From 363.4 to 197.7 lbs: My One-Meal-a-Day Success Story

deaddolly

It's all about what works for you. About 20 years ago, I lost 130 pounds. And now, 20 year's later, I've gained it and more back. I can't eat like a normal person; I've resigned myself to that fact. When I lost the weight, I was eating one meal a day. However, food is so social, for a lifetime - it's difficult to stick to that. You can stop smoking; you can stop doing drugs -- you can't stop eating. The key for me is to find a balance now. Smaller meals, better choices. And the realization it's a lifelong change. Some days are good; some days suck. You learn what to do and what not to do. And you still hate the skinny people who can eat what they want and never gain!!!!

arguablysamson

deaddolly wrote: »

It's all about what works for you. About 20 years ago, I lost 130 pounds. And now, 20 year's later, I've gained it and more back. I can't eat like a normal person; I've resigned myself to that fact. When I lost the weight, I was eating one meal a day. However, food is so social, for a lifetime - it's difficult to stick to that. You can stop smoking; you can stop doing drugs -- you can't stop eating. The key for me is to find a balance now. Smaller meals, better choices. And the realization it's a lifelong change. Some days are good; some days suck. You learn what to do and what not to do. And you still hate the skinny people who can eat what they want and never gain!!!!

Well, look at it this way; there are some who truly "never" have to worry about weight, but that isn't so bad. What's bad - and what can be a form of self-hatred - is that when it mattered, we didn't have the wisdom to know that you can't just FORGET about discriminate eating, which I, too, did in my early days. You are likely fine now and hopefully in a place where you can appreciate yourself and respect your needs.

blambo61

deaddolly wrote: »

It's all about what works for you. About 20 years ago, I lost 130 pounds. And now, 20 year's later, I've gained it and more back. I can't eat like a normal person; I've resigned myself to that fact. When I lost the weight, I was eating one meal a day. However, food is so social, for a lifetime - it's difficult to stick to that. You can stop smoking; you can stop doing drugs -- you can't stop eating. The key for me is to find a balance now. Smaller meals, better choices. And the realization it's a lifelong change. Some days are good; some days suck. You learn what to do and what not to do. And you still hate the skinny people who can eat what they want and never gain!!!!

I'm still in a loss stage and haven't had to deal with maintenance yet (lost 42 lbs in 7 months). My plan for maintenance is to still do some fasting but just not as much. I like to eat tell full and then browse. My eating window will have to be short enough for me to do that and not gain weight. Exercise will help a lot because it will allow me to eat more. With those thoughts in mind, I think I will do something like a 5 (16:8) / 2 (21:3) type of diet. I will get the benefit of an extended fast two days a week and will skip breakfast the rest of the week (may allow one day to eat breakfast also cause I love breakfasts). I think the lunches will be salads and proteins and hardly any carbs. I will get my carbs in the evenings. I will workout 4-5 days a week. I'm hoping that plan will work, If not I will need to revise. I think it is important that we have a plan for maintenance because I know I could very easily gain all my weight back if I had no plan and just winged it. With my plan, I can be social and eat dinners whatever I want and will just get the salad for lunch when out with friends.

I wish you luck. You did it once, you can do it again!

shardaycota

When will I not b so tired? Day 7

shardaycota

I'm all about omad , it's the best thing I could have ever done. I'm happier and feel better everyday I conquer. .. I'm 5'6 123 lbs one week down with omad in the books. My goal 119 then 115 for flexibility. After I reach my goal I will maintain with omad. I would eat one big meal and be completely satieiated any day over 6 small meal a day (been there done that)..Omad feels 110% natural. If I can do it so can you. If you need any advise or positive feed back feel free for questions . I love helping people get where they want/need to be with their body . I've been heavier so I know what it's like but that's not important . The only importance is where u are now and where you WILL be soon 

arguablysamson

shardaycota wrote: »

I'm all about omad , it's the best thing I could have ever done. I'm happier and feel better everyday I conquer. .. I'm 5'6 123 lbs one week down with omad in the books. My goal 119 then 115 for flexibility. After I reach my goal I will maintain with omad. I would eat one big meal and be completely satieiated any day over 6 small meal a day (been there done that)..Omad feels 110% natural. If I can do it so can you. If you need any advise or positive feed back feel free for questions . I love helping people get where they want/need to be with their body . I've been heavier so I know what it's like but that's not important . The only importance is where u are now and where you WILL be soon 

Not tired anymore, I can tell! ;-)

akerra27

Awesome work!! Great Inspiration!!

