How to extend eating window? And cheat days?

walkdmc

I'm new to OMAD. As a 5'6" woman currently weighing 187 pounds with a goal weight of 150 pounds.

I currently eat my OMAD at dinner with my family. However, I'm uncomfortably full afterwards, making my evenings unpleasant. I've heard people extend their eating window but that would probably require counting calories, right?

1. If you eat more than OMAD on the OMAD plan, do you count calories, or do you visualize your portions....like, 1/2 a plate full then 3-4 hours later, another 1/2 plate full?

2. Considering I have 37 pounds to lose, should I do one "cheat" day/week or one "cheat" day every other week? Joe mentions this on his YT video but I feel like I fall into a gray area. I think he said if you have less than 30 pounds, do every week, more than 50, do every other (I may be wrong but I've watched so many of his videos recently that they're running together...).


Thanks for your help and if there's a newbie resource site, please mention it.

Mom2annie

Hi there!

Personally, I only got that miserably full feeling in the first week or two. It went away, but not sure how or why. I also don't eat as much as I was in the beginning, but feel like I could if I wanted to. My theory is that your body goes into a shock-like state when you change your habits so drastically and then chills out and goes with the new normal. If you're in your first or second week, I'd chalk it up to that. Don't feel like you HAVE to eat more than you can comfortably handle--you don't. But your comfort level will change soon and so will your cravings.

I do count calories to make sure I don't accidentally eat too little and slow my metabolism OR eat so many that I stall weight loss, but there is no magic number and I'm planning to stop calorie counting soon. Even if you strictly stick to a calorie range (like I have been trying to do), your weight loss trends may not make any sense. In other words, you're going to go through a period of trial and error...discovering what works for you, what makes you feel best, what doesn't agree with you, etc. It's a process and definitely leaves you in the dark for a while.

I know it's tempting to be rule-focused in the beginning and expect to get/find an answer for every detail of what goes on those first couple weeks, but we're all so different that you'll get a myriad of answers and be possibly even more clueless about which way to turn. So try to relax, don't stuff yourself uncomfortably, and for now, just focus on getting through the day without giving into hunger. The hunger pangs DO die down significantly once your body adjusts to OMAD. Just when you think you'll never adjust...you adjust. It's amazing and very liberating.

If I could go back and do my first two weeks over again, I'd not count calories, eat whatever reasonably-nutritious food I wanted at my OMAD, up my mineral intake (sodium, potassium, and magnesium), sip on bone broth when feeling shaky or weak, and stay busy away from the house as much as possible when you're not at work. All of the other wise and valuable information and tips you're absorbing while reading and watching videos is super helpful, but best stored away for use after your body adjusts to OMAD.

As far as breaking up your meal into two over a longer period of time...if that's what your body is telling you is best, then go with it. It's not going to make or break your OMAD adjustment, in my experience. I have trouble getting a full plate of food completely ready to eat without some of the foods going cold so I tend to eat about half a plate, then immediately go back and fix the other half until I'm done. It takes me about an hour to eat (not including prep time) but I'm still pretty new at OMAD and expect that will change over time. My window is 4:30pm to 8pm but I usually consume all my food between 6:45 and 7:45. I leave the window (in my mind) as is in case I get home from work early (I don't want to have to wait to make dinner and eat) or have something to go to (like church) right after work and can't eat until after I get home from that. If you set the window too small in the beginning, you will feel like you're cheating or breaking rules by eating anytime out of that window...or at least I did. And that is counterproductive to keeping you going in a positive direction.

Someone else will have to comment about splurge days. I don't have them yet because I'm prone to binge-like eating and they're still too much of a temptation for me.

walkdmc

Mom2annie, thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. After I asked my question I realized I've tried the 16:8 Intermittent fast before with an 8-hour Eating window and that didn't work for me, at all. I like OMAD for the simplicity and like you suggested, hoping I'll adjust to the big calorie load at one meal.

leveejohn

On splurge days, I don't think it's a hard and fast rule either. I would echo @Mom2annie's caution about being too rule focused. The only mistakes I feel I've made on splurge days is to eat ice cream (I know, right?) and to weigh myself the morning after a splurge day. Just try to eat healthy and 'normally', however that translates for you. I've had a splurge day each week since I started on Dec 30, and results are still good.

arguablysamson

leveejohn wrote: »

On splurge days, I don't think it's a hard and fast rule either. I would echo @Mom2annie's caution about being too rule focused.

This, right here... ^ *thumbs up*