OMAD for weight loss- prep, journey, tips

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OMADhungerispower
OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
edited December 2016 in Social Groups
Hello all! I'm a 160cm female and weigh in at 58kgs (mighty shocking seeing as how I went from 50kg to 58 after becoming vegetarian, started studying in cold cold Scotland and started dealing with stress by munching a good 8 times a day)

My target weight will be 50kgs by.. march 2017!

I'm planning on doing OMAD 5 days a week and 2 days with 2 meals- brunch and dinner.

Yes I will stick to my vegan diet!

I want to try the OMAD way of eating because I've been running to food for comfort and have episodes of binge eating on a daily basis- I feel like a wee rat scurrying to and fro the kitchen nibbling away. I'm starting to lose respect for myself because I lack self control and absolutely detest how I look how- pudgier on the sides, chubbier cheeks, fatter arms etc

I understand I'm in a very privileged position to still have my youth and mobility, able to move and make a change I want to see in myself.

So that's the rationale of wanting to start this - to lose weight, improve my relationship with food, better mental clarity and gain respect for myself again.


Prep work
Watched videos on YouTube - on OMAD and this channel "What I've learnt" (that lad is fab)

What I learnt:
1. We don't need to eat so much, the 3 meals a day regime is culturally influenced and has no basis on our body's needs and biology
2. Sugar IS THE DEVIL- It messes up your insulin levels and satiety signals, making you hungry and Peckish all the time.
3. Water is your BFF- that, and coffee and tea :):)
4. It's impossible to lose weight without going through hunger. Hunger is good. Hunger is also your BFF
5. Things will get better after the initial hunger pangs wears off


So this is day 3 of my OMAD journey!

I started on 15 dec and wasn't feeling as hungry as I would have been- had a busy day moving house and going for classes. That and, admittedly binging on a tray of chips, multiple cakes and junk the night before :(

Broke my fast at 7pm with Marsala Dosa at an Indian place, had NO DESSERTS AFTERWARDS (can safely say it's my first time in 4 months I went through a day without sugar)

Coffee and water is the best, and sipping them throughout the day kept me sane
-

Day 2:
Received some bad news on the morning and succumbed to my friend offering me gingerbread cookies :(
Had healthier granola at 3pm,
Dinner (2 wraps wth salad greens and mushrooms) at 6pm.
That's my feeding window, I guess!

OH OH my church had a Christmas themed British bake off tasting at 10pm and I had NONE.
When temptation struck, I literally whipped out my phone and went through the forums of OMAD on fitness pal, and that helps tons.

Left feeling empowered and yay to self control, instead of weighed down by guilt and a unhappy tummy.

So, would anyone join in this revolution with me?

Cheers to a new body and new mindset!

Replies

  • SavedByGrace26356
    SavedByGrace26356 Posts: 544 Member
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    It looks like you've got the OMAD program in the bag. I know you can do this...it takes some time to get into the routine but you will get there. Nice to meet you!!
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
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    Welcome!

    We have the same height and same weight goals. I've been doing this for 2 months now.. Even with cheat days on the whole I'm going down.

    I'm really looking forward to reading more about your progress!!!
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
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    Hello all! I'm a 160cm female and weigh in at 58kgs (mighty shocking seeing as how I went from 50kg to 58 after becoming vegetarian, started studying in cold cold Scotland and started dealing with stress by munching a good 8 times a day)

    My target weight will be 50kgs by.. march 2017!

    I'm planning on doing OMAD 5 days a week and 2 days with 2 meals- brunch and dinner.

    Yes I will stick to my vegan diet!

    I want to try the OMAD way of eating because I've been running to food for comfort and have episodes of binge eating on a daily basis- I feel like a wee rat scurrying to and fro the kitchen nibbling away. I'm starting to lose respect for myself because I lack self control and absolutely detest how I look how- pudgier on the sides, chubbier cheeks, fatter arms etc

    I understand I'm in a very privileged position to still have my youth and mobility, able to move and make a change I want to see in myself.

    So that's the rationale of wanting to start this - to lose weight, improve my relationship with food, better mental clarity and gain respect for myself again.

    Watched videos on YouTube - on OMAD and this channel "What I've learnt" (that lad is fa)...

    Broke my fast at 7pm with Marsala Dosa at an Indian place, had NO DESSERTS AFTERWARDS (can safely say it's my first time in 4 months I went through a day without sugar)

    Coffee and water is the best, and sipping them throughout the day kept me sane

    OH OH my church had a Christmas themed British bake off tasting at 10pm and I had NONE.
    When temptation struck, I literally whipped out my phone and went through the forums of OMAD on fitness pal, and that helps tons.

