My results started to alarm me, so I’ve started to add a few (100 or so) calories back into my diet:

This morning (48h since starting): 0.5 mmol/L This evening (end of day 3): 6.0 mmol/L

I’m really pleased to see that I got into ketosis, even though I’m still eating 800-1,000 calories per day (ProLon plus some additional vegetables of my own).

When I’ve checked after a 24h water fast I don’t have any ketones. So, this is new to me.

That said 6 mmol is a lot and way above any “mild-ketosis” amount (internet says 1-3 mmol). So, I will keep adding vegetables to each meal to try to keep myself in the mild zone.

Have any of you used similar strips to track your level of ketosis?

Started the ProLon 5-Day box and wanted to ask people here if they’ve ever either:

• Winged it a bit…adding broccoli or other vegetables to the meal plan? The ProLon website says not to do this, but I work out for 60-90 minutes daily and burn many more calories than the average adult, and am already low BMI

Or

• Simply created their own?

I eat really healthy all the time, and so it’s been strange to suddenly have to eat highly processed food with so little fiber compared to how I normally eat. Within one day I had acid reflux, headaches, etc.

I watched this video by Dr Sten Ekberg (https://youtu.be/wvzB2DHNSsQ?si=xfJT1SRaaQeFsor0) and he laid out the framework: half the calories, low carb, low protein.

His suggested meals: soups, salads, stir fried veg all sound healthy and tasty.

For me, I could keep the vegetables and healthy fats and salads from my daily diet, and just skip meat, dairy and legumes for 5 days and I think I’d match the framework described about directly. I know my stomach would greatly prefer such natural ingredients instead of highly processed foods.

Keen to hear what people have done here? Thanks

Edit: I went and read the About section for the subreddit. Sorry, should have done that first. OMG, thank you. It makes me so much happier to see that framework and know that I can indeed do this regularly, but with my own choice of ingredients - just within the calorie and macro framework laid out. Thank you

Was just closing my eyes today at the end of day 2 of my first time when this occurred to me. Had to get out of bed and login to Reddit and find the appropriate sub and share that thought.

Who'd have thought you could sell self-control in a 9"x5"x12" box. I started Monday after traveling and visiting friends over the weekend. I stopped on the way back at my favorite cider mill. Bought cider, a dozen hotcakes, and an apple pie. That's right - I forgot that I was starting ProLon with my partner on Monday.

I have a real snacking problem. My problem manifests itself badly at the end of the day. I would go to sleep and wake up feeling yucky due to eating too much before bed. Binge eating. Stress eating. I was really concerned that all those yummy snacks would do me in. I've not deviated from the plan. And here I am going to sleep feeling great. I have a secret weapon: self-control in a box.

I’m on day 4. It’s currently 7:20 PM. Today wasnt too bad. I’m off work and kept myself busy most of the day. My girlfriend is doing it with me and we went to run some errands and drooled at all of our favorite restaurants.

Home now. Halfway through Minestrone with quinoa. This soup fucking sucks. I can’t believe I was only given one Mushroom Soup. This is minestrone 4 or maybe 5. I’ve lost count and I think there is one tomorrow send help and more mushroom soup.

I am on day 5 of my second time doing Prolon. I first completed the diet back in March, and chose to do it again this week. Here's what I noticed (tips coming at the end):

Day 1: I was REALLY PISSED. I started on a Sunday (my favorite day to eat), and I was super cranky because I realized that when I decided to do this diet again, I had done so remembering all the great things I felt after doing Prolon the first time. I had forgotten about the suffering. Every time I opened a bar or soup it was with EXTREME reluctance. I was angry at the world... nothing brought me joy. I was snippy to my boyfriend and I locked myself in our room while he was eating dinner and made him remove all the evidence before I came out.

Day 2: Better than day one, still feeling angry with myself for starting this torture again. I was asking myself "is this really worth it?" I almost broke. My mouth started watering while RSVP'ing to my friends wedding and selecting the dinner meal option. Boyfriend ate dinner outside of apartment for fear of my wrath (whoopsies). This is when I brought in my favorite tip (tip #1 below)

Day 3: Headache came in, was in better spirits but I knew this day was the hardest so I mentally prepared. Surprisingly, this was the first night I invited my boyfriend to eat his dinner next to me. I was jealous, yes, but it was bearable and I used it as an opportunity to exercise restraint. Tip #1 is most important on this day.

