OMAD (one meal a day)

Huia, you're absolutely right: being in calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight. Nothing necessarily wrong with most ways of achieving that deficit (apart from the blatantly unhealthy, obviously) but they're all just different packaging. I've done most of them, in half a century if dieting! I'm Really Good at losing weight, once I get going, but Really Bad at maintaining.

Two things are currently helping me: I read and listened to Paul McKenna's Virtual Gastric Band book - with Huge scepticism but it seems to have thrown the switch for me - and I watch Sean Casey's mini videos on Facebook and/or Instagram. Some really good recipes an some great common sense. Also the most times I've ever heard the F word in conversation but I can filter that out for the good sense he offers.

A stone in 6 weeks with about 3 more stone to go.

Good luck!

Thank you for all your thoughts on this. I agree it sounds too hard. In the end all weight loss diets amount to is various ways to reduce how much one eats and I think I will just do it the old fashioned way - counting calories.

I’m prediabetic I’m not overweight, eat well and walk at least 10,000 steps. My dad and sister were both type 2 and i have auto immune conditions which the medics say are a factor

My version of two meals was because I couldn’t sneak another snack in , on time
But I’ve lost weight enough to stop being prediabetic , bp normal and cholesterol within safe limits
However I’ve plateaued too

Iam64

Daily mail on line reporting this morning that two meals a day, ie a late breakfast can increase the risk of type 2, despite less calories. It’s a ‘scientific survey’. I was so impressed, I made myself a bacon butty.

Does it say that????

Eating two meals a day produced greater decreases in liver fat content, while there was a bigger increase of insulin sensitivity with the six-meal diet.

It should be noted that this study was carried out on 54 type-2 diabetics. So the people who had the greatest weight loss (and healthier results for the liver and insulin sensitivity) were basically doing 6 hr IF, eating between 10 am and 1pm. Which makes sense because if you're not eating you're not causing your blood sugar to rise leading to insulin production leading to glucose being converted to fat storage. Reducing the amount of time your body produces insulin helps to reduce insulin resistance by giving your pancreas time to recover and mend.

I too do 16:8 and eat 2meals a day. I am now the slimmest I've been for years and I feel good.
You have to cut the sugar and lower the carbs in return you lower your risk of health problems.

Thank you, if you lived near to me, you would be most welcome!

Your Sunday meal sounds perfect HousePlantQueen

Iam64

Daily mail on line reporting this morning that two meals a day, ie a late breakfast can increase the risk of type 2, despite less calories. It’s a ‘scientific survey’. I was so impressed, I made myself a bacon butty.

OOh, I like those kind of 'scientific survey', the kind which tell you that drinking red wine is good for you.

As for OMAD, I suppose it depends upon how long one spends eating the once a day meal. Some Sundays, for example, we can sit at the table for 3 to 4 hours, drifting from lunch into cheese.....then cracking open a box of chocolate mints.....and drinking our health giving red wine

It sounds like madness to me. If you want to lose weight then you have to start eating the way that you wish to continue doing so for the rest of your life. I very much doubt that will be one meal a day.

Three meals, spaced out, with the amount of calories tailored to your activity needs. No sneaky snacks. Good balance of nutrition. Exercise as much as your health allows.

I do 16:8 and it has done me well for the past seven years. Lowers blood sugar etc. I would find it difficult to eat just one meal a day. I believe I read somewhere that Cliff Richard does this.

OMAD requires that you eat your full requirement of fat, protein, carbs, minerals and vitamins in one meal - not an easy thing to do. I would do intermittent fasting with two meals, so that you can have two decent meals. Intermittent fasting won't work well if you snack on drinks or food outside the two meals so you need a set start/stop eating time of say 8 hours or less (we do six hours). The exception being drinking water or black coffee/tea, fruit teas, etc to stay hydrated.

I’m a seriously poor eater…I snack almost constantly. So it suits me best to have several small meals a day plus healthier snacks between. This works for me. I am a healthy weight within a healthy bmi.
I also have an under active thyroid so potentially am up against it having fought off pre diabetes too.

I’m pleased that you are in agreement re metabolism.
I was borderline anorexic until my mid twenties and that also messed it up.
I put on weight incredibly easily.
It was okay when I was working as I was never still, but now I am very immobile (but improving slowly)

It doesn’t sound healthy to me. I too have read that your body goes into starvation mode. You mess with your metabolism at your peril.
Three properly portioned healthy meals, a decent amount of exercise and absolutely no snacking.

AGE UK are running a series of advertisements highlighting poverty in old age using precisely this theme of “one meal a day”.
You’ll never convince me that this is healthy - voluntary or otherwise.
If you cut your calorie intake too drastically, your metabolism suffers as your body goes into “starvation mode” hanging on to every last calorie. Resume normal eating and your body will gain weight.
My mother was in a work (not concentration) camp in Germany in the latter stages of WW II living on little better than starvation rations.
She struggled with her weight for the rest of her life.
Dieting is bad for you. As are so called “diet”, “fat free”, “zero calorie” or “low sugar/no added sugar” foods . Read Dr Chris van Tulleken on Ultra Processed Foods and the disastrous effect they have on our system.
Healthy eating and exercise are the only way.

FC - no more than usual!

VB000 does your husband get very tired after he has eaten?
I do, to such an extent that I can’t do anything

My OH has one meal a day (I could never do it!) in the evening. He has lost a lot of weight, about 20kg over the last 2 years (over 3 stone). Before, he had a lot of weight around the middle (and never drinks beer!)

However, he doesn't keep to it on holidays, weekends away etc. He just weighed himself this morning and has put on 4.5 pounds because we were away for the weekend!

I only eat one meal a day through choice, not to lose weight.
I have been very overweight for about three years.
I don’t think that it is good for one’s metabolism at all
I think that your body goes into permanent ‘starvation’ mode.
I would not recommend it!

Blossoming

Not possible for me and I wouldn’t have thought it’s very healthy.

No, me neither.

Daily mail on line reporting this morning that two meals a day, ie a late breakfast can increase the risk of type 2, despite less calories. It’s a ‘scientific survey’. I was so impressed, I made myself a bacon butty.

Not possible for me and I wouldn’t have thought it’s very healthy.