So we learned that Dana Emmer, our Deputy General Counsel (and one of the busiest people on the staff, as well as a mother of two), has worked ProLon twice – and she had a lot to say. For the uninitiated: The ProLon meal set is designed to mimic the effects of fasting, while providing you with some essential ingredients
macro- and microelements. You get a pack of five boxes,
one for each day, containing all the food you have
should – vegetable-based soups, almond butter bars, kale crackers,
olives, herbal teas and supplements, and in some places
beloved choco sharp bar. The program is based on research
by dr. Walter Long and Southern University
California Institute for Longevity; animal and cell studies
showed that fasting can promote cell regeneration and
expression of genes associated with longevity.
As documented online and on TV we are big fans of ProLon.
There were several arguments about who would try
the latest version of the kit. Dana won. The V2 has the same everyday design as the original, only with different types of soups, including white beans and spinach, quinoa from butternut and black beans.
Dana told us everything. We added V2 to the cart. And below we have gathered her sincere and helpful gems of advice. Her main takeaway? The best thing you can do is not put your life on hold: “Preoccupy yourself with the things that make you happy,” she says.
8 ProLon strategy from the triple timer
1. Be honest with yourself about your intentions and wellness priorities. For the first time, I was interested in trying it out because I felt like I desperately needed a reset. I wanted to dedicate a seemingly acceptable period of time to not eating and drinking like crazy. I felt really good after it was over – I couldn’t believe how good it was. The second time I was excited because I knew how I felt the first time. And I was so miserable. I missed fresh food and flexibility, and the lack of both had a negative effect on my mental health – it just wasn’t the right time for me. That’s okay! I am a man.
This time I knew I wanted more rest than wine and food, rather than the freedom to eat and drink whatever I wanted. I longed for a reset, as did my husband, who did it with me all three times. (It absolutely helps when we’re on the same page.)
2. If you are going to experience caffeine withdrawal, there is no need to suffer. According to the official ProLon regulation, it is allowed to take eight ounces of black coffee or sixteen ounces of green, white or black tea every morning.
3. Work in a little movement if it’s something you usually crave and enjoy. One of the things that made my third ProLon the best of all the times I did it was that I wasn’t afraid to do some light exercise. You need to be gentle with yourself – definitely avoid anything with high intensity. I found it easier to maintain Peloton’s twenty-minute classes, instead of those forty-five-minute intense habits. It helped me feel like I was still living my normal life, occupied me and helped me relax.
4. Add the spice. You can add up to one teaspoon of combined salt, herbs and spices to soups every day. Freshly ground black pepper changed the game for me. Seasoning soup can make it much tastier if they are not your jam.
5. If possible, make plans for the trip. In the past, I avoided social events: I felt like I couldn’t eat or drink with friends, that I wouldn’t have fun. Last year, our plans with friends were mostly about taking our kids to parks and wearing masks rather than eating and drinking, which reminded me that it’s possible and easy and fun to connect with people without designing food or alcohol. Keeping such plans with the people you love is another way to focus on things that are not your diet. And while it seems like it can be exhausting, it usually gives you back your energy.
6. Plan an early bedtime – and choose a non-food-oriented show to watch. On ProLon, I always go to bed before I usually do – it seems pretty natural to me because you run out of money sooner. What my husband and I are doing is watching Island of Love UK (if you know, you know) because we’re both obsessed with it, and also, especially, that show doesn’t often show people eating. You never see the meals or what’s on their plates, and you won’t even have to cut a commercial for Domino’s pizza. It’s amazing how if you see food ads or watch Great British rinse, you suddenly feel deprived, even if you haven’t before.
7. It is okay to make phone calls in cooking meals for your children for a few days. I have a boy who is two years old and a girl who is five years old, and making food for them and not wanting to eat or bite their mac ‘n’ cheese is the hardest part of all this. But I figured out what was going on for us: during the ProLon day, I do them things they like and don’t care about, like a little broccoli. My winning strategy now is to stock up on healthy child-friendly dinners at Whole Foods that are easy to make, but I’m attracted to something less than the nearby adult meals I often cook for all of us, like salmon with rice and vegetables.
What was funny and unexpected was that my kids also became jealous of my soups. But for obvious reasons, I will not feed them ProLon. So this time for a few lunches I made them my own tomato soup to eat with me.
8. Pay attention to what you actually want when it’s over. On the sixth day this time I woke up feeling really good and energetic. It was the day before Halloween, the diet was over, and my husband said, “Let’s let the kids see how Krispy Cream donuts are made.” And I got into Krispy Creams and had no desire to eat fresh donuts from the line, which is rare for me. It was surprisingly easy to avoid sugar and alcohol in the days that followed. Not because I showed any willpower, but because I just wasn’t interested in it.
A few days later, I drank a little, but I didn’t feel like it. I just wanted to eat clean. Every time I did ProLon, the lasting benefit was not so much what happened in those five days. It was more about that resetting factor, the desire to eat mostly clean afterwards. And that always keeps me going for a while.
This article is for informational purposes only, even if it contains advice from doctors and physicians. This article is not and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are those of the experts and do not necessarily represent the views of the goop.
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