One meal a day?

Jayj180894
Jayj180894 Posts: 286 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been having one meal a day and its working for me! I'm a massive binge eater so cramming all my calories into one meal on an evening really works for me! I'm only having 1450kcal a day so it mainly comes from carbs. In the meal I make sure I have protein, veg and carbs. I take daily vitamins and supplements. I have a protein shake before a workout or work which 220kcal and surpress my appetite threw the day with caffine and lots of water. It's working for me. I also am lead to believe when you are fasting your body uses your fat reserve for energy?? But all I'm getting from people is how unhealthy it is! How eating after 7 o clock on a night puts weight on as you don't burn it off when you sleep. I'm being told that the food will just sit in my stomach and wait till morning. And I'm being told I'll actually gain weight! Also people have said my body will go into starvation mode and hold onto any fat making it even harder to lose!! Is this true

Replies

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    you definitely wont go into starvation mode but I'd binge spectacularly if I only ate once a day haha.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    I tried it but found that after work I'd be so hungry that I'd just want to binge on fast food and junk. I would get into the habit of stopping by Harvey's to get a 1400 calorie meal of a burger and poutine - which obviously is not healthy and lacking in a lot of vitamins and nutrients.

    So I settled on splitting my calories between lunch and dinner instead, and it's much easier to eat healthy that way.

    I'm glad it's working for you and you're not falling into that trap!
  • Livgetfit
    Livgetfit Posts: 352 Member
    Jayj180894 wrote: »
    I've been having one meal a day and its working for me! I'm a massive binge eater so cramming all my calories into one meal on an evening really works for me! I'm only having 1450kcal a day so it mainly comes from carbs. In the meal I make sure I have protein, veg and carbs. I take daily vitamins and supplements. I have a protein shake before a workout or work which 220kcal and surpress my appetite threw the day with caffine and lots of water. It's working for me. I also am lead to believe when you are fasting your body uses your fat reserve for energy?? But all I'm getting from people is how unhealthy it is! How eating after 7 o clock on a night puts weight on as you don't burn it off when you sleep. I'm being told that the food will just sit in my stomach and wait till morning. And I'm being told I'll actually gain weight! Also people have said my body will go into starvation mode and hold onto any fat making it even harder to lose!! Is this true

    Hey just wondering how you are getting on? I am also a binge eater plus I don't eat well unless I am full and prefer large portions. I ate like this years ago for about 12 months & found it suited me very well. I'm giving it a shot now, eating 1200 (5'3 & relatively inactive). For me, this isn't about broscience. I don't believe half the stuff written about the benefits of fasting. It is CICO game & I think this may be a good way for me to manage my deficit without feeling deprived or giving up.

    Would love to hear how the last month has been for you.
  • StaceyO444
    StaceyO444 Posts: 11 Member
    It all comes down to calories in vs out. I like to "splurge" once a day usually, so I eat minimally for breakfast and lunch usually.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
    I have started doing this also about 4 days ago. Switched from keto to One meal/day, and Loving it!! I feel so full and satisfied from my huge meal if eating whatever I want! I have always been those people who crave sweets and snacks all day. Now I get it eat it all in one sitting and it's fantastic!. The time doesn't matter, actually alot if people eat this way at night or dinner. Then just go to sleep. I prefer to eat during lunch time. I'm so glad you found something you like! I know how it feels.. I don't know why I didn't try this sooner. I try to fill up on protein and veggies, but I always make sure I have my dessert and sweets as well.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
    mrsnattybulking wrote: »
    you definitely wont go into starvation mode but I'd binge spectacularly if I only ate once a day haha.

    But that's the whole idea- I feel like I eat so much and binge for my one meal, but when I count the calories, it's less than 1500. It's pretty hard to overeat this way, plus you are so full for the next 23 hours!
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    This is great to know!! I'm glad it's working for you. As long as you aren't feeling deprived, and as long as you pay attention to nutrition (which is just general diet advice) any eating pattern should be fine, especially if it helps you with binge eating struggles. Happy for you!
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    And your protein shake is another meal, I believe. So you are actually eating two meals. And also, maybe not talk about your meal plan to your friends. Then no explanation needed.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
    150poundsofme wrote: »
    And your protein shake is another meal, I believe. So you are actually eating two meals. And also, maybe not talk about your meal plan to your friends. Then no explanation needed.

