My cutting results on PSMF with photos.

[Mahk]

My PSMF experience was as such:

The plan was 1k cals, 200g protein, only trace carbs and fat, one refeed after two strict weeks, and a refeed once every week from then on. My routine was wake up, drink two cups of strong coffee, a bunch of water, lift heavy weight/low reps at low intensity with a shake about two hours after. Strength went up after every refeed and didn't go down throughout the week, but I was definitely gassed trying to complete the workouts.

The first week was absolute hell. I was ravenously hungry and I tore through an entire pot of 1lb 1% fat ground turkey and 1/4 head of cabbage stew a day and STILL felt hungry.

The second week I could barely stomach anymore egg whites, chicken breasts, and ground turkey and lethargy was getting intense. I began having extreme difficulty getting my 200g of protein and 1k cals. At the end of the second week I saw nothing in the way of results, in fact I looked worse than when I started. I was flabbier and softer with zero definition. That Saturday my family came to visit and I took them out to have Sushi and I ate a TREMENDOUS amount of sushi, hibachi, and everyone's leftovers. I felt extremely sleepy, like I was going to pass out in the parking lot as I was leaving the place from all the carbs. When I got home that night I drank and four bottles of beer and ate a massive kebab before bed. I went to bed feeling horrible about myself. When I woke up the next morning my skin looked thinner and my muscles fuller, veins were beginning to show, and my motivation was rekindled.

On the third week I was literally getting physically ill trying to stomach the lf/lc/hp foods and I began supplementing my meals with protein shakes to make them smaller. That Saturday I had another massive carb-filled cheat meal and woke up even leaner on Sunday.

Against the advice of a LOT of people, on my 4th week I began simply drinking nothing BUT protein shakes throughout the day supplemented with potassium (LoSalt) and Orange Triad+Greens vitamin mix. I anticipated this making me very hungry because everyone said it would, but it actually never happened. My energy began to go up and I looked leaner every single day. After my refeeds I would whoosh a MASSIVE amount of waterweight from my fat and the visual difference was absolutely stunning. I did this for two weeks with a refeed every Saturday. My energy levels began to take a nosedive, but the fat was just FALLING off and I didn't want to stop. Finally at the end of that 5th week I binged out BIG TIME for three solid days and ended up leaner than I've ever been.



These are my results over those five weeks:

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[theredcorbe]

Way to stick with it! Nice work man!

I just did my 2nd refeed in my low carb diet. Seeing my muscles fill out again with all that glycogen and watching the fat slip away is a great feeling. With all that protein and the same old foods, I FEEL YOUR PAIN!

Way to go man!

[n4pst3rCOD]

Thank you for making a thread on this. I myself is doing PSMF right now. I have a few questions if you could answer them.

My current weight is around 216 (6th day on PSMF). My questions are:

1. I am on 1200-1300 kcals, is it too much?
2. i am targeting atleast 250 grams of protein, is it too much again?
3. When you were on the diet what happened to your vascularity? I think low water and carbs will certainly decrease vascularity.

[Mahk]

Thank you for making a thread on this. I myself is doing PSMF right now. I have a few questions if you could answer them.

My current weight is around 216 (6th day on PSMF). My questions are:

1. I am on 1200-1300 kcals, is it too much?
2. i am targeting atleast 250 grams of protein, is it too much again?
3. When you were on the diet what happened to your vascularity? I think low water and carbs will certainly decrease vascularity.

1. Personally I stuck between 900-1100, and that is with an EXTREMELY active job that involves walking up and down stairs and moving heavy equipment twelve hours a day. I can't really say if it's too much for you, but I knew that if 1000 was too little I would feel better having to go back up than I would having to go back down. I kept this number throughout the course of my experiment.

2. I didn't lose any muscle at all while doing 200g of protein and sometimes even down to 180g. I think the 1g/pound protocol is perfect for me when it comes to preservation of muscle mass and protein synthesis.

3. Vascularity certainly decreased toward the end of every week as I became more and more carbohydrate depleted. My muscles would gain a softer flatter look and my veins were largely unnoticeable except in my forearms. However, during refeed days I could literally watch my veins filling up like water hoses and feel my blood pressure rising in a good way. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. I told a friend who was curious about my weight loss (everyone noticed and lots of people asked because it was happening so quickly) about it and he thought I was exaggerating, so I wore a t-shirt to dinner and showed him and he was shocked. During the last two weeks I began taking Hemavol in the morning and it would keep me very vascular all day long. On the Hemavol I would have veins poppping out in places I didn't even know I had them, carbed up or not. Upper chest, lower stomach, on top of my shoulders. It was freakish to me because I had never experienced it personally in years of training.

