Weight loss diets are a topic of daily discussion on social media. Be it diet tips to burn fat or workouts to shed a few kilos quickly, there is no dearth of advice people have when it comes to weight loss. Some of these tips could be detrimental to one's health in the long run.
Health performance coach Dan Go dropped a series of posts on X about a method that can help people reduce 3.1 kg to 6.8 kg of fat in 14 days without compromising on muscle and strength- Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF).
In his posts, Dan Go explained that Protein Sparing Modified Fast is the “fastest way to burn fat”. The PSMF was initially used in medical settings to help people lose weight quickly while preserving muscle and strength.
“The entire method revolves around one principle: Protein stays high. Everything else stays low,” Go added.
What To Eat In PSMF?
According to Go, people who follow PSMF eat 0.7 grams of protein per pound (half a kg) of body weight. Consumption of carbohydrates is around 20-45 grams, depending on the phase of the diet. Fat intake is minimised to only what is present in lean protein sources. No added fats are part of the PSMF. Explaining the logic behind the diet, Go wrote, “Protein spares your muscles. Fat and carbs stay low to accelerate fat loss. It's simple, but not easy.”
The high amount of protein reduces hunger and controls cravings. It preserves lean mass and keeps the body's metabolism from crashing. This means individuals stay “full, functional and strong even on aggressive calories” as per Go.
The emphasis on low fats and carbs means that the body uses the stored fat as fuel, shifting into maximum fat-burning mode.
Things To Keep In Mind
Before you rush to follow this diet, here are a few things you must keep in mind,
- PSMF can be followed only for 1-2 weeks
- This is not a “lifestyle diet”, but a “short-term protocol with a specific purpose
- You must pair the diet with 2-3 strength training sessions a week
If done correctly for 7-14 days, PSMF will result in serious fat loss while maintaining strength and muscle.
The diet is useful for people who want a visible transformation in a short amount of time with a controlled, science-backed approach. For those interested in a long-term diet, PSMF is not a technique they should try out.
Exiting the diet in a correct manner is also important, as it helps maintain the fat loss and control hunger. “The key is to slowly add calories back and reverse diet your way back to maintenance. You will gain some weight back in water, but the fat should stay off,” Go advised.
As per the National Library of Medicine, several studies show that PMSF is a safe opportunity for adults with moderate or more severe obesity to lose a large portion of their excess weight and maintain long-term weight reduction.
However, Dan Go and many other experts agree that rapid fat loss is possible, but it's not sustainable (nor should it be). If you want to kickstart your weight loss journey, you can try PMSF, but only under the guidance of an expert.
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