Pressing Reset
During the first six months of the year, I traveled to five countries and three US cities, mostly for business purposes. While I was able to keep up with my exercise routine, my plant-based diet took a hit, having to rely on energy bars, packages of almonds and peanut butter when fresh fruit and veg were out of the question (e.g., India). As mid-July approached and travel stopped for a bit, I knew it was time for a reset. While listening to a podcast, I heard Dr. Sanjay Gutpa mention the ProLon five-day fasting mimicking meal program. I was intrigued.
First, let me state that 1) I am not a doctor and am not giving medical advice; and 2) I am not affiliated with ProLon and do not receive anything from the company. This post is based purely on my personal experience using the product.
According to the ProLon website, the Fasting Mimicking Diet is the brainchild of Dr. Valter Longo, who does research on longevity with his team at USC. His Fasting Mimicking Diet is based on research that showed his method of eating provides the benefits of fasting without the limitations of a water fast.
I ordered the five-day program, which consists of plant-based whole foods, including soup, nut bars, olives, teas and crackers. Everything needed for five days of eating is included in the box. The food is prepackaged by day and the calorie count is 1,100 for Day 1 and 800 for each of the remaining four days with 60% of the calories coming from fats, 30% from carbs and 10% from protein.
Studies of this program showed that participants reported weight loss (including visceral belly fat loss) and lower blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol and markers of inflammation. The research also found a decrease in a cancer growth biomarker as well as an increase in the regeneration of cells.
I started the fast about eight pounds above my ideal weight. Given my level of activity and usual eating habits, I expected to lose about three pounds over five days.
Here’s how I fared:
Day 1: I felt fatigued from a late night the evening before and became very aware of my eating triggers, since there’s was nothing to reach for outside of the handful of items in the box. Although exercise is not recommended, I ran three miles in the morning. I lost one pound.
Day 2: I had a long, deep sleep with a lot of elusive dreams. I did some light yoga stretches and felt stiff. I wasn’t hungry but looked forward to mealtime. I lost another pound (total two).
Day 3: I took an hour walk and felt deeply connected to my surroundings. I felt clearheaded throughout the day. Once again, I went to bed early and slept very soundly. To my surprise I lost another pounds (total three).
Day 4: The feeling of being deeply grounded and calm continued. I spent a half hour stretching because my muscles felt stiff, perhaps from the inactivity (the program suggests no strenuous exercise). I lost yet another pound (total four).
Day 5: A felt a little hungry on the last day. I was glad that I would “break fast” the next morning. I was down another pound (total five).
On the day after the fast ended, I woke up and felt a little shaky but marveled at my flat stomach. I got on the scale and lost three more pounds for a total of eight pounds in five days.
It has been a week since I finished the fast and I’ve been tracking my food out of curiosity. I’ve been eating between 1200 and 1500 calories a day and burning at least 300-500 calories a day through exercise. I quickly regained three pounds but am still five below where I started on Day 1.
I was pleased with the results and will consider following the program once a quarter.
Journal Reflections: Do you feel you need to hit the reset button? What can you do to refresh an eating or exercise routine? How might you further the momentum gained from the reset activity?