Diy Fasting Mimicking Diet: Can You Do A Keto Fmd
Although the ProLon diet kit itself is technically not Keto-friendly, you can create your own DIY Keto FMD.
If you already follow a Ketogenic diet, the good news is that youll likely have a slight advantage heading into the FMD. You’ll already be fat adapted, so may find you have an easier time burning body fat as a fuel early on in the fasting cycle.
As with the traditional FMD, you should aim to keep protein intake low, but decrease carbs and up your fat consumption.
You could follow a similar format to the ProLon plan, only swapping out the nut bars + soups, and replacing them with Keto-friendly foods, such as:
- Bone broth soup
It Is Different Than Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting and FMD are not the same.
Intermittent fasting means that there are periods of the day when no food is eaten. There are different types of intermittent fasting protocols the most common is called 16:8. In this model of IF, a person has only calorie-free beverages such as water or plain tea for 16 hours. They can eat during an 8 hour window. Calories are not counted, but healthy eating is recommended. The person chooses the 16 and 8-hour windows to allow flexibility, but the hours must be continuous, i.e., 16 hours in a row.
There are other intermittent fasting schedules such as 5:2 which means two days out of the week in which you do not eat anything at all and drink only water or calorie-free beverages such as tea.
The FMD is different than intermittent fasting. It provides specific foods to promote health benefits and is not concerned with timing or windows of no food at all.
For more information: a list of intermittent fasting protocols
Can Prolon Fmd Help With My High Blood Sugar
Yes. In that same study, participants who had high blood sugar at the beginning of the study saw their blood sugar levels drop into the normal range by the end of it. In another animal study, four days of the diet every week for 60 days prompted regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells, promoted healthy insulin production, reduced insulin resistance, and led to more stable levels of blood glucose in mice with diabetes. These results are promising for humans.
Read Also: What Should I Eat After Fasting
Can You Do The Fasting Mimicking Diet Without Buying Prolon Meal Program
Yes! Of course! If you have the time to get into the kitchen and make all the food yourself then you dont need to spend $250. You can do this 5 day FMD with fresh, high-quality food for a lot cheaper.
It will require some preparation and cooking, which means youll be investing your time instead of money. Its certainly not impossible and you might actually enjoy the process!
Youll have to pay close attention, as the program requires very strict and diligent adhering to calorie, macronutrient and micronutrient amounts. Many people have done a DIY fasting mimicking diet on their own and there are tons of recipes online that you can follow.
The FMD must meet the following criteria:
- All plant-based
- About 500 calories from complex carbohydrates on day 1 of the diet, 400 calories on days 25.
- About 500 calories from healthy fats on day 1 of the diet 400 calories on days 25.
- About 1100 calories on day 1 of the diet 800 calories on days 25.
- About 25 g of plant-based protein on day 1 of the diet. Less than 18g of plant-based protein on days 25.
- Less than 30g of sugar on day 1 less than 20 grams on days 25.
- Include a multivitamin/multimineral supplement and an omega 3/6 supplement
Prolon Promotions & Discounts
ProLon has frequent sales and discounts on their boxes and subscriptions. Recently, every purchase of a ProLon meal box included 24 free Fast Bars. Currently, the entire ProLon food kit line is on a big Black Friday sale. This includes their new soup flavors and all subscription plans.
All orders also have free shipping within the US and Canada.
Read Also: Does Fasting Help Burn Fat
Who Is Prolon For
Most healthy individuals can try ProLon fasting, but individuals over 70 should first consult with their healthcare provider. If you are under the age of 18, you should also not start the ProLon diet without the supervision of a healthcare professional.
There are many more specific medical questions covered on ProLons website so if you have any concerns please consult the Safety Precautions and Medically Related sections of their FAQ page.
If youre hesitant about fasting, you should definitely consult with your health care provider before going on the ProLon FMD. Furthermore, if you have a health condition of any kind or are taking any medications, the ProLon professionals at L-Nutra encourage speaking with your doctor before going on the ProLon FMD.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also not go on the ProLon diet. If you are considered underweight, fasting is also not recommended.
What Kinds Of Foods Are In The Kits
This FMD is based around wholesome vegetarian soups, teas and snacks, which ProLon tops off with their own brand of L-bars and drinks for some sweetness and energy.
All foods in the kits are plant-based, non-GMO and gluten-free but that doesnt stop them from delivering on flavour. One of the most common comments from customers is how great their options tasted, especially the soups.
Daily Food Kits offer the following options: :
ProLon Soup
- L-Bar Nut-Based Fast Bar
- L-Bar Choco Crisp Fast Bar
For a detailed list of the nutritional information and ingredients of each item, you can head over toProLons FAQ. While there are nut-free items in ProLons line, many of the foods do contain nuts.
