Ferriss Method Fitness Experiment
As I mentioned earlier today, I’m going to try to execute a Tim Ferriss-esque fitness experiment over the next 30 days, which I’m constructing from a mix of his diet and workout plans.
Keys to the diet I’ll be implementing:
- No “white” carbohydrates.
- Eat the same few meals (high in protien, low calorie density) over and over again.
- Make sure to eat enough calories. 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories - so I need to make sure to eat enough volume in order to feel full. I need to make sure to include legumes and meats to keep energy high and build muscle.
- Don’t drink calories (soda, beer, juice, etc).
- I’ll use whey protien shakes occasionally if I feel I haven’t gotten enough protien in a day.
Exceptions to the diet plan to make it achieveable and stay sane:
- One “splurge” day per week.
- Alcohol consumed on weekends doesn’t count. I’ll try to stick to clear liquors and diet mixers and avoid beer, but I’m not cutting my weekend trips to the bar with friends. No drinking during the week.
- A small portion of carbohydrates is allowed infrequently, but only immediately following the hour workout (ie. with dinner).
Keys to the workout plan:
- At least 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week to burn fat.
- 30 minutes of weight training 3-4 times a week for strength and mass.
- Focus on large muscle groups and whole body exercise to maximize hormonal response (testosterone, growth hormone).
- All lifts performed with a 5/5 cadence (5 seconds up, 5 seconds down) to ensure constant load.
Tim suggests that using his diet method alone, you can lose 20lbs of fat in 30 days, and using his weight training program alone, you can gain 34lbs of muscle in 30 days. These claims seem a bit extreme to me, and since I’m not following either program exactly, I won’t be able to tell you whether or not either is true. I will however track and post my own weight here every few days so everyone can see what progress I’m making (and to keep myself motivated). I expect I’ll likely lose 5-10lbs by the end of the experiement, due to the tradeoff of fat loss and increase in muscle mass. Whatever the numerical outcome, I expect to find myself in far better athletic shape a month from today.
Starting weight, March 23rd, measured on my bathroom scale: 205lbs. Let the experiment begin.
