What Is Fasting Mimicking Diet? Here’s All You Need To Know

What is FMD | How does FMD work | FMD foods | FMD Benefits | Who should avoid FMD

The fasting mimicking diet is a new diet that was created by a physician who was inspired by the benefits of fasting and wanted to create an easier, more practical method for people to benefit from the health benefits of fasting. It promises dramatic weight loss in just five days.

Fasting is not a new phenomenon. In various religions, fasting is seen as a means of purification. Today, fasting is widely accepted in mainstream and alternative medicine as a remedy for improving general health, achieving weight loss, and even boosting life span.

While there are different fasting methods, like water and intermittent fasting, this guide focuses mainly on one type of fasting known as the fasting mimicking diet (FMD).

The Fast mimicking diet is a recent trend that’s quickly gaining popularity among health and fitness enthusiasts. We’ll explain what the fast mimicking diet is and help you decide if it’s right for you.

What is a Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)?

The concept of fasting mimicking diet was first brought to the world’s attention by an Italian researcher and biologist named Dr. Valter Longo. He spent over two decades researching how fasting could be beneficial to one’s health without a person having to experience significant caloric loss.

With most fasting methods, participants deprive themselves of nutrition, but this is not the case with the FMD concept proposed by Dr. Valter Longo. The principle behind a fast mimicking diet is that participants benefit from fasting without lacking in calories and nutrition.

An FMD diet is different from the traditional 16/8 intermittent fasting method. The positive results of clinical trials have shown that Dr. Valter Longo’s FMD dietary protocol is worth acknowledging. He suggested that just about anyone is capable of adopting a fast mimicking diet plan for weight loss. And to this end, he created an effective FMD five-day plan for weight loss which he called the ‘ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet’. 

How Does the 5 Day Fasting Mimicking Diet Work?

With the assistance of L-Nutra, a nutrition technology company, Dr. Valter Longo was able to develop a prepackaged meal kit designed for his 5-day ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet program.

The ProLon meal kit is made up of five boxes consisting of whole food and plant-based meals and snacks. The food and snacks in the meal kit are high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Also, the meal kit consists of food that has high levels of healthy fat and oils, such as flax and olives.

The meal kit is designed so that dieters live off entirely on the food contained in the package for five days. Below is a breakdown of the nutritional content of the 5-day FMD Diet meal kit and how the FMD fasting method works:

• Day 1: The caloric intake for the meal on the first day of your fasting mimicking diet is approximately 1,090 kcal. And this comprises 34% carbs, 56% fat, and 10% protein.
• Day 2: Your caloric intake is 725 kcal consisting of 47% carbs, 44% fat, and 9% protein.
• Day 3: You maintain 725 kcal calories with 47% carbs, 44% fat, and 9% protein.
• Day 4: A caloric intake of 725 kcal is still maintained with 47% carbs, 44% fat, and 9% protein.
• Day 5: The 725 kcal caloric intake is carried onto the final day of your 5 day fasting mimicking diet. Like from day 2 up until the final day, your diet will consist of 47% carbs, 44% fat, and 9% protein.

Essentially, your low-calorie fast mimicking diet is made up of a high volume of fat with low levels of carbs and protein. When you are on this diet, your body experiences gluconeogenesis. This is where the energy used up by your body is generated from noncarbohydrate compounds in the event of the exhaustion of the glycogen reserves in your body.

When you implement this fasting mimicking diet, the restriction in your calorie intake will cause your body to mimic or react in the same way as it would under other traditional fasting methods.

Some of the physiological responses of your body to this FMD diet include:

• Fat loss
• Cellular regeneration
• Reduced inflammation

Clinical studies have shown that 5-day FMD cycles are safe, feasible, and beneficial in reducing age-related risk factors. However, you are still advised to consult your doctor before you embark on this short dietary plan.

Typically, for the best fasting mimicking diet before and after results, follow it up with repeat schedules over the course of several months.

The Fasting Mimicking Foods

The food in each of the five boxes that make up the meal kit is designed to provide you with the approximate calorie intake for each of the five days. A meal box in the kit consists of food for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each box also includes snacks that you can take in between meals.

