I don’t understand your PDF on supplements.  Do you have a very simple daily (on the program and on cheat day) list for 4-hour body?

I’ve found a source for AGG and PAGG, but I don’t know when/how to take them on each type of day. What other supplements are important?

Thanks!

If you have read the 4-Hour Body it is easy to get lost in the details.

I have created several 4-Hour Body cheat sheets to address this problem previously but even these have been a bit too complex.

My solution to this problem is this brand new and extremely improved cheat sheet below. It combines the 4-Hour Body fat loss protocols into one easy page with the addition of cheat day guidelines.

I have added three essential morning supplements to the list:

• Vitamin D3 (drops are superior to tablets)
• Fish Oil (I love Green Pastures and so does Tim)
• a daily Probiotic (there are many options but this is a solid choice)

The addition of these 3 supplements has made a noticeable difference among my patients who start the slow carb diet.

This cheat sheet is available online and on the site. You can download it for free with a Like or a Tweet.  If you prefer it is available for download and print for $1.99 on Scribd.

Download the Simple 4-Hour Body Slow-Carb Diet Fat Loss Cheat Sheet With Cheat Day Requirements 

[sociallocker id=8794]Thank you for your support here is your PDF FILE [/sociallocker]

4-Hour Body Slow Carb Diet Fat Loss Cheat Sheet With Cheat Day Requirements

Simple 4-Hour Body Slow Carb Diet Fat Loss Cheat Sheet With Cheat Day Requirements by www.4hourlife.com

Product links included in the cheat sheet

• P.A.G.G. combined (this is my favorite)
• Vitamin D3 (drops are superior to tablets)
• Fish Oil (I love Green Pastures and so does Tim)
• Probiotic (there are many options but this is a solid choice)
• magnesium, calcium and Potassium (can use “lite salt” on breakfast to avoid added potassium tabs)
• Cold Pack (much easier than a cold shower)

Also for a basic look at the principles of the slow carb diet you can see my cheat sheet here.

[note color=”#f5f8fa”]You can sign up to receive updates via RSS or email.  If any of this info helped and you are feeling especially generous please share with a like, it makes me feel happy and that should in turn make you feel happy

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This is her story, a story of slow carb success, a story of a hard earned paradigm shift. A story that took years to play out, but proves that life is a process and we should never give up on ourselves.

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Problem list circa 2012:

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Infertility
• Diabetes Mellitus Type II with an A1C of 10.3
• Depression/Anxiety
• Acne
• Generalized Fatigue
• Obesity
• Chronic Allergic Rhinitis

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Medication list:

• Allegra
• Celexa 20 mg daily
• Wellbutrin SR 150 mg daily
• Metformin 1000 mg twice daily
• Amaryl 2mg once daily
• Lexapro 10 mg once daily
• Lisnopril 10 mg once daily
• Calcium and Vitamin D3[/column]

The History of a Pathology

The following is a timeline of office visits dating from September 2007 through April 2013:

September 2007

Seen for a chief complaint of chest pain. After workup initial diagnosis was diabetes mellitus with a fasting blood sugar of 286, hypertension and atypical chest pain. Her weight was 179 lbs. she was placed on Metformin 850 mg daily and Lisinopril 5 mg tabs.

November 2007

Seen for a chief complaint of chronic daily headaches. Given a diagnosis of stress related tension headaches, started on muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications. Weight now 183 lbs.

March 2008

Diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome and worsening diabetes mellitus. Her A1c was 9.o, she had gained 2 more pounds, continued to have frequent headaches and chronic fatigue. She had been placed on Glyburide and Actos by a different physician. Her fasting blood sugars were now worse and she developed diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease).

Two weeks later she followed up, with better glucose control and a weight of 186 pounds. She was having response to bilateral wrist braces used for carpel tunnel.

Mach 2009

Seen for a mild case of bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye) weight 184 lbs.

April 2009

Seen for upper respiratory tract infection, weight 183 lbs.

August 2009

Chief complaint of headaches and stress, weight 182 lbs.

October 2009

Hirsutism, dizziness. tentative diagnosis of PCOS. Diagnosed on that day with influenza.

Feb 2010

Anxiety, diabetes mellitus, chest pain again. This time she was started on Ativan as needed for anxiety.

Two weeks later in February still with chest pain, sent to cardiology for evaluation and had normal workup, weight 177 lbs.

May 2010

Anxiety, depression, PCOS, suicidal ideations, diabetes mellitus. Weight 176 lbs., medications Amayrl 2 mg daily, Metformin 1000 mg twice daily, lisinopril 5mg daily, prn Ativan.

June 2010

Ativan refill, in office counseling, crisis line was given as precaution to suicidaltiy, weight 173 lbs. started on Wellbutrin.

November 2010

Discontinued Wellbutrin, doing better with new counselor, weight 180 lbs.

January 2011

Susan became more involved with counseling. Started on Celexa 20 mg daily for depression, sent for more labs.

April 2011

Allergic rhinitis had become more sever she was placed on Allegra 180 mg tabs daily and Iprotropium Bromide nasal spray, weight 183 lbs.

