The 4-Hour Body_ An Uncommon Guide to Ra - Timothy Ferriss [221]
Through his company, Precision Nutrition, he has coached more than 50,000 clients in 100+ countries. In the last two winter Olympic games alone, Dr. Berardi’s athletes collected more than 20 medals, and he’s consulted for teams including the Cleveland Browns, Toronto Maple Leafs, Texas Longhorns, and the Canadian Olympic ski teams.
Individual athletes he’s advised include:
UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre
2006 Olympic cross-country skiing gold medalist Chandra Crawford
2010 Olympic skeleton gold medalist Jon Montgomery
2006 world rowing champion Jane Rumball
2010 Olympic bobsled gold medalists Steve Holcomb and Steve Messler
2009 Ironman Brazil winner Dede Griesbauer
Berardi is also a meat-eater who decided to follow an almost 100% vegan diet for 28 days (January 12, 2009, to February 8, 2009) and attempt to gain muscular weight during it all.
It was an experiment many felt was destined to fail, and …
It succeeded.
He gained 7 pounds: 4.9 pounds of lean body mass and 2.1 pounds of fat.
Elegant Is Effective
John consumed the same meals every day for 30 days:
BEFORE BREAKFAST
5 tablets BCAA (Biotest—5 g total)
2 capsules resveratrol (Biotest)
1 multivitamin (Genuine Health)
1 tablet vitamin D (Webber Naturals—1,000 IU total)
1 serving sublingual B-12 (Webber Naturals—1,000 mcg total)
500 ml (17 fluid ounces) water
BREAKFAST
3 whole eggs with 1 slice cheese (this was the exception; discussed later)
2 slices sprouted grain bread
1 cup vegetables
500 ml water
1 cup green tea
1 tsp Lorna Vanderhaeghe’s Omega Vega (provides about 150 mg DHA)
SNACK #1
2 cups homemade granola (mix includes pumpkin seeds, unsweetened coconut, whole oats, almonds, pecans, cashews, pistachios, and dried fruit)
1 tbsp honey
1 cup unsweetened soy milk (So Nice® brand)14
LUNCH
½ cup homemade hummus
2 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup veggies
½ cup mixed beans (not canned)
1 sweet potato with cinnamon on top
SNACK #2
2 cups homemade granola (mix includes pumpkin seeds, unsweetened coconut, whole oats, almonds, pecans, cashews, pistachios, and dried fruit)
1 tbsp honey
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
WORKOUT DRINK
2 tsp BCAA (Xtreme Formulations—14 g total)
2 servings carbohydrate (Avant Labs—22 g total)
1,000 ml water
AFTER WORKOUT
1 cup mixed beans
1 cup quinoa (measured uncooked)
2 cups green veggies
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic-chili flaxseed oil from Jarrow Formulas (Omega Nutrition)
1 tbsp curry powder
1 multivitamin (Genuine Health)
1 tablet vitamin D (Webber Naturals—1,000 IU total)
BEDTIME SNACK
2 scoops protein (Genuine Health Vegan)
1 scoop greens (Genuine Health Perfect Skin)
Handful raw nuts
1 natural peanut butter and honey sandwich on 1 slice sprouted grain bread
When Scientists Become Guinea Pigs
As a trained scientist, John was able to pinpoint and explain the non-obvious, both physiologically and logistically.
First, an example of the former, fiber and lectin side effects:
High-calorie vegetarian meal plans are hard to digest. Diets high in plant foods contain a ton of fiber and lectins. Fiber is good for us in the right amount, but when fiber is consumed in excess, it prevents the digestion and absorption of other nutrients. It also upsets the stomach, leading to diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
Furthermore, lectins can be problematic in and of themselves. Many people are lectin intolerant, and consumption leads to symptoms similar to lactose intolerance: massive bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea. In fact, when I followed my plant-based diet, by the end of the day, my waist circumference, which is 32 inches upon rising, ballooned up to a full 42 inches. Not attractive, and very uncomfortable.
Second, a logistical example: the importance of “batching” food prep and preparing certain foods in bulk a few days or a week in advance. This helps prevent defaulting to vegetarian junk foods:
With all my groceries at home, I did two things right off the bat.
First, I mixed up my granola and ate a big bowl.
Second, I started soaking