The food in each meal box is both lactose and gluten-free. They are also plant-based meals that include the following:

• Algal oil: This is a plant-based supplement capable of supplying you with 200 mg of omega-3 fatty acid DHA.
• Olives: Olives act as a snack to provide high volumes of fat.
• Dark chocolate crisp bar: This is a tasty dessert made of almonds, flax, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder.
• Nut bars: These are meal bars that consist of coconut, flax, honey, macadamia nut butter, and almond meal.
• Kale crackers: The kale crackers in this meal kit are made up of different condiments, including pumpkin seeds, herbs, flax seeds, kale, and nutritional yeast.
• Soup blends: There are soup blends consisting of various delicious soups, such as; tomato soup, minestrone, mushroom soup, and minestrone quinoa soup.
• L-Drink: This is an energy drink made from glycerol. This drink is consumed from the second day to the fifth day of the FMD diet.
• Herbal tea: The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet meal kit also has herbal tea blends like lemon-spearmint tea, hibiscus, and spearmint herbal tea.
• NR-1: This is a vegetable supplement available in powdered form. NR-1 provides your body with essential minerals and vitamins that you would not usually get when you engage in other traditional fasting methods.

You are only expected to consume the food contained in the meal kit within the five days of this program. The fast mimicking bar helps to extend ketogenesis while providing the necessary nutrients and feeling of satiation.

The soup blends in the meal kit may be flavored with lemon juice and fresh herbs. It is also essential to drink lots of water during this fast mimicking diet plan to avoid dehydration. You can also drink decaffeinated tea if you want to. However, you should avoid the consumption of beverages and other types of foods.

Benefits of Fasting Mimicking Diet

Some of the proven results and benefits of fasting mimicking diet include:

1. FMD Diet Promotes Weight Loss

In a clinical study conducted by the originator of the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet, Dr. Valter Longo – it was discovered that dieters in a controlled group would lose about 2.7 kg or 6 Ibs during the program. These dieters also recorded a significant reduction in visceral (belly) fat.

2. Mimic Fasting helps Lower Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Levels

In the same study carried out by Dr. Longo, the dieters were known to have experienced a considerable reduction in their cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Those dieters with pretty high cholesterol levels lowered their cholesterol by as much as 20 mg/dl. In addition, those participants with high blood sugar levels would experience a significant reduction in their blood sugar levels up to the average blood sugar level range.

3. FMD Promotes Cellular Regeneration:

It was revealed that dieters committed to 4 days of fasting mimicking diet for 60 days experienced a healthy production of insulin and the rapid regeneration of previously damaged pancreatic cells. Also, this dietary plan helped dieters to maintain a stable blood glucose level and reduced resistance to insulin.

4. Mimic Fasting Reduces Inflammation

There have been studies that suggest mimic fasting can promote the reduction of inflammation by lowering inflammation markers, such as; interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), interferon-gamma (ifnγ), interleukin one beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and leptin.

5. Fast Mimicking Diet Slows Aging:

The fasting mimicking foods in the program is believed to help slow the aging process and reduce mental decline. It helps the body repair damaged cells and tissues by promoting cellular regeneration through autophagy. This is where damaged or old cells or tissues are recycled by the body to generate healthy new cells or tissues in the body and brain.

FMD is known to reduce insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) hormone. The IGF-1 hormone is responsible for increasing the risk of people having certain types of cancer, particularly breast cancer.

Fasting triggers a process called autophagy, which allows the body to cleanse itself of damaged cells and tissues. To know more read – Autophagy & Fasting: All You Need To Know.

Who Should Avoid Fast Mimicking Diet?

It is also important to note that the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet is not recommended for:

• Pregnant women
• Breastfeeding mothers
• Malnourished or underweight persons
• People with celery, sesame, oats, soy, or nuts allergy
• Individuals with kidney disease
• People having diabetes
• People with an eating disorder

Summary

Fasting, in general, is a great way to lose weight. However, it can be easy to get off track and end up breaking your fast with unsatisfying foods. With this in mind, it only makes sense that you follow a structured plan to make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients your body needs during fasting.

FMD is one such structured plan that has been clinically proven to help people lose weight and reduce cholesterol levels. It’s an appealing option for anyone who wants to try out intermittent fasting but doesn’t want to just wing it on their own.

For most people, the goal of fasting is to lose weight quickly. While this diet can help with weight loss, you can also try some intermittent fasting meal plans to have a more focused approach. No matter what your goals or preferences are, we have a meal plan to meet your needs. Check it out!