The 4-Hour Body Diet: A Comprehensive Meal Plan Example

The 4-Hour Body Diet, popularized by Tim Ferriss in his book "The 4-Hour Body," is a dietary approach centered around simple rules and the consumption of slow-digesting carbohydrates. It aims to maximize results with minimal effort, promoting fat loss and overall health improvement. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the diet, including its principles, rules, food lists, and potential benefits.

Understanding the Slow-Carb Diet

The Slow-Carb Diet operates on the principle of consuming "slow-digesting carbs," primarily legumes, alongside other specific food groups. The diet's foundation rests on the concept of the minimum effective dose (MED), striving for maximum results with minimal effort. This entails adhering to a set of guidelines designed to optimize the body's fat-burning and weight-loss capabilities.

Core Food Groups

The diet primarily revolves around these food groups:

• Animal Protein: Essential for muscle building and satiety.
• Low-Starch Vegetables: Provide essential nutrients and fiber.
• Legumes: Serve as the primary source of carbohydrates.
• Fats: Contribute to satiety and hormone production.
• Spices: Enhance flavor and add variety to meals.

Foods to Avoid

The diet restricts the consumption of certain food groups, including:

• Grains (corn, rice, quinoa)
• White potatoes
• Flour
• Bready foods

The Five Fundamental Rules

The Slow-Carb Diet is structured around five key rules:

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Rule #1: Eliminate "White" Carbohydrates

This rule entails avoiding any "white" carbohydrates, including processed carbs made from refined flour, such as pasta, bread, and cereals. White-colored foods are not included on the Slow Carb diet food list. Avoiding white-colored food will also help you avoid diabetes-causing chemicals created by bleaching flour. For example, don’t eat pasta, tortillas, potatoes, bread, cereal, and breading on fried food. Cauliflower is allowed. The exception is for strength training, where these foods can be consumed within 30 minutes of finishing a resistance-training workout.

Rule #2: Repeat Meals Regularly

To simplify meal planning and ensure adequate protein intake (at least 20 grams per meal), the diet encourages repeating the same 3-4 meals regularly. This allows you to avoid foods that will make you gain fat and ensure you get enough protein. Each meal should contain one item from each of the following categories within The 4-Hour Body food list:

• Protein: eggs (especially whites), beef, fish, pork, chicken thigh or breast
• Legumes: lentils, soybeans, pinto beans, red beans, black beans
• Vegetables: any vegetables you like. The author recommends sticking to green beans, peas, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kimchi, and sauerkraut because including more takes too much work between shopping and prep time.

Rule #3: Avoid Drinking Calories

The diet emphasizes drinking plenty of water throughout the day, along with unsweetened tea, coffee, or other calorie-free beverages. Liquid calories are less satiating than solid calories. For best results, you should only drink water, tea, and/or coffee. The reasoning behind this rule is to avoid fructose, which is found in high quantities in most fruit. The basis of this rule is that beverages provide little to no nutritional value. Therefore, the diet suggests that you only obtain your calories from nutritious foods, not drinks.

Rule #4: Avoid Fruit

The diet restricts fruit consumption due to its fructose content, which is believed to hinder weight loss by increasing blood fat levels and decreasing fat-burning capacity. Fruit contains the sugar fructose, which will make you gain fat. Fructose can also increase the uptake of trace elements such as iron, and iron can be toxic in large quantities. That’s why fructose is not included on the Slow Carb diet food list. The exception is for tomatoes and avocados in moderation.

Rule #5: Incorporate a Weekly "Cheat Day"

Also known as “cheat day” or “faturday,” simply take one day a week where you can indulge all your cravings. The slow-carb diet allows you to choose one day per week when you can eat anything you want. On this day, you do not have to follow any of the other rules. As such, this eat-anything day is meant for you to indulge in any food and beverages you might be craving without fear of gaining all the weight back. This day is intended to ease the mental stress of dieting and potentially prevent the slowing of metabolic rate that can occur with prolonged caloric restriction.

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Slow-Carb Diet Food List

The diet emphasizes five primary food groups: protein, legumes, vegetables, fats, and spices.

