My body asked for a reboot: The Mimicking Fasting diet ProLon designed by Prof. Valter Longo was the solution. Use Promo code LOVEFOODISH13 for your 13 % discount!
I’ve never done fasting and I could not imagine surviving 3 or 4 days without food! In order to find out what suits best to me, my research brought me to intermitting fasting and the mimicking fasting program.
How does intermittent fasting work?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. It does not say anything about which foods to eat, but rather when you should eat them. There are several different intermittent fasting methods, all of which split the day or week into eating periods and fasting periods. The fasting period is usually around 12 or more hours which, helpfully, includes time spent sleeping overnight. There is the 16/8 fasting plan. Fasting for 16 hours and then only eating within a specific 8-hour window. Another strategy is to eat only one meal a day (OMAD). There are a lot of possibilities for fasting and somehow you’ll need to experiment, adjust to working for your lifestyle and goals, and see how your body responds.
What about the ProLon Mimicking fasting program?
Reading through a variety of articles I got in touch with the longevity diet by an Italian professor called Valter Longo. And guess what, he is from my hometown Calabria. Thinking back on the healthy organic food my relatives in Calabria consume and how old my grandparents got, I can absolutely imagine, that this scientifically developed and clinically tested program works. Valter Longo invented this program at the University of Southern California at the USC Longevity Institute. It brings together multidisciplinary ageing research to enhance human healthspan. Read also more in his book “The longevity diet”.
Valter Longo discovered that specific diets can activate stem cells and promote regeneration and rejuvenation in multiple organs to reduce the risk for diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
So how does ProLon work?
With the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Program the body does not recognize that it is being fed. The ProLon five-day fasting program is based on healthy natural products and ingredients, all whole-food derived and 100% plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO, and with no artificial additives. It comes prepackaged in meal kits, so you don’t have to care about cooking or shopping. The meal kits are low in carbs and protein yet high in healthy fats like olives and flax.
The box includes soups, bars, crackers, olives, drinks, and supplements. You receive a specific menu where you see, which items to eat per day.
Day one of the diet provides approximately 1,090 kcal (10% protein, 56% fat, 34% carbs), while days two through five provide only 725 kcal (9% protein, 44% fat, 47% carbs). The low-calorie, high-fat, low-carb content of the meals causes your body to generate energy from noncarbohydrate sources after glycogen stores are depleted. This process is called gluconeogenesis.
My personal experience of the ProLon diet
The sleek, modern, glossy white box reminded me of unboxing a new MacBook or iPhone. Inside the box are five smaller boxes, marked with Day 1, Day 2, etc. Each box contains all of the food allowed for the specific day. A suggested menu card is provided so that it’s easy to understand when to take which meal.
Foods provided include dried soup blends (they require adding hot water) and I seasoned them with pepper and fresh leaves (mint or basil), delicious nut and cocoa-based bars, pouches of olives, and kale flax crackers. There are also supplements, including algal oil for plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, and multivitamin/minerals. The box contains herbal teas, too and a large water bottle used to sip a flavoured glycerol-based drink. This is used on days two through five to help maintain fullness.
My absolute favorite item: the nut bar! And I have to admit, the kale crackers were a flavorful snack, too.
Overall, I have to admit that getting through the five days wasn’t easy. The first two days I was ok and kind of excited to try all the different food portions. On day 2 I felt a strong headache. After Day 3 I started to feel new energy and I got motivated to do some workouts. By that time I was already missing fresh food, fruits, and veggies. I typically eat 2-3 times veggies and fruits each day. On day 4 and Day 5 I felt terribly hungry and couldn’t wait to just have the 5 days gone! I miss biting and chewing. I experience waking up more energetic and with a more clear mind, although.
After the five days I lost 3 kilos, by now I got 1 back again. My waste line was reduced 4 cm and I can say my clothes fit more loosely. Thanks to ProLon I gained motivation to eat more controlled. I already was used to eating healthy and fresh food. Thanks to this diet I realized, that I don’t need food every 2 hours. It feels easier to stick to breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon snacks, and dinner. All of that is to be eaten in a time frame of 12-14 hours.
Having all of my food for the day pre-planned made it decision-free and easy to follow
Will I do it again? I guess so! The company recommends not extending the program past five days or completing more than one cycle per month. They encourage repeating the diet “from time to time” when looking for rejuvenation – every 3 months approximately.
Are you motivated to try the ProLon Mimicking Fasting program? Use Promo code LOVEFOODISH13 for your 13 % discount and order the box here. (Normal price is 229 CHF). Shipping costs are included in the price. Valid for Switzerland only. Let me know, if you like to order from another country, we can find a solution for that.
Get more information also here info@vmmt.ch or call 044 558 42 44 and have a chat with Dr Marica Brnić (PhD in human nutrition)—who speaks Italian, German, French, English, and Croatian. I felt very well consulted by her large knowledge of nutrition!