What You Need To Know About The 30/30/30 Method

If you keep up with fitness trends on social media, you may have seen Gary Becka’s TikTok video explaining how the 30/30/30 method works to help people lose weight. It’s become a popular health trend recently, although it was originally coined by Tim Ferriss in his 2010 book, “The 4-Hour Body.”

The 30/30/30 method is a weight-loss strategy that involves eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, then exercising for 30 minutes. Some people who have tried the method have indicated online that it has helped them lose weight, stay fuller for longer and improve their overall health.

Let’s explore more on the trending method:

In a recent TikTok video explaining the 30/30/30 method, Ferriss says eating a proper breakfast is enough to help you lose 10-20 pounds.

He suggests a meal of two or three eggs, lentils or black beans and a green vegetable. If you’re a coffee drinker, he suggests replacing milk with a tablespoon of full-fat cream and adding cinnamon for flavor. 

TikToker Jadah Nicol noted that it will helped her in a struggle to lose weight and noted it can help those who also “constantly feel tired” throughout the day.

Nicol shared that her go-to meal includes ground turkey and cheese meatballs and she suggests cottage cheese, yogurt or turkey bacon. Her go-to exercise is a twist on the 12-2-30 treadmill workout — a 30-minute workout at 2.5 miles per hour on a 6% incline. 

Dianna Teasdale, a holistic nutritionist and gene expression expert, shared with the Daily Mail that she tried the 30/30/30 method for a month and she lost four pounds. She also shared that she lost visceral fat around her midsection and gained muscle. She emphasized finding what works for you and shared the other strategies she used in addition to the method. 

In addition to eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up and 30 minutes of cardio at home every day, she indicated that she went to the gym three times a week and followed Tim Ferriss’ “low-carb diet.” Teasdale also suggested that people try the method for at least a month because weight fluctuates over the weeks for different reasons. 

While “dieting” and diet culture have been a contentious subjects for women around the world, some who have tried the 30/30/30 method have touted the benefits. As with any lifestyle change related to nutrition and fitness, be sure to consult a doctor before trying this. Some of the general benefits involved with trying the method, but not exclusive to it, include:

Weight Loss: Teasdale indicated she wasn’t calorie counting, she just ate less naturally. Consuming decent amounts of protein, especially at breakfast, has been found to reduce cravings and sneaky snacking throughout the day.

Metabolism: A study found that protein plus cardio has several health benefits, according to research, like less body fat, lower cholesterol and reduced inflammation. In addition to reducing cravings, protein for breakfast jump-starts your metabolism which is linked to a lower risk of diabetes. Protein stabilizes your blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity.

Cardiovascular: Steady-state cardio can help you burn more body fat since it’s where you burn the most calories at one time. It also strengthens your heart and lungs and increases endurance. It improves your body’s ability to use fat for fuel and strengthens overall fitness.  It can also strengthen your bones and protein can improve bone density, which just goes to show that the protein-cardio combination is groundbreaking.

In her video, Teasdale shared that she used to work out fasted for years, but switched to eating protein before a workout to get her metabolism going in the morning. She also shared that she realized intermittent fasting wasn’t for her because she has a low and healthy A1C. She had to find what would work for her and best support her health. 

With any fitness trend or diet, finding what works for your body and your metabolism is essential. While the 30/30/30 method could be a game-changer for someone else, it might not have the same results for you. For example, eating 30 minutes after waking up might be challenging if you aren’t hungry. You also need to ensure you have enough protein throughout the day after the 30 grams you get in the morning, as experts recommend a dietary allowance for protein that is 0.8g per kg or 0.36 per pound of body weight.

Whether it’s the 30/30/30 method or any other nutrition and fitness plan, experts also recommend researching and seek advice from a physician or dietitian before starting. It’s also important to consider your safety. Consider if you have any preexisting health conditions that could be affected by a change in diet. Have you experienced obstacles when it comes to eating? Will the plan fit with your current lifestyle?