January 2012

New diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, DM, PCOS, HTN.

The Slow Carb Manifesto

May 2012

I saw Susan and despite her initial reluctance we initiated the Slow Carb Diet. Her weight was 170lbs. She had worsening diabetes. We had 30 minutes of in office counseling. Blood pressure on meds 134/90.

June 12 2012

Just one month on the slow carb diet and her weight was now 164 lbs. Her resting blood pressure was 102/70. We discontinued her Amaryl and for several reasons I placed the patient back on Wellbutrin SR at a dose of 150 mg daily. She continued twice daily Metformin.

October 31 2012

After 6 months on the slow carb diet her weight was now 136 lbs. Her resting blood pressure was 120/80. Her diabetes was now diet controlled with no oral meds, she was off all her BP medications and the Wellbutrin.

April 1, 2013

BP 102/66, weight 128 lbs, BMI 25 off all meds, fasting blood sugar 89, A1C 5. 9, Cholesterol is perfect!

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Problem List April 2013

• “I have to purchase new clothes every month”

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Her medication list April 2013:

• The patient takes daily vitamin D3 and a Fish Oil Supplement.

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What Secret The Pharmaceutical Company Hasn’t told You

You are perfect the way you are.

The healthy that many of us seek is locked up inside an ailing body. Let your healthy out, believe that you can make a change today, find a support system and somebody who is willing to work with you and believe in you. Believe in yourself and most of all… The road is often long and bumpy, but please don’t give up.

When I walked into the exam room on April 1’st I may have seen Susan for the last time, but I left with a new hope of where we may be headed, if we take the time to change our process. And as medical providers, if we take the time to believe in our patients.

The slow carb diet may not be the answer for everyone, but it has changed my practice of medicine and had a direct impact on countless lives.

The fact that this came from a lifestyle hacking guru from Silicon Valley who just published a book on how to kill and skin game, give a 15 minute orgasm and how to live a 4 Hour Workweek…. Priceless!!!

The 30/30 Rule for Accelerated Fat Loss

Directions: Consume 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up!  Do not make any changes to your diet or exercise!

How to get 30 Grams of Protein in 10 minutes or less!

Some “Real” Food Options:

1. Liquid Egg Whites have roughly 26 grams of protein per cup.  Microwave (or cook) for 2.5 minutes in a Pyrex dish. Then microwave 150 grams of frozen spinach for 5 minutes to get another 6 grams of protein. Then add your favorite salsa. This makes for 32 grams of protein in less than 10 minutes.
2. Canned Tuna + 1 or 2 eggs (or egg whites): Chuck it all in a pan with some mushrooms, cayenne pepper and Italian herbs and put it in the oven till it’s done.
3. 3/4 cup of your favorite beans (8 grams protein) + White or Red Onions (chopped) + 3 eggs (18 grams protein) or liquid egg whites and salsa or Cholula. 

The Quick Fix (less than 3 minutes)

1. One Scoop Whey Protein Concentrate in milk (not slow carb) or in water. Add a handful of raw almonds if you like.
2. One protein bar of choice or build your own.
3. Ice + Coffee + Whey Protein Concentrate + ½ scoop egg protein powder (staying powder) + cinnamon (this video is even more complex) mixed in blender.
4. Ready-made protein shakes. Pure protein or Myoplex are decent options (among many others).
5. Ready-made zero carb 40 gram  protein drink. (light and not filling) 

* P.S. You can make great smoothies with an immersion blender. They are simple to use and even easier to clean. My personal favorite is this lightweight and inexpensive Cuisinart Immersion Blender.  I use it almost daily and it has quickly become my favorite kitchen appliance. 

30/30 Rule Quick Fix Protein Ideas

Quick Link to Products on Amazon (or click on the picture)

Protein Composition of Common Foods (To find a foods nutritional composition consult myfitnesspal) 

• 1 egg = 6 grams
• StarKist Chunk Light Tuna 5oz = 20 grams
• Eggology ½ cup = 13 grams
• Gold Standard Whey Protein1 scoop = 24 grams
• Isopure Zero Carb 1 scoop = 50 grams
• Isopure Ready-made zero carb  protein drink = 40 grams
• Milk 1% 1 cup (8oz) = 8 grams (not slow carb)
• Black Beans ½ cup = 8 grams
• Pinto Beans ½ cup = 8 grams
• Refried Beans ½ cup = 7 grams
• Spinach: Cooked, Boiled and Drained  1 cup = 5 grams
• Organic Peanut or Almond Butter 1 tbsp. = 8 grams
• Pistachios 1 oz. (2 tbsp.) = 6 grams
• Raw Almonds handful = 7 grams

Today I am going to describe how you can use the amazing iPhone application “Lift” (featured in Tim’s last blog post) to track your 4 Hour Body progress and finally reach your goals.

Step 1: Download the “Lift” App

You can do this through the iTunes store or go into the app store on your iPhone.  Start by typing “lift” into the app center search field and it will be the first app to show up.  Just click “free” or if you are like me and already have the app installed click “open”.  Sorry Android users but as of now Lift is only available on the iPhone, but I am sure it will be coming soon.

