5 weeks
Progressively reduce calories over a week
Valter Longo’s Fasting-Mimicking Diet: A Science-Backed Way to Fast Without Starving
What if you could get all the health and longevity benefits of fasting — while still eating real food?
That’s the idea behind the Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD), a five-day, plant-based nutrition plan created by Dr. Valter Longo of the USC Longevity Institute.
What Is the Fasting-Mimicking Diet?
Unlike water fasting, the FMD provides a small number of calories each day — just enough to keep you functional — while putting your body into a fasting metabolic state.
It’s designed to trick your cells into thinking you’re fasting. That means your insulin and IGF-1 levels drop, fat burning ramps up, and your body starts cleaning out old or damaged cells — all while you’re still eating food.
The Science Behind It
When calories and protein are restricted, the body shifts gears:
- Lower insulin + IGF-1: reduces growth signaling that’s linked to aging and cancer.
- Autophagy: the body breaks down old, damaged cell parts and recycles them.
- Stem-cell activation: during refeeding, new healthy cells are produced.
- Metabolic flexibility: you get better at switching between burning carbs and fat.
This combination has been shown to extend lifespan in animal studies and improve several health markers in humans.
The Five-Day Structure
Dr. Longo’s commercial version, ProLon, comes pre-packaged with plant-based soups, nut bars, olives, teas, and herbal drinks. But the core idea is simple: five days of low-calorie, low-protein, high-fat, plant-based eating.
| Day | Calories | Macro Split | What’s Happening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~1,100 | 10 % protein / 56 % fat / 34 % carbs | Transition into fasting state |
| 2–5 | ~750 /day | 9 % protein / 44 % fat / 47 % carbs | Maintain fasting metabolism |
What You Eat
Even if you DIY it, the foods are simple and satisfying:
- Healthy fats: nuts, seeds, olives, avocado
- Low-starch veggies: spinach, kale, broccoli, zucchini
- Soups & teas: vegetable-based soups, herbal teas
- Minimal carbs: small portions of fruit or vegetable puree
The key is low protein, low sugar, and plant-based only.
Proven Benefits
Clinical research on the FMD has found measurable improvements after just one 5-day cycle:
✅ Reduced body fat — especially around the abdomen
✅ Lower cholesterol and blood pressure
✅ Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress
✅ Improved insulin sensitivity
✅ Lower IGF-1 levels (linked to longevity)
✅ Stimulated stem-cell regeneration after refeeding
Many people repeat the diet once a month for 3 months, then quarterly for maintenance.
Refeeding and Recovery
After Day 5, you slowly reintroduce normal, balanced meals — ideally high in plant protein, whole grains, and healthy fats.
This refeeding phase is where the regeneration magic happens: new cells grow to replace the old, damaged ones cleared during the fast.
Who Should Avoid It
The FMD isn’t for everyone. Avoid or get medical clearance if you are:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Underweight or recovering from illness
- On insulin or diabetes medication
- Frail or elderly without supervision
The Takeaway
Valter Longo’s Fasting-Mimicking Diet offers a powerful middle ground — the longevity benefits of fasting without total deprivation.
For five days, you reset your metabolism, clear cellular clutter, and prepare your body for renewal.
Done once a month or a few times a year, it’s one of the most research-backed ways to support longevity and metabolic health — while still letting you enjoy a few olives along the way.
Would you like me to add a “DIY at-home version” section with exact food quantities and macros (modeled on the official ProLon plan) so it fits your blog’s readers better?
What to Eat
Even if you’re not using ProLon’s pre-packaged version, you can recreate the same effect at home with plant-based, high-fat, low-protein meals.
✅ Allowed Foods
- Fats: avocado, olives, olive oil, nuts, seeds, nut butters
- Vegetables: leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, kale
- Carbs (limited): small portions of fruit, lentils, or vegetable soup
- Drinks: herbal tea, black coffee (optional), water
🚫 Avoid
- Animal protein (meat, fish, eggs, dairy)
- Refined carbs or sugar
- Protein powders
- Alcohol
🥗 DIY FMD: Sample 5-Day Plan
Day 1 – 1,100 Calories
- Breakfast: 1 oz nuts + green tea (200 cal)
- Lunch: vegetable soup with olive oil (300 cal)
- Snack: olives (100 cal)
- Dinner: salad with avocado, olive oil, and steamed veggies (500 cal)
Days 2 – 5 – 750 Calories Each
- Breakfast: herbal tea + ½ oz nuts (150 cal)
- Lunch: vegetable soup + 1 tsp olive oil (250 cal)
- Snack: 5 olives or a small handful of nuts (100 cal)
- Dinner: small mixed-vegetable bowl with olive oil (250 cal)
Keep carbs under ~50–60 g/day and protein around 15 g/day. Most calories should come from fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado).
Refeeding (Day 6 +)
Ease back to regular eating with:
- Plant protein (beans, lentils, tofu)
- Whole grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice)
- Healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds)
Avoid processed foods for the first 24 hours — this is when stem-cell activity peaks, and your body begins deep renewal.
Who Should Avoid It
Skip or get medical supervision if you are:
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Diabetic (on medication)
- Underweight or recovering from illness
- Frail or elderly without guidance
The Takeaway
Dr. Valter Longo’s Fasting-Mimicking Diet is one of the most researched, practical ways to tap into fasting’s benefits without going hungry.
Just five disciplined days can trigger cellular cleanup, fat loss, and regeneration — followed by a refeed that renews your body from the inside out.
Fast smarter. Age slower. Eat olives.
DIY FMD — Sample 5-Day Plan with Macros
| Day | Meal | Foods | Calories | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Carbs (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Breakfast | 1 oz mixed nuts, green tea | 200 | 6 | 18 | 5 |
| Lunch | Vegetable soup + 1 tbsp olive oil | 300 | 8 | 20 | 20 | |
| Snack | 5 olives | 100 | 1 | 10 | 1 | |
| Dinner | Salad with avocado, olive oil, steamed veggies | 500 | 10 | 40 | 25 | |
| Total Day 1 | 1,100 | 25 | 88 | 51 | ||
| Day 2–5 | Breakfast | Herbal tea + ½ oz nuts | 150 | 3 | 13 | 4 |
| Lunch | Veggie soup + 1 tsp olive oil | 250 | 7 | 15 | 20 | |
| Snack | 5 olives or ½ oz nuts | 100 | 2 | 9 | 3 | |
| Dinner | Mixed-vegetable bowl + olive oil | 250 | 5 | 18 | 20 | |
| Total Day 2–5 | 750 | 17 | 55 | 47 |
The Rolex Life 