    Left feeling empowered and yay to self control, instead of weighed down by guilt and a unhappy tummy.

    Cheers to a new body and new mindset!

    I do believe that insulin is a big factor with gaining weight. Eating 8 meals a day under stress is a double whammy.

    Great job with so many positive changes for yourself. I watch the videos for encouragement also. They are terrific to reset the mindset.

    Your positive changes will snowball. Hang in there!
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
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    This is me on 20 Dec 2016.

    These shorts used to fit me well but now it's so uncomfortable and I can scarcely get it to button on. It is admittedly very distressing and discouraging to look and feel this way- but let's hope 2 weeks of OMAD will give me visible results and spur me to carry on. Here's to drawing strength from Jesus and exerting self control!

    Will update weekly with new photosmwebqp36broi.jpg
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Hello @Savedbygrace, it's lovely to meet you too! How's your journey been? Encourgement is much needed- feels like I've fallen off the wagon too many times.

    Hi @1MADGIRL :) Thank you for commenting- oh that's grand! Would you like to share your progress with me?
    Will keep my page updated everyday so i can be accountable to myself and you guys x

    Hiya @Deb! You are so encouraging :) Yeah you're right to point out my out of whack insulin levels- Can't feel my satiety signals anymore. Hope this OMAD program will help me through- I'm so angry with myself and how I got to where I am.

    -

    Okay my "T minus 1 to OMAD restart day"

    So I tried OMAD and only successfully managed once, last thursday.
    The rest were hindered due to
    - Fri: bad news received and had gingerbread man within reach
    - Sat: was in Edinburgh with friends so had lunch at 1 and dinner at 7
    - Sun: had social lunch as well, then headed off to the airport where i snakced on vegan protein bars and kale chips, then a sandwich on the airplane and 2 meals for my 14 hour long flight
    - Tue: just felt very jet lagged and tired so ate at 1pm and another time at 8pm. mostly snacks because i felt guilty for eating at non-feeding times.

    These are a plethora of my excuses, and I will recognise that indecision is as powerful as sticking to a decision - NO TO PSYCHOLOGICAL CRAVINGS, TO THE ENTICING SMELLS OF HOT FOOD, TO WANTING TO PARTAKE FOOD WITH SOMEONE ELSE WHEN I CAN EASILY BE SATISFIED WITH HANG-HUGGING A HOT MUG OF COFFEE INSTEAD.

    Tomorrow i will start, and have my first meal at 5pm.
    Will drink loads of water and coffee to suppress my appetite till then.

    This has got to work.

    To-do
    1. Pack coffee in flask when running errands tomorrow
    2. Buy Epsom salts to manage sugar craving
    3. Eat 1100 cals for dinner tomorrow - I'm thinking avocado + stir fried tofu + vegs + rice?
    4. Update this thread everyday
  • SavedByGrace26356
    SavedByGrace26356 Posts: 544 Member
    Options
    Hello @Savedbygrace, it's lovely to meet you too! How's your journey been? Encourgement is much needed- feels like I've fallen off the wagon too many times.

    Hi @1MADGIRL :) Thank you for commenting- oh that's grand! Would you like to share your progress with me?
    Will keep my page updated everyday so i can be accountable to myself and you guys x

    Hiya @Deb! You are so encouraging :) Yeah you're right to point out my out of whack insulin levels- Can't feel my satiety signals anymore. Hope this OMAD program will help me through- I'm so angry with myself and how I got to where I am.

    -

    Okay my "T minus 1 to OMAD restart day"

    So I tried OMAD and only successfully managed once, last thursday.
    The rest were hindered due to
    - Fri: bad news received and had gingerbread man within reach
    - Sat: was in Edinburgh with friends so had lunch at 1 and dinner at 7
    - Sun: had social lunch as well, then headed off to the airport where i snakced on vegan protein bars and kale chips, then a sandwich on the airplane and 2 meals for my 14 hour long flight
    - Tue: just felt very jet lagged and tired so ate at 1pm and another time at 8pm. mostly snacks because i felt guilty for eating at non-feeding times.

    These are a plethora of my excuses, and I will recognise that indecision is as powerful as sticking to a decision - NO TO PSYCHOLOGICAL CRAVINGS, TO THE ENTICING SMELLS OF HOT FOOD, TO WANTING TO PARTAKE FOOD WITH SOMEONE ELSE WHEN I CAN EASILY BE SATISFIED WITH HANG-HUGGING A HOT MUG OF COFFEE INSTEAD.

