined my meal. Would you point me in the right direction ?
Thank you
Sukie Baxter — January 25th, 2011, 3:07 pm
Hey David,
Hard to say what’s going wrong with no starting point. What are your goals?
One thing I notice here is you’re not eating any fat, or not much at all. Fat is critical for hormone production and some people in particular need higher levels of dietary fat for energy and/or weight loss. Maybe try adding some healthy oils like hemp, including egg yolks, or putting some olive oil on your salad and see where that takes you.
David — January 25th, 2011, 4:14 pm
Hi, Sukie !
Life without a little mystery is unremarkable, so I’ll be keeping my weight loss goals close to the vest.
Thank you for your suggestion to include more fats in my meals. I must have missed that detail in the book. I’ll experiment with some olive oil.
Carp — January 25th, 2011, 3:26 pm
You NAILED that interview man. Even with the old broads interrupting every 17 seconds. Nice work.
Eugene — January 25th, 2011, 3:31 pm
Hello Tim,
Question about creatine. You talk about taking creatine in the book, but how should one take it? The reason I ask is because all instructions recommend mixing in with sugary water or fruit juice, which obviously adds sugar and fructose to the diet. So how do you recommend taking creatine? Can it mixed with just plain water or a warm green tea?
Thanks.
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 9:56 pm
Eugene, water is fine, especially if you use Kre-Alkalyn.
Tim — January 25th, 2011, 3:42 pm
Really enjoying the book so far, but my biggest complaint is my morning coffee.
I usually drink about 3 cups before noon, and like to add half&half plus a couple of aspartame packs. Really worried this is going to curb the fat burn, though.
There must be a way to sweeten and cream my coffee, right? And don’t give me that cinnamon talk, that doesn’t do anything. HELP!!!
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 9:56 pm
Three cups before noon will kill you, broha. Or at least your adrenal glands and/or thyroid, among other things. I’d suggest taking the suffering for a bit and not doing sweetener, which will just encourage you to continue what you’re doing.
Sorry, but that’s the hard line! To quote Adam Sandler and Co.: You can do it!
The Other Tim
Russ — January 26th, 2011, 11:58 am
Wait a second…are you saying the COFFEE will kill him or the sweetener? I don’t remember reading anything in 4HB that said coffee was off-limits…
Simon — January 27th, 2011, 6:22 am
I don’t think Tim’s saying that coffee is off limits, or shouldn’t be consumed. I think he’s just saying that 3 cups before noon is a LOT of coffee and won’t do you any good.
I’m a massive Coffee lover and spent a year perfecting my espresso (which proper italian baristas will laugh at – as it probably takes 20 years to perfect espresso) with which to make (another agaonised cry from italy) cappuccinos. Which I’d have about 4 or 5 a day.
I went cold turkey on it, because I can’t face it without the milk, which is banned. Instead I really look forward to my coffee on a Saturday morning, and resulting head rush!!
Vince A. — January 27th, 2011, 2:19 pm
Tim F:
I’d like the same clarification: Are you saying that the coffee will kill him, or the sweetener? I drink all my coffee black/non-sweetened, but definitely have around 3 cups before noon. I’m already having great results, but if I can tweak the amount of coffee I drink (or when) for better results, I’ll definitely suffer though it.
Vince
Shawn Johnson — January 31st, 2011, 9:21 pm
I also drink 16 ounces of black coffee a day. Clarification would be appreciated. How many cups of yerba mate do you drink per day, Tim?
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 1:09 pm
Unsweetened Whey might help. Also I would check out switching coffee. I know that might sound strange – but I have an assumption that you are drinking ‘ok’ coffee. Try uping your game and drinking amazing coffee – just less of it.
Some brands to try (not associated – ie no $ for me in the suggestions!)
You can get all of these online
Blue Bottle
Four Barrel (excellent decaf)
Stumptown
Ritual Roasters
Sightglass
Also if you want to try and switch to tea – it is going to need to be strong and spicy. Try Red Rooibos at Trader Joes.
Keep up the hard work!! It will pay off just hang in there!!
Vanessa — January 25th, 2011, 3:54 pm
Hello,
Come and join the Facebook Group to discuss challenges and achievements, food and question you may have about the diet…advise others and inform yourself from other’s experiences….
The link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_103604729716668¬if_t=group_activity
Thanks
Vanessa (and the FB Group)
Kevin — January 25th, 2011, 4:27 pm
There are so many companies using your name in their advertisements now.
Kathy Crawshay — January 25th, 2011, 4:34 pm
Hi-I just brought your book The 4-Hour Body home and I love it! It makes so much sense!
One problem that I have is I can’t seem to eat eggs anymore? I get a terribly upset stomach. It started in my 50s.
Anyhow-you do go on about how great eggs are for you-I agree-is there anything else you could suggest to eat to take the place of the egg???
I do take enzymes.
Thank you for any answer you can suggest, with limited time onyour hands, now that you are so famous!
Robert — January 25th, 2011, 5:20 pm
Hey Tim,(or anyone else that can help)
I was feeling a little hungry this afternoon(2 hrs after lunch)and did not feel like cooking so I had a vanilla flavored protein shake(sweetened with sucralose 2g carbs) and a Table spoon of Almond Butter. Was this an acceptable meal replacement for the Slow carb Diet?
Thanks
Kit — January 25th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Quick shout out from Scotland, youre a fucking legend, keep it up big man.
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 9:51 pm
Thanks, Kit! I have to get back up to the Highlands
Danielle — January 25th, 2011, 5:36 pm
I bought some kefir since I wanted the good belly bacteria, but will it induce a high insulin response like other dairy?
PamelaD — February 9th, 2011, 1:13 pm
I think no dairy is no dairy. We used to drink a lot of kefir – and if you look most of it has LOTS of sugar (especially the fruit flavors).
I think you can take probiotics in supplement form. I don’t know any particular brands but I am sure whole foods carries a variety.
Kathryn — January 25th, 2011, 6:01 pm
Hi Tim,
First, a question: What have your experiences with fat loss been with taking fish oil? Dr. John Berardi/Precision Nutrition are big proponents of this.
Second, I’m 2 and a half weeks in, and this is why I love the slow carb diet: I have cut my workout time in half, I haven’t starved myself and I have lost over 5lbs. What an improvement in lifestyle!
Thank you,
Kathryn
Thomas M — January 25th, 2011, 6:31 pm
Hi Tim,
I was wondering if you could comment on two things that I was curious about.
First, would I be wasting my time by trying to do some combination of the slow carb diet combined with the occam’s protocol weight method? I have no trouble with the foods in the slow carb diet (heck, I love them) but at 200ish lbs, and a decent amount of body fat, I could stand to shed a bit. Hitting about 200 g of protein a day isn’t a problem for me, esp with a shake or two tossed in the mix, but should i worry about creatine monohydrate having adverse effects on the slow carb diet?
Secondly, What kind of leeway do you have with cheat days? By that I mean is it possible to shift it a day forwards or backwards in the layout of the week. i.e. my normal cheat day is saturday, but I know i have something on Sunday that I wouldn’t rather use it for, can i switch to Sunday for that week, and maintain slow carb on that Saturday?
p.s. I Love the 4 hour body book, I’ve got all my roomies turned onto it, and I’ve got my sights set on my family next. It is probably the most inspiring and fun read I have ever come across. Thanks!
Sima — January 25th, 2011, 8:06 pm
I loved the Dr. Oz interview! I learned why grapefruit is in every diet I’ve ever done and why the extreme weight loss diet I was on insisted on bacon and eggs in the morning.
Thanks
S
Sly C — January 25th, 2011, 8:21 pm
TIM: Technical question here.
When I use Whey Protein (1 shake in the morning and one protein bar in the PM) my liver enzymes jump to the roof. As soon as I stop they go back to normal… doctor doesn’t know why, I guess my liver has hard time to break it down… I am trying hemp protein and will test for liver enzymes again and will see… have you heard of that before? I read a bunch of forum on that but never find a medical rational for that…
Thanks!!
Tim Ferriss — January 25th, 2011, 9:48 pm
Hi Sly,
I don’t know the cause of this. I would definitely see a specialist if it’s a medical issue per your doctor. If it’s BUN or creatinine, it can sometimes be related to training, which perhaps increases/correlates to increased protein intake?
Best,
Tim
Sly C — January 25th, 2011, 10:08 pm
Thanks. The only variable here is the whey protein intake. I was weight training the same frequency/intensity. The 2 blood tests were done couple weeks apart.
My wife had the same elevated liver enzymes using the same protein… and back to normal after stopping using it… Protein was good quality (as good as protein can be..) http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-Standard-Natural-Chocolate/dp/B000GIQT06/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296018462&sr=8-1
PC — January 25th, 2011, 9:02 pm
Hey Tim,
You mention lactose as being the ingredient in milk that minimizes fat reduction, have you ever experimented with Lactaid which is lactose free?
Eric G — January 25th, 2011, 9:11 pm
I did have a general health question about some vitamins you recommend. I have always been interested in increased testosterone, I like the animal like feeling (usually achieved after a good lifting session or a particularly intense orgasm). I have also been interested in increasing adrenaline, but haven’t found any safe ways of increasing that.
With that said my primary goal is fat loss and I am currently your PAGG protocol. What I was ultimately wondering is if it is safe to taker all those vitamins in conjunction with the “long-term and sustained” testosterone protocol? Thanks for your time
Brian — January 25th, 2011, 10:20 pm
On yogurt – I’m confused why you explicitly include it in the exclusions on this post but then say that cottage cheese is a “last resort” because it is low in lactose. An earlier commenter asked about a 24-hour fermentation cycle for yogurt, but fundamentally, all yogurt is cultured dairy and yogurt’s fermentation is the cultures gobbling up the lactose. All good, plain yogurts should be low in lactose – lower than cottage cheese, which isn’t fermented at all.
Casually searching, Trader Joe’s 2% Greek Yogurt, my personal favorite (they know me at my nearby TJ’s, I buy 2 cases at a time) has “5g Sugars” in 1 cup; I assume all that sugar is lactose since there’s nothing else added. By contrast, searching for “cottage cheese” on livestrong’s nutrition database shows 6g sugars per cup for a variety of cottage cheeses, including some generic lowfat and also Horizon Organic’s whole milk cottage cheese (so fat inclusion doesn’t seem to impact sugar residue much.)
I’m surprised it’s not higher, since nothing in the processing of cottage cheese should eliminate lactose, whereas the yogurt fermentation does.
Can you clarify why you explicitly single out cottage cheese as an acceptable (if last-resort) dairy, and explicitly include yogurt on the list of exclusions? Like I said, I eat a lot of yogurt, so if there’s a reason it’s particularly unhealthy I’d like to find out sooner than later!
I found the book very inspiring – thanks for writing it.
Brian — January 28th, 2011, 2:51 am
Just saw the other posts that came through in the same block as this one on dairy and MarksDailyApple reference. Never mind!
Lawrence — January 25th, 2011, 11:23 pm
I started the slow-carb diet 4 days ago. I have never been so excited and pumped in my life for a food regiment and splurge in my life. I am a 26 year old 380 pound man keeping track of my weight and measurements. Lets do this.
Derek — January 26th, 2011, 1:40 am
Hi Tim,
Thanks for writing your books and keeping this blog.
Four Hour Body makes a lot of sense and I really like the ice idea and I think the slow carb diet is pretty easy.
Any way, if you’re ever in Vegas and you want to go rock climbing, let me know.
Cheers,
Derek
Shane — January 26th, 2011, 6:51 am
Tim – My wife and I have been on the slo-carb diet for about a week now and it is somewhat hard for us to get to 30 grams for breakfast…we’ve been doing 3 scrambled eggs, lentils, and 2 tbl spoons of almond butter…would there be anything wrong with 4 oz. of hamburger instead of all this?
Also, is it fine to eat olives?
Brutus Tobias — January 26th, 2011, 7:01 am
Hey Tim,
Thanks for what is, hands down, the best diet/fitness book on the market. 5 Weeks in and dropped 30lbs but more importantly (to me) is that I have gone from a 42 waist to a 38 and can even wear a lot of my 20 year old 36 jeans! I have gone from 245 lbs (5ft 5in tall 40s male) to 213 this morning! Oh, and BTW, I am doing this for my health and am not interested in being in a male swimsuit calendar so I follow the one cheat day advice but I also occasionally eat a mozzarella cheese stick. My goal (which I WILL reach) is 180 to 185 which is my 22 year old weight when I was in the US Army and on a heavy routine of lifting weights and running. Thanks so much for the book, its the best I have ever done.
Rick — January 26th, 2011, 8:24 am
I have been on the Slow-Carb Diet for 1 1/2 weeks now and so far so good. My sugar cravings are just about non-existent, but while I had amazing energy the first couple of days, my energy level has dropped. Has anyone else experienced this? I am drinking close to a gallon of water a day. Is that enough?
Also, have you researched about Hypoxi training? I have tried a few sessions and it seems interesting. Not sure about the results yet.
Stacy — January 26th, 2011, 11:27 am
DOWNWARD MOVEMENT YEAH!! I didn’t measure at first – bad on me, I have measured since and will compare on Saturday. This is technically week 4 for me, but I had a do over after blowing week 1. I hadn’t lost anything – I know measurements and all. But I have lost 2 lbs in the last 2 days. I wonder if it is that over 40 thing? I am 47 – who cares!!! DOWNWARD and DOWNWARD is my new motto!!!
Thanks Mr. Ferriss
Kristina — January 26th, 2011, 12:24 pm
Just wanted to add a note from personal experience on the Slow Carb diet. If you are like me with a borderline low thyroid (but not on meds), eating a lot of broccoli, cauliflower, and beans can lower your thyroid function even more. I felt like I was in slow motion and was ticked because I was following the diet to the letter. When I realized what was going on, I backed off the veggies that can interfer with the thyroid. It was a very good lesson to learn.
Susan K — January 27th, 2011, 5:19 pm
Kristina, Interesting to read. I’m in that kinda situation w my thyroid, would like to know more about it.
What should I eat to elevate thyroid function? Any ideas?
Mr. M — January 26th, 2011, 12:26 pm
You should make 4HB a lifestyle not a quick fix!
- The question is: What is your ultimate goal? Short-Term or Long-Term?
- The fact that 4HB gives you the pathway to get fit in one month with the minimum effective dose of work out, DOES NOT mean that it will last forever if you don’t make it a habit.
- Yes, you can lose a lot of weight in one month, but you can certainly gain 2 times more in the same amount of time, EASILY! So if this is not for you, don’t waste your time!!!
- If you are suffering with the proposed diet and see it as a huge sacrifice, stop whining and telling that it does not work! You chose the wrong way already.
- If you want easy results, just pop some pills and go back to the ice cream bowl. There is nothing wrong about it, it is your choice, EVERY choice has advantages and disadvantages, just choose what is the best for you. PLEASE DON’T STAY IN THE MIDDLE.
- WHY 4HB worked for me? I’ve always loved chicken, meat, fish, beans and vegetables… meaning that for me there is no sacrifice on the proposed diet. I’ve just separated the other part of my diet, that I ALSO LOVE (Ice Cream, Pasta, etc), to Saturday. For me it was not about reinventing my diet, JUST REORGANIZING IT.