Day 4: I felt VERY chic and glowing and toned and I was starting to feel euphoric and very very proud of myself. I felt way less hungry and I didn't even finish my last soup (out of repulsion). Ate dinner with boyfriend and didn't even think about what he was eating. I was certainly excited to be able to start normal food but I wasn't on the brink of lunging for his plate.

Day 5 (today): Walking on air. I really didn't feel hunger the same way I normally do today, I ate my bar when I knew it was time by listening to my body. Feeling all of the benefits. I am now sitting here with 1 soup left and some crackers and I am very excited for this to be over, NOT because I'm craving different foods, but because I do not want any more of this god damn soup.

Okayyyy time for some tips:

TIP #1: The mindset that got me through

The only thing that stopped me from breaking both times was telling myself "let's take this day by day." Groundbreaking... I know, but I was basically, I was giving myself an out. I'd Whisper to myself, "you can quit tomorrow if you want to." Turns out, "tomorrow me" would always use the same thought process and give me enough strength to get through 1 more day. If you think of the big picture - FIVE DAYS - you will feel hopeless. If you remind yourself how good you'll in the morning, and tell yourself that if its not for you tomorrow, its not for you, but today we finish what we start. Odds are, you'll have this pep talk all over again the next day.

Tip #2: Getting Creative with the Meals

L Bar - If you're like me, you hate the L-bar with ever fiber of your being. I was desperate for ways to make it edible, and I saw someone post that if you break it up and heat it up on a pan, adding a dash of cinnamon, it tastes better. So I did this, and it turned into a beautiful warm granola that I ate with a spoon. It was 10X better this way

Soups - use the allotted teaspoon of spices, and add some fresh ground pepper over top so it looks fancier. I also like to eat my soups with iced seltzer water and I try to make the whole thing look presentable. Biggest soup advice - on days with crackers ADD THE CRACKERS TO THE SOUP LIKE CROUTONS. It makes the whole thing feel heartier.

Dessert: I saw someone say that you should eat the choco-crisp RIGHT after your last soup because it slows your stomach emptying or something, or it keeps you full longer. It's true. I didn't do this the first time I did prolon, but I did this time and miraculously, I was far more satiated after.

Olives: On the days with 2 olive packs.... I eat them both at the same time. I did this because the choco crisp advice above (eating it right after last soup) worked so well, so I thought getting more food in me at one time would help. It did!

Tip #3: When to Start

Do not, I repeat, do not EVER start on a Sunday. Well, at least if you cherish Sunday's as much as I do. I love cooking on sundays and its usually when I have my weekly "cheat" meal. Monday through Friday is way easier.

That is actually all the tips I have, but they are good tips. I will answer any questions that people have!

I feel a little light headed and lethargic. Energy is down. I work in a factory. 10 hours to go. I only have a soup and chocolate bar left. L Drink almost depleted. I have a vending machine with standard snacks. And access to any sport drink you can think of. What should I do to recover and make it through this shift? I am off tomorrow.

And I've already eaten my kale crackers :(

Wondering if anyone has noticed delayed ovulation on prolon (or a DIY FMD)? I track ovulation using basal body temping and LH tests and noticed I haven't ovulated yet at cycle day 22 (I usually do so between days 14-18). I'm also on day 3 of prolon (and feeling fantastic). I wouldn't be surprised if it was an anovulatory cycle given the limited calories and how bodies will forego ovulation to power other functions if you're not eating enough.

Overall not too worried about it, but curious if this is a common experience.

I posted a rant on day 2, when I was seriously contemplating giving up this round, but I've made it to day 5. I don't recall being so gassy during the first 2 rounds. Has anyone else experienced this? Perhaps it's the new formulation with evoo packets? I wouldn't purchase this one again because the fasting shake was gross (glad it was only 1 serving). I'm still considering breaking the fast tonight. Not sure I can face the last soup.

Hello! Yesterday was day three for me and I woke up at 1 AM with severe dizziness and sharp tingling in both of my hands, and shakiness and heart palpitations. As someone who's experienced low blood sugar in the past I could definitely tell it was my problem, so I ate two small olives And half of a small banana. Felt much better 15 minutes later and feel fine this morning. I technically break my fast? That was probably about 70 cal as my guess. Can I just eat less of my breakfast bar to compensate or will all of that sugar in the banana have ruined the rest of the fast?

