ProLon Review: My Experience and Guide to the 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet

When I first heard of ProLon, I wondered, could this be another fad diet or detox ploy? I decided to dig into the research and discovered The Longevity Diet by Dr. Valter Longo, which featured the 5-day fasting-mimicking diet. I read it cover to cover and discovered some secrets to longevity and a better understanding of ProLon. I wasn't searching for weight loss per se but looking for more clarity, energy, and longevity.

I have been fascinated with fasting and its rich history in ancient cultures and religions but was never able to fit it into a modern lifestyle. The convenience of mimicking a fast as a busy mom drew me specifically to ProLon (4 times now). My overall experience has been positive and I have learned a lot about myself, my cravings, my willpower, my energy, and my mental clarity.

If you are already sold on ProLon and just want to order a kit with a discount, click on the link and enter BUSY10 at checkout! This post contains affiliate links (in case you didn't know).

Your Why

Before you even begin any challenge, whether personal or with work, you need to understand your why. This will keep you going when it gets tough and you want to quit so make sure you remember your why as you go through this process. My why is anti-aging, and longevity. 

What is ProLon?

ProLon is a 5-day restricted calorie, plant-based meal program designed to mimic fasting without a water-only fast. ProLon is based on 20 years and $36 million in research and development. It has been proven to keep your body in a fasting state while nourishing it with food. You can choose from a 1-day reset to the full 5-day program. When you place an order, a box is shipped to you with detailed instructions. Each day has its own box of plant-based energy bars, soups, supplements, snacks, and teas, which is simple to follow.

It is important that you do your research and plan ahead. For these reasons, I have put together a comprehensive guide to ProLon and how you should prepare and execute it.

The Science

Discovered and developed at the Longevity Institute of the University of Southern California, ProLon's technology is plant-based nutrition that allows the body to enter into a beneficial fasting state without triggering the cells’ nutrient sensors. As the name suggests, it actually mimics fasting…while still allowing you to eat food. This nourished fasting fine-tunes cells, supports healthy aging, and eliminates the need to do a water-only starvation fast, which can have negative side effects. Autophagy is a buzzword among the anti-aging community and is defined as the natural process of removing old and damaged cells from the body. During autophagy, cells recycle intracellular debris, and worn-out parts (organelles), so they appear to be younger versions of themselves. And it happens when you do prolonged fasting.

Intermittent Fasting

I have been doing a version of intermittent fasting for over 10 years now and admittedly it helped me with completing the 5-day fast. If you are hesitant about going all in with ProLon, I would suggest trying to intermittent fast first. The easiest way to start intermittent fasting is to eat an early dinner then wait and eat an early lunch. Ideally, you want to aim for an 8-hour eating window. For example, you might eat between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM and fast from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM the next day.

What About Coffee?

One of the first questions I asked was can I still drink coffee on ProLon? The short answer is yes but with some caveats, it has not been officially studied so there is not a 100% guarantee from ProLon and they recommend skipping it. But I still get all the benefits and just avoid the extra cream and sugar and drink it black to appreciate the true taste of coffee. Search for high-quality organic coffee because there is good and bad coffee out there. On the flip side, no alcohol of course. 

Clear Your Schedule and Stress Level

If you have decided to purchase a ProLon kit, you absolutely need to take a very close look at your calendar. Find a week that is light and stress-free. I know it's nearly impossible with work and kids but do your best. Let your friends and family know that you are doing a fast so they can support you. Meal prep for others ahead of time and if you are the household chef try to encourage other family members to cook. Whether you plan to start on Sunday or Monday depends on your family, work, and social schedule. Both work just fine.

Find An Accountability Partner

As with any challenge, an accountability partner will help encourage and motivate you and vice versa. Whether they are a family member that lives with you or a distant friend, you can still guide each other through the process. Send pictures and texts and regularly check in on each other. It helps a lot! You can always join ProLon's Facebook Fasting Group or their Coaching Led Group.

Go to Bed Early

Really important. If you stay up late, your cravings kick in. Avoid it as much as possible and get some good sleep. You may feel some fatigue during the fast as your body adjusts so give it some rest.

Working Out

If you have an aggressive workout schedule, I would scale it back just in case your body craves calories afterward. During my first fast, I decided not to work out at all and now looking back I could have done some light walking or yoga without any issues. I've always worked out in a fasting state so for me it is a bit easier. After trying ProLon 4 times, my body knows how to respond to exercise. Take it slow, listen to your body, and do what it asks.

Track Your Cycle

This is for the ladies. Ideally, you start ProLon mid-cycle. It will help with PMS, cravings, and all of the other uncomfortable symptoms we experience. Technically you can start anywhere during your cycle but mid-cycle is what has worked best for me. If you need help tracking your period, try an app called Clue.

Finish The 5 Days

I get this question a lot. What happens if I do not finish the 5 days? Truthfully, the last day can sometimes be the most challenging. You are starting to feel lighter, with more clarity, and might be ready to socialize again. Life happens and the last day is easy to let go of. From my experience, day 5 gives the most transformation. It was designed that way so push through it. You will be happy you did.

It Is Not a One and Done

Even just one cycle of ProLon is worthwhile and gives you a chance to go through the life-changing experience of fasting with food. However, if you want to derive the maximal benefit from ProLon, repeated cycles are recommended. Prolonged benefits are seen with multiple consecutive cycles of ProLon. As with any diet, you should talk to your healthcare provider, who may recommend doing monthly cycles until you reach your individual goals, and then every 3-6 months thereafter to maintain long-term benefits.

On a side note, I have learned to love olives 🫒 during this process. You will too!

If you want to try out ProLon, please click on the link below to get a discount and enter BUSY10 at checkout.