- There are several other options to get the exact same results, the reason I don’t choose them is because I can’t make them a sustainable lifestyle. SO PLEASE DON’T LOOK FOR A NEW AND COOL DIET, LOOK FOR A SUITABLE LIFESTYLE THAT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY AND HEALTHY. That’s sustainable.
- Pasta and Ice Cream have never tasted so good! You eat less frequently, you enjoy more! (enough said)
- First understand what you want, then you try to find a solution! KNOW THYSELF, don’t be a cynic. If you think this is a lifestyle for you, do it EXACTLY how it is indicated, don’t cheat, don’t whine, JUST DO IT!
I have no affiliation with Tim Ferris, I am not writing this for his benefit, he did a great job and his work speaks for itself, I am writing this FOR YOU!
Be happy, break the rules you don’t like, and be yourself!
Regards,
Mr. M
Dave — January 26th, 2011, 1:09 pm
Tim,
First off you rock. Thanks for challenging the status quo. I really appreciate your work and I believe that it could come to shatter some of the most predominant beliefs in the physical preparation world.
I am writing for two reasons, the first is to ask a few questions and the second is to offer two observations of my own. I will start with the latter.
I would recommend that you add two disclaimers either on the blog or in the next addition that I feel are important.
1) You might benefit from a disclaimer/description of niacin flushing.
I know that it is not suppose to happen with time-release niacin but I have experienced this effect, and have heard that others have too. It doesn’t happen all the time and is really easy to counteract (small amount of aspirin or Advil taken about 10 min prior to ingestion). I can tell you from personal experience that it is kind of a scary experience. I thought I was having an allergic reaction. Some people freak out so much that they are hospitalized. From what I have read it is not really dangerous but it is something that I think should be mentioned, if only to save people the worry.
2) It might make sense to add at some point a disclaimer or some kind of blurb regarding the effects of increased arginine consumption and Herpes Simplex Virus outbreaks. Arginine is known to cause outbreaks in people who have the disease (roughly %80 of the adult population). The diets you describe in the book are very arginine intensive. Red meats contain a fair amount as do fish and poultry, however almonds and some other nuts are extremely high in arginine and people with HSV 1 or 2 are told to avoid them. There is some evidence that lysine levels helps to prevent outbreaks and I would think that recommending those with the virus following your program to supplement their diets with lysine to counter-act the affects of the arginine.
Which brings me to my first question:
1) To the best of your knowledge is there any reason why lysine would negatively impact the results of your programs? I am guessing not but I figured I would ask the master.
2) I was wondering what is your opinion on training age and its relationship to physical training. By training age (as defined by Ian King) I am referring to years consistently engaged in a directed physical preparation program. Consistency is the key as you can loose years off of your training age by not, you guessed it, training. The only time you sort of address it in the book is when you recommend that athletes not use the methods outlined in Occam’s Protocol II. When I used to train varsity athletes the effect that training age had was clearly visible. Those who had been resistance training longer simply could adapt far faster to the regimen than those who hadn’t this always led the “older” athletes to plateau sooner than the “younger” athletes. Real age was generally not a factor as frequently a freshman with a much longer history of training would outpace seniors who I had trained for four years. It was not really a genetic thing either as it usually didn’t matter how good of “shape” someone was in. Also as someone with a really high training age (as defined by Ian King) I can tell you that I have generally required more tweaking in my programs so that I don’t plateau quickly when training for size or strength. For the latter I used a protocol based on the Westside barbell approach of training variation.
3) I was also curious as to your opinion of Westside Barbell’s approach. In the book you mentioned Westside’s founder and some people who train that way but I was surprised to find that you didn’t speak to the method at all. Anecdotally, I added 100lbs to my max on the bench and 150lbs to my max squat in 12 weeks (while admittedly attempting to pack on both muscle and FAT weight to protect my joints). I haven’t tried your method but as of now the Westside based approach has been my most successful.
4) I know you object to counting calories or carbs and I love that, however I was wondering if there is a top end limit for sugars per day for the slaw carb diet. What I mean by that is, almost everything you have said was fair game to eat has some sugar content and while all are low for this regimen, some have more than others. (ex: plain almonds are listed as 2grams per serving and honey sweetened are listed as 3grams per serving). I would hate to be sabatoging my progress by somehow exceeding a maximum surgar intake when I am restricting myself from all the foods I REALLY want to eat (btw I liked chocolate croissants before, but now after reading the book and restricing myself during the week I CRAVE THEM… thanks a lot ? )
Anyway
I know you are literally inundated with questions and opinions so I know the odds are that you wont read this but if you do I would love some answers or opinions for the things I queried you about and what you thought of my recommendations. So thank you again for the book and the blog and I wish you the continued success you deserve
Be well
Dave
I want to point out that I have no association whatsoever with any of the people or programs mentioned above.
Tim Ferriss — January 26th, 2011, 1:28 pm
Thanks for the comment and suggestions, Dave. I agree on the niacin flush — it can be scary. I’m just not sure where to include the disclaimer, honestly. In all cases, to your questions, I am running and will just hit two:
- I take L-lysine regularly and has seen no ill-effects.
- Louie and WS Barbell are incredible. I completely agree with most of their approaches, some of which are similar to “Effortless Superhuman.” If it’s working, keep it up.
All the best,
Tim
Ben — October 26th, 2011, 1:30 pm
Thank you for these comments on the niacin flush!
I had this happen for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I was lying in bed going to sleep and all of a sudden I felt my ears, neck, and then chest and arms start to go incredibly hot and prickly. Even my knees eventually.
Quite scary actually.
Assuming it was an allergic reaction to something, I tried eliminating different supplements and switching proteins etc with no clear result – the “effect” seemed totally random (which makes sense since after eliminating niacin, it would take longer to get to saturation point again and experience the flush once reintroducing it, hence no immediate result).
So good to know it’s normal.
Cheers,
Ben
Justin — January 26th, 2011, 1:39 pm
Took the plunge today and ordered a skinfold caliper and measuring tape. I also broke the news to my fiance that the days of sandwiches, cereal, tortillas, tortilla chips and other starches being our “go-to” foods are over. I’ve read and re-read the slow carb section and I’m ready. I’m cleaning out the fridge and pantry then stocking up on meat, legume and veg over the weekend… Monday, it begins.
Thank you, Tim.
Dave P — January 26th, 2011, 2:25 pm
I tried to donate blood, both as a good citizen and because 4HB mentions this as an easy way to maintain lower iron, and possibly increase longevity.
Unfortunately, since I visited the Mayan ruins in Tulum less than a year ago (they are outside of Cancun, and awesome), I cannot donate for a year since the trip. The risk of malaria is too great, according to the CDC guidelines.
BTW: Playa del Carmen also makes you ineligible, which is a real shame – it’s certainly the best beach I’ve ever visited. Oh well.
Tim, how is it that you donate blood with all the travel you do – esp in Latin America, and Brazil in particular?
Tim Ferriss — January 26th, 2011, 3:04 pm
The donation centers in Playa del Carmen won’t ban you for being in Playa del Carmen
Amro — January 26th, 2011, 2:33 pm
Tim,
In your google interview you suggested intermittent fasting, or hunger, for heightened cognitive ability. It seems sensible, back in our days in Africa we’d have to crank-up our brains to find food, otherwise we’d die.
Can the same apply to abstaining from sex, specifically orgasms, to aid fat-loss? If our ancestors weren’t regularly mating, or having orgasms, would their biochemistry shift to result in say, an increase in muscle mass and/or fat-loss to make themselves physically more desirable and more able to find a mate?
Hmm, it’s time for me to investigate!
Ashu — January 26th, 2011, 2:44 pm
Tim,
Found a new research article today which links increasing obesity in western industrialized countries to heated homes during winter: http://bit.ly/fWX9Fr
You should take it as a proof of your ‘Ice Age’ theory!
carolyn — January 26th, 2011, 3:31 pm
could someone please please please verify if i can drink/eat anything lactose free? (this diet is something i think i can do…the only time it rocks being lactose intolerant
thanks!
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
Carolyn,
I guess the effects of diary without lactose on insulin would be the same as the lactose is split up into glucose and galactose in these products.
Tim, do you have more information about this?
All the best
Peter
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 5:53 pm
PhD Tim Ziegenfuss on the physique enhancing effects of ALA:
http://www.t-nation.com/strength-training-topics/supplement_research_update_leucine_and_protein_synthesis
Peter Bold — January 26th, 2011, 5:56 pm
PhD Tim Ziegenfuss on the physique enhancing effects of ALA.
http://tinyurl.com/6axzb5u
Michael — January 26th, 2011, 6:14 pm
Anyone else having the funky brazil nuts issue? Seems like the shelf life is obscenely short. After a few days they go from fairly bland to somewhat moldy tasting (unpleasant but not enough to forgo the T maximization). I’m not at all versed on the finer points of brazil nuts… so maybe that’s normal? I thought about roasting them but read that pre-shelling already takes its toll on selenium levels.
Tim,
I was a 4HWW fan from the get and devoured the 4HB the second I got it in my hands. I’ve been actively experimenting since – many thanks for the ideas and motivation. Excellent work!
Mike — January 29th, 2011, 1:09 pm
Keep the nuts in the fridge they stay fresher longer.
Jason — January 26th, 2011, 6:16 pm
Steve — January 26th, 2011, 6:55 pm
Update:
42 yo Male. 16days on the diet. No measurable change the first week. After 14 days 3 inches lost overall. At start Body Fat was 19% weight was 200 lbs. I plan to retake weight and BF measurements at 4 weeks. In second week upped breakfast from two eggs to three eggs, also added more water. Intentionally not adding exercise to see impact of just diet alone. Will add Kettlebell routine starting week five. May also start ice therapy week 5. Will keep posting results.
Rick — January 26th, 2011, 8:08 pm
Tim and staff,
Have any of your experimented with the supplement
“Tribulus terrestris”? It is supposed to increase
free testosterone but I can’t find any studies
or experiments that document how effective
it can be.
I would love your feedback.
RMW — January 26th, 2011, 8:42 pm
Tim, just wanted to drop you an update: 15 lbs lost. Started January 3rd. Less than 4 weeks! Thanks man! Here’s to even more…
Connie — January 26th, 2011, 8:42 pm
I put Stevia in my coffee. Is that bad?
robby — January 26th, 2011, 10:09 pm
I get sick with something that requires steroids a few times a year. The weight I gain from the steroids attaches to my gut and takes up squatter’s rights. Can you recommend/suggest something to avoid the steroid weight gain?
Thank you,
Jason Palmer — January 27th, 2011, 1:16 am
Charging for questions seems a good idea, paypal works well.
80/20 is often 90/10.. I know someone with a hiking company and he makes plenty of cash while others do guided hikes for free and have vast numbers turn up.
George Bernard Shaw said that only a fool writes for free.
I myself just prefer books, they give me a break from the computer.
Having implemented ideas from the 4 hour work week book I have plenty of spare time for long walks, am trying a diet of fish,fruit,vegetables at the moment but will look out for the body book, I like to keep things very very simple or i get confused.
Michael Davenport — January 27th, 2011, 2:04 am
As some others have noted, I never received my pre-ordered signed copies from Barnes and Noble which is poor form from B&N (with terrible after sales service). Thankfully, Charlie (who is a legend) sent me some replacement books last week. Tim, the book is fantastic – well done.
I strength train (low reps, heavy compound movements) and have had great results using a liter of milk a day on a paleo diet but hate the excess fat gains. After just one week on the slow-carb diet at about 3,000 calories a day:
Body weight: 82.0 -> 82.5 kg (plus 500 g)
Body fat: down 1.5% (down 1.25 kg)
Total lean mass gain = 1.75 kg in one week!
I can tell my body fat has gone down: more veins on my arms, less around my belly. In one week – this is the fastest change I’ve ever seen.
Thanks Tim.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 4:10 am
Thank YOU, Michael, and thanks be to Charlie
Anouar — January 27th, 2011, 3:07 am
I hate to say this but my life is slowly getting devided into pre-Tim-Ferris and post-Tim-Ferris.
Is there a supplement that cures this
All the best,
Anouar
Simon — January 27th, 2011, 6:49 am
I’ve been on the slow carb for 3 weeks, and lost a little over 10lbs. Slow progress for the last week ish, so going to have to start experimenting, as I’ve been pretty diligent.
Suspicion I’m not getting enough calories.
Bodymetrix Pro arrived today, so looking forward to getting some more useful data.
Tim, I;m carrying a lot of fat (250lbs), over what period of time will the bodymetrix give me useful feedback. Eg. Is it possible to measure a change in fat / muscle on a daily basis, or do these figures vary too much, and need to be weekly, etc? Any pointers specific to Bodymetrix in your experience would be gratefully received.
Simon — January 27th, 2011, 6:50 am
PS. I meant, I weight 250lbs.. not I’m carrying 250lbs of fat!
Carolyn — January 27th, 2011, 6:50 am
I hope no one minds, but I am just going ask the question again:
So, Tim, this is probably a stupid question, given the fact that we’re not supposed to have yams, but:
Can I eat konnyaku on the slow carb diet? When I lived in Japan for a month, I fell in love with the stuff. It is basically a jelly-like substance made of yam starch, but has little to no nutritional value (1-2 grams of carbohydrates, 6-15 calories at the most per serving, and no sugar).
And there’s more! But it’s a new question.
Can I eat pumpkin seeds and almonds if I watch my intake? I don’t actually snack on them randomly. I have a few seeds/almonds (less than 1/4 cup of either) with some tofu if I am hungry between meals, and the fat in the seeds and the protein in the tofu usually tide me over until my next meal.
Gabe — January 27th, 2011, 7:15 am
As an attorney, if I made this many editing errors for a client’s contract or pleading, I would be fired. I have to disagree with other commenters that the corrections should be hailed as a proactive follow up. I enjoyed 4HB, I’ve been doing the SCD and it’s great. However, in my opinion, this post did you more harm than good–it shows how poorly edited the book was, demonstrates glaring ambiguities in Tim’s work, and makes me question some of the validity of the writing. Not to mention that I bought several copies and helped him get on the NY Times Best Seller list…I feel a bit cheated.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 4:06 am
Hi Gabe,
If you ever publish a book through a big publisher, you will realize that is ASTONISHING the book didn’t have 10x more typos in it. That’s a fact in this business. I’m sorry if you were disappointed, but I did my best, and I view it as my duty to share corrections with my readers.
Best,
Tim
Tom Robinson — January 29th, 2011, 10:38 pm
Hi Tim,
I want to counter Gabe’s comment by saying I think it is absolutely brilliant that you published typos and corrections here on your blog. I just got my copy of 4HB, and the first thing I did was to come to the blog to see if there were any important updates. I have already annotated my copy with the changes you posted here, so I am that much ahead. How many other books have I bought that this has happened with? Exactly zero. Your book contained typos and needed corrections. I know that because YOU told me that. How many books do I have that contain errors that I don’t know about? Who knows? I much prefer your openness and desire to see that your readers have the most accurate information you can give them.
I am looking forward to getting deeper into the book. (I am a longtime 4HWW fan, and it has improved my life immensely.) I just have one question for you though… Can we get you to tackle government? I think your focus on discovering and refining what really works and chucking all the rest is sorely needed in Washington!
Anon — February 2nd, 2011, 6:15 pm
I SECOND THAT, Tim.
Eugene — January 27th, 2011, 9:30 am
Hello Tim
Have you heard of Art DeVany, Like you, he has just had a book published.
