One Day at a Time, One Meal a Day (ODAT-OMAD)
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Hi guys, time for me to check in:
In January 2016 I was 175 lb with a target weight of 170 lb.
In March 2016 I was 173 lb with a target weight of 170 lb.
On March 14 I hit my target weight of 170 lb!
Today July 15 I hit my target weight of 170 lb once again!
Feels so good, naturally but I want to expand a bit on what this diet means to me.
Initially it was about weight loss and looking and feeling better - personal vanity issues. Then later, it was about mental clarity and emotional stability. Now it is about something else even more important.
Yes folks, now it's about self control and the difference self control can make to your life just as it has to mine. In an earlier post I talked about being Sovereign of our life and the emergence of our Inner King. I used poetical metaphors to describe the changes that happen as a result of OMAD but now we have the science that proves it!
I just watch a series of amazing documentaries about the Dunedin Longitudinal Study where they tracked the lives of 1,000 children for 40 years from birth. This painstaking study has been called the most exacting, comprehensive and significant study in the history of social science. The key finding was that children who lacked self-control had a completely different life trajectory compared with those who were able to demonstrate self control and impulse control from an early age. The classic test was at a very early age when kids were asked to restrain themselves from eating a marshmallow for 10 minutes after which they were told they would receive two marshmallows.
The young children who could not restrain themselves went on to live a very different life compared with those who found the willpower to resist eating the marshmallow for ten minutes.
Now the capacity for self control is something that takes place in the pre-frontal cortex, the thinking, reasoning and planning part of the brain at the front of our skull. This often does not develop until later in life. For me it was much later. Even now at nearly 60 years old it is still developing! Ha ha! Seriously.
If you can limit your eating to one main meal a day your brain will grow and you will find so many other benefits in other areas of your life! I am talking about improvements in your overall physical, mental and emotional health (of course) but I am also predicting that you will notice a raft of improvements in your relationships, your ability to plan, reason, stay calm during times of change and stress and your ability to "get along with life and with other people". For me that means I am less impulsive in general, am starting to get a handle on other legal and socially sanctioned "social addictions" such as shopping, speeding in my car etc. Doing too much in general, "running around" too much, living an impulsive, hedonistic, over-consuming, hectic, lifestyle.
I actually think that limiting food intake (e.g. by having a main meal later in the day) helps us to develop self-control in so many other areas of our life. I am seeing the difference in my life. It is subtle but tangible if you know what to look for. I am doing less but enjoying my life more. I am starting to consume less in general, to slowly pay off some debts, clean up my life.
Now this Dunedin Study is totally amazing science. It has resulted in changes in government policy in New Zealand in terms of early intervention and management of socially disadvantaged children. As a direct result of legal submissions citing the Dunedin Study, undertaken by a medical school in a remote town in the South Island of New Zealand, the United States has made changes in US law whereby 17 year old teenagers can no longer be convicted and sentenced to death for capital crimes on the basis that their brain and capacity for self-control does not develop until later. In this case the age was raised to 18 in the US, saving about 70 young men on Death Row from execution for crimes committed while they were still technically minors.
Going OMAD (even once or twice a week) helps us to develop self-control and encourages executive functioning or greater emotional resilience and calmness in the face of difficulties. It really has the potential to help you to develop greater self-control and to change your life!5 -
Hey OMAD revolutionaries, my voluntary work turned into a paid job so now I am working four days a week teaching literacy and numeracy to refugees. They are always giving me food but I learning to say no thanks.2
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One more thing..quite a few of my students are Muslims and I can't help but notice the drastic improvement in their health after the fasting month of Ramadan where they do not eat from sunrise to sunset. That 12 hour eating break does wonders for them even if they overeat somewhat before and after the daily fast. They have just finished Ramadan and are in far better health than they were a month ago.
