Slow Carb Diet – Week 8 Results

I’ve now completed 8 weeks – nearly two months – on the Slow Carb Diet created by Tim Ferris and explained in The 4-Hour Body. In the past 8 weeks, I have:

• Lost 15 pounds
• Cut my body fat level from over 20% to under 13%
• Increased my energy levels
• Increased my feeling of overall wellness

The progress photos speak for themselves:

Day one - Approximately 21% Body Fat

End of Week 4 - Approximately 14.5% Body Fat

Conclusion of Week 8 - Approximately 12.25% Body Fat

I should note that much of this progress came with very little in the way of exercise until week 6, when I began adding high intensity weight training into my regimen. During week 8, I began the Max-OT program created by Paul Delia of AST Sports Science. Suffice to say this diet has been effective regardless of exercise level.

Right now, I am extremely happy with the progress I’ve made in 2 months following this eating plan. Not only to I feel and look better, but I have found that it is extremely easy to stick to the principles of the Slow Carb Diet. I’m not a fan of the typical view of “diets” which is to do something temporary in order to achieve short sighted results. I started this eating plan in January with the intention of finding a sustainable way of healthy eating, and the ease of this plan definitely provides a great base for healthy eating.

Week 8 Progress Summary:

For those that have been following along from week to week, here is a summary of my observations from the past week.

• My weight remained steady and estimated body fat % was essentially flat as well. However, the measurements I took on weigh in day show continued improvement. I am continuing to see reductions in the circumference of my waist, while measurements on my arms and legs are beginning to increase.
• As I get closer to my goal of 10% body fat, I am finding that I probably need to utilize more precise measurement methods. The changes are happening more slowly now that I am below 15% body fat and I am not fully confident in the basic estimation methods I’m using.

Update on PAGG:

If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve also been experimenting with the PAGG (policosanol, alpha lipoic acid,green tea extract, and  garlic) stack described by Tim in The Four Hour Body.  I went with the SCD alone (no PAGG) for weeks 5-6 and added PAGG into my regimen during weeks 7-8. During the past two weeks my progress has been steady, but I have not seen clear indications that PAGG is having a significant impact. As a result, I’m going to discontinue use of the PAGG for now.

What’s next:

I’m going to continue on the Slow Carb Diet in the coming weeks and also using the Max-OT training program mentioned above. Look for further updates this week related to my workout program.

Thanks for reading!