It shares some similar themes to yours as well as differences. He looks at health and fitness from an evolutionary perspective. Again, like you, he puts forward some interesting ideas. If you haven’t it may be worthwhile looking at his website artdevany.com
RMW — January 27th, 2011, 9:51 am
Question for all – I saw one post about the potential benefit to a ALA supplement that included Acetyl-L-Carnitine as well. Any science/self-experimentation behind this? Any issues with the PAGG regimen? Love your thoughts…
Alberto — January 27th, 2011, 12:32 pm
See juvenon.com
Robert — January 27th, 2011, 12:27 pm
Started SCD on 12/26 at 212lbs. Yesterday, after one month, I am at 192lbs for 20lbs lost as advertised. I have lost two inches on my waist, I haven’t done any bodyfat measurements before or after, but am confident that I have kept all my muscle and probably have gained some.
I’m 44 years old and it worked like a dream for me. I’ve been pretty strict on the diet and even though I indulge in carbs, sugar and beer on cheat days, I don’t overkill the portions. I think that’s important to sticking to the lack of carbs during the week.
The SCD agrees with me so I’m going to keep it up to try to get down to middleweight (185). I’ll let you know when I do. The local Moe’s and Chipolte restaurants are appreciative of this program.
Now that I’ve hit the 20lbs lost, I’m going to start plugging cardio 4 times a week. My goal is to be mountaineering sub 185 this summer.
Thanks Tim!
PoMa — January 27th, 2011, 12:58 pm
Tim,
I enjoyed both your books very much and just finished 4HB. I am going back on a slow-carb diet (also very similar to the anti-candida diet because it flushes out candida and other toxins that thrive in the colon). The first time around I found it extremely effective only after 20 days, especially for banishing the ‘stubborn 5 lbs’, improving oily skin and increasing energy.
Despite the great content in the slow-carb section I have 3 questions I can’t seem to find answers for:
1) Quinoa/buckwheat/amaranth are not grains and are very high in protien, so why are they only limited to once a week on binge days?
2) What is your take on “flours” that are not made from grains: sorghum, fava, buckwheat, etc? Since there is no gluten in these products and they are not highly processed (read: bleached/coloured) can they not be used in order to make sugar (and yeast) free breads/pastas/pastries?
3) The anti-candida diet requires that no fruit, sugar or yeast of any kind is allowed. Many proponents of the diet; however, suggest that low-sugar fruits (pomegranate, rasperries, blueberries, blackberries) are fine to eat given the low amounts of fructose in them (esp when considering 1/2 cup of pomegranate may have less sugar than 2 tbsps of many condiments (soy sauce, ketchup, thai chili sauce). If certain sweetners/portions of sugar are allowed on the slow-carb diet, why can’t these types of fruits be included?
Anyhow, great job on the books and look forward to the next!
Tyler Kling — January 27th, 2011, 1:29 pm
and this is why America is weak and obese…
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-reasons-carbs-help-you-lose-weight-2442968/
Adam — January 27th, 2011, 1:47 pm
Hello Tim,
As you wrote consuming 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up can help fat loss as well as consuming ~500 ml of ice water on an empty stomach. Can I just mix it and drink a cold 0.5L protein shake? Currently I drink a coffee with cinnamon, then take a combo of chromium picolinate,omega 3 and calcium+magnesium with ~500ml of ice water on empty stomach. I just bought a nice whey protein and was wondering what would be the best.
Thanks in advance
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 4:02 am
Yes, totally fine to mix the cold 500ml with unflavored whey. I often do that.
Anon — February 2nd, 2011, 6:27 pm
Adam, MIx it with unsweetened cocoa and some cinnamon.
Sanchali — January 27th, 2011, 1:59 pm
Has anyone tried using cissus quadrangularis? I read that increases testosterone levels and may cause acne and body hair growth. Definitely don’t want any of those, but curious to see its anabolic effects.
Michael — January 27th, 2011, 3:18 pm
@Sanchali
I’ve used cissus quadrangularis in the past to deal with joint pain when training for a tri. It worked wonders – in less than a week. I didn’t notice anything that would hint at a significant increase in T nor any side effects.
Steve — January 27th, 2011, 2:57 pm
Hey Everyone,
I’ve recently started this diet but have a few questions.
1. Are beans a must for the diet to work? I’ve been having 2 eggs in the morning without beans… same goes for dinner… usually protein based.
2. Should each of my meals be 200 calories? Is it a problem if I pick up a fajita plate at baja fresh and down everything.
3. Will it harm me if I don’t have beans on a regular basis, but have it every day or two?
4. I read in the book that working out too much can harm you. I typically run about 2 1/2 miles a day and do a few 5/5 weight exercises after.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Ryan — January 27th, 2011, 3:22 pm
Can someone please clarify for me Occam’s Feeding. I know in the book it says it’s nearly identical to the Slow-Carb Diet, only you now add a starch such as brown rice or quinoa, but I need more help than that.
For example, Tim says his favorite meal for mass is macaroni, tuna, and turkey/bean chili, but macaroni isn’t part of the Slow-Carb Diet so why is that allowed? Similarly I don’t know why milk is allowed when it isn’t in the Slow-Carb Diet or “starch” rules.
What foods (and why) are you allowed to eat that are high in calories, besides chicken, beef, fish, pork, eggs, and beans?
Peter Bold — January 28th, 2011, 6:36 am
Hi Ryan,
the high calorie meal with macaroni is best for gaining mass, not for fatloss. If you want to gain more mass and keep fat gain low, try using fast acting carbs pre-, peri- and post workout and keep the rest of the day slow or low-carb.
For more calories without carbs you could add macadamia oil, coconut oil (for cooking as it stays stable at higher temperatures), olive oil (add after cooking), coconut milk, natural almond or peanut butter.
All the best
Peter
Caroline — January 27th, 2011, 4:07 pm
Hi Tim,
Thank you so much for sharing the slow carb diet. I have been following it for three weeks now as best as I can without inciting my family to revolution (so maybe 80% of the time). I have lost 1lb/week so far with NO hunger pangs. Although I would love to be losing faster I can’t complain at all because it is so painless!
Next week I will have my bodyfat checked again and we’ll see how that is (I already know it is improved from the measurents!). I was glad to see your note that after two children I can expect slower results – I had already noticed that my body reacts differently now. If results do speed up after four weeks I will be shouting the results from the rooftops!
Best of all, I discovered through cutting out dairy that I am actually lactose- intolerant. No-one needs to hear the details (!), but that alone has changed my life, AND I lost three inches from around my waist in the very first week.
I love that the slow-carb diet is so easy to follow. No fancy cooking and no salads that leave me starving an hour later. Thank you.
Jason Pruitt — January 27th, 2011, 5:51 pm
Tim,
It has to be asked: The Slow Carb Diet and EPIC levels of farting with the beans.
I’m talking: “Should I get the Guinness World Records on the phone?” levels of flatulence here.
Any suggestions?
A B-PAGG stack perhaps? (The B is for Beano.)
I’m asking for a family friend (I, of course … do not fart.)
Thanks Tim
:^)
max — January 27th, 2011, 8:04 pm
Tim. You are simply the man. Keep it up.
Brian — January 27th, 2011, 9:17 pm
Is it okay to move your binge day around a day or two from time to time? My friends are guest bartending at a local pub for charity this Monday, and although my normal binge day is Saturday, I am considering bumping it to Monday this week so I can have a few beers for charity. Is this a bad idea?
david — January 27th, 2011, 9:17 pm
Tim,
I’m very much enjoying the Four Hour Body, specifically the chapters on swimming, the perfect posterior, injury rehabilitation, and Occam’s Protocol. I have already seen dramatic results in the swimming department and I’m excited to experiment with many of your other findings.
You do a great job supporting your findings with research and experimentation, but when it came to your assertions on soy consumption I found it largely lacking in specifics and supporting documentation. Please understand that I’m not writing to dispute your assertions, only to request more in-depth details as to how you arrived so strongly at your conclusion that soy is indeed harmful to our health. This is an issue that’s important to me because like many others I consume a fair amount of soy, and right about now I’m fairly confused as to whether I should continue. Here are two questions that I had after reading your sections on soy:
1) Do you lump all soy products together, such as organic soy products made from whole soy beans vs. genetically modified soy products? There is an abundance of literature that contends organic, whole soy bean products are completely safe but genetically modified products cause the problems that you cite in your book.
2) You cite that you reviewed a large body of literature that found soy dangerous. Who conducted these studies and where can we find them?It seems for every study that discusses the dangers of soy, there is a large body of literature that supports soy consumption for health benefits from major research institutions and universities.
A small sample are found in this article from the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neal-barnard-md/settling-the-soy-controve_b_453966.html
Also it appears that you depended on findings sponsored by the Weston Price Foundation, which I was led to believe has strong ties to meat and dairy farmers (please correct me if I’m wrong). If so, is this counterintuitive to your chapter on”Spotting Bad Science” and the question of whether the funders have a vested interest in a certain outcome? A similar thought also crossed my mind when you cited the Swiss Federal Health Service. I know nothing about this agency, so again correct me if I’m wrong, but would there be a possible conflict of interest considering Switzerland is known for having a rather robust dairy industry? There’s no proof and its just my own conspiratorial thinking, but of all the state agencies that might have a problem with soy…i’m just saying
So I’m rather confused about soy and I suppose many of your other readers are as well. I know you’re a busy guy and you’re out there promoting your book, but when you get a chance we would really appreciate it if you could get more in-depth about your findings on soy in a future blog post. I think its a worthy topic considering how large the industry has grown in this country. Thanks and congratulations on all your success!
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:56 am
Hi David,
There should be at least a few references in here that will be useful:
http://www.fourhourbody.com/endnotes
Hope it helps!
Best,
Tim
Colin — January 27th, 2011, 9:21 pm
I find it interesting that beef (51) has a similar insulin index score to cheese (45), popcorn (54), and apples (59), while baked beans are much higher (120) and yet beans are recommended. I wonder why dairy is so detrimental to weight loss when beef also seems to induce an insulin response disproportionate to its carbohydrate content. I’m not arguing with the empirical results of Tim’s diet program, I am just struck by how little we still understand about why certain foods dispense us toward fat gain and others do not.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:54 am
Colin, agreed on how little we know. I’d be curious to see the glucagon responses of cheese, popcorn, and apples vs. steak and beans, for sure. Beans are, on some level, a mystery to me still. But including them makes compliance with the diet at least 3x higher.
Colin — January 29th, 2011, 11:33 am
Hi Tim,
There is comparatively little data on glucagon induction by different foods, even compared to insulin data, which is paltry compared to the data on blood glucose. I suspect you are right and that this could be a wild card the current data available to us does not take into account. Keep up the good work
Avery — June 5th, 2011, 6:14 pm
Aren’t baked beans are full of sugar?
Julia P — January 27th, 2011, 11:14 pm
Tim – I love how you are putting the individual in control of their own destiny. You have provided amazing research and laid it all out for anyone to go after. Thank you.
I have a question for you – do you have any suggestions for those premenstrual days where cravings kick in and bloating and discomfort take over? For the most part I don’t crave anything and even my cheat days are somewhat boring but there’s a day or 2, a day or 2 out that will kick my arse. Thoughts?
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:52 am
10 grams of BCAAs (Google it) per meal to stave off cravings. Enjoy!
Dave Batchelor — January 27th, 2011, 11:42 pm
Thanks for the mention in the post for the winners but I’m thoroughly confused and bummed out right now.
I’m 100% positive I made my post before midnight PST. I actually was on a date and had to cut it early so I could head back to my place and make the post. What time zone is the time stamp on the blog posts?
Camille, if you don’t want that snowboarding trip let me know..
I was really really hoping to do that.
Dave Batchelor — January 27th, 2011, 11:44 pm
Ahh ha the time stamps are off an hour. I thought I was going crazy.
My post above shows 11:42 when it’s actually 10:42 PST.
Dave Batchelor — January 27th, 2011, 11:48 pm
Tim, sorry for all the posts..
Just double checked my original contest post and it was timestamped at 12:45 am which actually would have been 11:45 pm PST; within the contest deadline.
Hopefully that changes something.
BigBrev — January 28th, 2011, 1:07 am
Being a vegan for the last 6 months and an ex-professional athlete, I was thrilled to read the extra interviews/case studies online with vegan athletes. You say in your book that Brendan Brazier was interviewed, yet I was disappointed to not see his name mentioned after that. I would have loved to have heard your critique of his philosophy thats details in his book, The Thrive Diet. Also, it would have been great to hear his response to your concerns of veganism, such as low testosterone.
My vegan diet doesn’t stem from a soft spot for Bambi, so I’m still open to incorporating a small amount of animal products, but only if I’m seriously lacking something that I need from the flesh of my furry friends. And I’m especially interested if being vegan is keeping me from oozing testosterone, or from at least keeping it above average. I mean, if my goal is to see my abs for the first time in my life, while maintaining a vegan diet, it’s not worth it if Saturday night rolls around and I’d rather spend my cheat day sitting on the couch with a few pints of Coconut Bliss and a good book, rather than a few pints of an IPA and attempting to undress a few new lady friends.
Any feedback is appreciated!
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:51 am
Hey BigBrev,
Thanks for the comment. I do think veganism could (and often does) negatively affect testosterone. Read the “Sex Machine” chapter and see the sidebar on SHBG, as well as the points on higher fat intake.
If fertility and sex drive are a high priority, I would encourage a small amount of ethically-sourced animal products.
Hope that helps,
Tim
Bethany — January 29th, 2011, 9:01 pm
@BigBrev ~ Thought I would share a little about my experience after reading your comment. First, I should disclose that I am a woman and was vegetarian for only a brief time [but now not so much]. So, It goes without saying that we are coming from different places.
However, for whatever it is worth, since starting SCD I have added more animal products, primarily chicken, into my everyday meals. Beyond the physical successes I’ve enjoyed over the past few weeks, there is a remarkable increase to my overall energy. Furthermore, not only is my sex drive off the charts but I seem to have unintentionally flipped on a switch of animalistic magnetism.
While generally I would say I am someone who blends in w/everyone else, it seems I am now emitting a cosmic force of sexual energy. My evidence is as follows: (1) Even though I have not reached my body re-composition goals just yet, I don’t seem to be able to keep people’s frisky hands off of me [both men and women, either trying to feel me up or touch my posterior]; (2) I dance for fun/ stress relief [but don't get the wrong idea, it's just west coast swing, argentine tango, and a little two step]. At any rate, I will admit my dancing has been more sensual as of late as a result of how I am feeling, but you won’t believe the graphic details would be observers have whispered to me. Wednesday night alone, I had a handful of straight women ask me to go home with them, not to even mention the men [who if even one of the men could have danced w/me, I would have likely dragged him out by his collar to violate him in any number of ways]; And, for limitations sake despite having numerous other examples, finally (3) I have had a slightly ridiculous school girl crush on a particular gentleman, J, for roughly 7 or so months with little to no responsiveness from this individual; Now while I’d obviously have to say my school girl crush has been replaced by likes of one very clever Tim Ferriss :0), J suddenly let his own full disclosure slip out [unfortunately, it was just a little too late for me].
