OMAD - your top 3 tips!

[blinder]

I did my first OMAD today, and I didn’t faint or kill anyone. I just really enjoyed my dinner. Also did a long dog walk during the fast with no ill effects what??

About 4pm, I had a starter of baked honey mackerel on sourdough, and then I cooked a nut roast with roast potatoes and greeens. Homemade lime and amaretto Bakewell tart for dessert (first time I’ve baked this and it was stunning. Happy to share the recipe). Small glass of port too. Closed the window at 7pm.

Is it really this easy? People doing OMAD please help me avoid roadblocks by giving me your top 3 tips! I would like to do this forever.

*big

Hi everyone, can I ask about the OMAD approach, if you're having a starter, main and dessert within say a 3 hour window, what makes it different to IF?
I'm looking into approaches at the moment but assumed the OMAD was more strict in that it only allowed one actual meal/ 1 course. Thanks

I’m just starting this too I had really good success on 5:2, healthy eating and exercise, then I got in a bad phase and put it all back on! Not been on the scales yet but wondering about omad to try and do it quicker than 5:2, I’m going to be 40 soon and wish I’d started sooner. Im so far finding im only eating about the 500 cals from 5:2 everyday so not sure that’s sustainable daily. Think I’ll start adding a big bowl of healthy veggies to my meals.

I think from what I can work out it’s ‘meant to be’ like 23:1

@Singinghollybob

OMAD doesn't have to be any particular configuration.

Some people do best with eating just one plateful within a really short window - say half an hour - and that's fine if you can get all the nutrition you need in that short space of time. I'm a "volume eater" so I love to eat a big amount of food in one go and do really well with this type of OMAD.

Others might not have a big enough stomach and struggle to get enough nutrients in such a short window, or simply might feel horrible if they cram everything in at once - in this case it's absolutely fine to spread the components of your "one meal" out over 2 or 3 or even 4 hours. So you might start with a snack or a starter, have your main meal an hour later, and round off with something sweet or some cheese and wine an hour after that.

I HIGHLY recommend Gin Stephens and all her information on fasting - her book 'Fast, Feast, Repeat' is an excellent guide and she runs a couple of IF-related podcasts which are fabulous too.

Xx

And to the original poster, if she's still around 😄 you absolutely can have sugar in your window if you want to and if it isn't specifically holding you back. Lots of people are under the impression that fasting only works if you combine it with low carb - and I agree that is a pretty good 1-2 punch that works well for lots of people - but equally there are many people that eat freely in their window, carbs and sugar included, and still have amazing results.

Bottom line, don't eat anything that you know doesn't work well for your body - I mostly avoid wheat because of my Hashimoto's - but experiment with everything else and over time you'll fine tune the content of your diet and get to know what aids or hinders your weight loss and general wellbeing. Xx

Love this lifestyle - lost three stone and am back at my favourite weight and in clothes I love.

Definitely for life.

My top tips:

1. Find window that works for you.. mine is typically 2pm - 7 pm.... I get super hungry at 5.30/6 pm always.... Some days Im not hungry at 2 so I wait til 3 or 4, but finish at 7/7.30 as my norm


2. Be flexible... going out with friends? Yes have one day a week with a longer window if it works for you - it does for me! Keeps the fun in


3. Yup, echo something for constipation ... I too have some psyllium husk and 1-2 tbsp linseeds (nb these don't really add calories as your body doesnt fully digest)


4. Start enjoying looking into what foods are healthy and delicious... I am amazed by how much I am enjoying eating for my gut health.. especially once I discovered that dark chocolate, cheese and red wine were included.


5. if wanting to lose weight fairly fast, only have puds a one or two times a week....and find a healthy "sweet spot" snack... for me it is one square of 85% dark chocolate and 4 almonds with a little sea salt and I have it most days... for others it is a couple of dates and walnuts...

Good luck! For me it has been the most joyful and easiest way to lose weight ever ... and it is now my lifestyle... with lots of flex....

Oranges and Lemons - you can eat anything!!

but works best if you eat healthy

What I love most is that I feel really full ... something I have never felt when dieting before!!

I also eat this way most of the time. I eat my meal around 8 pm. I eat a bit more at the weekends and I am fairly flexible if I am going out or on holiday. I also exercise quite a lot and find I have lots of energy. Feels really healthy and I got down from a size 12/14 to a size 8 this way and never looked back.