Some tips to pay special attention to…

There are a few things that some people don’t do when doing a slow carb meal plan….here are those things to help you along your way…

• eat within 30-60 minutes of waking
• get at least 20 grams of protein per meal, especially at breakfast
• drink sufficient water, especially on your “cheat” day
• avoid artificial sweeteners
• don’t overdo with exercise…Start of with some basic walking at least 3 times a week and at moderate pace. You don’t need to kill yourself in the gym – just start slowly and gets some form of exercise in…get moving!!!

What are slow carbs???

What are “slow carbs”?

“Slow carbs” are also known as complex carbs: carbohydrates that are higher in fiber and long starch chains that take time to break down. Examples include whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits.

How are “slow carbs” different than “simple carbs”?

Compared to “simple carbs” like sugar and refined grains such as white flour, they have a more modest effect on raising blood sugar levels. When paired in a meal with proteins and healthy fats– neither of which produces  any notable glycemic effect– slow carbs are key to long-lasting energy, longer post-meal satiety, long-term maintenance of weight loss, and a lower risk of many chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Ready to go slow? Try these tips to get you started:

• Ditch sugary foods and drinks. Note many seemingly healthy foods like energy bars, yogurt, cereal and granola are usually loaded with added sugar.
• Eat your fruit whole and fresh. Avoid fruit juices, dried fruit, or snacks sweetened with “fruit juice concentrates.”
• Read labels of breads, cereals, crackers and snacks to ensure “whole grain” flours and bran, such as whole wheat/wheat bran, whole oats/oat bran, brown rice/rice bran, are listed first. “Enriched flour” is code for refined/white flour; avoid it whenever possible.
• Replace white rice, potatoes, pasta and corn with higher fiber alternatives like brown or wild rice, quinoa, barley or sweet potatoes with skin.
• Load up on veggies! At lunch and dinner, aim to cover half your plate with vegetables.
• Beans, lentils and soybeans/tofu are terrific slow carb foods that are filling, low in calories, and high in protein. Try to eat some every day.
• Pair your carbs with foods containing protein and/or healthy fats whenever possible. Turkey or chicken breast, tuna and other fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, nuts/peanut butter and avocado are all great choices.
• Need inspiration? Look up your favorite foods in the online glycemic index database to help you stay focused on the slowest carb choices.

To make things simple….

The slow-carb diet has been described as a way to lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise. The diet outlines what many people already know, to lose fat one much reduce  bad carbohydrates from their diet. Here are some simple ways to follow the plan and what to eat…


Chose one item from each food group to construct 3 to 4 meals per day.


Proteins: Egg whites with 1-2 whole eggs, chicken breast or thigh, beef, fish, and pork


Legumes: Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, red beans, and soybeans


Vegetables: Spinach, mixed vegetables (including broccoli, cauliflower, etc), sauderkraut, kimchee, asparagus, peas, broccoli, and green beans


Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes.  I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.  I love it too so that helps even more….  I basically try for five meals a day and one of those meals tends to be a protein shake …. I do not name each meal breakfast lunch and dinner etc…because some meals may be breakfast like meals…but i’m eating them at lunch time….


Here is a sample of one of my days….




1st meal:  3 hard-boiled eggs, and a side of pinto beans


2nd meal:   2 small grilled pork chops, spinach with bacon, black beans


3rd meal: Small salad made up of Grilled Chicken over Spinach Lettuce, 1 boiled egg, black beans and salsa.


4th meal:  Chicken Breast, pinto beans, spinach


5th meal:  Protein shake


Easy day and I was full all day!!!