Now, I can’t say for certain that all of this sudden explosion of sensuality stems from the addition of chicken to my meals but I am willing to acknowledge that it is the single biggest change to my everyday eating habits. And it is since that change that I have an overall increase to my energy with particularly noticeable higher sex drive [Ex: The aforementioned (in previous comment) manhandling gentleman should consider himself on high alert status; At this point, there is no way he is safe in my company considering my current state/desires]. Again, I understand we are in different places. However, I hope this was of use to you in some way or another, or at the very least entertaining to you. And, hey, when your libido picks up, grab your dance shoes ~ it’s the easiest, minimalist effort to put forth in seducing women. Seriously!
Best Wishes, Bethany
Cat — January 28th, 2011, 5:01 am
I’ve been doing the diet and cold showers, kettle bells/Kiwi workouts with Cat Vomit (love it!)… My body has responded beautifully. I keep getting comments from my Zumba friends like “Girl, you’re looking hot, your arms are smoken! You teaching Zumba is slimming you out!”
That’s when I say: “Actually, have you heard of the Four Hour Body?, well…” and go on about my cold shower regime since the end of 2010.
That said, I’m also experiencing unusual break out on my chin. It’s like acidity is coming out through really weird zits. I’m def eating more protein than my body is used to (and food all together) for my liver to process.
I cut my finger pretty bad yesterday (I think I’ll to get stitches today, ugh!) To me, it’s a sign (because it wasn’t the first stupid distracted move I’ve made over the last 10 days) that I need to slow down…and chill a little more. My system has been revving up–at the expense of mindfulness–or so it seems.
I’m cutting down on my number of Zumba classes (even though I considered it hobby exercise) Just TOO much. Refocusing on what’s important: my book, speaking and coaching biz…Hopefully, I’ll need a little less food for fuel and be less of a strain on liver/digestive system.
Other than that, could the showers be turning on my testosterone too much? My libido seems almost uncontrollably high?
I am getting brain chemistry/hormonal testing results back soon, and will be tracking progression as I move forward from now on. I’m intrigued to see if this is the storm before the calm–as far as skin and energy are concerned.
Thanks Tim… and company,
Stay Golden!
Daniel Lewis — January 28th, 2011, 8:26 am
hey Tim
this has probably been pointed out already, but i didn’t see it in your typos list so i’ll point it out again:
on page 21, on the first line it says “Gaining 7st (15.4kg)”
this is an conversion error of using 1st = 2.2 kg, instead of 1kg = 2.2 lb
sorry to be a math douche, but it you said in the book to give feedback so here it is :p
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:38 am
Hi Daniel,
I’ll let the UK publisher know. I’m definitely not the one who screwed that one up
Best,
Tim
Peter Bold — January 30th, 2011, 6:13 am
The U.K. version has enough typos to write as second book.
e.g. pg. 476 1135g = 4 ounces
Rachel — January 28th, 2011, 8:51 am
Thanks for all the clarifications Tim
If anyone’s looking for a good SCD protein bar recipe – check out my blog!
Masaki — January 28th, 2011, 10:08 am
Tim
I just want clarification; a diet for a resistance training, such as Occam’s Protocol in my case, could be the Slow-Carb Diet with skipping rule no.1(no white carbs), right? Or is it just for 30 minutes after my workout?
Ryan — January 28th, 2011, 10:27 am
Thanks Peter.
Does anyone have a high calorie meal they use for Occam’s Feeding that wasn’t mentioned in the book?
Anita — January 28th, 2011, 11:15 am
Tim,
I am one of the “geeks” who likes, no needs, all the info. I see that a lot of people posting loose more weight when they eat no cheese, so I’m not arguing that, but why is it? As far as I know, the major components of milk are: lactose, whey (which has proteins lactalbumin and lactalglobulin) and casein. Aged cheeses, like brie or parmesan, have trace amounts of lactose (0.36 gm in one ounce of cheddar, for ex.). The whey is drained away when the cheeses are made. That would leave only the casein to provoke an insulinemic response. I’ve been searching all morning and can’t find any data. Do you have any information? Or is it something else, like other compounds, or maybe the combination of cheese and legumes is the problem?
Cottage cheese has about 3 gm lactose per 4 oz and a little bit of whey, so I would think this would not be recommended over other cheeses. (I know this is 4 times the amount of the cheddar example, but who is eating 1 oz of cottage cheese?)
Alberto — January 28th, 2011, 6:00 pm
Anita I don´t understand your point. The harder the cheese the more fat it has. I don´t find it difficult to se why people that do not eat cheese lose weight.
Anita — January 28th, 2011, 8:16 pm
Under “Slow Carb Clarifications” Tim says that it is the lactose and whey that are the problem with cheese and he (reluctantly) recommends cottage cheese because it has less lactose. There are cheeses that have much less lactose, and there are also low fat hard cheeses. Fat content, however, was not the point Tim was making about cheese. As I understand it, the point of the diet is about reducing insulenemic and glycemic responses, on which fat has no effect. As an info geek, I would love more info on the insulenemic response to aged cheese.
Anita — January 28th, 2011, 11:31 pm
Tim doesn’t say anything about the fat content. I am suspecting that it is the combination of cheese and legumes, as humans didn’t evolve eating that.
Holly — January 28th, 2011, 12:00 pm
Tim, Thanks for the 4HB & sharing so much info in your blogs. I am a 48 yr. old woman w/3 kids & have had fantastic results with the slow carb diet, kettlebell swings, & ice packs. I want to add to your encouragement to those that are frustrated by the numbers on the scale to not get caught on fluctuations. I am at 28 days now. I’m not sure about my starting fat % but my measurements have changed for the better (scale weight went down 5 lbs). I went to an experienced trainer/MD to get a caliper reading this week and he definitely knew what he was doing. I am at 14.79%! The diet is not easy but it is not hard, it’s the easiest plan I have ever done, especially since coffee, red wine, & cheat days are allowed. I’m no dummy, I know that we are all different and we each need to tweak a bit to see what works best. I am also using the Philips goLite and going for morning walks. I have never slept better in YEARS. Plus, my mood is MUCH better. The kettlebell swing is FUN…wish I could do it every day…I love it! I have 2 goals: (1) prove that you can get rid of cellulite without surgery-it’s greatly reduced but still there (I started dry brushing too); (2) I don’t have much of an hourglass shape so I am hoping for that too! Best to you, Tim. -Holly
pdxHollym — January 28th, 2011, 12:21 pm
p.s. I would love to share your book with one of my teenagers, he’s a wrestler, however, I wouldn’t want to him to read the obvious chapters. I had to delete my Kindle version of your book because I share the account with my family since all 5 of us have Kindle readers. Also, I don’t really tell people that I don’t know well about your book because of those chapters. Any chance you would published a G rated version of your book?
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:36 am
Congratulations, Holly! Keep up the great work and you’ll get there. 14.79% is outstanding.
pdxHollym — March 5th, 2011, 11:19 pm
Thanks for the encouragement, Tim…I’m at 8 weeks now & still going strong…love this diet and the results…I’m SO very close to my goal. I am trying to get to it without the “The Last Mile” but will go there if needed. I’m skiing faster, longer, & better than I have in years too!
pdxHollym — June 21st, 2011, 1:30 pm
Hi Tim,
Just checking in, it’s been almost 6 months now. I have been hovering around 12% bf and slowly reversing back to my youthful figure and energy level. Still sleeping better than I have in many many years and getting lots of positive comments and inquiries about what I am doing. I’m not shy about sharing your book anymore. I’m still doing the Perfect Posterior and wow, it is working fabulously. The strength and agility I have gained is amazing. The SCD is now a natural part of my lifestyle. I already reported to you that I had my best snow ski season ever and now that the weather is starting to finally warm up in the pacific NW, I will get to see how my wakeboarding skills have improved. To those that I still struggling, I urge you to stick with it and to be truthful with yourself about following through as Tim has detailed in the 4-Hour Body.
Holly-48 yr. old mom of 3, skier, wakeboarder, racewalker, lover of great food/drink
pdxHollym — April 9th, 2011, 2:55 pm
Hi Tim, Just wanted to update my status/progress. I got my bf% down to 12.88% at the present but still have some cellulite AND I’m trying to sculpt an hourglass out of a rectangle which I am finding challenging as my obliques develop at slightest bit of exercise. Once I got down to 105 & 12.88% on the SCD, I began to gain weight and size but not bf-I concluded that the extra calories were going into my muscles but I didn’t need bigger muscles as I already have them from P90x. That went on for at least 3 weeks so I recently cut back on my calories but stayed with SCD foods and have dropped back down to where I was before I started to grow. I’m 5’2 w/small frame so it seems calories do matter for me at this point anyway.
shelley — January 28th, 2011, 12:06 pm
Hi Tim.
A couple of quick questions. Is it okay to drink any alcohol other than red wine on your non cheat days? I’m thinking something like vodka soda.
And I’m a breast cancer survivor and take Tamoxifen. Do you think that could be slowing my weight loss down? I am 41 and 3 weeks into the plan. I feel awesome and am seeing changes in my body but no big weight loss (just a few pounds so far).
Thanks!
AKnickerbocker — January 28th, 2011, 12:49 pm
Hi Tim,
I have a question on how the binge day relates to metabolism. I had a complete thyroidectomy two years ago. I know that the binge day is supposed to keep one’s metabolism from “down regulating” but considering that I take a daily dose of T4 with a T3 supplement that does not vary, is the binge day still a good idea for someone like me? I’ve googled around to try to figure this out but can’t find anything. I’d appreciate your thoughts (and any other poster’s) on this!
Courtney Reimer — February 4th, 2011, 7:24 am
Did you ever find out anything about this? I have been wondering about this also but haven’t been able to get any good information either way. I am 6 weeks in and while I’ve lost a few inches, I’ve gained weight and the cheat day completely undoes me. It takes me the entire next week to get even close to where I was the previous week and I am not even going crazy. A few small treats. Not sure if this is right for me but would love to get more information if you have any to share!
brooke — January 28th, 2011, 1:01 pm
what should i eat for protein as a vegan? do eat occasional eggs, more often dairy but books says bad (damn, love organic sour cottage cheese with live cultures.) suggestions greatly appreciated! love the book, brooke
Carrie — January 28th, 2011, 1:24 pm
I am a 41 y/o mom of 2 young boys, and started this eating plan 1 week ago. I get up at 600am to get them up and ready, so eating within 30 min of getting up seemed a challenge. I opted for a vegan pea, cranberry,rice protein shake with 20 grams of protein. But it has 11 grams of sugar. My first question is should I ditch the drink due to sugar. I know Tim states I fall in the category of weight loss may take 4-6 weeks. But I don’t want to hinder myself every week
2nd question, any suggestions for an easy breakfast that has worked for anyone else who is pushed for time in the am? Maybe something pre made the night before?
I am open to suggestions from anyone, I can imagine the author is a tad busy!
Thx u
Carrie — January 28th, 2011, 2:52 pm
I am looking for some advice. I am a 41 y/o mom who gets up at 6:00 to get the kids up and running. Eating within 30 minutes seemed a challenge because of desire and time constraints. I went for a premade vegan shake made of pea, cranberry, and rice protein. BUT it has 11 grams of sugar each serving. So, will this shake even tho very simple hinder progress and I should ditch it? i suspect yes, because it tastes good.
2nd, does anyone have a simple breakfast suggestion that meets criteria, I can make the night before, that works for them? I don’t really want to even eat at 615 am, so I thought the shake would be a no brainer. I am guessing it may be hindering results, and I am working too hard for hindering.
Thank you for any suggestions:)
Mary — January 29th, 2011, 7:27 pm
Carrie – I noticed in an earlier post that Tim said he sometimes substitutes a cold water mixed with unflavored whey protein in the morning instead of a cooked breakfast. I haven’t tried that yet but I’m going too. Also – I have resorted to eating a hard boiled egg and a few raw veggies when I’m really pressed – the beans are the hardest for me in the morning but I don’t find that I’m hungry an earlier without them so I just make sure to eat some at my next meal.
Alan Beall — January 28th, 2011, 4:08 pm
On p. 81, you recommend 4,700 mg of potassium per day. Surely that’s a typo.
Tim Ferriss — January 31st, 2011, 6:27 pm
Ugh. Certainly seems like it. I imagine it got chopped up by the copyeditors during editing.
For the time being, I suspect it’s supposed to be 470mg.
Thanks, Alan,
Tim
fliz — February 2nd, 2011, 4:31 pm
according to http://www.nutrientfacts.com/AlmanacPages/Potassium_Recommended_Daily_Allowance_RDA.htm
potassium’s RDA is 3500mg, so the 4700mg rec. in the book seems realistic.
(the morning shake in occam’s feeding has over 2000mg)
Scott — January 28th, 2011, 5:13 pm
Wow, been doing the slow-carb and PAGG stack since Dec 20th. A month in and the fat loss slowed. This week I added 26g of extra protein to my breakfast (2 eggs, 1 cup of spinach and 1/2 cup of black beans) via whey protein and man, the loss is more dramatic than ever. This is going to be my biggest losing week yet!
Thanks Tim. You truly are helping me hack my body!
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 3:32 am
My pleasure to help in any small way, Scott, but you’re doing it! The morning protein makes a HUGE difference.
Anon — February 2nd, 2011, 6:41 pm
Try whey powder with cocoa and vanilla
Jen — January 28th, 2011, 5:22 pm
Stick with it and don’t worry about the scale… I lost 2lbs in the first 6 six weeks. In fact it went up too. Then all of a sudden I lost 11lbs in three days.
Jennifer H — January 28th, 2011, 7:33 pm
I was psyched and skeptical to read your book when my boyfriend told me about it. I read all the chapters you recommended and followed the diet to the T for two weeks including drinking lots of water and eating within 30 minutes of waking and I only lost 1 pound! My boyfriend has been doing the diet and has lost weight not sure how much because he doesnt weigh himself but it is evident from his clothes. Is the diet more effective for men? What should I do? Im really bummed about this!
DLC — January 29th, 2011, 3:13 am
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?
Jared — January 29th, 2011, 6:05 am
I just got a bunch of supplements and noticed you put a lot for the potassium recommendation. 4,700 mg is a lot but when I look at the multivitamin im taking and the potassium supplement I got (which I got at walmart haha), it only has 3 percent of the recommended value. Per caplet, unless im reading it wrong, only 99 mg potassium is usable out of 595 potassium gluconate. Is it hard to extract potassium or should I just get a better supplement for it?
That might be what I’ve been missing in the past. I’d have to have tons of this supplement to reach my daly value, I did get some spinach though so that could contribute to it.
Vasco Patrício — January 29th, 2011, 6:31 am
Hey Tim,
Ordered my PAGG from BodyBuilding.com, but as I live in Europe, I had to make an international order, the package got stopped at customs and now I have to pay an extra 60€. A 70€ package turned into a 130€ one…
Do you have a 4HWW-style ninja hack to prevent situations such as these?
By the way, lost 5kg 2 weeks into the SCD using ice treatments. Great book!
Cherie Gadol — January 29th, 2011, 7:58 am
Please clarify “cream” for coffee. I can only find Half and half or whipping cream at the grocery stores in my area. Which is better for the diet?
berry bowen — January 29th, 2011, 8:13 am
You advise large amounts of water but i couldn’t find any specific suggestions on quantity in the book.
