“The 4-Hour Body” by Timothy Ferriss

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Less is Better

A perfect body in 4 hours. This resume on “The 4-Hour Body”, an unusual practical guide, will help you quickly eliminate excess weight, become strong and hardy, and enjoy life.

Tim Ferris’s Secret

He managed to get rid of excess fat by eating steaks and cheesecakes. He gained 15 kg of muscle mass in 28 days. During this time, he spent eight 30-minute workouts in the gym. And he plans to live up to 120 years without denying himself anything.

He’s not a doctor, not a scientist, and not a coach—a fearless experimenter and scrupulous data analyst who interviewed outstanding athletes and scientists worldwide. Tim Ferriss is the author of the bestseller “How to work 4 hours a week and not hang out in the office “from the call, to call,” live anywhere and get rich,” and he knows how to get the maximum result with minimal effort in any sphere of life.

What’s the secret? Tim Ferris argues that only 2.5% of the efforts are usually made to improve the body, and the physical condition should be applied. Of all the methods, choose the minimum of the most effective. This is the minimum effective dose (MED) required to obtain a result. Everything that goes beyond it wastes effort, time, and money.

To get a beautiful tan, it may be enough for you to spend only 15 minutes in the sun daily (approximately 2.5% of daylight hours) – this is the minimum effective dose necessary for the melanin reaction of the body. An extra hour will not improve the tan and may even be harmful.

MED and Body Improvement

Strive to lose weight – do the minimum, which will cause a hormone reaction that accompanies fat burning.

Plan to build muscle mass – do the minimum to trigger the mechanisms of muscle growth.

To increase the volume of the shoulder muscles, only 80 seconds of training with a load of 23 kg once a week can be enough.

But there is one difficulty – the MED is different for everyone. How do you define it?

Be critical of all methods and ideas (even those described in this book). Look for the most useful, promising, and suitable for you personally. Don’t do anything by inertia. But do not allow yourself to give up efforts, justifying laziness by the unattainability of goals.

You Can Change Everything.

Unfortunately, many continue to doubt that they are capable of positive transformations and resign themselves to their “inferiority”:

“I’ve been fat since childhood, there’s nothing you can do about it,” “Sport has never been given to me, it just so happened,” “I have such a constitution that I cannot become an athlete,,” “If I did not learn to swim in my childhood, now I will not be able to.”

But Tim Ferriss is sure: almost everything can be changed. And the most weighty reason for improving the body is the confidence you will feel thanks to this.

Learn to run faster, lift more, swim better, lose a couple of pounds of fat, gain some muscle mass, and see how your self-esteem will grow and a sense of confidence will appear. Change your body, and internal changes will be short in coming!

Get started now:

• Write down point by point everything that you would like to change in your body but consider impossible.
• Ask yourself: What would be most important to me if I knew I could do it all?
• Highlight these points – now you have in front of your eyes a transformation program for the near future.

What’s stopping us?

We need more real motivation. We relate to the prospect of changing ourselves from the position of “It would be nice” or “Maybe it will work,” but not from the position of “This is necessary,” or “I need change.” This happens because we have not yet reached the decisive moment – the point at which you understand: you can no longer live like this. Change now or never!

What could be the powerful impulse after which you stop postponing changes for later? What will make you make a final and adamant decision?

We don’t evaluate results. Even a modest result is a great motivator. If we do not track small changes in ourselves, we quickly lose interest in training, forget about the new rules of nutrition, or are simply lazy to continue working on ourselves. Therefore, all results should be measured regularly.

A simple indicator can be used to assess the state of the body.

Using a centimeter, measure:

• biceps volume;
• waist size;
• the girth of both legs in the middle of the thigh.

Add up the data obtained and monitor this indicator, working on yourself. If there is no effect from training or dieting, do not despair! Try something else, change your approach, experiment – look for your MED.

How to Motivate Yourself?