Protein Sources

• Egg whites with 1-2 whole eggs
• Chicken breast or thigh
• Beef, preferably grass-fed
• Fish
• Pork
• Lactose-free, unflavored whey protein powder

Legumes

• Lentils
• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Red beans
• Soybeans

Vegetables

• Spinach
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale)
• Sauerkraut and kimchi
• Asparagus
• Peas
• Green beans

Fats

• Butter
• Olive oil (low-heat cooking)
• Grapeseed or macadamia oil (high-heat cooking)
• Nuts (almonds)
• Ghee
• Creamer - dairy-free and only 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) per day

Spices

• Salt
• Garlic salt
• White truffle sea salt
• Herbs

Foods to Avoid

The slow-carb diet suggests only a few foods that you may eat as much and as often as you want. However, it also outlines some foods to avoid during the weight loss process and forever after.

Fruits

As rule number four states, fruits are not allowed in the slow-carb diet. Fruits contain fructose, a simple sugar that can increase blood fat levels, according to the slow-carb diet. Additionally, the diet suggests that fructose can enhance the absorption of iron in humans and decrease the levels of other minerals like copper. Therefore, the diet recommends you refrain from eating any fruit or drinking fruit juice on diet days. However, you can still consume them on the cheat day.

Dairy

Dairy is not recommended on the slow-carb diet. This diet explains that even though dairy products have a low glycemic index, they cause your insulin levels to rise, which seems to be detrimental to weight loss. The diet says the spike in insulin caused by dairy is comparable to that of white bread. For this reason, the plan states that it is best to avoid dairy during the diet days. Nonetheless, cottage cheese is allowed on the slow-carb diet. The diet’s author claims that it contains high levels of the protein casein and lower lactose levels than other dairy products.

Fried Foods

The slow-carb diet does not allow any fried foods to be consumed on the diet days. Fried foods are occasionally cooked with bread crumbs, which are not allowed in the diet. Also, fried foods are high in calories and often low in nutritional value.

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The Cheat Day Explained

On the slow-carb diet, the “cheat day” is meant to ease the mental stress that often comes with dieting. Additionally, the idea is that shifting away from a strict plan for a day, during which you can eat as much as you want of any food, may help prevent your metabolic rate from slowing. This is a side effect that can result from prolonged caloric restriction.

On this day, you are not supposed to count calories or worry about what you eat, including alcoholic beverages. Interestingly, there is evidence that cheat days or “refeeds” may benefit weight loss. A “refeed” refers to a short period during which caloric intake is higher than usual. Some evidence shows that refeeds could stimulate metabolic rate and increase blood levels of the hormone leptin, which may reduce hunger. What’s more, it seems that eating more carbs during refeeds could further boost leptin levels. In fact, a study showed that a three-day carbohydrate overfeeding could increase leptin concentrations by 28% and energy expenditure by 7%.

The slow-carb cheat day is used for its psychological benefits, as well as its influence on hormonal changes that can continue to promote weight loss.

Potential Benefits of the Slow-Carb Diet

• Weight Loss: The diet's emphasis on protein and limited carbohydrate intake can promote fat burning and reduce fat stores.
• Increased Fullness: High protein consumption can increase feelings of satiety.
• Metabolic Boost: Cheat days may help prevent the slowing of metabolic rate associated with caloric restriction.
• Reduced Cravings: Eating a protein-filled breakfast in the morning can stave off cravings later.
• Healthy Eating Guidelines: Serves as a guideline for healthy eating.

Potential Downsides of the Slow-Carb Diet

• Nutrient Deficiencies: Strict adherence to the diet may lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
• Glycemic Response Variability: Individual glycemic responses to carb-rich foods can vary.
• Cheat Day Challenges: Cheat days can cause fluctuations in water retention, inflammation, and energy levels.
• Restrictive Nature: The diet's restrictive nature may not be suitable for everyone.
• Lack of Long-Term Guidance: The biggest unknown with this plan is the lack of guidance for eating and exercising after breakfast.

