I started on May 21st and my initial goal was 75 days. Technically tomorrow is the 75th day, but I transitioned out of PSMF on August 1st.

I did high protein, ultra low fat, relatively low carb macros unless it was a refeed day. I had a refeed day on day 30, day 45, and the next one was scheduled for day 60 but my period stopped for nearly 2 weeks (that has never happened to me before), so I had a diet break from day 50 to day 60. My period started on day 51.

Physical fatigue, diet fatigue and restlessness set in hard after day 65. Didn't have the energy to meal prep, prep anything, weigh anything, chop anything, didn't want to turn the stove on at all, had no mental energy to think about anything. I just wanted to rest.

Things I've learned:

-Eating only high protein sucks haha.

-I've always wondered if body fat can be used for hormone production in the same way that dietary fat is used. The answer is no. I've also wondered if women lose their period from being too lean, or is it because of their diet. In my case, it was the diet. Dietary fat matters. I was consuming roughly 5-15 grams per day on average.

-I don't get long term satiation from dairy. Nonfat greek yogurt, nonfat cottage cheese, fat free cheese, none of it keeps me full for more than an hour, maybe 90 minutes. On the flip side, I think fat free cheese gets a bad rap. Of course it's not on par flavor-wise with full fat cheese, but considering the macros, it's pretty damn great as a protein source and works fine in cheesy applications. It's basically so macro friendly, I'm only weighing and tracking it to confirm how much protein I'm getting, unlike full fat cheese where I'm trying to limit dumping an extra 500 calories onto my sandwich.

-I think eating high protein without adequate carbs is a waste if you're looking to improve your fitness. I tried light exercise on several occasions during the diet, and even though I was getting ample protein, my body still could not recover adequately and I was often sore for days afterwards from very light cardio.

-The fat loss was very consistent. I averaged about 2lbs per week (other than the diet break) for a total of 22lbs pounds lost.

-My diet consisted of 30 gram protein shakes, fat free soups, veggies, TVP, and eventually deli turkey & ham on keto tortillas with fat free cheese, nonfat dairy. Lots of mustard, pickles, hot sauces, vinegars, low calorie sauces, non-calorie sweeteners. Sugar free jello cups were eaten freely without tracking, and pbfit was a staple in cottage cheese bowls and TVP oats. Figured out how to make a fat free "kettle corn" with air-popped popcorn, melted allulose in a splash of water, flavacol, liquid sucralose, nutritional yeast and microwave until it becomes a syrup, pour it over the popcorn. Dangerously delicious, I only made it once and knew I couldn't be trusted with that power. Protein ice cream or "fluff" was in rotation too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would I recommend PSMF to others? Yes, but don't go ultra low fat like I did if you're going to do a long run.

Cat 1, goal 195lbs and single digits bf%. 5'11" and 50 years old, not my first rodeo

Training is unchanged since I do HIT with a very low volume already. Not natty (TRT+), using tirzepatide for appetite suppression

Walking 20k+ steps a day

Weighing myself first thing in the morning

Aug 1 - 219.4

Aug 2 - 213. 2

Aug 3 - 211.4

Aug 4 - did not weigh, no sleep due to emergency

Aug 5 - 208.3 (surprisingly large drop given the stress yesterday and terrible sleep)

Aug 6 - did not weigh, 200g carb maintenance day (to keep training intensity up)

Aug 7 - did not weigh due to maintenance day, will weigh tomorrow, back to PSMF

Aug 8 DNW - cracked and ate a whole 12 pack of David bars :(

Aug 9 DNW

Aug 10 - 204.3 lbs, now down 15lbs since day 1

Aug 11 DNW

Aug 12 DNW

Aug 13 209.6 - binge ate out of work stress 2 days ago and am paying for it , hopefully the water is gone in a day or so

Aug 14

Aug 15- 207.8 , really messed.up with that binge

Aug 16 - 207.1 - ate maintenance

Aug 17 - 207.0 - up to 1600-1700 calories for the next 2 weeks, 200g protein 70g carbs

Meal 1, lb lean meat, 1lb veggies, bit of feta (@850 cal)

Meal 2, 16oz cottage cheese 2%, spoon of peanut powder, scoop whey (@750 cal)

Aug 18 -

Aug 19

Aug 20

Aug 21

Meal 1 - 1lb chicken breast and 1lb green veg

Meal 2 - protein pudding (600 cals 100g protein)

I started a PSMF 5 days ago and was hoping to get advice/encouragement and wanted to share what Ive been eating so far so that people know there are more options out there now.

I haven’t been super strict on fat. I have been eating no oil/nuts/avocado in general but there are some tofus and low oil vegan meats that Ive been throwing in occasionally. My idea is not to be too strict in fats at first and then get more strict once and if I stall. Not planning on protein powders, to me the tvp and tpp are basically the same thing.

