Just when you thought you’ve seen just about every fad diet, here’s one more for you to discard, right? Well, assuming you’re a university/college student with a tight budget of both time and money, you may want to reconsider. The Slow Carb Diet was made famous by author Timothy Ferriss in his book The 4 Hour Body. It is considered one of the most efficient, economical, and sustainable ways of reducing body fat. What makes this so appealing to a busy person looking to cut body fat is that it doesn’t require you to count calories and do tedious calculations – simply follow the plan, and you’ll see a difference.
Please note that this is not to be confused with “low-carb diets”, such as the “Atkins diet”, which can impose significant dangers to your health by severely restricting carbohydrates altogether. Instead of cutting out all carbs, The Slow Carb Diet manipulates the type of carbohydrates you consume. In particular, it opts for slow-digesting carbohydrates and low GI (glycemic index) foods. The underlying principle is that high GI foods, which break down into sugar (glucose) quickly, raise insulin levels. Insulin is what the cells of your body need to take in those sugars, but high insulin levels also mean that excess blood sugar will eventually be stored as body fat. Thus, by curtailing those spikes in insulin by eating foods that don’t break down into sugar so fast, your body will not store as much fat, and it will even break down some of the excess fat.
Without further ado, here are the 5 core rules for the Slow Carb Diet:
1. Avoid White Carbohydrates
Avoid all bread, rice, cereal, grains, potatoes, pasta, tortillas, and fried food with breading.
2. Eat the Same Meals over and over again
Each meal should include protein, legumes, and vegetables; you can eat as many of these meals as you like, 3-4 per day is ideal. Mix and match from the list:
– Proteins
– Eggs
– Chicken
– Beef
– Pork
– Legumes
– Lentils
– Black beans
– Pinto Beans
– Red beans
– Soy beans
– Vegetables
– Spinach, lettuce etc.
– Mixed veg including broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peas, green beans, carrots etc.
3. Don’t drink Calories
Drink massive quantities of water – no milk, no soft drinks, and no fruit juice. Most drinks are loaded with sugar that will be stored as fat rapidly. Black coffee without sugar is acceptable.
4. Don’t eat Fruit
Fruits are high in fructose, which is one step away from glucose, and will raise your insulin levels. Tomatoes and avocadoes are fine.
5. Take one day off per week.
Eat and drink whatever you like, as much as you like. This is to ensure your metabolic rate, specifically thyroid function, doesn’t downshift from extended caloric restriction. Don’t worry, the cheat day will not make you fat – it will actually help your metabolism to stay high. Fridays or Saturdays are a good choice for a cheat day because it is often the day that people go out or hang out with friends.
Here are some of the additional points to be aware of:
– Get at least 20-30 grams of protein per meal. This is especially important at breakfast.
– You shouldn’t have to snack. If you feel hungry, it means you’re not eating enough during your meal times, so simply eat another “slow-carb meal”
– If you must eat snacks, then eat nuts, chickpeas, hummus, peanuts, or macadamias in moderation.
– Take a multi-vitamin supplement in case you may be lacking some nutrients in your diet.
Admittedly, the first couple of weeks will be challenging, but you may find this to be easy to stick to thereafter, and the rapid results will keep you motivated. If you want more information or clarity about the finer points of the Slow Carb Diet, check out the 4 Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss. You can also visit numerous blogs and websites regarding the rules and meals of the slow carb diet.
Whether or not you follow through with this diet is your choice, but please proceed with caution and consult a physician before attempting this diet.