90/10 Rule Book review calories carbs cheat day cheating Controversy Counting Calories diet empty calories fitness food fruit hunger limiting calories Losing weight low carbs Michael weight gain weight loss wine

The Four Hour Body Diet Experiment

The Four Hour Body Diet Experiment

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

Related Posts

22 Comments

  1. Katy

    I did — sharing photos (so scary!) and all.

    You can see my final thoughts here:

    http://katywidrick.com/2011/02/19/4hb-final-or-are-they-thoughts/

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Just read your recap. It’s very thorough and I appreciate the breakdown of the facts and results.

      I can see a difference in your belly pictures. I was surprised that you didn’t have more of a loss on the scale…We shall see how I fair.

    2. Lisa Eirene

      How did you deal with giving up fruit?

  2. Lindsey @ Morningstar Project

    I’ve never personally tried this diet or many “diets” for that matter. I did low carb for 5 months once and lost a measly 4 lbs, which later got regained once I ate carbs again. I would have the hardest time giving up fruit – I looove apples, oranges, and blueberries. Bread and pasta are also toughies for me especially when training for a half marathon, I need my carbs for fuel! Best of luck to you, I’m excited to see what you think of it!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      See and that’s my problem with this “diet”–I could lose 5 pounds or something but what happens when I go back to my normal eating habits? Gain it all back? Fruit is a hard one to give up for me.

  3. Carly (Swim, Run, Om)

    I haven’t tried it, but between you and Katy, it certainly sounds interesting. I am in complete agreement with you on all of your assessments, though. Depending on your review, I may be the next one to try it. :-p

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I remember when Katy did the experiment and I read some of the posts about it but I was so turned off by his book that I didn’t put much stock in any of it. I had already decided I would never be interested in trying his diet. Just the word “diet” bothers me! UGH! But Michael and I live together and it makes sense financially and in terms of time needed cooking to be eating the same diet. Plus I am curious to see if the low-carb, high protein works for me.

  4. Beth @ Beth's Journey

    I’m really curious to see how it goes for you! I did Atkin’s for several months in college and dropped about 40 lbs, but eating NO carbs and NO fruit was so hard!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      It sounds like the concepts are similar to Atkin’s honestly. Eating no carbs or fruit will be really hard for me too. For example, I think the breakfasts on this diet are like 30grams of protein aka a steak and eggs! I might vomit. We’ll see. 🙂

  5. Nikki

    It sounds like he is just spewing out a combo of about 3 different diets in one. For me, personally, any time you tell me I CAN’T have something, I r ebell. I also dislike the idea of a binge day, mostly because I feel like “rewarding” yourself with food is such a slippery slope for so many people. I have worked for 2 years to reduce my emotional attachment to food, and I really don’t want to give it back that power through denial/indulgence. For me, this is an all-around bad idea. More power to Michael if it works for him though!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I can relate to where you are coming from Nikki, I feel the same way. I will try this for 7 days and see how it goes. I doubt I’ll have a “binge day.” I’m not sure how this will work for me, but only time will tell.

  6. Lori

    Well – it really isn’t low carb because he emphasizes a lot of lentils if I remember right. It’s just no bread or fruit carbs.

    Personally – I have no desire to give up fruit. I have been doing lower carb, about 100 grams a day, and I still eat fruit and dairy.

    I think the question is, why bother with something you have no desire to continue doing? Although, from a challenge aspect – it could be quite interesting.

    In reading his book, my biggest issue is that of course all of this worked for him because he is younger man. I’d like to see something like this done by a woman in her 40s doing all these experiments.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I can try this for 7 days and see how I feel. Who knows? Maybe my body will like it. Not sure.

      I don’t think there will much of a result with MY weigh ins. I’d like to lose 6 pounds…that’s not exactly going to just melt off me like it would had I done this at 200 pounds…

  7. Jane Cartelli

    Lisa,
    Please. if at any point you find yourself going for the foods you already do not have go back on your own plan and discontinue your 4HB experiment. No matter how you mix up the various diets the author has combined in this book to make it ‘his’ – it is still just a different brand of snake oil.
    You already have the tools and the knowledge of what works for your body. If this helps you straighten where you have been getting off kilter – great. If not, don’t let this get you further from a healthy answer.

    Email me anytime if you want to talk.
    Jane~
    Keepingthepoundsoff.com

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thank you Jane! I don’t think I will slip up too much with this. I will only be doing it for 7 days to start, not a month. I can try anything for 7 days. And if I feel like it doesn’t work for me I will go back to what I normally do.

  8. Fat Loser

    The Four Hour Body diet is nothing more than a calorie-restriction diet in disguise, anyway.

    The list of foods that he gives you makes it pretty hard to achieve a caloric intake that is equal to what you are probably eating now (if you need to lose weight).

    People don’t realize that, if you ate whatever you wanted but matched the number of calories to what Tim’s list forces you to do unwittingly, you’d lose the same amount of weight. You’d have to count calories, but you wouldn’t have to give up all the foods you love.

    The diet that he outlines in his book, the one that allows his friend to eat on $35 a week, if you calculate it out, it’s only 1000 calories a day! That is a severely restrictive diet. Maybe you feel fuller on those foods, but you still have to pass up all the stuff you love. Six of one, half-dozen of the other to me.

    A cheat day where you stuff yourself to the gills? Sorry, I find it hard to buy that that can be good for you. Changing it up and eat a lot (relatively) might be fine, but going to the extent he suggests (making yourself almost sick) makes no sense.

    There’s no magic here, just lower calories. Those who are able to eat 2500 or 3000 calories on this diet don’t lose weight. But of course, Tim doesn’t want you to count calories. Wonder why, huh?

  9. blackhuff

    I have not done this diet before.
    2 things I don’t like in this diet that you’ve described is the fruit thing. I think fruit is good and those low in sugar is better. So with that I disagree.
    One day per week – I would rather say one meal per week because one can so add up all the calories you have lost in a week, with one day’s binge eating.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Ha! I’ll “binge” on fruit on my binge day. Hahahaha

  10. Aleasha

    Besides the no fruit it doesn’t sound too bad. I have been on a similar plan and it works. If you follow it for the full week I bet you will loose more then 2 lbs. You will be surprised! The only part that I haven’t seen on a diet like this is the 2 glasses of red wine A DAY! Wow – That is the only part I am unsure of. I look forward to seeing your meal plan and progress this week! Good luck!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Right now I am still skeptical about it, but I hope I see SOME change in 7 days….

  11. chris

    I have been on this diet for 6 days and have lost 6 pounds. I thought I would hate it, but so far I don’t. I always get feel full and have a ton of energy. I can’t even sleep in come morning time. I just wake up and want to get going.

    I exercise more than is recommended. 5 days a week at 1or 2 hours each day.

    It is very easy for me. I have never liked fruit that much though so I don’t miss that at all. I don’t have cravings much because I’m always pretty full as you have to eat within an hour of waking and 4 times a day.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      That’s great!! Glad you lost weight on it and haven’t suffered.

      I haven’t hated the diet as much as I thought I would. I did however feel tired and lethargic all week. 🙁

Leave a Reply