I’ve picked up some bad food habits this year and finally reached a point where the things I normally would do to reset weren’t working. I’d do great one day and then go back to bad habits the next. This yo-yo was constant and I began to feel off. Headaches and side pain were frequent, and I felt like I was in a mental fog a little more often than I’d like.
In the past, I might have looked at a juice cleanse to help me reset. However one of the problems I have is sugar and I feel like when I do a juice cleanse I’m spiking my insulin levels and end up craving sweets when I’m done. I also didn’t want to do something that was going to leave me starving nor did I want to do something super drastic. I was also looking for something that had science behind the why and a plan for how.
Why ProLon?
I stumbled onto Pro-Lon and was impressed with the science behind the program. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Valter Longo and his research team at the Longevity Institute at USC under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Aging and the NIH, many pre-clinical and clinical studies have been conducted to understand the drivers of aging and human healthspan. This work served as the foundation of the program.
My Results
Overall, I am thrilled I took the time to do this program and with my results. By day six I had lost 7 pounds, was sleeping well, didn’t have sugar cravings, and was thinking clearly. Bad eating habits and poor food choices play a significant role in our overall health and I just wasn’t finding success getting back on the healthy food train using my normal methods. This was the reset I needed. I was never hungry but did have headaches and feel left out as my family enjoyed some of our favorite foods. My family was hugely supportive and while I wish they could have avoided tempting me with treats I realized how strong I am and that I do have the willpower to succeed. If you are looking for a reset, this is a great way to do it. Below I’ve included details regarding each day and how I felt. If you have any questions about the program or any of the days, let me know in the comments below.
As always, check with your doctor before beginning any program (I always do).
I will be doing the program again in July. If anyone wants to join me, let me know! I don’t have a discount code and I don’t do affiliate links, but there are so many of Instagram to get the cost down from $199 to $150 (or less).
Day One
I woke up energized and excited to get going. I knew I needed help getting back on the right track and was ready to start. Having the right mindset is everything. Because I had prepped the night before, I knew what to expect and was ready to get going. That said, I was dreading the first bite of my L-Bar, worried it would taste like cardboard. I was wrong. They are seriously good. Think crushed nuts and honey and this is exactly what they taste like. Next up? The tomato and minestrone soups. Again, I expected the worst and was pleasantly surprised that they weren’t too bad. In fact, my stepson asked to try the minestrone and liked it. I added a bit more water than indicated in the instructions and added salt, pepper, and some herbs (you are allowed 1 teaspoon). I finished my day with the provided chocolate bar, which I didn’t care for. There were two teas provided and I enjoyed one in the morning and another at night. I drank a ton of water throughout the day.
Overall, the day went really well. I was shocked how much there was to eat and at no point during the day was I hungry. I did find myself going into the kitchen when my family was there and realized that I would normally eat a little something when I do this. My daughter and her friend decided to make homemade cinnamon rolls and if I hadn’t started Pro-Lon, I would have enjoyed the frosting and one of the rolls when they were fresh out of the oven. I know the needless munching when I go into the kitchen to socialize is part of the reason I’ve gotten out of shape and am always craving sweets. This was an aha moment for me.
Day Two
I’m not going to lie, day two was the hardest for me. While I didn’t wake up hungry, I did wake up with a killer headache, almost like a migraine but not. I knew it was because of my sugar addiction and my body was adjusting and not happy. I downed some Tylenol, enjoyed my L-bar, and got on with my morning.
While most of my days are filled with meetings, today was not so instead of sitting in front of my computer all day, I kept wandering into the kitchen to take short breaks. This was tough because the kids were in there with friends making homemade cinnamon rolls and eating pizza. It took every ounce of my being to whip up the soup for lunch and enjoy the olive snacks. It was a struggle, but I did it and am glad I did. I had heard that most people have this happen on day four so at least I got it out of the way, right. I will note that the mushroom soup today was absolutely not a favorite. If you have this one, season it up!
Day Three
I woke up with a clear head after an amazing night of sleep. I’ve had trouble falling asleep this past year (and suspect most of us have) and usually wake up at least once during the night. Last night was the first night I easily fell asleep and didn’t wake up until my alarm went off. I felt great! I didn’t have a headache and felt like I could take on the world. It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep does!
Day three food was essentially a repeat of day one, but without the olives and the chocolate crisp. Today was the day I figured out that if I used one of the hibiscus teas and one of the lemon spearmint teas together, it made the L-Drink so much easier to drink.
Today I noticed significantly less stomach bloat and decided to weigh myself and was thrilled to see I was done 5 pounds. Feeling good, I was excited to get to day four.
Day Four
Another night of great sleep and no hunger when I woke started day four off on the right foot. As I noted, I really liked the L-Bar and looked forward to eating those every morning. Today was the veg soup and it really tasted the same as the minestrone. Honestly, I was tired of soups by today and particularly minestrone, so I added two squirts of sriracha to it to give it a little flavor. I know this isn’t allowed, but this soup needed it.
All week I’ve avoided working out as they recommend you give your body a rest. Today I was craving a good workout so walked our neighborhood loop. I felt a bit slower than usual but it was good for my heart and mind to get out and get a little bit of exercise in. All in all, I was really proud of myself for making it this long.
Day Five
The week quickly went by and at no time did I ever feel hungry. I was sleeping well, I wasn’t aimlessly going into the kitchen when I was bored or needed a break, and felt really good. My head also felt much clearer. I tend to overthink things and get a bit scattered if I don’t have my to-do list to keep me organized. By day five my thinking was clearer, I didn’t seem to have any problems recalling things (which happens when you overthink things), and felt as though I was on top of my game. This was probably the most surprising aspect of this fast-mimicking cleanse.
The food today as the same as prior days and I was seriously done with soup. And while I felt really good, I was ready to move on. I went to bed feeling proud of myself for sticking with it.