Over the summer I was introduced to Prolon, a fasting-mimicking diet program. Designed by doctors of the company L-Nutra, it is a 5-day eating program that is designed to promote many health benefits. The program mimics the effects a 5-day water fast (only consuming water, no food) without the safety implications.
Fasting, the act of going a period of time without eating, has been practiced for thousands of years. The body can go 3 days without water, but 3 weeks without food. Our bodies store energy in the form of glycogen in the liver & muscle, for protection in times without food.
Fasting allows the digestive system to “relax”; it takes a lot of work to break down & absorb food, process toxins etc.! Intermittent fasting (IF), or “timed eating” is a practice where one eats in a shortened time frame (4-8 hours) then fasts the remaining 16-20 hours/day.
Fasting has been shown to help with cell autophagy, or the “clean up & repair” of cells. It also regulates blood sugar levels, improves digestion & detoxification pathways & reduces inflammation at a cellular level. It can also aid in weight loss, as fat stores are broken down and used as fuel during the fasting state.
Prolon promotes the same benefits as IF but even more. Prolonged fasting has been linked to stem cell regeneration.
According to their website, Prolon has been shown to:
- Promote stem cell-based renewal in the body
- Decrease excess body fat while preserving lean muscle mass
- Maintain healthy levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, & blood pressure
- Get results in just 5 days
I was curious to experience the program and the benefits that it can provide. My boss (chiropractor and naturopath) wanted to try it on herself and see if we would recommend to patients. My coworker and I said WHY NOT let’s try it too!! However, was VERY nervous. I do not like or practice any type of fasting. I have tried a few times to practice intermittent fasting (skipping breakfast and waiting 16 hours) but I felt weak, low energy and very hungry. I go approximately 12 hours overnight without eating, but this was going to be a new challenge!
Prolon provides a large box that contains all the food for the 5 days. All the products are plant based & free of gluten, dairy and anything artificial. The daily caloric intake was 1100 Day 1 and 700 Days 2-5.
Yes, I intentionally started the program on Halloween. I’m not tempted by the candy anyways 😉 Each day’s meals and supplements are packaged in a handy small box, making it super easy to follow. Meal 1 was always a L-Nut bar, a softer & tastier version of a Kind bar. Lunches and dinners were soups; Tomato, Minestrone & a Quinoa Vegetable were the main options. Snacks were packets of olives, kale crackers or a chocolate crisp bar. I must say, for being packaged, all of the food DID taste good!!
Day 1: Wednesday 10/31
Prolon advises against caffeine for the 5 days, but allows one cup of coffee if needed. Oh, it be needed! 
The first morning I got my coffee ready and sat down with the bar. This light meal was quite different than my normal big bowl of veggies, eggs and avocado. I took my time & was mindful of every small piece I took. This day I had another L-Nut Bar for a snack, so I took half of this now. Stomach growling, I went to the gym and did a light 30 minute upper body session and some abs on my lunch break. Lunch was tomato soup & crackers (very light but delicious!) PM Snack was a small packet of olives. I managed to make it home for dinner: another soup & have the chocolate snack bar while passing out Halloween candy. Hungry, but I had made it through the day. Kudos to me!
Day 2: Thursday 11/01
I woke up feeling very light and down 3lbs already. Meals were similar to Day 1 but less snacks: No crackers, Nut Bar or crisp bar…damn. Exercise is not recommended on the program, so today I decided to do some easy elliptical cardio and about 15 minutes of abs. I had decent energy but didn’t want to push it and expend calories I didn’t have. They recommend to have lots of liquids (water and teas) to help curb cravings and hunger. I had all the beverages…and no change on the hunger. I was SO hungry, it was all I could think about!! Being at work did distract me a bit, but it was so hard to concentrate on anything but food.
Day 3: Friday 11/02
I had made it to Day 3…I was already so proud of myself! I was so hesitant on how I’d feel and if I could even do the program. I woke up another 1lb lighter (which by the way, weight loss is NOT my reason for trying this!) Surprisingly, I didn’t experience any type of headache (maybe cause I was having my coffee), brain fog, light-headedness or feeling spacey or super lethargic. Actually, was better than Day 1 & 2. I did two-30 minute walks, trained clients, went grocery shopping and some online work in the evening. My mind was clear & felt fine physically; I attribute this to achieving ketosis, or using fat as fuel instead of glucose.
