This is the much anticipated second book from author Tim Ferriss. If you don't know, his previous book The 4-Hour Workweek is a bestseller and continues to be in the top 5 in three different Amazon.com categories at the time of the writing of this post.
In a recent interview I listened to, Tim says that The 4-Hour Body is the book he really wanted to write. He used the 4-Hour Workweek as a way to get the 4-Hour Body published. According to the website, this book is the result of 10 years of personal research.
Let's get one thing straight. Tim is NOT a doctor, nor is he any sort of medical professional. Oh yeah, and neither am I. So if you are going to try anything in this book, consult a medical professional.
Tim IS a meticulous experimenter and has tried everything in this book on himself and recorded every last detail. He mentions how his home is filled with fitness equipment and measurement devices.
The entire book is essentially based on the idea of minimum effective load (MEL) or minimum effective dose (MED). In other words, what is absolute minimum action required to get the desired results. As soon I heard that, I knew that this book was very promising.
There are basically two parts to this book.
Weight Loss
There are also two parts to weight loss. In Tim's system, he not only strives for fat loss, but also muscle gain.
This is not only healthier, but adds to your overall appearance. You could actually lose 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle and look about 15 pounds lighter, even though you are exactly the same weight.
Tim's diet is called the Slow Carb Diet and is the result of his own experimentation. There is a ton of technical information that I am still trying to digest but there are all kinds of unconventional weight loss methods that he claims will help you lose weight.
One that I found very interesting was the idea of thermal load. Tim explains it like this:
During some of experiments with a fellow weight loss enthusiast, they came across a statement from swimmer Michael Phelps. He said that he eats 12,000 calories a day.
They did the math and there was no way that he could be eating that many calories every day and not gain a significant amount of weight. In fact, they calculated that he would have to be doing butterflies continuously for 8 hours a day to even get close to burning that off.
But Michael only trains for 3-4 hours a day and not continuously. So what gives?
As you probably have guessed, the answer is the water. It is an awesome conductor of heat (much better than air) and Phelps was burning additional calories just by the additional heat he was giving off in the water.
Ah-ha! But how can people without a pool use this information? Read the book to find out…and it does NOT involve your bathtub.
The weight loss/muscle gain section is filled with many of these great discoveries that I have not heard of anywhere else. My only minor complaint is that the book gets a little too technical at times.
But Tim admits that he is a geek when it comes to these things. My opinion is: hey, if his OCD leads to these types of discoveries, then geek out all you want Tim.
Better Sex
I won't go into too many details here, but suffice to say that Tim doesn't mess around. He gets the very best experts in any subject he chooses to study. In the area of sex, he not only got a notable “scientist” but he also interviewed a famous pornstar.
And not just any pornstar, this is a woman who has been in the business for a long time and views sex just as much of an art as a way to make a living. There were a couple of tips that were mentioned that I wasn't aware of.
And I'm not just talking mushroom tips…
I won't spoil the secrets for you, but there was one statistic that really surprised me. In Tim's research, he found that as much as 50% of the female population in the United States has never had an orgasm.
Yeah, never…ever…in their lives…ever. Not even through DIY. Huh? Really?
Obviously, this is most commonly for psychological reasons. So Tim goes through some exercises that will help women start to feel comfortable with their sexuality in a non-threatening environment and eventually get to the big “O.”
Of course, there are plenty of tips for the guys in here too. The most interesting tip in the book can be summed up in two words: one o'clock. I'll just leave it at that.
Overall, this section was very tastefully done and well “researched.” Although Tim did provide some personal services to some of the women in his experiment, it sounded like the majority of them just received “homework” assignments to try on their own. According to Tim, they all passed with flying colors.
Rockstar stuff guys. I really liked this section.
How I Am Going To Use This Information
In the coming weeks, I am going to implement the weight loss portion of this book and post my progress here on the blog. We will see if this stuff really works!
Click here to check out the book. I bought the audio book, but on second thought, the print book is probably easier to reference.
Happy New Year!
Hugh
P.S. – Yes, I'll be using the sex stuff too, but you will have to try it on your own to see if it really works. 😉
Yes, I must say that it’s a great book and a must read if you want to have a good body spending little time, money and energy.
I read this long book but I enjoyed it so much.
What can I say about this book. I’ve lost weight with it, and family members of mine have. Tim’s cracked the code. Stop eating bread, rice, sugar, etc, drink lots of water and you’ll kick butt and lose weight. His idea of a ‘cheat day’ is actually useful and not just used to ‘appease’ junk food lovers. It’s brilliant. But make sure you pick up a copy so you can customize your own workout.
