End Thoughts on 30 Day Four Hour Body Challenge

Well, I made it through the whole 30 days.  I will freely admit I didn't have the results I was hoping for or counting on, but I am glad I did it.  It was nice to feel a sense of accomplishment for following it through.  So, the end results were the loss of 4.2 lbs and about 3 inches, which is nice, but not as much as I was expecting to be sure.  It's frustrating because I really did follow the diet to a "T".

Having said all that, I may in the future use the program again, but for a fitness (muscle development) goal, not a program to lose weight.  I think the putting on muscle or become more toned aspects of this program might work better for me than the losing weight did.

So, what next for me...well, that's a secret for now.  I still have my eye on the goal of dropping 20-30 more lbs.  I'll keep you posted. 

4HB Day 22

Breakfast:


3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
Pinto beans

Lunch:   Tri-Tip Salad w/kidney beans and Red Wine Vingear/Oil dressing   Dinner:   Lamb
Salad with black beans, avocado, capers and Tamari sauce, oil dressing

4HB Day 21

Breakfast:

3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
Pinto beans

Lunch: (no picture)

Chipotle Salad bowl


Dinner:

Pinto Beans
eggs





4HB Experiment Week Three Thoughts

Calvin and Hobbes

Okay, I will be completely honest.  I have not had great results the last two weeks.  I haven't lost any real weight OR inches OR fat.  In the past, this would have been the point where I threw in the towel and said, "SCREW IT!"  Actually last week would have been that point.   But not this time!  I am continuing on and sticking to it for at least 45 days (total).  There are a couple of reasons why. 

1. I feel so great!  I am sleeping better than I have in ages.  Seriously, I am conking out at night and waking up without any problems.  Usually I am dragging my sorry behind out of bed, but not since starting 4HB.  And my overall healthy feels really good. 
2. I screwed up.  Not on purpose, I promise!!  I learned a couple of things that I didn't know, namely that balsamic vinegar is not a good idea starting out, and it certainly isn't a good idea when you are using it LIBERALLY at least twice a day.  Balsamic is made from grapes and is high in sugar.  One of the things I am supposed to stay away from.  I was also still drinking diet drinks and not the 12 ounce TF suggests, oh no, oh no...lots more than that.  Which is really just ridiculous considering what a health freak I have become over the last year and a half.  Don't judge!  =P  I was also still drinking my one cup of morning coffee with sugar free (terrible, terrible, I know) vanilla creamer and Truvia.  Also, not a good idea when in this phase of the program; and
3. As I was bemoaning to my sister, I have to take my age into consideration.  My body may not be reacting as fast as I would like due to my age.  Also, being a woman...well, there are certain things that can throw things off.  I think I will leave it at that.

So onward I go.  I haven't decided if I will keep posting my daily food after the initial 30 days are up.  Let's face it, it's boring and I write it all down in a book too.  I will still be posting about my progress.  

The bottom line is that I am not giving up!!

4HB Day 20

Breakfast:

3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
Pinto beans

Lunch/Dinner:  (no picture)
Stayed on program, but I didn't take pictures and can't remember what I had.  Anyone seeing a pattern here?

4HB Day 19

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with SF vanilla creamer and Truvia

4 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

Lunch and dinnner (no pictures) Stayed on program, but I can't remember what I had.  argh!

4HB Day 18

Breakfast:


3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
Pinto beans

Lunch: (no picture)

Shredded beef
Salad with Balsamic Vinegar/olive oil dressing

Dinner/Brinner:

Self explanatory =)

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.

4 HB Day 17

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

Lunch:
2 pieces chicken
salad w/balsamic vinegar

2nd Lunch:

2 pieces chicken
salad w/balsamic vinegar

Dinner:

Shredded beef
Salad
black beans

4 HB Day 16

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs

2 pieces turkey bacon

Second Breakfast at brunch with friends:
2 eggs scrambled
2 cups of coffee with Splenda and half & half

Late lunch:
Shredded beef
Salad with mushroom, cucumber, tomatoes, black beans, avocado with balsamic/olive oil dressing.

Late dinner:

Shredded beef and pinto beans

4 HB Day 15

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon

Lunch:
Chicken
Salad
black beans
balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing

Dinner/brinner

eggs
bacon

4 HB Day 13

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
Fresh Salsa

Lunch:
2 pieces of chicken
salad
balsamic and olive oil dressing

Dinner/Brinner:

3 Eggs, mushrooms
2 pieces bacon
black beans
avocado

4 HB Day 12

I forgot to take a pictures of my breakfast

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans

 Lunch:
La Salsa bowl with lettuce, steak, black beans, guacamole and tomatillo salsa

Dinner/Brinner:

3 pieces turkey bacon
3 organic eggs

4 HB Day 11

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans

Lunch:
Salad, mushrooms, turkey meat
Balsamic vinegar dressing

Dinner:
Salad, mushrooms, tomatoes and 1/2 avocado
Chicken meat

4 HB Day 10

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans

Lunch:

Steak

salad, mushrooms, avocado with balsamic/olive oil dressing.

YUMMMMY!

Dinner/Brinner:
I had a headache so dinner, was more brinner
3 organic eggs
3 pieces turkey bacon.

4 HB Day 9

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans

Lunch:
La Salsa salad with black beans, steak guacamole and salsa

Dinner
Salad bowl from Chipotle.
salad
black beans
shredded beef
guacamole.

4 HB Day 8

Breakfast:
1 cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer and truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans with salsa

Lunch:
This was a bit of a debacle.  I brought my lunch to services, but there didn't turn out to be a microwave.  =(  So, I ended up eating turkey meat, cherry tomatoes, olives and pickles.  Not the best, but still pretty darn good.

Dinner:
We went to Outback.
Lamb YUM!
double portion of broccoli
Garden salad with balsamic vinegar, salt and olive oil.

4 HB Day 7 Cheat Day and Measurements

So, day 7 was two-fold.  One, it's my first "cheat day".  What did I have?  Brace yourselves...

Oreos
Chocolate
Krispy Kreme
Snacks at church
Lots of coffee
Cheeseburger
Chips
Oreo cake
Carrot cake
Nutella
breadsticks

I will say I was ready to get back to "clean eating" by the time I was done!

On to the second fold...my results for week one.

Weight:  -4.4
Measurements: -5.25 inches in total (measuring: upper chest, waist, rib cage, hips, tummy/hips "pouch", thighs, biceps, neck, and calves).
Bodyfat: -.2%

So far so good.  I can honestly say, it's no hardship eating this way during the week and it's certainly NO hardship to have a cheat day!!!

4 HB Day 6

Breakfast:
One cup coffee with sugar free vanilla creamer with Truvia
3 organic eggs
Pinto beans
2 pieces turkey bacon

Lunch:
La Salsa Bowl (lettuce, steak, black beans, guacamole, tomatillo and salsa)

Dinner:

No picture for dinner.  I ate on the fly at my parents' house.

Steak
Pinto beans with lots of seasoning!

4HB Day 5

Breakfast:
One cup coffee with SF Vanilla creamer and Truvia
3 organic eggs
2 pieces turkey bacon
pinto beans
spinach

Lunch: YUM!
La Salsa bowl w/ black beans, steak and guacamole
I should have had a vegetable, but didn't think to ask them for lettuce.

Snack:

Medium Americano with SF Vanilla and manufacturing cream.  I have a sneaking suspicion that my SF syrup wasn't really sugar free, so I didn't drink more than a 1/3 of it. 

Dinner:
Same as lunch.  I added some more steak and tomatillo salsa

Notes:  

I didn't drink near enough water.