The OMAD diet for weight loss: How does it work?

Nowadays, many people opt for long fasting or exhausting workouts in their desperate attempts to lose weight. The One Meal a Day diet promises exactly a similar result with one simple rule – eating only one meal a day, be it a cheeseburger or a light salad. Are these claims true? Is this diet safe for your health, and would it is effective in helping you achieve your weight loss goals?

How does the OMAD diet work?

It works in the same way as fasting. It’s said you’re supposed to fast for 23 hours a day and eat anything you want during the remaining hour. The crux of this diet is that regardless of what you eat, you’ll consume fewer calories than while eating three times a day.

What are the benefits of the OMAD diet?

Proponents of the OMAD diet claim that sticking to it entails numerous health benefits, such as:

1) Eating once a day enables a process of autophagy, which cleans up the toxins in your body 

2) Your body becomes more tolerant to being hungry and burns fat longer, accelerating your metabolism.

3) Easier meal planning as you can simplify the grocery plan and spend less time on planning your menu.

However, all those claims are highly disputed, and the drawbacks of the OMAD diet are much more pronounced:

1) Skipping significant nutrients. You’re simply unable to consume enough essential nutrients while following this diet, even if you shed junk food. You should eat five portions of fruits and vegetables per day and consume enough fibre and protein, which one meal per day can’t provide.

2) Increased cholesterol levels

3) Slower metabolism. Some scientists claim that the more you restrict, the more your metabolism slows down. As a result, you gain weight instead of losing it.

To sum up, the OMAD diet is not the best way of losing weight. It entails several health risks that might impede all your efforts and reverse your gains. However, if you still wish to adhere to this diet, consult your doctor and pay attention to your body while following it.

The editorial unit

The material contained in this article is of the nature of general comment only and does not give advice on any particular matter. Recipients should not act on the basis of this article’s information without taking appropriate professional advice.