I wonder if this plan would be good for females as well.... I'm also interested in gaining some toned muscle after weight loss

Have to decide how many days/week for each muscle group, set/rep structure, etc. I like doing 7x.5*gw (goal weight), 3x.75*gw, 10xgw, 10x.9*gw, 10x.8*gw. If I can do that, I move up in weight. Good luck.

Sounds like you have a plan!

7x.5*gw would be 7 reps at 50% of goal weight. So if goal weight was 100-lbs, I would do 7 reps at 50-lbs. Same scheme for the rest of them. I like to do two warm up sets, 7 reps at 50% goal weight I will be lifting and then 3 reps at 75% of goal weight. I do that to avoid injury.

Bob - how do you manage OMAD with lifting?
I've read that we need to eat protein after a workout... so how would this work? I cant work out on an empty stomach and don't know what to do.

Thank you that sounds perfect! So I'll eat before my workout.
I probably lack in protein so I'll make sure to increase that

1MADGIRL wrote: »

Bob - how do you manage OMAD with lifting?
I've read that we need to eat protein after a workout... so how would this work? I cant work out on an empty stomach and don't know what to do.

I've lifted a lot after a 19-hr fast. I did tend to bonk some doing that so I would sometimes eat a little something right before I went and that helped but didn't get me over it totally. Lately I've lifted in the morning and I've had enough glycogen in me by that time to get me through without bonking at all! I've never been a morning workout person (even when running track as a skinny kid) but I've been able to do it on OMAD. I have been taking protein supps at beginning of dinner, usually 2-scoops of whey protein (50g of protein). I actually lost about 6-lbs of muscle my first 4-months or so on OMAD (by InBody measurements) and that is when I started taking the protein supps. Later measurements said I gained all the muscle back.

I have never done a strict OMAD protocol (1-plate rule) and have always eaten ad libitum during my eating window of 4-hrs and also have not restricted carb content (I usually ate a desert after dinner). I have discovered recently that if I eat that way (usually about 2000-2500 cals) and take my protein, my morning blood sugar is high. I doesn't go high eating that many cals while taking the protein if I restrict carbs. I don't like carb restriction (tried for a week and that was it). I haven't tried lesser calories to see how that would work out. What I do now is I'm more in a mixed maintenance mode and still trying to lose but very slowly. I tried eating all three meals 5xweek and 20:4 2xweek for the last month and lifting/running in the mornings on my all three-meals days. I don't bonk doing that but I don't lose weight either. I've maintained my weight at 210 for a month doing that. This week I'm changing again to a 16:8 5xweek and 20:4 2xweek. I think I will start losing some doing that but it will be slower than most. I am now lifting/running after work again and since I'm eating some lunch (very controlled unlike dinner) I shouldn't bonk exercising after work. I ran for 45-min today and didn't have any problem. I'm splitting my protein between lunch and dinner. I will check to see how the blood sugar is in the mornings. It was good in the mornings when I did the 5xweek of three meals (split protein up during the day) and2xweek of 20:4.

I think for those doing OMAD with or without 1-plate rule would probably have the best results working out in the morning so you won't bonk. If you are eating ad libitum and taking protein, and not restricting carbs, I would check blood sugar in the morning. If you are doing 1-plate rule or restricting carbs, but I think you will probably be fine. My blood sugar thing could be something that is totally an individual thing also. I do think if you don't get adequate protein, you will lose some muscle.

If someone is very heavy, I think it may be a better plan to not worry about muscle loss so much and just do OMAD with the calorie restriction and get the weight off. I think that is the most important thing when really heavy. Both physically and motivation-wise, especially motivation-wise. Doing what I'm doing will take a long time to lose weight and I think could kill a person's motivation if they have a lot to lose. After the weight is at more reasonable healthy level, then transitioning to working out and worrying about the protein intake and all I think should be considered.

1MADGIRL wrote: »

Wow, very descriptive. Thank you!
I'm not a morning person but it seems to make sense if I change that and wake up early to exercise..

I don't have a lot left to lose (around 8 pounds) and since they're the last pounds I'm expecting them to take a long time to leave my body.

