The Slow Carb Diet

[Deleted member 56360]

It was about a year ago when I made a thread in this subforum about my weight loss goal. I just want to say that about a week and a half ago, I found this great book called "The 4 Hour Body" by Tim Ferris. It's ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. The book claims that it is possible to lose around 20 pounds in 30 days following his diet.

I'm 16 years old.

The instructions, a bit dumbed down:

Each meal must consist of one protein, legume, and one vegetable.

You MUST have your meal within the first 30 minutes of waking up.

Eat 2-4 meals a day, about 3-4 hours spaced apart.

No CARBS. Or anything white. Cauliflower is an exception. Tim Ferris suggests that if you stay away from things that are white, you will be safe.

The great thing about this diet is the fact that it allows for one cheat day per week. Most of course choose Saturday.

This diet is incredibly easy to follow. I have been on it for a week now and have lost 4 pounds. I went from 188 to 183.8. I am very excited to see my results in the next three weeks.

Please note that you can eat ANYTHING you want on the cheat day without guilt. Eat 5 big macs and 3 baconators for all I care. Remember that exercise is NOT necessary whatsoever, however many have coupled the diet with exercise with a great deal of success.

For more information, of course, buy the book and check out his site. Cheers, and I hope I was of help to you guys.

 

[Power Player]

I'd hate to play tennis often on a no carb diet. To be honest, I am not sure if I could do it.

 

[Deleted member 56360]

I haven't felt fatigued at all during the past week while playing tennis.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

NO CARBS!!! Do you realize that those legumes & vegetables that you spoke of are primarily carbs. So are fruits. Athletes need carbs, esp if they have high energy demands. You probably meant to say "NO WHITE CARBS".

 

[Deleted member 56360]

NO CARBS!!! Do you realize that those legumes & vegetables that you spoke of are primarily carbs. So are fruits. Athletes need carbs, esp if they have high energy demands. You probably meant to say "NO WHITE CARBS".

Yeah, SA. I definitely meant to say white carbs. Sorry about that.

 

[Avles]

A friend lost 20+ pounds in a couple of months with this diet--it seems to work very well if followed.

 

[r2473]

I know this guy that lost ~40 lbs. in 40 days eating only locusts and honey.

Must have been a stressful diet because later he just simply lost his head.

 

[Fee]

I know this guy that lost ~40 lbs. in 40 days eating only locusts and honey.

Must have been a stressful diet because later he just simply lost his head.

What's that, kosher paleo?

So, what's the bounce back weight gain for people once they go off this diet?

 

[Deleted member 56360]

What's that, kosher paleo?

So, what's the bounce back weight gain for people once they go off this diet?

Well, you see the idea here is to change your eating habits. The "diet", when examined closely, really suggests an eating habit that is sustainable for life. If one chooses to stick to it, there should be no bounce back.

 

[kelkat]

What about fats/oils? Limited amount I imagine.
Does milk count as a white food?
I dunno if I could limit myself to this list --

List of Commonly Used Legumes
asparagus bean or snake bean
asparagus pea
baby lima bean
black bean
black turtle bean
Boston bean
Boston navy bean
broad bean
cannellini bean
chickpeas
chili bean
coco bean
cranberry bean
Egyptian bean
Egyptian white broad bean
English bean
fava bean
fava-coceira
field pea
French green beans
frijo bola roja
frijole negro
great Northern bean
green beans
green and yellow peas
kidney beans
lima bean
Madagascar bean
Mexican black bean
Mexican red bean
molasses face bean
mung bean
mung pea
mungo bean
navy bean
pea bean
Peruvian bean
pinto bean
red bean
red eye bean
red kidney bean
rice bean
runner bean
scarlet runner bean
small red bean
small white bean
soy bean or soybean
wax bean
white kidney bean
white pea bean

 

[Povl Carstensen]

No milk is not a white carb. Could be interesting if wholegrain milk was available. Well it is, soy milk and so on. But white foods/carbs are grain like rice and flour and sugar that is processed, so that it turns white. In the process fibres and other valuable nutrients are lost, making the result less healthy, more empty calories, that are quicker digested, making for a less stable bloodsugar count, and so on and so on...
Actually the carbs in milk are rather low in Glucemic Index, slow sugars, which is what you are looking for in contrast to "whites".

 

[Povl Carstensen]

And about fats and oils: cut down on dairy and red meat (four legged animals...) fats. White meat is healthier, fish even healthier. Look for oils that are low in saturated fats, high in unsaturated.

 

[danno123]

"You MUST have your meal within the first 30 minutes of waking up."

What's the reason for this rule? I'm curious because I violate it every day. I usually don't eat until I've been up for 4 or 5 hours.

 

[ondray]

I devour white carbs after strenuous tennis practice and calisthenic exercises. Best way to feed the muscle fibres in my case.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

"You MUST have your meal within the first 30 minutes of waking up."

What's the reason for this rule? I'm curious because I violate it every day. I usually don't eat until I've been up for 4 or 5 hours.

Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day. The body has not had food for 8+ hours (hence the name break-fast). To get the body and mind ready for a days activity, get the blodsugar stable etc it is essential. If I dont eat within 1 hour of waking up I feel lightheaded and ungrounded.
But still a lot of people skip breakfast which really surprises me. At least I cant see any good reason to do so.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

What about fats/oils? Limited amount I imagine.
Does milk count as a white food?

The OP was referring to white carbs, not white foods. Milk is more of a complete food. Carbs account for less than 1/3 of total calories for whole milk. Nearly 68% of its calories come from protein and fat (milk fat). Reduced fat milk derives about 40% of its calories from carbs (primarily lactose).

 

[Povl Carstensen]

I devour white carbs after strenuous tennis practice and calisthenic exercises. Best way to feed the muscle fibres in my case.

I think you could feed them in a just as good and more healthy way. But to each his own. And I also think that different persons react differently to sugars/white carbs.

 

[WildVolley]

I think you could feed them in a just as good and more healthy way. But to each his own. And I also think that different persons react differently to sugars/white carbs.

I agree with you. The most obvious case is those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. They should really limit their consumption of simple carbs as they are insulin resistant and can get health problems from too high a level of blood sugar.

Unless you have to compete again right away, I'm not sold on the idea that the first thing you need to do after vigorous exercise is to shove your body full of sugar.

 

[r2473]

Unless you have to compete again right away, I'm not sold on the idea that the first thing you need to do after vigorous exercise is to shove your body full of sugar.

What would you suggest?

Most "experts" suggest that your recovery should be 4:1 carbs / protein.

What do you think gatorade is besides a bunch of sugar. Fast energy. If you want a bit of protein, eat a Snickers. If you are one of those trendy guys, eat a Powerbar (they taste like **** and are basically just sugar and cost a fortune, but I guess people feel better about themselves eating these for some strange reason).

What are you going to do instead? Eat spaghetti bolognese (whole wheat pasta of course).

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Tim Ferriss actually says that it is totally okay to have a carbohydrate filled meal within 1.5 hours of an intense workout if you choose. During my time on the diet, I decided not to. You're also not allowed to eat anything that COULD be white such as fried rice from the Chinese restaurant. Or potato bread, despite being yellow. If there is a white variety of the food that you are debating about eating, it would be safe to stay away from it.

 

[forthegame]

I know this guy that lost ~40 lbs. in 40 days eating only locusts and honey.

Must have been a stressful diet because later he just simply lost his head.

Ha ha, I see what you did there. Amazing how you can bring John the B. into this!

 

[Deleted member 56360]

Ha ha, I see what you did there. Amazing how you can bring John the B. into this!

Let me in on it.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Let me in on it.

It's a reference to John the Baptist, a Biblical figure. He is considered a prophet in the Christian, Islamic and other religions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Baptist#Early_Jewish_Christian_sects

 

[ondray]

I think you could feed them in a just as good and more healthy way. But to each his own. And I also think that different persons react differently to sugars/white carbs.

Yea, I always ask around what other peeps do after practice and answers vary a lot.

I wouldn't touch fried white carbs (e.g. fried rice) though. Sushis and snickers are my favourite when I am so tired and lazy. Down them with mildly sweetened soy milk. Sometimes, I alternate them with chilled chocolate milk but gotta make sure I don't get overboard (they are just too yummy) cause I'm a little lacto intolerant.

When I feel like cooking after practice, it's whole wheat aglio oglio pasta with crazy amount of assorted veggies. Nyum Nyum.

Usually by midnight, I feel my muscles have recovered substantially but the rate is always different everytime.

 

[r2473]

It's a reference to John the Baptist, a Biblical figure. He is considered a prophet in the Christian, Islamic and other religions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Baptist#Early_Jewish_Christian_sects

I never knew he was a prophet. I just knew him as the world's first fitness and weight loss guru.

