The 4 Hour Body

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by boosterjuice

I started the 4 hour body "slow carb" diet this January. I really liked it. The "cheat" days are amazing and psychologically rewarding. IE, if your co-workers bring in a box of donuts to the office, you don't have to wait 3 months to eat one. Wait a few days and eat the whole box.

I've lost 15 lbs since Jan 1 (4 weeks) (from 210lbs to 195lbs). The one complaint that I have about the diet is for me, it is very difficult to play sports and do the diet. Muscle fatigue has been an issue for me. I play ball hockey twice a week and ice hockey twice a week. I'll be modifying the diet to include carbs on game days and a post-workout recovery drink.

Dude, if you can't keep up your regular level of physical activity on a diet, do you really think it's safe or sustainable?

[Flabbibulin]

Originally Posted by boosterjuice

I started the 4 hour body "slow carb" diet this January. I really liked it. The "cheat" days are amazing and psychologically rewarding. IE, if your co-workers bring in a box of donuts to the office, you don't have to wait 3 months to eat one. Wait a few days and eat the whole box.

I've lost 15 lbs since Jan 1 (4 weeks) (from 210lbs to 195lbs). The one complaint that I have about the diet is for me, it is very difficult to play sports and do the diet. Muscle fatigue has been an issue for me. I play ball hockey twice a week and ice hockey twice a week. I'll be modifying the diet to include carbs on game days and a post-workout recovery drink.

Im curious- how many calories are you working with on non-cheat days? Ive never understood the 1000 calorie diets combined with a single all you want cheat day once a week. I would rather take the 4000+ calories most people on these diets consume on cheat days and spread it out over the course of the week instead.

I have dropped 40lbs over a longer period of time (about 2.5-3lbs a week) and have never gone to bed hungry or felt tired from lack or calories. Yes, 2000 calories can go quick, but it can also go a long way if you are smart. I have also had the benefit of being extremely fit for most of my life- until about 4 years a go when a medical condition combined with marraige caused me to put on 40. The muscle memory and "know how" has made it pretty easy for me to get back to decent shape- which includes the gym 4 days a week.

Anyways, not criticizing, just curious what its like to be on the low low calorie/carb diets. There is a danger of ketosis with those.

[Azure]

I'm not sure how sending your blood sugar levels into overdrive is a good thing.

Cheat days mean you can have a meal where you don't really have to worry about counting calories, and that is usually best reserved for eating out, or a BBQ or something.

It doesn't mean you can consume a whole box of donuts.

[To Be Quite Honest]

I means you can consume two boxes of donuts!

[boosterjuice]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

Im curious- how man. calories are you working with on non-cheat days? Ive never understood the 1000 calorie diets combined with a single all you want cheat day once a week. I would rather take the 4000+ calories most people on these diets consume on cheat days and spread it out over the course of the week instead.

I have dropped 40lbs over a longer period of time (about 2.5-3lbs a week) and have never gone to bed hungry or felt tired from lack or calories. Yes, 2000 calories can go quick, but it can also go a long way if you are smart. I have also had the benefit of being extremely fit for most of my life- until about 4 years a go when a medical condition combined with marraige caused me to put on 40. The muscle memory and "know how" has made it pretty easy for me to get back to decent shape- which includes the gym 4 days a week.

Anyways, not criticizing, just curious what its like to be on the low low calorie/carb diets. There is a danger of ketosis with those.

Slow Carb diet is not a calorie counting diet . That's the other reason why I like it. No need to count calories. If you are hungry then eat the approved protiens veggies or legumes in whatever quantity.

[boosterjuice]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Dude, if you can't keep up your regular level of physical activity on a diet, do you really think it's safe or sustainable?

I think the diet is very sustainable. Just maybe not for those who have high levels of physical activity.

[TheSutterDynasty]

There's no such thing as a cheat day.

The majority of people regain any weight they lost within a year. The key is to change your lifestyle which is much, much more difficult than jumping on a fad diet, but infinitely more rewarding.

Perhaps a good place to start is educating yourself (there's lots of good books out there) about why certain foods are bad for you. How saturated fats impact LDL, what LDL is, how it contributes to long term disease, and so on and so forth.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

How saturated fats impact LDL, what LDL is, how it contributes to long term disease, and so on and so forth.

Actually, saturated fat's link to LDL and subsequent link to heart disease is questionable at best. Research has really done a 180 on this one in recent years.

The more we learn about diet and physiology the more complex and multifactorial it becomes. But that's opening up a whole other can of worms.

[Rudee]

When I want to get into great shape quickly, I increase my protein, lower my carbs, and replace the missing calories with healthy fats in the form of flax oil. About 6 Tbsp a day of Flax. My body responds well to low carbs and lots of healthy fats. After about 12 weeks of eating clean and consuming tons of flax oil, I've burned off about 12lbs of pure fat and my abs are back. Once I get lean enough that I can start to see veins in my ab region, I slowly increase my carbs. Works every time.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by boosterjuice

I think the diet is very sustainable. Just maybe not for those who have high levels of physical activity.

