Prolon Diet Review

About ProLon

There is a lot of controversy around fasting as an effective way to lose weight in a healthy way. The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) wants to provide a medium between eating regularly and pure fasting, with a special meal plan that tricks your body into thinking it is in a fasting state while you’re still eating.

With the worldwide spread of the Western diet and lifestyle^[1], obesity has increasingly grown in the last century, achieving epidemic levels.

Considered a civilization disease, obesity is not just an aesthetic problem. Obesity increases the risk of other health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, and cancer.

As described in a review article^[2], hypocaloric diets and exercise are proven efficient methods to lose weight and maintain a healthy body mass index. But, there are as many diets as lifestyles, so it can be hard to choose.

The FMD may be the right one for you, as some studies have shown that FMDs may provide several benefits to human health. From lowering insulin resistance to improving your cholesterol profile, these diets have many clinical implications beyond the treatment of obesity.

The FMD encourages weight loss with a 5-day meal plan created by L-Nutra, a company that intersects tech with nutrition. This is not a permanent diet. You should follow it for five days in a row every month, alternating with a regular healthy diet.

The weight loss snowballs as you repeat the monthly cycles. In this ProLon diet review I will guide you through how this plan works and what you’ll eat, to help you decide if FMD is right for you.

ProLon is meant to jump-start your weight loss journey. The ProLon diet has received coverage from top media outlets like Forbes and TIME, and the BBC.

Regardless of all the praise that ProLon has received, what I really want to reveal by the end of this ProLon diet review is if this diet actually works and what you can expect from their food kits.

Before you jump into a new diet, use my ProLon diet review to inform yourself about the brand, their products, their dieting strategy, and explore some common questions people have about the ProLon fast. 

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Overview of ProLon

While ProLon is the brand name, the parent company that designed, tested, and created this diet is L-Nutra. L-Nutra’s scientists are also the minds behind the Fast Bar and the Nutrition for Longevity line of products.

ProLon diet kits are the next step in L-Nutra’s mission: to hack the aging process and extend our lifespan with products that help people reach their healthy weight.  

L-Nutra was founded in 2009. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles California but has offices all over the world. Their latest brand, ProLon, was launched back in September 2016. Today, ProLon FMD products are sold in 12 different countries. 

L-Nutra’s is partially owned by Professor Valter Longo, an expert in the field of Gerontology who has authored the bestselling book The Longevity Diet.

He has also given multiple TED Talks and has a considerable body of published research and writing on the subjects of aging, and disease. 

L-Nutra seems very impressive on paper, but don’t forget that this is a fasting diet. Fasting diets can be a major shift for your body and are not something you should jump into without weighing the potential benefits versus the lifestyle changes you will need to make, or consulting with your own health professionals. 

Highlights

• All meals are plant-based, non-GMO, and gluten-free 
• A wide variety so you never feel bored with your meals 
• The food kits are healthy and delicious
• Proven weight loss results after 5 days on ProLon, but results vary
• Easy to follow meal schedule 
• Many good customer reviews
• 24 Free Fast Bars with your order of ProLon
• Free Water Bottle
• Free shipping

How Does ProLon Work?

The ProLon cleanse puts your body into a fasting state through a plant-based diet done over a 5-day period.

This Fasting Mimicking Diet is not exactly fasting because you eat three times a day, but the purely plant diet is designed to trick your body into thinking it is fasting. 

If followed correctly, ProLon promises similar weight loss effects to a true fast, but since you are still eating 3 times a day it is much safer than other forms of fasting^[3].

Each day, you need to eat what is in your daily food kit. It contains breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The ProLon diet follows a simple strategy over 3 months to get its full effects. Here is a quick breakdown of the ProLon plan, with more details to follow:

1. Prepare for your fast by eating more plant-based foods and cutting out all junk foods
2. Begin your 5-day ProLon FMD on the morning of Day 1
3. Follow the meal schedule provided in your ProLon food kit
4. For even better results, follow the meal transition plan on Day 6 
5. Repeat the process 2 more times at the beginning of the next two months

While the 5-day food kits are the core of the ProLon diet plan, it’s recommended you spend a few days reducing your caloric intake and start eating a plant-based diet before you begin your FMD. This helps your body adjust to what may be a drastic change.

After you finish your 5-day ProLon fast, L-Nutra also recommends you go through a meal transition plan that slowly works more calorific, sugary foods back into your diet by eating trail mix made with nuts, berries, and dark chocolate. What you do not want to do is jump in the car and head to the nearest fast-food joint on Day 6.