TK6299

Phenomenal, very well indeed!

meryl135

Fantastic work! and thanks for sharing your somewhat unorthodox method. Intermittent fasting has been shown (in well-researched studies) to be helpful for some people, particularly men with metabolic syndrome (like yourself, before the weight-loss).

Iamsimpleguy

Incredible !! Great work!!

120poundstogo

Sweet!

kachurka

I have a question. In one of your videos, you talked about how when you are close to your goal weight, you'd either have to incorporate more exercise or limit your calories more since your body is smaller and needs less calories.. But I thought that you when you are in maintenance you need more calories. I'm confused, I thought that smaller, leaner people need more calories, not less. Or is that only when they are still losing the last ten or more pounds?

arguablysamson

kachurka wrote: »

I have a question. In one of your videos, you talked about how when you are close to your goal weight, you'd either have to incorporate more exercise or limit your calories more since your body is smaller and needs less calories.. But I thought that you when you are in maintenance you need more calories. I'm confused, I thought that smaller, leaner people need more calories, not less. Or is that only when they are still losing the last ten or more pounds?

Well, you must gradually raise your calories as you reach maintenance since, if you kept dropping weight at a deficit, you'd eventually turn into a proverbial leaf and "blow away." But yes, your body runs on less calories than it did before. You require less to keep going than before, but that doesn't negate a raise in calories overall for you.

KevFit413

Very cool and inspiring success. I use intermittent fasting currently and have done so ever since I joined mfp. I love it. Sometimes I fast for 24 hours and then eat one huge meal, but most days I fast for 20+ hours and eat two meals consisting of the same amount of calories. I love this simple and very effective method for fat loss! Great job!

etherial1

I didn't realize I was here! I subscribed to your youtube channel and am very impressed with your success. I love reading success stories, and how you maintain your loss. No excuses, no gains, just sharing your journey with others.

I start my OMAD tomorrow morning. I am ketogenic and not a junk food eater. I am a wine lover and buy really good wines to have with my meal. I can hardly wait to see my results this-coming Saturday, which will be my official weigh-in day. My husband said he'll join me when I lose a "boatload" of weight. I'm not obese, but could stand to lose about some weight.

Thank you for all that you do.

smkondy

Way to go!! You look healthy & happy!! Congratulations on your success!!

caughtredhandd83

Thank you for sharing your journey and congratulations. I'm glad you found what worked for you, and something you could stick with. While having group support makes a huge difference, each person must still find what works for them as an individual. Best wishes and continued health to you.

caradack1985

That's really interesting, I've recently started 16:8 fasting and I do feel so much better eating two meals with light fruit and veg snacks in between. I'll probably move towards closing that eating window and fasting for longer periods, I'm not as hungry by noon as I was when I started and eating anything heavy later than 6.30 is preventing me sleeping well. So within a month I can see myself moving towards 18:6. Not sure I'll ever manage 23:1 but we'll see!

kachurka

You say to not consume any liquids with calories during the fasting stage. But many days I get hungry before bed, and in the morning I actually am nauseaous, and feel like almost throwing up. What do you suggest I do? Seems like my body needs glucose, so I have sweetened coffee. Is that OK?

arguablysamson

kachurka wrote: »

You say to not consume any liquids with calories during the fasting stage. But many days I get hungry before bed, and in the morning I actually am nauseaous, and feel like almost throwing up. What do you suggest I do? Seems like my body needs glucose, so I have sweetened coffee. Is that OK?