    I hear you- people immediately assume that fasting is so unhealthy! They think of 'starvation' and make judgements without any knowledge! Hate that!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    edited August 2017
    I'm also thinking of doing this, how is everyone getting on? I'm struggling to lose weight and normally eat about 250 cals for breakfast, 500-600 for lunch and a snack for dinner of about 200 calories. At weekends I don't count calories but often end up skipping breakfast and eating lunch/dinner. I've done the OMAD diet before and found it much better for me as I lost hunger pangs and also found I didn't feel tempted to overeat during my only meal (which was lunchtime). The only time it wouldn't work would be if I go out for a meal with friends, but if that was going to happen I'd skip lunch and have dinner as my only meal etc. One thing I've read about this is that if you're training it's recommended to have a protein shake after a workout. The one I use is only 110 calories and I make it with a little skimmed milk which would add another 30 calories so I would be having a drink of 140 calories after training in the morning, nothing until lunchtime and then nothing in the evening either.

    In addition, I'll have coffee, green tea and water to drink (no added sweetner). My meals will be healthy with a good balance of protein, carbs and vegetables, though I want to cut down on meat so also want to include one or two meat free days and have more fish etc.
  • shans34
    shans34 Posts: 535 Member
    I've been OMAD since November 2016 and am down 90lbs. Still alive. Still loosing and feeling great.
  • thebobogrind
    thebobogrind Posts: 143 Member
    @shans34 are you counting calories still? I think after doing OMAD for a while, your stomach shrinks and by the end you longer have to count calories right?
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    The best male gymnast in the world does this. He's going for world title number 7 in the all around.
  • MoveitlikeManda
    MoveitlikeManda Posts: 846 Member
    So at an asthma check up the nurse questioned me about when/what I eat and my weight so I told her Im counting calories on mfp etc etc. and that I was biking to the gym 5 nights a week
    (now you need to know I had lost 32lbs at this point)

    she then told me NEVER eat after 6.30pm because everything you eat after that time just turns to fat and that's how you gain weight, because you go to bed and dont burn any of that food off.

    I gave her the smile, nod and then left knowing that she has no idea what the hell she is talking about. just the same as my doctor told me "dont worry if the scale is not going down its because for every 1lb of fat I get off it turns in to a lb of muscle"
    SAY WHAT!???!! dont get me wrong she is a great doctor but again clearly knows NOTHING about weight loss or muscles or anything related to it. so again I smiled, nodded and left.

    so my point is, even people we trust to know whats right are wrong and dont know what they are talking about sometimes.

    If eating one big meal works for you, do it. many people do....even me most days lol
    its not about how often you eat, how many meals a day, its about CICO
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
    As long as you're eating all your calories it shouldn't be a problem. Starvation mode isn't real. Whether it's one meal or 10 small meals it doesn't matter as long as you're within your limit.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited September 2017
    Stop talking to morons...

    You burn calories 24/7...millions of years of evolution did not leave us with some arbitrary cut-off time for eating...use your logic and common sense.

    I eat dinner every night at 8:30PM...lost 40 Lbs doing that...been maintaining 4.5 years doing that.

    Also, if "it's working"...then you have your results...why even worry about it?
  • belleflop
    belleflop Posts: 154 Member
    Sadly A LOT of people have these same reservations, tribal knowledge (or lack thereof) to the max. When someone confronts you about what you are doing and insist you do something else just ask them where they got their advise from. If it's "oh I herd it from a friend who herd it from a friend who has a friend who is a nutritionist", it's probably safe to say they have no clue.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    If it works for you and you keep withing your calories there is no problem
  • bkbirge
    bkbirge Posts: 107 Member
    I do that sometimes, I don't think there's anything wrong with it really if it works for you. For me part of this whole journey is learning proper portion size control too though so if I was keeping old habits at one meal a day I'd still lose weight but then during maintenance I'm not sure I'd have the training to avoid re-gaining. Just something to think about.
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