Act fast!

https://prolonlife.com/FLORA15

I'm finishing up day 2 of my 3rd round of Prolon FMD. I found the first round in July was very doable, and I felt amazing even a few weeks afterwards. Round 2 in August was a bit more challenging and I couldn't wait for it to end. I started feeling depressed a few weeks after because I couldn't get excited about eating anything - many of the foods that bring me pleasure are certainly not part of the Longevity diet. I drank less alcohol, but overcompensated with sweets. My labs came back worse than 6 months ago. I just started r3 yesterday and I'm really questioning whether to complete it. I'm craving sugar and I'm super dejected about the labs. I'm also feeling a bit brain foggy during a week requiring lots of mental energy. Not looking forward to day 3. Also, the fasting shake is not good - basically a mashed up L-bar. Anyway, I feel like this is pointless if it's torture without improving labs. I have maintained a 5-7lb weight loss since before the first round, but damn, I'm not feeling thrilled otherwise.

Any idea why? I have lots of weight to lose. Only lost 2 lbs

I've been doing intermittent fasting (IF) for years to maintain my weight, and two years ago, I started 36-40 hour fasts, increasing from once a month to 2-3 times a month.

I'm 48, female, and perimenopausal. I work out 4-5 days a week and stay in decent shape, but it takes effort. I eat mindfully during the week but indulge a bit on weekends.

Lately, I’ve struggled with the 36-hour fasts and noticed some weight gain. I found the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) and decided to try my own version, with ChatGPT helping me calculate the macros.

I’m happy to say I’ve started losing weight again. My typical meals include nuts, olives, cucumber salad, mixed vegetable salads, and soup.

Even though I only do it one day a week, I’m seeing results—not just on the scale but in inches, too. I'm planning to increase to alternate days and eventually try 3 days in a row. Just wanted to share my experience!

Act quickly!

https://prolonlife.com/FLORA15

This experience has been an interesting one for me. I was EXHAUSTED Monday and Tuesday, and I’m not usually ever tired. Maybe that’s related to the decrease in coffee, I’ve been following the rule of less than 1 cup per day. But on days 3 and 4 I woke up feeling GREAT, with a good amount of energy. It’s so weird, it’s a different kind of energy I’m used to experiencing, a calm energy if that makes sense? Not like the anxious energy I’m used to. Has anyone else noticed that? I’d love to continue feeling this way mentally after the 5 day is over.

Hi, I really liked the Spearmint Peppermint tea and tea with lemon. Anyone knows how to order them separately from Prolon or from any outside brand that matches their teas?

Thanks

So far, I’ve actually liked everything, but I really struggle with the L-Bars. I was so relieved to see there’s only one today on Day 2. I held off as long as I could but finally had it at 10am. Based on someone’s recommendation, I tried turning it into "porridge" by adding some hot water and cinnamon… but it still made me want to gag. I managed to get down about 75% of it, but it was tough.

Also, I’m devastated there are no kale crackers today.

Does anyone have any other recommendations on how to make the L-Bars more bearable? Would love to hear any tips that worked for you!

Hey everyone, I made this sheet a while ago to calculate calories and macros when creating my own DIY fasting mimicking diet. I updated it to make it easier to use, and figured I'd share it with you all. You just have to input the foods you want to eat, along with their nutritional information and how many servings of each food. The sheet will calculate everything for you and you can tweak the servings of different foods to build a diet that works for you and fits the proper calorie and macro nutrient profile. Don't forget to input your weight for proper calorie goal calculation. The sheet is currently populated with values from my last DIY FMD plan, but save a copy and edit it based on your needs.

I also added two additional sheets that will automatically fill in a printer friendly version of your diet for day 1 and days 2-5. If you're unfamiliar with google sheets, you can find them on the bottom left of your screen, labeled "Day 1 Printable" and "Days 2-5 Printable"

EDIT: I changed the link to a template preview. So you should just be able to click the blue "Use Template" button in the top right corner to use and edit this sheet on your own account.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10rT2qrDzwYyh7akwc5qwG1fEtzOSGtN0QHMYJjui1Ig/template/preview

I read The Longevity Diet, bought a box, and was about to start my fast today when I was reminded, "We advise undergoing the FMD in the presence of another person." (p. 113)

I'm the only adult in the house for the next couple weeks, and I have kids.

What were your experiences regarding energy while doing the FMD? How well were you able to function? Did you feel at all in jeopardy of being able to perform your daily tasks and meet responsibilities?

I've spent a decent amount of time on the sub reading people's experiences, and it sounds like some are out there rock climbing, running, etc etc, basically maintaining a really high level of activity despite the fast, whereas others have mentioned being more tired or having headaches during the 5 days. Regardless, all experiences describe everyone still being fully functional.

