I eat 1 meal a day most days, espresso for breakfast, Darjeeling tea for lunch. dinner around 4 or 5. sometimes on the weekends I'll eat lunch

I don't specifically aim to eat only once a day but if I truly wait until I'm hungry, it happens naturally at least 4 times a week. It's kind of a new thing for me though. I've been only 2 meals with lunch being really small since I started going on 2 years ago. I only ate twice before keto as well but then lunch was more substantial and I would almost certainly have had a snack before dinner too. And after...

I think this is a YMMV issue.

If you're concerned about losing lean body mass, it may be hard to get enough usable protein eating OMAD, as it appears that you can only use around 25-30g per meal, but your daily protein requirement for muscle preservation is likely a bit higher.

Foamroller wrote: »

RalfLott wrote: »

I think this is a YMMV issue.

If you're concerned about losing lean body mass, it may be hard to get enough usable protein eating OMAD, as it appears that you can only use around 25-30g per meal, but your daily protein requirement for muscle preservation is likely a bit higher.

You know I love you man ...but I disagree with you on this issue. I suspect protein synthesis has more to do with training as stimulus and hormone signalling. I do agree amount of protein needed is a YMMV. I can eat loads of protein (in one sitting), but I've stopped the whey shakes and BCAA pills and haven't lost any Muscle Fiber while doing OMAD.

From my understanding, the body "pools" unused amino acids over 1-2 or more days in case it needs them. Cause the body can't store amino acids long term for later energy use like fat. If not used, excess protein is flushed out. Hence the phenomenon of whey shakes "protein farts" ! Cheers.

Let me see if I can track down the source of that myth...

RalfLott wrote: »

Foamroller wrote: »

RalfLott wrote: »

I think this is a YMMV issue.

If you're concerned about losing lean body mass, it may be hard to get enough usable protein eating OMAD, as it appears that you can only use around 25-30g per meal, but your daily protein requirement for muscle preservation is likely a bit higher.

You know I love you man ...but I disagree with you on this issue. I suspect protein synthesis has more to do with training as stimulus and hormone signalling. I do agree amount of protein needed is a YMMV. I can eat loads of protein (in one sitting), but I've stopped the whey shakes and BCAA pills and haven't lost any Muscle Fiber while doing OMAD.

From my understanding, the body "pools" unused amino acids over 1-2 or more days in case it needs them. Cause the body can't store amino acids long term for later energy use like fat. If not used, excess protein is flushed out. Hence the phenomenon of whey shakes "protein farts" ! Cheers.

Let me see if I can track down the source of that myth...

I'm interested in this issue. I've done OMAD for a long time and I've taken whey protein supps to make sure I'm getting enough protein. Before I did that, I lost some muscle (by Inbody measurments) then I started lifting and doing the sups and I gained it back (about 6-lbs). Lately I've noticed though my morning bg level is higher than it should be and I'm wondering if that is because of taking in about 100g of protein in a 4-hour window. I've stopped the whey and the bg has come down. I'm going to start the whey back up in about a week and see if the bg rises due to it.

@Foamroller, I want to say it was a YT video by Phinney or Bernstein, but here's a source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140520133218.htm

The study's results were obtained by measuring muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy adults who consumed two similar diets that differed in protein distribution throughout the day. One of the diets contained 30 grams of protein at each meal, while the other contained 10 grams at breakfast, 15 grams at lunch and 65 grams at dinner. Lean beef was the primary nutrient-dense source of protein for each daily menu. Using blood samples and thigh muscle biopsies, the researchers then determined the subjects' muscle protein synthesis rates over a 24-hour period.

The UTMB researchers provided volunteers with a generous daily dose of 90 grams of protein -- consistent with the average amount currently consumed by healthy adults in the United States. While very active individuals may benefit from a slightly higher protein intake, the team's previous research suggests that, for the majority of adults, additional protein will likely have a diminishing positive effect on muscle metabolism, while any less may fail to provide optimal muscle metabolism support.

When study volunteers consumed the evenly distributed protein meals, their 24-hour muscle protein synthesis was 25 percent greater than subjects who ate according to the skewed protein distribution pattern. This result was not altered by several days of habituation to either protein distribution pattern.

The results of the study, Paddon-Jones points out, seem to show that a more effective pattern of protein consumption is likely to differ dramatically from many Americans' daily eating habits.

