(OMAD = One Meal A Day)
This pandemic has given me a lot of room to experiment around things which I rather would have not in the regular college hustle and bustle. All the way from running 5k under 25 minutes to going on a water fast for five days, there’s a variety this coronacation has brought back in life from the regular Squat, Bench and Deadlift.
I have been a preacher of intermittent fasting and if you’ve ever asked me about fad diets or keto or vegan for weight loss, I am sure I’d have asked you to trust intermittent fasting and feel the magic. I’ll write a detailed scientific account and myth buster on fasting later but here’s my experience of one of the other favourite diets on the street. OMAD.
It stands for One Meal a Day and it is as the name suggests, you eat just one meal a day. The idea comes from a reminder that humans in the savannah weren’t serving their kids breakfast cereals but forging and hunting. Evolutionary we are way more capable than we think we are.
Before my personal account, here’s what you can expect from an extensive fasting regime like OMAD:
Increased focus and productivity
Weight loss
Mental clarity
Diet freedom (I literally eat burger(s), ngl)
Increased insulin sensitivity
Important tasks to complete:
It is recommended for any healthy individual to have minimum of 1200 calories per day.
Beyond calories also need to cover the necessary macros, can’t complete 1600 calories with 2 chocolate truffles! Athlete alarm!
Need to get those micro nutrients in too. Class four science and my grandma's B-12 supplements are a reminder.
Now that’s quite a big plate to feed in one meal, mate.
My OMAD routine:
I’d work my meal around evening 7:30 to feel full.
My usual meal would look somewhat like:
Two Burgers
The tikki made from mashed 300g paneer and one boiled potato
Veggies
One slice cheese
Sauces to taste
One bulk protein banana milkshake with ice cream
My experience:
In the initial days it was really difficult to keep up as I’d start feeling hungry by the time I used to have my regular meal, but here’s the thing you need to understand.
There’s this hormone called Ghrelin. It has just one job, that’s to make you hungry and it’s pretty punctual about it but it’s also a lousy one and if you ignore it for long, it goes back to sleep.
After the second day of pushing through I didn’t feel hungry at all. My body had adapted to the new schedule.
I felt a surge in mental clarity and could focus more on my work. Also helped with my meditation since it’s always recommended to meditate with quite a gap from meal, fasted being ideal.
Having that one meal was something I looked forward to, it kind of became an incentive reward system. An anchor.
Some days I’d feel a little tired or sluggish but by my experience I know what’s the cause, if not for sleep then it’s probably due to lack of electrolytes. I supplement with a multivitamin with potassium and zinc, that balances it well.
My final take on OMAD:
Would I recommend it?
The answer is always, it depends, but for the majority, I can say with conviction that the answer is NO! Not only is it not sustainable for many, in a regular active life one might feel more fatigued due to lack of electrolytes and finding a balance is not worth the effort.
Just because you can eat anything, doesn’t mean you should.
It’s really not great for serious strength training. This isn’t my first time with OMAD but since I am not training right now I thought of giving it another shot.
It is a great exercise to improve discipline and willpower but definitely not something I see sustainable for many.
You might just over-binge eating unnecessary calories.
Studies show backlashes with cases of high blood pressure and insulin spikes, definitely not for children, adults or diabetic patients and people with other health conditions.
So, yes. I think it was great exercise for my will power but I guess it’s time to move on. Also eating so much everyday gets boring beyond a point.
PS: Will miss ‘em everyday burgers tho or maybe I’ll figure out a less torturous way to still include them in everyday diet. Fingers crossed!
Comments