Step 2: Add “Slow-Carb Diet” (Just like Tim describes on his blog)

There will be a growing community of passionate users here so I would use the “Slow-Carb Diet” section to post your success (or struggles) and give other people props within the community.  You could possibly use this to post monthly weigh-ins.  But, as you will see in step 3, I don’t think this is ideal for tracking your daily meals or other goals such as your Occam’s Protocol workouts.

Once you have added this it will show up as a “goal” you can track this within the applications main page. 

Step 3: Add Slow Carb Meals:

As much as I love minimalism, I think it is best to break The 4 Hour Body up a bit within the App. I have created several categories specific to the 4 Hour Body. I haven chosen to use the prefix 4HB because it allows me to easily organize my 4 Hour Body goals among my other goals within the app.

I have also created two other categories specific to the book: Occam’s protocol, and the all important 15 minute female orgasm. We will see if anyone champions this category. If you do I will make sure to give you a shout out in the app!

Step 4: Start Tracking

That’s all there is to it. If you eat a slow carb dinner  just tap that option on the home page of the app and then touch that big check mark. It will day stamp your activity and automatically share this within the group.

The app will give you friendly reminders via email if you choose and you can give friends a pat on the back via “props”.  You can connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts easily as well. In the bottom left hand corner (seen in the picture above) are what look like “equalizer” settings in an audio program. This is the incredibly useful “stats” section which is where you can see a record of all your hard work.

Step 5: Place your “Lift” App on the home screen of your iPhone

This may be the most important step. Make sure your lift app is easy to find and prominent on your home screen. Just having to open your phone and swipe to the left may be enough to keep you from tracking as you should.

Make sure you have a quick reference to acceptable slow carb foods saved in Evernote or on your notepad. Refer to it often. I have many free downloadable cheat sheets as well as a 4 Hour Body food matrix that should make this task a breeze.  Also, consider setting up automated daily  reminders on your iPhone that will nudge you to complete your daily tracking

Resources:

If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend Charles Duhigg’s wonderful book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. It will change the way you look at habit (and the world) forever!

I love sugar, this is my only “concern” (albeit a rather big one) when it comes to being a good slow carb dieter. Darn rule number one!

Yet this is essentially the main reason anyone goes on a slow carb diet: Eliminate the processed carbs, and decrease our insulin response.

This is of course the main goal. If you, like me, have some extra “gut” around the midline this is a sign you have an insulin problem. Why does the slow carb diet work so well? Because it helps to solve this problem.

Since beginning the slow carb diet I have been on a search for a natural, zero calorie sweetener that tastes great and doesn’t affect my blood sugars or promote an insulin response. I wrote a blog post a while back about Stevia (our new household favorite) and also about fructose, which interestingly was marketed originally to diabetics as a sugar alternative since it has a low glycemic index and does not cause an insulin response.

This week my wife started talking about Organic Coconut Palm Sugar after watching an episode of Dr. Oz promoting its many health benefits. Calling it the “best new sugar alternative”!

Enter confusion

In my research regarding Stevia I realized that rebaudioside A and stevioside, the common extracts of the Stevia plant used as the sweetener is actually highly processed. Also, many products such as Blue Sky Stevia Soda are made with Truvia (a product of the Coca Cola Company) which binds the ethyl alcohol Erythritol with the Stevia extract Rebiana.

Ethyl alcohol’s can cause bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence with initial consumption. They have a Glycemic index of around 7.

Most Stevia products sold these days also contain “fillers” or “bulking agents” a common one being dextrose (i.e glucose). Look at the back of the popular Stevia in the Raw which I have been using lately.. I was shocked!

This begs the question: is processed stevioside with added bulking agents truly all natural? And truly zero carb?

In search for the perfect sweetener

Is there such thing as a “perfect sweetener”? I wonder if it is like the quest for the silver bullet in cancer treatment. The problem is always the same: Chemotherapy and radiation may slow the progression of cancer in the short term, but it may kill you in the long term.

Can the same thing be said about all zero or low calorie sweeteners?

Coconut Palm Sugar:

To be honest I am suspicious of Coconut Palm Sugar. When I heard the GI was low I figured this was an indication that coconut palm sugar must be composed mostly of fructose. Its main component is actually sucrose (table sugar) which is a combo of fructose and glucose. What is confusing is that the GI of coconut palm sugar is supposed to be 35 while that of sucrose is 64. Could this indicate that palm sugar has a higher proportion of fructose than glucose?

According to one article the actual fructose in coconut palm sugar can range from 38% to 48.5%, compare that to High Fructose Corn Syrup which is 55%. Something here doesn’t make sense! I question the original studies done on organic palm sugar when calculating the GI.

Many a reference claim that palm sugar has a low GI because of its many vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Can this be true?

What is the GI of my beloved Stevia? Less than 1!

Stevia is still the Best Healthy Slow Carb Sugar Alternative! In my opinion…

Though it is 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar, stevia is not a sugar. Unlike other popular sweeteners, it has a glycemic index rating of less than 1 and therefore does not feed candida (yeast) or cause any of the numerous other problems associated with sugar consumption. .

