So what’s all the hype with The 4-Hour Body about? I think this book has the chance to revolutionize the way we look at diet and fitness; in short it’s taking the control away from the $46 billion diet and fitness industry and putting it back in your hands.
How?
Simple: self-experimentation and information. In 2009, I attended TEDMED and listened to a presentation by Jamie Heywood. He shared an amazing story, inspired by his brother, to help ALS patients and others through an inventive website, PatientsLikeMe for sharing and tracking patient data. I had a close friend die from ALS and so in no way do I want to equate my effort to lose 50 lbs to someone’s struggles with a disease they had no choice in fighting. Instead, I want to focus on a much more salient feature of PatientsLikeMe.
It takes medical research out of the hands of lawyers. You see, I’ve had first hand experience with lawyers that are more interested in winning, than knowing the truth.
The United States suffers from this and the litigious nature of all things innovative could eventually hinder the US’s ability to globally compete. With that said, PatientsLikeMe allows every individual to exercise their right to self-experiment and share their personal data with anyone they wish. While the legal system is locking down on doctors use of data to learn and is instead focused on the negative side of patients rights, PatientsLikeMe is gathering together people that want to take an active role in their health care and share information.
It’s open source meets medicine.
That is exactly what I believe is going to happen surrounding The 4-Hour Body. While everyone is titillated by 15 minute orgasms and packing on muscle, the real lesson in this book is what WE could accomplish if we paid a little more attention to the data and the details and a little less attention to the infomercials. Already there are people lining up as critics. I spoke to one friend on the phone and the guy that ran his gym was ranting over “impossible results” and yet he had not yet read the book; I had an advanced copy, so I disagreed.
Charity Tillemann-Dick touches a living lung for the first time at TEDMED2010
You see, innovation by definition is when someone accomplishes the “impossible results” when measured by today’s standards.
Do you think Einstein would have blindly rejected that one would every carry around 32 gigabytes a data in a cell phone? One year ago, a new friend of mine, Charity, woke up from a bilateral lung transplant. She’s an opera singer and can still sing.
So I think the most valuable part of The 4-Hour Body is that it lays out, clearly, a methodology for you to start your investigations. It explains the data traps we all can fall prey. It preaches skepticism and shines a light on junk science. It celebrates the excitement of the journey and exploration, not the dogma of the destination.
In summary, Tim has opened up a new chapter in self-experimentation and everyone has a seat at the table – at least anyone that is willing to think about it and take action.
The 4-Hour Body Explained:
I think Tim’s book is revolutionary, and although I am skeptical, I will be following the diet and techniques in it to attempt to lose weight. Like you, I have been gradually gaining weight over the last 10 years and I am currently at 280. Now, being 6′ 3″ that is not terrible, but it is definitely bad. I am probably in the 30% bodyfat range and I will be going to get a Bodpod soon to find out specifically where I am. I am starting the techniques you/Tim describe in 4HB and I will see how it works out. I had pretty much resigned myself to being this size until I started reading the book. Now I see a glimmer of hope. Thank you for being a part of that.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin!
There is always that spark that ignites us. For me, I just wanted to make it happen once and for all. I was a bit incredulous when I heard just how much Michael Phelps ate a day. You absolutely CAN make this happen. The real results come when that burning desire to succeed takes control. You’re so close.
DO IT!
I have some additional tips coming out in my free guide…they’ll help you.
Ray
Kevin,
I am going to start Tim’s low carb diet in January. Like you 6′ 3″ 284lbs. Our Universities BodPod isn’t open again until January 4th, so I am going to start as soon as I can get tested. Have a friend that is a weight lifter and is going to get tested and do his thing, have another friend who is going to go raw for 30 days, and one other that is going to do the Subway diet. I am interested to see what the results are for all of us. Good luck!
Ray–
This is a really fascinating idea. I’ve been experimenting with some of the stuff you’ve described, but it seems like there’s a lot of variables involved — it’s winter here in Portland, for example, and my cold showers may not be the same temperature as other people’s….
My biggest concern right now is avoiding injury — will your guide be addressing that at all?
