Longer Fasting Means Deeper Fasting Benefits
Because OMAD is a more advanced way to practice intermittent fasting, it gives you a chance to get in on all the research-backed benefits of fasting, such as:
- Increased human growth hormone levels. When you fast, your levels of this muscle-building, fat-burning hormone go up.
- Lowered inflammation levels. Fasting is known for its ability to reduce inflammation. When you arent eating, your body can divert its energy towards repair.
- Fasting is also associated with a decrease in health issues related to inflammation, as well as better blood sugar control, metabolic health, and even reduced cancer risk.
- Increased autophagy pathways . When you dont eat, your body repairs and detoxifies, cleaning up dead cells and debris.
These reasons may be enough to convince you to try OMAD, but theres more! Another key benefit of fasting techniques like OMAD is that they encourage a shift into nutritional ketosis . Nutritional ketosis has its own anti-inflammatory, fat-burning, and autophagy benefits. Because OMAD is a longer fast, it tends to maximize these benefits. Longer fasting windows give the body longer periods of time to enhance all the benefits of fasting shorter fasts still have benefits, but they wont be as profound.
If You Or Anyone You Know Needs Help With An Eating Disorder:
- Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
- Headspace on 1800 650 890
There is science to fasting, although its not as solid as its advocates would claim. Research has found that intermittent fasting may help weight loss, , lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.
What’s often discounted, is that these results only apply to a relatively moderate fasting cycle of around 12-36 hours nothing like the seven day water diets being pushed by some.
Added to this is the danger of triggering an eating disorder.
Juliette Thomson, a psychologist who manages the Butterfly Foundation’s national eating disorder helpline, told Hack fasting weight loss and deprivation can together cause an eating disorder.
“A person fasting is more at risk of losing weight, which we know is one of the biggest risk factors for eating disorders,” she said.
“But it’s also that the longer you don’t have food affects how your brain and body are going to respond to thoughts about food.
When you start reintroducing food that might trigger a starve-binge mentality.
This doesn’t mean all forms of intermittent fasting is dangerous to everyone. It all depends on the period of fasting as well as on the individual.
Some people have an elevated risk of developing an eating disorder, and this is down to genetic and other factors being a perfectionist increases the risk, for example.
Potential Benefits Of Omad
There isnt much science on OMAD. Most researchers have looked at other forms of intermittent fasting.
In animal and human studies, various forms of intermittent fasting have been linked to:
- Weight loss
- Improved body composition
- Better insulin sensitivity / blood sugar regulation
- Improved heart disease risk factors
- Lower inflammation
- A healthy gut microbiome
Some of these benefits may be driven by circadian rhythm enhancement. Your circadian rhythm is your 24-hour wake / sleep cycle, and it regulates a large chunk of your genome.
Most intermittent fasting protocols tend to favor daytime eating schedules. By not eating in the evening, you send the correct sleep signals to this clockand this influences everything from blood glucose levels to inflammation. Eating during the day also appears to promote a more anti-inflammatory gut microbiome, at least in animals.
But come on. Isnt there any data on OMAD? Actually, there is.
One small study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when normal weight people ate one meal a day , they had significant reductions in fat mass and cortisol, the stress hormone. During the 8 weeks of OMAD, however, the participants also had higher blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, both markers of increased heart disease risk.
Another small study used a similar setup. This time, normal weight men and women had higher fasting glucose levels on OMAD than when they ate three meals per day.
Also Check: Can A Relationship Give You Ptsd
Signs Of An Eating Disorder
It is difficult to determine how much time a person spends engaging in dieting behaviors. Still, there are certain behaviors that might indicate that a person may have an eating disorder. Some signs to look for:
- Constantly feeling cold and wearing thick layers to stay warm
- Avoiding social situations where eating may be involved
- Engaging in periods of extreme food restriction
- Exercising excessively to prevent weight gain or to lose weight
- Hiding, stealing, or hoarding food
- Only eating in private
- Spending a lot of time preparing food for others and then refusing to eat
- Symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Wearing baggy clothing to hide weight loss
Such behaviors take up a great deal of time and mental energy. They may interfere with a person’s ability to function normally in different areas of their life, including home, work, school, and relationships. In many cases, people may avoid social events to avoid having to eat around other people.
Kellogg’s Wants To Give You $5000 And A Year’s Supply Of Cereal
I just adjust my eating window when I have social gatherings, she shares. I normally eat around 5:30 p.m. but if I have a social gatheringlike eating out with friends and familyI extend my fasting. If 7 p.m., I just wait until then and eat at that time I need to plan. If I know I am going to eat out tomorrow, I will eat a little later today so I don’t need to fast for too long.
Related: How to strategize when browsing a restaurants menu
Of course, the flexibility doesnt just extend to what time of day you choose to have your meal it also involves what you eat. Balootje quips that the question she is asked most often is whether or not you can actually eat whatever you want when on the OMAD diet. While the answer is yes, you can, she finds she doesn’t want to “waste” her one meal of the day on food that isn’t going to fuel her properly.