Also Check: How Much Should I Eat While Intermittent Fasting
I Tried A Fasting Mimicking Diet
Fasting has profound health benefits but who wants to go days without eating?! Introducing the Fasting Mimicking Diet a novel approach to promoting longevity.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that last week I embarked on something a little out of the box.
I tried the Fasting Mimicking Diet.
FYI I was NOT paid to do this.
I was afraid when I shared what I was up to that some would think Id fallen victim to one of the many fad diets out there.
Let me tell you the Fasting Mimicking Diet is not a trendy weight loss diet, or a cleanse, or like anything youve ever heard of before. Its premise is supported by research from all over the world with potentially life-changing benefits.
It is so much bigger than weight loss. It is about longevity.
It is about matching your healthspan to your lifespan.
Yes, you will likely lose some body fat, but to call it a weight loss diet is to miss the point entirely.
Should You Try A Fasting
FMD is considered safe for most individuals and may provide several health benefits. However, whether the diet is more effective than other methods of intermittent fasting is still unclear.
FMD is not advised for certain individuals, particularly:
- Individuals who suffer from an eating disorder
- Those under the age of 18 years
- Women who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding
Also Check: How Do I Start Fasting
How Do I Cancel My Prolon Subscription
How Does Fasting Mimicking Work Science Time
Here, put on this lab coat and walk with me. Lets start with what happens during a prolonged fast.
When cells are starved for calories, they actually get stronger. It sounds crazy, but its true. Your body goes into a kind of survival mode. Cells stop spending energy on reproducing, and instead, spend energy on self-preservation.
Fasting mimicking requires a low-carb, no glucose diet with a limited amount of protein and a higher percentage of healthy fats. This is how science tricks the body into triggering the health benefits of a prolonged fast, without some of the risks associated with total food deprivation.
The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet, specifically, makes it super easy by providing the right amount of calories and nutrients for each day in a five-day mimic fast.
Read Also: How To Lose Weight With Intermittent Fasting
Fast Mimicking Vs Traditional Fasting
Just like with intermittent fasting, there are many myths about these modified fasts: Your muscles will waste away, youll kill your metabolism, and its downright unhealthy.
The above might be true for someone who is actually starving, restricting calories for weeks, months, or years at a time, or doing no-food water fasting.
These can lead to metabolic damage and are especially bad for people with underlying health conditions. But as mentioned, fast mimicking gives you all the benefits without these side effects.
What In The World Is The Fasting Mimicking Diet
- Pin
Have you heard about the Fasting Mimicking Diet? Ive been intermittent fasting for a while now because I love the easy way it helps me lose weight along with the amazing, science-backed health benefits. I was bopping around the internet the other day and I came across something called the fasting mimicking diet. Heres what I found out.
Recommended Reading: How Often Should I Weigh Myself With Intermittent Fasting
Dr Valter Longo + The Usc Longevity Institute
I first heard the term fasting mimicking diet while taking a course on genes and longevity with Dr. Valter Longo in Italy last summer as a part of my dietetics program.
Longo is a biogerontologist with decades of research under his belt and is credited with helping discover pathways in cells that regulate aging. He is the Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California and is, in no better words, a rock star in the field of aging.
Still, like many of you Im sure, my first thought was, What is this nonsense?
After listening to Longo lecture passionately, authoritatively, and at many times way over my head, about the colossal amount of research supporting fasting for health and longevity, and inundating our class with a mountain of peer-reviewed studies, I quickly learned that this so-called diet was anything but nonsense.
My mind was blown.
Prep And Planning: Helpful Steps Before Starting Fmd
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin
FMD is a complex diet, since its components are interconnected and have a small margin of error:
Calorie count
- Day 1: 10-16 calories per kg of body weight
- Days 2-5: 7-11 calories per kg of body weight
Macro composition
- Day 1: 10% | 56% | 34%
- Day 2-5: 9% | 44% | 47%
Measurement
- If you want to know what is actually going on and if the diet is effective you need to measure.
- The more the better. Weight, body composition , blood glucose levels, ketone levels, etc.
Energy levels
- Your energy levels are changing due to an adaptation in metabolism
All of the above need prep and planning.
Read Also: How To Start Intermitten Fasting
What Following Prolon Was Like For Me
Overall, Ill admit that getting through the five days wasnt easy, especially for Jack, who is taller with a muscular build and has a more physically demanding job than mine.
Day one started out just fine. In fact, it was a bit of a breeze. That day provides the most food, and all of it was tasty and enjoyable. It also wasnt a significant switch, because were already plant-based. And having all of our food for the day pre-planned made it decision-free and easy to follow.
Day three was by far the most difficult for me. At times it felt like everything was in slow motion, and I was 100% hangry. My hubs, on the other hand, experienced a euphoric-like high and mental clarity that can accompany fasting, which unfortunately I never quite achieved.
