Lose weight with fake fasting: the diet without sacrifice

What is the worst thing about dieting for you? For my boyfriend, it’s definitely the bad mood I get because I’m hungry again. Diets are just not for me. Count calories or skip meals? No thank you.

Fake fasting, on the other hand, promises a diet without any sacrifices or hunger. The fasting should benefit from all the advantages that classic fasting brings with it. But: It can be eaten despite the fasting. Paradox? Somehow. We explain to you what false fasting is all about.

In the video: losing weight while walking

video from Jessica Young

What is mock fasting?

The principle of mock fasting is simple:

• For five days, reduce the amount of food you eat to about half your normal calorie count.
• On the first day, about 1,100 kcal are planned to “get used to”, on the other four days only about 800 kcal.
• After the fifth day, a transition day is planned to slowly get the body used to the increased calorie intake.

The cure was invented by Prof. Valter Longo from the University of Southern California. The “Fasting Mimicking Diet” signals your body that you are fasting, even though you are actually eating.

So should, similar to the therapeutic fastinghealth-promoting effects are brought about.

What do you eat when fasting?

The sham fasting diet consists of low-calorie meals and snacks, which also have a low proportion of proteins and sugar.

Nevertheless, the three meals a day should provide the fasting person with all the important nutrients.

These foods are allowed

False fasting relies exclusively on plant-based foods such as vegetables and salads. Vegetable fats are obtained from nuts, olive oil or avocado, while vegetable protein is served in the form of legumes, for example.

In addition, sufficient still water and unsweetened tea should be drunk. On the other hand, sugar, white rice, pasta, bread and all animal products are frowned upon.

How does mock fasting work?

The aim of sham fasting is to create a balanced ratio of nutrients in the body through the special form of nutrition.

At the same time, the body is “tricked into believing” that it is fasting. This is intended to activate the body’s own cell cleaning and renewal processes.

At the same time, the so-called ketosis can occur from the third day. Some of you probably know this term from the keto diet.

If the body does without carbohydrates, it begins to convert fat from the diet and from the body’s own fat stores into ketone bodies and use them as energy suppliers. The result: you lose weight.

Why are no animal products consumed?

Forgoing animal products – and thus also animal protein – sounds illogical to many people who already have experience with diets. Animal proteins are often used here as “fillers”.

Bernd Kleine-Gunk, President of the German Society for Anti-Aging Medicine, explained in an interview with Geo: “Animal protein gives the body the signal for growth. However, with fake fasting, you want to do the opposite.”

Because the cells should pause the ongoing construction processes. Only in this resting phase does the body take care of defective cells.

Also read: The Fasting Check: What you should know about therapeutic fasting & Co

Fake fasting: That’s on the menu

Fake fasting is offered as a patented program with ready-made “ProLon®” boxes. Such a box contains soups, olives, nut bars or special “L-Drinks” for the five days of the cure.

Here’s what an 800 calorie day might look like:

• breakfast: Tea and nut bars
• Having lunch: crackers, tomato soup and dietary supplements
• snack: tea and olives
• dinner: Minestrone, dietary supplements and an “L-Drink”.

Alternatively: Get inspiration from nutrition plans

When preparing your meals, you follow the following “rules”:

• Eat 400 calories in complex carbohydrates daily. Here it is all about vegetables: broccoli, carrots, beans, mushrooms and much more end up on the plate.
• 400 calories daily healthy fats plan on. Here, your recipes can use nuts, olives, avocados or olive oil, for example.
• Also drink 3-4 cups of unsweetened tea and as much water as you like

Our reading tip: Healthy eating – 10 simple tips

How often do you fast?

Fasting can be done every two to six months.
Of course, between the fasting days you should not immediately hit the cake and pasta. That would also overwhelm the body after the fasting days.

Instead, you should use the “sirt food principle” when preparing meals in the remaining weeks.

What is the Sirtfood Principle?

The principle is named after the sirtuins. These are endogenous, multifunctional enzymes whose activity can be increased by certain plant substances.

These substances can be found, for example, in broccoli, kale, apples, blueberries or onions. If you eat according to this principle between fasting, you also boost cell renewal.

What other advantages does the sham diet have?

In addition to increased fat burning, cell recycling and cell regeneration, the cure is said to have a number of other advantages:

• Improved performance
• More energy
• Activation of the metabolism, thereby improving blood sugar and cholesterol levels
• Reduced body fat percentage

Studies also indicate that the cell renewal triggered by fasting can have a positive effect on a variety of diseases, such as cancer or heart disease.

More reading material on the topic: Intermittent fasting – how it works!

Who should avoid the sham diet?

As with any diet, sham fasting is not suitable for everyone. For example, children, adolescents and pregnant women should not participate in the diet.

However, there are other restrictions on participation:

• Diseases: If you do not feel healthy and have a fever or cough, for example, you should avoid the diet. And even if you have chronic diseases such as diabetes or rheumatism, we advise you against fasting.
• allergies: If you are allergic to soy, oats, celery, sesame or nuts, this type of diet is not for you.
• Eating disorder: If you have an eating disorder or are underweight, you should not try to diet.

Now you know what the fake diet is all about. What do you think, would you try this “diet without giving up”?

Our note to you: You have to find out for yourself which diet suits you best. Every body is different and reacts differently to changes. Basically, a lot of exercise and a balanced diet are the most important means for a healthy life and a fit body.