4 HB Clarifications to Know

I have been contacted by several people wanting to know how things are going so far, besides all the food.

I will be measureing inches, weight and fat loss on my cheat day this week and will probably share here.  I think it's really important for people, especially women not to get too caught up in the numbers.  Women's bodies are strange and wonderful things.  However, with things like menstration, our bodies do not react or respond like men's bodies.  Why do  I mention this?  Because we want results and we want the pounds off NOW, but it is not always that easy for us. 

On this plan, you HAVE to follow it to the letter, you HAVE to measure yourself, NOT just weigh and I would highly recommend getting an Omron or something similar to measure your body fat.  The bottom line...if you don't follow it, it won't work for you...end of story.  Don't try to fine tune it, don't count calorie, and DO NOT weigh yourself every day.

Below is an excerpt from a blog post of Tim's.  I can't find a way to link it, so I am cutting and pasting it.  I hope it helps. 

The main point, is that I feel REALLY good!!  I am sleeping great and have a lot of energy.  To me, that is a win right there.  =)

Slow-Carb Clarifications


I’m currently getting at least 500-1,000 questions a day via the blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. about the slow-carb diet. Let me clarify a few things:

Do not eat the following, except for cheat days:

Yams

Sweet potatoes

Quinoa

Dairy (this includes cheese and yogurt of all kinds)

I mention cottage cheese at one point as a last resort. It is low in lactose, which is what you need to avoid. Ghee and cream (for coffee) should contain little or no lactose, hence you can use them. The same goes for effectively lactose-free, unflavored whey protein, etc..

The following will address 99%+ of confusion:

- If you have to ask, don’t eat it.

- If you haven’t had blood tests done, I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.

- If you aren’t measuring inches or haven’t measured bodyfat % with an accurate tool (BodPod, etc. and NOT bodyfat scales), I don’t want to hear that the diet doesn’t work.

- If you’re a woman and taking measurements within 10 days prior to menstruation (which I advise against in the book), I don’t want to hear about the lack of progress.

- On the critical 4-6 week window:

For people over 40 and women (especially after two kids), it’s quite common that the most dramatic fat-loss and weight change comes after 4-6 weeks on the diet. I have no explanation for this. Needless to say, if you haven’t done the diet for AT LEAST four weeks, please don’t post a comment about plateauing and panicking. I can’t give you meaningful advice without a ton of other supporting data (blood tests, etc.), and it’s physically impossible for me to respond to each person.

To reiterate: The entire goal of 4HB is to make you a self-sufficient self-experimenter within safe boundaries. Track yourself, follow the rules, and track the changes if you break or bend the rules. Simple as that. That’s what I did to arrive at my conclusions, and that’s what you will do — with a huge head start with the 4HB — to arrive at yours.

Do it for 4 weeks and then troubleshoot if you’re plateauing.

If you post a plea for help anywhere, include at least two FULL days of your meals and snacks so people can actually help you.

Most of those saying they’re “following the diet to the letter” are doing nothing of the sort. Reread “Slow-Carb II” in 4HB.

Last, I’ll repeat the basic approach to the unknown: If you have to ask, don’t eat it.