Thanks for paying attention to the numbers, and I hope you have a nice cold holiday season. 🙂
— Jacob
brrr… Remember that Michael Phelps was MOSTLY exposed to 80-82F(26-28C) water. Ice baths were probably infrequent. My thought is that cool is better than hot and FAR more tolerable than cold. I use water set at 84 degrees in shower. That is still equivalent to about 60 hours of equivalent swim exposure for a year (based on 10 min shower).
saves on the utility bill too…
Ray
I use extremely cold water for 3 minutes. I didn’t measure temperature but I doubt it is more then 40 F.
The trick is to do contrast showering – Start with hot then go normal cold, then go very hot then go very cold, then go ultra hot, as much as you can take it, finally, go all the way up with cold water as you can. You should use 2-3 minutes hot phase and 1 minute cold phase. The last cold phase should be 3 minutes.
When u switch from ultra hot to ultra cold, you will feel no temperature for a 30 seconds – your entire body will go numb. Then when you can’t take it any more, you just slightly go higher temperature, like 20 F or so for the rest of the time.
This is far better IMO then jumping into cold ASAP.
First, contrast showering is well known for speeding your metabolism and detoxification. In cold phase you boost blood circulation to your internal organs which means bigger detoxification and better nutrient arrival. In hot phase your pores will expand, your capillaries will vasodilate, hence you will move toxins out of your body faster. This up and down semantics reminds me on boosting your car engine.
So, you will have multiple benefits:
– Detoxification (ala sauna)
– Cold shower is better for immunity and as skin disease prevention.
– Speed up metabolism
– Lower the temperature, higher the numbness, i.e. more GLUT4 and GLUT10 transporters are transported to cell membrane of the muscle cells of the skin. Those are small muscles but there are lots of them.
Keep in mind that you should use showering water filter, something that will remove chlorine and if possible, fluorine and organic residues and similar. Chlorine will make your skin older, so this is must. Some good baby oil after showering is also good idea.
Cheers 🙂
Hmmmm…
you are definitely right on contrast – the body senses differences. I’ll give that a try. There is also no doubt that a lot of good comes from controlled cold exposure. Showering cold for me has always been difficult. I think it’s a combination of the air aspirated and the streams, but it just feels colder than immersion in similar temperature water. The cycling could have a negating effect on longer metabolic rate, but I don’t know that for certain. Worth some trials. The idea of cold shower/ice bath is to expose the body and then allow the trailing metabolic rate. It comes down pretty fast, so that is why I also try to expose my body over longer periods of time to cool.
keep us posted!
Ray
Ray,
Before last summer I was at 150 pounds, 75 kg ( 5′ 7” ). Within 3 months I dropped at 134 without any special diet ! Just open water swimming, with temperatures ranging from 55°F to 75°F. I don’t think my beginner swimming pace can explain these results.
I’m glad to see someone with your scientific background sharing my own experience that cold can have a significant impact on weight loss. Hope you will post more details on how it works 🙂
Sorry for my french english.
Richard
votre “Fren-glish” est meilleur que mon français! grâce à google translate pour nous aider avec la connexion!
Merci
Ray
Hey Guys…thanks for the input. I have another post I am about to put up. It’s called Cool, not cold, so that will give you the hint. I will say I have never taken an ice bath and Tim gives me crap about it. I will do it as even Michael Phelps has done it for injury/therapy (common in sports injury and recovery today).
Richard – I think 80-81F(26-27C) is fine. There are a few things that I *believe* have a strong impact, but have not proven to a point that I want to say anything. I am about to do some personal investigations on swimming (great indoor winter activity). I am NOT a swimmer, so this is something that does not come natural. Obviously, the colder, the better as long as it is not uncomfortable. No one wants to be “miserable.” The key to water is it is 24X more thermally conductive than air. For an average bodyfat, at 81F(27C) you are at 2.4x resting metabolism (approx) just sitting. When you exercise, blood is shunted toward the skin (more in my TEDtalk when it posts). That helps dump core heat to the skin where it is dumped to the water.
My best advice and request is that everyone KEEP notes! Details like water temperature, air temperature, drip dry vs evaporative cooling, exercise before/after swim. These are all things that add up to thermal loads. My concepts are not about shocking the body, but little things that make a huge difference over time.
more coming (including the guide!) I was a bit blindsided by all the media attention, so sorry for the delay!