Helpful rules in following slow carb

• Eat 4 meals per day: each with beans/lentils, lean meat protein (25 grams minimum) and green vegetables
• Drink 8 glasses water per day, 4 with lemon juice
• Exercise 2-3 times per week, raising your heart rate doing something that leaves you feeling different afterwards in your body (energy/focus/sweat/fatigue) – Most likely this is 10-30mins each time for most people and most activities.
• Drink tea, coffee, water, all without sweeteners (natural or artificial), some with cinnamon
• Eat meal 1 within 30 minutes of waking up
• Have an overload day once a week that starts at lunchtime and goes until bed and includes fatty and starchy foods, plus some alcohol
• Take supplements to enhance fat loss and support your body: Green Tea Extract*, Alpha Lipoic Acid*, Aged Garlic*, Policosanol*, B Complex, Vitamin C, Calcium/Magnesium, ChromeMate* and take 1 day off the starred items each week 3 days after cheat day, 1 week off per 2 months
• Get adequate sleep - between 7 and 9 hours every night

Some ideas when eating out...

Eating out at Applebees

Eating out at Applebees

Applebees…steak and double veggies

Applebees…steak and double veggies

Eating out…chillis 

Eating out…chillis again…

Margarita Chicken, Black Beans, broccoli, and a lime. did not eat the tortilla chips strips

Chillis….Margarita Chicken, Black Beans, broccoli, and a lime. did not eat the tortilla chips strips

Eating out…Texas Roadhouse

Eating out…Texas Roadhouse

order 10oz Ribeye, Green Beans

Texas Roadhouse , 10oz Ribeye, Green Beans

Eating out…

Eating out…

Order Fajitas…no wraps

Eating out…

Eating out…

Eating out at Chillis…order a Margarita grilled Chicken, with two sides of black beans.

Chillis Margarita grilled Chicken, with two sides of black beans.

Sample Shopping list

Here is a sample shopping list I found on a website….hope this gives you some ideas….

Slow carb Four Hour Body food shopping list:

• 12 cans Black Beans (19fl oz/540ml)
• 6 cans White Kidney Beans
• 6 cans Lentils
• 2 bags frozen mixed garden veg (750g/1.9 pounds) – green,white beans, baby carrots
• 2 bags frozen green beans (1kg/2.3 pounds)
• 1 cauliflower head
• 1 broccoli head
• 5 boxes of chopped spinach (300g)
• extra lean ground beef (500g/1.6lb)
• steak (500g/1.6lb)
• sliced turkey x4 250g = 1kg (2.3 lb)
• sliced ham x4 x250g = 1kg (2.3 lb)
• 1 block butter
• 2 packets (400g) turkey bacon – extra lean (just 1 g fat per slice)
• 3x 12 eggs
• 2x egg whites mini cartons
• lemon juice bottle
• frozen chicken breast
• frozen fish (salmon) fillets

• 2 large packets baby carrots
• zucchini
• lemon juice
• avocadoes
• lots of great spices and herbs

Common Meals

Some sample meals that I’ve enjoyed since starting the diet:

Common Breakfast choices:

• 2 Egg whites, Fresh Spinach, Beans (usually Great Northern or black beans, rinsed and drained from can) maybe add some salsa
•  Breakfast Sausage or bacon,Spinach and eggs scrambled
• Whey Protein shake in Almond Milk or water

Common Lunch choices:

• Mixed greens salad with variety of fresh veggies, Chicken and beans or lentils. Dressing of oil and vinegar.
• “Burrito Bowl” made with black beans, fresh veggies (or cooked, frozen vegetables), Chicken, and salsa.
• 5 Bean Vegetable Soup

Common Dinner Choices:

• Omelets with vegetables
• Taco Salad
• Chicken,Roasted Vegetables and Lentils

Thats just a few…will add more soon!!!

4-Hour Body Shopping List: PAGG Stack

The PAGG stack that Tim describes.

Policosanol
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Garlic extract
Mega Green Tea Extract
Tim suggests that these four supplements are the four horsemen of sustained fat loss which have a synergistic effect when put together.

What is it?

PAGG is literally 4 different supplements, taken in a combination at particular doses.

Policosanol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Green Tea Extract and Garlic.

How does it work?

Each ingredient has a particular purpose, and working together they do their jobs a little better than one on its own does.

