Fast Mimicking

(Kristin ) #1

Is the same as fat fasting? Can someone help me understand if there is a difference!? I believe the idea is 4 days at 40% reduced calories (on a keto diet)- studied at USC institute for longevity…

#2

I think a FMD is such a low intake that it mimics the effects of fasting according to whatever markers the researchers deemed important.
I don’t know enough about it to know what is in the allotment of food, but I didn’t get the impression that it was pure fat. (I think Longo does this but so does Dr Varady and there are probably others, so there might be a bunch of different guidelines for what you eat.)

The advantage of a fat fast is that it doesn’t (well, shouldn’t, probably…) trigger the release of insulin, so you get the IR-healing advantages of a pure fast but you take in fat, which can helpful

  1. psychologically if you’re new to fasting and freaked out about not eating;
  2. physically if you don’t have a lot of fat stores in your body and also
  3. if you’re relatively new to keto since it might encourage the body to use that incoming fat as fuel, and nudge it toward recognizing fat as a fuel in general and move you in the direction of fat adaptation.
(Kristin ) #3

It seems like they all vary on the breakdown, but it can be done with keto macros… pretty interesting stuff!

(Todd Allen) #4

The fast mimicking diet studied/promoted by Valter Longo reduces calories to about 40% of a maintenance level for 5 days and in particular restricts protein to a low level. Protein, especially the amino acids leucine and methionine, signals to the body a sufficiency of resources to squander on growth and reproduction. When in deficit, the body switches into a state focused on recycling and repair which many of us miss out on when chronically overfed.

The FMD produces a significant fraction of the benefits associated with more traditional forms of fasting and for some people may be easier. Longo’s diet is actually fairly high carb. I don’t see any advantage to it for keto people who can readily fast. And using fats and/or bone broth, etc. as needed to sustain a fast is probably as good or better than his diet with significant carbohydrates.

Can we please stop repeating the “You have to eat at a deficit to lose weight on KETO” lie?
(Mike Glasbrener) #5

For almost everyone here we’re targeting lowering basal insulin levels. Fasting does this pretty well according to Fung. Keto makes fasting easier because insulin levels all already reduced and your metabolism is set up for fat burning. It just has to switch from oral fat to stored fat. The further one deviates from this the fewer benefits imo. That said, the FMD for someone who is not metabolically deranged in could be a great maintenance tool. However, imo I doubt it’s the ideal solution for most people here.

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #6

As a Type 2 Diabetic, I see ZERO benefit to a high-carb diet, even if it does mimic fasting.

(Kristin ) #7

It can’t be modified into a ketogenic macro? My assumption would be the same benefit… I had WLS, and it might be helpful to do something like reducing calorie intake by 40% and maintain macronutrient levels… I was just curious :slight_smile:

(Todd Allen) #8

I believe Longo patented the name “Fasting Mimicking Diet” and has entered into a business venture to sell pre-packaged fasting meal kits. Personally I find the idea of buying packaged food in order to fast mind bendingly oxymoronic.

But my view of his research is that the “purity” of fasting isn’t super critical. I see it as a validation of the approach many here take to supplement their fasts with modest amounts of fat and/or broth. Personally, I think it makes much more sense to supplement only as needed - probably not that much for most already keto versus adopting a meal plan.

(Justin Jordan) #9

The reasoning for it is that the people it’s actually intended for (cancer patients) wouldn’t actually fast, and their doctors wouldn’t accept it. They would do the FMD. Longo claims to take no money from Prolong, and his shares of the company will go to a foundation.

Whether you buy that or not, up to you. The not being willing to fast us almost certainly true.