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

arguablysamson

I was wondering about this "bit of loose skin" you speak of--how is it...is it really unsightly, like you may need surgery or something to correct it or not so bad looking/hardly noticeable? That's the only thing about relatively fast weight loss that kinda scares me--loose skin.

Again, way to go dude--thank for post! :drinker: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

Bumping for reply...

I have loose skin nearly everywhere, but people tell me it's not noticeable until I draw attention to it. I agree with them. The worst is my neck, chin, and waist, which is why I am really enjoying the firming up aspect of things now in a good strength training program.

Am I at all worried about the loose skin? Not much beyond a second or third take in the mirror daily. Caught myself before the loose skin became a huge issue. Had I peaked over 400 lbs, that no doubt would be a bigger concern, but most tell me loose skin does retract in time except in the most serious of cases.

arguablysamson

I have started intermittent fasting so far twice twice a week.. From 6 pm to 6 pm and then only 500 calories for supper. I lose 1-2 lbs after each fast so far! I am thrilled and also find it easier to just eat once a day - something I never would have thought possible. The lower weight on the scale each morning is a real incentive! The other days I do a fast from 6 pm until noon the next day and eat no more than 1200 calories. I also do 45 minutes of inline skating (just learnt how) and I am getting so motivated now that the inches are coming off that I've decided to incorporate the "from couch to 5k" program into my life! The latest is that it is good for you to fast and I have not felt this good and energetic in years. So, I agree with you that one meal a day is a great option for some people. I would suggest that this one meal be a healthy one most of the time and that you eat until satisfied but not full. Hunger pangs are not steady but come when you cook or smell food but then go away. I usually drink water or peppermint tea to distract myself. It really works.

Good going. I know of at least one guy who did what I did, but went back to two or three meals on the weekends and he saw great progress. Mixing up your routine may indeed work wonders (or ONEDERS!) for you. Just depends on your own particular needs.

I, too, do lots of teas and coffees, but I cycle on and off. 3 days of tea and water, 3 days of coffee and water, 1 day of water and diet soda. It's no joke how effective teas and coffees are at curbing hunger. They are better than any "appetite supressants" I am aware of, not to mention they directly aid in the body's burning of fat.

arguablysamson

I started OMAD this week. I did it last year but went to visit family and got off the OMAD train after a month. Slowly but surely went right back to my old eating habits and regained all my previous weight loss ~30lbs.

When I was 17 (6'2 and 217 lbs), I lost using OMAD then. Went down to 163 lbs, so I knew it worked. During the college years, went back to multiple feedings and it took almost three years to balloon up to 248, then to 295 a year and a half later--the rest, as they say, is history. Life does that to us, which is why I doubt I will ever resume multiple feedings, although I have considered it since it is DARN HARD to get the daily maintenance calorie lot.

It's so easy when you're young to make te mistake of thinking that time will afford you plenty of opportunities for this and that. Then you get older and learn just how much your health can take a beating with age--another reason I will probably never go back to multiple meals. This keeps me in check and I can physically outperform everyone of my colleagues and am just about never sick.

Recently I tried the ketogenic diet and while I loved eating the food the cravings for carbs were insane. It seems restrictions just go against my nature. Upon accepting that I decided to go back to what worked, OMAD. Well it was more like OMAD and IIFYM...(let's see how many acronyms I can fit in one post...)

Yep. I've struggled with the same thing. Low-carb always makes me nuts and it doesn't take but a few short days to make me a delirious, dizzy, foul-breathed animal. I don't know how anyone can keep doing such measures. No one could pay me to do it again.

Day three of week one and all goes well. Had a craving for some chocolate yesterday so I had a snicker's bar for dessert. It bothers my programming of "clean" eating but once I ate I was good. I ate only once and I included that dessert that popped into my taste buds and while I am technically dieting I didn't feel deprived or restricted.

Nice. Just have whatever little snack with the meal. You wouldn't want to make a meal of junk, but satisfying a craving like that actually makes you feeler fuller longer since your brain releases chemicals letting you feel full and satisfied longer. It's not so much what you eat, but how you feel afterward that determines how full you will feel, so it seems.

During the day I have a cup of coffee at 6am and at noon, which this time around has eliminated my 4-6pm cravings. I also like feeling light during the day and not having to concern myself with food. I also introduced drinking a liter of water every four hours four times a day and am sure that's helping with the cravings.

Coffee and tea work wonders. Even water, as in the act of drinking itself, acts as a meal replacement. I sip stuff all day after the meal.

As I remember and you posted, the cravings begin to go away and the desire for healthier food becomes stronger.

