The concept behind extreme fasting (or eating one meal a day) is that your body is constantly burning fat rather than taking in calories
Photo by Cottonbro Studio/Pexels
The one-meal-a-day (OMAD) diet, as the name implies, means you only eat at a specific hour in a day. It’s worked for many people (including Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey), who say they’ve lost weight by eating once a day. But the real question is: Is it really a healthy program? Here’s everything you need to know about it.
How does the OMAD diet work?
The one and only meal you’re allowed to eat in a day should contain the maximum number of calories you can consume. This meal should have a balance of the right carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The OMAD diet ensures that your body is constantly burning fat throughout the day rather than taking in calories. You can opt for light snacks throughout the day but most of your calories should be from that one meal.
Can you eat anything you want while following the program?
Provided that you follow your daily calorie limit, the diet allows you to eat anything you want. Doing so, however, can possibly hinder you from taking in essential nutrients you need in a day. When following this diet, it’s recommended that you load up on healthy fats from avocado, olive oil, and nuts.
What are the advantages of the OMAD diet?
Aside from weight loss, the OMAD diet is supposed to improve organ function, reduce inflammation, and lower risks for chronic disease. It gives your vital organs, digestive hormones, and metabolic functions a “break” since you only consume food at a specific hour in a day.
What are the disadvantages of the OMAD diet?
Despite its advantages, the OMAD diet is more dangerous than it sounds. Side effects include extreme hunger, fatigue, lack of focus, and binge eating. Aside from this, you also miss out on important nutrients your body needs especially if you end up binge eating junk food during that hour. It’s also been linked to long term obesity, digestive pressure, and increased cholesterol levels.
Should you try the OMAD diet?
The OMAD diet is not the healthiest program for your body and isn’t recommended by experts. Diets should never be detrimental to your health, especially if the disadvantages are far greater than the benefits. You might be better off incorporating intermittent fasting (provided you consult a doctor) to ensure you get necessary nutrients and adding an exercise program to your routine.
