OMAD - can I mix it up with 'days off'?

[GlomOfNit]

I've just started OMAD and would like to give it a go, primarily for weight loss (I'd like to lose between 1 and 1.5 stone) but also for health benefits of longer fasts. Right now I'm looking at fasting for around 21 hours and eating within a 3 hour window in the evening (because I like to taste and nibble whilst cooking, and will sometimes have a pudding but not immediately after my evening meal). I think I can do this but thinking long-term it's making me a bit miserable to think that I can no longer have my treat of a coffee-shop coffee (not that Covid19 makes this at all easy in any case, and I'm (mostly) avoiding drink-in options ) while shopping or with a friend, and since I'm eating in the evening, I'm not going to be having a coffee at all! Is this just a reluctant benefit of OMAD, since I'm fairly sure coffee isn't great for me anyway?

But other things I can't do either, like snacking lightly on fruit - it just seems pretty extreme. So I was wondering if I can mix it up and alternate or mix OMAD days with 'light normal' days? I did 5:2 IF for years (I found it gradually stopped working well in terms of weight loss), so this would be treating OMAD like a fast day. But with fast days, obviously I'm taking in under 500 calories, whereas with OMAD I'm not calorie counting and might have something very calorific... so in fact would that PUT ON weight?? It's the insulin break thing I'm interested in. Would that still have an effect if you weren't doing OMAD every day?

Does anyone else mix OMAD with at least a couple of normal days a week?

[Pineappleunder]

I have been doing this for a while and definitely have 'off' days.
Usually it is just extending my eating window for that day so I'll have the coffee, have a slightly earlier than normal dinner and do end up doing more 18:6 or 16:8 rather than 20:2. For me it definitely helps to still have a defined eating window do I don't end up grazing all day.

[mimiasovitch]

I sometimes do Omad, and sometimes tmad, depending how I feel. I tend to allow myself a window of up to 5/6 hours, even if the only extra thing I have is tea with milk, instead of more food. From what I've read, mixing it up a bit is good for your body, as long as you're allowing the fasting period between to be fairly decent in length. I have been very diligent, since I started 70 fasts ago, at only having black tea, coffee or water in my fasting period, and whilst I prefer both with milk, I still enjoy going out for a coffee.

[TheListeners]

Definitely mix it up it keeps your body guessing. If coffee while shopping with a friend is something occasional then do it. If it's daily then obviously you can't. You could also mix about when your main meal is. So if you meet a friend for lunch, have a nice lunch, but then miss dinner that evening and try and not eat until the following evening. Dr fung author of the obesity code is all about making fasting fit round your life, it shouldn't dictate your life.

[Levithecat]

Yep, I agree with those above - don’t sweat the occasional coffee while shopping, or longer window. I mix it up and I think it’s generally considered good to keep your body guessing.

[praepondero]

I have been doing sort-of OMAD for the last 6 or so months and lost tons of weight. Started with 4-hour window from 6pm - 10pm, now mostly 4pm - 8pm, sometimes 2pm onwards. If I get too hungry, I'll have a couple of boiled eggs or a large handful of nuts and continue as normal. It's a way of life and I'm loving the results.
Don't need to lose any more weight as have gone from size 16 down to 10/8, but don't want to stop either as feeling so good.
I suppose I'll just eat more during some days.

[stevalnamechanger]

I'm doing OMAD strictly Monday to Friday , and on weekends I will have a late lunch and dinner both days so I am still eating within a restricted window ( likely to be 18-6)

[stevalnamechanger]

@praepondero

I have been doing sort-of OMAD for the last 6 or so months and lost tons of weight. Started with 4-hour window from 6pm - 10pm, now mostly 4pm - 8pm, sometimes 2pm onwards. If I get too hungry, I'll have a couple of boiled eggs or a large handful of nuts and continue as normal. It's a way of life and I'm loving the results.
Don't need to lose any more weight as have gone from size 16 down to 10/8, but don't want to stop either as feeling so good.
I suppose I'll just eat more during some days.

Can I ask what your weekly ish weight loss was / how much you have lost in total?

[PleaseGodLetItEnd]

I also do a hybrid approach as I don’t like to diet in front of my children. For me that normally means OMAD during the week (family meal in the evening) and 16:8 at the weekend.

I also have a tiny splash of milk in my tea during the day because I knew this was going to be a long term project (at least 20kg to lose) and having a proper brew is one of life’s key pleasures for me!

I’m not completely rigid about it - I’ve been out for lunch with DH during the week a couple of times, for example. I keep my wine drinking to Friday and Saturday nights. Will have slightly more indulgent food and even a takeaway now and then.

Anyway, I’m over 10kg down since the beginning of September. Possibly could have been more if I’d followed all the rules but I’m happy enough to carry on with this for another 3/4 months or frankly as long as it takes.

[praepondero]

@stevalnamechanger
I have lost over 20kg (over 44lbs) since May. It has been quite a steady progress and hasn't resulted in a haggard look - thank heaven for small mercies :-)
Didn't weigh myself at all from June until mid-November (scales died, couldn't be bothered to replace) and saw the pounds dropping off by increasingly loose clothing. I'm on my third change of wardrobe now, eBay is getting some fab bargains.

[anewdispensation]

@praepondero do you eat normally or have you combined OMAD with keto?