However, I was still SO SO hungry. The hunger never decreased as the days went on. My hyper-attention to food increased. I couldn’t wait until I could “eat normally again”.
Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Day 4: Saturday. I decided it was time for me to stop the program.
I had been so torn about what to do…“If I continue maybe it will get better? It is only 2 more days, you can do it Allison!…But I am so hungry and don’t WANNA do it anymore!”
I weighed out the pros and cons and finishing it was not worth to me. The program was negatively affecting me and aspects of my health. Fasting should come natural and feel easy…this was totally forced for me. The hunger I experienced was so intense, distracting and just plain annoying. Plus, a negative relationship with food was starting to fester. I listened to my thoughts: “I am starving, but I can’t eat because of the program. I can’t wait for this to be over. These foods are off-limits.”.
Ever been told you can’t have something? It only makes you want it more! This what was happening to me. The deprivation and hunger created a negative mental state for me.
So as of right now, Prolon and fasting in general is not FOR ME. There are so many great benefits to fasting, but it is not for everyone. Many people have done the Prolon program and fasting in general and have experienced such positive results! I know many who intermittent fast and it suits their eating style and schedule.
Would I recommend this? Possibly. If the person needed to: lose weight, had a major auto immune condition, chronic inflammation, or had already been practicing fasting techniques.
The food all tasted good and it was so simple to follow. They provided exact instructions on the meals each day and even a water bottle for your tea. Pros: No need to cook and prep food! It was a breeze just opening the box and going for the day.
I am a little disappointed that I didn’t finish the 5 days. I felt lame…I couldn’t do something for that short amount of time? I realize it that I could…but I CHOSE not to because of my overall health. There might have been physical health benefits associated, but I did not like the mental & emotional changes I experienced.
However in the short 3 days I learned A LOT:
- Always know WHY you’re doing something and have an End Goal. One of the main reasons why I lacked discipline on Prolon was because I was doing it as an experiment, a whim decision. I was not experiencing any of the health conditions that fasting could help nor did I want to lose weight. I had no goal or intrinsic reason WHY I wanted to do the program. When embarking on a new workout regime, way of eating, routine etc. make sure you know WHY you want it. If you don’t, you will lack the discipline, drive and motivation to stick with it.
- DIETS SUCK. Deprivation is a black hole to negative thoughts about yourself, food, uncontrollable eating, disordered eating patterns and more. They also don’t provide any long term or realistic tactics for a balanced healthy diet. I have been on diets when I was competing. Diets & Meal Plans (new ways of eating) CAN be beneficial short term for therapeutic health benefits (ie healing a gut issue, controlling a health condition etc.) However, extreme diets that eliminate a food group, drastically cut calories etc. does not set up the person with the tools they need for a long term lifestyle change.
- Listen to your Body. Mindfulness is a wonderful tool to practice; we can use it with our relationship with food, eating in general, workouts, breathing, thoughts etc. Doing the fast helped me recognize when I was truly hungry versus just wanting food out of habit or routine. It is also extremely important that we show ourselves compassion and love. By listening to my body & remembering my individual health goals, I realized that it was time to stop the program.
After 3 days of the program I lost 5lbs. I resumed my normal meals on Day 4, being aware of my hunger cues and not just eating out of habit or availability. I resumed my workouts and felt great during them.
Maybe in the future I can try fasting again. But I am confident and comfortable that this was the right decision for me. My current health goals are to improve my hormone levels, manage my hypothryoidism and keep my stress at bay. I will continue my current routine; eating when I’m hungry and fueling my body with the nutrients it needs for optimal health!
The website and more information on Prolon is: www.prolonfmd.com
This post was written solely based on my personal experience and my personal opinion.It should not be taken as medical advice or prescription. Prolon does not claim to treat any health condition or disease, and it is not advised for certain populations. Always consult your health care practitioner about any changes to your nutrition or health program.
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