4-Hour Body Diet

David and I have decided to try the 4-Hour Body.  After his knee surgery, David spent months inactive and in recovery mode.  Now that he is able to move around, he goes to the gym daily.  He has bulked up quite a bit all around, but for the first time since I've known him, he has some stubborn weight he'd like to get off his middle (he has always boasted a super-human metabolism).  I, on the other hand, have always wanted to get rid of/tame my "rice belly" -- a little lower tummy paunch that never seems to go anywhere.  Also, these days with long, full work days, I just can't make it to the gym as much as I should -- I just don't have the energy or the inclination.  Recently I have opted to use hand weights to work arms, do squats on a chair, and do abs on a mat while I watch TV, which at least keeps me doing something everyday.  But I've felt like I need more focus and inspiration that are realistic, manageable, and sustainable.

4-Hour Body approach seems very do-able.  More importantly, the approach seems possible when we work abroad and live in a hotel room, eating out all the time.  It's basically gluten-free eating, but allowing for legumes and requiring a "cheat day" once a week.  Tim Ferris outlines various exercises, but recommends twice weekly is plenty; there are exercises that are easily done in a hotel room.  (Useful since many European hotels do not have a gym -- perhaps access to a nearby fitness center, but who treks in the snow to another location to work out during long work days?  Not me.)  Knowing food, I feel pretty confident that we could dine out, make smart choices, and eat within the guidelines of the approach and still enjoy ourselves.

We're pretty excited to have this focus -- a new challenge, a new perspective, a new way of eating and exercising, that seems realistic, not overwhelming.  I will blog our 4-Hour Body eating on my food(ie) blog, Food, Love, Rock & Roll, so do check in if you're curious about how we are eating for this diet.

We're off to Stockholm in a week!  Good thing there's great fish and vegetables other than potatoes in Sweden.