Yeah, but that's what I mean.
If this is a diet where you're supposedly allowed to eat whatever you want, provided it's on the list of "Good foods", but it doesn't provide enough energy for you to be active, then it's not a very good diet.

Sure it's probably sustainable in the sense that someone could keep it up for a long time, but if it's not giving you what you need to be active, then it doesn't sound to me like it is even remotely healthy.

[mrkajz44]

Personally, I think the issue with all diet books like this are people are looking for 'the easy way not'. Maybe this is better suited for the unpopular opinion thread, but in all honestly you just really need to monitor your calories, compare that to your calorie usage each day and generally eat according to the Canada food guide. I think all the talk of HDL, LDL, fatty oils, etc. is just a pile of crap.

[Azure]

Your HDL and LDL levels are extremely important. Especially as you get older and become more at risk for heart disease. Getting yourself check once a year is extremely important.

Simple as a medical, and a blood test afterwards. Doctor will let you know if there is something wrong.

[Devils'Advocate]

I am in a near panic mode at the moment. I've put on 10 pounds over the last year and I KNOW it is due to overeating.

I know I cannot have a "cheat day" because I can easily put down 12,000 calories in a day. Easy. At lunchtime I can eat two large Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizzas, the Cinniparts, cheese sticks, 2L box of ice cream and still want more food a couple hours later.

So I restarted counting my calories. And I'm trying something new. I'm moving my big meal from supper to breakfast. There was that new study that they have been talking about in the news saying that the earlier in the day you eat, the more calories your body will burn. If you eat your big meal just before going to bed, the body won't burn those calories and just pack them on. Or so the theory goes. Someone in the comments said "This goes to show that grandma was right - she said to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a lord and dinner like a pauper". So I had tofu sausage links, eggs and steamed broccoli for breakfast = 700 calories. Usually I only have 200 to 300 for breakfast, 500 at lunch and 1200 for supper.

Back on topic:
Here is WebMD's take on the 4 Hour Body:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercis...ss-4-hour-body

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by scotty2hotty

Actually, saturated fat's link to LDL and subsequent link to heart disease is questionable at best. Research has really done a 180 on this one in recent years.

Let me guess, you've done a lot of research on this on bodybuilding.com?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10712410

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15529550

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11122781

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15050188

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16043640

First 5 results for studies on LDL + CHF on pubmed.

Don't be dumb.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Don't be dumb.

I knew once TSD started posting in this thread, things were going to go downhill. You don't need to be blatantly insulting to disagree with people.

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I knew once TSD started posting in this thread, things were going to go downhill. You don't need to be blatantly insulting to disagree with people.

The threads go downhill when people decide to post "edgy" opinions that have nothing to do with the topic or with fact!

I have to be understanding with these opinions day-to-day, the internet is for being condescending . Besides, I never find gems like these in real life.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Let me guess, you've done a lot of research on this on bodybuilding.com?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10712410

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15529550

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11122781

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15050188

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16043640

First 5 results for studies on LDL + CHF on pubmed.

Don't be dumb.

There are different types of saturated fats. Stearic Acid, which is most commonly found in animal products has shown to have no affect on raising LDL levels.

Compared with other saturated FA, stearic acid lowers LDL cholesterol.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16477803

This is why people are saying saturated fats aren't as harmful as originally thought, because we get the majority of our saturated fat intake from animal products.

[Caged Great]

Eat celery if you are hungry. It takes more calories to digest than are in it

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Eat celery if you are hungry. It takes more calories to digest than are in it

Negative calories are a myth.

Eating celery is still a good idea though.

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Let me guess, you've done a lot of research on this on bodybuilding.com?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10712410

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15529550

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11122781

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15050188

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16043640

First 5 results for studies on LDL + CHF on pubmed.

Don't be dumb.

Haha, it figures TSD would come out and once again prove to be the complete moron we have all come to know and feel sorry for.

Why is it that my post was a simple conversation starter about the differing analyses on the subject and yours was a personal attack?

Once again, I clearly stated that RECENT research is starting the question the sat fat / LDL / Heart Disease hypothesis. You responded by posting abstracts not more recent than 2005.

A quick search on my part turns up a very recent (2010) meta-analysis on the subject. It takes a lot more than breezing over Pubmed headlines to pretend to be a scientist.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/ea...27725.abstract

You may be 100% correct on this topic. Maybe not. The point is that book is not even close to being closed on this subject. Perhaps take a moment to relax and take a breathe before you spout blind rhetoric as absolute fact. You will often discover that the complete truth remains unknown and is much more complex than we imagined.

It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.