“Protein fasting”/WPF is a commercial nutrition and weight-loss concept, not a medical treatment. This article is neutral education, not a product recommendation and not medical or nutritional advice. Names and brands are mentioned only for context. No promise of cure.
Who is Christian Wolf?
To understand WPF, it helps to look at the person it’s named after. Christian Wolf (born 1995) is an entrepreneur and fitness creator. He started several degree courses (including pharmacy, medicine, business) without completing them and built his success via social media.1 In 2017 he co-founded the supplement brand More Nutrition with Michael Weigl.1
The company grew quickly. In 2022 the private-equity investor CVC gradually took a majority (around 81%); the company’s valuation at entry was about 800 million euros.2 More Nutrition today belongs to “The Quality Group” (together with ESN, among others). Wolf sold a large part of his stake and – after public criticism – withdrew from operations in September 2023; since 2024/2025 he’s again active as the face of the brand and has lived in Cyprus since July 2025.2
In February 2025 his book “Der Protein-Fasten-Trick” (“The Protein Fasting Trick”) was published, made the Spiegel bestseller list and brought WPF to a wide readership.3 WPF is also sold as a digital coaching programme.
WPF isn’t a neutral textbook concept but closely tied to a person and a business model. That doesn’t automatically make it bad – but you should know it, to tell marketing and substance apart.
How the concept is built
WPF stands for “Wolfs Protein Fasten” and combines intermittent fasting (often in an 18/6 rhythm) with a high protein intake. The twist compared with classic intermittent fasting: during the food-free hours you don’t fast completely, but plan in one to two protein portions (often as a shake). On top of that, the eating window includes two protein-rich meals.4 Later More Nutrition often uses the label MPF (“More Protein Fasten”) for this – the basic principle is largely the same.
Schematic daily structure of the concept. Over the day there is a long food-free window, in which one to two protein portions such as shakes are drunk instead of a normal meal. In the afternoon and evening a shorter eating window of about six hours follows with two protein-rich meals. This combines fasting with high protein intake. The exact timing is individual and part of the commercial concept, not a medical recommendation.
How a WPF day is typically intended
Example structure of the concept – individual, not a medical recommendation
food-free window (fasting)
eating window (~6 h)
P1
P2
M1
M2
P = protein portion (often a shake) in the fasting window
M = protein-rich, wholefood meal
Core: fasting + high protein intake – but the lever remains the calorie deficit over the day.
Why it can work
The benefit can be explained without any “miracle” – through four building blocks:
Placement of the concept. The structure: a limited eating window combined with one to two protein portions and two protein-rich meals. Why it can work: first, the fixed structure that simplifies everyday life; second, the high satiety from protein; third, muscle retention; and as the actual lever, a calorie deficit. Honest placement: the effect comes above all from the deficit, protein and routine, not from any magic of the concept. Not a medical procedure, not a product recommendation.
How the concept is intended – and why it can work
Neutral classification · not a medical procedure, not a product recommendation
The structure
Limited eating window + 1–2 protein portions (often a shake) + two protein-rich meals.
Why it can work
Structure
fixed rules,
practical
Satiety
protein keeps
you full
Muscle retention
protein protects
muscle
Calorie deficit
the actual
lever
Honestly placed
The effect comes mainly from deficit, protein and routine – not from “magic” of the concept.
- Calorie deficit – the actual lever for weight loss. The fixed structure and shorter eating window make it easier to eat less overall.
- Satiety – protein keeps you fuller than the same amount of carbohydrate or fat. That reduces cravings.5
- Muscle retention – enough protein protects muscle during weight loss, which benefits metabolism and body composition.5
- Routine – clear, simple rules are easier to keep up than complicated plans. That’s a frequent reason diets otherwise fail.
The effect comes mainly from calorie deficit, protein and routine – not from “magic” of the concept or a particular brand. Once you’ve understood that, you can apply the principle with completely ordinary foods too: eat protein-rich, keep structure, stay in a deficit.
What the evidence says
Evidence level: open to plausible
Studies have been cited for WPF said to show better fat-loss results than conventional diets. Experts, however, point to methodological weaknesses in such studies and to results being presented selectively at times.6 Put differently: that a protein-rich diet with a calorie deficit helps with weight loss is well documented – that this particular branded concept is superior to a simple “high protein + deficit” is not.
Putting it into practice: the basic principles
Deliberately without rigid numbers, because needs are individual. At its core it’s about:
- a manageable eating window instead of constant snacking,
- enough protein spread over the day,
- two wholefood meals as the base – shakes are an aid, not a substitute for real food,
- and the bigger picture: most of the diet should stay wholefood (vegetables, legumes, good protein sources), not powder.
Limits and criticism
To keep this article fair, the other side belongs here too:
- At its core, calorie reduction. The benefit comes from deficit, structure and protein – not from “fasting” itself.
- A lot of substitute products. Building the day heavily on one brand’s shakes and light products makes for a one-sided diet. There are accounts for whom this focus wasn’t good.7
- Methodological weaknesses of the studies and selective presentation of results.6
- Closeness to marketing. The concept is inseparably tied to a business model (book, coaching, products).
Key takeaways
- WPF combines intermittent fasting with high protein intake plus protein portions/shakes.
- The effect comes mainly from calorie deficit, protein and routine – not “magic”.
- That protein + deficit helps is well documented; that this branded concept is superior isn’t.
- It can be applied with ordinary wholefoods – shakes are an aid, not a substitute.
- The concept is closely tied to a person and a business model; separate marketing from substance.
Sources
Sources as of: 21 Jul 2026.
- Christian Wolf and the founding of More Nutrition (with Michael Weigl). Profile. gruender.de
- CVC majority (~81%), ~800M valuation, withdrawal/return, Cyprus. Forbes. forbes.at
- The book “Der Protein-Fasten-Trick” (Spiegel bestseller). Publisher/product page. morenutrition.de
- WPF concept structure (18/6, protein portions, two meals). Overview. sportster-fitness.de
- Protein: satiety and muscle retention during weight loss. Review. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Critical check: methodological weaknesses and selective results. Analysis. campus-a.at
- Business context and public criticism (net worth, withdrawal). Profile. allevermoegen.de