With every single episode of Dr. Oz I am further convinced that his show should be outlawed. Although he did give my man Tim Ferriss some face time, the fact that his diabetic diet continues to promote low fat high carb foods, he rolls his eyes at people like Gary Taubes and continues to push product such as coconut palm sugar as the healthy diabetic sugar “alternative”! Come on you are killing me!!!

This ends my Dr. Oz rant.

Anyway, bottom line: If you are looking for a good slow carb sugar substitute that may be the “silver bullet” of sweeteners I think Stevia is where it is at. I need to do a little more research on the refining, processing and extraction of stevioside as well as the use of added bulking agents.

Unfortunately, I just purchased a huge bag of Stevia in the Raw. I will finish this but afterwards I plan on switching to a pure stevia extract with no added bulking agents. This pure stevia extract powder by Kal looks interesting. I am not a big fan of the liquid extract but will probably experiment more to find one that I like.

I don’t personally see how Organic Coconut Palm Sugar can fit in with a slow carb diet.

Here are some great links:

• Stevia: The Journey from GRAS to Grocery MUST LISTEN!!!
• Stevia in the Raw Website

As long as you heeded the Eat Watch, you’d attain and maintain whatever weight you set it to. If you ate the wrong foods or had your meals on an odd schedule you might be hungry, but you’d never be fat. And, with the eat watch guiding you, you’d rapidly find a meal schedule and makeup that banished hunger forever.

The eat watch wouldn’t control you any more than a regular watch makes you get to work on time. You can ignore either, if you wish. You decide, based on the information from the watch, what to do.

Some people are born with a natural, built-in eat watch. You and I either don’t have one, or else it’s busted. But instead of moping about bemoaning our limitations, why not get an eat watch and be done with it?

You can’t buy an eat watch in the store, at least not yet. But you can make one that works every bit as well. It isn’t a gadget you wear on your wrist; it’s a simple technique you can work with pencil and paper or with a personal computer. It tells you same thing: when to eat and when to stop eating. The eat watch you’ll discover is simple to work, easy to use, and highly effective in permanently controlling your weight.

Get Your Free Eat Watch!

The Original Slow Carb Diet

Obesity seems to me very little understood or properly appreciated by the faculty and the public generally, or the former would long ere this have hit upon the cause for so lamentable a disease, and applied effective remedies.

Whilst the latter would have spared their injudicious indulgence in remarks and sneers, frequently painful in society, and which, even on the strongest mind, have an unhappy tendency; but I sincerely trust this humble effort at exposition may lead to a more perfect ventilation of the subject and a better feeling for the afflicted.

It would afford me infinite pleasure and satisfaction to name the author of my redemption from the calamity, as he is the only one that I have been able to find (and my search has not been sparing) who seems thoroughly up in the question.

My corpulence and subsequent obesity was not through neglect of necessary bodily activity, nor from excessive eating, drinking, or self-indulgence of any kind, except that I partook of the simple ailments of bread, milk, butter, beer, sugar, and potatoes more freely than my aged nature required.

The items from which I was advised to abstain as much as possible were : Bread, butter, milk, sugar, beer, and potatoes, which had been the main (and, I thought, innocent) elements of my existence, or at all events they had for many years been adopted freely

These, said my excellent adviser, contain starch and saccharine matter, tending to create fat, and should be avoided altogether

I can conscientiously assert I never lived so well as under the new plan of dietary, which I should have formerly thought a dangerous extravagant trespass upon health.

I am very much better, bodily and mentally, and pleased to believe that I hold the reins of health and comfort in my own hands and, though at sixty-five years of age.

I cannot expect to remain free from some coming natural infirmity that all flesh is heir to, I cannot at the present time complain of one. It is simply miraculous, and I am thankful to Almighty Providence for directing me, through an extraordinary chance, to the care of a man who could work such a change in so short a time.

I have not felt so well as now for the last twenty years.

• Have suffered no inconvenience whatever the probational remedy.
• Am reduced many inches in bulk, and 3 5 lbs. in weight in thirty-eight weeks.
• Come down stairs forward naturally, with perfect ease.
• Go up stairs and take ordinary exercise freely, without the slightest inconvenience.
• Can perform every necessary office for myself
• The umbilical rupture is greatly ameliorated, and gives me no anxiety.
• My sight is restored — my hearing improved.
• My other bodily ailments are ameliorated; indeed, almost past into matter of history.

My girth is reduced round the waist, in tailor phraseology, 12 inches, which extent was hardly conceivable even by my own friends, or my respected medical adviser, until I put on my former clothing, over what I now wear, which was a thoroughly convincing proof of the remarkable change.

I can honestly assert that I feel restored in health, “bodily and mentally,” appear to have more muscular power and vigor, eat and drink with a good appetite, and sleep well.

All symptoms of acidity, indigestion, and heartburn (with which I was frequently tormented) have vanished.

