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Eating One Meal a Day: Is it a Safe Way to Lose Weight?

1 min Read

If you are familiar with popular diet trends, you have probably heard of intermittent fasting. Designed to help followers lose weight and improve body composition, intermittent fasting includes a specified period of fasting, followed by a specified period of eating. Specifics of these fasting/eating windows can vary in time and frequency depending on the follower […]

If you are familiar with popular diet trends, you have probably heard of intermittent fasting. Designed to help followers lose weight and improve body composition, intermittent fasting includes a specified period of fasting, followed by a specified period of eating. Specifics of these fasting/eating windows can vary in time and frequency depending on the follower and the goals of the fasting plan. The most common form of intermittent fasting is the 16:8 ratio where followers fast for 16 hours and eat the days calories in an 8 hour window. This form of intermittent fasting is easier to follow as it gives followers a more normalized eating schedule. 

This fairly new style of eating is still being researched to determine whether or not the health benefits outweigh the potential risks associated with long periods of fasting. Limited research in both humans and animals has shown that intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss based on the mechanics of fasting, i.e., allowing the body to burn through the energy from consumed food and switch to burning stored energy in the form of body fat. Although intermittent fasting may help with weight loss, it is typically difficult to follow and sustain, given the specific time requirements and will-power associated with fasting for long periods of time.

One style of Intermittent fasting that has recently gained traction, mainly because of it’s shock factor, is the “one meal a day” or OMAD diet. As the name implies, the one meal a day diet has followers fasting for up to twenty-three hours per day, and consuming their daily calories in a one hour time period, typically in a single meal. 

Interested to learn more about the one meal a day diet? Let’s dive into some specifics!

How do I only eat one meal a day? 

Starting out, followers choose breakfast, lunch, or dinner as their single meal of the day. The chosen meal will dictate the timing of the fast (23 hours fasting to 1 hour eating). Food choices vary on this program as some choose to eat any food they want, while others focus on a more balanced approach of nutrient dense foods from multiple food groups. During the fast, followers are allowed to drink calorie free fluids including water, coffee, and herbal tea.

Other proponents of the one meal a day diet say you can eat whatever foods you want. This freedom is appealing but choosing fast foods and higher calorie foods can quickly lead to over consuming calories for the day, even if you are only eating one meal. 

It is of note that the one meal a day diet would be very difficult for vegetarians, vegans, or those eating a plant-based diet. Plant-based choices are typically lower in calories which means more total volume would need to be consumed to get the adequate number of calories for the day. 

On the flip side, long periods of fasting do not come without inherent risks. Only eating one meal per day can lead to feelings of weakness, extreme hunger, mental fogginess, and an increased risk of binge eating. Until followers adapt to this style of eating, the longer the fast, the worse these symptoms can be. 

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Should you try the one meal a day diet? 

At Noom, we believe the most successful eating plan is the one that you can follow for the long term. Although there may be some benefits associated with periods of intermittent fasting, a plan such as the one meal a day plan can be extremely difficult to sustain. If you want to explore intermittent fasting, try starting slow and explore some of the more balanced approaches to fasting. Wanting more info on fasting and how it may play into your weight loss goals? Let Noom help! Get access to a personalized Goal Specialist who can help you navigate the ups and downs of any eating plan. Start your risk free Noom trial today! 

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