    Tomorrow i will start, and have my first meal at 5pm.
    Will drink loads of water and coffee to suppress my appetite till then.

    This has got to work.

    To-do
    1. Pack coffee in flask when running errands tomorrow
    2. Buy Epsom salts to manage sugar craving
    3. Eat 1100 cals for dinner tomorrow - I'm thinking avocado + stir fried tofu + vegs + rice?
    4. Update this thread everyday

    Hello:

    If you can't do OMAD at first then do what I did. Eat a small salad at noon and then eat your meal during your feeding window. After a few days, eat your small salad at 1pm or 2 pm and keep narrowing your window until you are eating one meal. Once you do this you are on your way.

    Once in a great while there may be a reason to have to eat a meal earlier. If that happens eat the meal but don't eat anything else the rest of the day.

    Whenever you get hungry, drink hot tea, cold tea, coffee, or diet anything. I don't drink 'diet' things but find different varieties of tea work to keep the hunger away.

    Eat anything you want for your meal. One plate, one meal, plus a calorie drink if you desire. Eat until you are just about full and then stop. Remember that a variety of foods is important because it has to carry you over to the next day. So make your food count.

    I've lost 36.6 pounds since July 1st. Almost all of the weight loss is from OMAD.

    Please watch all of Joe's videos and keep watching them for motivation.

    Read other people's posts and comment on your journey. Stay in touch with everyone and keep us informed.

    I know you can do this. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

    SavedByGrace (Linda)
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
    edited December 2016
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    Updates! :)
    Day 1: 58.1 kg
    Ate my dinner (brown rice with tofu and curry veg) and a cup of soy milk at 5pm!

    So many times I wanted to grab the coconut chips in my pantry (they're from Thailand and they're amaaaaazing) for a quick sugar rush and to hear that satisfactory crunch.
    Then I had to toss it aside and told myself that being blissfully full and satiated after a day of productive fasting is more satisfying - and it was!

    Friends came over with guac and chips and chocolate but stood my ground being content with hang hugging my earl grey tea mug ☕️ yay

    -

    Day 2- 57.8

    Didn't sleep a wink SO was in a horrid mood. Got hit with rubbish news in the morning and even stormed into a cafe wanting to buy a chocolate tart to dispel some sense of anger.
    Then my head went heel toe heel toe turn heel toe and walked out instead.

    Had coffee which made me feel less terrible than if I inhaled the tart, and fasted till 3Pm when my head was throbbing from the lack of sleep and glucose I suppose

    Had noodles and rice and rendang vegan chicken with veg, along with a fried dough fritter for a snack (google it guys!). It's terribly greasy but also addictive. Decided to abstain from grease from now on because it just makes you feel yuuuuk.

    Okay ONWARD TO DAY THREE.

    hope you all are doing fab!

    xx
    Lex
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    Options
    I transitioned to OMAD from 2MAD at first. I did a 16:8 intermittent fasting with a low carb lunch (usually salad with grilled chicken or something else) and then had a "normal" (i.e. roast or protein, starchy veggie like boiled potatoes, and a green or low calorie veggie with high fiber like green beans, spinach, etc) on one plate of food for dinner with no snacks in between. Then I started narrowing the "window" between the two meals.
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
    Options
    Updates! :)
    Day 1: 58.1 kg
    Ate my dinner (brown rice with tofu and curry veg) and a cup of soy milk at 5pm!

    So many times I wanted to grab the coconut chips in my pantry (they're from Thailand and they're amaaaaazing) for a quick sugar rush and to hear that satisfactory crunch.
    Then I had to toss it aside and told myself that being blissfully full and satiated after a day of productive fasting is more satisfying - and it was!

    Friends came over with guac and chips and chocolate but stood my ground being content with hang hugging my earl grey tea mug ☕️ yay

    -

    Day 2- 57.8

    Didn't sleep a wink SO was in a horrid mood. Got hit with rubbish news in the morning and even stormed into a cafe wanting to buy a chocolate tart to dispel some sense of anger.
    Then my head went heel toe heel toe turn heel toe and walked out instead.

    Had coffee which made me feel less terrible than if I inhaled the tart, and fasted till 3Pm when my head was throbbing from the lack of sleep and glucose I suppose

    Had noodles and rice and rendang vegan chicken with veg, along with a fried dough fritter for a snack (google it guys!). It's terribly greasy but also addictive. Decided to abstain from grease from now on because it just makes you feel yuuuuk.