I would quite honestly just adjust. Otherwise, you can't really stay in a fasting state.

BrianLCHF

This is a great thread. I've gone from 370 to 240 eating low carb (done since 2009 as I have done it on and off, lose some, gain a little back, lose some more, etc) as you can see in my avatar (if it shows up) but have gained a little weight back. I went back up to about 275 or so the past year even while working out like a dog doing Crossfit (I was 60 years old in February). I finally realized that you have to separate exercise and weight loss, so I've just suspended Crossfit for awhile to concentrate on the diet and weight loss. I still do a lighter workout a few times a week at Planet Fitness, but nothing near as hard as Crossfit.

I actually ran across Samson on Youtube just a couple of weeks ago and that led me here when Googling OMAD information. It was easy for me to transition to this because I was already doing intermittent fasting (18/6) with my low carb. I normally eat within a 6 hour window and fast the other 18. So I never experienced any ill effects from just going to one meal a day. And I would generally only eat two meals within that 6 hours anyway, and counted calories, somewhere between 1500-1800 calories a day.

Three weeks ago I went back to the LCHF and took off about 15 lbs, then came across the OMAD and switched to that to further help with the weight loss, and have lost 6 lbs in the first week doing that. I really like the 23 hours fasting as I am an experienced faster (been as long as 32 days with just water) and from all my research over the years, I realize how healthy fasting actually is. So the OMAD is like fasting, but getting to eat. lol.

Anyway, I'll keep you updated and we need to keep this thread going. It kept me motivated reading this thread, and it will continue to do so if we keep posting.

p.s. In previewing my post I see my avatar doesn't show up. I assumed it would by putting my pic in my profile. Is there some other place where you add the avatar? Thanks!

BrianLCHF

I see my avatar finally showed up.

One more question, is there a way to subscribe to a thread, or somewhere in the settings that when someone replies in a thread you posted in, it notifies you by email? Thanks!

arguablysamson

Good going.

There should be an easy way to subscribe. I somehow did and I always check back in when I click on the "community" link. I can then see how many replies are lined up.

jasperdog52554

Bump

frankiesgirlie

I'm impressed that you found what works for you and didn't let the Internet dieticians and laptop "scientists" detour you.

I've been an intermittent faster since I was a teenager in the 70s. Back then I didn't know it had a name, but I can tell you I've gotten a lot of resistance over the years about it.
Anytime I've strayed from it my eating has gotten out of control. It as if once my appetite gets awakened for the day, I can't eat enough.

I do a 16:8 daily fast. I eat dinner and then snacks later. My first meal of the day is 5:00.
Congratulations on finding what works for you and sticking with it!!

evesmom2

BrianLCHF wrote: »

I see my avatar finally showed up.

One more question, is there a way to subscribe to a thread, or somewhere in the settings that when someone replies in a thread you posted in, it notifies you by email? Thanks!

Look at the title at the top of the page...then look to the right and see the outline of a star? Click on that to make it solid yellow...then you are subscribed to the thread.

x3nomorph

bumping this up, I have been doing OMAD for 4 weeks and this is the real deal, no gimmicks you will lose weight and feel great

eblyth00

I have been on OMAD now for about 3 months. Some things have come up in life that I didn't handle the best during that time and I didn't follow OMAD strict for about a month out of that time and I am still down 45 lbs. this is the easiest lifestyle change I have ever made. It seems like it will be hard at first but your body and appetite really do adapt. Along with the weightloss my fasting blood sugar is down to 80 and I went from pre-hypertension blood pressure to completely normal levels.

tabsterrrrr

I have been trying to stick with this for about a month but it's been hard. Any suggestions or best tips to really stick it out for the long haul?

arguablysamson

tabsterrrrr wrote: »

I have been trying to stick with this for about a month but it's been hard. Any suggestions or best tips to really stick it out for the long haul?

Just create patterns that equal sensible habits and let that do the work for you. And learn to not connect happiness with eating.