PSMF (Protein Sparing Modified Diet)

The PSMF (Protein Sparing Modified Diet) is a controlled crash diet, with it’s main purpose being to protect and conserve muscle so that the only weight you are losing in fat. PSMF does this by ensuring that you are eating adequate protein which is based upon you lean body mass.

It is amongst the fastest ways to lose weight because fats and carbs are controlled normally below a 20g level, which means a large caloric deficit. Most people on the diet are eating no more than 800 kcal a day.

Table of Contents

What is PSMF?

The History of PSMF

Who is PSMF for?

PSMF Basic Guidelines

What happens after the diet?

My Experience with PSMF

PSMG Weight Loss Studies

The History of PSMF


In the 1960s with the introduction of high fat carb heavy diets and “TV Dinners” the US started to see a gradual rise in obesity rates. 

In the 1980s and 1990s obesity rates within the US started to get bigger, for lack of better words.  As a global population we are all carrying more fat than our bodies are supposed to. See chart below.

psmf diet obesity rates
CDC: Health E Stats

As a result of the trend in the 1960s and 1970s researchers developed “The Last Chance” diet which became commercialized and was aimed at the heavily obese. The diet consisted of a 300-400 calories a day via a high protein drink.

The result was very fast weight loss, but also a few deaths. This was mainly due to the protein drink being of low quality and not have the required minerals and vitamins.

This diet however did establish that obese and overweight people could lose weight rapidly, and is largely said to be the dietary ancestor to the PSMF diet.  The PSMF diet is an evolved form of this diet, with minerals and vitamins accounted for, and the reasons why supplements are incredibly important when following the diet. 


Who is PSMF for?

PSMF is for all types of people that want to lose weight fast. Some may be heavily obese and needing to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, and some might be trying to lose a few extra pounds to get to their ideal weight.

PSMF however is not for the faint hearted. It is an intense diet. With a large caloric deficit. 


PSMF Basic Guidelines

One of the maximum essential desires at the same time as losing weight is to simultaneously maintain muscular tissues. 

In it’s maximum stripped down shape, a PSMF eating regimen is all approximately ingesting lean protein while cutting away nearly all fat and carbohydrates from your consumption. Chicken, lean fish, tuna, no-fats cheese, and yogurt, and many others.

Carbohydrate intake need to ideally fall beneath 50 grams per day range, but going absolutely zero carb is perfect. Fat on its own from fatty foods need to be cut completely. Basically, the most effective fats to be fed on ought to be something amount of fats contained on your protein sources.

Its an awful lot protein is depending on your target, or perfect, body weight. The traditional numbers are 0.5-0.7 grams of protein in keeping with pound of predicted lean body mass.

I built a PSMF Calculator to figure out my exact needs. Just enter your stats and it will give you a minimum protein 
recommendation and resultant caloric recommendations.


Macronutrient guidelines;

Let protein dictate caloric intake ⇒ aiming for 150 grams in line with day will fit almost all people, but bumping it as much as two hundred if you are decently lean already is best.

Eliminate as many carbs as viable ⇒ Consume at max 50 grams consistent with day.

Eliminate as lots fats as possible ⇒ Only fat should be small quantities from the lean protein assets of your choice.

Consume plenty of inexperienced leafy veggies, ideally the fibrous kind.

Consider efficient supplementation.


What Happens after the diet? 

As any dieter is aware of, it’s frequently less complicated to lose weight than to preserve it off.

Unfortunately, the identical is actual for weight misplaced in the course of a PSMF.

Most research documents that 2-three years after a PSMF, patients regain greater than 50% of the load they lost on the eating regimen.

One particular examine found that 5 years after dropping weight on a totally-low calorie diet, nearly all members had regained most in their weight.

Another study as compared a PSMF with a traditional low-calorie diet. Patients at the PSMF misplaced more weight first of all, at 12.Four% vs. 2.6%. A 12 months later, but, weight reduction became similar between the two agencies.

That stated, people at the PSMF weight loss program who noticed their healthcare providers for comply with-up visits and were given commands on the way to regularly begin inclusive of extra carbohydrates of their weight-reduction plan, were more likely to preserve off the burden they had lost.

In truth, twelve months later, individuals who went for follow-up visits weighed an average of 9.5% much less than they did at the start of the PSMF. Those who did no longer move for observe-up visits weighed only 1.5% much less.

This method seeing your healthcare company at some stage in and after a PSMF can be important to retaining weight reduction.


My experience with PSMF
I wasn’t heavily overweight, 26% body so a Cat 2 under Lyle McDonald. I had tried a number of diets like keto, but I am a pretty Type 1 kind of person who like to see results fast, and I knew the goal weight I had in mind was achievable with 2 bouts of PSMF

I worked out that you would lose around 2.5 – 3lbs a week on PSMF, and pretty much from day 1 this was accurate. Over the course of just the first three weeks my weight decreases 11lbs and over the next 3 weeks I shed another 9lbs, making a total of 20lbs in just 6 weeks. That makes for 3.3lbs a week.

I found when I ended I put on 1lb in water weight, but after adding back exercise I lost another 6 lbs. I found that PSMF really educated me in eating healthy and balanced meals with high protein, low fat and carbs. And also realizing that your don’t need you plate piled high in order to have a complete and satisfying meal. I have permanently replaced my back habits like ice cream with my Casein “Ice-Cream” which can be found on my recipes page. 

In-short I didn’t gain weight but continued to lose it after PSMF. 


PSMF Weight Loss Studies

Lowcarbstudies.com put together a great list of scientific studies on the PSMF diet.  Doug of lowcarbstudies has a great blog and himself went on PSMF after Keto with amazing results. You should definetely check out his blog and the studies below. 

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Buse, M. G. & Reid, S. S. (1975) Leucine. A possible regulator of protein turnover in muscle. J. Clin. Invest. 56:1250–1261.

Hong, S. C. & Layman, D. K. (1984) Effects of leucine on in vitro protein synthesis and degradation in rat skeletal muscle. J. Nutr. 114:1204–1212.

Li, J. B. & Jefferson, L. S. (1978) Influence of amino acid availability on protein turnover in perfused skeletal muscle. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 544:351–359.

Donald K. Layman et.al. Dietary Protein and Exercise Have Additive Effects on Body Composition during Weight Loss in Adult Women. J Nutr 135: 1903, 2005.
Donald K. Layman et.al, A Moderate-Protein Diet Produces Sustained Weight Loss and Long-Term Changes in Body Composition and Blood Lipids in Obese Adults. J Nutr 139: 514, 2009.

Studies on Protein and Diabetes

Protein as a Macronutrient and Protein Requirements