1. Take regular photos of yourself and your food – you will understand how diet affects the body.

2. Turn classes into a game – add points for each result, and make yourself small gifts for any victories.

3. Compete with others – against the background of those lagging behind, even minor progress will increase your confidence and motivation. And comparing yourself with those whose results are better, be inspired – after all, you are capable of more!

4. Bet on the result – choose an achievable goal, for example, to lose 5 kg in a month, and bet with someone who believes this is impossible.

5. Move in small steps and try to avoid getting the result in the shortest possible time with incredible effort. Let the results be small but stable and consistent.

6. Don’t listen to the opinions of others about how you should practice and look. Follow your own program, not the recommendations of sofa experts.

7. Focus on action, not theory. It is optional to thoroughly understand the structure of muscle tissue or digestive mechanisms to choose a diet or exercise.

8. Remember the principle of MED. Choose methods that do not lead to excessive loads and a radical lifestyle change.

Experiment!

Tim Ferris is an incorrigible experimenter. His colleague, Seth Roberts, a professor of psychology, argues that experimenting on yourself is not just interesting but also important.

• Why do this if you’re not a scientist:
• Find the causes of their problems and their consequences;
• Check which solutions work and which do not;
• independently find and test new ideas and solutions;
• Choose the best ways to apply them;
• learning from mistakes makes us wiser.

Truth or Fiction

Ignorant journalists or propagandists write most scientific news for the general public. Glossy magazines are more interested in sales than in your well-being. Therefore, it is important to be able to distinguish science from pseudoscience and outright lies, especially when it comes to the body and health.

I came across another article in the media: “Do you want to lose weight? Drink coffee and lose 20% more fat compared to those who don’t drink coffee.” Discard emotions and analyze the information carefully.

Refrain from buying into big headlines. You need to know the exact numbers.

See if several groups have been compared. How significant is the difference in performance?

Believe experiments, not observations. The only experiment allows us to determine what are the cause and the effect. The method of observation only fixes what is happening.

Refrain from believing data obtained only through surveys and self-reports. People tend to underestimate or overestimate their qualities, states, habits, and abilities. Surveys provide only approximate information but cannot be the foundation of serious conclusions and recommendations.

Look for information about who funded the study. Economic levers can affect the outcome.

Body, Food, and Weight

Correct Numbers

If your weight is more than 54 kg, the optimal goal is to shift this figure by nine. This is quite an achievable and noticeable result. Even if you want to lose 40 kg, start at nine. This can be a goal to add 9 kg of muscle mass or to lose 9 kg of fat. Or get rid of 7 kg of fat and build 2 kg of muscle. Success depends on three factors: diet, medications, and exercise.

The optimal ratio of 60-10-30% may vary depending on your lifestyle, preferences, and discipline. Based on this conditional formula, determine other components of future success:

A tangible goal. The goals “I want to become thinner” or “I want to increase my immunity” do not motivate you and do not allow you to measure the result. A correctly set goal clearly explains the future result: “I want to lose 9 kg of fat mass in 30 days”, “I want to run a 15-kilometer marathon in three weeks.”

A method of nutrition that is possible. Not necessarily too radical and strict. Remember the principle of MED.

Physical Activity and Exercises.

Not to be confused with outdoor activities. Cycling and going to the pool on weekends are good and rewarding. But exercise is precise and measurable movements. Their direct goal is not entertainment but to reduce fat mass, increase muscle mass or improve health.

Cyclicity is Your Friend.

Try to avoid putting yourself on a chain of proper nutrition. Most likely, sooner or later, this will lead to uncontrolled outbreaks of overeating. Allow yourself to eat whatever you want once a week. Alternate six days of dieting and one day of “gluttony.”

Belief in Genetic Predisposition is the Enemy.

No one is destined to be fat or dystrophic for the rest of their lives. Forget about genes if they serve to justify your laziness.

It’s Not Just About Calories.

Why do people talk only about calories as a reliable indicator of nutritional efficiency? Tim Ferriss believes that what affects your blood and metabolic processes is more important than what you put in your mouth.

