How To Follow a Fasting Mimicking Diet For a Metabolic Reset

One of the most powerful health-promoting tools I use in my telehealth functional medicine practice and in my personal life is fasting. While it’s not right for absolutely everyone, research has demonstrated a multitude of benefits of fasting, including reducing inflammation, improving metabolic function, and extending both lifespan and healthspan. 

But there are a lot of different ways to fast. Personalization and flexibility are central to my philosophy on fasting. 

Today, I’m breaking down the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), and specifically the new Prolon Next Gen 5-Day Program, an eating plan designed to replicate the effects of a true prolonged fast. How does it work, what does the research say, and is it right for you? Read on to find out. 

The Benefits of Fasting

Fasting is one of the most beneficial healing tools available to us, and has been used for centuries to support wellbeing. 

The benefits of fasting are widespread and may include: 

• Reducing inflammation within and outside of the digestive tract; improving inflammatory gut conditions including IBS and IBD (1) 
• Allowing the digestive system to rest and reset 
• Lowering markers of heart disease risk, including blood pressure and triglycerides (2) 
• Improving brain function and mood; protecting brain cells from factors that accelerate aging; enhancing neuroplasticity (3, 4) 
• Improving metabolism and metabolic flexibility; reducing insulin resistance; reducing cravings (5, 6) 

Many of the health benefits of fasting result from its ability to trigger autophagy, or cellular recycling, which is one of the best ways to support cellular health, brain health, metabolic health, and longevity. Autophagy occurs when the body senses a shortage of sugar and nutrients. 

What Is the Fasting Mimicking Diet? 

The Fasting Mimicking Diet was developed by longevity scientists at the USC Longevity Institute, based on over 25 years of research, who found that carefully calibrated formulations of food could stay under nutrient-sensing pathways. This keeps the body in a fasting state, thereby mimicking its effects and benefits without total food deprivation.

The FMD involves five day periods of a precise low calorie and low-protein dietary plan that still provides nutrients and healthy, plant-based fiber and fats. 

These five day eating plans are structured to avoid triggering the body’s nutrient-sensing pathways, and activate autophagy and the other effects of a fasted state. It sounds too good to be true, but research has demonstrated impressive results! 

I often recommend this plan for those who are interested in the health and longevity benefits of fasting, but uncomfortable with the idea of not eating anything for a prolonged period. If done properly, this is really the best of both worlds. 

The Prolon 5-Day Program 

The Prolon 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is the first commercially available FMD program, backed by clinical research. It’s a scientifically designed and curated meal kit containing ready-to-eat, plant-based, gluten-free, low glycemic meals, snacks, and teas with the exact macronutrient and calorie breakdown you need in order to enter autophagy while still enjoying nutritious food. 

Recently, Prolon has introduced their Next Gen program, which modernizes the original Prolon 5-Day with organic, ready-to-eat soups.

The Prolon 5-Day could not be easier to follow and everything tastes great. Their soups and olives are sustainably sourced from short-supply-chain farms in Italy, and I love their macadamia nut bars and almond and kale crackers. They also include organic herbal teas including mint & peppermint, hibiscus flower, and lemon & cedar. 

I do think it’s important to understand that unlike many other dietary plans, this is one that is next to impossible to DIY. You’re not just restricting calories; in order to have the best chance of achieving autophagy and the other benefits of fasting, every single calorie and nutrient chosen needs to be incredibly precise. With the Prolon 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet, you know that this detailed work has been done for you, and all you have to do is consume what’s in the kit! 

How To Follow the Fasting Mimicking Diet 

The Fasting Mimicking Diet is a program designed to be used in cycles. The first time you do it, you’ll complete three consecutive, monthly cycles: 

• For 5 consecutive days, eat exactly what’s in your Prolon meal kit (this is your fasting mimicking period) 
• For the remainder of the month, eat a normal, balanced, nutrient-rich diet 
• Repeat this over 2 more months 

You can also do a single cycle if you prefer, but doing multiple cycles allows you to maximize the benefits. After you’ve done this for three months, you can maximize and maintain benefits by completing the 5-day program three times per year (15 total days annually). 

In order to obtain the best results, make sure to follow the program exactly as it’s designed. Every day’s calories and nutrients are carefully balanced to support autophagy and the benefits of fasting. If you switch up the meals or ingredients between days, you may throw off this balance. 

