What do you think about one meal a day?

Answers

  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 15,173 Member
    edited June 2

    It's better than none!

    There is, technically a difference between one MEAL a day and a daily eating window which can involve more than one meal.

    My opinion of one meal a day is much more negative than my opinion of a daily eating window.

    This is because the single meal a day will either not be long term sustainable (and so you will be looking for a different way of eating) or will induce an uncomfortably and probably counterproductively huge meal when you're at maintenance.

    At least the eating window allows for some splitting up of say… a 2 or 3000 Calorie day :)

    Beyond that, eating windows may help one achieve one's goals.

    I don't believe strict eating windows are optimal and I am not buying into extra health benefits—at least I'm squarely in the not convinced category. Nothing stops you from eating different sized meals at different times for example and allowing for more or less calories at a specific point of time.

    But, as always, actually achieving goals is more important than achieving them in the most optimal way.

    So if eating windows help you achieve your goals….

    By the way: Have you tried?

    What did YOU think?

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,804 Member

    I know I could not do it. I would become so obsessed with food and all that I wasn't able to eat I would drive myself crazy and probably give up within a day or two. That was what happened whenever I tried any type of extreme diet. It simply wasn't sustainable and became really counter-productive because of what it did to my head.

  • xxslim_pickinsxx
    xxslim_pickinsxx Posts: 32 Member

    Under certain circumstances, people can fall into this pattern naturally. I did it by default throughout my 20s because my work schedule practically demanded it, and it wasn't particularly onerous.

    Nowadays, though...now that I have freedom and flexibility? As much as I've read about the longevity benefits and whatnot, I simply CANNNOTTT make myself eat only once a day. I would realistically only do it again if external factors required me to

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,980 Member

    I think if it works for you and you could live the rest of your life that way, great. If you have any history of binge behavior, it's a terrible idea. I tried limiting myself to an 8 hour eating window and ended up going on massive binge during my "eating" time. And don't be fooled, you can absolutely eat 5000 calories in an hour.

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,707 Member

    Some people thrive. If someone is eating a lot of carbs, especially the refined type, they would be the least likely to promote or engage in this type of diet. It literally makes most of those people go absolutely berserk, according to my own investigations into diet and health. Low carbers seem to find it easier, which makes sense. Personally I wouldn't and don't do that, but many thrive on it, it's like most things in life, take it for a test drive and find out yourself.

    I would do some investigative research on the advantages and disadvantages and if your on medication to talk to your Doctor first.

  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,146 Member

    I've done one meal a day for about 15 years. It happened just because of my schedule, and I like it. I don't have to think about different meals, I know I will eat around 5:30 pm, and I just naturally follow this.

    I do think I will need to change this however, as I have recently been diagnosed with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and I am not supposed to eat as much protien as I have been, along with low sodium, potassium and phosphorus, and I have to take meds that I have to take with food twice a day, so I am slowly trying to do 2 meals a day.

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,554 Member

    Sure, if you think it would work for you and you still feel happy and energetic. It does nothing for weightloss though other than potentially keeping you out of the kitchen for the rest of the day.

    Me, I would feel miserable: low in energy, low in blood pressure and then a massive meal once per day on top that my stomach would not be happy about.

  • Creamtea42
    Creamtea42 Posts: 417 Member

    I don’t think this would be sustainable for me @ydh4ydk88z.

    But this is not about me.

    Are you going to have some meal replacements and vitamin / mineral supplements in between?

    As everyone else has said, I think you may start to obsess about foods, feel miserable / lethargic at the least or, more concerningly, damage your health and well-being.

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,496 Member

    OMAD is fine depending on your goals. It's not optimum for muscle building. If It's for maintenance or fatloss it's fine if it fits your lifestyle. Overall weekly calories determine the weight outcome and not meal timing or quantity.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 36,645 Member

    Some people here have found that it makes it easier for them to stick with appropriate calories, perhaps because they prefer one larger meal to several smaller ones, or something like that.

    It would be a severely unpleasant thing to me, so I didn't do it to lose weight or maintain that loss. I eat two or three meals and sometimes some snacks, which works great for me.

    Given recent recommendations that seniors (ages 60-plus-ish) may benefit from spreading protein through the day rather than concentrating it in a small number of meals, I'd probably avoid it for that reason, too, personally. That's an issue that may not apply to younger people, according to other research.

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