Committing to Omad

crimple
crimple Posts: 8 Member
edited November 17 in Social Groups
I've been stopping and starting omad and other IF diets for around four years, during that time the yo-yo effect has seen me gain around 35kg. I dabbled with omad a fortnight back but caved on the fourth day after I had a beer.

Looking to start again and this time stick to it. I do some gentle yoga and tai chi in the morning, but I'm gradually trying to increase my sleep to further lower cortisol.

Week 1 start weight: 116kg.

How do you guys deal with drinking booze? I have to do it a lot for work and it's horrible drinking on an empty stomach (if mealtime is in the evening), or not having something to soak it up in the evening (if mealtime is in the afternoon)



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Replies

  • Brendalea69
    Brendalea69 Posts: 3,863 Member
    Welcome, I don't drink alcohol but I think the only way this plan will work for you is to only drink when you eat your meal...Good luck :)
  • shans34
    shans34 Posts: 535 Member
    Welcome. I incorporate alcohol into my meal. I don't drink enough to really worry about it. When I do, it's only with a meal.
  • wsandy8512
    wsandy8512 Posts: 1,897 Member
    Here's to a fresh start! I only drink alcohol occasionally, so I don't have advice. I think brendagaudette has some wise words though :-)
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    Why do you have to drink at work? Couldn't you wait tell after you ate?
  • amflautist
    amflautist Posts: 903 Member
    edited April 2017
    Put some nice cold water in a wine glass. Add a slice of lemon or lime. It will feel festive and special, you will be part of the group. Smile knowingly if someone comments. That's what I do. Makes me happy to treat myself to water in a wine glass, makes me happy to avoid alcohol.
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    blambo61 wrote: »
    Why do you have to drink at work? Couldn't you wait tell after you ate?

    Normally it's straight down the pub for a beer after work with my colleagues or contacts a couple nights a week. Sort of a London office culture. I'll try to get in a meal beforehand if I do that.

    I had quit alcohol for around 10 years, while my weight was blooming, so I don't think the two are related (although there's a load of calories in beer)
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,709 Member
    Gotta give up the alcohol with the exception of 1 glass at the meal, my friend. Else, you will gain-gain-gain.
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    Sigh. I have a big work event coming up in a couple of weeks which is basically about getting drunk for three days with clients. I'm going to spend the time from now prepping my food cupboard and preparing psychologically. Once the event is done, I'm going to quit the booze and hit Omad hard.

    By the way, has anyone done an extended water fast after being on Omad for some time. I was considering a 40 day fast a couple of months into Omad, once ghrelin levels become more normalised.
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,709 Member
    Longest I have done is 10.
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
    Wow, its possible to do a 40 day fast? No food at all?
  • Brendalea69
    Brendalea69 Posts: 3,863 Member
    1MADGIRL wrote: »
    Wow, its possible to do a 40 day fast? No food at all?

    And I thought 40 hours was a long time, I could never go that long without food!!!
  • mikseyniha
    mikseyniha Posts: 442 Member
    I am about to complete my first 3 days water fast.
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    Fungs book talks about a person going over 300 days
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
    I'm impressed ... I thought going without food for more than 10 days would kill a person!

    Good luck mikseyniha... almost done!
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    Yes quite a lot of people. There's a book on amazon of a woman's diary during a 40 day fast. I was planning to do a longer fast some time back, but I only managed three days. Longest three days of my life.

    Joe, did omadding help you transition easier to the water fast?
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,709 Member
    crimple wrote: »
    Yes quite a lot of people. There's a book on amazon of a woman's diary during a 40 day fast. I was planning to do a longer fast some time back, but I only managed three days. Longest three days of my life.

    Joe, did omadding help you transition easier to the water fast?

    Yes and no. Straight fasting will still be tough since you will have to forego the OMAD meal, albeit slightly less tough than if you ate three squares a day. Keep in mind, you probably don't need to do anything longer than a 7-day fast--and that only if you have some plaguing health issues that won't go away. The OMAD fast is enough for most of us most of the time.
  • HestiaMoon1
    HestiaMoon1 Posts: 278 Member
    Maybe you could have a nonalcoholic drink and if anyone asks why say you're taking seasonal allergy medicine and can't drink while taking it.
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    edited May 2017
    It's been a week now and I've dropped 2kg. Since my meal is at lunch (I don't get back from work until 8.30pm) I've decided to quit alcohol. I feel like this is doing great things for me. Thanks for the support all
  • shans34
    shans34 Posts: 535 Member
    You are doing great! You will quickly find how easy it is to be OMAD. I love it!
  • 1MADGIRL
    1MADGIRL Posts: 838 Member
    AWESOME work!
  • mikseyniha
    mikseyniha Posts: 442 Member
    Wow that's a great loss congratulations :smiley: keep it up!
  • Brendalea69
    Brendalea69 Posts: 3,863 Member
    Awesome loss!!! :)
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    Brenda I saw you posted elsewhere about rebounding. I picked up a trampoline on ebay the other day and I'm thinking of giving it a crack. Does it interfere with losses for you?
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,709 Member
    Anything beyond brisk walking is too much exercise in all cases where someone needs to lose a significant amount. Trampolines are pretty much just fun, but you will NOT increase losses by taxing your body with hard physical exertion.
  • Brendalea69
    Brendalea69 Posts: 3,863 Member
    edited May 2017
    crimple wrote: »
    Brenda I saw you posted elsewhere about rebounding. I picked up a trampoline on ebay the other day and I'm thinking of giving it a crack. Does it interfere with losses for you?

