I am a big fan of Tim Ferris and his book, The 4-Hour Workweek. So, when I heard about his book, Tools of Titans, I was excited to give it a read. It is a book about the many interviews he conducted on his podcast of very popular people who are at the top of their game in there respective areas of life. He referred to these people as Titans and the book is about the tools they used to get there. In his book, he recommends a Slow-Carb diet. I wanted to share with you the break down of this diet and then give some of my thoughts on it.
The Breakdown of the Slow-Carb Diet
1. Avoid all white “starchy” carbohydrates. This includes all breads, pastas, rice, potatoes, and grains.
2. Eat the same few meals, over and over again, especially for breakfast and lunch.
3. Don’t drink your calories.
4. Don’t eat fruit.
5. Measure your progress in body fat percentage, not in total pounds.
6. Take one day off per week and go nuts.
5and2Guy’s Thoughts
I have never tried this diet myself, so I cannot personally speak to it from experience. What I can do is tell you my thoughts on the diet and it’s break down. I can tell you that Mr. Ferris studies health and is big into experimenting, so I definitely respect what he is recommending and believe that you can improve your health with this diet. With that being said, here are my thoughts:
1. Avoid all white “starchy” carbohydrates. This includes all breads, pastas, rice, potatoes, and grains.
– It is very tough to avoid all of these carbs, unless you want to be that guy or gal who is difficult to share a meal with. Of course you want to limit your consumption of these starches, but I think eliminating them can be a big challenge. Personally, I limit these starches to like once or twice a week. I find that this is a good balance for my diet goals.
2. Eat the same few meals, over and over again, especially for breakfast and lunch.
– This is excellent advice and advice that I follow. I have two lunches I eat during the week. On MWF, I have two bananas, scrambled eggs, and a bowl tomatoes with Lite Miracle Whip. On TuTh, I have two bananas, tunafish, and a protein bar. I find that this consistency is great for my diet, health, and removes the worry of trying to figure out what I am going to have for lunch. This allows me to get my lunch done quickly, keep it healthy, and then back to work.
3. Don’t drink your calories.
– This is a no-brainer. Don’t waste your calories on sodas, juices, or the sugary latte that most people get on a daily basis. These types of drinks are the fastest route to obesity. Some people wonder why they can’t lose wait, but make sure they get their Caramel-Frappe Latte every morning which is about 400 calories. For many people, 400 calories is about a quarter of their daily calorie intake. Don’t waste your calories on drinks. I personally drink water 16 hours a day, then a couple times a day I have coffee with sugar-free creamer or a cup of water filled to about 95% full with a small spritz of sweet tea on top. That does the job for me!!!
4. Don’t eat fruit.
– This is one I DON’T follow. As you saw in #2, I eat at least 2 bananas a day and sometimes three. I also try to eat an apple or pear every day as well. I think fruit is very important to overall balance, and the natural sweetness I get from them helps me avoid unhealthy, sugary snacks during the week.
5. Measure your progress in body fat percentage, not in total pounds.
– This is great advice, but can be tough to do. It is easy to step on a scale and see your progress, but not everyone is great at measuring body fat. Personally, I go by the scale and how I look in the mirror. If those two things are looking good, then I’m happy!!!
6. Take one day off per week and go nuts.
– It is a good idea to have a day or two to eat what you want, just so you can “live a little.” As the 5and2Guy, I practice the 5and2 Way, eating as healthy as possible Monday – Friday and then enjoying the weekend. But on the weekends, I don’t typically “go nuts.” Perhaps when I first started the 5and2Guy Way, that is what I did, but eventually got to the point where my weekly habits were bleeding into the weekend, keeping me even healthier. Sure, I still have some fun and eat/drink what I want, but it is generally for one meal each day on the weekend rather than going nuts all day long!!!
Final Thoughts
It is hard to argue with someone who has been as successful as Tim Ferris, and that is not what I am doing here. Tim is a super smart guy who is constantly learning, studying, and experimenting in his own life. He has my utmost respect and is one of my favorite authors.
What I will say is that this diet is great if you want to stick to it for a few months and lose some serious weight. The problem is that this diet would have to become your way of life or you would most likely pick up a bunch of weight once you come off the diet. This is why the Atkins diet isn’t followed s much. Cutting carbs almost completely out is not sustainable for the majority of people for their entire lives, so I think a more balanced diet, even with some starchy carbs, is necessary for health and longevity. No, the starchy carbs aren’t the healthiest, so limit as much as you can, but don’t change your whole life and experiences dining out because of it.
In the end, this is a great diet for losing weight, but not one that I can see being sustainable over the long haul for the majority of people. Just my .02 Tim!!!
You can pick up Tim’s excellent book, Tools of Titans, via my affiliate link here:
