The 4 Hour Body Book Summary By Tim Ferriss

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The 4-Hour Body says it will teach you all you need to know about achieving the physique and general well-being you’ve always desired. With The Slow-Carb Diet, Tim Ferriss goes into great detail and offers advice on exercise, sleep, and sex. This advice is based on his three years’ worth of interactions with professionals. These experts include anything from doctors to sports, illegal drug dealers to sex experts. Ferriss offers a concise manual on how to enhance your physical well-being in all facets of your life.

the 4 hour body book summary

The Lowest Effective Dosage

The smallest dose that will result in your desired result is referred to as the minimal effective dose (MED) by Tim Ferriss. The following are the most important considerations for readers with reference to MEDs:

  • Do the least amount of work required to set off a cascade of particular hormones that will cause fat to be released.
  • Do the least amount of work necessary to activate regional (certain muscles) and systemic (hormonal) development mechanisms in order to gain muscle in little or large amounts.

Utilize tools and rewards to maintain your motivation.

Tim advises using outside pressure to help you complete tasks. Set deadlines that would be difficult to miss. Use contracts to obligate you to finish what you start. Give yourself incentives for doing a task completely.

Another method for assisting you in getting things done is keeping a journal. According to Ferriss, journaling helps you strike a balance between embracing the past and making plans for the future. Then you may concentrate on the moment. They aid in clearing your mind so that ideas don’t recur throughout the day. Additionally, Tim advises creating a photo journal to document your development.

The Slow-Carb Diet

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not recommend a diet high in slow carbohydrates, according to Ferriss. Although the slow-carb diet is built on three ideas, this section will explore all of its suggestions:

1) Consistently consume a basic set of meals. By doing so, you’ll be able to stay on course and avoid rewarding yourself with harmful behaviour.

2) Pay attention to slow carbohydrates.

3) Permit all foods on one “cheat day” every week. The naughtiest delights are included in this. You’ll stay motivated if you do this.

The Foods to Stay Away From

Tim Ferriss emphasises the unsuitability of some foods for our bodies as one of his primary points in his book The 4-Hour Body. White carbs are bad for you. Bread, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spaghetti, tortillas, and fried meals must be avoided. Brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oats, quinoa, amaranth, and other whole-wheat carbohydrates are also forbidden by Ferriss. Ferriss avoids starches in his diet. Additionally, he exhorts readers to actively avoid sugar and sugar substitutes. Although Splenda has no calories, it causes weight gain by boosting the amount of harmful bacteria in your stomach.

Ferriss contends that fruit is unhealthy as well. Fruits are rich in fructose but also have some beneficial vitamins. Tomatoes and avocados, when consumed in moderation, are the exceptions to this rule. Lime and lemon juice are also crucial for enhancing one’s health.

You shouldn’t eat dairy products. Avoid dairy products including milk, yoghurt, cream, and cheese.

The goal of this diet is to reduce blood sugar. Your body converts the carbohydrates in the food you eat into glucose, often known as blood sugar. High glycemic index foods, such as wheat, rice, and potatoes, sharply increase your blood sugar levels. Vegetables and fish are examples of low glycemic foods that have little impact on blood sugar levels.

According to Ferriss, maintaining a consistent diet requires eating the same few meals every day. Attempt to consume four meals a day as well.

The Foods That Are Allowed

Many foods, according to this book, are unhealthy for us. It also says that some foods are especially healthy for you and can improve your life if you add them in huge amounts. Lean proteins are preferred in this diet. Thus, the Slow-carb Diet advocated by Ferriss advocates consumption of eggs, salmon, legumes (such as lentils and beans), and a variety of vegetables. Additionally, the book advises ingesting 30g of protein within 30 minutes of awakening. Green veggies like broccoli, asparagus, and spinach should be a staple of most meals.

Additionally, Ferriss advises readers to consume particular foods, but only in moderation. These foods are referred to by Ferriss as “Domino Foods.” These foods include hummus, almonds, and chickpeas. You shouldn’t include these foods as a mainstay in your diet.

Tips on Drinking Patterns

Ferriss contends that you should deliberately refrain from consuming any calories during the 4-hour body. Red wine is an exception to this rule. This does not imply that you ought to drink entire cases of wine. Instead, people should limit their use of red wine to no more than two glasses each day. The only beverages that are encouraged in the book are water, unsweetened coffee, and unsweetened tea. Therefore, this book also advises against drinking milk, soda, and fruit juice. To avoid headaches and a sensation of weakness, you must consume a lot of healthful beverages.

Cheat Days Cannot Be Ignored

According to Ferriss, every week should include a required cheat day. Even when you don’t feel like it, a cheat day is just as important for weight loss as any other rule. These days, there are no limitations. On one day every week, all white carbohydrates, ice cream, sweets, and fruit are permitted. On this day, people must start the day with a high protein, high fibre lunch to prevent total self-destruction. Additionally, Ferriss suggests that dieters eat some grapefruit before indulging in junk food. Grapefruits can take up fat.

Not All Calories Are Bad

The 4-hour body recommends against calorie restriction, which is one of its characteristics that distinguishes it from many other diets. According to Ferriss, cutting calories can cause your metabolism to slow down, preventing you from losing weight. This is one reason why having a cheat day is great for burning fat since it speeds your metabolism.

Increase or Supplment Your Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium Intake

Excessive water loss on non-cheat days is one of the Slow-Carb Diet’s most typical side effects. You are therefore likely losing calcium, potassium, and magnesium. As a result, Ferriss advises either eating meals high in these minerals or taking supplements in the form of pills. Nuts contain a lot of magnesium. Try to include Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, and peanuts in your regular diet if at all possible. In addition, foods high in potassium include mushrooms, black beans, salmon, and lentils. Lastly, sardines, tofu, collard greens, and tempeh are among the foods high in calcium. But spinach is most crucial of all. You ought to consume spinach every day because it is rich in all three of these minerals.

Your Gut Bacteria Are Essential for Weight Loss

According to Ferriss, gut microbes can aid in weight loss. For fat reduction, the 4-hour body promotes balanced microorganisms. Your gut contains Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, two distinct bacterial species. Lean people have more Bacteroidetes bacteria, whereas fat people have more Firmicute bacteria. As obese persons lose weight, more Bacteroidetes begin to form in them. This implies that if you can raise your good bacterial population, you will lose weight and improve your health. Then, as you get leaner and healthier, your Bacteroidetes will grow even more, assisting in your continued leanness.

First off, the 4-hour body promotes including foods in your diet that have a lot of good bacteria in them. These include fermented seafood, sauerkraut, kimchi, and Japanese natto. Chicory, leeks, and garlic are additional food-based prebiotics. Additionally, the book exhorts readers to begin taking probiotics and prebiotics. The supplements Sedona Labs, iFlora prebiotics, and Athletic Greens are suggested by the author. Tim Ferriss claims to have personally benefited from these supplements.

Your gut microbes must be in balance. You can reduce your weight and feel better with a healthy gut flora. Additionally, it has been linked to a decrease in allergies, ageing, and even the symptoms of AIDS and Type 2 diabetes. Since the majority of serotonin, a mood chemical, is produced in the stomach, studies have also shown that it makes you feel happier.

How to Reduce Your Blood Sugar Levels

Make sure you are eating healthy fats as the first suggestion made in this book. Fat lessens sugar peaks. Your glycemic reaction is lowered by eating more fat earlier in the meal. Olive oil, nuts, and avocados are all excellent sources of good fats. Every morning, Tim Ferriss consumes four Brazil nuts and a tablespoon of almond butter. Drinking lemon juice is the second option. Your glycemic response can be decreased by up to 10% by lemon juice. It also has a lot of vitamin C in it. Incorporate some lemon juice that has just been squeezed into your meals and water.

And finally, cinnamon can significantly lower your blood sugar levels. Your glycemic response can be reduced by up to 29% by cinnamon. Cinnamon comes in three varieties: Saigon, Ceylon, and Cassia. Although each has advantages and disadvantages, they all lower blood sugar to some extent. The Saigon cinnamon is best in lowering blood sugar, followed by Cassia and Ceylon, the text claims. Though excessive consumption of cinnamon may cause your blood to thin, limit your daily intake to no more than four grams.

Tim Ferriss advises eating slowly in addition to ingesting specific meals that lower blood sugar levels. Your blood sugar will always be increased by sugar and starch, but if you eat protein and veggies too quickly, they can also have the same effect. Tim divides his food on his plate into thirds and gives himself five minutes in between bites. Try to drink water between thirds of your meal if you’re used to eating swiftly to keep yourself occupied. Drinking liquids will also improve your ability to digest food. Lastly, chew your food thoroughly. Ideally, chew each swallow 20 times. Your dinner should be finished in at least 30 minutes.

The Secret to Men’s Success

This book makes the observation that males have always been drawn to women by a unique number: 0.7. Every century has regarded women with a waist 7/10 the size of their hips as beautiful. This is evident in fashion, as things like corsets accentuate this number. Evolutionary biology is what draws individuals to this number, claims Dev Singh, a psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Higher fertility is associated with this ratio.

Men have a magic number as well. It’s best to have a body fat percentage of around 12%, or perhaps a little less. A man has the desirable “V” form when his ratio is 0.8 and he has broad shoulders and strong “lats.” Of course, having a six-pack is another trait that attracts women to males.

Muscle Gain

In this book, Tim Ferriss asserts that the Colorado Experiment caused him to transform from a geek to a freak. Tim gained 34 pounds of muscle in one month, which is an impressive outcome. He only exercised for four hours in total to achieve this. For the entire month, Tim only spent 30 minutes at the gym twice a week. First, Tim asserts that if you want to gain muscle, you must consume a lot of calories. Between 5000 and 8000 calories should be consumed each day. However, these calories ought to come from foods that are incredibly high in protein and have a low glycemic index, such as quinoa. This is not something you should do every day of the week.

He always did a full-body workout, pushing himself to the point of exhaustion. To stimulate the greatest hormonal (testosterone, growth hormone, and IGF-1) response, an all-body exercise was recommended. But you must also concentrate on no more than 4–7 workouts using several joints. He incorporated the following exercises:

  • Pullover + Yates’s Bent Row
  • Shoulder-Width Leg Press
  • Pec Deck + Weighted Dips
  • Leg Curl
  • Reverse Thick-Bar Curl
  • Seated Calf Raise
  • Manual Neck Resistance
  • Machine Crunch

Repeat each exercise until it is unsuccessful. The cadence for each iteration was 5/5. This indicates that you hold each position for 5 seconds—5 seconds up and 5 seconds down. More repetitions performed at a higher rate do not provide the same amount of muscle growth as these modest lifting speeds. Last but not least, you should rest for at least three minutes in between each activity.

You’ll want to exercise less regularly as you gain weight. Your capacity for recovery can only improve by 20–30%, whereas your capacity for muscular growth can do so by 100%.

Full Body Exercise

The Russian kettlebell swing is the ideal exercise for achieving these ideal levels and reducing fat swiftly. You take a kettlebell and place it in between your feet to perform this workout. You should have your feet slightly bent and about eight inches away from your shoulders. When there is adequate room on all sides of you, crouch down and reach forward with both hands to catch the kettlebell. Then, swing it up to the area in front of your face while maintaining a straight back, arms, and knees. Your arms should be pulled down to the area between your legs by the kettlebell. Your back and knees will have to bend forward as a result. Reverse the kettlebell’s motion to perform the motion once more.

Just remember to keep your back straight as you raise the kettlebell. Since this exercise involves working out the entire body, more calories are burned in less time. The weight of the kettlebell must be appropriate for you. You should be able to complete at least 20 perfect repetitions with the ideal kettlebell. In spite of this, you do not want it to be too light for you to perform more than 30 repetitions in a row. Try to perform 75 reps twice per week, pausing for pauses of 60 seconds as necessary.

Workouts for Your Abs

Tim Ferriss also suggests two ab exercises in this book to assist readers in achieving their dream six-pack. These exercises include the cat vomit exercise and the myotatic crunch. One exercises the upper abs, the other the lower. To perform the exercise with cat vomit:

  • Get down on your knees.
  • Pull your tummy in toward your spine as much as you can after exhaling all the air from your lungs. You’re doing it right if it burns.
  • Take one breath after around 10 seconds of holding your breath in your tummy in that position.
  • Do it once more.

At least ten times should be tried. Standing up is preferred by some people when performing this workout.

To do the myotatic crunch, a BOSU ball is excellent. If you don’t have access to one, feel free to use a couple of firm pillows in their place. They are typically available in gyms. Place the pillows or the BOSU ball under your lower back, keeping your butt a few inches off the ground. Knees bowed, place both of your feet firmly on the ground. Start by raising your arms as if you were diving and attempting to touch the ceiling. Lean back gradually until your head, arms, and body are horizontal. This movement needs to be gradual.

You should complete it in roughly four seconds, pausing for two more seconds in the last place. Return carefully to your starting point after that. A rep is one.

Every workout must be meticulously documented, including the date, time, order of the exercises, reps, and weight. You can use this technique to discover the details that suit you the most.

Sperm, Sex and Orgasms

Sperm Number
This book emphasises the relationship between sperm quality and three variables: motility, morphology, and count. Sperm morphology and sperm count both refer to the quantity of sperm in the appropriate shape in each ejaculation. Unusual-shaped sperm cannot reproduce. The quantity of sperm that can swim straight refers to sperm motility. A sperm that appears healthy but is unable to swim effectively is useless. Ferriss notes that healthy males in first-world nations see a 1% annual decline in sperm count, which is alarming. Cell phone radiation appears to be the main contributor to this. Therefore, this book advises against keeping your phone in your pockets. Both testosterone and sperm quality may be affected by this.

Testosterone and Sex Drive
Through the following methods, according to Tim Ferriss, he tripled his total testosterone and boosted his sex desire. He divides these recommendations into two protocols.

Long-Term
Tim supplemented by taking two Blue Ice Butter Oil or Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend pills in the morning and two in the evening. Additionally, take 3000-5000 IU of Vitamin D3 before bed and at dawn. One shortly after waking up and one right before bed, take quick ice baths or cold showers. Lastly, take 3 Brazil nuts when you wake up and 3 before you go to bed.

Short-Term

The night before sex, Tim advises ingesting at least 800 milligrammes of cholesterol within three hours before going to bed. This much can be obtained from just four eggs. Then, around four hours prior to having sex, you should eat 20 raw almonds and 4 Brazil nuts. You should also take two capsules of either Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend or Blue Ice Butter Oil.

A 15-minute orgasmic fit
Tim explains that the clitoris quadrant at 1 or 2 o’clock on a clock face is where women are most responsive. But concentrating on this one thing is insufficient. To avoid sexual activity and foreplay, you should get the woman’s consent. Until they experience that 10-15 minute orgasm, you should just concentrate on their enjoyment and manual stimulation. Even Tim claims that when properly applied, this should be very simple. The key advice given is as follows:

  • Keep in mind that it is an aimless objective. It should be about concentrating on one location, even though this can cause an orgasm.
  • Divide the labia.
  • Utilizing the heel of your palm, gently retract the clitoral hood upward.
  • Holding the hood back, secure the clitoris with your right thumb.
  • With two fingers under each cheek, place your left hand under their bum. Your thumb need to be on, not inside, the base of the vaginal opening.
  • Use the lightest touch and smallest movement—about 1.5 mm—with your index finger. Stroke for two to three minutes continuously at the same tempo.