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[n4pst3rCOD]

1. Personally I stuck between 900-1100, and that is with an EXTREMELY active job that involves walking up and down stairs and moving heavy equipment twelve hours a day. I can't really say if it's too much for you, but I knew that if 1000 was too little I would feel better having to go back up than I would having to go back down. I kept this number throughout the course of my experiment.

2. I didn't lose any muscle at all while doing 200g of protein and sometimes even down to 180g. I think the 1g/pound protocol is perfect for me when it comes to preservation of muscle mass and protein synthesis.

3. Vascularity certainly decreased toward the end of every week as I became more and more carbohydrate depleted. My muscles would gain a softer flatter look and my veins were largely unnoticeable except in my forearms. However, during refeed days I could literally watch my veins filling up like water hoses and feel my blood pressure rising in a good way. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. I told a friend who was curious about my weight loss (everyone noticed and lots of people asked because it was happening so quickly) about it and he thought I was exaggerating, so I wore a t-shirt to dinner and showed him and he was shocked. During the last two weeks I began taking Hemavol in the morning and it would keep me very vascular all day long. On the Hemavol I would have veins poppping out in places I didn't even know I had them, carbed up or not. Upper chest, lower stomach, on top of my shoulders. It was freakish to me because I had never experienced it personally in years of training.

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Thanks man. I will continue with the same calories this week and will lower around 100 kcals for the next week.

[iamstatic]

What did your refeeds consist of?

[IAmNando]

FUARRRRK!!! Looking good bro! I'm tryna' get shred but got the last few pounds of fat to lose, which is the hardest.

[IAmNando]

What did your refeeds consist of?

I'm guessing carbs and fats. As the lad stated he doesn't have fat not carbs.

[chippy7]

I'm jealous how u had the will power to have 12hour shifts and eat 1000 cals. Also it looks like you kept all the muscle right?
I am curious on the training you did. I too am cutting and on a PPL split and strength is maintaining.
On days when you felt weak did you keep the same weight rep&sets?

[mtnmama]

nice job OP - update?

[MeatCheeseEggs]

That pump in pic 5 makes me want to try PSMF immediately. Thanks for sharing bro!

[Mahk]

What did your refeeds consist of?

Ribs, corn bread, cabbage, fried shrimp, steaks, sushi, okra, kebabs, pizza, mashed potatoes, beer, pecan pie, ice cream. As much as I want. I'm serious.

I'm jealous how u had the will power to have 12hour shifts and eat 1000 cals. Also it looks like you kept all the muscle right?
I am curious on the training you did. I too am cutting and on a PPL split and strength is maintaining.
On days when you felt weak did you keep the same weight rep&sets?

It was hard. Some days I felt like I was climbing Mt. Everest just trying to go up the stairs, but the days when I felt like that at the end of the week were the ones where I saw the HUGE changes after a refeed. I actually went up in strength during the course of the cut which everyone told me I wouldn't do. My training was basically three exercises per muscle group, 3x5reps per each exercise, two muscle groups per day. I didn't do "chest monday" or anything like that. If I worked out shoulders on Tuesday and on Thursday they weren't sore, I hit them again. I just listened to my body and if it wasn't hurting, it got worked. I pushed for around 90% max for working sets. On the days I felt weak I simply went to failure, but I never decreased the weight.

Edit: One other note, don't run or do any high intensity cardio. I would recommend speed walking or an elliptical if anything. I have heard that HIT will mess you up on this diet, and based on my experience I believe it.

[Kabamaro]

Nice Job!

I'm currently doing PSMF and my bf % is a bit high, do you think I need to do refeeds or no?

[anonymous]

so just so I understand this correctly this diet basically means you only eat your protein requirements and nothing more? then once a week you eat whatever you want?

[Mahk]

Nice Job!

I'm currently doing PSMF and my bf % is a bit high, do you think I need to do refeeds or no?

My first two weeks were strict PSMF with no refeeds, then a refeed once a week from then on.

so just so I understand this correctly this diet basically means you only eat your protein requirements and nothing more? then once a week you eat whatever you want?

From what I've seen most people who practice "true" PSMF still count calories and macros on cheat days to keep from going overboard. When I did it I discovered that I could eat literally whatever I wanted and as much of it as I wanted once a week and actually benefit from it instead of being hurt by it. I didn't see any fat gain during any of my refeeds and the psychological edge it gave me was worth any progress it may have stalled, if any.