I think he owned a couple of swimming fitnesss centers on the sea of Galilee and the Jordan river. He also had one of those package programs sort of like P90X that he called "Running with the lions for fun and fitness". This was of course in addition to the honey and locust diet he championed.

I've seen pictures of the guy. He was frickin' ripped.

EDIT: Being from Utah, it is interesting to note that he came back as a resurrected being to open up a swimming fitness center on the Susquehanna River in 1829.

These days, it appears that holocaust victims are getting the most intense swimming workouts (not sure if anyone gets this joke).

http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/ldsagree.html

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that John the Baptist appeared on the banks of the Susquehanna River near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania (present-day Oakton) as a resurrected being to Joseph Smith, Jr. and Oliver Cowdery on May 15, 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic priesthood. According to LDS doctrine, John the Baptist's ministry has operated in three dispensations: he was the last of the prophets under the law of Moses; he was the first of the New Testament prophets; and he was sent to confer the Aaronic priesthood in our day, the dispensation of the fulness of times. They also believe John's ministry was foretold by two prophets whose teachings are included in the Book of Mormon: Lehi and his son, Nephi (Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:27; Nephi 31:4-18;

 

[Laver777]

It was about a year ago when I made a thread in this subforum about my weight loss goal. I just want to say that about a week and a half ago, I found this great book called "The 4 Hour Body" by Tim Ferris. It's ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. The book claims that it is possible to lose around 20 pounds in 30 days following his diet.

I'm 16 years old.

The instructions, a bit dumbed down:

Each meal must consist of one protein, legume, and one vegetable.

You MUST have your meal within the first 30 minutes of waking up.

Eat 2-4 meals a day, about 3-4 hours spaced apart.

No CARBS. Or anything white. Cauliflower is an exception. Tim Ferris suggests that if you stay away from things that are white, you will be safe.

The great thing about this diet is the fact that it allows for one cheat day per week. Most of course choose Saturday.

This diet is incredibly easy to follow. I have been on it for a week now and have lost 4 pounds. I went from 188 to 183.8. I am very excited to see my results in the next three weeks.

Please note that you can eat ANYTHING you want on the cheat day without guilt. Eat 5 big macs and 3 baconators for all I care. Remember that exercise is NOT necessary whatsoever, however many have coupled the diet with exercise with a great deal of success.

For more information, of course, buy the book and check out his site. Cheers, and I hope I was of help to you guys.

only 2-4 meals? id recommend 5-6 small meals throughout the day at least 5. and your carb intake really depends on how much running you do. you need carbs for fuel. they are not as evil as people think. the most important thing is to cut out sugar. i lost 20kg last year and am now building muscle.

 

[Fee]

And about fats and oils: cut down on dairy and red meat (four legged animals...) fats. White meat is healthier, fish even healthier. Look for oils that are low in saturated fats, high in unsaturated.

Really? Must be all the mercury and absorbed hormones that makes fish so healthy.

Soy? Not for me, not in this country, not consuming Monsanto's Frankenfood juice.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

Yes really.

 

[hutennis]

Hey, I'm curious if you or anyone else on these forums keep up with this diet? I started this a couple weeks ago and find myself really fatigued during practices and matches. Highest sources of carbs on this diet are in beans and I've even tried blending them (mung beans aka green beans of the Asian sort) to get them to absorb faster. I've been losing weight, working out 2-3 times per week, but when it comes to singles tennis... energy levels just aren't there. At least with gluten free I was able to eat rice and rice pasta prior to playing but those aren't options on the Slow Carb.

It was about a year ago when I made a thread in this subforum about my weight loss goal. I just want to say that about a week and a half ago, I found this great book called "The 4 Hour Body" by Tim Ferris. It's ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. The book claims that it is possible to lose around 20 pounds in 30 days following his diet.

I'm 16 years old.

The instructions, a bit dumbed down:

Each meal must consist of one protein, legume, and one vegetable.

You MUST have your meal within the first 30 minutes of waking up.

Eat 2-4 meals a day, about 3-4 hours spaced apart.

No CARBS. Or anything white. Cauliflower is an exception. Tim Ferris suggests that if you stay away from things that are white, you will be safe.

The great thing about this diet is the fact that it allows for one cheat day per week. Most of course choose Saturday.

This diet is incredibly easy to follow. I have been on it for a week now and have lost 4 pounds. I went from 188 to 183.8. I am very excited to see my results in the next three weeks.

Please note that you can eat ANYTHING you want on the cheat day without guilt. Eat 5 big macs and 3 baconators for all I care. Remember that exercise is NOT necessary whatsoever, however many have coupled the diet with exercise with a great deal of success.