Supplements to Support the Slow-Carb Diet

The slow-carb diet suggests its followers take certain dietary supplements. Given that this diet could cause a loss of excess water, it’s recommended that you replenish lost electrolytes with the following supplements:

• Potassium: 99-mg tablets with each meal
• Magnesium: 400 mg per day, plus 500 mg before bed to improve sleep
• Calcium: 1,000 mg per day

The slow-carb diet suggests four additional supplements that can aid the weight loss process:

• Policosanol: 20-25 mg
• Alpha-lipoic acid: 100-300 mg
• Green tea flavanols (decaffeinated): Should contain at least 325 mg of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
• Garlic extract: At least 200 mg

Policosanol

Policosanol is an alcohol extract of plant waxes derived from sugarcane, beeswax, grains and other foods. This supplement has been shown to significantly increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. Additionally, a study showed that policosanol can help decrease levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol by about 23%. Policosanol has also been shown to be safe and well-tolerated by study participants.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant useful for weight loss. The slow-carb diet suggests that ALA assists in weight loss by enhancing the absorption of carbohydrates into the muscles and liver, as they may otherwise be converted into fat. In fact, a study showed that 360 obese people lost a significant amount of body weight after taking 1,200-1,800 mg of ALA per day for 20 weeks.

Green Tea Flavanols

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant and important antioxidant found in green tea. EGCG has been shown to aid weight loss by enhancing the body’s capacity to burn calories by increasing thermogenesis. Skeletal muscles use glucose for energy, and EGCG appears to boost this process. EGCG has been shown to increase the number of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) molecules in cells, which bring glucose into them. Moreover, EGCG has been shown to induce the death of fat cells, helping with weight loss.

Garlic Extract

Garlic extract contains two components responsible for its health benefits: allicin and s-allyl cysteine (SAC). SAC is more stable and better absorbed by the body than allicin. The slow-carb diet also suggests that garlic extract intake is helpful during the program to avoid regaining fat. In fact, research shows that garlic extract, specifically aged garlic extract, could help reduce weight and avoid increases in body fat when combined with a 12-week exercise regimen.

Recommendations

Throughout The 4-Hour Body book, Ferriss provides some recommendations that can help increase the chances of sticking to the plan in the long-term and seeing results. It also gives some solutions to common problems and questions you may have along the way.

On Foods That Are Allowed

• Eat your veggies: Fill up with allowed vegetables like spinach, broccoli and asparagus.
• Eat healthy fats: The diet recommends increasing the fat in your diet by consuming healthy fats. This may help prevent increases in blood sugar levels.
• Small amounts of diet soft drinks are ok: While high-calorie beverages are not recommended, the diet allows you to drink no more than 16 ounces (450 ml) of diet soda per day.
• Red wine is ok: The diet allows you to drink up to two glasses of red wine per day during diet days, preferably dry types.
• Drink what you want on cheat day: You may drink any kind and amount of alcoholic beverages on your cheat day.
• Frozen or canned foods are ok: Foods preserved using either method are allowed.
• Meat not required: If you are ovo-lacto vegetarian, you can still follow the diet. Although meat is highly recommended, it is not required.

On Foods That Aren’t Allowed

• No fruits allowed, except for tomatoes and avocados: Avocado consumption should not exceed more than 1 cup (150 grams) or one meal per day.
• Snacks aren’t recommended: If you are eating large enough portions at the diet’s four meals per day, you should not be hungry for snacks. However, if you are still hungry and must have a snack, have a small meal consisting of just protein, or protein and vegetables.
• Dairy not allowed: However, cottage cheese is an exception.

A Few Special Foods

• Try almond or peanut butter before bed: If you get hungry before bed, you may eat 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of almond butter or peanut butter. Try to choose from products that have almonds or peanuts as their only ingredient, with no additives.
• Try fresh-squeezed lemon juice before meals: This may help lower your blood sugar levels. Avoid using store-bought lemon juice, which has added sugars and preservatives.
• Use cinnamon: Using cinnamon, specifically Saigon cinnamon, during meals can help lower your blood sugar levels after you eat.
• Beans could cause stomach discomfort such as gas: To avoid this, the diet suggests draining all the water from canned beans. If you choose to use dry beans, it is recommended to soak them in water overnight before cooking them.