    Okay ONWARD TO DAY THREE.

    hope you all are doing fab!

    xx
    Lex

    You've got strong willpower! :)
    I want to try that dough thing. What's it called?
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
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    Hello Linda! @SavedByGrace26356
    Thank you for your helpful tips, what teas is it you drink? Can't seem to find one that will keep my hunger at bay. I do love teas of the PUKKA brand though, have you tried them before? To be frank, "one meal one plate a day" is really hard for me, but it's my end goal, I do want to get to a position where I can confidently be in control with my food and not be the grazer I am. Had 2 of these cheat days where I've been grazing so far... :(
    Slip ups make me feel so horrid sigh. How have you been doing?

    Hi @debsozo! I'm doing 16:8 some days now, mostly because of stressful life events and me not being able to wait till 5pm to break my fast, but tomorrow, one meal! Fingers crossed!
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
    Options
    @1MADGIRL Hi!! You're an absolute gem, so encouraging with all your comments- not just on my thread but others, too! The dough thing is called fried dough fritters, also known as You Tiao in mandarin, often enjoyed with a warm cup of sweetened soy milk! I've been reading your thread and GIRRRRRRL you are my inspiration <3
    Same starting weight, height and all! Will remind myself to go to MFP and the OMAD page and read your thread when the peckishness hits and my willpower wanes!
  • OMADhungerispower
    OMADhungerispower Posts: 20 Member
    edited December 2016
    Options
    Updates!
    23 Dec (Fri) Day 3- 57.0kg (shocking, right? dropped 0.8kgs since the day before! thought it was the scale going faulty)
    Kept myself busy with errand running (with physical speed walking to boot), ate dinner at 6pm and was a nice fare of mushrooms and rice. Dessert was a chinese sweet dessert of sweet potato and yam boiled with pandan leaves and coconut milk. Still had chocolate at night though, can't seem to shake off my sweet tooth. Anyone has experience with this?

    24 Dec (Sat) Day 4- 57.2kg
    Got my period today, so perhaps it's water weight? Idk guys, anyone experiences weight gain when aunt ruby is in town?
    Christmas eve! Immersed myself in a gem of a book and didn't think much of my hunger, being whisked into a whole other world and all :) Made a nice vegan Christmas dish for my family, Mixed nuts and mushroom loaf with vegan gravy. Was satisfied! But alas.. the sweet tooth struck again! Had mince pies and a ton of sweet snacks after dinner.
    Went for a movie with my friend and didn't snack on anything! Even after, when we went to macdonalds and my friends ordered nuggets and mcflurry and apple pie, I sat with my wee hot flask downing earl grey tea and telling myself I'll feel good walking up in the morning and not havng those food stuffed inside me. I'M NOT A TURKEY I DONT NEED NO STUFFING.

    25 Dec (Sun) Day 4- 57.2 kg

    Today was bad. Had Christmas lunch at 1pm provided by the church, but even after getting home I still binged and binged like mad on snacks like chocolate, rice krispies, whatever I could get my hands on really. :(
    #ashamed

    26 Dec (Mon) Day 5- 57.0kg

    Was stunned when I didn't gain weight from the binging the day before. Decided to get back on track and ate at 6pm, had a veg roll of stewed turnips, carrots and chilli. Also had black sesame rice ball, tofu with tomatoes, 2 sweet potatoes and chocolate (again, surprise surprise)

    27 Dec (Tue) Day 6- 56.8 kg

    So from what I gather, THE SCALES WILL OBEY WHEN YOU ARE GOOD THE DAY BEFORE. Lord please grant me the strength to be good more often.
    So I realised something today. A moment of weakness and momentary lapse in willpower will send you spiralling into a binge fest for the rest of the day. And I am so ashamed. Was stressed out by something and in the last few days, had been able to steer clear in the moment because I didn't have food with me. But I packed sweet potato with me intending to eat it at 5pm.
    Started eating at 1230pm though.. and then it just didnt stop up till 8pm, vestiges of the emotional eater in me still rears its ugly head from time to time.

    I am angry at myself for losing control, and putting whatever I can get my hands on into my mouth and nibbling non-stop. Calorie dense food, to boot.