This is a wonderful topic to discuss when teaching English and I am fascinated to examine the diet of people in different parts of the world. You know the consumption of food here in Australia is so high especially when compared with parts of the world and yet people in these "poorer" countries can still have good health when they eat their native diet and eat less processed, sugary foods.2 -
You're doing GREAT and thanks for sharing this info of your journey and including pics. Very helpful and inspiring!0
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Thanks for sharing this! I love the Dunedin Study.0
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I've fasted 24-hrs once a month for my adult life for religious purposes and I do think it helps with developing discipline. Mind over body like you say!3
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The last few weeks have been tough keeping to my plan. I aim to fast during the day and get literally dragged into buffet style all you can eat lunches. I have previously written how a large range of buffet food choices leads to greater consumption of calories. At least that is my experience.
This is a typical lunch buffet.
I can't opt out of special celebrations out of respect for my students who ply me with food. But I have said no to having a cooked lunch every day provided by one student in particular.
By going back to the basics I am able to reset my weight to within 1 kg of my target weight. A couple of days OMAD and I am right on target again.0 -
This is me wearing a jumper knitted by my mother when I was a teenager of 19 years. That's 40 years ago. Still fits quite well even if it is a bit short!
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Yep, lots of great food!
But of course, that's all the better an opportunity to grab your plate, selectively fill it up, get the beverage, and show everyone how it's done! :-)1 -
You look seriously trim!! Buffet yum!!0
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Man, that's a lot of good looking food. It would be hard if that was in front of me often! You seem to be handling it though! Good job!0
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The last few weeks have been tough keeping to my plan. I aim to fast during the day and get literally dragged into buffet style all you can eat lunches. I have previously written how a large range of buffet food choices leads to greater consumption of calories. At least that is my experience.
This is a typical lunch buffet.
I can't opt out of special celebrations out of respect for my students who ply me with food. But I have said no to having a cooked lunch every day provided by one student in particular.
By going back to the basics I am able to reset my weight to within 1 kg of my target weight. A couple of days OMAD and I am right on target again.
Wow! Such super GREAT choices here to fill a plate up with. No need at all to say no thank you. YUMMY stuff everywhere.0 -
Just had a great day food-wise. Fasted until dinner time then had a very satisfying meal. Let myself eat as much as I wanted for dinner . In the end I didn't eat for 27 hours and didn't feel hungry once!0
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Sounds good!0
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More and more days now I am eating OMAD. This makes my life so simple. I wake up and go to work. When I get there around 8.30 am I make myself a cup of coffee. This keeps me going until I get home around 4.30 pm . I might have an orange or an avocado for lunch but I don't need breakfast or lunch most days now. It makes life so simple.
There is less cooking, cleaning, washing up etc. When I get home I feast "like a king" on any rich foods I like then I stop. I don't deliberately exercise to lose weight and I don't go to the gym to life weights any more. I just play social tennis and maybe do some yoga if I feel like I want to .
I seem to be able to keep my weight to within a 1kg band. Somewhere between 77 - 78 kg.
On the days than I eat more than one meal I will have a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon or chorizo sausage and scrabbled eggs - whatever I feel I need. I really think that this way of eating one meal a day - even just once or twice a week can make a big positive improvement in our health.2 -
Once you realize the peace that comes from OMAD (as you have), it's hard to ever depart from it. Unless a person is running from something in their life or else hiding from some truth.2
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Thanks Joe.
It is such a privilege to be part of this supportive group. A credit to you.3 -
Agree totally - this is a huge service Joe has provided everyone!!1
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Thanks Joe.
It is such a privilege to be part of this supportive group. A credit to you.
I totally agree with you Abm4n--100%. This group is a blessing, period. Joe...that guy, all can say is--WOW! His unassuming, straight forward and at the same time he is very kindhearted and caring. I really love that this group is so "unapologetically non conformist" and that's so important to me. So, I too thank you Joe AND all of the OMAD gang here
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Hi there OMADers and aspiring OMADers.
Time for me to check in again. I have had a few issues lately with being inundated with cake, cake and more cake, then almost "force fed" at work with various functions. Several 60th birthday parties to be exact. Fortunately, the days of the Marieantionette diet seems to be over and I have been eating one meal a day for the past three days. I am now only 0.3 kg or about one pound over my target weight range and the weight is dropping off. I expect to be back to my target range within a couple of days. Whew!
