When looking at how very overweight/obese people lose weight rapidly (and safely), it got me thinking..

Are all diets essentially less extreme versions of the protein-sparing-modified fast?

When obese people eat basically only lean protein with green vegetables(very little carbs & fats, known as a protein-sparing-modified-fast) they lose on average close to 50lbs in just 18 weeks(A). An important part of preserving muscle is also the inclusion of weight lifting and consistent sleep. I summarized the protein sparing modified fast here. You basiscally eat leaner protein sources + vegetables + lift weights + sleep consistently for a period of 10-18 weeks to lose a lot of body fat.

Now this style of dieting is somewhat extreme and not super sustainable long-term, however it might be a good short-term tool to jump start fat loss for some people. Further it has been shown to be safe(B). This style of eating is not recommended if you are of normal weight or lean. You are better off having more energy in the diet from fats, carbs or both. I'd like to think that any diet we follow for weight/fat loss is just a less extreme version of the protein modified sparing fast.

The goal is to use up some (NOT ALL) of your body fat stores while maintaining your lean body mass. You follow this style of eating until you are content with how you look and feel. Once you reach your level of desired body fat, you can go back to maintenance calories. At this point you've graduated from fat loss school.

The goal is never to perpetually diet (unfortunately, the health and fitness industry makes us believe so!). Instead, get in shape and then go have some fun. Life isn't a diet, life is a journey that is mean to be enjoyed. If extremely overweight people eat ONLY protein for rapid fat loss you can slowly make this less extreme depending on your body weight.

You simply make your diet less extreme by adding back in more carbs and fats. Here is how you can tweak the PSMF depending on your starting body fat level. In general the more overweight you are the less carbs+fats you should eat. As you get leaner carbs+fats can come up and eventually you really shouldn't be dieting but instead living your life. Remember the goal is to eventually be lean without feeling like you're dieting/restricting yourself.

The Reverse Taper PSMF Program:

Obese- Protein sparing modified fast (just eat lean protein and green vegetables. No added starches or fats)

Overweight- High protein with minimal fats + carbs

Normal weight- high protein with low carb + low fat

Athletic- high protein with lowerish carb + moderate fat (you can stop here if you like the way you look)

Lean- High protein with medium carb + medium fat (you can stop here and may be best off doing so)

Absolutely Shredded- Okay, you can stop now. You might even want to consider stop taking fat loss so seriously. You might even be healthier with a little less time spent "getting shredded" and a little more time spent having fun. Perhaps tonight is your night for a burrito and some kona beers?

Anyways (diets) are all basically PSMFs, just less extreme versions. Keep this in mind and diet based on your starting body fat. Better yet, if you're lean or content with your body fat level don't bother with a diet but instead concentrate more so on living your life.

To your health,

John

Refs:

(A) Palgi, Aviva, et al. "Multidisciplinary treatment of obesity with a protein-sparing modified fast: results in 668 outpatients." American journal of public health 75.10 (1985): 1190-1194.

(B) Bakhach, Marwan, et al. "The protein-sparing modified fast diet: an effective and safe approach to induce rapid weight loss in severely obese adolescents." Global pediatric health 3 (2016): 2333794X15623245

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