The 4 Hour Body Revisited

          I'm pretty selective about which public figures I endorse, however, Tim Ferriss has long since won me over for a variety of subjects.  Last May, in preparation for my first amateur boxing match I read, and implemented the strategies in Tim's book "The 4-Hour Body."  For a quick rundown of the book you can also check out the "cheat sheets" on this website.  The "Slow Carb" diet prescribed in the fat loss section of the book got me into great shape for my fight.  I have since gone on to experiment with different diets, not because Slow Carb didn't work, but because I'm constantly experimenting and trying new things.  Hence, the "open source" nature of my athletic and nutritional endeavors.
          I recently re-read the book and have spent the last few days ironing out and tailoring the principles and plans prescribed therein to my individual schedule and needs.  In previous posts I've mentioned a "sticky" diet, which is basically a 3x5 notecard on which I write a summary of my current diet and stick it to the microwave, refrigerator, or somewhere in the kitchen where I'll see it frequently and use it for a quick reference.  Below are some of the things I've included on the notecard this time around:

Slow Carbs:  Beans, corn, peas, lintels
Proteins: Beef, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Fish
Vegetables:  frozen and fresh, green and calciferous

Sample Meal Plan:
Breakfast - 1 Whole Egg, 80g Liquid Eggs, 80g Fresh Veggies,
          SUPPLEMENT:  3 tablets Orange Triad, cinnamon w/ coffee
Lunch - Slow Carbs 200-220g, 4oz Protein Source, 80g Fresh Veggies
Mid-Afternoon - Same as Lunch (Frozen Veggies instead of Fresh)
1-2 Hours Pre-Workout - Slow Carbs 200-200g
Post-Workout - Same as Mid-Afternoon Meal
         SUPPLEMENT:  3 tablets Orange Triad, Green Tea
Late Meal - Same as Mid-Afternoon Meal
Anytime Snack - 40g Nuts

Procedures:

• 90 seconds of constant exercise on training day mornings (4x per week)
• 5 min cold shower every morning (brushing your teeth in the shower helps take your mind off the shivering - also, to get the most out of this process I refrain from my morning coffee until my body has warmed itself back up after getting dressed but not with any external heat source [ie drinking hot fluids])
• Evening shower alternates between 1-2 min hot/cold intervals for 10-15 min. for recovery on training days (4x per week).
• Ice pack on back of neck for 30 min before bed (daily)
• Lemon (juice) water with meals
• Keep a log of food cravings throughout the week (see below)

Cheat Day:

• One day per week, indulge in logged cravings, no limit
• 1st meal is clean, preferably spicy
• 2nd meal with 32oz fruit juice
• Plenty of coffee throughout the day
• 90 seconds of exercise before and after each meal

          Now, if you're wondering about eating all those beans and a gas problem, I've noticed that it has not been a problem for me.  However, as a precautionary step I do pick up a bottle of Bean-o on my grocery runs just in case.  As for the nutrient breakdowns, I kept logs over the past couple days and here are some sample breakdowns.

Regular Day:

Calories - 2210

Carbohydrates - 219.8g - 39%

Protein - 206.5g - 38%

Fat - 59.5g - 24%

Cheat Day:

Calories - 7043

Carbohydrates - 1,004.4g - 59%

Protein - 125g - 7%

Fat - 268.5g - 34%

          I'm not specifically training for any competition at the moment, but I would like to get back to "competition shape" for a potential BJJ tournament in late August.  Lastly, I'll show my current training schedule and body stats as of March 15.  I also want to make mention that Tim differentiates between training and exercise.  Training is recreational.  It is something that you do for fun or for sport, or maybe for work; it is part of your lifestyle.  Exercise, on the other hand, is specifically induced to produce or elicit a certain response from your body.  For example, my BJJ practices and rock climbing do not constitute as exercise, I am still partaking in morning exercises to manipulate my insulin levels and metabolism.

Weekly Training Schedule:

Monday - Thursday = BJJ 1-2 hours

Friday = Rest / Cheat Day

Saturday - Sunday = Rock Climbing or Yoga

March 15, 2013 Body Stats:

Weight - 172 lbs

Body Mass Index - 26.1

Percent Body Fat (JP/3) - 6.73

L-Bicep - 12.25"

R-Bicep - 12.36"

Waist - 31.25"

Hip - 31.25"

L-Thigh - 22.5"

R-Thigh - 22.5"

Total Inches - 132.11

Goal Bodyweight - 160 lbs

*I realize that I already have a very low body fat percentage.  That is not the problem.  The problem is that I am caught between weight classes as I often am no matter the sport (BJJ, Boxing, etc...).  That being said, I am not opposed to shedding some muscle mass as longs as I maintain functional strength for my sports of choice (Rock Climbing and BJJ).  Ideally I would only be concerned if there was an indication that my strength to weight ratio was dropping.  However, in my previous experiments; as long as I am partaking in regular training my body adapts to its circumstances and thus I have not had an issue.  Rather, when I loose weight, the ratio tends to go up, not to mention it is easier to maintain for lighter athletes than for heavier ones.  (ie:  a 150 lbs male bench pressing 300lbs vs a 250 lbs male benching 500 lbs).