The last and maybe most important thing to keep in mind is that the clinical study ProLon uses to demonstrate the effectiveness of their FMD is based on a 5-day weekly cycle^[4] occurring at the beginning of each month for three months. This means, to get the best results from ProLon, you need to do it 3 months in a row at the beginning of each month. 

The 5 food kits come in a plain, simple white box. Think Apple and their sleek minimalism. Each box has a day written on the front of it, which makes it aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow. Each day has a new box with breakfast, lunch, and dinner clearly indicated, and everything is essentially ready to heat and consume. Simple is good when you’re trying to fast! 

The ProLon food kits are small and compact, so they’re easy to bring to work. The food kits are also discreet and simple-looking. They look like any other food package without any conspicuous branding, so if you don’t wish to broadcast to the office that you’re dieting, you’re able to keep it private.  

You can sign up for a monthly subscription or order a single box of the ProLon diet. If you do subscribe, you can cancel your subscription at any time. ProLon also has a fair return policy on their foot kits. I’ll delve further into pricing details later in this ProLon diet review.

What Kinds Of Foods Are In The Kits?

This FMD is based around wholesome vegetarian soups, teas, and snacks, which ProLon tops off with their own brand of “L-bars” and drinks for some sweetness and energy.

All foods in the kits are plant-based, non-GMO, and gluten-free – but that doesn’t stop them from delivering on flavor. One of the most common comments from customers is how great their options tasted, especially the soups. 

Daily Food Kits offer the following options:

ProLon Soup

• Original Flavors: Vegetable, Minestrone, Vegetable Quinoa,
  Mushroom, Tomato
• New Flavors: Butternut Squash, Black Bean, Butternut with Quinoa, Spinach with White Bean, Tomato

ProLon Teas & Drinks

• “L-Drink” Orange
• Algal Oil Supplement 
• “L-Drink” Tropical Berry
• Hibiscus Tea
• Spearmint Tea 
• Spearmint Lemon Tea

ProLon Snacks

• Olives 
• Kale Crackers 
• “L-Bar” Nut-Based Fast Bar 
• “L-Bar” Choco Crisp Fast Bar

For a detailed list of the nutritional information and ingredients of each item, you can head over to ProLon’s FAQ. While there are nut-free items in ProLon’s line, many of the foods do contain nuts.

Prolon 5-Day Nutritional Program Review

Now that my ProLon diet review has explored what you’ll be eating on the program, let’s take a look at what the ProLon fast does to your body. Remember this is somewhere between a calorie-restricted diet and a full-on fast. 

The FMD as described by the ProLon site is a healthy way to fast while still eating food. This sounds like a contradiction, but makes much more sense when you examine their dieting strategy. Based on a clinical trial^[4] at the University of Southern California (where Valter Longo is a faculty member), the 5-day meal program provides nourishment but doesn’t trigger your body into thinking it’s eating, so you remain in a fasting state.

Yes, you are basically “cheating”, having your cake and eating it too!

Key Benefits Of The ProLon FMD

The FMD technique allows you to enjoy food while experiencing the physical effects of a fast. Your body may feel the benefits of the ProLon FMD in a variety of ways. The FMD has the potential to: 

• Extend the lifespan. A narrative review^[5] by Dr. Longo and colleagues describes the impact of the FMD on longevity. The diet appears to have anti-aging effects by stimulating cell regeneration. Moreover, preliminary studies suggest that it reduces the risk of aging-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer.
• Improve insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. In preclinical studies^[6], C.W. Cheng and colleagues reported that the FMD induced regeneration of the pancreatic cells that synthesize insulin (Beta cells), reducing blood sugar levels in diabetic mice. Moreover, the diet improved insulin resistance and mice survival. 
• Boost antitumor immunity. A review article^[7] published in Cancer Discovery highlights that FMDs modulate the metabolism and boost the anticancer immune response in animal models. These promising results suggest that FMD may enhance the efficacy of antineoplastic therapies in patients with cancer.
• Improve inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms and restore the microbiota. In a preclinical study^[8] published in Cells Reports, researchers found that the FMD reduced intestinal inflammation and increased colonic stem cells in mice with IBD. In addition, the authors reported that the FMD positively affected the gut microbiota. 
• Reduce blood pressure^[4] and the risk of metabolic syndrome. An article^[9] published in Nature Metabolism by Dr. Longo and colleagues highlights that according to preclinical studies (studies in animals), the FMD reduces the visceral and subcutaneous body fat while not affecting the muscular mass. Moreover, it reduces blood sugar and insulin resistance and improves cholesterol profile while increasing heart vascularity. 
• Weight loss and reduction in total body fat. A clinical trial^[4] by M. Wei and colleagues evaluated the effects of the FMD diet on 100 healthy volunteers. After 3 months (3 cycles), participants experienced body weight loss, a reduction in total body fat, a decrease in blood pressure, and a drop in insulin-like growth factor 1. No serious adverse events were reported.

