The OMAD diet is also not appropriate for many groups of people, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children and teens, older adults, and people with eating disorders. In addition to these potential adverse effects, eating one meal a day can lead to symptoms including ( 12):
What’s more, restricting calories to one meal a day may increase the chances of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, especially in those with type 2 diabetes ( 11). Other studies have shown that eating one meal per day may increase fasting blood sugar levels, delay the body’s response to insulin, and increase levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, compared to eating 3 meals per day. Plus, extreme methods of fasting, such as OMAD, may have side effects that people need to consider, such as increased hunger and problematic metabolic changes ( 5).Īlthough research has associated fasting and calorie restriction with a variety of health benefits, some evidence suggests that restricting too much - which can include only consuming one meal a day - may do more harm than good.įor example, studies suggest that this extreme restriction may lead to increased total and LDL “bad” cholesterol and higher blood pressure levels compared to normal eating patterns or less extreme fasting methods ( 2). However, these weight loss benefits are related to intermittent fasting in general, and not just the OMAD.
I AM DA ONE SLOW VERSION WINDOWS
The study also showed that an overnight fast of 18 or more hours was associated with decreased body weight, compared to shorter fasting windows ( 4). However, it doesn’t seem to be any more effective than traditional methods of calorie restriction, such as reducing calorie intake at each meal ( 3).Īn analysis that included 50,660 people showed that those who consumed 1 or 2 meals per day had a yearly reduction in body mass index (BMI) compared to those who consumed 3 meals per day. Research has also shown that intermittent fasting, including extended fasting periods like OMAD, is likely to result in weight loss. People using the OMAD method are likely to lose weight simply because they’re taking in fewer overall calories than they normally would during a regular pattern of eating.įor example, a study in healthy adults found that restricting calorie intake to a 4-hour time period in the evening led to significantly greater body fat loss than when eating three separate meals throughout the day ( 2). Calorie restriction, no matter how you achieve it, will lead to fat loss. You can do this by either increasing the number of calories you burn or reducing your calorie intake. In order to lose weight, you must create an energy deficit. However, some OMAD enthusiasts don’t consume anything containing calories during their fasting window and only consume calories during their chosen meal, which typically lasts an hour or so. Some versions of this eating pattern allow a snack or two in addition to the one meal. Most people following OMAD choose to only consume dinner, although others choose breakfast or lunch as their one meal. For example, when following the Warrior Diet, a person eats a single meal a day, cycling between long periods of fasting with short periods of energy consumption.
However, compared to other fasting regimens, such as the 16/8 method, which involves 8-hour eating windows and 16-hour fasting windows, eating just one meal per day is one of the most extreme methods of intermittent fasting.Ī few popular diets encourage eating one meal per day. Other health benefits related to fasting include the potential to reduce heart disease risk factors, decrease blood sugar, and reduce inflammation ( 1). This type of diet creates a calorie deficit, which can lead to weight loss. There are many types of intermittent fasting practices and multiple ways to implement OMAD.Įxamples include having just one meal and fasting for the rest of the day or having one meal and eating limited amounts of food during fasting periods.