Ray
Can you recommend an inexpensive device to measure water temperature? Do cooking thermometers with external probes go low enough?
yes…close is good enough. A few degrees isn’t going to matter that much….
At Starbucks you should be able to find cheap latte pitcher thermometers, which will measure from well below freezing (32F) to well above boiling (212F). Double check that it’s working by packing a cup with ice, filling it with water, wait til the ice mostly stops melting, and check the thermometer – should be 32F. Make sure you buy one that you can recalibrate at the base (with a pair of pliers) if it gets bonked and goes off.
Ooooh, wish I’d seen this before I got the digital thermometer from Target. Still, it was only $15 and it has applications outside the bathtub :).
Ray
The web site talks about a guide – Fuel the Burn – 7 things I learned that will absolutely supercharge your weight loss. I cant seem to find it on the site. I’m looking for practical ways to use the thermodynamic principles you talk about especially in relation to exercise. The four hour body talks about ice packs, drinking ice water, cold showers an ice baths. What can you suggest in relation to exercise. I live in Chicago and have started to doing 30 minute walks with minimal clothing. Any other suggestions? Great stuff. I look forward to testing it out. I’m 6-1 230lbs. Former athlete. I need to lose about 30 lbs. Thanks!
Brad
Thanks for registering Brad…I’ve updated the registration page, should have it in January. I want to get a few more questions so I can address some of them. Basically, the cooler the environment and more exposure (not to point of hypothermia) will ramp up the metabolism. Most of the fuel we burn to move (and just live) is very inefficient. only about 20% of the caloric energy goes into movement, for example; the rest is waste heat. This excess heat is what your body uses to maintain thermodynamic homeostasis. There is a complex relationship guiding this ramp up and loss of heat can can be accelerated.
BEST option will be swimming, but walking, weight training, cycling or jogging in cooler environment are ALL good.
Ray
Hello Ray,
Question: Would sitting in a hot tub have similar effects since the body wants to stay at 98 degrees?
Thanks,
Gene Hau
Thanks Gene,
Good question, but the simple answer is no.
IF you think about the utility bill for heating your house, you might see a parallel. Does it cost more to “heat” your house in the winter or summer? Obviously, you don’t “heat” in the summer, and we are not considering the cost of cooling. The excess heat from the water can cause the body to overheat resulting in heat stroke. This is why there is maximum water temperatures and warnings on how long to remain in the hot tub. As well, children are very susceptible to heat stroke from hot water as they generally have much less fat insulation (ignoring rampant childhood obesity in our nation). Traditionally, young children are not allowed extended exposure to hot water. Their body mass is not large, compared with the mass of the water.
Our bodies sweat to cool through evaporation. Sweating does not require calories, only the loss of hydration at the skin’s surface. Cooling comes from the energy consumed to vaporize the water. This is why methods to “lose weight” by “sweating it out” with rubber suits, hot yoga, etc.. are only temporary water from body dehydration. Upon consuming water, the body retains what it needs to rehydrate…
This will end up being a key issue in thermal loading – its success is based on small, incremental changes that are consistent over time. I did not replace diet and exercise, I augmented it for multiplied results.
hope that helps…
Ray
Where is a person to start? Cold showers? Walks in cold winter outside? Ice packs? what did you do to start and what work best? Thank you in advance.
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your question.
I think that it makes sense to start with some of the recommendations in 4HB. I have a few other things that will be suggested in the guide I promised for your sign up (early January) and am trying to put together some solid recommendations for a thermal loading focused program in the near future.
When I started, it was out of intellectual curiosity and complete desperation. I couldn’t break through a simple barrier (12 weeks was the wall for me). Like Tim, I did some extreme experiments, because I was trying to understand the basic connection and confirm the underlying thermodynamics.
Since confirming that extreme works, I’ve been refining methods to get similar results in mild environments. I’ll encourage members of this site to keep good records so we can all continue to learn and progress.
Ray
I really enjoyed Tim’s book and have started incorporating some of his ideas – cold water of course being one of them.
fantastic! keep notes…
I did my first 30 min. shiver walk today and it felt great! Is there anything I can do to prevent windburn on the exposed skin? Or is that what my body is trying to warm-up?
