Eating during OMAD Fasting | Is OMAD Good for Health | Are there any Risks with the OMAD diet | OMAD Diet Weight Loss | OMAD Fasting Results | Who Should Avoid OMAD Fasting |
OMAD Weight Loss, what can I expect? Let’s discuss this! One meal a day type of fasting is believed to bring great results with weight loss. In this type of intermittent fasting, you eat one meal only for the day, and it is considered an extreme type of fasting. Many fitness influencers claim to have followed this diet and have shared some astonishing results.
OMAD or One Meal A Day fasting is a type of intermittent fasting where you will fast for 23 hours at a stretch and eat a large meal only during your one-hour eating window.
Today we will discuss the effects of OMAD on weight loss, along with other concerns relating to OMAD in this article.
Eating during OMAD Fasting – OMAD Weight Loss
There is no fixed time to eat while OMAD Fasting, some people prefer eating their single meal in dinner while others prefer taking the breakfast or the lunch. It is generally recommended to eat after your most active time of the day. During the fasting window, you can consume sugar-free coffee, tea, or water or, in some cases, fruit to bear the hunger pangs.
People should include nutritious food in their diet while doing OMAD fasting to meet the body’s nutritional requirements during just one hour within the day. Eating lots of proteins, grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables is generally recommended for a healthy diet.
Fasting or not, it is always better to avoid processed foods that are baked in sugar, white bread, fast food like pizzas and burgers, chips, and soda.
You are allowed to drink black coffee, herbal tea, and water when fasting between meals.
There is no calorie restriction in this type of intermittent fasting as the time limit already restricts the amount you eat. People who wish to lose weight try to have a low-calorie, keto, or low carb diet during the eating window.
However, a study indicates energy restriction or energy excess during eating restricts the full possible benefits of intermittent fasting, and maintaining an energy balance is essential while eating.
Is OMAD Good for Health?
The research related to the OMAD diet is sparse, but this eating plan has potential benefits. OMAD benefits include:
Fat Loss
Eating one meal a day results in fat loss due to the non-availability of glucose in the body for a long time. The body uses glucose by releasing hormones from its storage to produce energy. Time-Restricted feeding trials on humans have indicated 2-3% weight loss in 1 to 4 months due to glycogenolysis or glucose breakdown, gluconeogenesis modulations. As the body produces glucose from non-carbohydrate food items and fatty acid oxidation, you may experience fat loss.
Reduces Cardiovascular risk
Intermittent fasting reduces frequent insulin production in the body and thus prevents cardiovascular disease, such as coronary artery disease, from occurring due to high insulin resistance. Also, intermittent fasting improves lipid profile by increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), reducing low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides in the body. You may improve your insulin sensitivity as well.
Reduces Inflammation
Increased body adiposity leads to inflammation due to elevated C-reactive protein and decreased adiponectin hormone. The adiponectin hormone protects the body from insulin resistance. Thus, intermittent fasting protects the body against inflammation by decreasing adiposity through reduced calorie intake and reprogramming metabolism.
Controls Diabetes
Intermittent fasting also helps deal with diabetes as fasting periods give the body time to bring down glucose levels. Research shows a reduction of fasting sugar and body weight as intermittent fasting affects the release of the leptin hormone that regulates body weight and body fat.
Repairs Tissues
By reducing the concentration of cortisol or the stress hormone levels in the body, intermittent fasting helps repair body tissues.
To know more about OMAD fasting, read – One Meal A Day: All You Need To Know About OMAD Diet.
Are there any Risks with the OMAD diet?
OMAD comes with its own set of risks. So, you should think twice before adopting it for weight loss.
- Digestive issues- You may experience bloating and digestive discomfort due to excessive eating within a short interval of time. At times, you may not be able to eat the required amount of food as per your calorie requirement or suffer from constipation.
- Lack of nutrition- The body might not get the required amount of calories, along with the necessary vitamins, minerals, and protein requirements. It can lead to nutrition deficit, low energy, irritation, or muscle loss.
- Low sugar levels- Intermittent fasting can also lead to hypoglycemia in people with Type 2 diabetes who are already taking medicines to reduce blood glucose. It could further lead to anxiety, dizziness, pale skin, sweating, or fatigue.
- Increased blood pressure- According to a study, eating one meal in a day puts you at the risk of high blood pressure and increased LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) or bad cholesterol in the body. High blood pressure can lead to strokes, kidney, or other heart-related problems.
- May lead to eating disorders- In some cases, the OMAD diet results in binge eating problems when not followed strictly. People who give up on this plan might end up eating a large amount of food in less time due to the constant feeling of anorexia. It could be because of an increase in ghrelin or the hunger hormone due to the prolonged duration of fasting.
Proper planning of your meals can help you avoid risks associated with OMAD fasting. If you need help in planning your OMAD meals read – 10 Tips On How To Plan Your OMAD Meals.
OMAD Weight Loss Diet
The theory of OMAD revolves around calorie deficit like most types of intermittent fasting. There is no specific evidence that OMAD fasting is more effective than other forms of calorie deficit diets.
An alternative to OMAD could be reducing calorie intake and following less restrictive types of intermittent fasting. It can help you reduce the harmful effects of this extreme form of intermittent fasting and achieve similar weight-loss results.
However, people keen to lose weight have benefitted by following the OMAD diet plan and experienced great monthly or even 1-week OMAD results.
OMAD Fasting Results – OMAD Weight Loss expectations
The OMAD weight loss results 1 week indicate around 2 kg of weight loss. An average weight loss from any other diet plan is around 1 kg on average. Some obese people have also lost about 5 kg of their body weight in their OMAD diet results of 1 week.