Tips on Eating

• Meal timing is important: According to the slow-carb diet, breakfast must be consumed within an hour of waking. After breakfast, meals should be spaced out approximately four hours apart. However, this will also depend on your sleeping schedule.
• Limit calorie-dense foods you may overeat: Even though highly palatable health foods like nuts, nut butter, and hummus are allowed on the slow-carb diet, people tend to overeat them. Always opt for low-carb vegetables instead of rice, pasta, potatoes, or fries. Chew thoroughly and eat slowly to get the most out of your meals and stay fuller for longer.

Sample Meal Plan

This 7-day meal plan incorporates the rules of slow-carb eating. Since eating more eggs on a slow carb diet is associated with better results, this recipe will be an excellent staple for your weekly rotation. And don’t forget about the tomatoes!

Recipes

• Slow-carb bowl has it all - veggies, protein, healthy fats, micronutrients, and flavor.
• Simple, quick, and delicious cabbage and bacon recipe.
• Bacon wrapped asparagus. There is something about the combination of bacon flavor with this keto vegetable that is uniquely satisfying.
• Vegetarian-friendly slow-carb meal.
• Chili variation is filled with slow-carb protein and can be served as a hearty, delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• Salmon cakes are so satisfying - even if you are not a fan of fish.
• Steak and eggs, but with an extra kick from garlic, soy sauce, and Calamansi juice (the juice from a philippine lime).

Adapting the Slow Carb Diet

Adapting the slow carb diet So I tried to follow the slow carb diet pretty strictly for a month when I came back from my cruise. It wasn’t awesome. If willpower is a finite resource, I’m almost positive I was born with less than average. So restrictive diets of any nature don't work well for me (or most of us, truthfully). Plus, I felt conflicted about omitting fruit from my diet, and cheat days tended to coincide with drinking days, and that was an absolute field day for my sensitive stomach.

So I’m not a gung-ho advocate of this diet as a religious practice. However, I’m a big fan of it as a guideline for healthy eating. For instance, when I cook for myself now, I often try to think about how I can make my meals more “slow carb.” I buy into the science behind it; we know that veggies are an important source of fiber, nutrients and minerals. We know that protein is helpful for increasing fullness, satiety, growing muscle comp and staying energized. But what is little talked about in popular health circles is the importance of beans! I’ve become a bean fanatic since adopting a more “slow carb” approach to my diet, because they are such nutrient and satiety powerhouses. Plus, beans are uber sustainable. I now take care to add more beans, along with legumes like lentils and chickpeas, to my daily diet. I even bought a cookbook called Cool Beans to learn different ways to prepare this new and fun food group.

Chickpea Pasta

But the most enduring and life-changing adaptation I’ve made to my regular diet is the addition of chickpea pasta. Chickpea pasta is incredible, because it has just 1-3 ingredients, so much fiber and protein, and the taste/texture versus real pasta is almost imperceptible in a hearty weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Whole Foods chickpea shells
• 1 jar Rao’s basil marinara tomato sauce
• 1 round Whole Foods Italian chicken or pork sausage
• ⅓ package of Trader Joe’s frozen mixed veggies (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)
• Handful frozen kale
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Prepare pasta as the package directs; while the pasta is boiling, throw the frozen mixed veggies and kale in to boil alongside the pasta. Mixed veggies usually take 6-8 minutes and kale takes about 2 minutes.
2. In a separate pan, brown your ground sausage meat. Once fully cooked, stir in the tomato sauce to warm.
3. Drain your pasta and veggies into the same coulander and return to the pot.
4. Combine pasta, veggies, and sauce.
5. Top with red pepper flakes, and enjoy!

Summery Feta Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 package Banza rigatoni
• 1 medium eggplant, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into ¼ in. half moons
• 4 oz. feta (a brick, non of the pre-crumbled stuff)
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper & red pepper

Instructions:

1. Prepare pasta as the package directs; drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to be used as a thickener later.
2. Using a tablespoon of olive oil, saute your diced eggplant for ~10 minutes; transfer to plate.
3. Using another tablespoon of olive oil, saute your zucchini for ~5 minutes; transfer to plate.
4. Combine pasta, veggies, feta, and remaining olive oil.

