How I got started on Slow Carb and lost 2st (28lbs/12.5kg) in 12 Weeks

I read “The Four Hour Body” by Tim Ferriss in April 2015.  The techniques in the book were something I could relate to, but I was sceptical whether I could stick to a “bean based diet”, and whether I could be organised enough to prepare meals (lunches in particular) in advance.  I knew though, that when I hit my “Harajuku moment” this would be the diet for me.  I’m not sure that I knew that it would work, but I thought that it was likely.

My Harajuku moment, actually wasn’t.  I was sick of my weight, and the poor fitness that resulted – sweating through your shirt after walking from the train station to the office in the middle of winter, is not cool – but that was a constant feeling and I was intentionally putting off doing something about it, until I knew that it would work.

Why?  I grew up watching my mother battle with her weight, switching from one diet to another with little joy.  I’d rather live my life fat and happy(ish), than go through that shit.  Fuck that.  So although I wanted to stop being fat, until I found something that I knew I could dive into, I’d watch and listen, assimilate information, and wait.

My Harajuku moment, such as it was, actually happened in the Dominican Republic, at breakfast.  I filled my plate with sausages, bacon, eggs and baked beans… or rather, the local DR version of baked beans, which appeared to be large butter beans in a weak tomato sauce.  It wasn’t like english baked beans, but it was ok, entirely tolerable, if not “nice”.  The beans piqued my curiosity.   At lunch I noticed they had a bean based salad, delicious looking salsa and guacamole, so I decided to experiment and loaded my plate up Slow carb stylee (why o why didn’t I take photos!).

I was still on holiday, and many a beer and pina colada were drunk, but I could use the buffet to find very easily the foods I enjoyed, and mentally log those I knew wouldn’t fit with me.  Experimenting was zero effort.  Breakfast and lunch were mostly slow carb, with extras like ice creams that weren’t likely to be on the cards at home :).

When I got home, Slow Carb began.  I lost 5.5lbs on my first weigh in, and I was hooked!