OMAD diet for weight loss: Is eating one meal a day healthy?

When weight loss is the endgoal, people try all sorts of diets and lifestyle tweaks to see the weighing scale needle indicate a positive change. Intermittent fasting has emerged as one of the most tried-and-tested diets for weight loss, but here’s an extreme form of intermittent fasting – the OMAD diet. OMAD stands for One Meal A Day. As the name suggests, this diet consists of having simply one full and wholesome meal each day and fasting or eating very little during the rest of the day. Depending on personal preference, different foods are eaten at different times during the day. But is the OMAD diet healthy for weight loss?

The OMAD diet gained popularity after celebrities such as Coldplay, Chris Martin, and singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen revealed they follow a similar dietary regimen. So, let’s find out how the OMAD diet works and what are the potential benefits associated with it.

What is the OMAD diet?

The OMAD or one meal a day is a weight loss diet regime in which a person consumes only one meal per day. In this strategy, they will not eat or drink anything containing calories for most of the day. It is a form of intermittent fasting. It alternates between extensive intervals of not eating or drinking anything containing calories and brief time windows for eating. The diet makes use of the 23:1 intermittent fasting method. This indicates that a person fasts for 23 hours daily, leaving only 1 hour to eat. Most people who follow this diet eat around dinner time and then fast until the next evening, as found in a study published in the Frontiers in Physiology Journal. However, another other research published in the British Journal of Nutrition indicates that having breakfast as the only meal may improve glucose management later in the day and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

What are the benefits of OMAD diet?

Here are some of the potential benefits of OMAD diet:

1. May help in weight loss

OMAD diet is about limiting your food intake to one time a day. This may force your body to burn extra fat in the body, thereby leading to weight loss. According to a study published in the Annual Review Nutrition, modified types of intermittent fasting can help you lose weight by improving sleep patterns and assisting with normal digestion. However, one must be careful against developing eating disorders and a disruptive lifestyle.

2. May improve Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes may be a result of obesity, heredity factors and an unhealthy lifestyle. A study published in the World Journal of Diabetes discovered that patients with type II diabetes who practiced intermittent fasting were able to lose weight, had reduced calorie intake, and lower glucose and insulin levels after meals.

3. May protect heart health

The most beneficial aspect of intermittent fasting is that it reduces visceral fat and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, which improves heart health, as found in a 2012 study published in the Nutritional Journal. The OMAD diet, as a type of intermittent fasting, may thus benefit heart health.

4. Does not deprive you

“When you follow the OMAD diet with the right foods, you may not feel deprived. You will enjoy a satisfying, nutritious, and delicious supper that will keep your junk food addiction at bay. Of course, you must follow a foods-to-avoid list to protect your heart, liver, and kidneys,” says nutritionist Gauri Anand.

5. May reduce inflammation

Short-term fasting lowers inflammatory activity in the body. According to a study conducted by experts at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, fasting improves chronic inflammatory disorders while maintaining monocyte emergency mobilisation. Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.

6. Prevents weight regain

This is what distinguishes the OMAD diet from other diets. Losing weight is a process filled with highs and lows. If you can follow the OMAD diet twice a week, you will be less likely to regain the weight you lost, as found in a study published in the Frontiers Physiology Journal.

What foods to eat on OMAD diet?

Here are some of the foods that are best suited for OMAD diet, as explained by the expert.

• Veggies: Carrots, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot, turnip, scallions, purple cabbage, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, bell peppers, sweet potato, white potato with peel, spinach, and kale.
• Fruits: High glycemic index, such as grapes, watermelon, mangoes, and pineapple, and canned fruits, should be consumed in moderation.
• Protein: Chicken breast, lean pig and beef, seafood, mushrooms, beans and lentils, tofu, and eggs.
• Dairy: Full-fat milk, yoghurt, cheddar cheese, feta cheese, buttermilk, handmade ricotta cheese, and cottage cheese.
• Whole grains: Brown rice, black rice, broken wheat, millet, quinoa, barley, and sorghum.
• Fats and oils: Olive oil, rice bran oil, sunflower butter, peanut butter, edible coconut oil, and almond butter.
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamias, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and melon seeds.
• Herbs and spices: Cilantro, mint, dill, fennel, rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic, ginger, onion, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, chilli flakes, star anise, cardamom, garlic powder, and clove.
• Beverages: Water, homemade lemonade, electrolytes, coconut water, freshly squeezed fruit juice, and cold-pressed juices.

What foods to avoid in an OMAD diet?

Here are some of foods that one should avoid in an OMAD diet, as explained by the expert.

• Fruits: High-GI fruits such as grapes, jackfruit, mangoes, and pineapple should be consumed in moderation.
• Dairy: Fat milk, flavoured yoghurt, and cream cheese.
• Whole grains: White rice. To balance the GI, eat in moderation and with at least five different types of vegetables.
• Fats and oils: Hemp seed oil, dalda, lard, vegetable oil, butter, margarine, and mayonnaise.

How to include foods in your OMAD diet?

Here is a complete guide on how to include foods into your OMAD diet, as explained by the expert:

• Include at least five varieties of vegetables
• Eat three types of fruits
• Include lean proteins in your diet. However, you can eat red meat in moderation.
  If you are a vegetarian, eat enough of plant protein, including nuts, seeds, kidney beans, and whole pulses
• Consume half a bowl of curd or a cup of buttermilk to help digestion
• Eat a couple of unsalted nuts in moderation
• You can eat one piece of 80 percent dark chocolate
• Other snacks you may add include bananas, sour cream, or yoghurt
• Stay hydrated during the fasting period
• You can consume 3-4 cups of green tea during the fasting period
• If you exercise, eat an egg before working out and restore your electrolyte reserves by drinking coconut water after workout.

Also read: 6 small meals or 3 big meals: Is one healthier than the other?

Are there any side effects of OMAD diet?

Here are some of the potential side effects of OMAD diet, as pointed by the expert.

• Sustaining this diet can be challenging for first-timers. You will experience hunger and restlessness
• You might feel weak
• You can feel dizzy and experience brain fog
• You may find your focus and concentration compromised if you constantly think about food
• Menopausal women may experience metabolic slowdown

Things to keep in mind!

Since our bodies respond differently to diets, you should consult your doctor or your healthcare provider before incorporating the OMAD diet. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid this diet.