to say that fasting has massively cut down our food bills?

[streth]

I know it's not for everyone but I’ve been doing intermittent fasting one meal a day for a while now and I’ve noticed a huge difference in our food shopping bills. I just eat once a day usually a good sized balanced meal in the evening and I’m genuinely less hungry the rest of the time. I don’t snack anymore and I’m not constantly thinking about food which has been surprisingly freeing.

My teens off their own backs have started eating just twice a day they say they feel fine and they're old enough to make those choices themselves. We still eat nutritious food but we’re just eating less often and wasting far less.

Food bills have gone down significantly and with prices being what they are right now it’s honestly been a relief I know this wouldn’t work for everyone and I’m definitely not saying it’s suitable for people with eating disorders or anyone with specific health needs. But for us it’s made a real difference both financially and in how we think about food.

AIBU to think this kind of fasting can be a practical option for some people in tough times?

Ha ha, yes this!

I would wager that your 'late teens' are female @streth ?

I just wanted to say @streth how impressed I am with your calm, thoughtful responses to the sarcastic, word-twisting shite (some) posters are giving you.

That is a completely warped reading of what I said. I have never claimed to invent anything or presented this as some grand lifestyle movement. I shared what works for me and my family. I eat full meals. I am not starving myself. I am not encouraging anyone to go hungry or skip meals out of desperation. I have said repeatedly that this is not for everyone, especially not those with eating disorders or serious health conditions.

Calling it romanticising food poverty is offensive. People are already struggling. Talking about practical ways some of us are coping is not the same as celebrating hardship. Should we also stop sharing cheap meal ideas or budgeting tips because someone somewhere might be in a worse situation?

If your view is that anyone choosing to eat less frequently is brainwashed by political systems, then you are stripping us of all agency. I am not shrinking to please anyone. I am not performing wellness or martyrdom. I am eating in a way that works for my body, my mind, and my budget. You do not have to like it, but twisting it into some kind of political oppression narrative just because it makes you uncomfortable is reaching.

Both male actually.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to share your experiences / what works for your family.

However, your question was if fasting was a practical approach for people in hard times..

I’d suggest that following a long term OMAD diet is not especially healthy for anyone - regardless of how not hungry you are and how healthy that one meal is.

As reasonable, eloquent and calmly outlined all of your messages are - at the end of the day you are espousing an extreme way of eating as a solution to ‘hard times’…

Its quite clear you wanted everyone to say “well done you” and bask in your superiority of throwing this to people as an idea for “hard times”. When its the height of middle class, marketed-wellness nonsense to frame something so unhealthy for mind body and spirit as you have. Real food poverty, as people have mentioned, wrecks your body long term and people experiencing it certainly dont need to be condescended to in such a way. You’ve put this up for communication on a public forum and you might get opinions and perspectives and reality checks you don’t like as a result.

Tbh, the elated way people talk about intermittent fasting now is exactly the same way they used to talk about Weight Watchers, then Atkins, then keto, Slimming World. Does it work? Sure, they all do if you stick to them, they're all just various ways of eating less. Does it give you a high? Sure, eating less often does and as PPs have said, fasting does too and that's one reason it's used a lot in religions, to give you a spiritual and otherworldly feeling.

It's the same as all of them.

Well, eating less food will mean less food bill.
It's a bit of a no brainer

I have to push back on the idea that eating one meal a day is automatically extreme or unhealthy.

OMAD is not extreme for everyone. It depends entirely on how it is done. I eat a full balanced meal with enough calories protein fibre and nutrients to support my body. I have regular health checks my bloodwork is normal my energy levels are stable and I am maintaining a healthy weight. If that ever changed I would adjust.

Plenty of people across cultures and religions have fasted in similar patterns for generations and modern research shows that time restricted eating can have genuine health benefits when done properly. So to call it extreme simply because it is not the norm is short sighted.

Again I am not saying this is the solution to hard times. I said it can be a practical option for some people depending on their needs routine and preferences. That is not extreme that is honest.