And this is what I wish people would take more notice of; people get mad when I say "eat anything you want" and think someone is going to go hog-wild on fried foods and dripping grease carb sides, not knowing that your foods are a relationship like any other. Your tastes change over time and your body starts to call out for different and better things. My transition was totally unintentional. Now, I eat pretty darn well. Just happened since I realized I felt better and better the more I left behind fried and processed foods. I still enjoy them regularly, but that's the beauty of this--you can do it on anything and take the "baby steps" approach to real, long-lasting progress.

Anyhow just thought I'd creep out of the shadows and let you know that we OMAD's are out here. I enjoyed your article and look forward to reading more from you.

Congrats again! Good job.

Are you an OMAD lifer, in other words are you going to continue with this indefinitely?

Thanks! And yes, I am really, seriously doubting I will ever change what I'm doing. I'm up to 2 to 3 topped off plates of food now that I'm maintaining, and I worry not at all about gaining anything back or counting calories. Some days I do less and some days I do more. I stay in that "zone" of productivity and love not having to care about excesses. It's really beautiful to actually live life and not be fixated on gluttonous eating safaris like in the old days.

At some point, I'll post what I used to eat. I figure that's worth a good laugh!

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I was wondering about this "bit of loose skin" you speak of--how is it...is it really unsightly, like you may need surgery or something to correct it or not so bad looking/hardly noticeable? That's the only thing about relatively fast weight loss that kinda scares me--loose skin.

Again, way to go dude--thank for post! :drinker: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

Bumping for reply...

I have loose skin nearly everywhere, but people tell me it's not noticeable until I draw attention to it. I agree with them. The worst is my neck, chin, and waist, which is why I am really enjoying the firming up aspect of things now in a good strength training program.

Am I at all worried about the loose skin? Not much beyond a second or third take in the mirror daily. Caught myself before the loose skin became a huge issue. Had I peaked over 400 lbs, that no doubt would be a bigger concern, but most tell me loose skin does retract in time except in the most serious of cases.

Thank you so much for your reply! You sir, are a winner and once again, I thank you so much for posting! :drinker:

donnarogers6211

I have lost 130lbs and I am having to have surgery for my loose skin. The surgeon says he going to get at least 20lbs of skin off me. It will have to be done in 3 surgeries.

Timelordlady85

Amazing, though its not something I would do. It works for you and thats what matters. I can't wait to post a success story of my own in the future as I reach my goal weight.

Cera33

Everyone has what works for them.....Congrats!

NewLIFEstyle4ME

bump

jungefrau

I think that you should be proud of yourself and I applaud the way you have been able to wean yourself off an overly dependent emotional relationship to food.

Unless a person has a particular health problem such as diabetes or whatever, what harm is there in eating one meal a day? I have been in the medical field for almost 10 years and have yet to hear of someone dying or even becoming ill because they don't eat more than one meal a day.

I wish you the best in your continued walk in health and a long life to you!

Jennifer Smith

NewLIFEstyle4ME

I think that you should be proud of yourself and I applaud the way you have been able to wean yourself off an overly dependent emotional relationship to food.

Unless a person has a particular health problem such as diabetes or whatever, what harm is there in eating one meal a day? I have been in the medical field for almost 10 years and have yet to hear of someone dying or even becoming ill because they don't eat more than one meal a day.

I wish you the best in your continued walk in health and a long life to you!

Jennifer Smith

:drinker:

Yellerie

Fantastic Weight loss! Thanks for posting this it is nice to see that it really is the calories that count & not the # of meals eaten. Congrats on how far you have come

Kchloee

I can't see the photos, but that's GREAT!!!

You are truly a testimony that you have to listen to your body and do what works for YOU.

Great job!

arguablysamson

I can't see the photos, but that's GREAT!!!

You are truly a testimony that you have to listen to your body and do what works for YOU.

Great job!

You should be able to see the pics. Hmmm.

JShawSarah

Now I am going to try this! This sounds absolutely perfect for me. Gonna try this for the next couples months and hope my results are even half as good as yours! I weigh about 300 pounds and want to weigh less than my husband (he weighs 180) hoping to wear a bikini by next summer! And your story made me feel like it's completely achievable

donyellemoniquex3

amazing !

hannamarie88

My dad did the same thing and lost an incredible amount of weight too - he was in the mid 300s (6'3"). He even wanted to start marketing the plan, but I talked him out of it because I didn't see it as sustainable. He believed in the hunter/gatherer one meal mindset and lived by it for months. He called it the "Caveman Diet." He went off it and gained some of the weight back, but that's because he went back to his old habits.

Congrats to you! You look awesome! Whatever works for you - as long as you are healthy and happy - I say more power to ya! What works for some, doesn't work for others - you need to do what works for you.