I will slowly try to start working out in the morning.
Tonight though (since I'm already at work and its 9.30am where I am) I will workout tonight (new exercise plan) and see how I go. I find it really hard to get started because my mind is always telling me its probably for nothing and I'll never be tone. I find dieting a lot easier than working out.

Don't want to hijack Joes thread here much more but on this topic, I found I didn't get hungry after morning workout sessions even though I didn't eat tell dinner. That was my main concern for working out in the mornings.

Hope all is well!

In my opinion, having powerlifted for years, you dont need to work each muscle group 3 times a week and I would advise against doing so, especially us guys in our 40's. Hit it hard, heavy and intense, no more than an hour, especially if you train fasted. GH is high during this time period but only for so long. Me personally, I lift 3 times per week and have no issues with getting stronger. For example, DAY 1 is chest & back, DAY 2 legs & shoulders, DAY 3 is bis & tris. You can reverse the order you train the following week, and go backwards to keep from stagnating. I do the "push/pull" routine because you can do it back to back without stopping (i.e: lat pulldowns, then incline bench, THEN rest....a.k.a "supersetting").

As for nutrition, after YEARS of believing the "Bro Science" crap, protein windows and all that foolisness....that only applies to those who are "enhanced". I put on muscle, but I also got fat eating too much protein and eating what all the mags said, which is why I am OMADing now. Only supplement I use now is creatine in MIO water, because there have been numerous studies that state creatine monohydrate is proven to work. I take NO protein powder whatsoever and over the last decade probably tried EVERY powder known to man. I think they are waste of money personally and I regret using them. Only thing they were good for is if I needed a good laxative (sorry for being crude, but true indeed). I found training while fasted on a cup of black cawwwfeeee is the best, and I wait at LEAST 3-4 hours before I eat my OMAD.

One thing to note is how NFL Legend Herschel Walker has trained on OMAD for over 20 years in his YouTube video about his diet, at a high level, and has always been in ridiculous shape. He has also never lifted weights. He is genetically gifted, but I would say if it can work for him, it can work for anyone. And after years of lifting, injuries and all, it sucks finding out at THIS point in life you have muscle that is worthless and non-functional. So Im switching to mostly calisthenics. Ive watched inmates work out on the rec yard for hours doing body weight exercises and are jacked beyond belief and strong with NO supplementation or access to the things we have on the outside. That got me thinking after 14 years in this game. I need to change my "lift things up and pewt them down" mentality. Benching a lot of weight means nothing when you get punched in the face. Sorry for the rant folks. Just things Ive learned over the years and observed.......

I only mentioned what I did because at our age, it is in recovery/time off from working whatever muscle is where the growth and strength will come from if that is your goal. Kind of like your vid on "Less Equals More". The same principle rule is true when it comes to muscle growth and strength. If you are sore, you can end up getting seriously hurt or tear a muscle if the DOMS is bad enough (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) because stress is being placed AGAIN on an already stressed muscle that has microscopic tears on it while it is trying to recover. The muscle worked HAS to have time to recover and rebuild or you could end up becoming weaker and actually lose muscle and get injured, or tweak a rotator cuff or shoulder and then your screwed. I am always sore after I workout. Sometimes for days. If I am not sore, its because I didn't hit it heavy, hard and intense enough. Letting it rest is where you will make the most gains. TRUST me. I used to think doing more would do more for me. It never worked. I learned by experience the hard way the old iron adage in the weight room to "Work smarter, not harder". Lol

what is DOMS?

I had an interesting experience with weights yesterday after a 20-hr fast. I always bonk and can't go heavy after that long of a fast and it is hard getting through the workout. I took a scoop of UCAN superstarch (super slow release carb) about 45-min before I went and I didn't bonk. Maybe other carbs would act the same but I have tried a candy bar and other things right before lifting and they helped but I would still felt compromised (maybe the high sugar shut off fat metabolism and lessened energy due to the carbs?). Only one data point. Stuff is too expensive to use just for regular lifting but I'm hoping it will allow me to run some 5ks on an empty stomach (with the exception of the UCAN) and not get sick to my stomach from having food in it while racing and also not bonking which I can do if I run those after a 20-hr fast.