I have left off using boot hooks, and other such aids which were indispensable, but being now able to stoop with ease and freedom, are unnecessary. I have lost the feeling of occasional faintness, and what I think a remarkable blessing and comfort is that I have been able safely to leave off knee bandages, which I had worn necessarily for 20 past years, and given up a truss almost entirely

These important desiderata have been attained by the most easy and comfortable means, with but little medicine, and almost entirely by a system of diet, that formerly I should have thought dangerously generous.

I am told by all who know me that my personal appearance is greatly improved, and that I
seem to bear the stamp of good health.

Since publishing my Pamphlet, I have felt constrained to send a copy of it to my former medical advisers, and to ascertain their opinions on the subject.

They did not dispute or question the propriety of the system, but neither dared not venture its practice upon a man of my age, or thought it too great a sacrifice of personal comfort to be generally advised or adopted, and I fancy none of them appeared to feel the fact of the misery of corpulence.

One eminent physician, as I before stated, assured me that increasing weight was a necessary result of advancing years ; another equally eminent to whom I had been directed by a very friendly third, who had most kindly but ineffectually failed in a remedy, added to my weight in a few weeks instead of abating the evil. These facts lead me to believe the question is not sufficiently observed or even regarded.

I only entreat all persons suffering from corpulence to make a fair trial for just one clear month, as I am well convinced, they will afterwards pursue a course which yields extraordinary benefit, till entirely and effectually relieved, and be it remembered, by the sacrifice merely of simple, for the advantage of more generous and comforting food. The simple dietary evidently adds fuel to fire, whereas the superior and liberal seems to extinguish it.

My impression is, that any starchy or saccharine matter tends to the disease of corpulence advanced life, and whether it be swallowed in that form or generated in the stomach, that all things tending to these elements should be avoided, of course always under sound medical authority.

The remedy may be as old as the hills, as I have since been told, but its application is of very recent date; and it astonishes me that such a light should have remained so long unnoticed and hidden, as not to afford a glimmer to my anxious mind in a search for it during the last twenty years, even in directions where it might have been expected to be known.

I would rather presume it is a new light, than that it was purposely hidden merely because the disease of obesity was not immediately dangerous to existence, nor thought to be worthy of serious consideration. Little do the faculty imagine the misery and bitterness to life through the parasite of corpulence or obesity.

I encourage you to read the entire letter if you have the time…

You can view and download the original letter here: Letter on Corpulence 1864

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Everyone here is on a “fairly” restricted carbohydrate diet: less than 150 grams per day. I am hoping to bring this down some over the next few months.

Here are our results from Day 1 through Day 210.

Stephen (Occam’s Protocol + Chocolate)	Jennifer (Slow Carb + Combined Cardio)	Patrick (Low Fat + Low Carb + P90X)
5-2-2011 (Day 1)	5-2-2011 (Day 1)	5-2-2011 (Day 1)
Weight: 162 Body Fat: 15.2% BMI: 25.7 kCal BMR: 1716 kCal Total Inches: 140 Resting HR: 78 Blood Pressure: 128/88 TDEE: 2659	Weight: 243 Body Fat: 43.79% BMI: 43.04 Total Inches: 179.25 TDEE: 2761 kCal BMR: 2008 kCal	Weight: 200 Body Fat: 32.8 BMI: 31.32 Total Inches: 158.6 BMR: 1666 kCal TDEE: 2513 kCal
10-1-2011 (Day 150)	10-1-2011 (Day 150)	10-1-2011 (Day 150)
Weight: 163 Body Fat %: 15.7 BMI: 25.9 Total Inches: 141.5	Weight: 214 Body Fat %: 39.87 BMI: 36	Weight: 195 Body Fat %: 25.4 BMI: 30 Total Inches: 151
01-22-2012 (Day 210)	01-22-2012 (Day 210)	01-22-2012 (Day 210)
Weight: 163 Body Fat: 15.9% BMI: 25.52 Total Inches: 140.25	Weight 197 Body Fat: 28.29 BMI: 33	Weight: 182 Body Fat: 22.1% BMI: 28 Total Inches: 148.5
Month 8 Review	Month 8 Review	Month 8 Review
Weight: +1 Body Fat Change: +.5 HR: –18 bpm HDL: +20 BMI: +0.2 Total Inches: nearly the same.	Weight Total: –46 lbs. Body Fat Change: – 15.5% BMI Change: – 10	Weight Total: – 18 lbs. Body Fat Change: – 10.7% BMI Change: – 3.32 Total Inches: –10
Supplementation	Supplementation	Supplementation
ALA 300mg once in morning (source naturals) Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega: 2 tabs once at night COQ10: 100mg with fat containing meal (costco brand) Vitamin D3: 2000IU once at night Daily MVI: Country Life Max For Men Maxi-Sorb Multi-Vitamins	COQ10 + Nordic Naturals Pro Omega Alpha Lipoic Acid 100mg once in the morning. Vitamin D3: 200o IU once in the morning *JUST STARTED PAGG (2 month supply donated kindly by New Health Solutions) Awesome data on that will be coming shortly!	COQ10 + Nordic Naturals Pro Omega Alpha Lipoic Acid 100mg once in the morning. Vitamin D3: 200o IU once in the morning Vitamin C (500 mg) once a day

Jennifer (Has lost nearly 100 lbs*)

My sister Jennifer continues to amaze! She still denounces cheat day, but maybe because of that she is down nearly 100 lbs. in just over 9 months! She is the most disciplined of us all and has the willpower to resist temptation while staring down multiple baskets of Mexican style tortilla chips.

