Summer bodies are made in winter—but what if winter’s already gone and you’re still carrying extra weight?
Fitness entrepreneur Brandon Carter isn’t here to sugarcoat it.
In a recent video, Carter revealed an extreme fat-loss protocol he claims can help people drop up to 14 pounds in just two weeks.
Before dismissing this as another crash diet fad, consider the evidence: Carter has documented results from multiple people who’ve tested his method—with DEXA scans, video documentation, and verified before-and-after transformations.
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A Protocol Born in Medical Necessity
Carter’s approach centers around something called the Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF).
Originally developed by physicians for severely obese patients who needed rapid weight loss before surgery, PSMF has been studied in peer-reviewed research and deemed both effective and safe for rapid fat loss.
This was a diet protocol that was invented by doctors like man long ago. Because sometimes they would have to operate on a big fat obese person… This person would have to lose weight before they can operate on them.
According to Carter, studies show participants lose more fat than traditional diets while maintaining more muscle mass.
He references research published on PubMed titled “Protein-sparing modified fast: a safe approach to induce rapid weight loss in severely obese adolescents,” noting it works equally well for adults.
Real People, Real Results
Carter didn’t just theorize about this protocol—he tested it extensively.
His friend “White Boy Brian” lost significant fat in two weeks with DEXA scan verification. YouTube creator Sterling Fitness documented losing approximately 15 pounds in 14 days and—perhaps most impressively—continued getting leaner after the diet ended.
After completing day 14, I hit the lightest weight I’ve ever been in my adult life. But after the 2 week diet was over, this is where things got a little crazy… My body fat percentage has gone down. I look better despite my weight going up.
Sterling Fitness lost what appeared to be muscle initially, but Carter explains this was glycogen depletion making muscles look flat.
Once Sterling began his recovery diet, muscle fullness returned—and he ended up leaner than before.
Another case: a fitness coach student of Carter’s replicated five to six months of fat loss work in just 14 days using this protocol.
How the Diet Actually Works
Carter warns upfront: this will be extremely difficult.
This is going to be the most difficult diet you have did in your life. Nothing easy about this.
Here’s the breakdown:
Step 1: Calculate Your Protein Needs
First, determine your lean body mass.
Carter suggests uploading a shirtless photo to ChatGPT along with height and weight for body fat estimation. Once you have your lean mass, multiply by 1.2 to get daily protein requirements.
For Carter at 200 pounds with approximately 182 pounds of lean mass, this equals 218 grams of protein daily.
Step 2: Minimize Fats and Carbs
Keep fats and carbohydrates as close to zero as possible.
This isn’t traditional keto—it’s more extreme. Carter tested his ketone levels during the protocol and registered 8.0, far higher than the 0.5 threshold for ketosis.
Approved protein sources:
- Skinless turkey breast
- Skinless chicken breast (baked, not fried)
- Egg whites (no yolks)
- White fish like tilapia
- Seafood: shrimp, lobster, scallops
- Deli meat (lean varieties)
Unlimited green vegetables:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Asparagus
No fruits allowed—even though they’re healthy, they contain too many carbs for this protocol.
Step 3: Zero-Calorie Beverages Only
Water, black coffee, plain tea, and diet soda are permitted.
Carter particularly recommends black coffee, which provides fiber and more antioxidants than green tea.
If I ever die, it might be from a velociraptor, maybe a Decepticon, or the NYPD. But it will not be from artificial sweeteners.
Zero-calorie condiments like hot sauce and mustard can add flavor to otherwise bland meals.
The Walking Protocol That Changes Everything
Diet alone won’t produce maximum results—Carter prescribes specific daily step counts.
Week 1: 20,000 steps daily
Week 2: 40,000 steps daily
Yes, you read that correctly.
Carter addresses skepticism by pointing to numerous YouTube videos of elderly people, small-framed women, and everyday individuals completing 20,000+ steps daily.
Just know if you can’t do it, there’s a tiny white woman who’s knocking that out. There’s several tiny white women who can who are tougher than you, stronger than you, got more mental fortitude.
Walking creates approximately 1,000 additional calories of deficit beyond the diet itself—without the muscle-wasting effects of high-intensity cardio.
Walking is low-impact on joints and central nervous system while effectively preserving muscle tissue.