For more information, of course, buy the book and check out his site. Cheers, and I hope I was of help to you guys.

 

[charliefedererer]

Hey, I'm curious if you or anyone else on these forums keep up with this diet? I started this a couple weeks ago and find myself really fatigued during practices and matches. Highest sources of carbs on this diet are in beans and I've even tried blending them (mung beans aka green beans of the Asian sort) to get them to absorb faster. I've been losing weight, working out 2-3 times per week, but when it comes to singles tennis... energy levels just aren't there. At least with gluten free I was able to eat rice and rice pasta prior to playing but those aren't options on the Slow Carb.

From the USTA:

"A. In general, low carbohydrate diets are not recommended for athletes who are looking to optimize their performance in the athletic arena - this includes tennis players.

The reason is that muscles (and the brain) rely on glucose for fuel, and glucose comes from carbohydrates - in fact, in working with high performance players, we recommended that carbohydrates make up 55-65% of the player's diet.

So, to eliminate carbohydrates, or significantly reduce them, is depriving your muscles of their primary fuel source. This is something that is not just important on the day of competition.

Nutrition is a long-term commitment and if you feel your nutrition is poor on the day of competition, it is likely the result of the "accumulated effect" of not having enough energy in your tank on a day-in-day-out basis."
- http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Health-Fitness/Diet-and-Nutrition/Pre_Match_Meals_and_Snacks/

 

[Povl Carstensen]

"A. In general, low carbohydrate diets are not recommended for athletes who are looking to optimize their performance in the athletic arena - this includes tennis players.

The reason is that muscles (and the brain) rely on glucose for fuel, and glucose comes from carbohydrates - in fact, in working with high performance players, we recommended that carbohydrates make up 55-65% of the player's diet.

So, to eliminate carbohydrates, or significantly reduce them, is depriving your muscles of their primary fuel source. This is something that is not just important on the day of competition.

Nutrition is a long-term commitment and if you feel your nutrition is poor on the day of competition, it is likely the result of the "accumulated effect" of not having enough energy in your tank on a day-in-day-out basis."
- http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Health-Fitness/Diet-and-Nutrition/Pre_Match_Meals_and_Snacks/

But still you might be well off going for a higher quality of carbs than the refined ones. And overconsumption of carbs is a part of the reason for rising numbers in obesity and diabetis imo. This for instance is not good advice imo:

What do you think gatorade is besides a bunch of sugar. Fast energy. If you want a bit of protein, eat a Snickers. If you are one of those trendy guys, eat a Powerbar (they taste like ***** and are basically just sugar and cost a fortune, but I guess people feel better about themselves eating these for some strange reason).

 

[hutennis]

Ah... the USTA link was very helpful thanks! I wonder what Djoker eats then prior to his matches. I guess he's just doing gluten free so that opens up a lot of options like rice/pasta and other starches.

 

[Bartelby]

A slow carb could also be defined as a low gi carb, so sweet potato is a slower carb than potato, wholemeal bread is slower than white bread, etc.

I think a meal a day with a carb like rice or pasta is fine, especially if say it is 200 grams or has a dry weight of 50 grams of pasta, for example.

 

[GrandSlam45]

A no carb diet will yield rapid weight loss in the short term, but it's not possible to keep it up. You can't simply spend the rest of your life eating only eggs and tuna fish. Eventually you will succumb to carbs and gain the weight back.

The only sane diet is something you can do on a daily basis for the rest you life and that satisfies all the nutritional requirements.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

A no carb diet will yield rapid weight loss in the short term, but it's not possible to keep it up. You can't simply spend the rest of your life eating only eggs and tuna fish. Eventually you will succumb to carbs and gain the weight back.

The only sane diet is something you can do on a daily basis for the rest you life and that satisfies all the nutritional requirements.

But for many cutting down on carbs (not eliminating) and especially losing some of the high GI/quick/refined ones, and upping proteins a bit is a good way to increase weight control and avoid blood sugar (energy) issues.

 

[hutennis]

I agree with GrandSlam45 and I definitely do not see how anyone who hopes to live an active lifestyle can avoid carbs or limit them substantially. At this point I'm trying to emphasize my diet and weight loss over match time and practice to minimize the damage I'm doing to my body. I need to lose 50 pounds so I'm game with short term losses and transitioning into a more sustainable and regular diet. However, the slow carb diet allows a good amount of "slow carbs" like beans and such so I've been eating more of those. Aside from being gassy and dreaming about pizza every now and then... I think I'm on my way to my goal

 

[Power Player]

I have been limiting my carbs and it does work. Been doing it for months. That being said, I think the secret is really more about smart eating than no carbs.