* Jennifer began her program about 6 months prior to May 2011.

Patrick (Where did the fat go?)

Patrick is the “quite riot”. He just puts his nose to the grindstone and powers through. As we sit around and debate nutritional philosophy’s Pat just gets to work. His pictures speak for themselves. Way to go Pat!

Stephen (Still more Geek than Freak!)

I have continued to decreased my gym time (now down by almost 85%) and I have been able to maintain the muscle that I gained at the start. I have had some noticeable increase in muscle definition (although as noted above I am still more geek than freak for sure). I have transitioned 100% to barefoot running which has become my dominant cardio activity… Mostly because I can take my kids. Also, I welcome the addition of a new trailer bike and stand up paddle board that will hopefully have me getting in some real shape by years end!

I will make sure to post updates of our tracking data both here and at fourhourfit later this week.

Keep up the good work on your 4-Hour Body Journey. Thanks for all the wonderful e-mails this week!

She was highly motivated and became one of my most successful patients to date.

I say this not only because she went on to lose over 85 lbs. But because she has diabetes, was on five oral medications prior to beginning the diet and was injecting 60 Units (that is a lot) of long acting insulin each night.

She kept a diary for her first 2 weeks on the slow carb diet and was kind enough to give this to me to share with you. I have had this for over a year. Below are days 1-5 with a section of notes and questions she had compiled to ask me on her follow up visit.

Click on the images below to zoom in:

Day 1	Day 2
Day 3	Day 4
Day 5	Notes

This patient not only went on to lose 85 pounds, but after just 3 months she was off all her insulin and the majority of her medications.

Everyone’s journey is different, we all have to overcome our own mental and physical barriers that may be standing in the way of realizing better health and well-being.

Start today, make this year the year you lay it all down on the table.

I will be posting more of her diary in the upcoming weeks. I would encourage you to keep a diary as well. It serves as a source of motivation and decompression. And better yet when you reach your goals it will be a reminder of the struggles you overcame.  A reminder of what you can accomplish when you set a goal and stick with it!

I would love it if you sent me your diaries as well. You can keep them as anonymous as you would like and I will be happy to share them here in future posts.  Email as an attachment to stephen@4hourlife.com or use my contact form.

I am ashamed to admit this but I love the taste of Sweet’N Low. The fact that it is in the realm of 500 times sweeter than sugar is probably why. I have been known to sprinkle half a packet over some of my slow carb meals… you should see my wife’s face when she catches me doing this… Truly a sad state of affairs!

Then Tim went ahead and put a nail in my coffin when he mentions in the 4-Hour Body that it is perfectly OK to drink one diet beverage per day. So believe it or not I started doing this daily. This is kind of like smoking later in life because somebody tells you it is OK for your health. It was a few months ago that I realized it was not the sweet I needed but the caffeine.

So two weeks ago I switched from diet Dr. Pepper to an afternoon cup of coffee. But find myself struggling not to go back.

I truly believe that all of the artificial sweeteners on the market today are essentially bad for you. They are just too artificial and they even make me feel bad when I am consuming them. I am not trying to get political here but Donald Rumsfeld was behind the approval of Aspartame and I just don’t trust that guy. Here is a great article from the Huffington Post if you want to get your rabbit hole on.

What is a Poor Low-Carb Dieter to do?

It was this year that I decided to branch out and try to find a healthier alternative. I figured if I was going to switch from Diet Coke to coffee to get my caffeine fix I might as well not sweeten it with and additive that is going to kill me in the end.

Enter Stevia

I had been hearing people talk about Stevia for a while but really didn’t understand what it was or where I could find it. At the time it wasn’t readily available although this is changing rapidly and for good reasons.

Stevia isn’t an artificial sweetener at all; it is a plant that contains natural sweeteners. And you know what really makes Stevia the most attractive of all? It may have real health BENEFITS such as:

• High blood pres­sure Some research sug­gests that tak­ing 750‑1500 mg per day of ste­vio­side, a chem­i­cal com­pound in ste­via, reduces sys­tolic blood pres­sure (the upper num­ber in a blood pres­sure read­ing) by 10–14 mmHg and dias­tolic blood pres­sure (the lower num­ber) by 6–14 mmHg within one week of start­ing treat­ment.
• Dia­betes Early research sug­gests that 1000 mg daily of ste­vio­side, a chem­i­cal com­pound in ste­via, might reduce blood sugar lev­els after meals by 18% in peo­ple with type 2 dia­betes.
• Pre­vent­ing preg­nancy
• Heart­burn
• Weight loss
• Water reten­tion
• Heart prob­lems

Note: I am not sure how stevioside prevents pregnancy but if you do not want a litter of slow carb kids stick with your current method.