Alpha-lipoic acid works in a number of ways, but the simplest explanation for it’s inclusion is that it pulls more of the carbohydrate energy you eat, and delivers it to muscles, or to your liver, rather than sending that energy to increase the size of fat cells. This is good for the weight-conscious, and for those who are working their muscles.

Green Tea Flavanols have been shown in humans to inhibit the storage of carbohydrates in fat cells, much like Alpha-lipoic acid, as well as encouraging fat cell death (ie fat cells eliminating themselves because they are not needed). This second point is particular great, as fat cells normally tend to shrink and expand, not die off, which is why many people gain weight easily after losing it.

Garlic extract in an aged form, with high Allicin content, appears to stop or at least make fat regain more difficult, which is very helpful to those changing their body composition.

Policosanol has helped Tim Ferriss and a lot of his ‘guinea pigs’ with extra fat loss, while taking the AGG combination, so it is included.

Why take it?

As described in The Four Hour Body, a change in body composition can occur with a blend of 3 things: exercise, diet, supplements. PAGG falls into the supplements area, and can be included when one feels 100% adherence to diet or exercise may be difficult. Also, it can be included to maximize the benefits of diet and exercise regimes.

When to take it?

The PAGG Stack is taken before meals and bed (depending on number of meals) – 4 times a day, 6 days a week, with a 1 week rest break off it every 8 weeks (important). You can see that individual tablets would get a little out of hand, which is why we went with an all in one tablet.

Thanks to Nancy who asked about which day to take off. You definitely want to be taking PAGG on your cheat day, and I think personally on the day after as well. So I’m choosing Mondays, because Saturday is my cheat day.

Slow Carb Diet Protocol

What to Eat for Breakfast on the Slow Carb Diet

Eating breakfast on the Slow Carb Diet is where most people have to make the most significant changes. In the Western world we generally eat carbohydrates (toast, cereal, etc) for breakfast and this change is where the best payback can be seen on this diet. If you are unsure about the 4-Hour Body Diet and want to try just one step, implement a Slow Carb Breakfast and it will quickly convince you of the benefits.

As with all meals on this meal plan…keep it simple and consistent and try to eat within 30 minutes of waking. People tend to have the most success with a variation of eggs, vegetables, and beans for breakfast. The minimum amount of protein you should target for breakfast is 20 grams so spend a few minutes the first week and figure out how much you are getting and adjust if needed. In The 4-Hour Body Tim mentions that at first you will likely feel you are force-feeding yourself and I have to agree, but this will pass after a couple weeks and your appetite for early morning calories will rise.

Eggs
For the eggs buy the best quality you can. Use one to three whole eggs and then three to five egg whites depending on how much protein intake you are targeting.  Below I link to a video of Tim Ferriss making breakfast and this is a good starting point.

Tim has mentioned several times that he hates adding olive oil to eggs because  he thinks it tastes awful, but I have never found this expect if the oil is either too old or gets too hot (which can happen in the microwave). If you don’t overcook your eggs and you keep your oil away from light and heat you will likely also have no issues with olive oil in eggs. Ghee (clarified butter – look in the Indian food area) is another great fat to add to eggs that doesn’t have much taste and has the milk solids removed from the butter.

Beans
A lot of people skip this one and I made the same mistake at first and found myself very hungry within a few hours. This is because you will be lacking in calories and it will lead you to crave bad foods. Open a couple of cans of beans, rinse them, and keep them in a container in the fridge so that your breakfast experience is as painless as possible. Microwaving them in a little bowl is an easy prep method, but sometimes I fry up the beans in a little olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper to keep things interesting.

Vegetables
Your plate should be broken into three sections of near equal size of eggs, beans, and vegetables. Lots of vegetables is key to getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet so don’t skimp and as always keep it simple. I use frozen vegetables as I don’t have the time to prep fresh and canned ones taste absolutely awful to me. Most frozen vegetables will have microwave instructions and it’s usually as simple as putting them in a bowl with a little water, covering the bowl, and then mixing it ever minute or so until they are hot.

