OMAD Diet Explained: Weight Loss Breakthrough Or Nutritional Gamble?

The One Meal A Day (OMAD) diet is a type of intermittent fasting where the individual takes all their calorie intake for the day in just a single meal at any part of the day, but preferably within a one-hour window. This approach has recently received attention for its possible benefits in the management of body weight and metabolic health. It has also raised some challenges and risks about the quality of the diet provided. This was demonstrated by a woman from Chennai who lost “22 kg in four months."

On Instagram, the woman, named Vino, shares details about her daily diet, fitness routine, and dramatic weight reduction. According to her bio, she lost 21 kgs in 4 months. She included the following message with a recent video: “Day 132 of my OMAD diet – 97 kg to 76 kg."

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Vino said, “Jeera and cinnamon water on an empty stomach. I will break my fast at 5 PM with a healthy snack (soaked walnuts) and a balanced meal (rice with dishes like vegetable korma, bottle gourd curry, lady’s finger, paneer, and paniyaram) at 5.30 PM, and have fruits (pomegranate) at 6 PM."

In addition to this diet, she walks more than 20,000 steps a day and engages in “one-hour strength training" to keep in shape.

The OMAD diet follows a low-calorie intake principle. By creating an energy deficit, it may lead to weight loss. People adhering to this diet consume very few calories as they restrict themselves to only one meal a day, unlike the normal pattern of taking 3 meals.

According to a study published by NIH in 2018, OMAD is beneficial for fat oxidation and increased metabolic flexibility which refers to a body’s capability to transform between burning carbohydrates and fats for energy.

Potential Benefits

Followers have reported a considerable amount of weight loss since consuming a few calories. According to some studies, this kind of intermittent fasting diet can help shed between 7 to 11 pounds over a period of 12 weeks.

Risks And Concerns

Despite its potential benefits, the OMAD diet poses several risks. 

Nutritional Deficiencies: Just one meal is not sufficient enough to meet the nutrient needs of the body, and the deficiency has negative impacts on health.

Sustainability Issues: Typically, the rigid schedule for the OMAD diet can leave many people struggling to make it for more than a week. The dropout rate could be as high as 65%.

Physical Side Effects: With reference to the instructed fasting periods, followers may feel fatigued, dizzy, irritable, and so on. Further effects are observed concerning metabolic rates and muscle mass over long-term use.

Studies that are directed at the particularities of the OMAD diet are scarce. According to the BBC Science Focus magazine’s one limited study, people, who had OMAD diets, lost their body weight and fat, but they also lost muscle mass and bone density.