Rob — January 29th, 2011, 9:43 am
Hi Tim,
I’m a classically trained chemist and so I love your “test & learn” philosophy. Treating your efforts as a hypothesis of what I could do with my own body, I’ve been using your guidance in the book as a baseline to see what I could achieve. The results are here:
A week of what I’ve been eating (with pictures for some meals)
http://www.robashby.com/journal
A month of results:
http://www.robashby.com/dietscorecard
I can’t say that my results have been as dramatic as I would have hoped. In your book, you refer to a woman who said that if you’re trying to lose 80-100 pounds and not losing 5 pounds per week for the first few weeks, you’re doing something wrong so I’m questioning my methodology.
I know my scale is not optimal but I thought it would give me trended accuracy over precision. I also reread your slow carb II chapter and fixed an error of not eating within the first 30 minutes – lost weight faster for one week.
Any thoughts here would be welcome.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 6:25 pm
Hi Rob,
Have you measured bodyfat or inches?
Appreciate the methodical approach — you seem to be following the diet properly, though your meals seem small.
The breakfast within 30 min is critical. Please keep that up and update us on your progress over the next few weeks!
Best,
Tim
Courtney Reimer — January 29th, 2011, 10:25 am
Hi Tim!
I wanted to reach out to you about reversing injuries. I had a very traumatic c-section delivery of my son about 16 months ago that has left me with a host of “internal Injuries” (bladder damage, scar tissue, pelvic floor issues, period not returning, sorry if that’s TMI) that I have not been able to repair. I have had so many blood tests done but they don’t show any hormone abnormalities other than the presence of Graves/Thyroid disease that I’ve been managing for years. I do yoga every day which has helped some with repairing the muscles and I have been seeing a Naturopath who has helped me some with Accupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Supplements but the internal trauma remains. I have seen several doctors/specialists for help but they often send me away saying there is nothing they can do (just give it time) and/or take this medication. I read the chapter/s in your book about reversing injuries but I am not sure how to possibly apply this to internal organ injuries. My husband and I do want to have another child but I don’t think my body could handle it if it stays as it currently is. Do you have any thoughts/suggestions/recommendations by chance?
Thank you SO much for this book. It’s helped my husband and I in so many ways!!! I am so grateful.
Best,
Courtney
Amy — February 3rd, 2011, 10:03 am
Hey Courtney, I had a lot of the same pelvic floor related issues from c-section/childbirth as you and what has helped most is to work on fixing my pelvic tilt. I did 3 months of PT this summer for lower back and hip pain and it didn’t just help the pain, it helped my poor prolapsed bladder so much and got rid of much of my potbelly (it also made it so I no longer walk/stand on the sides of my feet, but I had never really known that was a problem). When I was first flipping through the 4HB I thought “Wow, everything helpful my physical therapist had me doing is in here somewhere, no wonder it worked!” Everyday I basically did the same things as on pages 167, 179, #1,2 and 4 on 303-305 and 376-378 (well, the physical therapist didn’t ever tell me to do anything barefoot, but I had given up shoes already and only kept a pair of sandals for any place that told me to put on shoes). The only thing is I have to keep at it or I start having trouble again. Maybe it would help your issues also.
Sasha — January 29th, 2011, 10:33 am
Hi Tim and All! I am on day two of this diet and love it. I do have a few minor questions just to help me out a little.
1)Can I mix foods in one category? Ex #1: Can I add a couple eggs to beef in the morning with my beans and spinach?
Ex #2: Can I mix pinto beans with my black beans and add that to my protein choices?
Ex # 3 My perfect meal would be organic sausage with a couple poached egss, black and pinto beans, and spinach. Is this ok?
OR
Do I have to choose only ONE protein and ONE legume and ONE veggie?
2)I will definitely keep my two glasses of red wine per night!! Thank God
Any suggestions on the ounce amount per cup?
3) I have been cooking all my meals with either ghee butter or olive oil and am cooking with around a 7 out of 10 on heat level. Is this ok, or should I be using grapeseed oil or macadamia oil since I am using a little higher heat?
4) Lastly, I definitely will be adding exercise in soon. Thinking about the kettle bell because I have done kettle bell workouts before and love them.
**Any time of day or suggestions on when to workout and how often? Or please send me to the place in the book that tells me what to do.
Can’t wait to see my results!! Thanks a Latte.
Charlie — January 29th, 2011, 10:36 am
Tim said that including beans “makes compliance with the diet at least 3x higher”. He’s right. I’d rather have a diet with beans that I can stick with (and still lose body fat) than one without them that’s a daily struggle. Beans are cheap, tasty, and reasonably filling!
Same goes for having a day off every week. It’s a lot easier to resist a big bag of M&Ms if I can just keep telling myself “wait for Saturday…” Even resisting the candy on Sunday, at least it’s only a week and not FOREVER!!
Gas hasn’t been a problem so far. For me, gas seems to be more about an excess of onions and garlic in the beans and less about the beans themselves. Also, beans are a common feature in the local cuisine so my system is already adapted to it.
Jordan — January 29th, 2011, 10:43 am
Hi Tim,
I posted a similar question in an older article but it seems that you didn’t reply yet…
As I said in my previous message, I think that my question concerns a LOT of people and not just me. It’s about gynecomastia. I’m 18 and I have it since at least 3 years, it seems that it won’t go away by itself as it is the case for lots of other young men (and older men who get gynecomastia later). I wanted to know whats your thoughts on the possibility to get rid of it by others way than surgery (through medication, natural supplementation…)?
I read a lot on it and the only answers I’ve got come from bodybuilding sites and forums since it’s seems common among steroid users. They generally recommend using Aromatase inhibitors (such as Aromasin, Letrozole, AIFM…) and Prolactin Suppressors (dopaminergic protocols) such as Cabaser/cabergoline and Pramipexole for at least 6-8 weeks. Here’s a link and the recommandations by a member called Kraftydog : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=113704311
What’s your thougts? Is it dangerous?
PS: Just to make things clearer, my gynecomastia is natural, I never took any steroids or drugs, the only supplement I took is Omega 3 fish oil.
Thanks in advance Tim it will really help me and others,
Jordan
Sasha — January 29th, 2011, 10:55 am
I thought I already posted this comment but I do not see it so my apologies if this posts again!
Hello Tim and Everyone Else
I am on day two of this diet and love love love it! Can’t wait to see my results in 30 days. I have a few Questions just to help me along:
1) I am slightly confused on weather we can mix and match foods within each category. EXAMPLE: my favorite meal would be pork with a couple eggs, pinto beans mixed with black beans, and spinach. BUT, this would be mixing two types of food within a category…Is this OK??
OR
Do I have to stick with only ONE food in EACH category?
2) I will definitely keep drinking my two glasses of Red Vino. Thank God! Any suggestions on the ounces alloted per glass?
3) I have been cooking with Ghee Butter and Olive Oil on a heating level of 7 out of 10. Is this OK or should I be cooking with grapeseed/macadamia oil since it is a higher level of heat?
PS…I really miss cooking with coconut oil
Only downfall thus far.
4)Lastly, I will be adding in exercise soon. Any suggestions on how often or how many times a week to do kettle bell exercises or other types of exercise? You can also send me to the part in the book where it states this info.
5)Ok, I promise this is the last one. On cheat day, should I start adding in the exercises Tim Recommends right off the bat?? And Should my first meal be a protein or can I have whatever I want?
Alright, I am Done!! I hope this posts. Thank you for any suggestions you can make for me. Cheers!!
Jake — January 29th, 2011, 11:39 am
So I did a little self-trial regarding aspartame or Nutrasweet. For one week, I allowed myself all the nutrasweet I wanted in the form of diet pepsi and lo-carb monster energy drinks. I lost 10 lbs.
The next week I cut out all nutrasweet and the drinks I mentioned. I lost 10 lbs. I kept my diet and exercise the same over the 2 week mini-trial. I have a decent amount of weight to lose so I am NOT saying I won’t hit a wall in the future because of aspartame but as of right now as long as I’m getting the results I want I am happy. Obviously this only applies to me, and I plan on doing the same mini-trial again in a couple months to look for a change. There probably will be one.
Jake
James — January 29th, 2011, 12:01 pm
Hi Tim, Big fan read both your books and watch’ve been watching you on Dr. Oz and the View. My main goal is too lose weight.
HELP!
I need help in I’m 30 years old, in 1998 I was 150, I went to college gained 30 lbs, never lost it. This year 2010 I’m 30 years old and 185 lbs plus or minus 5 lbs.
I want to lose weight and tried your diet for a month and have lost nothing. I love the cheat days. I’ve follow your diet.
So on January 1st 185lbs and I’m 5’4
Biceps 14.0 and 13.7,
Hips 42”
Waist 36”
Legs (24” each)
Total inches 153.7
Body Fat 25% using the pictures.
Today is January 29, 183lbs No change expect for Weight I’m 183.5 lbs and waist 35” total inches is 152.7.
Last two days diet
Wake up 7:30
8:00 2 egg (hard boiled), ½ of beans (black or red Goya), ½ Green peas (AGG+ multi +tonalin)
12:00 Chicken thick thighs, ½ beans (black or red Goya) ½ spinach, hot sauce(AGG)
4:00 Hard boil egg, some beans or green beans(AGG)
8:00 chicken or steak or fish, bean or spinach (AG no green tea)
10:00 1 cup of red wine with some caffeine free diet coke
Other facts:
Got to bed by 12, 7-8 hour sleep
Some times I eat a poll-o string cheese.
I also go to the gym and run 2 miles -3 miles (2x a week and swim once a week)
I need help, I’m frustrated, don’t know why I’m not losing weight.
Tim Can you help me.
RT — January 29th, 2011, 12:32 pm
Tim, have you read Kurzweil’s “Transcend”? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
Brian — January 29th, 2011, 1:22 pm
Tim – The 4 Hour Body ahas been great – I can’t believe I’ve had Success that was measurable. Before I discovered your book – I was beside myself. I jumped on the Scale at Chrismas time and saw 291.2 – The most I ever weighed… I’m a big guy – but shouldn’t be that big… SInce I started using this in January – I am not at 277 and I have lost 7.1 total inches.
And That has been the key tracking – I read certain things from the book that have helped me stay in focus that Might be of help to others:
1- I decided to start small – Change a little and add on. I I still like cream in my coffee in the morning – I just don’t drink it all day any more. I Like a little Cheese in an omelet now and then – But I use hard cheese and shave it instead of pile it on – I did not try to do everything at once.
2-Tracking my weight – I think the number one way to stay on is weigh in every morning -on an accurate, digital scale – and write it down. I’m using the spread sheet you offered up – and Even with the up and down’s of a day – I stay with in my range each day – to get to my ideal weight in two years. Less discouraging to gain two lbs one day and see it go a way a bit the next – than to see you gained 10 lbs over two weeks you didn’t track it.
3-Less concerned about how much I eat and more concern about what I eat. I realize that some days and at some meals I will be more hungry than at others (I tend to be LESS hungry on Cheat days and don’t cheat so much – go figure that). If I’m still hungry – I get a bit more of the protein and veggies – And then Stopp worrying. This is a lifestyle change and not a crash diet for me.
4-Exercise – I have always jumped back and forth with my ability to stay on a
regime. I stopped fighting that about me – This is a gradual change too – I use a Fitbit ( http://www.fitbit.com) to track my activity and auto tweet it. It auto records my steps and and estimate of calories burned ( including the Ones from sleep and body functioning) – It makes me conscious of my activity without much effort from me – I like that I “outsourced” charting my steps each day. I also try to Do the Wall push ups (at least 30) and Air Bends ( 30 as well) at meal time for each meal – Minimal out put – added results. I am getting back to a swimming routine and other exercise too – kettle bells being ordered – but adding something , better than nothing. Its a process.
5- Bought a Myotape – to take measurements – $6 bucks – Easy to use – as I go along I’ll probably get the more expensive tracking device – but maybe not – my goal is not to be a master diagnostic tracker – I want to feel better and enjoy life – If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.
I had green tea extract – been taking it – Ordered the rest of PAGG – Now ready to add this. Figured Every little change helps AND makes the change more likely to be permanent.
The Energy I’ve gotten from this change is amazing… It’s giving me the extra energy I need to Work on finding and testing my MUSE and living the 4 hour work week life – Thanks!
Noele Paris — January 29th, 2011, 1:30 pm
I am a 38 year old female. I have always been healthy and within a normal BMI with the exception of after 1 pregnancy. In the last 10 years, the only way I got below 155 lbs and to a low body fat percentage was through 5 days a week of an exercise bootcamp, 2 days a week of martial arts training and weight watchers all in one. I was always tired and stressed for time. Cooking, shopping for food and feeding the entire family was very expensive and challenging.
Today is my 3rd cheat day after starting the 4HB nearly 3 weeks ago and I am already down 12 lbs. More importantly, I already need a new wardrobe. My clothing size must be down 2 sizes. I haven’t even started a regular exercise routine yet.
I know that I will need to add supplements once I begin the work outs, but I’m not sure which way to go. IS it better to take a multi-vitamin or is is better to take specific supplements your diet is lacking in?
Any suggestions on a trusted supplement store? GNC? The Vitamin Store?
Nick — January 29th, 2011, 2:21 pm
About to finish my first 4HB month… I’m so nervous. I’ll publish the (so far fantastic) results in a couple of days.
Hang in there, friends! It really pays off!
Thanks so much, Tim.
Mia — January 29th, 2011, 2:21 pm
Carrie-
As a working mom of 2 young boys who has to wake up at 6:30 each morning to get them to school and me to work, I know exactly what you are talking about. I can’t ever make the 30 minute deadline but I try my best to get breakfast in by the hour mark. Do you know what I do? Each Sunday evening, I make 5 portions. It can vary with what you like but I usually sautee any veggies, beans, 2 eggs and egg whites and I divy up each portion into 5 microwave proof containers. i then cool it all down and then store it in back of fridge. I grab one each AM and pop in microwave for a minute and half. Nothing to think about that way. I also do this with lunches for work where i premake salads.
I’m 3 weeks in now and down 10 lbs. Was a bit discouraged but then found Tim’s comment about giving it 4 to 6 weeks so I am reenergized. First diet I’ve EVER stuck with.
Tim, if you are reading this, one question regarding the whole eat within 30 min to an hour direction. From your findings, does the clock start ticking from when you open your eyes or when you actually get out of bed?
Thanks so much.
stevenik — January 29th, 2011, 2:34 pm
Tim,
I often see reference to unflavored whey protein. Is this because flavored protein powders have carbs and sugars?
I just started to use Isopure which has neither. It’s 100% pure whey isolate. They have multiple flavors and supposedly have no carbs, no sugars and 50g of protein per serving.
I tried it with 2 tps of organic unsalted peanut butter and a hand full of spinach. Freakin awesome for breakfast.
Jon — January 29th, 2011, 3:31 pm
Thank You for this book Tim. Thank you for changing the game, and for the work you put into it! I’m only on week 2, but am more inspired than I’ve ever been about a diet and have already made more progress than I have in the past 10! Cheers!