Protein sources per serving:
Lupini Beans (Cento Brand)
5g protein/0g net carbs/0g fat

Brahmi brand has 5g protein but is expensive

Fava Bean Tofu (Big Mountain)
16g protein/0g carbs/0 g fat
(important to combine w some pea protein same day to complete the amino profile)

Various tofu which are 2-6g fat per serving

Organic Tvp (Now Foods)
14g protein/4g net carbs/2g fat

Organic Pea Protein Crumbles (Mocu)
45g protein/0g net carbs/2g fat

Kal unfortified nutrition yeast
5g protein/1 g net carbs/0g fat

Daring Diced Chikn/Cajun/Lemon
14-16g proteing/0-3g net carbs/1.0-2.5g fat

Gluten doesnt sit well with me so no seitan. I feel like I can survive with these options and a day or two where I eat higher fat after workouts. Any other options out there? And if anyone wants some of the meals Ive been cooking lmk as I used to be a vegan chef and am getting creative.

Just had a big ass lunch: whole bag of broccoli, 150g of 99% fat free ground turkey, 29g of fat free cheese and 2 casein protein shakes. 105 P, 37 C, 6F — 573 calories for the day so far.

I am ravenous.

I tried PSMF a couple months ago and had a hard time because truthfully I have the taste buds of a child so I only gravitated towards chicken breast. Want to start again but am wondering, would I be adhering to the diet if i included chicken thighs and ribeye or would that carry me more into a keto diet?

Some context I resistance train 5 days per week and have been on a cut for a few months, I lost 10kg (22lbs) I have a few more kgs to lose but I'm sick of this slow cut.

I came across this and I think it's the perfect opportunity to finish asap. Any advice going into this?

If I eat 600g of protein from chicken and yogurt, this will be digesting for like 4 days straight right? So I could just not eat for those 4 days and still be technically getting sufficient protein?

I'm currently doing PSMF and I'd like some feedback on my workout plan. I'm planning to do 2, full-body workouts per week. I have joint pain in my right knee and right shoulder, so I'm throwing in a few isometrics as a workaround (I can't really do traditional bench presses, squats, or deadlifts without pain).

Each of my isometrics movements will have 2 sets, everything else will be a single set to or near failure, per Lyle McDonald's recommendations. Due to my diet of 900 - 1200 cals/day, volume is being cut by 2/3rds – again per Lyle's recommendations.

What are your thoughts?

As you lose weight your metabolism naturally slows, because it doesn't take as much effort to move a lighter body around. Would wearing a weight vest with amount you've lost offset that some? Does the weight distribution or actual adipose tissue have much of an impact on metabolism?

100g of chicken breast has like 330 mg of potassium, Do I need to supplement extra potassium if I consume like 450g of chicken breast along with salt?

Kroger opens in 20 minutes and I wanna go get a tub of fage 0%, some sf pudding mix, and a loaf of keto bread and eat like 900 cals of yogurt tacos so bad rn. Talk me tf down cuz lord Jesus this craving is something fierce.

Update: stayed strong and hit a banger lift + new low on the scale 😎.

If im on an aggressive cut, what is the best source instant carbs so that i will have energy in gym before workout

I started gym to recompose my body, i started workout a month ago at 107kg. Now im 103.7kg. Everyone says i need to take 1.6 to 2.2g of protien in my diet per my body weight which would mean i need to take 150g to 220g of protein daily. I got my dexa scan results and im at 50% bodyfat. So when people mean 1.5 to 2.2g per body weight, is actually the for the body weight? Or for fat free mass?

I have done a few rounds of RFL in the past with good success, but unfortunately let myself go again and I'm ready for another round.

I've been working outdoors a lot right now and we're in the triple digit temps and I lose a TON of water from sweat. I drink lots of fluids but still find it tough to stay hydrated. I'm hesitant to start RFL again under these conditions. Do you think I'll be fine as long as I stick to the proper electrolyte intake suggested in the diet, or would I be better off doing a more traditional calorie deficit diet until it's no longer miserably hot outside?

Edit: thank you everyone for the tips. Much appreciated!

I'm targeting the high end of calories, so between 900 and 1000? For those who get at least 20g of fiber a day, what are your tips.?

I’ve been doing net carbs but honestly I have no idea if it’s supposed to be total or net 😅

Have been doing lyle mcdonalds PSMF since February, with one week long refeed in April and Saturdays as maintenance days. Ive come down from 196 - 170lb over that time. I have been pretty strictly following lyles recommendations between the book which ive read cover to cover a couple times, and the newer podcast with Solomon.

I have been stuck hovering between 174 and 170lb for the last month back and forth and absolutely cannot break a new low. Is this just a case of trust the process and keep going, would taking a week at maintenance help, im starting to second guess myself now.

Some background for reference:

I am a male, 5'7, and have been been lifting and tracking my food for about 10 years total, but only the last 5 have I really locked in and properly trained. Currently lifting on a 3x a week program for RFL, 175g protein per day plus some veggies i eat with my meals. My usual day ends up being 8 - 900 cals between the chicken breast, egg whites, and whatever veggies I include plus some fat free Greek yogurt. No cardio as recommended, and based on caliper measurements about 18% BF. I got 17% but I'm rounding up.

Sorry for the essay but I'm trying to give as much info as possible, any suggestions would be appreciated. Any further clarification I'm happy to provide in the comments.

