This can be a safe diet if done correctly, and if you ensure you are getting adequate calories and nutrition when youre eating, says Shapiro. Overall, IF diets (including more extreme versions, like OMAD) are unlikely to cause harm to adults who are a healthy weight, overweight, or who have obesity, notes a July 2017 review in Annual Review of Nutrition.
But OMAD is a restrictive eating approach that wont necessarily appeal to everyone. If youre following OMAD, youll need to take care not to overeat or overindulge on unhealthy foods during your main meal. You may also struggle to fit an entire days caloric intake into one large meal or find yourself feeling uncomfortably full after eating this much in one sitting. Theres also a lack of research on the long-term effects of OMAD
Moreover, OMAD may actually be unsafe for certain groups of people. This includes people who are pregnant or nursing, who are younger than 18, and people who have an eating disorder or a history of disordered eating, says Moskovitz.
Shapiro also advises that people living with diabetes who are taking insulin should not follow this diet, as OMAD can affect blood sugar levels. In general, people with diabetes need to eat balanced meals regularly throughout the day, adds Moskovitz. Going prolonged periods of time without eating can lead to harmful blood sugar lows followed by subsequent highs once a larger meal is inevitably consumed, she explains. This pattern of inconsistent eating can make it difficult to keep blood sugar levels low and stable.
Finally, if you often have gastrointestinal (GI) issues like bloating or an upset stomach, OMAD may not be a good fit for you. This diet requires you to eat a lot of food at one time, which may cause GI discomfort.
Still, many people who are not in these categories will decide to move ahead with OMAD and if youre one of these individuals, know that careful planning is key. If youre going to attempt it, you still have to make sure youre doing your best to eat balanced and nutritiously and make sure youre still eating enough calories for the day if you want to stay healthy, advises Moskovitz. Fasting alone wont be beneficial if [youre] not carefully constructing the meals youre eating in that time frame.
Always speak to your doctor before starting a new diet, especially if youre managing an underlying health condition or taking medication, or if OMAD represents a dramatic change in the way you eat.
If you are interested in trying OMAD but have not yet tried other types of IF, start slowly, suggests Shapiro. Start with a 12-hour fast and then build up to 14 or 16 hours. Then try OMAD for a few days once you have eased your body into it, she explains.
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OMAD Diet: Safety, Health Benefits, Risks, and More - Everyday Health