“If trying the OMAD diet, it may be tempting to eat whatever you want during the limited eating window,” acknowledges Townsend. “Generally speaking, you should still try to get your daily requirements within that one hour and you should still focus on eating a balanced diet. This includes quality protein, whole grains, healthy fats and an abundance of fruits and vegetablesand not forgetting about hydration!”
Recommended Reading: Is Bipolar Type 2 Considered A Disability
Individuals Involved In High
Individuals in high-intensity athletics have a high caloric and nutrient need that they may not be able to meet on an OMAD diet. They also need a more steady energy supply to fuel their training and refuel after workouts and competition.
If you are involved in high-intensity athletics, other intermittent fasting strategies may still be right for you. You can find some other intermittent fasting strategies here. Make sure to talk to a healthcare professional and your coach before embarking on any fasting regiment.
One Meal A Day Vs Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a way of eating that increases your window between meals. Generally, this involves not eating anything for a minimum of 16 hours, followed by a maximum 8-hour eating window. In practice, many people skip a meal, either breakfaster or dinner, with part of the fasting period spanning sleep. OMAD, in contrast, means only eating one meal a day instead of two. However, in practical terms, it often involves extending the non-eating window to 22-23 hours and then consuming either a meal or various snacks in the remaining time.
Read Also: How Does Anxiety Affect Sleep
What Are The Benefits Of The Omad Diet
OMAD and intermittent fasting have been the subject of a number of studies, revealing a range of health, weight-loss and lifestyle benefits. Weve included the main OMAD benefits below, or you can read our full list by .
Improving Cell Function, Genes and HormonesPeriods of fasting reduces the bodys insulin levels, resulting in increased fat burning. It is also associated with cellular repair called autophagy, and gene expression, which has benefits for ageing and disease resistance.
Increased Weight Loss and Muscle GainFasting triggers an increase in growth hormones, assisting with muscle gain and weight loss. Alongside this, lowered insulin levels allow your body to use stored fat as energy.
Reduced Insulin ResistanceIntermittent fasting has been shown to reduce insulin resistance. When an individual reduces their insulin resistance, blood sugar levels typically lower, helping to protect against the effects of type 2 diabetes. Doctors at the Intensive Dietary Management clinic in Canada have proven that intermittent fasting can be used as a method to reduce the symptoms of, and even reverse the effects of type 2 diabetes.
More Time in the DayEating one meal a day means significantly less time is spent on food shopping, cooking and dishwashing. This time adds up, and can be spent on other productive activities, or simply spent relaxing.
Better Blood Sugar Control
Following an intermittent fasting plan could help improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels. When you spend less time eating throughout the day, your insulin levels have time to come down, and your body starts to bring energy out of storage.
If you snack throughout the whole day, your cells are exposed to more sustained periods of raised insulin as it works to bring glucose into cells from the bloodstream. Some believe this could contribute to insulin resistance and that fasting could help prevent this.
Research shows intermittent fasting can help reduce fasting glucose and fasting insulin levels. If you have diabetes, youll want to work closely with your healthcare provider before starting an intermittent fasting diet. The changes in glucose and insulin that result might require close monitoring of your meal and medication plan .
Don’t Miss: What Does A Minor Panic Attack Feel Like
Microblog: Why Omad Could Be A Band
MN Starvation Study. See the last posts for additional context.Once the men were starved, their desire to prolong their eating times remind me of One Meal a Day .I was OMAD for my first year of carnivore. But I noticed that I was increasing my food consumption slowly.OMAD was a perfect bandaid: it permitted my bingeing habits to continue. I never learned to regulate meals and quantities.If you land on OMAD because you feel best with OMAD, that may be okay.
If you do OMAD because you cant control yourself eating 2x a day, OMAD is a bandaid.Some research shows that with OMAD and our digestive system, any fasting past 16 hours can affect the digestive system.
Our bodies have less gastric juices and digestive enzymes, and when we eat a 2000-3000 calorie meal after almost 24 hours, it can cause a higher insulin spike and throw off our gut flora.One tip: dont break fasts with dairy. Your gut mucosal layer is more sensitive to inflammation. When breaking a fast with dairy, you can have a prostaglandin response, triggering inflammation in the gut.This can then cause an immune reaction response, breaking down the gut wall and triggering autoimmune-type symptoms.
I Did Intermittent Fasting For Almost 4 Years
Trigger warning: The following story discusses eating disorders and disordered eating behavior.
At the beginning of my four-year intermittent fasting journey, I was experiencing so many health benefits such as decreased bloating, improved mental clarity and sleep, and I was able to lose the baby weight I’d been holding on to for four years. It was going so well in the beginning that I thought I’d do IF for the rest of my life. But as I slowly started to try more restrictive methods of IF to reach my weight-loss goals, it started to not work, and I was actually gaining weight.
I was feeling so frustrated, sad, and hopeless because I was losing control over my relationship with food. Here’s my story of how intermittent fasting started to fail me, and how giving it up for intuitive eating actually helped me have more peace with food and achieve my body and fitness goals.
