Everything You Need to Know About the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast Diet

Appropriately once called the Last Chance Diet, this fasting strategy was developed in the 1970s as an alternative to traditional fasting. Unlike indiscriminate calorie restriction, PSMF is designed to prevent muscle wasting by using a very targeted approach to protein consumption and fat/carb restriction. This spares the dieter many associated health risks, including the loss of lean tissue mass that’s caused by protein and nutrient deficiencies during other fasts.

Is PSMF for Me?

PSMF is a temporary diet designed specifically for those with a BMI of 40 or more. It aims to help those who need to shed significant pounds in order to kick-start their weight loss journey, and is ideal for patients who have recently had bariatric surgery or for those who are interested in opting out of surgery with a less invasive approach. It is not recommended for people who are looking to lose a few quick pounds; ample fat storage is required for this diet to be safe as well as effective.

How Do I Get On a PSMF Diet?

Before starting any extreme approach to weight loss, it is strongly recommended that you consult your primary care provider for a physical exam that will assess your overall health. PSMF generally aims at a target calorie goal of 1,000 or lower, which is not advisable for certain patients.

If you are located in the Birmingham area here in Alabama, we strongly encourage you to come in for a free consultation! As a patient here at the clinic, you’ll start off with a proper physical examination, an EKG and routine lab work. You’ll also complete an in-depth orientation class where you’ll learn how to work the program, and receive a starter bag with two weeks’ worth of samples of our most popular meal replacements.
For information about how to start our medically supervised weight loss program located in Birmingham, AL click here.

If you're not local, you can still set yourself up for optimal success using our Health & Wellness App. The app helps you track your progress by logging important information such as calories in vs. calories out, weight, activities, sleep, water intake and more. You'll be able to connect with a coach for personalized feedback, and integrate a variety of activity trackers and scales.

How Long Does the Diet Last?

Our PSMF program is a three-phase plan that's aimed not only at helping you reach your ideal weight, but also give you the skills and knowledge to maintain your target weight for years to come. During the program, you'll be introduced to new behaviors that encourage healthy habits, which will help you reach and maintain your desired weight.

Phase 1:
The first phase of the PSMF program aims to get you within five pounds of your healthy target weight. This phase consists of calorie restriction with an emphasis on protein consumption, as well as increased water intake to flush the system, and supplementation to avoid adverse health effects.

Phase 2:
During the realimentation phase of PSMF, you'll begin reintroducing some foods back into your diet. This is a gradual and careful process, designed to restore full digestive functions over the course of four weeks.
At the end of this phase, you will get an individualized meal plan that will let you know just how many calories you can consume each day to maintain your weight within five pounds. It focuses on including foods you already enjoy eating and making, as well as your favorite quick and easy meal replacements. This way, you’ll be able to continue your progress with the same kind of structure and consistency you're used to, making dieting after gastric sleeve surgery (or to prevent it) easier and more effective than ever before.

Phase 3:
The final phase of the protein sparing modified fasting diet should be considered ongoing maintenance. It's easy to go back to old habits and slowly lose control over time, so in order to continue to keep the weight off, it'll be critical to receive continued counseling to improve your relationship with food, get the appropriate dietary recommendations and ask for help with exercise programs.

Is the Diet Easy?

Tackling this diet alone step for step can be extremely difficult because it requires the dieter to monitor his or her calorie total and calorie breakdown extremely carefully while staying especially vigilant about replenishing vitamins and electrolytes. Fasting is also mentally taxing, and many low-calorie foods out there lack the protein content needed to sustain PSMF. Additionally, it's common for dieters who are fasting to quickly get bored of the choices they find at the local grocery store and many find it increasingly difficult to pass up their high-calorie favorites again and again.

At 1020 Wellness, it’s our number one goal to help you succeed at protein sparing modified fasting. We offer a range of tasty high-protein, low-calorie foods, and all of our meal replacements are nutritionally interchangeable so there's never any counting, guessing or weighing involved. We've taken all the guesswork and frustration out of the equation, making our protocol extremely simple and easy to follow; you'll never need to calculate calories and you'll never need to pass up the cookie aisle again because your pantry will be well-stocked.

Does the Diet Work?

Absolutely. We've personally helped 30,000+ people shed over 150,000 pounds, and that's because the scientific data backs up the PSMF approach. In one study, patients lost an average of 46 pounds or 56 percent of their excess body fat. The study also tracked other factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid numbers, all of which improved.


PSMF is a great follow-up for bariatric surgery, as well as a great alternative to surgery or medication. If you're ready to make a personal commitment to lifestyle changes, this program is for you.
Learn more now.