    Tomorrow I will be better

    Plan

    - Don't weigh myself (I'm sure the numbers will not lie and I will be depressed)
    -Head out, do errands, bring my book (It's game of thrones, now!) Bring also a flask of black coffee around.
    -Meet a friend and catch up at a pie shop (greaaaaat), drink black coffee and wait till it's
    -4:30pm to head off to a vegan pizza and ice cream place to have an early dinner!

    Tips and encouragement are welcomed!

    -edited-
    So I did some soul searching whilst in the shower (don't we all, now?)
    And I realise I want to do 2 things

    1. Set a goal
    Seeing as how I've lost a good 1.3 kgs shy of a week, I can *fingers crossed* optimistically extrapolate my weight shedding to 4 kilos in a month. So by the time feb 2017 rolls around, I would *fingers crossed* optimistically be at 53 kgs and by then, take another progress photo in my now-too-tight-brown-shorts

    2. Make a "At Least" list
    So I was watching one of Joe's videos today and it talked about the importance of pocketing little victories that are really just by-products of this decision to eat OMAD
    so here's mine

    a. at least I won't be gaining weight anymore (sold this from Joe hehe sorry)
    I've been dejected to say the least, and feel my cheeks getting fuller and more rotund, like that of a hamster's (yuck), to feel the chaffing of my thighs and just feeling generally grossed out with myself.

    b. at least I will be going to bed with an empty stomach, and can have fat melting efficiently!
    So since I've moved to Scotland to study, dinner parties seem to find their way to me. So I've been having some days when I just cannot sleep because of the discomfort stemming from a very very bloated abdomen (there was one day I even took my stets to auscultate my abdomen and listen to the sounds - boy did it make me feel queasy!)

    c. at least I won't have to think about what to pack when I head out
    So before the hols came and when I was still in uni, it was a pain having to pack my breakfast of oats and berries for breakfast to eat during the lecture (was distracting too - mesoderm what?), then a main for lunch and snacks to school.
    Not having to spend a ton of time in the kitchen and waste time packing, and just refilling the flask with 0 calorie drinks for the day is quite liberating and frees my mind to do other things

    d. at least now I focus on people and conversations more than food.
    I have anxiety around food, which got a lot worse this year, irrational "hoarder" mentality engulfed my senses and I just forage for food then stuff them down. With OMAD, at my non-feeding periods I can devote my full attention to the topics of conversations at hand.

    Will revisit my "At Least" list in 4 weeks too, hoping they will come into fruition and become "Now I.."s.

    Till tomorrow, friends!
    xx
    Lex
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
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    Don't get down on yourself for a splurge on Christmas day! I think that is alright. Long term is key. Keep your head up and just start a new day! Jyu Ni chung gung!
  • SavedByGrace26356
    SavedByGrace26356 Posts: 544 Member
    Options
    Hello Linda! @SavedByGrace26356
    Thank you for your helpful tips, what teas is it you drink? Can't seem to find one that will keep my hunger at bay. I do love teas of the PUKKA brand though, have you tried them before? To be frank, "one meal one plate a day" is really hard for me, but it's my end goal, I do want to get to a position where I can confidently be in control with my food and not be the grazer I am. Had 2 of these cheat days where I've been grazing so far... :(
    Slip ups make me feel so horrid sigh. How have you been doing?

    Hi @debsozo! I'm doing 16:8 some days now, mostly because of stressful life events and me not being able to wait till 5pm to break my fast, but tomorrow, one meal! Fingers crossed!

    I drink organic chamomile before bed and any decaf teas throughout the day (hot and iced teas). Hot tea seems to curb my appetite but I do drink a lot of water and cold black teas.

    As I mentioned in another post, if you can't eat one meal a day yet. Then set a period of time where you can eat something small and then eat dinner in a couple hours. As your stomach gets smaller, then tighten up your time until you're eating only once a day. There may be days that you blow it but the important thing is to never give up. I know you will eventually be able to do it. ♥
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
    Options
    @1MADGIRL Hi!! You're an absolute gem, so encouraging with all your comments- not just on my thread but others, too! The dough thing is called fried dough fritters, also known as You Tiao in mandarin, often enjoyed with a warm cup of sweetened soy milk! I've been reading your thread and GIRRRRRRL you are my inspiration <3
    Same starting weight, height and all! Will remind myself to go to MFP and the OMAD page and read your thread when the peckishness hits and my willpower wanes!

    You've honestly made my day. I really needed to read that!
    We'll do this together. Just keep thinking, you CAN have the body you want. and wouldn't it be a shame if we don't get it?
    We only live once, so lets live this once at the body weight we want! :)