*Results not typical.

The middle and end of this month-long experiment went well, though definitely not as expected.  I spent weeks two and three getting past the “acclimation stage” of the first week.  The bloating I experienced from switching from a mostly plant-based diet to one with WAY more protein subsided for the most part.

During the last week I finally got over my fear of the binge day.  I ate a little lighter during the week to prepare.  On the last day of the month I ate the following.  Activities for the day included a 1.5 hour karate class (with a 4-hour commute) and my little cousin’s birthday party.

Believe it or not, I’m not pregnant, though I did sort of feel like it afterward.  I have no idea how many calories I ate.  I’d venture to say a lot.  Surprisingly, I didn’t feel that sick after, and I didn’t have a food hangover the next day.

My Findings

Writing this list out makes me feel embarrassed!  Despite the promises of the diet and the proof Ferriss includes in his book, I really don’t think it’s natural or sustainable to eat this way over the long term.  However, I was impressed by the stats he posts about the weight loss enjoyed by his devotees.  It’s hard to deny the effectiveness of The Slow-Carb Diet.

My goals differed from the norm, so my personal results differed as well:  I actually gained weight on the diet.  I weighed about 188 on day one, with what I can estimate was 11-12% body fat.  After the first week I quickly dropped what I had gained over the holidays to about 180.

I now weigh in around 191 with an estimate 9-10% bodyfat. When I look in the mirror, I think I’ve lost fat and gained some muscle–not like the pics of Casey Viator in Ferriss’s book, though!

The shots above were taken during the Colorado Experiment, and Ferriss explains that through short, intense resistance workouts, bodybuilder Casey Viator experienced the following results:

Increase in bodyweight……..45.28 pounds
Loss of bodyfat…………..17.93 pounds
Muscular gain……………..63.21 pounds

I don’t think I could afford to buy all new clothes were I to gain over 45 lbs, and that was never my intention.  I have been lifting more weight and performing better at bodyweight exercises since introducing more protein in my diet.  My muscles “feel harder” and can contract with more force.  With no way of proving this at present, you’ll have to take my word on this one.

Just as people often experience dramatic weight loss when dropping processed sugars and starches from their diet, I gained weight and strength by eating more protein.  I have a suspicion I should have done this a long time ago.  Eating lots of whole grains provided me with more available energy, but they are somewhat inefficient in promoting growth and recovery.

Aftermath

My new goal is to maintain my gains while transitioning back to eating less animal protein.  I’d like to get as plant-based as possible while keeping the benefits I’ve experienced.  Check back for one more post regarding The Slow-Carb Diet and how it compares to other ways of eating.  I’ll include some of the changes and compromises I’ve made and how they worked out.