Twins eat the same food for a month. One has been treated with antibiotics and is deficient in bacteria necessary for full digestion. Will eating and exercising have the same effect on both? Probably not. However, their genetic predisposition is the same.

An equal number of calories obtained from different products gives different results. Hormonal reactions to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are different. And the distribution of calories is affected by the individual characteristics of digestion, the time of meals, and even the body’s temperature and the environment.

Instead of calories, Tim Ferris suggests paying attention to hormones and heat exchange in the body. But if calorie counting is the only available way to assess nutrition and control weight, it’s better than nothing at all.

Cold vs. Obesity

Participation in the marathon burns 2600 calories, and training in a pool with a water temperature of 28 degrees for four hours – 4000 calories. Why? It’s all about temperature. When exposed to cold, biochemical processes in the body contribute to the burning of calories and an increase in non-fat muscle mass.

How do I apply this?

Place a bag of ice on the neck area for 20-30 minutes. It is better in the evening when insulin sensitivity decreases to a minimum.

Drink at least 500 ml of very cold water on an empty stomach immediately after waking up.

Take a cold shower 5-10 minutes before breakfast and bedtime. If you want more effect, take a 20-minute cold bath.

Principles of Healthy Overeating

You can consume as many calories as you want if you set yourself a task: most of the food “garbage” that has entered the stomach should serve to build muscle or be excreted from the body before it is absorbed.

Minimize the release of insulin by avoiding spikes in blood sugar. You will help lime with water and lemon juice in the composition of dishes.

Empty the stomach more often, directing food as soon as possible to the intestines and further … Caffeine, yerba mate tea, or theophylline in green tea will help.

Do a few physical exercises a couple of minutes before meals and 60-90 minutes after. This will prepare the muscles for growth and reduce the likelihood of fat deposition.

Diet Choices

Do you want to lose 9 kg of fat in 30 days without physical exertion? Tim Ferris recommends a low-carb diet. This is an effective method of nutrition based on five rules:

1. Avoid “white” carbohydrates. Exclude bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, tortillas, corn chips, and any breaded fried foods.

2. Eat the same several types of foods. Don’t look for variety in food. Of the more than forty thousand products on store shelves, only a dozen help to avoid obesity. Choose three or four dishes and limit your diet to them.

3. Do not drink calories – milk, including soy, soft drinks, and fruit juices—only water, coffee, and tea without sugar. By the way, two glasses of red wine a day will completely neutralize your diet.

4. Replace fruits with vegetables. Fructose is easily converted into fat stores. Instead of an apple or pear, eat a tomato or avocado.

5. Time out once a week. On this day, allow yourself to eat whatever you want. Tim Ferris argues that the dramatic increase in calories during such overeating days only promotes fat burning.

Such a simple diet is suitable for 99% of people. It will likely be effective in your case.

Vegetarianism and the Benefits of Restrictions

If you have to limit yourself to food, is that a bad thing or a good thing? And if you limit the time on the Internet?

Whatever you limit yourself to, such restrictions can be negative and positive.

Diet is an example of gastronomic restrictions. A plant-based diet is certainly a beneficial limitation. Tim Ferris says just a two-week experiment with it will bring long-term benefits to your body and environment.

Here are a few steps to help you become a more conscious food consumer and reduce harm to nature:

Step 1. Replace with legume starch, which contains rice, bread, and cereals. Give up the rolls, but you can arrange a “day of gluttony” once a week. This most straightforward restriction will prepare you for the next step.

Step 2. Start to be more conscious about your meat choices. Look for meat from free-range and grass-fed animals in environmentally and ethically sound conditions.

Step 3. Set a separate time for eating meat. Eat meat dishes once a day after six o’clock in the evening, only on weekends or only on “days of gluttony.”

Step 4. Eliminate meat by continuing to eat fish, eggs, and dairy products. This won’t stop you from continuing to build muscle.

