HOW TO RECREATE THE FAMOUS FAST MIMICKING DIET.
Let me start with a little bit of a disclaimer and an explanation as to why I’m mentioning this essentially very pricey meal plan. My intention is to show you that if you can’t imagine going without food for an extended period of time but you feel you would benefit from extended fasting, modified fasting is a perfectly viable option.
You do not need to purchase any meal plans instead consider using this information to get inspired to experiment. Fasting doesn’t have to be black and white and you can make adjustments according to your needs.
ProLon – FAST MIMICKING DIET
ProLon is a scientifically designed meal plan which provides your body with calories/nutrition yet doesn’t compromise all the benefits of fasting.
Dr. Valter Longo, an Italian biologist and researcher, is the developer of the fast mimicking diet with over 20 years of experience and publishing papers on fasting.
The diet is designed to support and boost autophagy aka “house cleaning” within our cells. It further mimics fasting by maintaining ketosis (elevating ketones) and lowering glucose and insulin.
The ProLon Fast Mimicking Diet is a five day meal plan. It is recommended to be done once a month for three months to achieve maximum benefits.
WHAT CAN YOU EAT?
ProLon is a low carbohydrate, low protein, high fat, plant based/vegetarian meal plan with a restrictive calorie intake. It is also lactose and gluten free.
Day 1 is set at around 1090 calories (10% protein, 56% fat, 34% carbs)
Day 2-5 is around 725 calories per day (9% protein, 44% fat, 47% carbs)
The meal kit includes vegetable soups (mushroom, tomato, minestrone), herbal teas (spearmint, lemon-spearmint, hibiscus), olives (2 packs per day), kale crackers, a dessert bar (made with cocoa powder, almonds, flax and chocolate chips), some specific supplements.
It is recommended to avoid caffeinated drinks including coffee, or to limit it to one per day if absolutely necessary.
The FMD is not simply cutting down calories for 5 days. The amount of protein and carbohydrates is very specific as going over could take you out of the fast mimicking state. Good amount of healthy fasts is essential during this plan.
COST
The 5- day low calorie ProLon meal box will set you back £225 and you are encouraged to follow the plan for 3 months and repeat thereafter every 1-6 months.
The FMD promises to provide all the benefits of fasting without the unpleasant side effects such as headache, hunger, fatigue. It is claimed that unlike fasting, ProLon provides essential nutrients and maintains more lean body mass while also providing all the benefits that fasting does.
Saying so, I believe you are still likely to experience headaches and perhaps fatigue if you’re not already following a low carbohydrate diet, this is very common when people suddenly cut down on sugar.
DO IT YOURSELF VERSION
As mentioned in the intro, the reason I’ve decided to mention this diet, despite the, let’s be honest outrageous cost, is so that you feel encouraged to consider modified fasting rather than not fasting at all.
Interestingly, the CEO of the fasting tracker LIFE app (lifeapps.io ) has created his own “fast mimicking diet”
This was his 5 day fast mimicking meal plan:
a couple of cups of mixed greens in a bowl and sprinkled on a tablespoon of olive oil, some salt, and a dozen almonds. The single, 250-calorie “meal” was all he ate everyday for 5 days”
Other meal suggestions mentioned in the Life article were a small packet of almonds, green matcha tea, raw vegetables with olive oil, kale chips, raw coconut.
LIQUID FAT FAST
Another option to modify an extended fast would be fat fasting which I have tried and tested myself. I can only attest to reaching deep ketosis and losing weight without experiencing hunger on a 200-600 calorie intake. I wasn’t able to measure any other markers. We did the liquid fat fast challenge in a group and the results were pretty impressive in terms of weight loss and diminished hunger. You can read more about my liquid fat fasting experience here.
If you wish to challenge yourself and improve some bio markers or simply take a break from food but are not ready to commit to a 0 calorie 5 day fast, the above modified fasting versions could be something to consider.
EGG FAST
There’s also an egg fast which could technically fall into the category of modified fasting. I tried this for 9 days and loved it.
GET ALL CLEAR
These options are only for educational purposes, if you decide to try any of these eating plans or fasting in general, please consult your doctor or a medical professional. Everyone is different, has a different medical history and you must make sure you’re safe to undergo a new eating/fasting plan.
SUMMARY
- get all clear from your doctor if you want to experiment with any kind of fasting or fast mimicking diets
- if you have money to spare, try ProLon but remember you would need 3 boxes and then repeat for 1-6 months at least once more for optimal results. 4 boxes minimum
- ProLon is a low calorie plant based, low protein, low carbohydrate, high fat eating plan
- you could technically design your own fast mimicking diet depending on your goals however, your plan does not guarantee all the nutritional benefits of a scientifically supported ProLon plan
- You can find replica meal plans online designed to fit the macros. It is down to your own judgement whether you consider these legitimate and useful to follow
- there’s no shame in modifying a fast if you so wish
