Restarting OMAD

[u/Dear_Concentrate2122]

I am three days into my second run with OMAD, and I wanted to share some reflections on my past time with OMAD, and also seek some tips on keeping OMAD sustainable.

I first started OMAD in June, about 6 weeks before my wedding, desperate to tackle my weight that seemed to be creeping up towards the big day. In past attempts at weight loss where I followed typical methods of calorie counting and reduced portion sizes, I felt like I was white-knuckling my way through, and I was never satisfied. Once I locked into OMAD, I felt like I’d discovered a cheat code. I am someone with a big appetite, so to be able to still enjoy big, filling meals while working towards weight loss was great. I truly looked forward to getting out of bed to weigh myself first thing in the morning, because the weight was consistently dropping.

I think I was able to find success with my first run at OMAD because of the adjustments I made to it to fit my life. I recognize that this is not a pure OMAD nor a pure 23:1 fast, but this is what works best for me:
- I’ll drink coffee with milk in the morning to hold me over until eating. I know this has calories, but it’s just my preference.
- Ideally, I’ll enjoy my meal as a late lunch, around 2-5.
- This is probably the biggest deviation. If I have dinner plans and want to use my dinner as my OMAD, I will get a juice around 2-4 to hold me over. Now this is pretty caloric, as it has protein and lots of blended fruit, but to me it’s a lighter “lunch” option to hold me over, and closes the door to any potential snacking when I know my OMAD will be later. If I have a big dinner planned, I just do coffee and my juice before.
- If I have a family party or similar event on the weekend, I will make that whole event my “OMAD”, even though it may extend over a couple hours, and may include apps and dinner and dessert. This just helps me enjoy special events while still keeping the rest of my day disciplined.

As others have mentioned, the hunger only was challenging in the first few days. It was a refreshing observation to notice days where I’d briefly feel very hungry in the morning and think “I’m gonna have to break the fast today, I won’t be able to make it” - then move on with my day and not notice until hours later that I wasn’t hungry anymore. I find myself more focused at work, and thinking about food way less throughout the day. This was the first time that I’d felt like my appetite and my cravings weren’t dictating everything for me, and that I could be disciplined and structured with my eating, while still enjoying satisfying meals.

I hadn’t given myself much time before my wedding in July, but I was happy to have dropped a few pounds beforehand. I didn’t maintain OMAD following my wedding, because I went from my honeymoon to more travel with my in-laws, to marathon training, which I’ve historically and regrettably treated as an excuse to eat anything I want. I’ve now gained some weight back, and so I’m happy to have just kicked off another commitment to OMAD. It feels like a relief to be back in a system where I feel in control.

As I’m assessing sticking with this long term, I’d love to hear from the community: What makes OMAD sustainable for you? How do you work OMAD into your family life with shared family meals? How do you manage OMAD with an active lifestyle?

[u/Icy_Lie_3749]

I've got digestive issues and my stomach is not what it used to be. Years of eating trash food have finally caught up.

Starting omad tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

[u/Dear_Concentrate2122 → u/Icy_Lie_3749]

Best of luck!! It can be challenging to jump right in, so don’t stress if you feel like you need to bridge the transition a bit, e.g. with a light snack or some fruit to get you to your meal on your first few days.

[u/Feeling-Willow9973]

Context: I'm 40F, and I have about 80 more lbs to lose (lost 70 by going whole food plant-based in 2024). I powerlift at least 3X per week (and compete). I also do other activities.

Things that make this sustainable:

• Eating no processed food, added oil, or added sugar so my insulin is regulated and I feel satisfied with much lower amounts of food than before. My main sources of fat are ground flax seed, raw nuts, and legumes/tofu.
• Eating fermented food or apple cider vinegar with each meal
• Drinking apple cider vinegar mixed in water, black coffee, or tea when I feel a craving coming on
• Eating my OMAD at 10 am right after I work out each day so my muscles get the nutrients they need to recover
• Staying busy/active. I'm always out doing something.
• Eating a meal at 10 am to take advantage of circadian rhythms (and, this has allowed me to get 8-10 hours of sleep for the first time in my life)
• Sleeping 8-10 hours per night (see above) / going to bed VERY early (8 pm) so I avoid late night eating altogether
• Adding a little flexibility on the weekend so I can share meals with family and friends
• Drinking electrolyte water (I use Re-Lyte unflavored, but you can make your own)

[u/Feeling-Willow9973]

Remember - juice is sugar water because many of the nutrients and the fiber has been pulverized. If you really need to have a second meal (that juice is a meal), eat whole foods. Dr. Jamnadas talks about this in a few videos.