Step 5. Try to eat mainly plant foods. Don’t become a radical vegetarian. It is enough to reduce meat consumption by at least 70%.

You can get to any step. The main thing is to do this consciously and understand the benefits of any changes in the diet both for your body and the environment.

What if…

Do you lack protein and want to make up for its deficiency at the expense of soy?

Studies show that eating soy, even in moderation, is dangerous because of the phytoestrogens it contains. It’s best to make up for protein deficiencies with whole foods or proteins.

Do you spend a lot of time traveling but want to remain a vegetarian?

Choose Mexican or Thai cuisine – it has enough vegetarian-friendly dishes. In extreme cases, 50 grains of unroasted almonds will help last for up to 10 hours without other food.

Do you need help determining whether using nutritional supplements and use drugs is possible?

Take iodine, lysine, biotin, vitamins B12, D, E, and K, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, folic acid, and other nutrients and trace elements. But do it meaningfully, guided by the results of tests and doctors’ recommendations.

Having thoroughly studied all the pros and cons of vegetarianism, Tim Ferriss made several important conclusions for himself:

Some animal products are necessary for adequately producing hormones, so a 70% plant-based diet is more valuable than a 100% one.

Soy is not the best component of vegetarian cuisine. In some cases, it can harm the body, so do not abuse it.

It is necessary to take tests and identify a deficiency of substances necessary for the body every six months, and if you do not eat meat at all – once every three months.

Make sure to distinguish the real science of nutrition from ideology. Take care of yourself and the world around you. But don’t sacrifice health to fashion eating trends by following radical and unnecessarily risky approaches to protecting the environment.

Body, Training, and Strength

You can make the body beautiful with the help of a diet. To become stronger and build and strengthen muscles, you need to train. It is optional to spend every evening in the gym. With the correct selection of exercises, you can get the result quickly. Tim Ferris transformed his body in four hours of training, doing two 30-minute workouts weekly.

He recommends paying special attention to several simple and effective methods:

• Mahi kettlebells – this universal exercise will help to significantly transform the body, especially the arms, and buttocks;
• myotatic crunch and the pose of a regurgitating cat are excellent methods of training the abdominal muscles;
• barbell pull in an incline and reverse grip bending effectively inflate the biceps.
• To get results and not spend too much time on training, follow a few rules:
• finish each exercise in one set until you are completely exhausted;
• take a break between exercises for at least three minutes;
• in each repetition, count five seconds to rise and five seconds to descend;
• Include at least two and no more than ten exercises in one workout;
• As muscle mass grows, increase the recovery time.

The purpose of training: is to start the mechanisms of muscle growth with the help of the minimum necessary dose of physical activity by safe methods. At the same time, Tim Ferriss believes that the transformation of the body depends more on changes in behavior and habits than on the accurate memorization and execution of instructions. First, make exercises part of everyday life, and only after that, memorize instructions and hone your skills.

Body, Libido, and Sex

Women’s Issues

A woman’s disinterested attitude towards sex results from the inability to enjoy it. So says Tim Ferriss, confirming his words with sexologists’ data: 50 to 70% of American women cannot experience an orgasm. Start working on the body’s structure and the ability to use it to obtain true sexual satisfaction.

Ask yourself: Have I ever had a real orgasm? Do I want to experience it? So you will better understand how important this part of your sex life is for you.

Explore your body, fantasies, and needs. Learn as much as you can about what excites you.

Feel free to use sex toys with a partner or on your own. Try anything that can lead to orgasm.

Strengthen the pubic-coccygeal muscle – thanks to it, the vagina begins to contract better.

Sexual sensitivity is an important component of a harmonious body. Do not neglect it, justifying yourself with disinterest or lack of experience.

Men’s Problems

Men also face problems in bed. One of the types is the weakening of the libido. It can occur due to a decrease in testosterone and luteinizing hormones.

To normalize hormones, Tim Ferris recommends taking vitamin D, fermented cod liver fat, and vitamin-enriched butter enriched with vitamins after waking up and before going to bed – two capsules of Brazil nuts – three pieces at a time. Useful will be 10-minute ice baths or a cold shower in the morning and before bedtime.