JShawSarah

When you did this did you follow it religiously or were there days where you strayed? For instance if someone wanted to take you out for breakfast or you went on vacation etc

thavoice

Thats awesome.
One meal a day seems radical to many nowadays, but it is something thoughout time was the norm.
I do alternate day fasting and do it in a very familiar fashion as you do. I fast 24 hours, then have a meal.

There are lots of ways to drop weight. Unfortunately, the way I chose is still viewed as a radical and reckless method that is "unhealthy." Well, blood panels and practical, measurable results don't lie, friends. It's not unhealthy, and it isn't as hard as it seems and can offer hope when hope seems altogether gone. The Macedonians, the Greeks and Romans, our hunter-gatherer ancestors, not to mention the followers of Elijah Muhammed, all ate one meal a day.

-BEFORE-
Age: 39
Height: 6'4
Clothing sizes: 4X shirts, 54' waist pants
Blood pressure: 152/117






288 lbs, 3X shirts, 42 inch waist pants

-AFTER-
Age: 40
Final clothing sizes: Large and XL shirts, 34' waist pants
Blood pressure: 106/67


234 lbs



These last ten months have changed me in ways that it is hard to begin to describe. Going from a mouth-breathing, weazing, inactive fat guy who was sick all the time to an active guy who can actually live and interact in the world around him WITHOUT having to take 3-hour naps after eating is something that is hard to comprehend (unless you've gone through it). And, well, it makes me think I should pinch myself because it must all be a dream. I can't even imagine how I once managed to consume 9,500+ calories a day!

You start out with "baby steps," eating what you want to minimize discomfort, nursing your stomach to a smaller size all the while. Then, gradually, you make healthier eating choices (not because you have to but because it just feels right). Then, that extra energy and go-ahead power allows you to bring in exercise and see yet better improvements. Every little step is a step forward.

To whom it may concern, here is how I did it. You should ignore the haters and armchair dieticians out there and give it a try if you have serious trouble with obesity, are a binger, a psychological eater, or otherwise struggle with serious resistance to other, more lenient programs. Mind you, THIS WILL WORK when everything else has failed...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1241325-how-to-do-one-meal-a-day-the-basics

Once you get your system down and can readily remember WHY you must make the changes and stick with them, it isn't that hard to see them through.

But however you choose to knock off your pounds, the key is consistency and doing it for you. When all is said and done, you can only do it for you, not for anyone else. Aside from some loose skin and the need to keep getting rid of old clothes, I am left with incredible energy and gasping reactions from people who knew the fat me and the disbelief they experience in seeing the new me. I figure I'll ride this high for at least a year or so as I continue to maintain and "firm up," now with 2,100+ calories a day. It can absolutely be done, folks. It can be done. Food doesn't have to own you.

Feel free to add me if you'd like.

arguablysamson

When you did this did you follow it religiously or were there days where you strayed? For instance if someone wanted to take you out for breakfast or you went on vacation etc

I never cheated. I was THAT sick of being huge!

When people took me out, I made them accept I wasn't going to eat, and instead, just had a diet Coke or something and we chatted. It was nice. Doesn't detract from the social experience.

arguablysamson

Thats awesome.
One meal a day seems radical to many nowadays, but it is something thoughout time was the norm.
I do alternate day fasting and do it in a very familiar fashion as you do. I fast 24 hours, then have a meal.

That's cool. I've heard that works, too.

arguablysamson

My dad did the same thing and lost an incredible amount of weight too - he was in the mid 300s (6'3"). He even wanted to start marketing the plan, but I talked him out of it because I didn't see it as sustainable. He believed in the hunter/gatherer one meal mindset and lived by it for months. He called it the "Caveman Diet." He went off it and gained some of the weight back, but that's because he went back to his old habits.

Congrats to you! You look awesome! Whatever works for you - as long as you are healthy and happy - I say more power to ya! What works for some, doesn't work for others - you need to do what works for you.

Oh it is sustainable. I get 2 or 3 plates now instead of the one. And while it takes adjusting to get those higher calories, it can be done. Even though I no longer have to do it, it's too easy to stay with.

socajam

It's not as hard as you'd think, peeps. I'm not some Vulcan with unearthly mind power, nor is anybody else who's done this. But anything worth doing is worth sacrificing for and costs something.

Yes, the first week is really hard, less so the next 3 weeks. After that, if you're still doing it, you're saying: "I can keep doing this!" And that means you've as good as already done it since you know you've adopted it and can do it forever. The reason people fail on so many eating plans is because they can't make peace to live with the changes. This is not that hard to get used to. it requires sacrifice, but the payoff is worth it.

