If You Want To Lose 20 Lbs By Christmas, Copy This Diet

Summary

Dan Go presents a three-phase “metabolic reset” intended to produce rapid initial weight loss before transitioning to a more sustainable eating pattern. He cites a client, Ruben, who reportedly lost 20 lb in one month. Results will vary, and this outcome is not guaranteed.

Phase 1: Two-week shred

Go describes this protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) as an aggressive, short-term diet—not a lifestyle.

• Build meals around lean protein, such as chicken, white fish, shrimp, egg whites, extra-lean beef, low-fat dairy, or protein powder. Go’s target is 1–1.2 g of protein per pound of body weight.
• Keep added fats very low and carbohydrates around 50 g per day, mostly from vegetables. He recommends plenty of green vegetables.
• Add electrolytes or salt and sip water throughout the day. Go suggests roughly half one’s body weight in ounces of water.
• Stop after two weeks rather than extending the restrictive phase.

Health caution

Go advises consulting a doctor before trying this diet if someone is pregnant, has a history of eating disorders, takes blood-pressure or blood-sugar medication, or has kidney issues. Given how restrictive the plan is, medical guidance may be prudent more broadly.

Phase 2: Reverse diet

• Gradually add 100–200 calories per week until reaching the planned calorie target.
• Reintroduce foods progressively: fruit, then potatoes, followed by healthy fats such as olive oil, salmon, and whole eggs.
• Go says weight may rise by 1–3 lb as glycogen and water return. This does not necessarily indicate fat gain.

Phase 3: Ongoing eating plan

• Estimate calories by multiplying body weight by:
  • 10 for low activity
  • 12 for moderate activity
  • 14 for being on one’s feet all day
• Aim for 0.7–1 g of protein per pound of body weight and at least 14 g of fiber per 1,000 calories.
• Go recommends avoiding alcohol during the plan.

Meal timing and practical meals

Go recommends keeping a consistent schedule: eat the first meal within 1–2 hours of waking and finish the last meal 3–5 hours before bed, with another meal in between. He says this may help reduce late-night eating and make hunger and energy more predictable.

Suggested quick meals include:

• Greek yogurt mixed with whey protein, fruit, and psyllium husk
• A tuna-and-potato bowl with spinach and a little olive oil, or salmon instead of tuna
• Extra-lean beef with potatoes, vegetables, onion, garlic, and tomatoes

Go emphasizes planning meals around calorie, protein, and fiber targets and keeping convenient real-food options available. He also notes that resistance training can help preserve muscle during weight loss, though the video does not provide a specific workout.

Presenters and sources

• Dan Go — presenter and source of the dietary recommendations
• Norwegian researchers — referenced by Go for a study comparing faster and slower weight-loss approaches; the study is not identified by name in the subtitles
• Ruben — Go’s client, cited as an example of the plan’s results