Tim Ferriss has a video The 3-Minute “Slow-Carb” Breakfast that details what he eats for breakfast and how he prepares it. The video is a little older and Tim’s recommendations these days are similar, but he usually adds in some beans to increase the caloric density. Too few calories can cause your metabolism to downshift and will lead to massive cravings for cheat foods to snack on and both of these outcomes are going to severely diminish the results you see.

Want a little more variety? Add some hot sauce or salsa (with little to no added sugar) to your eggs. Spices such as tarragon, chives, and chervil are also great additions for your eggs that will brighten up their flavor.

Cheat sheet...

I found this 4 Hour Body Cheat Sheet on the net

cheat-sheet

Tim Ferriss “Jumpstart Your Body” on Dr. Oz

Tim did a LONG appearance on the Dr. Oz Show, with a “Jumpstart and Super Charge Your Body” segment.

Some takeaways:

Jumpstart your metabolism by doing the 5 minute deep freeze – he talked about this in the 4 Hour Body. Take a 5 minute freezing cold shower in the a.m. to stimulate brown fat, which is the fat that burns fat.

Use kimchi (4 – 5 tablespoons) or other lacto-fermented food (sauerkraut, even yogurt) will boost serotonin in the gut, your second brain to improve mood.

Get better sleep by taking 2 tablespoons of almond butter before bed to stabilize blood sugar, which will help you feel refreshed.

For better sleep, you’ll also want to use the “sleep power position” to prevent tossing and turning. Lay on your stomach with your right arm and right leg at a 90 degree “L”.

Use whole fat cream in your coffee – 2 tablespoons. Lower or non fat spikes insulin.

Drink Yerba Mate tea. It speeds digestion (caffeine) and reduces fat absorption.

28 Days of Slow-Carb Meal Plans Just For You

(From Finding my fitness)

• How do you normally manage your meals? Do you just wing it all the time, or do you actually sit down and plan your meals?

It’s no secret that planning your slow-carb meals is going to go much further in helping you actually stick to them than just flying by the seat of your pants.

So in an effort to help you come up with some appropriate meal ideas, I’ve gone through different recipes I’ve used and plans I’ve created for myself to give you a guide.

Keeping it simple goes a long way

I’ve often said that one of the best ways to keep yourself on the plan you create is to make it as easy as possible to do so. The less you have to think about things like exercise and food, the more likely it is that you’ll actually do what you say you will.

In following that precept, these plans don’t have 28 different meals. It’ll be far easier for you to do some extra preparing when you do cook (especially if you have a busy lifestyle) than it would to prepare a different meal every single time you eat. I’ve checked out several meal plans, and the fact is I found it hard to follow them because I was always having to make something new.

The idea here was to create a plan you’d actually follow.

That said, these meal plans aren’t boring. I love to eat delicious food, so I always try to tantalize my taste buds. The plan also is right in line with Rule #2.

You can modify for your own lifeway

If you follow paleo, you’ll still be able to use most of these ideas. The basis for the majority of the meals are proteins and vegetables. You can omit the legumes if there are some in the meal.

Conversely, some of the meals don’t have legumes in them. I’ve found that lowering legume intake helped more with fat loss, but from what I hear, your mileage may vary. Feel free to incorporate more legumes if you want to.

And now, the meal plans:

These plans will get you through four weeks, so feel free to adjust accordingly!

Oh, one more note: I’m assuming Sunday is cheat day, since that’s mine. I don’t expect yours to be Sunday, but you can just adjust the days to fit your schedule.

Week 1

Monday
Breakfast: Slow-carb breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Hamburgers wrapped in lettuce, raw veggie plate, 5 bean salad

Dinner: Slow-cooker pork loin, vegetables

Tuesday
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Pork loin leftovers

Dinner: Grilled fish, steamed veggies, and lima beans

Wednesday
Breakfast: Breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Fish and veggie leftovers

Dinner: Poached egg over chorizo, all over sauteed red peppers and onions.