Hector
Hector,
I covered my face, ears, hands and feet with WARM clothing. My self experiments showed that when I just sat still outside, I could stay exposed longer when my extremities were warm. I suspect that is because it counters the body’s evolutionary response to sensing cooling and shuts down blood flow to the extremities. When I did my original work, I walked until I couldn’t go any further (cold) and then I ran back. Typically I was perfectly comfortable when I got back home or to the gym, because temperatures then were in the 30-40F (0-5C) range.
The goal is not hypothermia – we don’t want one to LOWER the body temperature, only make the body work a little harder to stay at normal temperature. Hypothermia is most common when you are wet (especially in wind) or actually in water. My personal approaches of walk out and run back was so that I wouldn’t get too far and I wouldn’t start sweating. Modern polyethylene undergarments are designed to wick away water from the skin for exactly this reason – evaporation causes additional cooling. I think two of the essential “accessories” in addition to great gloves, are Ear Bags and a Seirus Masgue Face Mask.
Keep good records and stay dry when you are cold.
I have the face mask, and it’s great. I used it during last winter’s road bike training.
Ray,
Thanks for the great information, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the guide you’ve spoken of. I’ll be kicking off the slow carb diet and exercise regime to build some muscle mass in the 4HB, as well as incorporating your techniques in the plan next week.
Like many, I’ve yo-yo’d my way from 170 to 210 pounds over the past few years, but I’ve found new motivation as I turn 40 in June and am finally ready to make some serious lifestyle changes. I’ve set up short-term goals along the way so the end goal isn’t so daunting.
As January and February are really the only cold months we have in North Florida it’s a perfect time for me to use your techniques to jump start the process. As for the ice baths, well if I get the nerve to try it I’ve got a 55 degree swimming pool in my back yard right now…brrrr. Maybe at some point…
The next week will be spent collecting the necessary tools for this adventure and setting spreadsheets up to track the details. Unfortunately, I only have anecdotal data from my previous attempts, but I usually get discouraged around the twelve week point because I plateau around the 15 pounds lost and lose motivation. I have a strong desire to see this through, and look forward to collecting the data and seeing how others fare. Thanks again!
Thanks Craig
Please take a look at today’s post. I will be posting more about measurements in the next few days. Until then, read Tim’s section on measurements – repeatability is far more important than accuracy. I will be posting the spreadsheet that I’ve been using for the last 10 years (See 4HB, p 126) and would like you to consider using it. This calculates most of the important numbers automatically if you put in the measurements. THere are a lot of gadgets on my amazon store if anyone wants to “contribute to the cause.” More on this later this week.
You will see the results. Swimming, does NOT require cold water, so you will have an advantage on most of us with the milder climate in Florida. I will explain more later, but for now, take a look at the 12/27 post. Also keep in mind that there are MANY that swim in the temperatures you list EVERY DAY in Tim’s back yard – the Aquatic Park at Fisherman’s Wharf. I am a terrible swimmer and I hope to get better in 2011. I feel like the “drowning monkey” Tim describes in his TEDtalk.
The guide is almost finished…just a few more edits.
I will have lost 60 lbs by the time this experiment is over. I hit the SAME wall and it really demotivates me. That was a reason for making progress faster as progress seems to offset the boredom or whatever seems to set in at the 3 month mark. I’ve been doing a lot of experiments with diet/nutrition during the last year and stay within a 10lb band. I PANIC now when I reach 8 lb gain! For those that have MORE than 50 lbs to lose – hang in there. I REALLY understand how frustrating it must be, but haven’t lived it. That being said, the time will pass much faster than you think and the clock doesn’t start until you start.
thanks for the comment…good luck!
Got all the gear (and food) to start the 4HB workout and slow carb diet on Monday. Per your advice I’m using your spreadsheet from 4HB – I’ll be using bio-impedance for measuring body fat (I know not the most accurate) but should show me the trends.
Looking forward to contributing here and tracking the results!
Thanks again…
Please consider also grabbing an Accumeasure. If you follow the instructions carefully, learning how to properly pinch a skin fold, it’s extremely accurate: see article. Also, don’t forget a tape measure! I do record the info off of my scale as well.
you are exactly right that repeatability is far more important than accuracy!