LGPalomo — January 29th, 2011, 4:50 pm
I really like your book and appreciate all your research. I don’t know how I will measure my body fat…don’t know of anywhere in San Salvador that measures body fat, but will start asking around. Have experimented with this slow carb style diet before combined with exercising in the pool, had the Giselle Bundchen body going. Then I got out of the pool…hello size 10! What happened? Cold is definitely a factor in staying trim! I love to XC ski, and I get so sleek when I have the chance to do it. So I like this idea about being in the cold helping to burn calories. My big problem area is the belly/upper thigh area, otherwise because I am a competitive athlete the rest is okay. Experimenting with lots of supplements now at age 45…Lysine, CoQ10, Arginine, soya lecithin, omega 6, vitamin C, green tea, etc. This is designed to help with explosiveness on the court (tennis). Losing the dynamics out there while competing, like I lost the spark or something. Any suggestions?
Gracie — January 29th, 2011, 4:58 pm
The book is great Tim! I am one of those over 40 with 2 children women. Been on it for the last four weeks and it sure does work. My hubby also took it up within the first week. Has been working great for both of us. Although, we have different goals – he wants to put muscle back on and I want to remove fat and then add muscle. I think this leads to part of the confusion some are having…look at the beginning chapter where you go over goals and what chapters. Read….reread…read again. If in doubt – don’t eat it. I have found so much of it “habit” snacking. With kids you kind of have to do “mind over matter”. On binge day, sometimes, I am not really craving anything…it’s all about when I am told I cannot have it!
You cannot be hungry with the food choices! It also incorporates well into our family meals. I always send my kids off with breakfast and we eat dinner together. It took a little tweaking but I use my old recipe standbys…make the kids a pasta/rice/kasha/grain/potato (my son runs XC and has about 6% body fat…he needs some major carbs) to go with our entree and vegetable and my husband and I add in a legume. Some of the classics like a cassoulet follow Tim’s guidelines to a “tee”. Just start flipping through some of those classic cookbooks.
We have both lost over 10lbs. Husband is lifting weights again too. I have lost over 10 lbs and 8 1/4″ . Not bad – figure I will add cardio and the kettlebells back in soon. Just wanted to see what the 4 hour body could do for me before hitting some cardio and weights again. My husband put together the kettle bell for me. I did “sample” it….I know it has been mentioned before that the weight for women was too much. Noooo. I went to 25 immediately and thought I wimped out some on weight – should’ve went to 30. It just depends on your upper body strength. I look forward to next month when I will see what I really can do.
Off to make our binge dinner of Pasta Carbonara. Thanks again Tim!!
João — January 29th, 2011, 5:09 pm
Hello Tim,
You have been talking about how this book is supposed to inspire people to start doing self-experimentation and god help me you have planted the seeds on me.
My question though is, where do you find medical studies? And which books and websites do you recommend? I have read Body by Science long time before even knowing about you, and now am reading Gary Taube’s new book and really want to know more this subjects.
Also, does anyone know of any hack to cure skin eczema? The normal prescription is hidrocorstisone but I have found that to have no effect and actually worsens the itching when applying.
Tim Ferriss — January 29th, 2011, 6:16 pm
Google “medline” or “pubmed” for a great directory of studies. Enjoy!
Nicki D — January 29th, 2011, 5:22 pm
Tim,
Great book, i take it everywhere and re-read things all the time. Oddly enough, i did many of your principles for the past year (food diary, tracking, like meals,etc.) I dropped 30 Lbs on the scale and leaned out quite a bit. I hit a floor or platuea, but 3 weeks into the 4HrB, and I blew right thru it, Thanks!!! By the way, I did it while suffering with a herniated L5/L4 S1 Disk. I haven’t done any cardio in over a month. So, right now I’m reading and re-reading your injury chapters. I read most of them yeasterday waiting for a surgical consult. Anyway, I have a few questions:
1) How does your Sex Machine “Protocol Suppliments” impact the slow carb effects? I’m wanting to experiment in that for a while!
2) Is there a difference between regular Cod Liver Oil and Fermented cod Liver Oil? And where the heck do you get Vitamin Enriched Butter Fat? You should see the looks I get!
3) On page 299 and 300, you weren’t doing all of those medications at the same time, right? Was there a final cocktail that worked the best for you? I’m on HgH for 17 weeks now and it’s seems to be awesome, I’ve done a couple cycles of Cypionate, again awesome.
Last but not least, I’m totally stoked that results for Slow Carb increase after the 4-6th week. I’m going to be 51 soon and it just got me totally pumped. I was about to cheat (read extend) on my cheat day…not now!
Can’t wait to buy the 4 Hr Work Week, if it’s anything like this book…Woo Hoo!
AmandaS — January 31st, 2011, 5:22 pm
Info about fermented cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil is available at Green Pastures Website. Just google.
More info is at the Weston A Price Foundation website.
Jeremy Gye — January 29th, 2011, 5:27 pm
Hi Tim,
Regarding the functional screening section of your book (pp 326 – 329), I’m a little confused. On p.326, you list five self-assessment tests. On p. 329, under the ‘Testing’ section, you then prescribe another set of tests that were introduced two pages earlier as measures to fix the weaknesses revealed in the original tests! Surely this section on Testing should be deploying the five screens presented on p.326, no?
B.T.W. did I mention…I LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!
Best,
Jeremy
Katherine — January 29th, 2011, 5:35 pm
Just a quick question. Can coconut milk, now sold at supermarkets, be used in either a protein shale or in coffee?
Tom Robinson — January 29th, 2011, 10:54 pm
I have a related question. Stores are now selling a couple of brands of coconut water. It is full of potassium and zero sugar/fat. It is supposed to be good for hydration. Do you have any experience with it or would you have an opinion on whether it could be used (perhaps as an occasional substitute for water) with the Slow-Carb diet?
Lorrie — January 29th, 2011, 6:08 pm
It’s been 29 days and I gained, lost, gained, lost but net 29 days, my scale is the same. Of course I’m disappointed because in my fantasy I thought I would have lost 20 lbs in 30 days as advertised. Inches slightly down, clothes feel a tad better, nothing to write home about. Vegetarian, 53, female, only wanted to lose 10 to 12 lbs. Work out hard 4 days per week.
Heres what I loved….simple, did not feel hungry, could have my red wine at night. Here’s what I hated….don’t really like eggs but ate them twice a day, and a whey protein once a day, but i simply can’t stomach that for a lifestyle. The beans and veggies are easy for me, and I understand if I was a meat eater I could have some good meals. But I’m not willing to eat animals, that’s not an option for me, even the eggs and whey are a compromise for me.
So what to do? I love that Tim says to do our own experimentation. I’ve read the plant based chapters several times and still don’t see how to apply this diet if I don’t have eggs and protein powder three times a day, and yuck, can’t do that. Eating out is very challenging if vegetarian and following slow carb.
I gave up two days ago, and find I am so hungry between meals, which makes me irritable and cranky and thinking about food all the time. So I ask again, to Tim and fellow vegetarian bloggers, what to do? I want to keep the benefits of not being hungry, but I want to lose weight, and I have to be able to eat better meals incorporating vegetarian proteins without eating an egg factory daily!
I welcome all comments…
pdxHollym — January 29th, 2011, 6:56 pm
Lorrie, Sorry for your frustration, I can relate and as a 48 yr. old w/3 kids. I would like to encourage you stick it out a bit and perhaps add some of the Slow Carb 2 stuff, ice packs, etc. I think the diet requires a bit more tweaking and time for the older set, especially women. I saw lots of fluctuation with the scale but bottom line, I could see and feel the difference in a good way. A few years back my DH & I did a low carb diet & it took a while for stuff to happen but once it did…the fat began to melt away more quickly than the beginning. Do you like or can you eat fish? I stock lots of canned low mercury, no sodium tuna. I also stock lots of frozen wild salmon. I have to be careful cooking eggs because my husband is deathly allergic so I mostly use a lot of tuna and even cottage cheese (whole milk) which works for me. I also use a lot of edamame (frozen from Trader Joes) that I microwave and add corn salsa & veggies to. I also drink Premium Protein Chocolate shake that I get from Costco, which is probably not ideal but is working okay for me. Between meals I snack on “Handful of Raw Almonds” pack from Trader Joe’s or maybe some almond butter on celery. I recommend adding a few more protocols mentioned in the book and see what happens. Good luck!
Irene — January 30th, 2011, 2:05 pm
Nice to hear that I’m not the only one feeling a bit frustrated with the lack of significant change in 2 weeks! I am 49, 2 kids and with 50 looming in 3 months I want to drop the 10 that changed to 15 and is now almost 20 lbs.!
Do you do the “binge”? I’ve been somewhat reluctant. Any specific tricks you’ve found helpful? ice water,etc? Anyone else at that perimenopausal stage feeling stuck? Tim… any advice?
Thanks!
Charlie Hoehn — January 31st, 2011, 4:10 am
Hi Irene,
I’m one of Tim’s assistants. My mom went on the slow carb diet and was initially skeptical of the binge day concept. But once she added those cheat days in, she was able to drop 25 pounds in about six weeks. By spiking calories once a week, it improves thyroid output (which is especially important for women). But most of all, it helps make the diet sustainable. If you don’t binge, your odds of quitting increase dramatically. It’s important to do the binge, so be sure to cut loose once a week
Good luck!
- Charlie
gracie — January 30th, 2011, 6:33 pm
Hey Lorrie! You do not mention if you lost any measurements (arm, waist, hip, thigh). There were a couple weeks where I lost a smidge of weight but my measurements went down. I also started tracking the types of legumes I was eating…for example, navy beans packed on weight while lentils didn’t. I cooked both from dried and I am not sure if it was the final prep that caused the weight increase…I used the navy beans in a soup…lentils on the side of tuna. I just figured I would take extra note of how I was preparing from now on. I also purchased Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything, Vegetarian.” I needed a few additional ideas for preparing beans and this book has been great. I eat sooo much at my meals I am not really hungry. I keep a jar of almond butter (kroger has the most inexpensive with no additives in Indiana) and have always had natural peanut butter. Stock those babies and you should be good! Keep up the good work…don’t give in yet!
J — January 30th, 2011, 8:55 pm
Lorrie,
You are attempting to run your body (who’s architecture is millions of years old) on inefficient & ineffective fuel.
You have to prioritize your goals – do you want to be healthy or maintain your current eating habits? It appears the two are not currently congruent.
Michelle — January 29th, 2011, 6:58 pm
Is tofu OK to eat while doing SC Diet? I love making kimchi stew and use tofu as one of the ingredients.
Abbie Huxley — January 29th, 2011, 7:17 pm
Interesting report of a study done on policosanol. I don’t have any info on the website or the blog but worth a look:
http://fanaticcook.blogspot.com/2006/03/policosanol-for-cholesterol-reduction.html
Scroll down til you see adverse reactions. They don’t seem to be all that adverse…
Marcie — January 29th, 2011, 8:05 pm
Now I’m curious, regarding your tweet about the comment about splenda, why aspertame would be better (or different) if the reason is that there is an insulin response to anything that tastes sweet? Am I getting that right? Thanks!
J — January 30th, 2011, 8:50 pm
You could cut it all out and then not have to worry about it….
Eric B. — January 29th, 2011, 8:32 pm
Tim-
Doing some research, my wife discovered some correlation between Yerba Mate and cancer. Specifically, it appears to have high enough concentrations of PAH’s to be a risk factor.
http://www.caring4cancer.com/go/cancer/nutrition/questions
Do you have any information about this or evidence to refute it? Thanks.
Marcie — January 29th, 2011, 8:48 pm
Hey Eric – I read quite a bit about this a couple years ago – the cancer link (from what I remember) was attributed to the fact that people who drink it a lot (where it is grown) also smoke cigarettes, and possibly that the leaf itself it sometimes smoked (not literally like tobacco, but smoked like as in cooking). Anyway, see:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774
for a bit of info, but of course would love to hear if Tim has other links/resources…
Lucas — January 29th, 2011, 9:50 pm
I have read some sources (admittedly not particularly reliable ones) that say that we should avoid regular ALA because it is a 50/50 blend of R-ALA and S-ALA. Apparently, S-ALA works against the effectiveness of R-ALA, and (stabilized) R-LA is much more effective and requires a smaller dose than the blend.
I don’t know if you have heard of this Tim, but perhaps you can consult with your expert network to see what’s up with that.
Love the books,
Lucas
davidlupica — January 29th, 2011, 10:39 pm
Looks like Barbara Walters is in that 50% of women who’ve never experienced an orgasm.
davidlupica — January 29th, 2011, 10:39 pm
along with all my exes
bennbarr — January 30th, 2011, 3:57 am
Central Heating May Be Making Us Fat
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/central-heating-may-be-making-us-fat/
But could lowering the thermostat make a notable difference in people’s weight?
Dr. C. Ronald Kahn, a Harvard Medical School professor who does research on brown fat, says it might actually help with weight control over time, provided people stick with it.
“When we put people in a 60-degree room, they increase their energy expenditure by 100 or 200 calories a day if they’re in light clothing,” like hospital scrubs, he said. “They’re not shivering. They activate their brown fat.”
d.king — January 30th, 2011, 4:03 am
Dear Tim,
I was wondering if you could clear up what the deal is with *baked beans* – the ones that are usually tinned in a tomato sauce. Would these be ok for the week-time consumption or would they be more of an off-day thing?
My concern with these is that they usually have some added sugar, though some brands now come with reduced sugar and fat options. Any info, thoughts, or recommendations?
Thanks!
gill — January 30th, 2011, 4:27 am
i’m confused – after the binge – you lost 15kgs in 48hours page 103? – its not really explained or am i being dumb?
J — January 30th, 2011, 8:47 pm
Damage Control chapter
David — July 23rd, 2011, 6:47 pm
On page 103 there was a 15kg weight loss in 48 hours, is this a typo?
Phillip Harrington — January 30th, 2011, 10:12 am
How often should one test bodyfat?
Snowy — January 30th, 2011, 10:20 am
Just a quick question Tim. On the view you showed a black tube type thing that you used to rehab your back. What is that and where can you get one.
Tim Ferriss — January 31st, 2011, 5:48 pm
That was a “Perform Better” foam roller. Just google to find!
Barry — January 30th, 2011, 10:33 am
Has Tim (or anyone) thought about–or tried–adding calories = 2x body weight in lbs of Extra Light Olive Oil (ELOO) or Flax Oil to the Slow Carb Diet (SCD)?
I get that the fructose alternative is at odds with SCD, but I see nothing in the ELOO/Flax Oil approach that breaks the rules.
Thanks! — Barry from Maine
Phil D — January 30th, 2011, 10:51 am
Is there an opinion on using cooking sprays? As a go-to for eggs I’ve always used PAM.
Charlie Hoehn — January 31st, 2011, 4:18 am
Hey Phil,
I suggest trying out Kerrygold Irish butter instead, which you can pick up at King Soopers or Whole Foods. Tim introduced me to it last year and it’s fantastic. Not only is it good for you, it makes the eggs taste WAY better. Enjoy
- Charlie
Alanna C — January 30th, 2011, 11:02 am
Hi Tim,
First of all, Thanks a million for all the crazy experiments you’ve done and continue to do, they are all Amazing!
I just started the SCD a week ago and have already seen results! Amazing! I have been reading your book 4HB non-stop and reading blogs from other fellow readers to clear up some questions I had. But, I still have one question for you:
I have been having my 30gm of protein within half an hour of waking up, usually lentils, egg whites (with one whole egg) and spinach. (And some ice water of course)
The thing is, I would like to start doing a 20-30 min right upon waking, with an empty stomach because I learned (on Dr Oz) that is better to do a small work out in the morning bc, you will burn more fat since the body won’t be able to take energy from the food in your stomach and thus, see results faster.
