The 4-Hour Body
The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman is a nonfiction book by American writer Tim Ferriss. It was published by Crown Publishing Group in 2010. It focuses on diet, with chapters on exercise, sleep, and sexual performance. It debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller List and spent three weeks in the top three. The book elicited some controversy for its claims. Book Ferriss said that he spent three years interviewing over 200 people, from doctors to athletes to black-market drug salesmen, in preparing the book. The book advocates what Ferriss calls a "Slow-carb Diet", which imposes three cardinal strictures: eat a very simple set of meals repeatedly; focus on "slow carbs"; and allow one "cheat day" a week when all foods are allowed. The diet prohibits starches and all things sweet (including fruit and all artificial sweeteners), with strong preferences for lean protein and a few specific vegetables. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not specifically address the "Slow-carb Diet". Reception A review of The 4-Hour Body in WebMD was skeptical of the diet, quoting Barry Sears (creator of the Zone diet): "Skip the 4-hour body and opt for