Now that we know how the ProLon fasting diet impacts your body, you might be asking yourself another question: “how will it impact my daily life?” My ProLon diet review has some answers for you.

Can You Drink Coffee On The ProLon Diet? 

Yes, you can drink a little bit of coffee each day. That said, it is still recommended you avoid it if you can. The scientists at L-Nutra suggest that if you need to have your java, keep it to 90 mg of caffeine per day or less.

That’s the equivalent of an 8 oz cup of black coffee, two cups of black or green caffeinated tea, or up to 6 cups of decaffeinated coffee. 

Can I Drink Alcohol On ProLon? 

Studies^[10] show that if you’re trying to lose weight in general, you should avoid drinking alcohol. L-Nutra also advises avoiding alcohol while fasting, so you don’t interfere with your ProLon results.

Can I Work Out On ProLon? 

This one is a tough call because you are going to be on a very low caloric intake and have less energy^[11]. ProLon seems to recommend not to work out, but if you have to get in your daily reps, they insist you only do some light exercise like walking, yoga, and stretching.

Who Is ProLon For?

Most healthy individuals can try ProLon fasting, but individuals with health concerns and/or over 70 should first consult with their healthcare provider. If you are under the age of 18, you should also not start the ProLon diet without the supervision of a healthcare professional. 

There are many more specific medical questions covered on ProLon’s website so if you have any concerns please consult the ‘Safety Precautions’ and ‘Medically Related’ sections of their FAQ page. 

If you’re hesitant about fasting, you should definitely consult with your health care provider before going on the ProLon FMD. Furthermore, if you have a health condition of any kind or are taking any medications, the ProLon professionals at L-Nutra encourage speaking with your doctor before going on the ProLon FMD. 

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also not go on the ProLon diet. If you are considered underweight, fasting is also not recommended. 

Comparison: ProLon vs. Dr. Kellyann 

The most comparable diet to the ProLon FMD is the Dr. Kellyann Cleanse & Reset because both are a 5-day diet plan with a focus on soup-based nutrition and some fasting. You may recognize Dr. Kellyann from her successful book, The Bone Broth Diet.

Right from the get-go, you will see that the philosophies at each company are vastly different. ProLon is a health-focused diet that is backed by research and clinical testing, and targets a wider audience. In contrast, Dr. Kellyann’s approach seems far more concerned with body image, and looking slim and sexy. 

That phrase, ‘slim and sexy,’ is taken straight from Dr. Kellyann’s website. The look and language of her program seems far more targeted at women. Her program talks about cellulite, lean muscle, and hair growth, and uses packaging that leans heavily on pinks and purples. ProLon, on the other hand, uses far more neutral language and aesthetics.

The products sold by Dr. Kellyann seem far less health-oriented than the products at ProLon, as they do not explicitly state they are plant-based, or gluten-free.  ProLon FMD is the superior product in this regard – better for your health, as well as better for the planet and more accessible to a variety of dietary needs.

In terms of products, the Dr. Kellyann Cleanse and Rest is also a self-contained 5-day food kit program requiring no additional purchases. Both are soup-based diets, but ProLon incorporates some solid foods, breaking up their line of soups with a ProLon fast bar or a snack. The Cleanse & Rest is purely smoothies and bone broth – a far cry from the variety offered by ProLon soups.

Finally, the 5-day kit from Dr. Kellyann will run you from $219 to $279. ProLon is more affordable, at $187 for a 5-day kit or $179 per month with a subscription.

How Much is ProLon?

The folks at L-Nutra have based all their research on a 3-month cycle of fasting and healthy eating. What does that mean for you? Well, to see the best results you’ll need to buy three ProLon food kits to cover your three months of occasional fasting. 

ProLon Subscriptions and Prices

At the time of writing this ProLon diet review, I found three ways to get a ProLon food kit and start experiencing the benefits of FMD:

• Subscribe & Save: – $179 per month 
  • Available as a monthly box, or one box every 3 months 
• Single ProLon Order: $187 
• 3-Box Bundle & Save: $510 

Customers can also use our exclusive discount code HONEST15 to get 15% off single box purchases or subscription.

The best savings come with a monthly subscription, but it is possible to order a single 5-day meal plan to test it out. The prices in this Prolon 5-Day Nutritional Program review reflect the current sale prices at the time of writing and are subject to change.