(something like that)
So, is it okay to do a small workout (some cardio, kettle bells, and sit ups etc) for 20-30 mins and then have the 30gm of protein all within one hour of waking? Or just have the 30gm of protein and then work out?
Just yesterday I started having 300mg of Alpha-lipoic Acid per day, hoping to aid the weight loss.
P.S. I can’t believe that in one week I have seen dramatic changes! Lots of more energy and better sleep=Less cranky and a whole lot more of sexy!
Oh and please go on Oprah! I think she would really love this diet because it is easy,very clear and fun, the best part is that you actually eat! Maybe she’ll give you your OWN show! That would be amazing!
Next time you go on vacation you gotta stop by Costa Rica! That’s where I’m from!
By the way, I am getting ice packs and putting them on in the evenings and switching to only taking one cold shower daily and ice packs in the evening. The first time I tried it, i seriously thought my neighbors would call the police thinking I was being brutally murdered! It was brutal…but then again, sooo worth it! Plus you go numb after a few mins.
Keep up the great work! Best of luck on all future projects,
sincerely,
One more loyal follower!
Alanna C — January 30th, 2011, 11:04 am
By the way, I just ordered the 4HWW, can’t wait to read it!
Norman — January 30th, 2011, 11:58 am
I don’t understand offering smart things like cheap kettlebell alternatives and then charging $120 per year to be part of a forum.
If the goal is to make money off the forum, I think that’s great, but you’ve stated your goals as being to eliminate trolls and keep the discussion serious.
It’s not necessary to make it expensive to achieve these things. Simply require registration with a credit card, Paypal account or other I.D. exposing method. I’ve seen this work on other forums. It’s anonymity that causes trollish behavior, not a lack of financial commitment. If anything, you’re likely to see folks thinking that they are entitled to be rude or lazy since they’re paying… Maybe a one time $10 fee that registrants would loose (along with access) if they flame or troll…
I’m not trying to get free forum access. I don’t feel I need the forum at all as I’m very good at Googling my own answers, extrapolating from the book, self experimenting…
That’s it from the unsolicited advice dept. Thou art a Rock Star, sir!
JFX — January 30th, 2011, 2:53 pm
Tim, thanks for putting out all the great information you have in the 4 Hour Body. You included some of my favorite resources which makes me all the more eager to explore the ones I’m not familiar with.
Here a tea I like that some folks may like to try to see how it works for them:
Simmer 5 or 6 cinnamon sticks and a few 1″ chunks of fresh ginger in 1.5 quarts water (covered) for about 45 min, then let cool to room temperature. Store in a glass pitcher in the fridge and enjoy a cup before meals either cold or warmed in the microwave.
Ginger has significant anti-inflammatory and also helps the GI tract. Plus I like the taste.
You can also try adding some lemon juice and/or stevia
Shaun — January 30th, 2011, 3:20 pm
Hi,
First of all thank you for an amazing book! I am looking in particular at adding muscle, however I want to keep my body fat percentage as low as possible. I was considering trialling 8 weeks of muscle gain using Occam’s Protocol and 4 weeks of fat loss using the slow-carb diet and PAGG on a continuous cycle. Would you recommend this approach?
Also a few other questions:
Would I only do the GLUT-4 exercises during fat loss stage?
Can I continue weights during fat loss stage?
Do I still do a cheat day on Occam’s protocol?
Can I do daily CV workouts during Occam’s protocol? I do Kenpo and need to stay fit…
Many thanks for your advice?
Ben — January 30th, 2011, 3:36 pm
I’m starting the slow-carb diet tomorrow morning. I really need help with an answer to this:
I have coffee with cream, sugar-free hazelnut & 4 splenda packets every morning. The book addresses cream, but I’m wondering about the sugar free hazelnut and splenda. Are either of those ok? Is regular sugar ok?
The coffee is my only serious sticking point so I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask this: if splenda/sugar/hazelnut is not recommended, how much might it derail the effort? In other words, would it make the diet worthless? Or just slow it down?
Thanks!
Charlie Hoehn — January 31st, 2011, 3:58 am
Hi Ben,
Get off the Splenda! It significantly reduces the amount of helpful bacteria in the gut (the kind that aids in fat loss). As is recommended in the book, replace it with a bit of cinnamon.
Best of luck
Alanna C — January 31st, 2011, 11:03 am
Splenda will absolutely ruin all your efforts, Tim recommends cinnamon with your coffee and cream instead of milk. (No lactose at all on this diet) And if in need of a sweet fix, try some sugar free jello.
Good Luck!
Deepak — January 30th, 2011, 3:37 pm
So how were do we get provigil from the “Creativity on demand article” ?
Eli — January 30th, 2011, 5:55 pm
I just tried the breath holding exercise, and am quite amazed at the results. My before time was 1:45, and my after time was 4:09! The other three people I tried this with at least doubled their original time, and two of us beat Houdini’s best – and all of this was right after eating. I can’t wait to try out some of the other technique-based improvements you went over in the book. Thanks!
J — January 30th, 2011, 7:56 pm
Tim,
Can you please expand on the warning in 4HB regarding PAGG stacking while taking thyroid medication (synthroid); I’ve run into at least 3 people with the same unanswered question regarding the linkage / ill-effects….
Thanks,
Lane K — January 30th, 2011, 8:02 pm
I have been on diet for two weeks. I seem to have lost some belly fat round 1.5 inches but my weight seems to be stuck down five pounds. I bougth an Escali from the web link and it show I am pretty much exactly at same spot fat percentage wise. Ugghhhh
I finally have in house athletic greens, taking PAGG as directed/updated (wife hates the garlic ouch). I have started mostely consuming lentils which I love, yet I expect to be down at least ten pounds. My only area of need for loss is belly.
I know I have gained some muscle as I start the minimal exercise of leg press, incline bench, and bent row.
My biggest concern is my protein powder. Using Muscle Milk pure isoloated and concentrated milk protein. Wonder if that is f-ing things up. Using it to make sure that I get that 30g in the morning and adding athletic greens as well.
I have a pre-made Myoplex shake available but the sugar content is 5g and afraid to use it for the sugar. Help…seem stuck but starting third week slo-card today Sunday 1/30.
Kinda confused if I should start looking at building muscle instead to speed fat loss. Dying to see my abs after 49 years of life.
Thanks to any one for a response.
J — January 30th, 2011, 8:48 pm
patience and persistence.
Your body is probably freaking out over the changes – stick to the plan and keep going.
Jon P — January 30th, 2011, 8:49 pm
Hi Tim,
Loved the book and have been on the SC diet for two weeks now. I know that there have been endless comments now about artificial sweeteners, even though you go over them pretty thoroughly in the book. I apologize for bringing up the subject, yet again.
I am wondering, though, does chewing sugar free gum impact insulin response at al? I am an obsessive gum chewer, and want to know if I should eliminate it.
I understand how Aspartame and sucralose would trigger an insulin response when ingested, but do you think that the mere taste of these compounds does this as well?
I have tried doing a little research on Google Scholar, and am not turning up any informative studies.
Thanks,
Jon
DLC — January 31st, 2011, 6:43 am
I believe xylitol may be an option. (Tim, please weigh in.) Xylitol is a sugar substitute that comes from birch trees. It reportedly does not create an insulin response, and it is actually good for your teeth. Spry is a brand of gum, you can also find dental products that contain Xylitol, and buy it in a shaker as a sugar replacement. All available at Whole Foods and elsewhere.
As the chemical properties are not the same as sugar, substituting in recipes can be tricky. It’s also a little pricy compared to sugar.
Peter Bold — January 31st, 2011, 7:16 am
John,
I´ve read, that in at least 15 % of the population sweet tastes lead to a secretion of insulin.
Gary Taubes talks about this in “Good Calories, Bad Calories” too.
All the best
Peter
sara — January 30th, 2011, 9:33 pm
I presume tomatoes are not considered a fruit since you mention eating salsa. Although you also mention corn in the salsa (pg 91), I’ll also assume it’s best to avoid corn since it’s a grain??? Thanks for throwing us a tomato
. Day one starts tomorrow…nervous :-/. I’m a healthy semi-fit woman looking to drop 6-8 pounds in the next 3 weeks…fingers crossed. Going to take it one week at time…not having my milk-based protein shakes and/or bananas after my runs will be the most challenging and missed *sniffle*.
Peter Bold — January 31st, 2011, 7:02 am
Sara,
you are right, corn should be avoided and tomatoes are allowed on the slow carb diet but should be avoided in the diet plan form the chapter “The Last Mile”.
All the best Peter
Ed — January 31st, 2011, 12:20 am
Tim,
I’ve been following Neil’s food schedule to the T and Occam’s exercise frequency for 3 weeks. Sushi/Rice, Chipotle Bowl and Chicken/Potatoes with Balance Bars in between and a shake for breakfast and before bed.
You mentioned watching out for bodyfat % when doing LOMAD/GOMAD in Occam’s Protocol. Between the morning and evening shakes I’m taking in about ~1.5 liters of milk per day.
I’ve been tracking BF daily with bio-impedance… which I know is not great, but hopefully enough to see a trend. I’m also following your procedure for getting the most constant reading once a week.
So far… I’ve noticed about a 2lb gain in muscle, but just as much in bodyfat, leaving BF% unchanged. I tracked my food intake for a day and my biggest fat portions are the morning/evening shakes, while calories and protein are in line with your recommendations. Should I cut down on the milk and/or almond butter? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Peter Bold — January 31st, 2011, 2:22 pm
Ed,
you could try substituting the calories from milk for something less insulinogemic like eggs. And drop the calories if that doesn´t work out.
How far are your calories above maintance level? You probably won´t need much more than 1000 kcal above maintance to build muscle.
All the best
Peter
Ed — January 31st, 2011, 5:37 pm
Thanks for the help Peter. I’ll definitely try that out… and I do think I’ve been exceeding the +1000 calories above maintenance anyway.
IYC — January 31st, 2011, 3:41 am
Hi Tim,
First of all thanks for everything!!
I have been following the slow carb diet for 2 weeks now with great results (2 pants sizes down.., was too lazy to do TI yet:).
I have 2 questions:
1. I was thinking of purchasing the Omron HBF-306C – did you ever try it? I assume it’s not accurate, but I wonder if it’s consistent (bad data is better than no data).
2. Gynecomastia – I sent you an email through Charlie a while ago, I assume between your avg. of 750 per day it got lost. Do you have any ideas for getting rid of Gynecomastia – even if you have something in theory I would love to experiment..
Thanks!!
Heather — January 31st, 2011, 6:29 am
Tim,
I just read your book and am excited about the potential it holds.
I currently an breastfeeding my one month old, is this “diet” safe for breastfeeding mothers? Will my baby get the proper nutrition if I follow the slow-carb diet?
Thank you very much!!!
CeePee — January 31st, 2011, 7:46 am
LOL… so I bought the digital version of 4HB last week and have started the program (love it, so far). Yesterday, I bought the hardbound print version, so I could highlight the parts I wanted to reference… way easier than trying to bookmark digitally, but someone PLEASE stop me because I woke up this morning (after my first binge day) thinking I needed the audio version on my ipod to listen to while driving!
Tom Nixon — January 31st, 2011, 8:50 am
Hi All,
I am looking for some help/clarification on the supplements section of Occam’s Protocol. The text says thus -
“consume 80grams of L-glutamine during the first 5 days of Occam’s protocol”
“I recommend 10 grams at a time every two hours on the dot until the daily 80-gram quota is reached”
“10-30 grams post work out will speed repair”
1 – Does this mean 80g per day or 80g over the first 5 day period?
Amazon (in UK) sells the stuff in form or capsules – the capsules are 500mg/1000mg each. So in tablet form to get the 10g dose you need to take 20/10 tablets. To get the 80g per day you need to take 160/80 tablets each day?
2 – Are these figures right? 160 or even 80 tablets a day seem excessive?
3 – Does this mean – 10g at 8am, 10g at 10am, 10g at 12am etc etc?
Any help or advice on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tom
Peter Bold — February 1st, 2011, 7:30 am
Tom,
yes, the book says 80 g each day for 5 days – consumed in units of 10g every 2 hours.
After the first 5 days 10-30 g on workout days, after the workout.
All the best
Peter
Cat — January 31st, 2011, 9:19 am
Missing ‘spaghetti’ noodles? But want to stick to legumes? Have the EXCELLENT black bean noodles (seriously awesome) which cook in 8 mins! Explore Asian also has Mung bean spaghetti…
I get it at my local co-op but you can find them online. Here’s one: https://www.navanfoods.com/Explore_Asian_Black_Bean_Spaghetti
Also blogged this morning about food sensitivities, which should be addressed with the 4WB being gluten and dairy free. However for those who have commented on the one day binge turning into 3 day episode, you may want to experiment with the same 4HB diet (before giving up entirely) but planning a binge day with all the foods you LOVE that are STILL non allergens for you…I know, quite a compromise… but it could be just as delicious, not to mention rewarding in the end.
My 2 cents anyway.
patrick venzke — January 31st, 2011, 10:50 am
What up Tim, I trained with JoeDeFranco for the NFL combine posted a 34 inch vertical at 303 pounds,a record for Tackles that day, your two books changed my business life and my body, keep challenging conventional wisdom, and yes I am starting to see abs at 310 pounds drug free, your advice is right on and I wished I wouldn’t have overtrained my whole life
i am doing the whole program and it is working like a dream
PV
Alexfromrussia — February 1st, 2011, 3:55 pm
Tim, guys,
Pls. clarify: in sexmachine I chapter, you’ re saying “2capsules of fermented cod liver oil and vitamin-rich butter fat”. There is no information on the amount of fat/oil in above capsules at the site of the producer of Blue ice brand, recommended there. Can you advise the recommended amount of fermented cod liver oil and vitamin-rich butter fat in mg, separately?
I just got the book 2 days ago and looking forward to start experimenting. Tim, you’re the pioneer of the internet era medicine!
Tim Ferriss — February 1st, 2011, 6:38 pm
Hi PV,
That vert is insane, man. 310 with abs! Brings back visions of Scot Mendelson (google him — 1,100-lb.+ bench).
Thanks so much for the kind words. Please keep us posted on your progress and look forward to hearing more of your adventures in training.
Best,
Tim
Sasha — January 31st, 2011, 11:19 am
How about vanilla extract in coffee instead of stevia (that’s what I used to use before diet and although I have great tasting coffee, I miss some sweetness in there)? How much and how often Can I use Vanilla extract in my coffee??
Tim Ferriss — February 1st, 2011, 6:35 pm
Unsweetened vanilla extract is fine. Use just a dash and you’ll be good. I love the stuff.
Sysy Morales — January 31st, 2011, 11:51 am
Funny, most diabetics say insertion site where you say implantation (referring to the Dexcom).
Anyway, I am LOVING the book. On page 105, you talk about being able to increase the speed of gastric emptying for the purpose of not absorbing so much of what is in the food. I can support this by telling you that: As a type 1 diabetic, I give a unit of insulin per 15 carbs I consume. But, let’s say I have diarrhea (I TMI’d you right back). For me, it means needing a unit of insulin for every 30 carbs I consume. Big heck of a difference.
So I know you’re right when you say that speeding up gastric emptying is effective.