For a full monograph of Stevia click here

Why doesn’t everyone switch to Stevia?

This is a great question. I can tell you why in two words:

1. TASTE
2. POLITICS

Taste:

When it comes to taste Stevia is (at least to my taste buds) a bit bitter. It requires some patience and practice to find the right way to sweeten your foods or drinks with Stevia.

I have tried to convince myself that this product tastes as good as my beloved Sweet’N Low but I would be lying… Like Guinness Stevia is definitely an acquired taste. But it is one worth acquiring especially for those of us trying to maintain a low carb lifestyle.

Politics:

Like many things natural, corporate America appears to have tried to keep the public at large ill-informed when it comes to Stevia. I assume this is because there is some seriously big money to be made in the world of artificial sweeteners. Stevia was officially banned from sale in the US as a sweetener in 1991, driven from the market after an anonymous safety petition led the FDA to conclude that it was an unsafe food additive.  The FDA has declined to release the petitioner’s affiliation, although it is suspected to be someone with links to aspartame – that had just come to market in the 1990s.

If you like conspiracy theory you might want to check out the history of Stevia in the U.S. It is filled with fascinating and fun facts.

Making the Switch

Stevia itself is a plant. The steviol glycosides are responsible for the sweet taste of the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni). These compounds range in sweetness from 40 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. They are heat-stable, pH-stable, and do not ferment.They also do not induce a glycemic response when ingested, making them attractive as natural sweeteners to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

The diterpene known as steviol is the aglycone of stevia’s sweet glycosides

In terms of weight fraction, the four major steviol glycosides found in the stevia plant tissue are:

• 5–10% stevioside (250–300X of sugar)
• 2–4% rebaudioside A — most sweet (350–450X of sugar) and least bitter
• 1–2% rebaudioside C
• ½–1% dulcoside A.

Money Talks: Stevia vs. Truvia (Coca Cola) vs. PureVia (Pepsi)

Rebiana is the trade name for a zero-calorie sweetener containing mainly rebaudioside A (also called Reb A).  There are two new “stevia” (Reb A) based sweeteners approved by the FDA: Truvia and PureVia.  These are essentially tweaked-Stevia-products that actually only contains 12% pure-leaf-Stevia

Truvia was jointly developed between the soft drink maker Coca-Cola and agribusiness giant Cargill.

PureVia was developed by PepsiCo in partnership with artificial sweetener industry veteran Merisant (under the proxy Whole Earth Sweetener Company).

Both of these products are a combination of Stevia + Erythritol (a sugar alcohol think Sorbitol or Xylitol) which is only true if you stretch the truth a bit! Because Stevia is an extract of half a dozen natural steviosides (glycosides) and Truvia/PureVia are chemically pure Rebaudioside A derived from genetically modified plants.

Stevia itself is not patentable because it’s a natural substance, but when you apply a processing formula and add a few ingredients, it is. Having a patent brings the money making potential to justify the high cost of FDA approval. It certainly sounds like the FDA suddenly changed their mind about stevia once Coca-Cola and PepsiCo came knocking on their door with their checkbooks in hand.

In general with food, we see a destructive pattern with each refined product brought onto the market place.  Whole grains reduce the risk of heart disease while refined grains increase it.  The fructose in honey helps the body, while the fructose in HFCS has been linked to obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance.  Cold pressed natural oils dramatically reduce inflammation, while heavily refined hydrogenated oils promote inflammation – and chronic disease.  Why refined rebiana would be better for us than the whole leaf stevia has not been explained.

The Bottom Line:

There is some reason to think extracts of stevia, specifically stevioside, could prove extremely beneficial in a refined form but Truvia and PureVia do not contain any of that material.  Both sweeteners are proprietary formulas containing the largely untested rebiana and large amounts of erythritol, another non-caloric sweetening agent.  In fact, by volume, Truvia and PureVia have more erythritol than they do rebiana. There is still no science testing Truvia and PureVia themselves, which would show how these two sweeteners (rebiana and erythritol) metabolize together.

So What is a good Stevia Product?

By now I hope I have convinced you that Stevia is worth a try. In fact I hope I have you considering throwing out your table sugar all together and switching to this natural plant based product that does not induce a glycemic response.

So where do you get started?

I have been experimenting with Stevia now for several months but it wasn’t until I sat down to write this blog post that I realized all the options one had.

At my local health food store I purchased some Stevia drops. Later I purchased a natural stevioside extract in a powder form that was dispensed in packets like my beloved SweetN’Low. I found that two of the drops went very far in sweetening my coffee. I would supplement this with some creamer and a teaspoon of natural pure cane sugar. I am now down to just creamer and Stevia drops which I like quite a bit. I find the stevia powder to be better for other things. I have not yet baked with Stevia although I will.

In all my research these products seems to get the highest marks both from a quality and purity standpoint. I would encourage you to experiment some, visit your favorite health food store and talk to one of the staff there.