And once you know that you can ONLY EAT ONCE PER DAY, the conviction sits in your mind and you get less hungry because you know when you can eat and that you only have to wait 23 hrs at the most for your meal (which will consist of just about whatever you want). You set a boundary and know you can never cross it for the sake of yourself. Therefore, it gets easier.

Plus, multiple meal portion moderators are doing it the hard way since it's way easier to jinx your efforts by overeating 3 times a day as opposed to 1. The one-plate rule is yet another safeguard. The result is that this works and I'm almost never sick anymore. I have tons of energy and a more full day at my disposal.

“Eat a single meal a day, no matter what anyone says. If your doctor says that you should eat more than one meal a day, ignore him with a smile and eat only once a day. If he tells you he eats three meals a day, tell him that his length of life is about the same as his patients. Then, tell the doctor to try eating one meal a day.”

-Elijah Muhammed, How to Eat to Live, Book 1.

That quote is so true.

_Zardoz_

The one meal a day thing doesn't bother me at all .. but it would never ever work for me. I hate eating .. I am not a food person. I only do it now to keep me breathing, but if I could I would just avoid it altogether. Well except chocolate .. lets be honest.

How did I get fat .. junk food and pop and endless eating a couple of bad food items.

So .. my only question, how much did you eat in that one meal ? You never did disclose that.

My meals can be 200-300 cal for lunch or supper, so having a to eat 6 times that in one meal would be very very hard.

But you do deserve credit for your progress. Your one meal must have been one **** of a meal though.

Losing, I started out ridiculously nuts. 700 calories a day. I got smarter and quickly upped this to between 1,100 and 1,400 per day, and later, to 1,400 to 1,600. My loss was consistently fast, especially after getting above 1,100 calories. I had short plateaus and averaged 2.4 lbs per week.

The one-plate rule is for starting out, but yes, you fill up a standard-sized 10-inch plate full as I describe in the article. Everything is on the plate with the exception of one healthy calorie beverage. All others are non-calorie for the rest of the day. And you can't get more than 1,878 calories on one plate. I've tried.

This will work for anyone. But snacking or grazing - on anything - is why and how people get fat.

Now that I'm maintaining, I'm at 2,100 to 2,800 calories a day. That fills two to three plates easy. Tonight was about 3,000 calories, mostly protein. I vary my days and still follow my tastes. Eating is serious work now. For the first time in my life, I have to work to tank up and the only time I think about food is basically when I get ready to prepare it--aside from some occasional phantom cravings from the old days.

"Hunger high" is pretty cool. It feels so good to run on reserves after you're used to it.

Congratulations on your loss. I will however say however many meals a day makes no difference but for any newbies I would urge and caution them not eat such low calories as you did. A 6'4 inch man eating what you did you basically starved yourself and would have lost large amounts of muscle mass (which in reality you want to keep)

You really do not need to do that to lose weight you can eat a reasonable amount and still lose weight and. Just because you need to lose weight does not mean you need to suffer.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexy+pants

Congratulations again

143tobe

I lost some weight once while eating one meal a day. Honesty, out of all the diets I tried, it was the easiest for me to follow and Instead of just shoving food in my face all day, I really planned for that one hour and appreciated every single bite. I started my meal with a traditional well balanced dinner, but the awesome part was that I got to eat dessert every night! It also made it easier to say no to something that I really wanted to eat, because I knew that I COULD have it. Just not in that exact moment. I'm a huge fan of finding out what works for you.

You did an amazing job, congratulations!

IcanIwill1

One meal a day absolutely works.
25yrs ago, I lost a significant amount of weight by eating one meal a day.
I was in my early 20s and did not bother to cook, what I would do is stop by a restaurant on my way home, and eat whatever I wanted and went home. I also did quite a bit of walking.
I moved to Europe and my plan went out the window, and the weight came back.

I have found out that, for me, eating sets me up to eat more.
I could go all day without being hungry, but once I eat, my appetite seems to wake up, and demand more and more food.
That's why I could never do that eat 6 small meals a day routine...I would inhale a whole district and its inhabitants.

nikkiworld2

I don't see anything wrong with eating one meal a day. It worked for you & that's all that matters & you were healthy while doing it. Good for you. Congratulations!

gopgirl425

Awesome job! Congrats!

Pie319

I'm really interested in trying this! I've been counting calories for a long time. It works, but it's so involved. Can you point me to more reading on the subject? (aside from the link in the OP which I already read)

Edit to add: the reason i want more reading is because i have an inquiring mind, not because I doubt your success. I love researching stuff!

katieburdison

bump

ljb304

Congrats on your loss! :drinker: I am doing Fast 5, but really with a window of 4 hours. I love the lifestyle. It's so much easier for me than eating three times a day!