Michelle — January 31st, 2011, 1:30 pm
Hi! I’m am just starting to add the AGG/PAG stack to my plan. How long BEFORE a meal (mins.) should these supplements be taken? Thanks!
John W. Scott — January 31st, 2011, 1:57 pm
Hey Tim,
My wife and I saw your appearance on Dr. Oz and the very next day we went out and bought the 4 hour body book. Incredible and intriguing. One reason I really think we’re digging the book is because conventional wisdom repeatedly failed. My wife and I are both about 40-50 lbs overweight which has come over time. We were both thin years ago when we got together but over 18 years the several pounds a year gain with a contentedly settled lifestyle has caught up with us. Couple that to the fact that I work behind a desk all day and my wife is a housewife (no kids to keep her on her toes either) and we have a recipe for weight gain. I just want to say that today is the first day we’re doing the slow carb plan and I must say I feel great today! She does too. She started a yoga plan today as well. We are coffee drinkers and I know you recommend cream if one must have it. How about almond milk? Coconut milk? Obviously the unsweetened varieties would be a must. How about for sweeteners? Stevia? How about Xylitol? It sounds promising for use in limited quantities with the slow carb plan but I am unsure as I didn’t see it mentioned and I didn’t see much on the web about it either. Thanks again for a GREAT book. We’re having a blast getting thru parts of it and your style is refreshing and liberating. Have a GREAT day and stay safe with those experiments!
John W. Scott
Dan Irwin — January 31st, 2011, 3:32 pm
Hi Tim,
I’ve been a big fan for quite a while and have a question about the slow carb diet. I’ve always been naturally lean and, upon the insistence of my strength coach stepfather, have eaten in a very similar fashion to what’s dictated by the slow carb diet for most of my adult life anyway, so as far as I can tell there’s no immediate need for me to start the diet at this time. However, my girlfriend started the diet 10 days ago and the loss has not been what I expected (.5 LB in 1st wk). I know that this diet is effective from previous experience with friends, and I literally eat every meal with my girlfriend (assuming she’s not cheating when I’m in the bathroom or something), so I’m wondering if her birth control could have a negative effect on her rate of fat loss. She began taking Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo about 4 weeks ago…http://www.drugs.com/pro/ortho-tri-cyclen-lo.html
According to that link, her BC pill is associated with weight gain, so do you think this is to blame for her current rate of fat loss, and would it be fitting to cease the use of the pill and investigate other methods of contraception as far as maximal fat loss is concerned? Thanks!
Dan Irwin — January 31st, 2011, 3:46 pm
Hi Tim,
I’m a long time fan and have greatly enjoyed your books. What effects can birth control, specifically Orth Tri Cyclen Lo, have on the slow carb diet? Thanks!
Scott — January 31st, 2011, 7:23 pm
Just got hipped to 4HB yesterday…(rose’s “random show”). Love the idea! I’m a 325lb 46 yr old male (6 ft) I’ve lost 20lbs recently using a modified South Beach diet (meaning “not strict”) and tracking my intake and exercise using another site (that bike rider dude’s
but I really like the idea of 4HB! I’ve read through quite a bit of the book already and would be jazzed to try it, but I am not alone in my quest for weight loss. My daughters (12 and 13) are both overweight (as I was as a teen) and have had some success on our modified SBD, but I fear the strict nature of the 4HB, even with the cheat day, would turn them off. Just the nature of kids to “sneak” stuff, at school or out with friends. You didn’t really go over obese children in the book, that I can find so far. What’s your philosophy of children dieting?
Also, is this method “all or nothing”? After reading about your experiments with the chemistry of how foods work together (and against each other) it seems you must be “all in” for this to truly work (fat burning, anyway). Is my assumption correct?
Tucker — January 31st, 2011, 8:20 pm
tim! ur the man. im a 18 year old guy who blew out his knee my senior year of high school playing football. since then i have put on a little too much weight and have been unhappy. i got the book and have pitched it to literally anyone who is willing to listen haha. since starting the diet i have lost 10 pounds. i am five foot eight and used to weigh 175. im down to 165 and hoping for 10 more! this is super exciting though. thanks for all your hard work. its paying off for all of the people that really do what you talk about.
i just have two questions. i struggle to get enough protein in the mornings because i dont have a huge appetite. i have thought about taking a protein shake to make things simple. should i try whey? soy? hemp? any specific powders that you recommend?
and i have to admit, beans and lentils can get a little boring. i use garlic salt a lot to help with flavor and i noticed how you like beans so much because of the carbs and the saturated fat. is there possibly anything else that would fit that bill? that i could substitute every few meals or so? i understand that you dont have all the time in the world to answer these posts but any info is greatly appreciated.
thanks again tim. hope to hear from you soon
Peter Bold — February 1st, 2011, 1:14 pm
Tucker,
in some postings Tim recommended unflavoured whey. Stay away from soy.
I use a flavored mixture of 80% micellar casein and 20 % whey and never experienced a stall in fatloss from the artificial sweeteners.
For the legumes I use different kinds of spices and methods of preparing:
yellow lenitls with curry, garlic and coconut milk
lentils with salt, olive oil, pepper
mashed white beans with salt, butter and nutmeg
lentils with salt, tomato juice and oregano
lentils with salt tomato juice and curry
kidney beans with salt, tomato, pepper & chillies
mashed black beans mixed with eggs, cocoa powder, baking powder and sweetener nuked for 8 minutes make a great chocolate cake
All the best
Peter
Tucker — February 2nd, 2011, 12:42 am
hey peter, thanks for the great info. during the SCD i have not been working out at all save for some daily walking. is the shake in the morning still ok?
so 20 percent unflavored whey protein and 80 percent micellar casein (flavored-unfortunately) mixed together with water? how much water? and what brands of powders do you use/recommend ? and thanks for all the recipes i will definitely give them a shot. also what are u thoughts on hemp protein as well? thanks again
-tucker
Peter Bold — February 2nd, 2011, 10:04 am
Hi Tucker,
I use Micellar Casein by Elite Sports Nutrients it´s the mixture of casein and whey I talked about. If you are in the U.S. you could try the whey from Biotest I was always satisfied with their products but postage and customs to Europe can be high.
Never tried hemp. Protein Shakes are good for getting in the 30 g of protein for breakfast independent of your physical activity.
If you got a tasty protein powder you can add less water and get a pudding texture. Or you can add crushed ice and lots of cold water to use it instead of the ice water from the Ice Age chapter.
All the best
Peter
Terri H — February 8th, 2011, 1:23 pm
You state “80% micellar casein,” but casein is milk protein. Isn’t that a no, no for this diet?
Angie — January 31st, 2011, 8:31 pm
Tim,
LOVE your new book! I am over 40 mother of 2 with 20 lbs to lose. Diets usually don’t work for me, but am willing to give another a try. I have not lost one ounce yet (following the diet to the t), and am on day 7. I saw your previous comment that it may take 4-6 weeks for this diet to work for someone like me! Do you mean that I will not see ANY results, or just not on the scale? Also wondering why it takes 4-6 weeks to work. After that point, will the weight FALL off?
Desperate in Detroit! Angie
GP — January 31st, 2011, 8:50 pm
This diet focuses on the biochemical aspects of nutrition in contrast to many that overemphasize the psychological (which I think is the most pertinent way to go- if you read Gary Taube’s “Why We Get Fat” he makes some great points about the absurdity of treating obesity like it’s a psychological condition).
Even so, I’ve really liked the emotional benefits of Tim’s diet! I started on this not because I wanted to lose weight but because I’m sick of all the guilt associated with food when you’re a dancer (or even just any woman in America!!)- counting calories or even obsessing over portion size gets super old. In focusing on WHAT to eat and not how much, I feel like I’m freeing up a ton of mental and emotional energy, and getting rid of a lot of self-judgment, which is great.
In that vein, I WANT to like the cheat days because they would let me enjoy deviations from the diet rather than cause guilt, but I’m not convinced about the science behind them – do they really help biochemically? Because they restore leptin levels? Or because they enable your body to process insulin? Or what? Can anyone point me to articles about the science behind “cheat days”?
Yes, I know I should just self-experiment for myself and see what happens instead of having to be comforted by other people’s science, but I really don’t want to wildly fluctuate my weight as part of an experiment… so let me know what you find!
(Also, I want to echo some of the comments above about more women-centric 4HB posts – I think women would really enjoy more about the food-emotion connection. Also, the sex chapters were totally male-only — F that!)
Jenniffer — January 31st, 2011, 8:50 pm
I haven’t yet started the 4HB/SCD yet but planning for it. Actually, I’m on a super strict diet right now that ends in a few weeks, then I will be in a phase that doesn’t allow any sugars or carbs (including legumes) for about three weeks and will then replace the final phase of low-carbs and low-sugars with the 4HB/slow carb diet.
My current diet allows only the use of Stevia when a sweetener is used ….well specifically SweetLeaf only (liquids and powder used mostly only in my coffee)…there are many Stevia products that contain other ingredients such as Maltodetrix..these are not allowed. Can SweetLeaf Stevia be a part of the SCD? I’ve seen mixed responses in the use of sweeteners….so I am curious if others use it.
Also..I have visited http://www.fourhourbody.com/binge I’m wondering, Is this a realistic representation of what a binge day should look like once a week? I am a bit disappointed to see celery with peanut butter, fruit slices, quinoa, curried chicken salad as the deep splurges that are allowed. I’d like to see or hear more representations of a typical “binge” day.
I advance my appreciation to those those willing to share.
CV — March 1st, 2011, 9:45 am
Jennifer,
These are excellent questions. Have you received any responses or researched these in other slow-carb forums?
Thanks,
Chris
Cathy Ferguson — July 19th, 2011, 11:17 am
I just bought the book and Stevia was mentioned in the book as the allowable sweetener, if you really felt like you could not enjoy your coffee without it. Tim also mentioned that he seeks out ice cream, candy bars, donuts and pizza and eats whatever he wants on his splurge day…the choices some people make are fearful ones as they don’t want to stray too far into “forbidden” territory and are probably fed by a life long guilt trip over those foods. For me, the cereal, milk, bread, sweet potatoes and fruit alone are enough to make salivate as I feel this is what I am going to miss the most while being on this diet. I haven’t spent enough time on the site to determine if changes have been posted on what’s “allowable” on binge days…it could be it has changed for the period of time on the slow carb diet while you are losing weight and trying to acheive the fat levels you want, but I will be sure to read some more of the updates on the site as I plan to start the diet this coming weekend…Friday was the splurge day for me on my previous calorie and carb restricted diet that allowed brown rice and whole grains only and my go to was Indian food…yum!!!
Amanda — January 31st, 2011, 9:05 pm
I am 35 and had my fourth child 2 months ago. I’ve always lost baby weight fairly easily in the past, but this time it’s not budging. I have been on the diet for about 2 weeks, with only a bit of lactose free milk in my tea a day. So far, no progress, but I’m staying with it. My question is this:
Are there any concerns or modifications you’d suggest to mothers who are breastfeeding? Am I getting enough nutrients if I eat the following every day…
– egg substitute ~1 cup, spinach, salsa, ham
– tea, splenda 1 tbsp lactose free milk
– sliced deli turkey ~/25 lb, carrots dipped in hummus, salad with oil/vinegar
– grilled meat, veggie and large portion of beans
Lorraine — February 1st, 2011, 1:06 am
Amanda, give yourself a break and some time! You’ve just had your fourth baby! Your hormones are surely not in place yet after a fourth pregnancy, especially if you are breastfeeding.
It looks like you are eating well, but I would drop the splenda if I were you. Not only it could compromise your goal of losing weight, but research has found it to be detrimental to your health, but mostly to your nursing infant (yes, even a little can do some harm, check out Dr Mercola’s site for all the info on splenda and other sweetners)…
I also have 4 children, and it took almost a year to lose most of the weight after the 4th pregnancy…now with this diet I’m trying to lose the last 10 lbs (gained 45 lbs with the last pregnancy).
Good luck!!
Anne — August 30th, 2012, 3:29 am
Amanda, by now you’re probably in much better shape, but I wanted to ask, why did you go for egg substitutes instead of eggs? Carrots and hummus are not on the 4HB plan, because carrots are root vegetables and hummus is made with chick peas, and deli turkey is usually loaded with weird preservatives. A small amount of milk in your tea introduces dairy. It’s dropping all these things that makes 4HB work!
John — January 31st, 2011, 9:35 pm
Great book. I’ve lost 30 lbs in 6 weeks
Michelle — February 1st, 2011, 9:03 am
John, Did you take the PAGG supplements along with following the diet?
Sarah — February 1st, 2011, 4:56 am
So I’ve been on this diet for around 7 weeks and down 8kg on the scale – I’ve been sticking to it apart from over Christmas time and Australia Day, my choice. Generally everything is going in the right direction. So I’m happy…
But I’m really excited about the diet’s side effect of regaining a beautiful healthy looking tongue! My tongue has looked yellowy and slightly coated ever since getting over multiple bouts of tonsillitis over a 2 year period. I think my system continued to be distressed after the aggressive strep strain and amount of antibiotics. I know doctors trained in India are big on tongue appearance as general health indication – so I’m pretty stoked! Any other low carbers noticed this?
So thanks Tim!
And a question of Chocolate… there are certain days of the month when I crave chocolate, in a woman possessed way – normally I can take or leave it but just 1 piece (of the 85% cocoa kind) satisfies the craving. I’ve googled and it appears the craving could be to do with the magnesium content? If so, can I simply pop a supplement on the day(s)?
Justin Cordingley — February 1st, 2011, 6:46 am
So I’m reading through the how to increase strength bonus material, and I can’t help but smirk at the irradiation thing. It’s something our bodies naturally know, and I think it’s something Bruce Lee understood quite well.
Have you ever noticed that when you’re angry, how seemingly every muscle in your body will be just a bit tense? Ok, now for the heresay that has room to be (dis)proven: Have you noticed that, using the ‘same’ amount of effort you would when calm to do something, like push a door open, or ‘toss’ your jacket onto a chair causes a far more violent reaction than you expect?
I always thought it was a result of anger making it impossible to judge the amount of effort you’re using… But the irradiation effect seems pretty likely.
jim berry — February 1st, 2011, 7:52 am
I hope I’m not repeating something previously asked, but, I was looking to see if Tim had a protein shake recipe in 4HB and was directed from the index to p. 261 (both under ‘protein shake’ and under ‘recipes’) but there is no such recipe on p. 261.
Can anyone direct me to the correct page?
Thanks,
jim
Charlie Hoehn — February 1st, 2011, 11:39 pm
Try page 263!
Scott — February 2nd, 2011, 10:02 am
Hi all,
Great book Tim, I’m a guinea pig myself
.
Regarding the shake recipe on page 263, I haven’t gotten my hands on the chia seeds yet since I’m in the EU and they are considered “not for human consumption” though I’ll be getting them from a pet supply store (seriously). So I’ve been using flax seed as a substitute. I have two quick questions:
Can I use flax oil instead of the seeds, if so what amount?
And if I should stay with the seeds, is there a way to grind them quickly? They don’t grind in the blender and it takes forever in my pestle and mortar.
Thanks for your help.
Michelle — February 1st, 2011, 8:57 am
Hi! I’ve been on the Slow-Carb diet for 1 week. Just puchased the supplements in AGG/PAG. How many minutes before each meal should I take the AGG stack?
Has anyone else been taking PAGG? Better results than without?
Thanks!