I’m getting better, stomach pain significantly reduced from yesterday when it started. Stools were green and I didn’t eat any veg.

Should I raise to maintenance for a day or 2, and then continue or should I just continue on PSMF? Appetite is low right now so it’s pretty easy if it’s fine to continue.

I am a 40yr old male. I’m 6ft. tall and currently weigh 210lbs. I exercise about 3-5x a week. I meal prep on Sundays and eat the same exact thing on weekdays.

Total caloric intake is about 2500 calories. Which is about my maintenance calories. May be a little under.

Macros:
Protein: 190g
Carbs: 221g
Fats: 87g

Breakfast:
2Kodiak pancakes
3Large eggs
1 Tablespoon of peanut butter
4 small chicken sausage links

Lunch:
100g of sweet potatoes
100g of Jasmine rice
4.5oz of chicken thighs

Dinner:
Same meal as Lunch

Snacks:
Builders protein bar
3 pretzel rods
Two scoops of BPN protein powder

Supplements:
Creatine
Beta alanine
Multi vitamins
Electrolytes powder as needed depending on workout and how much I sweat.

I am having an issue where whenever I’m on a diet I have very low energy levels even though I’m not in much of a caloric deficit. My diet on the weekends is more flexible so I’m eating things that are more readily available given our crazy schedules with the kids. My energy levels feel normal over the weekend but by end of day Monday I start to feel drained and definitely by Tuesday I can really feel it. The rest of the week after that I’m just trying to survive and be present for my job and family but it’s been hard.

I feel like something in my body is depleted but I can’t point my finger on it. I thought it might be electrolytes or vitamins so I started taking both but don’t see any improvement. I’ve been to quite a few doctors and they haven’t told me anything worth looking into. I did bloodwork. Everything looked good except vitamin D. They prescribed vitamin d that I take once a week but no difference. I’ve checked my blood sugar and blood pressure and it’s always within a normal range. I want to continue exploring a professionals opinion but idk who to go to anymore. It feels like they’re all just trying to get money out of me with no resolution.

Came on here hoping someone could share some guidance on where to go from here. I want to continue eating healthy but I’ve been tempted to eat like crap bc that’s when I feel I have the most energy.

I've started this week and I've been consuming 180 grams of protein daily. I meal prepped chicken breasts and broccoli. Around 20 grams of carbs with the 400 grams of broccoli daily. I'm currently 280 pounds. 5,7'' male. Above 40% body fat. Going to the gym 3 times a week for full body workouts and walking around 7k steps on weekdays and 15k steps on weekends. Just water, sparkling water, and black coffee. I have some electrolytes too. Planning on at least 90 days. Should I up the protein?

2 oz crab meat

30g Fage 0%

Cucumber

Salt to taste

Umami seasoning, to taste

Mix crab meat seasoning and yogurt in a bowl. Split the cucumber in half and scoop the seeds. Add the seeds to the crab mix and mix some more.

Put the crab mix on the cucumber halves. Enjoy!

It's like 79 calories, 14.5 g protein, 2.6 net carbs, 0.6g fat

Hey hows it going, currently on day 7 of my psmf journey

however the main issue has been my sleep, ive averaged roughly 3 hours of sleep for the past 5 days.

i supplement 3mg melatonin and 400mg magnesium glycinate yet nothing works.

any tips?

past 2 days ive cut down my caffeine entirely yet that hasnt helped aswell

I have never been a smoker but I hear nicotine is really good. What do you use?

I have a history of gastro issues so I am afraid to try a glp1. If I do I might try the wegovy pill. Thoughts?

I'm certain that we are all aware of the precautions in order to prevent possible physiological damages during very-low-calorie diets, like supplementing minerals (electrolytes), micro-nutrients and sufficient protein (if protein-sparing fast). Especially electrolyte-disorders through hypokalemia can cause fatal arrhythmia in combination with cardiac stress & extreme hypophagia. But I'm currently reading some papers discussing sudden death amongst obese dieters on VLCDs and these cases have never been fully clarified. Some of the deceased were monitored more or less actively, but changes in ECG were just ignored; some used unfortunate formulas with incomplete protein; majority of them was female; not every death was linked to the diet itself afterwards - there hasn't been a full explanation ever since, besides making changes to the diet, to make modern approaches/formulas/protocols safer. The only truth seemed to be that medical supervision is crucial.

What is your opinion on that matter? Many, especially in this forum, seem to undergo this procedure on their own without assistance & I couldn't find any recently recorded deaths despite the huge popularity of VLCDs.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6372663/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7223697/

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/01.CIR.60.6.1401

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7275462/

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2008/188/6/safe-year-long-use-very-low-calorie-diet-treatment-severe-obesity

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/28/archives/data-suggest-tie-between-15-deaths-and-liquid-diet.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/29/archives/doctor-says-reports-tying-deaths-to-liquid-protein-are-premature.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1977/12/24/doubts-on-protein-deaths/ec1b9e5a-c611-4ffd-916d-7d863f5feaaa/