"Usually, we eat very little protein at breakfast, a bit more at lunch and then consume a large amount at night. When was the last time you had just 4 ounces of anything during dinner at a restaurant?" Paddon-Jones said. "So we're not taking enough protein on board for efficient muscle building and repair during the day, and at night we're often taking in more than we can use. We run the risk of having this excess oxidized and ending up as glucose or fat."

Thanks @SymbolismNZ for the ref.

brendagaudette wrote: »

This is my plan...I eat a low carb meal once a day for 5 days and on the 6th day I fast by only drinking water, then on the 7th day I eat anything I want all day...I was in a stall by eating just low carb but when I added in fasting I lose at least 1 pound a week and sometimes 2 or 3

Cool that it works. My Mom lost over 100 pounds many, many years ago. During her weight loss phase she'd monitor calories for 6 days. On the 7th day after her T.O.P.S (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meeting, she'd walk across the street and get a half dozen chocolate eclairs and eat 1,2,3 whatever. She kept the bulk of her weight off for over 30 years. I can't say I favor her food choices but hey, it worked for weight loss and she did fine maintaining "her way".

RalfLott wrote: »

@Foamroller, I want to say it was a YT video by Phinney or Bernstein, but here's a source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140520133218.htm

The study's results were obtained by measuring muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy adults who consumed two similar diets that differed in protein distribution throughout the day. One of the diets contained 30 grams of protein at each meal, while the other contained 10 grams at breakfast, 15 grams at lunch and 65 grams at dinner. Lean beef was the primary nutrient-dense source of protein for each daily menu. Using blood samples and thigh muscle biopsies, the researchers then determined the subjects' muscle protein synthesis rates over a 24-hour period.

The UTMB researchers provided volunteers with a generous daily dose of 90 grams of protein -- consistent with the average amount currently consumed by healthy adults in the United States. While very active individuals may benefit from a slightly higher protein intake, the team's previous research suggests that, for the majority of adults, additional protein will likely have a diminishing positive effect on muscle metabolism, while any less may fail to provide optimal muscle metabolism support.

When study volunteers consumed the evenly distributed protein meals, their 24-hour muscle protein synthesis was 25 percent greater than subjects who ate according to the skewed protein distribution pattern. This result was not altered by several days of habituation to either protein distribution pattern.

The results of the study, Paddon-Jones points out, seem to show that a more effective pattern of protein consumption is likely to differ dramatically from many Americans' daily eating habits.

"Usually, we eat very little protein at breakfast, a bit more at lunch and then consume a large amount at night. When was the last time you had just 4 ounces of anything during dinner at a restaurant?" Paddon-Jones said. "So we're not taking enough protein on board for efficient muscle building and repair during the day, and at night we're often taking in more than we can use. We run the risk of having this excess oxidized and ending up as glucose or fat."

Thanks @SymbolismNZ for the ref.

I took a quick look at the study.
http://m.jn.nutrition.org/content/144/6/876.full

The study was funded by a beef interest organization. It doesn't say how much of the funding. The study authors are paid speakers for other beef industry organizations, FYI.

The study itself was elegantly designed with a crossover and washout...BUT the number of participants were a N=8. 5 men and 3 women. I'm not a medically trained person and must admit my knowledge of the finer details of statistical analysis are rudimentary above a beginner's course at uni. So I can't really critique the study. I'm wondering though since each arm was only for 7 days. How much protein synthesis was there really on the EVEN days. AND was the increased synthesis on the same individuals or affected all participants? Were the highest and lowest (possible outliers) removed from the data? I welcome someone more scholarly inclined to have a look at it ☺

I'm not saying the study is wrong. Data is data. But all studies have their limitations and making very broad claims on behalf of the general population as a whole BASED ON 8 PEOPLE FOR 2 WEEKS is gambling in my view. Following this LCD community for over 2 years has taught me that our metabolisms and bodies are indeed all different. I realize that many or even most people can lose fat without going to such great lengths as I have to do. I wish that I didn't have to fast or do such steep energy cycling to lose fat. It's not "fair", but then again Life and Nature aren't fair. We all have to find the method that works for us according to our INDIVIDUAL goals.

Maybe I've misunderstood important concepts, but I thought this is the general
a) Amino acids are building blocks for tissue.
b) Indequate protein intake AND inadequate training = sarcopenia aka muscle fiber loss.
c) Adequate protein and inadequate training = possible maintenance of current muscle fibers or slow sarcopenia.
d) Adequate protein AND adequate training = hypertrophy.