• [easyazon_link identifier=”B00430EJR8″ locale=”US” tag=”4hourlife00-20″]SweetLeaf Sweetener[/easyazon_link] (Main Product Website Here)
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B00CQ7JTAC” locale=”US” tag=”4hourlife00-20″]Sugar in the Raw Stevia[/easyazon_link]
• [easyazon_link identifier=”B0014ATCU4″ locale=”US” tag=”4hourlife00-20″]SweetLeaf Stevia Clear Liquid[/easyazon_link]

Steviosides vs. Rebiana vs. Whole Stevia Powder

If you are an astute reader you may have noted above that Stevia plant is made up of quite a bit of components. Most stevia you buy in the store is stevia extract in the form of stevioside which has been around for a while. Rebaudioside A is in the two newer products Truvia and PureVia but they are mixed with Erythritol. Neither of these are actually whole Stevia.

I have not experimented with whole stevia but I am considering growing a plant myself just for the fun of it. It can be ground and processed and can be purchased online as well. I am sure it has a different flavor and if you are thinking “all natural” this is probably your best option. If anyone has experimented with this I would love to know. Take a look at this video if you want to learn about growing your own Stevia plants.

A Bit of Q&A (from the Stevia website)

Q) Can Stevia replace sugar in the diet?

A) Yes. Refined sugar is virtually devoid of nutritional benefits and, at best, represents empty calories in the diet. At worst, it has been implicated in numerous degenerative diseases. Stevia is much sweeter than sugar and has none of sugar’s unhealthy drawbacks.

Q) How many calories are in Stevia?

A) Virtually none. And the refined Stevia extracts are considered to be non-caloric.

Q) Will Stevia raise my blood sugar levels?

A) Not at all. In fact, according to some research, it may actually lower blood sugar levels. However, this research has yet to be confirmed and contradictory results make any conclusions premature.

Q) Can I use Stevia if I am diabetic?

A) Diabetes is a medical condition which should be monitored and treated by a qualified physician or health care practitioner. However, Stevia can be a part of a healthy diet for anyone with blood sugar problems since it does not raise blood sugar levels. If in doubt, ask your doctor. However, if they do say no, ask them politely for the current research to support their opinion.

Q) Can Stevia be used in cooking and baking?

A) Absolutely! Industrial research in Japan has shown that Stevia and Stevioside extracts are extremely heat stable in a variety of everyday cooking and baking situations.

Q) Does Stevia contain vitamins and minerals?

A) Raw herbal Stevia contains nearly one hundred identified phytonutrients and volatile oils, including trace amounts of Rutin (from the Callus) and B-Sitosterol (from the leaves). However, in the quantities typically consumed, the nutritive benefits will be negligible. The extracts of Stevia, being more refined, will contain far fewer of these phytonutrients and volatile oils.

Q) How are Stevia extracts prepared?

A) Extracts of Stevia leaves can be prepared by a number of methods some of which are patented. One researcher states: “Production of Stevioside involves water extraction from the dried leaves, followed by clarification and crystalization processes. Most commercial processes consist of water extraction, decoloration, and purification using ion-exchange resins, electrolytic techniques, or precipitating agents.”

Q) Can I make my own Stevia Extract?

A) Yes. A liquid extract can be made from the whole Stevia leaves or from the green herbal Stevia powder. Simply combine a measured portion of Stevia leaves or herbal powder with pure USP grain alcohol (Brand, or Scotch will also do) and let the mixture sit for 24 hours. Filter the liquid from the leaves or powder residue and dilute to taste using pure water. Note that the alcohol content can be reduced by very slowly heating (not boiling) the extract and allowing the alcohol to evaporate off. A pure water extract can be similarly prepared, but will not extract quite as much of the sweet glycosides as will the alcohol. Either liquid extract can be cooked down and concentrated into a syrup.

Q) What is the replacement factor for Stevia herbal powder and extract in terms of common table sugar?

A) Since Stevia is 10 to 15 times sweeter than sugar, this is a fair, if approximate, replacement factor. Since the crude herb may vary in strength, some experimentation may be necessary. The high stevioside extracts are between 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and should be used sparingly. Unfortunately, FDA labeling guidelines may prevent manufacturers from providing a specific replacement factor.

Q) What can’t I do with Stevia?

A) Stevia does not caramelize as sugar does. Meringues may also be difficult since Stevia does not brown or crystalize as sugar does.

Q) Will Stevia change the color of my food?

A) The green herbal powder may impart a slight amount of color to your food, depending on how much you use in your recipe. If you are concerned about color, I would suggest that you use the white powdered extract or a similar “clear” liquid extract of Stevia.

Q) Where can I buy Stevia herbal powder and extract?

A) At your local natural food store. As Stevia gains consumer acceptance, it may also begin to appear in supermarkets and grocery stores, but probably only in its refined form.

Some Notable Links

• The Stevia Story: A tale of Incredible sweetness and Intrigue: A book all about Stevia. I uploaded a short article I found as well. You can view it on Scribd
• Nutrition Wonderland: A great Website/Blog that I found while researching this blog post. They only have 35 RSS subscribers and they deserve 3500!
• The Stevia Cookbook: A great way to get started cooking with Stevia.