Many participants report going through one or two pairs of shoes during these two weeks.
Weight Training: Maintenance Mode
Perform two to three full-body workouts weekly with one to two exercises per body part.
Keep reps between 8-12 and lift heavy enough to signal your body to maintain muscle mass—but don’t try building new muscle.
Carter suggests asking ChatGPT to create a three-day full-body routine if you need structure.
Mandatory Supplements to Prevent Disaster
Extremely low-carb diets flush water and electrolytes from your body.
Without proper supplementation, you’ll feel terrible—and potentially harm yourself.
Electrolytes (Non-Negotiable)
Daily targets:
- Sodium: 5,000-7,000 mg
- Potassium: 1,000-3,500 mg
- Magnesium: 300-500 mg
Carter recommends products like LMNT, consuming three to four servings daily.
Without this, like you actually might hurt yourself without this. I’mma be I’m just be real with you.
Fish Oil
Take 1-2 grams daily to provide essential fatty acids your body cannot produce on its own.
Multivitamin
Insurance against micronutrient deficiencies, though green vegetables should provide adequate vitamins.
Optional But Highly Recommended: The “Keto Illegal Stack”
Carter’s three-component supplement stack makes the protocol significantly more tolerable.
Caffeine
Carter personally consumes 1,000 mg daily but recommends 200-300 mg two to three times daily for most people.
Caffeine provides energy and suppresses appetite—two critical benefits during extreme caloric restriction.
Ephedra (Bronkaid)
Once common in 1990s fat burners before being removed due to safety concerns, ephedra remains available as Bronkaid, an over-the-counter asthma medication.
Carter explains ephedra increases lipolysis—the breakdown of fat cells into fatty acids—making it one of few supplements with proven fat-burning effects.
I ain’t never did cocaine but if cocaine gives you more energy than ephedra, then it’s too much. Cocaine is too strong.
Take one Bronkaid pill with each caffeine dose, two to three times daily—but not after 5-7 PM to avoid sleep disruption.
Important: Check with employers or athletic organizations if drug testing applies, as ephedrine may be restricted.
Exogenous Ketones
Carter recommends Ketone Aid brand, despite admitting it tastes like “dumpster juice.”
Exogenous ketones provide immediate fuel without waiting for your body to adapt to producing its own ketones—a process that typically takes two weeks.
Benefits include increased energy and powerful appetite suppression.
What Happens After Two Weeks
Carter emphasizes this is a crash diet not meant for long-term use.
After 14 days, calculate maintenance calories by multiplying body weight in pounds by 15.
Return to normal eating with at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, resume regular training, and maintain results throughout summer.
Multiple documented cases show people not only maintaining their weight loss but continuing to get leaner after the protocol ends—likely due to metabolic adaptation and muscle glycogen replenishment creating a more favorable body composition.
Is This Actually Safe?
Carter acknowledges this approach “sounds unhealthy and probably is unhealthy if you do it for extended amount of time.”
However, he points to the medical origins of PSMF and peer-reviewed research deeming it safe for short-term rapid weight loss.
The key factors that distinguish this from dangerous crash diets:
- Extremely high protein intake preserves muscle mass
- Walking instead of intense cardio reduces stress on the body
- Mandatory electrolyte supplementation prevents dangerous imbalances
- Essential fatty acids from fish oil support hormonal function
- Two-week maximum duration limits potential harm
Carter’s cardiovascular health remains excellent despite years of high caffeine and ephedra use, though individual responses vary.
Anyone with pre-existing health conditions, particularly heart problems, should consult a physician before attempting this protocol.
The Bottom Line
Brandon Carter’s two-week protocol isn’t for everyone—and he’d be the first to tell you that.
This is extreme, uncomfortable, and requires serious mental fortitude.
But for people who need rapid results and can commit to two weeks of discomfort, the documented evidence suggests it delivers: 10-15 pounds of primarily fat loss while preserving muscle mass, followed by continued improvements during recovery.
Why would you want to sustain starvation? How about you just lose as much fat as possible and then sustain being ripped?
Carter challenges conventional “sustainable deficit” wisdom by arguing short-term intensity beats prolonged misery—a philosophy backed by his own results and those of numerous documented participants.
Summer might be two months away, but with protocols like this, transformation timelines look very different than traditional advice suggests.
