I’m a huge Gwenyth Paltrow / Goop superfan, so I’ve been curious about trying the Prolon fast for a very long time before I finally carved out a week to do it.
I’ve always been fasting curious, but worried about messing up my already out of whack hormones, so I haven’t really experienced much with ‘true; fasting (since that one time i did the cayenne/lemon/maple syrup/water fast for 10 days. Never. Again.) But I love a good cleanse, a detox, a ‘program with rules’.
I’ve done the Chef V cleanse many-a-times over the years, and it’s delicious and super easy to follow. My code travelingfig gets you 55% off. And I’m super familiar with every single juice bar in LA’s program.
So, I thought eating real food, that I can chew, on Prolon? It will be a breeze for me!
I was kinda right. And also so wrong.
(If you don’t feel like reading all this and you’re just here for the Prolon Fast Promo code, here she is: Chelsea10 I refuse to be like those recipe bloggers who tell their whole damn life story before you get to the recipe)
If you’re interested in learning more, well, be my guest and read on:
What is the Prolon Fast?
The Prolon Fast is a scientifically designed fasting mimicking diet (FMD) that allows individuals to experience the benefits of fasting while still nourishing their bodies with essential nutrients. Unlike traditional water fasts, which can be challenging to sustain and may lead to muscle loss, the Prolon Fast provides carefully curated plant-based meals that support cellular renewal and metabolic health.
How Does it Work?
The Prolon Fast is structured as a five-day program, during which you consume a specific selection of soups, bars, snacks, drinks, and supplements designed to nourish the body while promoting fasting-related benefits. Each day’s meals are precisely calibrated to provide the body with essential nutrients while mimicking the effects of fasting, such as ketosis and autophagy, the natural process by which cells remove damaged components and regenerate.
The Potential Benefits of the Prolon Fast
- Weight Loss: (well duh)
- Cellular Renewal: Fasting has been shown to trigger autophagy, a cellular cleaning process that removes damaged components and promotes cellular renewal (intriguing)
- Improved Metabolic Health: Studies have suggested that fasting may help improve metabolic markers such as insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. By incorporating elements of fasting into the Prolon Fast, individuals may experience improvements in metabolic health and reduce their risk of chronic diseases (Also interesting)
- Enhanced Mental Clarity: Many participants report experiencing increased mental clarity and focus during and after the Prolon Fast, likely due to the ketone production and metabolic changes associated with fasting. (I don’t buy it)
- Longevity: research has shown promising results in animal studies, suggesting that fasting may have the potential to extend lifespan and promote healthy aging. (Sold)
My experience
Day 1 I was so excited to start. I had eased in and abstained from alcohol for a few days and cut back on coffee (I still had 1 cup/day on the fast). The bar, crackers and olives were pretty tasty. And the soup was fine. But by the afternoon, I was consumed with thoughts of food. I felt famished, and definitely like I was in a state of fasting.
Day 2-3 were absolutely the exact same. I slept okay and still had energy. I even went on a hike. But I could not stop obsessing over food! It was all I thought about. Even more so than other detoxes and cleanses I’ve done because I think the little nibble of food was just revving up my metabolism enough to leave me begging for more sustenance.
Day 4 I stepped on the scale and I was down 7lbs. Since I had absolutely no weight to lose when I started and was already under the recommended BMI to do the cleanse (but, please, Gwenyth is too), I decided that this was a wee bit too much of a drastic loss for me. However, my energy had completely restored, my skin was glowing, and I was no longer dreaming about food. In fact, my stomach felt so shrunk I barely even cared about eating the portioned out rations.
On Day 5, I quit early so I didn’t lose any more weight and started reintroducing vegetables and easy to digest foods for extra sustenance.
My experience
Would I do it again? You bet. I want to every year! I felt amazing, and if even a fraction of those claims are true, I’m in. What a wonderful way to detox and find mental clarity. It felt so lovely to take a gym vacation for the week and just focus on over-hydrating myself and going to bed early. A true self-care mini vacation.
Now, my disclaimer is that I am in the midst of freezing my eggs, and if you too are someone of child bearing age and in the market for a bun in oven, this fast is not for you. Any fasting can disrupt hormonal balance, so please keep that in mind. Always good to reach out to a Dr for the a-ok before starting any new wellness program.
Here’s the link to sign up for your 5 day fast. Code is Chelsea10