Day four was slightly easier, because we were over the hump. But the dry packaged food had become pretty unappealing, and we were doing anything to make it more palatable. I soaked the kale flax crackers into my soup to mix up the texture, we savored every morsel of the bars, and Jack drank the juice from the olive pouches. We were also not sleeping well and were pretty distracted by thoughts of foods we couldnt wait to eat again.
How Does Fasting Work
Fasting is one of the ways you can trigger autophagy. Autophagy is a natural healing process through which your body replaces damaged cells with new ones. The word autophagy comes from the Greek words auto, which means self and phagein, which means eat. You can read my post What Is Autophagy and How to Induce It to gain a better understanding of how the process works, but here are the basics:
- Autophagy happens in response to stresses like fewer carbs, less protein, exercise, and fewer calories.
- The benefits of autophagy emcompass reduced cancer cell growth, reduced beurodegenerative diseases and improved immune function.
- More autophagy isnt always better.
When you fast, your body runs out of glycogen, so it needs to break down stored fat for energy. This is when you achieve ketosis. This seems to be the main mechanism behind how fasting induces autophagy.
You May Like: How To Lose Fat Intermittent Fasting
Fasting Mimicking Diet For Gut Health
An unhealthy gut can trigger many chronic diseases. Thus, it is critically important to take care of what goes into your gut. Sadly, a typical Western diet contains many ingredients that are harmful to the friendly bacteria in the gut.
A fast mimicking diet can help improve your gut health in two ways:
- First, it is rich in fibers. These include oligofructoses, fructo-oligosacharides, and galactomannan. Friendly bacteria can use these fibers to feed themselves.
- Second, it can reduce inflammation in the gut and promote the growth of friendly bacteria. Increased gut inflammation has been linked to many chronic diseases. For example, allergies, joint disease, and heart disease.
I Want To Improve My Overall Health Does Prolon Help Do That
Definitely! In addition to the benefits listed above, fasting with ProLon can help with a number of other ailments, and promote overall longevity.
- Fasting reduces markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein , tumor necrosis factor-alpha , interferon gamma , leptin, interleukin 1 beta , and interleukin 6 .
- Fasting has also been shown to optimize autophagy, which may protect against mental decline and slow cellular aging. Learn more about this cellular house cleaning process here.
- Other studies demonstrate that fasting increases the generation of nerve cells and enhances brain function.
- Fasting has been shown to decrease insulin-like growth factor a hormone that, at high levels, can increase the risk of certain cancer, such as breast cancer.
Also Check: What’s The Best Time To Do Intermittent Fasting
What Are The Origins Of The Fmd
This approach to eating was pioneered by Dr. Valter Longo, PhD, a highly intelligent and funny Italian biogerontologist, cell biologist and director at the University of Southern Californias Longevity Institute in Los Angeles. Longo is one of the leading researchers on fasting and how it may influence health and longevity.
Based on the impressive findings of his years of extensive research in both animals and humans, Longo founded the L-Nutra technology company and developed the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet, a patented meal program you can buy. This helps consumers get on the fasting mimicking program easily and with convenience. The ProLon prepackaged meal kit consists of plant-based, whole foods and does not include the use of any meat or dairy foods, gluten, GMOs or processed foods.
I can see why ProLon is hugely popular among busy New Yorkers and has developed an almost cult like following among celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow. The packaging is sleek and modern, and the instructions are straightforward. The meal program includes all the foods you need in measured quantities to stick with the plan for five days.
You get five boxes with all the food you should consume for each day. The boxes include healthy nut bars, kale crackers, olives, soup packets, herbal teas, supplements and the glycerol-spiked hibiscus tea you continuously sip all day. You dont really have to think about it at all.
Are There Any Risks
While the health benefits can be profound, there are some groups of people who should probably not do this eating program . The website for Prolon FMD has clear guidelines on who should not participate in the program, and I endorse those recommendations with my patients. They include:
- People allergic to nuts, soy, oats, sesame, or celery.
- People who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- People with dietary restrictions or a fever, cough, diarrhea, or signs of an active infection.
- People who are underweight, have experienced protein deficiency, or are malnourished.
- People who have an active infection or are at risk of repetitive infection.
As always, it’s best to consult a doctor before starting any restrictive diet before deciding if it can work for your lifestyle.
Also Check: How To Do Intermittent Fasting On Keto
Bottom Line On Fasting Mimicking Diets In Healthy Adults:
If you are relatively healthy but have some at-risk issues, like excess body weight, high cholesterol etc. you could talk to your doctor about trying a fasting mimicking diet .
When you are in this position, you have several options in using diet to help you, for example, you could follow a DASH diet, a Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting or fasting mimicking diet. You will find yourself drawn to one of these protocols based on your food preferences as well as your personality. Working with a registered dietitian can help you to safely implement the strategy that is the best fit for you.