That's what is so good about this way of life - we get to explore off plan or "off road" if we want to and can always get "back on track", i.e. back on plan when we are ready to come back.
I find that when I am not working it is easier for me to time my afternoon/evening meal to a time in the day that suits me and generally, I will eat around 3.00 pm. Today I finished eating at 2.30 pm. I know that might sound a bit weird when compared with the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner routine that most people adhere to but who says you can't eat at 2.00 or 3.00 pm? It just seems right for me.
I also like to eat until I feel slightly "overstuffed". Again I know that we are told to eat to leave some room - i.e. not to overeat but I like the feeling of being slightly overfull. Even so I am only eating just over 1200 calories and MFP will not allow us to log our eating if we fall below 1,200 calories per day. 1,200 is a BIG MEAL believe me! We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long. Think about how much time that saves every day. How much time that can be spent doing other more interesting things.
One thing that I have to remember though is to keep up with the water - I have not been drinking enough so this is a note to myself to keep the fluids up!
Hope that you guys are encouraged to persevere with this way of eating for the long term health benefits. Eating one meal a day is still an aspirational goal for me but one that I can see becoming part of my daily routine before too long.2 -
Hi there OMADers and aspiring OMADers.
Time for me to check in again. I have had a few issues lately with being inundated with cake, cake and more cake, then almost "force fed" at work with various functions. Several 60th birthday parties to be exact. Fortunately, the days of the Marieantionette diet seems to be over and I have been eating one meal a day for the past three days. I am now only 0.3 kg or about one pound over my target weight range and the weight is dropping off. I expect to be back to my target range within a couple of days. Whew!
That's what is so good about this way of life - we get to explore off plan or "off road" if we want to and can always get "back on track", i.e. back on plan when we are ready to come back.
I find that when I am not working it is easier for me to time my afternoon/evening meal to a time in the day that suits me and generally, I will eat around 3.00 pm. Today I finished eating at 2.30 pm. I know that might sound a bit weird when compared with the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner routine that most people adhere to but who says you can't eat at 2.00 or 3.00 pm? It just seems right for me.
I also like to eat until I feel slightly "overstuffed". Again I know that we are told to eat to leave some room - i.e. not to overeat but I like the feeling of being slightly overfull. Even so I am only eating just over 1200 calories and MFP will not allow us to log our eating if we fall below 1,200 calories per day. 1,200 is a BIG MEAL believe me! We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long. Think about how much time that saves every day. How much time that can be spent doing other more interesting things.
One thing that I have to remember though is to keep up with the water - I have not been drinking enough so this is a note to myself to keep the fluids up!
Hope that you guys are encouraged to persevere with this way of eating for the long term health benefits. Eating one meal a day is still an aspirational goal for me but one that I can see becoming part of my daily routine before too long.
Terrific post! I so know what you mean about your eating time "seems so right for you"...mine too--I love it! I eat between 6pm-10pm and it's just tremendous that I'm NEVER hungry at all, until my eating time arrives--so intuitive OMAD is and I'm so glad about that. I also know what you mean about temptation being constantly around, as it is for me too--all the time, donuts, cheesecakes, chips all kinds of stuff around me 24X7--but I'm on a mission and I had years and years and YEARS of snacking and eating all that stuff all day and night long. OMAD has proven to me that I can have it, but just not now. The AMAZING thing is, although it's a "seeming" temptation, it's really not, because since I've been on OMAD for these 69 days, when it's time for me to eat, I haven't chosen to eat the "tempting" things at all--because I don't want them, wow--talk about growing in humility and strength, OMAD is "about that life"!
Water and herbal teas have been my sustainers through this journey. If/when the hunger pangs start knocking at my mental and physical door earlier than my meal time, I just shut it up with some/LOTS of ice cold water or cold water and BAM--hello fuller tummy and good bye hunger pangs--see at mealtime, period.