[anonymous]

My first two weeks were strict PSMF with no refeeds, then a refeed once a week from then on.



From what I've seen most people who practice "true" PSMF still count calories and macros on cheat days to keep from going overboard. When I did it I discovered that I could eat literally whatever I wanted and as much of it as I wanted once a week and actually benefit from it instead of being hurt by it. I didn't see any fat gain during any of my refeeds and the psychological edge it gave me was worth any progress it may have stalled, if any.

most people should be able to reach their protein by 1000 or less and most people tend to cut on 2000 so hypothetically you could be restricting 6000 calories a week then binge to about 4500 - 5800 (not eating at a buffet, not smoking weed, most people wake up late on Saturdays which gives you less time to eat)

so it's possible you just made up a weeks worth of calories in one day which could be equal to cutting in a normal deficit

might try this when I'm single digits

[Mahk]

most people should be able to reach their protein by 1000 or less and most people tend to cut on 2000 so hypothetically you could be restricting 6000 calories a week then binge to about 4500 - 5800 (not eating at a buffet, not smoking weed, most people wake up late on Saturdays which gives you less time to eat)

so it's possible you just made up a weeks worth of calories in one day which could be equal to cutting in a normal deficit

might try this when I'm single digits

I don't think my body just stored all those cheat meals. The key isn't in the caloric deficit alone unlike traditional diets, it's in the glycogen depletion coupled with severe caloric restriction. A calorie = a calorie is a lie. Timing and the type of calorie matters a lot. I've done plenty of conventional dieting on even sub-2000 calories with no cheating at all for months on end and never have I ever gotten results as dramatic as I did with PSMF.

[oncewasinshape]

I don't think my body just stored all those cheat meals. The key isn't in the caloric deficit alone unlike traditional diets, it's in the glycogen depletion coupled with severe caloric restriction. A calorie = a calorie is a lie. Timing and the type of calorie matters a lot. I've done plenty of conventional dieting on even sub-2000 calories with no cheating at all for months on end and never have I ever gotten results as dramatic as I did with PSMF.

On day 25 here. Lyle's RFL recommends that if you're cat 2, you either do a few hundred under maintenance or 500-1000 over for refeeds. Try to get 2x your weight in carbs and you're golden (while keeping fat under 50g and sugar under 50g). The most I've gained after a refeed is 0.2 lbs.

[iamedotj]

Anyone know where I can get the book for free?

[StevieMaria]

OMG. I read the book just because I wanted to take an "aggressive" two week cut, which for me is 1200 with a refeed. Obviously in no way the PSMF. I felt like death last week. I don't know how you did this for 5 weeks.

[StevieMaria]

Did you take the EC stack?

[Mahk]

Anyone know where I can get the book for free?

Not telling you not to read it, but I didn't. I just saw what some people were doing and said "Nah, I'm not doing that." I can't weigh meals and count calories. When I was eating real food on PSMF I ate the same three meals that I already knew the macros of over and over. Yeah, it gets old, but it's the only way I knew I would succeed. My first "cheat day" was honestly me giving up on the diet the day after I finished week two, but after I saw myself in the morning after that cheat day I thought "Hmm, maybe I'll try it another week".

OMG. I read the book just because I wanted to take an "aggressive" two week cut, which for me is 1200 with a refeed. Obviously in no way the PSMF. I felt like death last week. I don't know how you did this for 5 weeks.

Activity, activity, activity. I never let myself sit around idle. If I did I began obsessing over my hunger and the food I could easily have if I just walked down the street. When I stayed busy I didn't have time to sit around and think about how hungry I was. I've never been one to eat before any type of strenuous activity, so having a day full of activity kept me from feeling sorry for myself. On top of that, if I did think about food I wanted, it was always in terms of "Oh man, those tacos are going to taste so good after I finish up three more days of this." That's why I say that having unrestricted cheat days also gave me a mental edge. The first two weeks were terrible because it was like "Is this even going to work, or am I just torturing myself?" but once I woke up looking like a different person after a cheat day, I was hooked.

Edit: I did take the EC stack for one week, but stopped because it didn't really do anything for me but make me feel extremely hot. I ended up just drinking lots and lots of coffee.

[StevieMaria]

Not telling you not to read it, but I didn't. I just saw what some people were doing and said "Nah, I'm not doing that." I can't weigh meals and count calories. When I was eating real food on PSMF I ate the same three meals that I already knew the macros of over and over. Yeah, it gets old, but it's the only way I knew I would succeed. My first "cheat day" was honestly me giving up on the diet the day after I finished week two, but after I saw myself in the morning after that cheat day I thought "Hmm, maybe I'll try it another week".