People who have followed OMAD diet for around half a year have lost up to 15 kg of their body weight.
Following OMAD for weight loss should be done with utmost care. Some people follow a ketogenic diet with OMAD to lose even more weight. It means including low carb, high fat, and a moderate amount of protein in your diet.
Issues such as a headache while fasting arises due to electrolyte imbalance. You can mix salt with water and drink to maintain electrolyte balance. Also, staying busy is important so that the mind does not keep thinking about food.
Practicing discipline while following an OMAD diet is essential to avoid binge eating. People who have adopted the OMAD diet for a long time also report improvement in their cognitive ability and concentration levels.
OMAD Results: 3 One Meal A Day Success Stories
Weight loss is not easy and almost certainly is full of ups and downs. Particularly, when following a hunger-filled diet pattern like One Meal A Day.
What can bring a source of motivation is seeing success stories of people who have overcome the same struggles and proven that it’s possible to reach the results you are looking for.
Nowadays, social media has become a source of inspiration for a lot of people embarking on a weight loss journey. It is particularly beneficial to share your experience with people who encounter the same struggles and have similar doubts and questions. Therefore, online communities can provide support and motivation that many can’t get from their friends and family in real life.
To inspire our intermittent fasting community, we’ve been showcasing OMAD results on the 21DayHero Instagram account. Here are the most impressive OMAD before and after from people open to sharing their One Meal A Day weight loss results.
Tyler Barnett | OMAD Diet Results Weight Loss Success Story
WEIGHT LOST: 160 lbs (72.5 kg)
TIME: 14 months
“One day you wake up and say “enough is enough”. I’m tired of being unhealthy, ridiculed, belittled, looked down on, or felt sorry for. OMAD has started my transformation journey to a healthier me. The diet I’m on is working and I’m feeling great. I’m averaging about 4 lbs. of weight loss per week.”
Tyler has lost 160 lbs in 14 months thanks to One Meal A Day diet. He’s a professional cook and also shares his daily home-cooked OMAD meals on Instagram.
Maria D. Bass | OMAD Results – Weight Loss Success Story
WEIGHT LOST: 129 lbs (58.5 kg)
TIME: 10 months
“There isn’t anything we can’t do when we mind our heart and not our minds… when I started my weight loss journey 1/14/19 at 256 pounds I had set a goal weight for myself of 155-150 pounds.
When my body kept going I knew, it wasn’t finished! So, I decided I would wait and see where I would stop. When I weighed in at 127 pounds and had lost 129 lbs. I knew at this point I had reached my true goal! My weight has been maintaining between 124-127 lbs and I haven’t gained and I’m happy with my results!
How did I do it? With no Surgeries, no pills, no shakes, no gimmicks… just eating Keto and following OMAD and extended fasting
Now on maintenance I do TMAD (two meals a day) and have an eating window of 19/5. I’m all about self-Love and self-care. These both are very important in my journey and in my success!”
Maria has reached 129 lbs weight loss in 10 months with the help of Keto diet and OMAD. You can read more about Maria’s story on her website and Instagram account.
Gigi Ghobrial | OMAD Results – Weight Loss Success Story
WEIGHT LOST: 52 lbs (23.5 kg)
TIME: 7 months
“My transformation was Intermittent Fasting combined with going to the gym. I lost a total of 52 lbs in 7 months.
I started with Intermittent Fasting and transitioned to one meal a day (OMAD) over time. Occasionally I would also do extended fasting. I love the flexibility of being able to enjoy life by eating well. It’s not so much what I eat anymore, it’s when I eat that’s important. Fasting changed my life, specifically my relationship with food!”
Gigi has lost 52 lbs in 7 months with Intermittent Fasting incl. OMAD and extended fast. She shares her OMAD results and inspiring before and after photos on her Instagram account.
Who Should Avoid OMAD Fasting?
Breastfeeding females should certainly avoid OMAD fasting. Similarly, pregnant females and children below 18 years of age need a lot of energy and should avoid the OMAD diet.
Adults who already have an eating disorder or gastrointestinal issues are also advised against this form of intermittent fasting. Also, people consuming medications such as allopurinol, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or steroids that are to be consumed with food should not choose this technique for weight loss. Again, diabetic patients need balanced meals, and no form of OMAD plan helps achieve stable blood sugar levels.
If you do not fall in any of the above categories and decide to pick up the OMAD diet, you can probably start with other simpler forms of intermittent fasting and gradually move to OMAD.
Results after 1 month – data we collected:
The Bottom Line
Whichever diet plan you choose, listening to your body and understanding what works best is always good to carry it religiously and achieve positive results. OMAD or One Meal a Day can provide amazing benefits and give your gut lots of time to heal. When paired with good food and exercise, weight loss can come swiftly and you can see results as soon as week 1!
Always be sure to consume healthy fats with any intermittent fasting diets. The health benefits are HUGE and can change your life fairly quickly. Fish oils, Olive oil, avocado and lean proteins are great choices. Be sure to eat enough calories by tracking your daily calories, make sure you are eating enough calories, and be sure to workout regularly to maintin your muscle mass, and overall well-being.
Creating fasting habits along with healthy foods as a regular practice is more important than taking intermittent fasting as a one-time thing. You should always try to stop indulging in unwatchful eating at other times.
The diet plan you choose should fit with your lifestyle; otherwise, it becomes difficult to sustain or carry it for an extended period of time.
Want to try OMAD for 21-days? Take up our 21-day One Meal A Day challenge