    I agree with Joe...I wouldn't jump on it until your closer to your goal weight...I didn't start walking until I was 12 pounds from my goal weight and I didn't start rebounding until I was 4 pounds from my goal weight :)

    You could do this on it though...Stand on the mat and lightly lift your heels up and down one at a time and the springs do the bounce for you, you don't even lift your feet off the mat...Its like walking :smile:
  • crimple
    crimple Posts: 8 Member
    edited June 2017
    My weight loss goes up and down daily. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable being hungry in the evening and have a cup of soup. But I dont tend to beat myself up about it. Sometimes guilt is linked with overeating in the first place.

    Ive lost around 5.5kg in the last three and a bit weeks. Not a massive amount, not an insignificant amount.

    The most important thing is that I feel like I'm on the right track. Like if I just stick with this relatively easy, straightforward way of eating over the long term eventually I'll find myself back to my old self. It's a comforting thought after years of stressing out about different diets.

    Despite the warnings over exercise I got myself a rebounder and have been enjoying doing 15 mins of an evening. Don't break a sweat, but feel like I'm getting a ton of benefits from circulating lymph.

    Also, I've been taking a probiotic before bed. I read a book about how healthy gut bacteria has been linked with weight loss. Not sure if it's speeded things up at all, but has certainly stopped me feeling constipated which troubled me early on in this diet.

    All in all, grateful to our man Joe for his videos and encouragement.
  • minigrrll
    minigrrll Posts: 1,590 Member
    crimple wrote: »
    Ive lost around 5.5kg in the last three and a bit weeks. Not a massive amount, not an insignificant amount.

    5.5kg in three and a half weeks is awesome! I've only lost about 3kgs in 3 weeks...

    BTW, the drinking thing is a huge problem. I go to 3 overseas conferences a year and it's all about drinking (and eating). I can gain 4 or 5kgs in one week at those things. We also have one company retreat a year (we are a totally distributed company - everybody works from home) and it's the same there. I even mentioned last year that if we had somebody who was a recovering alcoholic start working at our company, it would be a pretty toxic environment. I think that comment has meant we are going to de-emphasize the booze a bit this year as it made some people think a bit.

    I'm lucky that I work from home and don't have to deal with the pub-after-work office culture anymore! I do like a few (too many!) drinks on the weekend though, and I know that's one of the reasons my weight upticks over the weekend...

    Having said that, I maintained a healthy weight for years (5 or so) while drinking after work and doing IF - so it can be done. I was also working out like a maniac at that point though.

  • mistymeadows2005
    mistymeadows2005 Posts: 3,737 Member
    I agree... 5.5 kgs in 3 weeks is awesome! That's the beauty of omad... Its sustainable!
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    minigrrll wrote: »
    crimple wrote: »
    Ive lost around 5.5kg in the last three and a bit weeks. Not a massive amount, not an insignificant amount.

    5.5kg in three and a half weeks is awesome! I've only lost about 3kgs in 3 weeks...

    BTW, the drinking thing is a huge problem. I go to 3 overseas conferences a year and it's all about drinking (and eating). I can gain 4 or 5kgs in one week at those things. We also have one company retreat a year (we are a totally distributed company - everybody works from home) and it's the same there. I even mentioned last year that if we had somebody who was a recovering alcoholic start working at our company, it would be a pretty toxic environment. I think that comment has meant we are going to de-emphasize the booze a bit this year as it made some people think a bit.

    I'm lucky that I work from home and don't have to deal with the pub-after-work office culture anymore! I do like a few (too many!) drinks on the weekend though, and I know that's one of the reasons my weight upticks over the weekend...

    Having said that, I maintained a healthy weight for years (5 or so) while drinking after work and doing IF - so it can be done. I was also working out like a maniac at that point though.

    Just don't drink if you don't want to. I haven't drank in almost 39-yrs. Quit as a minor lol!
  • minigrrll
    minigrrll Posts: 1,590 Member
    But I DO want to drink... :D That's the problem!

    I'm actually going to do Dry July (not sure if that's a thing everywhere or just in Australia - I had never heard of it until I moved here...) this year. So I'll not drink for the month of July and hopefully raise a bit of money for charity at the same time.
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