"The 4-Hour Body"—Does It Deliver Results?

We love quick fixes. When it comes to diet and exercise in particular, the faster we’re promised we can drop 20 pounds and uncover that six pack, the better. Unfortunately, many of our efforts seem to fall short (at best, right?). Enter: Timothy Ferriss and his book, The 4-Hour Body.

Want to gain 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days for a Hulk-esque chiseled chest? Ferriss says he did it. How about dodging fat gain while bingeing on 6,000 delicious calories in 12 hours? Ferriss says it’s possible, and he’s eager to tell you how he did it. In a span of 10 years, this human guinea pig—who also wrote The 4-Hour Workweek—documented these and other seemingly impossible physiological feats. The result is a book that for months has dominated the Amazon and New York Times bestseller lists. Though much of Ferriss’ evidence comes only from small studies, personal experiments, or isolated case reports, he says he knows the secrets to “rapid fat-loss, incredible sex, and becoming superhuman.” Can he back up his claims? More importantly, will they work for you? Experts have their doubts.

Claim 1: You can lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise
How?