One drawback is I’m not having a ton of success with the Poly phasic sleep part. Sometimes I just feel super tired.
Yeah, I just talked to a friend yesterday who lost about 30 pounds on this diet. I think like anything else, you take what works and leave what doesn’t. The cold pack at the back of my neck didn’t work for me.
Loved the review. This book sounds just as interesting as the “4 Hour Chef” you are giving away. Can’t say I have ever read one of Ferriss’s books yet, but now I may.
Cool, you should start with The 4-Hour Workweek. The best of his books.
I’m a big fan of Tim Ferris’ work and this is another great addition after “The Four Hour Work Week”
Since buying the book when it came out, I do have to say that I have taken a different stance on fitness. I was always into bodybuilding the traditional way, but this book really opened my eyes into new ways of training. If you like this then I would also recommend checking out http://www.rossfitness.com on the subject of crossfit training. He also has some kick ass videos of insane workouts
Thanks for the tip!
I can see you are pretty enthusiastic about The 4-Hour Body. The sex stuff (15 minute orgasm) is what got me to buy the book. There is some good stuff in those two chapters – useful illustrations and a fairly straightforward approach from his teachers and trainers – but its really just an introduction – I’m guessing this one of the topics in the book he has researched the least. If these chapters are an example of Tim’s 80/20 rule – what he thinks is the 20% that produces 80% of the result – then I’d say what is in the book is closer to 5%, not 20% – there is a lot more available for both parties than what he describes. I’m guessing that as Tim’s research continues he’ll eventually wind up looking at Lafayette Morehouse, the original source of this information. They are the people who didthe demonstrations of the three hour orgasm in 1976 For people who’ve never seen the information Tim is presenting, it’s a fast way to get started on a very very fun journey.
Yeah, the sex stuff in the book isn’t rocket science and there is a lot more exploring one can do. The weight loss information actually excited me more.
That three hour orgasm/tantric stuff is a whole different level. But that is for the people looking for the absolute very best in life.
For the average person, the sex information in this book could be life changing. If they are struggling to give or get just one orgasm, then…baby steps.
The one o’clock thing was intriguing though. Haven’t been able to confirm or deny yet.
Basically, Ferris did what he does best–found out what everyone wanted to know about (sex and losing weight, no surprise, I guess) and threw it all together in some half-researched book that I’m sure will make him millions so he won’t even have to have a 4-hour work week. Actually, he’s an amazing marketer and experimenter. Kudos to him for that. He’s just not a good scientist.
Mr Ferris talks about an orgasm in 15 minutes, not one that lasts 15 minutes. If your lover has not been able to orgasm with masturbation yet, then she has a major mental (sex) block, IMO. Or maybe she’s in her 40’s and her libido is fading.
Also, please read the following article, which I found interesting in its reference to The Colorado Experiment: thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/4-hour-body.htm
Ferris’ ideas on low carb are old (about 20 years or more), and one moment he wants you to eat high protein, then decries nuts as something to stay clear of while touting almond paste. Give me a break. I’ve done my own experimenting (with blood tastes taken before and after my change in diet) and found that Protein Power is a good way to go (high protein and fat, low carb), and doesn’t have all those contrasting statements as in Ferris’ book.
There may be some new ideas in his book that are worth looking into, but YOU need to do your own research and not just follow his “plan” lock step. Go find things out and be open-minded when you hear conflicting reports on his ideas. Go with your gut and research before you start taking everything Mr Ferris says as gospel.
Thanks for your time…
Thanks for your input Kathryn. Yes, I agree. Like anything else, I believe that if there is such a thing as absolute truth it is only what works for you. Not anyone else, just you. Finding that truth takes exploring and this book is a good start.
Regarding the books popularity…I remember something I heard Robert Kiyosaki say once. He is a best selling author, not the best writing author. Writing an engaging book that people will actually read may be better than writing a book that is technically correct down to the letter, but reads like a dictionary.
Great review, Hugh! I just got the book, haven’t read it yet. Now that i’ve read your review, I can’t wait to get started. Thanks.
The “sex stuff” is apparently one of the most interesting parts of the book. A lot of people talk about it, although I haven’t yet heard of anybody actually having a 15 minute orgasm, let alone the 3 hour orgasm Tim Ferriss talks about in the book. But then again it’s only been out a couple of days. We’ll see what people have to say about it after the holidays 😉