Low-carb diet
Cutting carbohydrates and sugar so the body runs mostly on fat and protein
Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and some fruit, with bread, pasta, rice, sugar and often dairy removed. Restricting carbohydrate far enough pushes the body toward burning fat for fuel, and the first weeks usually bring rapid weight loss, part of it water. Athletes who try it report leaner body composition and steadier energy. Sports dietitians are split: some see benefits for recovery and mental clarity, others worry about high saturated fat intake and about fueling hard training. Most people who use it do so for a defined block of weeks rather than indefinitely.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- LeBron JamesDoes it
Basketball player · NBA all-time leading scorer
For 67 days in the summer of 2014 he ate no carbohydrates, sugar or dairy, dropping to around 250 pounds. He framed it as a personal challenge that had nothing to do with basketball, though he did say he felt quicker on the court afterward.
Source: Sports Illustrated: LeBron James: Weight loss 'had nothing to do with basketball' - Naval RavikantDoes it
Angel investor · AngelList and the Naval podcast
Weight came off across roughly a decade with no single realization behind it. He credits going paleo, understanding low-carb eating and getting rid of processed food, and describes the change as habit by habit rather than a program. Backsliding, he says, has almost never happened.
Source: The Tim Ferriss Show transcript: Naval Ravikant - Zac EfronDiscusses
Actor · the Baywatch body and what it cost him
Six months without a carb while shooting Baywatch, and he says he almost lost his mind. Eating with locals in Sardinia for Down to Earth, he told the table he was happy to be eating carbs again and that their high-carb, low-protein way of eating was the opposite of what any trainer had taught him.
Source: Men's Health: Zac Efron Says He Nearly Lost His Mind While Dieting to Get Shredded for Baywatch
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or energy.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
On record from 43 of 62 tracked people: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
On record from 12 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
On record from 9 of 62 tracked people: 9 do it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
High-intensity interval training
Short all-out efforts with full recovery in between, a few times a week
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 has discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Running
Regular running, from a short daily loop up to ultramarathon distance
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 recommends it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Swimming
Lap swimming as low-impact cardio and a reset for the head
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.