You May Like: Can Panic Attacks Cause Nausea
Does Omad Make You Tired
OMAD can make you tired if you eat fast, and you eat more food at once. To feel less tired, slow down your eating and prioritize proteins in your meal because adding more protein will keep the satiety high, and minimize post-meal tiredness.
So just because the post-dinner dip is natural, it doesnt mean we cannot do anything about it. Adding proteins to your OMAD meal not only will keep your muscle protein synthesis active, but it will also keep you more satisfied after your meals.
So having a protein-rich meal will ensure that you feel less tired, feel fuller with less food, and maintain your daily metabolic operations.
Focus on eating slowly, and being aware of your body cues. Eliminate distractions to help you eat mindfully. Stop eating when you feel satisfied or no longer hungry, NOT when full.
A Typical Day On The Omad Diet
After following the OMAD diet for almost two years, Balootje has her routine down pat. She starts her day with a black coffeewhich she admits was awful in the beginningand until her daily meal at dinner around 5:30 p.m., she follows her morning brew with water and tea. She doesnt supplement with any additional vitamins other than what is found in her well-balanced meals .
While you may be inclined to think that because she isnt eating the typical three meals and two snacks a day that Balootje is often left out from dinners out with friends, youd be wrong she says that while it sounds strict, OMAD actually allows for a lot of flexibility.
Read Also: How To Overcome Depression And Anxiety
What Can I Eat On Omad
When FastingWhen following a 23:1 diet, the majority of the day is spent fasting. This means no calories can be consumed, and includes both food and drink.
Typically any food items will have calories, so should be avoided. However, zero calorie drinks can still be consumed when fasting. This includes black coffee, green tea, and zero calorie soft drinks. Anything that adds calories to your hot drinks can not be included.
It is worth noting that research has shown that some zero calorie artificial sweeteners can cause an insulin response, due to cephalic phase insulin release. This is when your body releases insulin before you digest food, triggered by the sight, smell, and taste of food. This may negate some of the benefits of fasting, and as such we recommend only consuming articial sweeteners in moderation.
When EatingFor your one meal per day , you can eat whatever feels right. This means you can eat a healthy, balanced meal to help you reach your broader fitness goals, or you can eat the burger and fries youve been craving all day. This is one of the main attractions of the OMAD diet.
It is important to note that binging on unhealthy foods could stall weight-loss progress and the health benefits of IF, so whilst you should enjoy your food, you should always remain responsible in your eating habits. The general rule of thumb is to avoid sugar and processed foods if you can, but theyre fine to enjoy in moderation.
Disordered Eating Vs Eating Disorder: Key Differences
There are a few key differences between disordered eating and eating disorders. People with disordered eating do not necessarily meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder. They also may not have the same intense fear of gaining weight that is characteristic of eating disorders.
The primary difference between disordered eating and eating disorders involves the severity and degree of the symptoms. Disordered eating frequently involves many of the same behaviors that occur in eating disorders, but such symptoms occur less frequently or less intensely.
This does not mean that disordered eating is not serious. Eating disorders are often more recognizable and represent diagnosable conditions. Disordered eating can often be more subtle, making it more difficult to recognize or, at times, more challenging to address. However, disordered eating can contribute to the development and onset of an eating disorder.
-
Only eating certain foods
Don’t Miss: Does Schizophrenia Get Worse As You Age
Potential Health Benefits Of The Omad Diet
There is very little research about following an OMAD diet, so its difficult to understand the benefits and risks of a 23-hour fasting eating pattern. Still, some research about the benefits of intermittent fasting in general may apply to the one meal a day diet plan.
Here are some of the potential benefits of intermittent fasting:
Omad Is A Lifestylenot A Magic Trick
In of 2018, it took Dio Balootje, 37, just five days to go from three meals a day to oneand she hasnt looked back since. Back then, there wasnt much information on the OMAD diet, so she had to start her own method to make the jump from what many of us consider a “normal” diet to her new normal. Now dubbed the OMAD Queen, Balootje spends her time helping others transition to the OMAD diet, offering monthly challenges and coaching others on successfully adopting what can seem like an intimidating lifestyle.
While one study found that OMAD does lead to “significant reduction in fat mass,” it also had a negative affect on glucose tolerance and subjects had significant increases in both LDL And HDL cholesterol totals. Faye Townsend, ANutr, a registered associate nutritionist at Rhitrition based in London, notes that when it comes to weight loss, intermittent fasting diets such as OMAD aren’t any more effective than just restricting your number of overall daily calories.
“There is some interesting research emerging suggesting that less extreme versions of intermittent fasting may be beneficial in losing weight and reducing the risk of diabetes,” explains Townsend. “A study showed that early time restricted feeding improved insulin sensitivity, improved pancreatic function and reduced blood pressure in men at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is thought to be because this feeding pattern links up with your circadian rhythm.”
Read Also: Can Males Have Eating Disorders