Numerous methods known for enhancing sleep

Drugs

You must get enough sleep for good health. Avoiding alcohol use less than four hours before bedtime is one approach to ensure that your sleep is of high quality. The quality of your sleep will only be harmed by drinking more than one or two glasses.

The book advises taking 200 micrograms of Huperzine 30 minutes before bedtime in addition to abstaining from alcohol. Your total amount of REM sleep will rise by 30% as a result, which is crucial for good health. Huperzine has adverse effects, hence it shouldn’t be taken more than three times per week for learning purposes.

Pre-Bedtime Habits

In the morning, a high-fat, high-fiber snack will make you feel less worn out and cranky. Overnight, your blood sugar levels drastically decrease. Therefore, before going to bed, you could wish to have two tablespoons of almond butter together with a few celery pieces. Your blood sugar levels should remain stable as a result over night. Additionally, three hours prior to going to bed, you should consume a substantial meal rich in fat and protein. You’ll sleep more soundly as a result. Prior to going to bed, take a cold bath or shower and take 1.5 to 3 milligrams of melatonin.

Technology

Additionally, technology is great for enhancing your sleep. Your bedroom will become cold and humid thanks to ultrasonic humidifiers, which will help you sleep better. You can increase your energy in the morning by using a blue light therapy lamp for 15 minutes. For jet lag and winter depression, these lamps are frequently utilized. By creating a blue light that slowly rises and falls, a Night Wave pulse light will aid in your relaxation. As the movement slows down, the book advises breathing in rhythm with the light. However, there are several technologies you should avoid. Use your phone or computer as little as possible at night because they emit blue light. It won’t get any easier to fall asleep with this light. Get some blue light-blocking glasses if you must use these gadgets.

Reversing Injuries

Tim Ferriss focuses on how people may change unhealthy behaviours or poor health in addition to offering solutions to improve health. One of these methods is through healing wounds. He emphasises the four Ms of effective rehab.

  • Movement is where you should start. Change your posture and actions by moving.
  • Repairing your damaged soft tissue with pressure caused by a machine or by hand is known as manipulation.
  • Medication – As a final resort, administer chemical mixtures orally or intravenously.
  • Mechanical – This requires some sort of surgery. Although it won’t always be essential, in some cases it might.

Running Faster and Farther

Tim suggests specialised practises for your races as well as activities to increase speed if you want to run more quickly. Warm-up exercises and muscular activation are followed by frequency training in the exercises. The frequency training consists of two sets of five seconds of regular squatting followed by leaping for 20 seconds. You must adopt the proper starting position if you want to increase your speed. Put your left leg forward and your right hand down. Touch your right toes while keeping your left foot around 30 cm behind the line. After that, you must position your right arm at a correct angle and your right hand in front of the line. Look at the first step of your rear leg as you begin to encourage yourself.

With a few easy changes, Tim Ferriss went from jogging 5 km to running 50 km. Instead of following the conventional advice to run a lot, he employed the Tabata technique to build his endurance. Short bursts of intense exercise are interspersed with progressively shorter rest periods during this sort of high-intensity interval training. Tim also suggests doing maximum effort lifts to develop a strong undercarriage.

How to Breathe For As Long As David Blaine

Tim Ferriss also has the record for the longest breath hold, held by David Blaine. Despite Tim’s lungs being affected by his premature birth, this is the case. After 15 minutes of training, Tim was able to hold his breath for 3 minutes and 33 seconds thanks to these actions.

  1. Deep breathing for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
  2. Purging for 1 minute 15 seconds (breathing air out hard).
  3. Aim for holding your breath for 1 minute, 30 seconds.
  4. three partially purged breaths (the best way to define this is between a deep breath and a purge).
  5. Deep breathing for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
  6. Purging for 1 minute 30 seconds.
  7. Take a two and a half minute breath hold.
  8. hallucinate for three breaths.
  9. Take two minutes to breathe deeply.
  10. Purging time: 1 minute and 45 seconds.
  11. Keep your breath held for as long as you can.
  12. Take 3–10 quick, semi-purge breaths when you’re done to help you recuperate.

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