ProLon Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

ProLon site features a series of reviews that speak high praises of the FMD diet. These reviews generally fall into one of two categories: How effective the weight loss effects are after their 5-Day Fasting Nutritional Program, and how good customers felt after completing the 5-day diet regiment. 

One customer sums up the general tone of ProLon’s featured reviews nicely: “Second time. Got easier. And the results are amazing — lost 10 pounds in 5 days and feel great.”(1) 

For a more nuanced sense of how customers feel about the brand, our ProLon 5-Day Nutritional Program review also consulted Trustpilot.1,565 reviewers gave ProLon FMD a 4 out of 5 star rating, which is an overall excellent score. 

One contented customer said: “For those that want to fast without the side effects of water fasting, this is a good program! It’s still difficult but it’s worth the benefits.” 

Trustpilot’s reviews show that diets, especially ones as intensive as a fast, are not easy. While the ProLon professionals try to make the diet as easy as possible, there’s a reason we still use the expression no pain, no gain to talk about health and wellness!

ProLon also garnered great reviews at Forbes and Health. While noting it isn’t always everyone’s cup of tea, both praised the diet and its focus on overall health and not just pure weight loss.

It seems that the vast majority of reviews and publications that analyze ProLon FMD recommend it as an effective way to kickstart a weight change, give your body a boost, and put more focus on your health.

Is ProLon Worth It?

If you really struggle to get into the headspace needed for major weight loss goals, then the ProLon FMD is a great way to start you off. ProLon makes an effort to back up its diet with science and clinical research. That can’t be said for other diets that are all fad and no substance, who make extreme claims about their weight loss results. 

The folks over at ProLon detail your meal schedule down to a science and do not promise anything more than their clinical study suggests is possible. ProLon is a realistic lifestyle system you can incorporate as a regular part of your long-term health routine, not a crash diet that’s impossible to stick with. 

The only thing holding the brand back from a stellar rating from our Prolon 5-Day Nutritional Program review is the price. At nearly $50 per day, it feels really costly to do this over a 3 month period. That’s 15 days and nearly $750 to shave 5 pounds or more off your waistline. 

If you are on any kind of budget, have multiple household members who want to get in on the program, or want to use the system more regularly, the ProLon diet cost can get overwhelming.

But if the cost isn’t a concern, this Prolon 5-Day Nutritional Program review finds their plan can be a great, sustainable choice. Their promises aren’t extreme, their version of fasting is a lot easier to stick with than some more intensive or traditional methods, and customers are generally pleased with the results.

If you’re looking for a science-backed weight loss program, the ProLon fasting diet might be just what your body needs.

ProLon Promotions & Discounts 

ProLon has frequent sales and discounts on their boxes and subscriptions. Currently, the entire ProLon food kit line is already at 25% off from $249 to $187 plus you get a free gift.

This includes their new soup flavors and all subscription plans. You can also use our exclusive discount code HONEST15 to get 15% off single box purchases or subscription.

All orders also have free shipping within the US.

Sign Up For ProLon

Making a one-time purchase or subscribing to ProLon is simple. I’ll outline the instructions in this ProLon diet review below:

1. Head on over to ProLon’s website.
2. Create an account on the website by clicking the profile button in the top right corner.
3. Enter your email and password information, and follow the prompts.
4. Next, simply click one of the orange ‘Order Now’ buttons on the site.
5. Select the ProLon product that matches your needs.
6. Click Add to Cart. And apply the discount code HONEST15 to get an additional 15% off Single box or subscription.
7. A pop-up menu will appear with a checkout button and prompt to select your method of payment.
8. Fill out your shipping address and hit the green ‘Continue’ button. You will see your order summary to the right.
9. Fill out your Credit Card details and place your order!

FAQ

How do I cancel my ProLon subscription?

1. Head on over to ProLon’s website.
2. Log into your ProLon account by clicking the profile button in the top right corner.
3. On the My Account Page, there is a toolbar to the right labeled Account Details. 
4. Click ‘Manage Subscriptions’ – if you have an active subscription to ProLon you can follow the prompts to cancel from this page.

What is ProLon’s Shipping Policy?

ProLon ships to the US, the UK, Canada and 17 other countries. ProLon offers free shipping to the US, and typically takes between 4-7 business days to receive your order. 

If ProLon is sold in your region, then there are no customs or duties on your order. Just be sure you order it from your country’s online storefront, all of which can be accessed from ProLon’s ‘International Orders’ page.

How to Contact ProLon

ProLon can be reached by phone at 888-618-1281 from Mondays to Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.(CST). You can also email your questions to [email protected] or fill out a contact form on the ProLon website.

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