Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tim Ferriss' Slow-Carb Diet: Day 56

Today is day 56 of the Tim Ferriss Slow-Carb Diet, as laid out in The 4-Hour Body. Back in December 2010, I decided to test Tim's claim that one could lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise. By mid-January, I lost plenty of body fat and inches, but the scale never dropped 20 pounds. A little disappointed in the results, I chose to look at the bright side of life. To view my final report, click here.

On day 56, I continue to test the slow-carb diet. With a few minor changes, I would like to increase the amount of weight loss over the second month. Below, you will find my results for the first three weeks of the second month.  

Meals
This past week, I have been all over the board with my meals. The two constants have been protein and vegetables, but then I ran out of legumes (beans). Instead of restocking my shelves with black beans, red beans, and lentils, I decided to see what would happen if I ate no legumes at all. To my surprise, I dropped between 5-6 lbs before going into my cheat day.

Below, you will find a list of foods that I have consumed.

Meat
  • Chicken breast: I eat Tyson's grilled chicken almost daily. It's quick and easy to prepare. 
  • Eggs: I eat either scrambled or fried eggs.
  • Ground Beef: I cook 93/7 ground beef.
  • Steak: This past week, I ate steak but didn't limit my consumption to lean cuts.
  • Fish: I ate salmon one night and loved it. If I can afford it, I need to do salmon more often.    
Legumes 
This past week, I ate no legumes.
  
Vegetables
  • Broccoli: I'm eating a lot of fresh broccoli.
  • Cauliflower: When I'm not eating broccoli, I'm eating fresh cauliflower. 
Note: I am not cooking my vegetables this week. Where I have control over the way vegetables are prepared, I choose raw over microwaved. I like fresh broccoli best.

Beverages
  • Water: This week, I didn't do a very good job drinking a gallon per day. I probably ended up drinking about 1/2 to 3/4 gallons.
  • Red wine: I'm drinking around 2 glasses per day.
  • Coffee: I'm drinking about one mug per day.   
    Physical Activities
    I walked about 30 minutes per day.

    Statistics
    Week seven produced another great week of weight loss since I started this diet. Within one week, the scale reported a 5-6 pound difference (250 lbs) over the previous week.

    Unfortunately, after a single day of cheating, I reported a weigh-in of 253 lbs. Is the cheat day really helping?

    Other notable changes this week include a loss of inches around my chest and arms. Neither of which I really want to lose, but if it's going to help give me that cut look then I'm all for it. Additionally, it appears that I gained a quarter of an inch around my waist. My initial thoughts are not that I'm gaining weight, but rather a reaction to a higher sodium intake during the cheat day. I'll keep an eye on that during this upcoming week.

    Below is the complete report for my measurements. In the parentheses, I am reporting changes for this week first, followed by the total loss since I started (this week | total).

    • Weight: 253 lbs (-2 lbs | - 7 lbs)
    • Height: 6' 2"
    • Age: 36 
    • Body Fat: 15.7% (0%-9.8% )
    • Chest: 45.0" (1"-2")
    • Waist: 42.25" (+0.25" | -1.0")
    • Arms: 17.0" (-25" | -0.25")
    • Shoulders: 52" (-1" | -1.50")
    • Forearms: 14"
    • Neck: 16.25"
    • Hips: 45.0" (-0" | -1.25")
    • Thighs: 26"
    • Calves: 18" (-0" | -0")
    Observations
    After a week of low to no carbs, I am beginning to wonder why I'm even eating them to begin with. Had it not been for the cheat day, I would have rested around 250 lbs. Heading into my last week, I question the importance of legumes. Are they necessary?

    Final Thoughts
    I have another 9 days on Tim Ferriss' Slow-Carb Diet. To remain consistent with the plan, I will add legumes back into my daily meals, but I'm seriously considering a month without carbs at all. What do you think?
      Feedback
      For those following along, how do you feel? What could you do better tomorrow? Leave me a comment in the section below and join us on the discussion board (see Community).

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      Damond L. Nollan, M.B.A.

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