We all know that fad diets are not the way to go, but instilling an effective, healthy way to eat is easier said than done.

While simply changing what we eat may have some impact, it's the extra boost that eludes us.

How can we get the weight loss, increased energy, and long-lasting results we desire in a way that's safe and proven to work?

In our quest to answer just that we've discovered intermittent fasting. However, this umbrella term includes methods that involve everything from eating once a day to only

eating in a window of 8 hours a day to even eating every other day. And then we discovered prolonged fasting; the practice of fasting for an extended period; usually anywhere from three to seven consecutive days.

Sounds confusing right? Well, we explored the realms of fasting and found ProLon's Fasting Mimicking Diet - it's a fast with food. The 5-day plant-based meal program definitely piqued our interest.

We saw both intermittent fasting (on our own terms) and ProLon, a prolonged fast, as two paths to our goals and decided to see how they stack up against each other.

Here's what we found:

Key Similarities

• Both involve eating - neither are starvation diets
• Both may initiate ketogenesis, allowing ketosis to occur (a result of fat burning), and intermittent fasting is less likely to initiate it than a prolonged fast.
• Both support weight loss goals and positive changes to your body through the practice of fasting.

Key Differences

• ProLon is done for 5 consecutive days, allowing your body to achieve many of the benefits of prolonged fasting | Intermittent fasting is done for at most, 2 days in a row and is intended to be a long-term lifestyle which requires commitment
• ProLon is done, at maximum, once a month | Intermittent fasting is done on an ongoing basis, often every other day, or every week for 1-2 days a week
• ProLon provides all the food you need | Intermittent fasting usually doesn't eliminate any foods but crafting your meals is up to you for those 5 days
• ProLon is based on over 20 years of research and has a ton of resources available to you | Intermittent fasting involves building your own plan and finding your own information, though there are many resources and it can get confusing
• ProLon has conducted clinical trials at the University of Southern California (USC) and other institutions, in one clinical study Prolon is shown over three cycles to help individuals lose an average of 5.7 lbs and 1.6 inches off their waist circumference | Although there are many studies on intermittent fasting, there is no single study you can point to unlike ProLon that has very centralized research at your fingertips

ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet

ProLon takes the science of fasting and gives you many of the benefits of a fast in just 5-days of carefully crafted meals. It's clinically tested so you're not taking another shot in the dark. Dr. Valter Longo of The Longevity Institute at USC has developed this diet program after over 20 years of research studying different cultures from around the world and their lifestyle factors, fasting, and food signaling pathways.

When you sign up for ProLon, you get a box with all the food you need for the 5 days, designed by Michelin star chefs, along with supplements to ensure you get essential nutrients. Although following a menu might seem difficult, ProLon is actually making this 5-day commitment so easy. Everything you need comes in a simple box with easy-to-follow instructions. You get plant-based energy bars, soups, snacks, drinks, and supplements all sorted out for you so you get the scientifically developed combination of micro and macronutrients to keep your body nourished while going through the rejuvenating process of the fasting state. And unlike other diets there are no long-term diet commitments - it's just 5 days and you're done.

Here's what happens in your body during the 5 days of ProLon:

1. Your body transforms to fasting and fat-burning state
2. Fat-burning ramps up and ketogenesis usually begins on this day
3. Autophagy and clean-up stage, ketogenesis continues
4. Cellular Rejuvenation, fat-burning continues
5. Cellular Renewal continues past day 5 so you continue to feel the benefits when you return to your preferred eating pattern

While all this is happening internally at a cellular level, ProLon users have reported feeling more focused and having increased energy levels. Plus, it's a great way to kickstart the weight loss you want with clinical trials finding an average loss of 5 lbs in 5 days for one-time users, especially in belly fat.

This is science-backed dieting at its finest. ProLon can be repeated every few months as part of your health maintenance or as a one-time jumpstart. First-time fasters are recommended to try it for three consecutive months to feel the full benefits, and then whenever they want a lifestyle reset.

Intermittent Fasting

Trying out intermittent fasting on your own is great. Choose an eating window that fits your schedule, control all the foods you eat, and ultimately own the process. That being said… there's a lot on your shoulders.

You need to be prepared to coach yourself through your fast. While there are resources out there you can turn to they're just not as comprehensive or as centralized as ProLon.

A diet only works as much as you commit to it and with intermittent fasting, there's a high chance if you're not all-in you won't get what you want. You may still reap similar benefits as ProLon including, better focus, and weight loss but most likely not to the same extent. Why? Because the benefits of prolonged fasting go beyond those of intermittent fasting.

Final Note

We recommend going with ProLonover intermittent fasting on your own - especially for those just getting started.

Your health is vital and worth the investment. ProLon delivers on convenience and proven results with over 220,000 people having tried it.

The leaders in the science of fasting are supported by hundreds of medical professionals and over $36 million in research and development. With ProLon, if you do multiple cycles, you'll benefit beyond just weight loss, including getting cellular rejuvenation for healthy aging, and support for metabolic health with clinical trials to back it up. ProLon is all about feeling better and living a more balanced life.

Changing your diet is a big decision financially, physically, and mentally so you should do it with the best partner by your side.

Take the next step in your health journey with the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet and see where it can take you.