Research-Backed Benefits of the FMD

The Fasting Mimicking Diet is backed by over 25 years of research. Some of the benefits may include: 

• A 2024 USC study published in Nature Communications showed that three monthly cycles of the FMD reduced participants’ biological age (the health and functioning of their cells and tissues) by an average of 2.5 years. (7)
• The FMD has been shown to activate autophagy, or cellular recycling and renewal, without complete food deprivation. 
• Prolon users report improved energy, mental clarity, decreased sugar cravings, and better self-esteem. 
• Clinical trials have shown reductions in abdominal and liver fat, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, all of which contribute to better metabolic health. (8)
• Research has shown increased skin hydration by 25%, more even skin tone, and enhanced overall skin appearance after 3 consecutive cycles. (9) 
• The FMD allows for healthy fat-focused weight loss while protecting your muscles, unlike many diets (and weight loss medications) where a significant percentage of weight loss can come from muscle. 

Research is ongoing into other benefits of the Fasting Mimicking Diet. 

Who Is the Fasting Mimicking Diet Right For? 

I recommend the Prolon 5-Day for anyone who wants to experience the benefits of fasting, but doesn’t want to completely avoid food. For some people, this can be a way to “ease in” to a more traditional way of fasting, but it definitely doesn’t have to be. You can continue with the FMD a few times a year as a practice to support your cellular, metabolic, mental, skin, and overall health. 

As with intermittent fasting and other forms of caloric restriction, there are some people for whom the FMD is not appropriate. This includes those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders, and people under 18. If you have type 1 diabetes, a chronic illness, or are taking certain medications, you may want to speak with your trusted practitioner to make sure this is right for you. 

A Longevity Lifestyle, Not Just a Diet

One of the things I really appreciate about the FMD is that it’s not just a diet, it’s designed to be part of a more holistic longevity lifestyle (which should also include anti-inflammatory eating, movement, mindfulness, and restful sleep). 

Cycles of the Fasting Mimicking Diet with Prolon, when combined with daily health-promoting choices, create a sustainable rhythm to support your healthspan. 

If you’re ready to get started, you can take 15% off your first Prolon Next Gen 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet with code DRWILLCOLE right here. 

Photo courtesy of Prolon 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored blog post. We only partner with brands that we believe will provide value to our readers.

Sources

• Kanazawa, M., & Fukudo, S. (2006). Effects of fasting therapy on irritable bowel syndrome. International journal of behavioral medicine, 13(3), 214-220.
• Rothschild, J., Hoddy, K. K., Jambazian, P., & Varady, K. A. (2014). Time-restricted feeding and risk of metabolic disease: a review of human and animal studies. Nutrition reviews, 72(5), 308-318.
• Hussin, N. M., Shahar, S., Teng, N. I. M. F., Ngah, W. Z. W., & Das, S. K. (2013). Efficacy of fasting and calorie restriction (FCR) on mood and depression among ageing men. The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 17(8), 674-680.
• Martin, B., Mattson, M. P., & Maudsley, S. (2006). Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting: two potential diets for successful brain aging. Ageing research reviews, 5(3), 332-353.
• Aly, S. M. (2014). Role of intermittent fasting on improving health and reducing diseases. International journal of health sciences, 8(3), V.
• Harvie, M., Wright, C., Pegington, M., McMullan, D., Mitchell, E., Martin, B., … & Howell, A. (2013). The effect of intermittent energy and carbohydrate restriction v. daily energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers in overweight women. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(8), 1534-1547.
• Brandhorst, S., Levine, M. E., Wei, M., Shelehchi, M., Morgan, T. E., Nayak, K. S., … & Longo, V. D. (2024). Fasting-mimicking diet causes hepatic and blood markers changes indicating reduced biological age and disease risk. Nature Communications, 15(1), 1309.
• Wei, M., Brandhorst, S., Shelehchi, M., Mirzaei, H., Cheng, C. W., Budniak, J., … & Longo, V. D. (2017). Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Science translational medicine, 9(377), eaai8700.
• Maloh, J., Wei, M., Hsu, W. C., Caputo, S., Afzal, N., & Sivamani, R. K. (2023). The effects of a fasting mimicking diet on skin hydration, skin texture, and skin assessment: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(5), 1710.