I think part of the problem is that the individual requirements for protein varies a great deal. This is the inherent problem of any study. How do you know if YOUR body reacts the same way as a study says? We really don't without self experiments. Just following this LCD group for over 2 years, hearing everyone's stories and struggles, has made me realize how different our metabolisms are. I have a big respect for different goals. Your goal @RalfLott might be to fix your T2D and this might require to change things up a bit. The body isn't static. My goal is to repair my body AND healthy longevity. Eating 30g protein 3x per day will stimulate IGF-1 for too long during a day for my liking. High insulin -> IGF-1-> stops autophagy ? But I may be wrong and I will ask for the tolerance that a future me might change opinion on this matter ☺
I wish you the very best whichever methods you follow in the pursuit of your goals!

↵1 Supported in part by the Beef Checkoff (D.P.-J.). The study was conducted with the support of the Institute for Translational Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch, supported in part by a Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1TR000071) from the National Center for Research Resources, NIH. Support was also provided by the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center NIH/National Institute on Aging grant P30 AG024832. This is a free access article, distributed under terms (http://www.nutrition.org/publications/guidelines-and-policies/license/) that permit unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
↵2 Author disclosures: D. Paddon-Jones and D. K. Layman received compensation for speaking engagements with the National Cattlemens Beef Association. M. M. Mamerow, J. A. Mettler, K. L. English, S.L. Casperson, E. Arentson-Lantz, and M. Sheffield-Moore, no conflicts of interest.

Edits: Minor changes and formats.

I have started doing 0MAD the French way as I was struggling to hit over 1000 calories a day. I now drink two tablespoons of the best olive oil I can buy and add a lemon juice to supplement my only meal.

RalfLott wrote: »

@Foamroller, thanks for the feedback!

To be honest, I really have no idea if one large protein infusion during the day will jack my BG higher than spreading it out. I try to not to change other variables in my crude n=1 "trials," but I'm sure the response depends on uncontrollable/unmeasurable factors like quality of sleep, stress, fasting insulin, etc. I wish I spoke the same language as my pancreas, liver.....

I did find a comment by Phinney that he was not aware of quality studies on protein pacing (and that federal grant funding had been denied for exactly such research). So I'm back at the drawing board.

Money is money, but I'm not sure why it makes a difference in this case - the study didn't compare steak vs. tofu.... Why would the recipients of beef industry largesse feel pressure to nudge results in favor of 3 smaller steaks versus 1 huge one in the evening?

You're kinda derailing your own comment.

If you're concerned about losing lean body mass, it may be hard to get enough usable protein eating OMAD, as it appears that you can only use around 25-30g per meal, but your daily protein requirement for muscle preservation is likely a bit higher.

Your argument wasn't about BG levels, it was about LBM. ...and that is another discussion☺

Btw could it be you're confusing LBM with muscle fiber?

Money is money, but I'm not sure why it makes a difference in this case - the study didn't compare steak vs. tofu.... Why would the recipients of beef industry largesse feel pressure to nudge results in favor of 3 smaller steaks versus 1 huge one in the evening?

I think it's part of a bigger picture and this is pure speculation: The athletic community is a sucker for studies that show any miniscule "advantage". Just take Tim Noakes and his peers who based on some swedish study concluded that refuelling with carbs was a performance enhancer. He has publicly admitted he was wrong and is paying quite a high price triggering T2D following his own advice, but 2 decades later I still see coaches sprouting this message, not understanding the consequences down the line for the metabolism.

Back to the Beef industry planting an idea that one HAVE TO get a minimum of protein to "max out" protein synthesis, I bet all the gymbros around jump on it. In any case, once you've spread the idea, who cares to actually look at the original study with a critical eye anyway? But protein synthesis is NOT the same as hypertrophy...

Just putting protein as a necessity in EVERY meal is good business longterm. In my country the meat lobby has their own organization called: Office of information for meat and fish and poultry. Which sounds like a boring official governmental thing. But very few people are aware of this when they see their many ads on TV. So they think this is vetted info, but it's really just to remind us to buy animal proteins.

On the other hand, if genpop actually started eating proteins again at breakfast instead of fruit smoothies, OJ and pancakes, many would possibly be less hungry later on and thus do less snacking...and thus postponing metabolic syndrome by a few years...

Edit: I'm leaving this thread now, running off to celebrate bday with BF!

Juliegray1963 wrote: »

I have eaten like this my entire life. I never had a weight problem until I turned 46. I am almost 54 and still eat this way.

With eating the same way before, during, and after your weight gain, what do you think the culprit was?