By Dan Go

The other day, I had a conversation with a client who was starting our coaching program.

Like many other clients, he had 20+ lbs to lose, most of which could be found on his belly.

We put him on a special diet to start his program and as he was following the plan, he asked this question,

“Dan, I’m eating the foods you’re asking me to eat but I’m finding it hard to hit my calories. What should I do?”

I advised him to forget the calories and ensure he was hitting his protein goal and taking his supplements while sticking to his workouts. That’s it.

In 2 weeks, he dropped 12 lbs off his body!

Yes, some of it was water and glycogen, but a significant portion was fat.

He was following a specific diet that most of our clients use when starting their program.

It’s called the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast, or what I like to call the Extreme Fat Loss Diet. It’s one of the most ethical ways to lose a large amount of fat in a fast amount of time.

The Extreme Fat Loss Diet Explained

What is the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast?

The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast is a restrictive, short-term diet designed to lose fat rapidly while maintaining muscle mass and minimizing hunger.

Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss

I call the PSMF an ethical way to lose fat fast because it’s designed to help you lose fat, not just weight.

Weight loss is a decrease in overall body weight, including water, muscle, and fat loss.

Fat loss specifically targets reducing body fat while preserving lean muscle mass.

This distinction is important because muscle is your longevity organ and what drives metabolism.

The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) is optimized for fat loss because:

1. High protein intake preserves muscle mass
2. Severe calorie restriction forces the body to use fat for energy
3. Low carbohydrate intake reduces insulin levels, promoting fat-burning
4. Minimal fat consumption ensures the body utilizes stored fat

This diet aims to improve body composition rather than just reduce overall weight by maintaining muscle and primarily burning fat. Its goal is to lead into more sustainable and healthier results.

Benefits of Doing the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast

We’ve seen a few cool things happen when clients perform this diet:

• Massive initial increase in fat loss
• Big initial reductions in inches lost around the belly
• Changes in tastebuds when it comes to foods
• Increase in energy levels due to dietary changes
• Decreased hunger due to taking in adequate amounts of protein

Who Is This Diet For?

1. People looking to jumpstart their fat loss goals

This diet is suited for people with a good amount of fat to lose (guys over 20% body fat and women over 30% body fat).

Now, this is going to sound a bit controversial, but it’s been proven by science:

Under the right supervision, the best way to jumpstart fat loss is to get faster results in the beginning. This can lead to increased motivation, which can go a long way toward creating a healthy lifestyle.

The caveat is that you only do it for a short time and then gradually evolve to a more moderate diet.

2. People looking to get in shape fast for an event

This could include getting lean for a vacation or, in extreme cases, bodybuilding competitions or photoshoots.

3. People who are in the obese range of the BMI or taking weight loss medications like Ozempic

The fast results, coupled with the muscle retention effect of protein and resistance training, make this ideal for those dealing with obesity or who are taking GLP-1 medications.

Who Is This Diet Not For?

1. Pregnant women
2. People under the age of 18
3. People over the age of 65 years old
4. People with pre-existing medical conditions
5. People with a history of disordered eating condition
6. People who are already lean (sub 10% body fat) or underweight

Safety Concerns of Doing this Diet

When it comes to anything in life, there are no free lunches. While this diet works fast and helps you retain muscle, you should approach it with caution and preferably under supervision.

The big risks are nutrient deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances due to severe caloric restriction, which can be mitigated through supplementation (more on this later).

You could feel fatigue, headaches, and constipation in the short term.

Lastly, I want to reiterate that this is NOT a diet you should follow for a long time. It’s a short-term diet that needs to evolve into a more moderate, sustainable eating style.

How to Do The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast

Image courtesy of psmfdiet.com

The instructions:

• You eat at least 1 to 1.25 grams per pound of body weight only through single-ingredient nutrient-dense protein sources.
• You eat less than 20-50 grams of carbs per day.
• You would spread this out over 3 to 5 meals throughout the entire day
• You would do 3 mandatory resistance training sessions a week
• You get your fats mainly from protein sources and supplements (2 sections down).

The foods you would eat:

• Lean proteins: Chicken breast, fish, egg whites, lean beef
• Non-starchy vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, cauliflower
• Avoid: Starchy vegetables, grains, fruits, added fats

Supplements to take:

Dan Note: All supplements I recommend are linked in the article

1. ​A high-quality greens powder or multivitamin​
2. ​Omega 3’s​
3. ​Electrolytes​
4. ​Magnesium​
5. ​Creatine​

In our coaching practice, we highly recommend taking these supplements to compensate for any deficiencies caused by a diet of this nature.

In general, I would recommend these supplements regardless of whether I am going on this diet or not.

How Long Should You Do It For?

I recommend no longer than 14-16 days for someone trying to jumpstart fat loss.

If someone is obese and under medical supervision, they can technically stay on this diet for 4-6 months.