ETA: What you said " We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long."
"I just don't do it all day long."is KEY...not doing it ALL day long, my OMADing has proved so many things to me, #1 snacking make me fat and #2. you can have it, just not now. Also, it's ASTOUNDING to me how much eating fat is soooooo GOOD to/for me. I've always brought the "programming" that fat is bad for me, since OMADing, I've discovered to my pleasant surprise that eating FAT (and lots of it at my meal-time) helps make me SLIMMER and feel better/more satiated and keeps me full longer, and gives me mental clarity too.4 -
Hi there OMADers and aspiring OMADers.
Time for me to check in again. I have had a few issues lately with being inundated with cake, cake and more cake, then almost "force fed" at work with various functions. Several 60th birthday parties to be exact. Fortunately, the days of the Marieantionette diet seems to be over and I have been eating one meal a day for the past three days. I am now only 0.3 kg or about one pound over my target weight range and the weight is dropping off. I expect to be back to my target range within a couple of days. Whew!
That's what is so good about this way of life - we get to explore off plan or "off road" if we want to and can always get "back on track", i.e. back on plan when we are ready to come back.
I find that when I am not working it is easier for me to time my afternoon/evening meal to a time in the day that suits me and generally, I will eat around 3.00 pm. Today I finished eating at 2.30 pm. I know that might sound a bit weird when compared with the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner routine that most people adhere to but who says you can't eat at 2.00 or 3.00 pm? It just seems right for me.
I also like to eat until I feel slightly "overstuffed". Again I know that we are told to eat to leave some room - i.e. not to overeat but I like the feeling of being slightly overfull. Even so I am only eating just over 1200 calories and MFP will not allow us to log our eating if we fall below 1,200 calories per day. 1,200 is a BIG MEAL believe me! We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long. Think about how much time that saves every day. How much time that can be spent doing other more interesting things.
One thing that I have to remember though is to keep up with the water - I have not been drinking enough so this is a note to myself to keep the fluids up!
Hope that you guys are encouraged to persevere with this way of eating for the long term health benefits. Eating one meal a day is still an aspirational goal for me but one that I can see becoming part of my daily routine before too long.
I do a 21:3 6 days/week and have one cheat day. I usually eat a protein drink 1st and then some cooked veg and salad and whatever is for dinner and I will eat tell full. I've always eaten that way. I then browse as desired tell the end of my eating window. I do get full when 1st start eating at about 1200 cals or so, but by the time I'm done browsing, I will usually eat closer to 2000 cals. I'm exercising so it probably increases my appetite some. I grew up a skinny kid always trying to gain weight tell my late 20's. I developed habits where I like to eat tell full and stay topped off. The 21:3 routine has allowed me to do that still and lose weight. When I hit goal weight, the plan is a 16:8 about 5 days a week and a 21:3 two days a week for maintenance. I've found this summer that a 16:8 with little exercise and eating like I want will result in weight gain so I will need to do a little more than that probably. Your right about being able to jump back in though after seeing how things are working out.2 -
Hi there OMADers and aspiring OMADers.
Time for me to check in again. I have had a few issues lately with being inundated with cake, cake and more cake, then almost "force fed" at work with various functions. Several 60th birthday parties to be exact. Fortunately, the days of the Marieantionette diet seems to be over and I have been eating one meal a day for the past three days. I am now only 0.3 kg or about one pound over my target weight range and the weight is dropping off. I expect to be back to my target range within a couple of days. Whew!
That's what is so good about this way of life - we get to explore off plan or "off road" if we want to and can always get "back on track", i.e. back on plan when we are ready to come back.
I find that when I am not working it is easier for me to time my afternoon/evening meal to a time in the day that suits me and generally, I will eat around 3.00 pm. Today I finished eating at 2.30 pm. I know that might sound a bit weird when compared with the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner routine that most people adhere to but who says you can't eat at 2.00 or 3.00 pm? It just seems right for me.