I still want to figure out some good carbs to eat after a workout or prior to tennis. I think the main issue is people eat bad carbs too often. Sweet potatos after a workout with a salad seems like a nice choice of good carbs for example.

The problem with low carb is it is so easy to go on a date and have desert, or do something like that and it will throw off your whole diet. You have to enjoy life now and then. So I am going with the simple theory of eating some carbs before tennis or after I workout at the gym.

Then for dinner I can do the usual meat+veggies and be good to go.

 

[hutennis]

My lack of self discipline makes it hard for me to arbitrarily determine on a day to day what is smart to eat... so I hope to arrive at where you are as the bulk of my weight is worked off. I'm definitely learning what good food looks like and tastes like, and I notice how crappy my body feels after cheat days (Saturdays). I read this book called "Wheat Belly" earlier this year and it was interesting to hear his case behind everyone going gluten free. I experimented with it to see if my allergies would get better and utilized rice carbs for pre and post match preparation. I found improvements in allergies and overall health, so I plan on re-introducing rice carbs eventually but continue to minimize gluten.

 

[mr_fro2000]

I have been limiting my carbs and it does work. Been doing it for months. That being said, I think the secret is really more about smart eating than no carbs.

These fad diets are annoying. Tim Ferriss is also simply a gimmicky hack (4 day work week, 4 hr body, 4 hr chef, etc).

Almost all these diets point to the same thing: eat lots of veggies, lean proteins and stay away from complex carbs and sugar. The results are less calories, full belly and all the vitamins and nutrients you need for almost any situation.

When I was in lose-weight mode, cheat meal for me usually revolved around 'social events' and not any particular day. So for example, if I know a friend's bday dinner is coming up, that became my cheat meal.

I believe gluten allergy issues is its own separate category...

 

[hutennis]

Haha... I haven't read his book as most of the reviews on Amazon were pretty terrible. I saw saw a couple of his videos online and wasn't too inspired or impressed. But your summary is pretty spot on. In the end it is just about eating better, but for me I've found that sticking to a particular diet helps me to have structure that I otherwise wouldn't. I guess that's also what I'm hoping to learn in this process too.

These fad diets are annoying. Tim Ferriss is also simply a gimmicky hack (4 day work week, 4 hr body, 4 hr chef, etc).

Almost all these diets point to the same thing: eat lots of veggies, lean proteins and stay away from complex carbs and sugar. The results are less calories, full belly and all the vitamins and nutrients you need for almost any situation.

 

[Power Player]

My lack of self discipline makes it hard for me to arbitrarily determine on a day to day what is smart to eat... so I hope to arrive at where you are as the bulk of my weight is worked off. I'm definitely learning what good food looks like and tastes like, and I notice how crappy my body feels after cheat days (Saturdays). I read this book called "Wheat Belly" earlier this year and it was interesting to hear his case behind everyone going gluten free. I experimented with it to see if my allergies would get better and utilized rice carbs for pre and post match preparation. I found improvements in allergies and overall health, so I plan on re-introducing rice carbs eventually but continue to minimize gluten.

If you are trying to lose a lot of weight, Keto is a great diet for that. It is not a permanent thing, but it will get 40-50 pounds off of you.

At that point, you will have the self discipline to bring back carbs into the equation. Keto is an excellent diet for someone in your situation because it gets you in the mindset of making changes and you see the results faster than most diets.

I would avoid cheat days for a while as well. You are not at that point yet. Do Keto for 3-6 months with no cheat days. I played tennis just fine on it after the initial ramp up period where it was tough, but then my body started using fat for energy and I was good.

If someone wants to lose 5-10 pounds, it helps to scrutinize carb intake. If they want to drop 50 and do not have the discipline, keto will help them achieve that.

 

[Povl Carstensen]

Almost all these diets point to the same thing: eat lots of veggies, lean proteins and stay away from complex carbs and sugar. The results are less calories, full belly and all the vitamins and nutrients you need for almost any situation.

When I was in lose-weight mode, cheat meal for me usually revolved around 'social events' and not any particular day. So for example, if I know a friend's bday dinner is coming up, that became my cheat meal.

I believe gluten allergy issues is its own separate category...

I agree totally. But shouldn't it be "stay away from SIMPLE carbs", or am I missing something..?