Why you shouldn't try the OMAD fasting diet to lose weight

Did you know what OMAD stands for? Many people are adopting a new lifestyle by implementing this diet, which is an acronym for “One Meal a Day”; that is, “one meal per day.”

What is it about? To consume as much as you want, but only once a day. The objective to carry it out is rapid weight loss. There is no restriction on what you can consume at that meal, and the reasoning behind it is to limit your desire to eat by restricting yourself from all foods for 24 hours.

Surely you have many questions about it, so we give you all the necessary information so that you know that implementing this diet brings more disadvantages than benefits.

Diversos aspectos de la dieta OMAD

Differences of the OMAD diet from other types of fasting

The practice of fasting has been installed in our culture for hundreds of years, and today it has become very popular again thanks to the imposition of intermittent fasting.

These are the most popular types of fasting :

  • Method 16: 8 : this type of fast involves abstaining from food for 16 hours a day, which gives us 8 hours remaining to eat whatever we want. You can practice this fast daily or a few times a week.
  • 5: 2 Diet : This method consists of 5 days of indiscriminate food consumption followed by 2 days with a high calorie restriction. For women, about 500 calories are recommended; while for men about 600.
  • Intermittent fasting : in this case the individual performs fasts alternating the days of the week, one day he can only consume low-calorie liquids and the next he can eat without restrictions.
Diferentes tipos de ayuno

Can you lose weight on the OMAD diet?

The answer to this question is yes, you can lose weight by doing an OMAD fast , since every time a person limits their food intake, it will result in the loss of calories. However, before engaging in this dangerous activity, you should think twice.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association of Internal Medicine compared 2 groups of people, one who performed intermittent fasts and the other who only performed calorie restriction throughout the day. The result was that the intermittent fasting group lost a greater amount of weight, although both groups had significant changes (Trepanowski et al., 2018)

The question here is whether these diets are worth daring, as not only can they be dangerous, but they are also unsustainable for the average person.

Pérdida de peso en la dieta OMAD

5 reasons why the OMAD diet is unhealthy

1. Nutrient deficiency

The biggest reason why this type of diet is bad for you is that by not having restrictions on the only food you can have per day, you probably are not consuming the necessary nutrients to support good health.

For those addicted to a certain type of food it is extremely difficult, and for those who try it the chances of obtaining complete nutrition are almost nil due to incorporating fiber, protein and nutrients in a single meal it is quite a challenge.

2. Promotes eating disorders

When you follow a diet like OMAD, you promote unhealthy habits for your body, as it teaches you to ignore food cravings and in the end you end up distrusting your own instincts. In addition, the high restriction of meals during the day and then eating too much in one sitting is extremely harmful and one of the signs of eating disorders.

If you have a history of some of these diseases, it is completely dangerous to go back to the same eating patterns.

Consecuencias de la dieta OMAD

3. It will make you feel bad

Some of the side effects of not eating during the day are nausea, headache, mood swings, varying blood glucose levels, and so on. On the other hand, experts say that eating too much at one time has other consequences such as gastrointestinal problems, acid reflux, bloating, gas and pain.

4. It can cause hormonal problems

This is true, a study published in Nutrients has concluded that the massive calorie restriction can reach Ausar c serious problems with your hormones. For women this means getting irregular menstrual cycles, and for men, a decrease in testosterone. (Malinowski et al., 2019)

5. Science doesn’t back it up

We don’t have much scientific information about the consequences of a diet like OMAD . However, we can deduce that it is not viable for almost anyone, since you must suppress all your desire to eat, which is only a recipe destined for disaster.

Científicos no avalan la dieta OMAD

How to fast safely

If you are still excited about starting a fast and implementing it regularly in your life, we should at least give you some tips so as not to risk your health in the process.

  • Start slowly: the best way is to adapt as you gain experience. Start with a 12-hour fast and rest for another 12 hours so your body can slowly get used to it.
  • Stay hydrated: liquids are allowed in fasts; therefore, there is no excuse not to drink what you need of water. In general, men usually need 13 glasses of water a day, while women need 9 glasses (Riebl and Davy, 2014)
  • Eat quality food: this rule is very important, strive to ingest all the necessary nutrients, including fruits, legumes, whole grains and others.
  • Consult a professional: do not hesitate to ask your doctor about the benefits and disadvantages of doing this diet, since if you have a specific condition he will be able to advise you on the best option for you.
Consultar con tu medico acerca de tu dieta

References

  • Malinowski, B., Zalewska, K., Węsierska, A., Sokołowska, MM, Socha, M., Liczner, G.… Wiciński, M. (2019). Intermittent Fasting in Cardiovascular Disorders — An Overview. Nutrients. doi: 10.3390 / nu11030673
  • Riebl, SK and Davy, BM (2014). The Hydration Equation: Update on Water Balance and Cognitive Performance. ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal. doi: 10.1249 / FIT.0b013e3182a9570f
  • Trepanowski, JF, Kroeger, CM, Barnosky, A., Klempel, MC, Bhutani, S., Hoddy, KK… Varady, K. (2018). Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults. Journal of the American Medical Association of Internal . doi: 10.1001 / jamainternmed.2017.0936