Thursday
Breakfast: Omelet of eggs, lentils, spinach, and bacon 

Lunch: Tuna salad lettuce wraps with chimichurri

Dinner: Halibut macacamia with roasted asparagus*

Friday
Breakfast: Omelet of eggs, lentils, spinach, and bacon 

Lunch: Chipotle (yes, the restaurant.)

Dinner: Slow-carb pizza**

Saturday
Breakfast: Breakfast burrito*** 

Lunch: London broil (on the grill!), spinach-leaf salad

Dinner: Orange chicken stir fry with peppers, onions, carrots, and broccoli

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Week 2

Monday
Breakfast: Egg cupcakes 

Lunch: Chipotle meatballs with guacamole, salad

Dinner: Slow carb shepherd’s pie

Tuesday
Breakfast: Egg cupcakes 

Lunch: Shepherd’s pie leftover

Dinner: Baked salmon, lentils, and steamed broccoli

Wednesday
Breakfast: Ham and kale fritata 

Lunch: Big salad: fajita steak salad (steak, peppers, onions, spinach leaves, and whatever else you want)

Dinner: Beef roast with onions, carrots, and parsnips. Side of lentils**

Thursday
Breakfast: Ham and kale fritata 

Lunch: Roast leftovers

Dinner: Butter chicken with chickpeas and spinach

Friday
Breakfast: Quick omelette (eggs, bacon, lentils, spinach or kale) 

Lunch: Tuna and spinach salad (load it up with veggies!)

Dinner: Pork chops, red beans and garlic, green beans

Saturday
Breakfast: Coconut milk and curry fritata* 

Lunch: my smokey, zesty, irresistible chili**

Dinner: London broil, steamed broccoli, lentil stew**

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Week 3

Monday
Breakfast: breakfast casserole 

Lunch: London broil leftovers, spinach leaf salad (any veggies you want) with a oil/vinegar dressing

Dinner: Beef burgundy, asparagus, cauliflower mash

Tuesday
Breakfast: breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Fajita salad w/ guac and black beans (cook up the peppers and onions)

Dinner: Fish, steamed veggies

Wednesday
Breakfast: breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Fish and veggie leftovers (wrap them in lettuce, like a taco!)

Dinner: Rotisserie Chicken, side of spiced cauliflower and carrots.

Thursday
Breakfast: breakfast casserole 

Lunch: Leftover chicken, pulled, in a salad with red beans

Dinner: Slow-carb crab cake patties over wilted spinach leaves

Friday
Breakfast: eggs, lentils, spinach, bacon omelet 

Lunch: Chipotle

Dinner: Pork loin, broccoli, and lentils

Saturday
Breakfast: Sausage, kale, mushrooms, onions, peppers, in the form of a fritata 

Lunch: Pork dinner leftovers

Dinner: Slow-carb Beef and Lentil Soup

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Week 4

Monday
Breakfast: Eggs, lentils, bacon, spinach omelet 

Lunch: Soup leftovers

Dinner: Thai chicken over shredded cauliflower

Tuesday
Breakfast: Egg cupcakes 

Lunch: Thai chicken leftovers

Dinner: Tilapia fillet with summer squash

Wednesday
Breakfast: Eggs, lentils, bacon, spinach omelet 

Lunch: Turkey, ham, olives, sauteed onions and peppers, in a lettuce wrap

Dinner: Ña Ever’s awesome Pan de carne(that means a really great meat loaf)

Thursday
Breakfast: Egg cupcakes 

Lunch: meat loaf leftovers

Dinner: Ginger pork stir fry (the recipe says beef, but you can use pork)

Friday
Breakfast: Eggs, lentils, bacon, spinach omelet 

Lunch: stir fry leftover

Dinner: Crabcakes; roasted carrots, onions, and asparagus

Saturday
Breakfast: Breakfast burrito 

Lunch: Hamburgers – burger, ham, 1 egg, onion, tomato, homemade mayo, in a lettuce “bun”

Dinner: Chili

There you have it! Check your pantry and fridge and make your shopping list!