Ray
I have heard that a little alcohol can make you withstand the cold better. What about a couple of shots of vodka before entering an ice bath ???
It very may help, at least you might not care if you were cold. It also negates calorie deficit, so I wouldn’t recommend it. Lol. If I’m going to drink the LAST thing on my mind would be an ice bath…
Ray
JANUARY 2nd!!!! I have began reading Tim’s book. I am slowly acquiring all the vitamins and scales. My girlfriend just went shopping for slow carb foods. I am going to try just about everything in the book. I really appreciate the idea of staggering the techniques about 3 weeks apart to measure what is working and what is not. I am 5’11”, 191, 18.8% bodyfat, and 60.6% water(which i still do no understand by the way). I am going for 12% bodyfat….and thermal cooling will added 3 weeks in…. wish me luck i am going to pound some sweets now…i have until the 2nd!!!!! 🙂
sounds like you are in pretty good shape already. Wish I got to start THERE! I’ve been gathering supplies as well and you should find a bonus gift in your inbox to help you get started. Let me know what you think…
Ray
Found a new way to be “cool”!
While driving, stick your bare arm out the window of your car for 20 minutes.
LOL! like the dorsal fins on aquatic mammals – there to cool. As it turns out, the hand and arm have high surface area to volume ratio and the body tends to shut down blood flow and trigger less heat when those things are cooled too much.
I use gloves and set the heat in the car at a minimum level.
Ray
Ray, if you reset your body temperature to get more use to cold temperatures, my question is am I going to be even more miserable in the middle of August here in Texas when it gets unbearably hot?
I don’t think so. The strategy for summer needs to revolve around morning, night, wind and water…we’ll cover it later.
Happy New Year,
I changed my eating habits last July and lost around 10 lbs but I had reached a plateau. I read about the 4 Hour Body online and figured that Tim’s book sounded interesting and for $14.50 it was worth a try. My diet had been proteins and vegetables with the exception that I was consuming some “white” foods and one 16 oz. bottle of orange juice every morning. In addition, I was having a cheat dinner about once a week. I started my 4HB on Monday, December the 20th which made my first cheat day Christmas Day.
Week 1 started on the 20th, I took my first cold shower and I brought the water down as cold as it could go (not sure how cold it got). When I got out of the shower I actually felt warm in the room since I had gotten so cold in the shower. I read more on your blog indicating that a temperature around 80 should be sufficient. I took two more cold showers that week and all that I drank was ice water. I took the temperature of these showers and they had been between 76 and 80. Christmas morning came, I hopped on the scale and was amazed that I had lost a total of 8 lbs in those short 5 days.
Week 2 and my second cheat day. First thing that I did this morning was to hop on the scale and weigh myself. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed at first because it wasn’t another 8 lbs. I did manage to lose another 2 lbs, which brings me to a two week total of 10 lbs.
In addition to my weight loss I have been keeping track of my Total Inches and I have lost a total of 8 inches during the last two weeks.
Time to experiment! I found in the first few days that I don’t like lentils. I’ve mainly been eating refried beans and I need to start experimenting with black and pinto beans. I’ve also switched from spinach to a mixed vegetable with broccoli, edamame, carrots and water chest nuts. During the week 1 I took two showers (one of them very cold) and I only took two 76-80 degree showers during week 2. I think now is the time to start experimenting with my showers. More showers, colder showers or a combination of the two.
Finally, I also need to start doing some type of exercise.
Looking forward to reading more of your blog.
Thanks,
Darrin
Great job Darrin!
You’ll find a little “gift” in your inbox…make good use of it. I do the “warmer” cool showers and I typically do a little to get my heart rate up before I start. Doing it per Tim’s protocol is best. I want to get as much information as possible before I start polluting everyone to do something different. For now, try both of his methods as he spent time looking at them. Ultimately, everyone will start to develop a feel for this. You eventually become aware of the environment (not obsessed) and it will all come perfectly natural.
It’s a lot like the difference a lifestyle change makes when you’re eating more healthful – you notice when you deviate too far from it. I spent about a week reintroducing meat into my diet so that I could experiment along. It will be interesting to see how my blood work, etc. changes. Certainly the slow-carb is more portable for travel than my nearly vegan diet of the last year.