Activity, activity, activity. I never let myself sit around idle. If I did I began obsessing over my hunger and the food I could easily have if I just walked down the street. When I stayed busy I didn't have time to sit around and think about how hungry I was. I've never been one to eat before any type of strenuous activity, so having a day full of activity kept me from feeling sorry for myself. On top of that, if I did think about food I wanted, it was always in terms of "Oh man, those tacos are going to taste so good after I finish up three more days of this." That's why I say that having unrestricted cheat days also gave me a mental edge. The first two weeks were terrible because it was like "Is this even going to work, or am I just torturing myself?" but once I woke up looking like a different person after a cheat day, I was hooked.

Edit: I did take the EC stack for one week, but stopped because it didn't really do anything for me but make me feel extremely hot. I ended up just drinking lots and lots of coffee.

Yeah but man...I'm a lady on 1200 during the week and my NEAT went down like crazy. I mean just walking down the street felt horrible. Walking up the subway stairs...horrible. And you did 1000 calories.

[oncewasinshape]

Yeah but man...I'm a lady on 1200 during the week and my NEAT went down like crazy. I mean just walking down the street felt horrible. Walking up the subway stairs...horrible. And you did 1000 calories.

It's mind over matter. Many people fail it but if you've had any prolonged experience with lower calories, I'd say you can handle it just fine. I had a harder time when I was broke and didn't eat for 5 days. This is a cakewalk compared to that.

[Mahk]

It's mind over matter. Many people fail it but if you've had any prolonged experience with lower calories, I'd say you can handle it just fine. I had a harder time when I was broke and didn't eat for 5 days. This is a cakewalk compared to that.

This. Once your body adjusts and the fog clears from your head you'll feel sharp and quick. Under normal (not working) circumstances I could actually feel the difference in how light I felt walking and moving around compared to just a few weeks prior. My pullups quadrupled. Does it suck? Yeah, of course. Is it worth it? That depends on what's important to you. It took a lot of willpower, especially for me. I LOVE cooking good food and I LOVE eating out and booze. Regardless, to me it was still worth it. The entire experience made me a lot more mentally tough I think, and to me that's as valuable if not more valuable than the physical transformation.

[iamedotj]

Last question before I start tomorrow. What supplements I need to take and can I take my protein which has carbs. It's like 130 cals, 30g of protein, and 4g carbs.

[Mahk]

Last question before I start tomorrow. What supplements I need to take and can I take my protein which has carbs. It's like 130 cals, 30g of protein, and 4g carbs.

Avoid carbs entirely. I used ON Whey isolate for this purpose. I took Orange Triad + Greens (powdered, not pills) and continue to take it because I know I don't eat as much vegetables as I should and I definitely didn't while on PSMF. If you are doing prolonged periods of PSMF without a refeed some recommend supplementing with potassium (No Salt, or some other low-sodium salt substitute) to maintain the functionality of your muscles. I started off using it, but after thinking about it I realized that there was no way I was going to run myself into hypokalemia with as much stuff as I ate on my cheat days, so I quit using it. It tastes like ashes. Hemavol helped give me great pumps even when I was completely depleted.

[iamedotj]

Avoid carbs entirely. I used ON Whey isolate for this purpose. I took Orange Triad + Greens (powdered, not pills) and continue to take it because I know I don't eat as much vegetables as I should and I definitely didn't while on PSMF. If you are doing prolonged periods of PSMF without a refeed some recommend supplementing with potassium (No Salt, or some other low-sodium salt substitute) to maintain the functionality of your muscles. I started off using it, but after thinking about it I realized that there was no way I was going to run myself into hypokalemia with as much stuff as I ate on my cheat days, so I quit using it. It tastes like ashes. Hemavol helped give me great pumps even when I was completely depleted.

Okay thanks. Do I need to take one a days?

[iamedotj]

Almost forgot some. The amount of protein I take is per LBM or my weight? I don't know if I should be take 130g of protein or 177g of protein.

[Mahk]

Okay thanks. Do I need to take one a days?

Not if you take Orange Triad + Greens.

Almost forgot some. The amount of protein I take is per LBM or my weight? I don't know if I should be take 130g of protein or 177g of protein.

190g worked for me. I've heard many different opinions about this, but 180-200g was my sweet spot.