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Slow carb diet

Jul 25, 2023, 5 min read

My current diet is the slow carb diet brought up by Tim Ferriss.

It’s simple and effective. I find it easier to stick to. I’ve been on it for about a month now, and I enjoy it.

The rules

  1. No simple sugar (crystallized, cane, powdered sugar). No starchy food. A simple rule of thumb: if it’s white, don’t eat it (exception: cauliflower).
  2. Pick a couple of meals and stick to them.
  3. Don’t drink calories.
  4. No fruit.
  5. If possible, eat 30g of protein within 30 minutes of waking up.
  6. Take one day off each week and go nuts.

That’s it. That’s how you do the slow carb diet.

A couple of notes

  • The idea is to avoid starchy and simple carbohydrates, to avoid big fluctuations in blood glucose level and extra glucose being turned into fat. That’s why no wheat or rice or starch is allowed - no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, no corns, no oats or grains. And no fruit - fructose is a form of simple sugar and will be absorbed very fast.
  • No dairy.
  • My beverage catalog: water, coffee/ decaf, tea, sparkling water, diet coke - no cream/ milk, no sugar.
  • 30g of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, it just works - if you make this one change to your diet and do nothing else, it’ll likely help you lose weight - I have no idea why, it’s like a secret weapon.
  • Rule # 2 might be a bit ambiguous, what meals to choose and what if I get bored?
    • I have no problem eating the same food again and again, and I wonder if you keep a log of all the meals you have, you might find out you are actually eating a couple of things again and again too :)
    • As for what meals to choose, Tim suggested to choose whatever you like from the following 3 categories, mix and match and do whatever flavor you like (the flavor can’t violate the rules of course).
      • Proteins: eggs, chicken, fish, beef, pork, lamb
      • Beans: lentils, black/ pinto/ red/ soy beans
      • Vegetables: spinach, mixed veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, other cruciferous vegetables), asparagus, peas, green beans, sauerkraut, kimchi
  • Rule # 6, one cheat day each week, eat whatever the heck you want, however much you want - eat all the donuts, cookies, oreos, cholate, cheese cakes, ice creams, pancakes, bagels, fruity drinks, pizzas, cinnamon rolls, croissants, have a carbohydrates feast that would make a diabetic shiver.
  • No need to track calories. If you want to keep a food log out of curiosity, go ahead, but it’s not necessary. Eat if you feel hungry, and if you can’t stop eating after feeling full (as I sometimes do), that’s some level of food addiction and the problem is deeper. I find that addiction is usually a protecting/ coping mechanism to avoid pain, and it won’t go away until I address the deeper problem.

For more details and information regarding the slow carb diet, go to Tim’s blog or his book The Four Hour Body.

What I do

  • The same breakfast everyday: 2 eggs, 1 cup of spinach (~80g), 2/3 cups of beans (~150g, lentils and/or black beans). I try to eat it within 30 min of waking up.

  • Skip lunch if I don’t feel terribly hungry. Stay hydrated and usually I’m fine. If my stomach feels completely empty for some reason and files a big complaint, I’ll eat some mixed veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots) till it feels better.

  • Dinner: > 1lb of mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, carrots), > 2 cups of beans (lentils and/or black beans), some kimchi.

  • The glorious cheat day: I go bunkers. I’m relatively new to the diet and I’ve only had 4 cheat days so far. I’m still trying to figure out how to do this properly without hurting myself - I would eat so much that my head gets dizzy.

    • I am tracking my cheat day in this food log. Here’s a snapshot of what I eat last cheat day: 5 donuts, 2 black sesame custard snack, 2 bagels with cream cheese, 1 cookie, 1 pretzel knot, 2 scallion pancakes, 1 diet coke, mixed veggie, spicy soup, beefless bulgogi, 1 pork bun, 6 pieces of fried chicken, fries, salad, pickles, a little beer, half of a tuna roll, 2 eggs, 1 cup spinach, 2/3 cup beans. I gained 5 lbs the day after, it was glorious.

My main problem right now is lentils. I remember tasting lentils for the first time, I got a pack of Madras Lentis and Steamed Lentis from Trader Joe’s, and they tasted so good that it scared me. On the one hand I am so grateful to have found something I love so much, on the other it’s a real struggle with portion control. Alas, such is life.

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