I also like to eat until I feel slightly "overstuffed". Again I know that we are told to eat to leave some room - i.e. not to overeat but I like the feeling of being slightly overfull. Even so I am only eating just over 1200 calories and MFP will not allow us to log our eating if we fall below 1,200 calories per day. 1,200 is a BIG MEAL believe me! We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long. Think about how much time that saves every day. How much time that can be spent doing other more interesting things.
One thing that I have to remember though is to keep up with the water - I have not been drinking enough so this is a note to myself to keep the fluids up!
Hope that you guys are encouraged to persevere with this way of eating for the long term health benefits. Eating one meal a day is still an aspirational goal for me but one that I can see becoming part of my daily routine before too long.
Terrific post! I so know what you mean about your eating time "seems so right for you"...mine too--I love it! I eat between 6pm-10pm and it's just tremendous that I'm NEVER hungry at all, until my eating time arrives--so intuitive OMAD is and I'm so glad about that. I also know what you mean about temptation being constantly around, as it is for me too--all the time, donuts, cheesecakes, chips all kinds of stuff around me 24X7--but I'm on a mission and I had years and years and YEARS of snacking and eating all that stuff all day and night long. OMAD has proven to me that I can have it, but just not now. The AMAZING thing is, although it's a "seeming" temptation, it's really not, because since I've been on OMAD for these 69 days, when it's time for me to eat, I haven't chosen to eat the "tempting" things at all--because I don't want them, wow--talk about growing in humility and strength, OMAD is "about that life"!
Water and herbal teas have been my sustainers through this journey. If/when the hunger pangs start knocking at my mental and physical door earlier than my meal time, I just shut it up with some/LOTS of ice cold water or cold water and BAM--hello fuller tummy and good bye hunger pangs--see at mealtime, period.
ETA: What you said " We're talking a double sized portion of fatty roast meat, two portions of Italian tiramisu for dessert plus some cheese and a decadent chocolate treat. So there is no cutting back for me - I just don't do it all day long."
"I just don't do it all day long."is KEY...not doing it ALL day long, my OMADing has proved so many things to me, #1 snacking make me fat and #2. you can have it, just not now. Also, it's ASTOUNDING to me how much eating fat is soooooo GOOD to/for me. I've always brought the "programming" that fat is bad for me, since OMADing, I've discovered to my pleasant surprise that eating FAT (and lots of it at my meal-time) helps make me SLIMMER and feel better/more satiated and keeps me full longer, and gives me mental clarity too.
Nice post!0 -
Just goes to show there are many ways to get to where we want to be. I have tried several different plans already and dare say that i will change again before I am finished! Thanks for your comments!0
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Still trying to go OMAD during my working days - that's four days a week, every time I decide to fast during the day I have food served for me at lunch and i am invited to eat lunch with my colleagues.
I must resolve to say no. I am reluctant to do this due to the importance of social bonding. It's hard for me to refuse this food but I will. Starting tomorrow! Sigh.0 -
I really thought that I had this maintenance thing licked and now I am finding it hard to maintain my weight. Society and friends seem to conspire against it! I am also challenged to limit my intake of chocolate and other stuff too. Oh well, it's not easy sometimes and we are all in the same boat when it comes to our love of good food.0
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Still trying to go OMAD during my working days - that's four days a week, every time I decide to fast during the day I have food served for me at lunch and i am invited to eat lunch with my colleagues.
I must resolve to say no. I am reluctant to do this due to the importance of social bonding. It's hard for me to refuse this food but I will. Starting tomorrow! Sigh.
Would it be possible to change your OMAD time to a four hour window during lunch or when you guys eat out? That would perhaps solve it.
I really thought that I had this maintenance thing licked and now I am finding it hard to maintain my weight. Society and friends seem to conspire against it! I am also challenged to limit my intake of chocolate and other stuff too. Oh well, it's not easy sometimes and we are all in the same boat when it comes to our love of good food.
You're so not alone, it can be a struggle for sure. Hoping you the very best!
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What about just having a large salad with some meat in it for lunch. That is what I try to do when I'm faced with those situations.1