Keep good records! I will have a place for everyone to upload data in the next week or so. I would like this site to become a very active community of tracking progress.
I began using the ice pack on my neck apparently allowed it to stay on too long. My neck is a little sore now, apparently from exposure, but I’m not discouraged. I’ll give it a rest until I’m no longer sore, and limit my applications to 20 minutes when I begin again.
Started the slow carb diet and his supplement regiment. The initial week was great, lost 3 lbs, then after my cheat day I gained 3 lbs! By the end of the second week I had lost the 3 lbs that I gained back and another 2 lbs. Overall I am losing about .5 lbs a day. This is without working out. There is no way that I will hit 20 lbs of fat as described in the book (even though I have about 30 lbs to lose) but it is coming off slowly. I will add working out back to the equation and see if that helps. Either way, I am in for the long haul and I like the idea of cutting back on the carbs/sugar and having a cheat day.
I haven’t been consistent with the ice packs, I wanted to slightly isolate each component. Starting today I will go back to the 5x a week ice pack on neck/traps for 30 minutes protocol. Do you have any estimates on how much weight one can lose if they just do the ice pack? Doesn’t it take a certain length of time for BAT to build up before your metabolism gets faster?
Great!
Progress is good. I would look for excess oil in your diet, because oil calories to end up counting. As well, be certain liquid calories are gone. Why don’t you try scaling back on cheat day (everyone’s a bit different) and see how Thst goes. Make sure your portion sizes are consistent.
I don’t know or have much experience with Tim’s approach. I have a different approach, but want to get data on his before I get people moving in too many directions.
Hang in there!
Ray
Hi Ray,
I started the 4 hour body regime on 1/3/11. I’m 46, 5′ 11″ and started out on this journey at 245 lbs and just like everyone else, I don’t know how it snuck up on me like that. I used to consider 215 my “fat” weight. I’ve tried pretty much every diet known to man. The only ones that seemed to work were Power 90 (high protein/low carb) and Atkins (low carb). Just as you said, it worked, but it was too hard to stick to. After reading a good portion of Tim’s book, it really spoke to me in that the eating habits outlined were very dooable and there was a cheat day every week (woo hoo). In past diets, it seemed if you went of track (even if for a meal) you were doomed. I also found it very interesting that Tim did all of this self experimentation and research with other people (like yourself) who also did self experimentation, which led me to your website.
So far since starting, I’ve simply eaten the slow carb way and drank plenty of “ice” water and de-caf green tea. I modified my “cheat” day a little by starting around 6pm on Friday and ending after lunch on Saturday. My initial weight loss was 4lbs and this morning, 12 days into the plan I’m down 12 lbs to 233. I realize that alot of the weight may be water, but I’m not giving up and plan on slowly adding AGG/PAGG, exercise and Thermogenics into my daily routine. Although I didn’t take my measurements today I know I’ve lost inches because I fit comfortably into a XL football jersey (Go Pats!) that had been way too snug just a couple of weeks ago. I can’t wait for your guide to help outline some reasonable ways to mesh your ideas into my daily routine.
Thanks for your insight and help!
Tim
FANTASTIC TIM!
yes. I think we all end up with our “Harajuku” moments. Look, you can make this the time you create a permanent change. Mine was in Oct 2008. I now feel ok enough to play around with my weight a bit to try new things I have skated around the +/-5 lb mark and gone up and down now – pretty much at will. I have stayed pretty much within 7 lbs of my lowest, but I really want to get down into the lower 170s. It’s so amazing to think that this was my second year since “getting it” and that I have been mostly “fat free.”
My goals in 2011 are to try to go down another notch. I played around with diet a lot in 2010, but mostly for health benefits (blood work, energy level, etc…). This year I want to put into very repeatable packets the best of everything I have learned on my journey and spend much more time helping people like you.
I think I will probably go “open source” with all of this and put up a tip jar at some point to push this toward a full time gig. First, I want people to have amazing results and that’s why I’m here now…There are some amazing tricks that will be coming in time. I promise.
Keep it moving!
Ray
Now, I’m your fan.
thanks!
welcome. Let’s make a difference.
Ray