And if you want to raise testosterone before a sexual rendezvous, eat four eggs or more about a day before. Four hours before the bed adventure are four Brazil nuts, 20 grains of raw almonds, and two capsules of fermented cod liver fat. Tim Ferriss personally tested this recipe.

By the way, many scientists have investigated how mobile phone radiation affects spermatozoa production. And in more than 70% of studies, a negative effect was confirmed. So look for a better place for your smartphone than the pockets of your pants.

Body and sleep

Medicine for Insomnia

Each of us at least once faced with insomnia or other sleep problems. And Tim Ferris is no exception. Being a tireless seeker, he tried everything that could be useful for improving the quality of sleep. And I found several effective techniques:

Try falling asleep at a temperature of 19 to 21 degrees. In your case, another temperature regime may be more effective – experiment and look for the optimal temperature for quickly falling asleep. And if you feel cool, put on your socks.

Three hours before bedtime, eat food dominated by fats and proteins. A late dinner of at least four eggs helps you fall asleep faster.

Engage in isolateral exercises – with one hand or one leg with weights. They reduce the period of falling asleep.

Take a cold bath an hour before bedtime – for the body, the cold will be a signal to fall asleep.

Use devices created to facilitate sleep and overall well-being – light emitters, pulsed lamps, and ultrasonic humidifiers.

Once in bed, pose like a creeping soldier – it helps to fall asleep faster.

Continuing to experiment with methods to improve sleep, Tim Ferris came to an unexpected conclusion: good sleep is not the same as long sleep.

A good night’s sleep is when you:

• fall asleep quickly enough;
• do not suffer from a frequent night or too early awakenings;
• feel rested and energetic, even if you have slept less than eight hours.

The duration of sleep may not affect its quality and your general well-being. You can cut your sleep in half and still feel rested. Therefore, try to experiment with the sleep regime and observe your well-being. When do you fall asleep faster? When do you get a better night’s sleep? You should try to arrange a quiet hour for yourself during the day. Or lie down for half an hour right after work? Look for your mode.

Top 10 Thoughts

1. Don’t look for reasons to do nothing – look for the easiest and most enjoyable ways to improve your body and feel better.

2. Don’t wait for the “roast rooster to bite.” Find a good reason to start changing right now.

3. To get a good result, 2.5% of the efforts that we usually make are enough. But we need to understand what kind of effort it should be.

4. Research, experiment, study yourself, check the facts, and do not blindly trust everything written in the media.

5. Regularly measure and notice even the smallest results – the key to maintaining motivation.

6. Working on yourself can be an exciting game, a pleasure, and a competition with yourself and with others.

7. Plan to change the body – start with 9 kg. This is a completely achievable result that will transform appearance and self-esteem.

8. A low-carbohydrate diet is your choice to reduce fat mass and normalize your physique. It fits 99% of people.

9. No need to spend every evening in the gym. The training aims to launch the mechanisms of muscle growth with minimal time and effort.

10. A good sleep is not necessarily a long one. Your well-being and energy level depend more on the quality of sleep than on its duration.

F.A.Q. “The 4-Hour Body” by Timothy Ferriss

Quotes from “The 4-Hour Body.”

“Beliefs are more powerful than facts.”

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

“Success is just a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.”

“Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.”

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

“Change might not be fast and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.”

“You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything.”

“The first step in exceeding your boss’s expectations is to know those expectations.”

“The best way to achieve success is to help others achieve success.”

Disclaimer: This blog post is a summary or resume of the book and is not intended to dispense the reading of the original book. This post aims to provide a general overview of the book’s main ideas and themes and encourage readers to read the complete book to gain a deeper understanding of the material. The information presented in this post is intended to be something other than a substitute for the original book and should be used as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the entire book. We strongly encourage readers to read the complete book to benefit from its ideas and teachings fully.