I did not post this looking for praise or to feel superior. That is your projection, not my intention. I shared a personal experience that has helped me in terms of health, routine and reducing food waste and cost. I was honest, I stated clearly that it is not for everyone and I have repeatedly said that food poverty is a serious issue that cannot be fixed by any single lifestyle change.

What I did not do is condescend to anyone. I did not tell people in hardship to stop eating. I did not frame this as a universal solution or as some morally superior way of living. I said it can be a practical option for some people, if done safely and voluntarily. That is not middle class wellness fluff. It is s just one person’s experience.

Yes, I posted on a public forum and I fully expect disagreement. What I do not accept is being accused of arrogance for simply sharing something that has genuinely worked for me. If you do not like it, that is fine. But twisting it into something it was never intended to be says more about your assumptions than about anything I wrote.

OMAD is extreme - if it’s used as an everyday / long term way of eating.

Cultural and religious fasting is a completely different method of fasting and in general is not a long term dietary approach (for hard times or not).

I’m not saying you are being dishonest either - since you have referred to ‘being honest’ a number of times.

If you feel good on an extreme diet, good for you. But I would caution eating this way long term - it can be very detrimental to health if used that way - especially for some individuals.

Once again, it’s not U to share your experiences. However, you asked if ‘AIBU’ - if this was a solution for people going through hard times and yes, it is U. OMAD is not the solution for hard times. It might be yours, but it’s U to suggest it’s a solution for everyone - even if you caveat that to ‘only’ those without ED or other health issues. Since many people won’t realise issues can be made worse by this approach, and it’s clear you know nothing about that.

Cut your food bills by eating less? No. I'm shocked.

OMAD is only extreme if you treat it as something reckless or punishing. For some people it is simply a way of structuring food intake that works better for their lifestyle routine and appetite. It does not automatically mean nutritional deficiency restriction or harm. I eat full meals maintain my weight and have no health issues as a result of this way of eating.

The idea that cultural and religious fasting is completely different falls apart when you actually look at the patterns. Many religious fasts involve long term repeated practices. For example fasting during daylight hours every day for a month in Ramadan or regular 24 hour fasts in some traditions. The reasons behind it may differ but the structure and effects on the body can be similar. The body does not know or care whether the reason for fasting is spiritual or practical. It responds to patterns of eating and fasting regardless of the motive.

I have never said OMAD is a solution for everyone. I have made it very clear that it is not for those with health issues disordered eating histories or high physical demands. But that does not mean it cannot be a valid and safe option for some people during hard times. People already skip meals due to cost. What I suggested is that some might benefit from approaching it more intentionally and safely rather than feeling out of control and ashamed.

That has already been said numerous times in this thread. Yawn.

Pot. Kettle, OP.

You asked AIBU - you are..

But it seems since you're rather unable to accept that at all, and keep building arguments to support your belief that OMAD is the solution, with a rather wishy washy caveat of 'if it's used safely'.

The argument that religious and cultural fasting being the exact same as OMAD is very disingenuous - OMAD is usually part of diet culture or 'biohacking' (or saving money for you), while religious fasting is about sacrifice, empathy, and devotion and food restriction is a means, not the end.

OMAD is especially risky or inappropriate for:
>People with a history of ED
>Children and teens (still developing / growing)
>Pregnant/breastfeeding women
>People with metabolic issues like diabetes or GI health complications like GERD.
>Physically active individuals

OP, you might feel good right now, but eating this way long term has a good chance of leading to nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss due to inadequate protein intake.

OMAD may be okay for specific individuals (you OP), but promoting it broadly is irresponsible due to the significant risks, especially around mental health, nutritional adequacy, and long-term sustainability.

This is silly. Some people just cannot stomach eating in the mornings adult or child. I take from your post you would force your child to eat on the mornings? To be fair I’d assume not but using words like safeguarding is stupid and makes sense you are a former social worker.

A lot of breakfasts these days are sugary crap with very little nutrients to them. It’s lunches and dinners where my children and I get the good stuff.

I also fast for 16 hours and happily miss breakfast. Mines for weight loss.

I have never promoted OMAD broadly. I said it can be a practical option for some people in hard times if it is done safely. That is not wishy washy. That is called being responsible and acknowledging limits.

