Explaining the One Meal A Day (OMAD) Diet
With so much research on the health benefits of intermittent fasting (IF), it should come as no surprise that fasting has become such a popular health trend. The unique thing about intermittent fasting is it has benefits no matter how long you fast but can vary based on this time frame. Most forms of intermittent fasting consist of a fasting window (i.e. 20 hours) and a fed window (i.e. four hours), but OMAD (one meal a day) is slightly different.
What is OMAD?
O.M.A.D. stands for one meal a day. This is a form of intermittent fasting where you consume all of your calories and nutrients in one meal. Typically this meal is large and considered a part of a one-hour feeding window, followed by a 23-hour fasting window.
What are the Benefits of Only Eating One Meal A Day?
The health benefits of OMAD parallel those of traditional intermittent fasting. Some of these benefits include: [1] [2]
- Improving blood glucose and insulin sensitivity
- Reducing inflammation
- Reducing bloating
- Improving GI health
- Reduced caloric consumption (fat loss)
- Improved cognitive functioning & mental clarity
- Reduced oxidative damage
- Promoting longevity & healthy aging
- Better sleep.
For more information on IF check out our comprehensive article Your Guide to Intermittent Fasting.
Why Would You Only Eat One Meal A Day?
Eating only one meal a day can be beneficial for busy, on-the-go people. Restricting your eating window to one set timeframe reduces time spent eating and prepping meals. This can help reduce anxiety how much to eat, overeating, and snacking.
If you are the type of person that tends to eat while bored or finds themselves snacking all day, OMAD might be helpful.
Is OMAD Safe?
As with any dramatic change to your diet, it is always recommended that you first speak with your physician. Intermittent fasting, however, has been shown by research to be safe. There are a few health concerns, however, that you should be aware of.
It is important to make sure that you are obtaining all of your necessary nutrients during the feeding window. This can be tough when eating only one meal a day. That means enough calories, macronutrients (specifically fat and protein), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). [3]
OMAD Tips & Recommendations
If you want to try OMAD here are a few tips and tricks that might make the experience a little easier:
- Drink plenty of water during your fasting window
- Pre-plan meals so that you make sure you are getting the right nutrients your body needs
- Try adding electrolytes and/or bone broth to your feeding window to help prevent any electrolyte deficiencies
- Add plenty of salt to your food in order to maintain sodium levels
- Try a fasting app (like Zero) to help time your fasts better
Do You Follow the One Meal A Day Diet?
Comment below and share your thoughts on OMAD! Do you have any tips or tricks to help beginners? Share them with the community!
References
Wilhelmi de Toledo F, Grundler F, Sirtori CR, Ruscica M. Unravelling the health effects of fasting: a long road from obesity treatment to healthy life span increase and improved cognition. Ann Med. 2020 Aug;52(5):147-161. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2020.1770849. Epub 2020 Jun 10. PMID: 32519900; PMCID: PMC7877980.
Golbidi S, Daiber A, Korac B, Li H, Essop MF, Laher I. Health Benefits of Fasting and Caloric Restriction. Curr Diab Rep. 2017 Oct 23;17(12):123. doi: 10.1007/s11892-017-0951-7. PMID: 29063418.
Potential Benefits and Harms of Intermittent Energy Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Amongst Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Subjects-A Narrative Review of Human and Animal Evidence. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 7(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs7010004