The 30-30-30 Diet

One of the latest trends is the 30-30-30 diet - and it’s gone viral. Is it another baseless craze or something more? "There are some potential benefits to the 30-30-30 diet,” says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “But it’s not backed by data.”

What is the 30-30-30 diet?

It’s not really a complete diet plan - it’s more like guidance on how to start your day to set yourself up for success. You eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of “steady-state cardiovascular exercise.” Eating a protein-filled breakfast in the morning can stave off cravings later, and exercising first thing ensures you get some movement before your day gets going.

Tim Ferriss developed the diet for his book, The 4-Hour Body. But to definitively say a diet “works” requires scientific evidence. Researchers have not yet studied the 30-30-30 diet, so we don’t have hard evidence to back up these claims. “That said, the best diet for long-term weight management is the diet you can follow,” states Zumpano. “So, if the 30-30-30 diet interests you and seems like something you can stick to, give it a go.”

Why the 30-30-30 diet might work

The concept of the 30-30-30 diet has some positive aspects, says Zumpano. For example, by eating protein in the morning, you may eat less later in the day. Most people consume protein at lunch and dinner and aren’t getting enough protein in the morning.

“Research suggests that consuming protein at breakfast can stabilize your blood sugar,” Zumpano explains. “This can help you feel full longer, decrease your overall food intake and help with weight management.” According to a national study, other health benefits of a high-protein breakfast include improved blood pressure and HDL, aka “good” cholesterol.

And by exercising in the morning, you may be more likely to meet the exercise guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have established guidelines for physical activity for adults. They recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity and two days of strength training per week. In addition, the 30-30-30 diet can help you:

• Burn calories that could help you lose weight
• Get your day off to a good start by increasing blood flow
• Reduce your chance of skipping exercise if your day gets busy

How to follow the 30-30-30 rule

Meeting the protein and exercise requirements of the 30-30-30 diet takes some thought.

Get 30 grams of protein

“Guidelines for protein intake have been routinely challenged. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day,” says Zumpano. “That equals 0.36 to 0.45 grams of protein per pound of body weight.” That’s about 60 grams of protein for an 170-pound person.

“But many factors can affect the amount of protein you need. If weight loss, controlling blood sugars, blood pressure and appetite are one of your goals, you may require more protein,” Zumpano maintains. “Consider meeting with a registered dietitian to help you determine your exact protein needs.”

To meet the protein requirements for the 30-30-30 diet, try eating:

• 1 1/4 cups of cottage cheese
• 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt
• Two whole eggs, plus three egg whites (or four to five whole eggs, depending on egg size)
• 4 1/2 ounces of chicken breast, tuna or salmon
• Chia seed pudding with added collagen protein
• Protein shake
• Turkey and cheese roll-ups made from four slices of nitrate-free turkey breast and two slices of Swiss or mozzarella cheese

What is steady-state cardiovascular exercise?

Steady-state cardiovascular exercise is low- to moderate-intensity and keeps your heart rate constant for an extended period. Experts recommend shooting for 45% to 60% of your maximum heart rate. Options for your morning 30-30-30 diet cardio workout include:

• Biking
• Elliptical
• Rowing
• Stair climber
• Swimming
• Walking

Potential downfalls of the 30-30-30 diet

Perhaps the biggest unknown with this plan is the lack of guidance for eating and exercising after breakfast. If you load up on fast food or junk food during the day, you’ll offset any potential benefits of the diet. “Try to make healthy choices throughout the day,” advises Zumpano. “And don’t forget to add a few strength training sessions each week.”

The 30-30-30 diet may not be right for everyone

Not everyone will find the 30-30-30 system easy to implement. For some people, finding five minutes in the morning for a cup of coffee can be challenging. This diet is best for someone who has time to create a healthy morning routine.

Some people can’t eat first thing in the day. Zumpano’s general recommendation is to eat breakfast within the first one to two hours after waking. The 30-30-30 diet takes this a step further, requiring you to eat right away. “Not everyone is ready to consume 30 grams of protein when they wake up,” Zumpano emphasizes.

As far as safety goes, most people should have no concerns about trying it. The only exception would be for someone who shouldn’t eat a lot of protein. If you have kidney disease or liver disease, check with your healthcare provider or a dietitian before trying this diet.

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