I have said multiple times that it is not suitable for children teens people with eating disorders pregnant or breastfeeding women people with health conditions or those doing intense physical activity. I have never claimed this is the answer for everyone.

As for the comparison with religious fasting I never said it was the exact same. I said there are structural similarities in the pattern of eating and fasting. Yes the motivation is different but the human body does not react differently based on whether the fasting is spiritual or practical. The results depend on how it is done and what is eaten not the reason behind it.

You are free to think it is not for you. But implying that I am being disingenuous or irresponsible for sharing something that works for me while making it clear it is not one size fits all is unfair. This is a discussion forum and I answered the AIBU with my own experience. Repeating that I must be unreasonable just because you do not like the concept does not make it true.

You posted a question in AIBU…

You posted your experience in a broad forum - not one that is specific to diets or saving money. So that’s.. Broadly?

You don’t like being told you are unreasonable, despite asking 😅

You may not believe you’re being irresponsible - that’s fine, but I think you are and since you’re posting it as a suggested solution to people in financial hardship, perhaps you should rethink how the message lands and who might read it. Or maybe you just don’t give a shit really - your prerogative.

The sheer amount of extreme dietary bullshit, dressed up as good advice these days is overwhelming for so many people and you really aren’t helping anyone.

Yes I posted in AIBU and yes people can say I am unreasonable. But there is a difference between disagreeing and twisting what was said just to score a point. I have never once claimed OMAD is a universal solution. I have said repeatedly it is not for everyone and especially not for those with health conditions or vulnerabilities. That is not irresponsible. That is measured and clear.

Sharing something that has helped me manage my health and food budget during difficult times is not extreme and it is not bullshit. It is not a wellness trend. It is not a diet. It is a pattern of eating that works for me and has real historical and cultural precedent. Just because you dislike the concept does not mean it should not be discussed. Not every conversation needs to be sanitised or hidden because someone might take it the wrong way.

This was never posted to tell people what to do. It was to say here is what I do and here is what it has helped with. People can take it or leave it. That is what a discussion forum is for.

If you think talking about how some people cope with hard times is unhelpful then that is your opinion. But do not pretend you are protecting others while trying to shut down reasonable conversation. That helps no one either.

I’m not trying to shut you down - I’m disagreeing…

What is a ‘pattern of eating’ - good grief, that’s reaching..

If you can honestly hand on heart say that OMAD is not extreme, not a diet, not a wellness trend then frankly, you are being very disingenuous.

Eating OMAD is a surefire way to nutritional deficiency, hormone disruption and disordered eating for many people. There is very, very little research to back it up, unlike other types of much less extreme fasting. And even with those it’s not advised for many people without medical / professional support.

Share your wellbeing trend if you must, but stop trying to dress it up as helping people and accusing everyone who doesn’t agree as sanitising your extreme ‘pattern of eating’.

Calling it a pattern of eating is not reaching. That is exactly what it is. It is not a branded diet plan, not a supplement regime, not part of a subscription app or wellness club. It is simply a way of structuring when I eat. Nothing more. It works for me. My bloodwork is fine, my energy levels are steady, and I am not malnourished. I am maintaining weight and feeling well. That matters more than whether it fits your label of acceptable or not.

I have not once told anyone to do OMAD. I have not suggested it for people with health conditions, nor claimed it solves food insecurity. I have said clearly that it helps me waste less food and money, that it suits my appetite and routine, and that for some people it might be worth exploring. That is not irresponsible. That is not pushing a wellbeing trend. That is sharing a lived experience.

If you “do it right” fasting is a really good thing. Your cells will go and clean your body if they aren’t busy eating the nice food you put in your body several time a day.

Starting to think you’re using AI to reply tbh..

The same old statements over and over..

https://www.verywellhealth.com/omad-diet-8780693?

Nope, not a fad, not a diet, just a ‘pattern of eating’. Because that doesn’t meant ‘a diet’ then. Suuuuuure okay.

There are quite literally hundreds of articles about OMAD and the dangers…

Thats me though, I can’t be bothered to reply to AI generated replies😜