I understand an individual's experiences will vary. But I'm trying to correctly understand the advice from the book.

In your opinion, would it be irresponsible to do FMD if you're the only adult present, with kids in your care?

Experiences obviously vary, but I can say that the Prolon five day fast was transformative for me. I lost nine pounds and it helped me reset my relationship to food. I don't eat as much as I did previously and I'm far more mindful of what, and, most importantly for me, how much I eat. I've now lost thirteen pounds four weeks after beginning the fast, and have established the healthy habits to continue that return to a better version of myself. My anxiety has decreased, and I find myself far more engaged in the people around me. For me, I can't recommend Prolon enough.

I will also say that I felt energized and mentally revitalized over the five days. I was a little less emotionally flexible in the evenings after a long day of work, but I felt great besides.

I am on round 2 of Prolon, just finished day 2 and now I am remembering how much I disliked the soups... I am thinking replacing the soups with a vegetable soup but wondering if there is a reason not to? I was able to match macros almost exactly (it's basically olive oil, 2 carrots, 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 small zucchini, 1 pound asparagus and a small potato) but still worried if fiber may be an issue?.. Thank you!

I’m on day four. Did this for autoimmune as requested by my special doc. Day one was headache hell. But, the last few days have been fine other than being super hungry and VERY bloated to the point I’m wondering if I gained weight. But, followed the plan and drank lots of water. I find the foods very very salty. I’m wondering if this salt content has pissed off my kidneys and raised my blood pressure? Anyone go through this before? I had a routine unrelated doc appointment and while I normally get nervous, hate the monitor, and have “dr generated” high BP - today was off the charts. I almost stopped Prolon today but decided to order a home BP machine (per my doc who almost didn’t let me leave) and see how I am tomorrow. I’m almost done anyways.

Also. What have folks done about water bloat? Will I return to normal once done?

I feel like a weirdo having this experience 🤣

So I just finished a 5 day cycle of Prolon. My first dinner post fast consisted of a brown rice pasta with asparagus and chicken.

I’ve felt starving the entire the fast and felt like I needed some protein since it feels like my muscles have diminished noticeably over 5 days of Prolon.

Immediately after eating I’m already bloated and gassy. Is that a sign I’m sensitive to something I ate? I didn’t really get bloated or gas while on the 5 day fast with the soups provided.

Did I have too aggressive of a first meal back and how long do the benefits really last if I am already bloated again?

I recently quit caffeine, after a slow 2 month taper. With each step down I experienced about 5 days of withdrawal symptoms- so when I went from 2 cups of coffee daily to 1, I had 5 days of feeling irritable, flu like symptoms, trouble sleeping, low motivation etc.

Now that I'm doing my second round of Prolon, I realize that during my first round (when I was not limiting caffeine at all and then cut back to the 1 cup of black coffee max recommended) a lot of the suffering I attributed to the diet was probably actually caffeine withdrawals! Just finished day 2 and feel so much better this time around. I wonder if others are experiencing withdrawal symptoms and thinking it's from the FMD?

I'd definitely recommend dropping to 1 cup of coffee the week before you start your FMD so you get the withdrawals out of the way before hand!

Also- the choco crisp bar has a small bit of caffeine in it, so eating it before bed may contribute to the sleep issues some people are having. I've been having mine in the morning instead

I’m doing an easy hike and would like to keep my day 3 lunch schedule with the soup. I want to cook the soup in the morning, place inside a thermal mug to keep warm, and have it for lunch around noon. Has anyone done similar (is this safe/ok to do) or offer some other suggestions? Thanks!

I did Prolon a couple months ago and, as expected, was in Ketosis by day 3. I stayed in ketosis for the next 6 weeks or so until a family vacation caused me to go off the rails a bit. I just started another round this week to try and get down a little closer to my target weight. I'm on day 5 and still not in ketosis.

Is there a reason for that? Did I do it too close to the last round?

After a lot of reading and planning I am ready to do a DIY version of FMD. The only thing is I have really active children and a huge garden/hilly land to tend to.

Is it possible to engage in light to moderate physical activities, such as walking up and down hills for 2-3 hours a day. Has anyone in a simular situation such as a physically demanding job done tried this? How was is for you?

Thanks!

I’m on Day 2 of Prolon; this is my second round, my first was about 7weeks ago. I ate my morning bar at 9:30 with a black coffee and have been low-level nauseous since. I’ve been sipping my L-drink. Did anyone experience this on day 2? Can I skip the soup & olives combo and just eat the dinner soup or will that really screw up the functionality of the fast?