The OMAD diet is a trend where a person eats only one meal per day, and this strict eating pattern has sparked both interest and concern among health experts. In this article, we examine the OMAD diet closely, including the results people report and the scientific research that reveals potential benefits and risks. We go through evidence from studies and real-world experiences to help you understand this extreme eating approach.
The OMAD diet, which stands for One Meal A Day, is a form of intermittent fasting where you fast for most of the day and consume all your daily calories within a single eating window, typically within one hour. People following the OMAD diet often drink water or zero-calorie beverages like black coffee or tea while fasting to stay hydrated and manage hunger. With this pattern, the idea is that your body will switch from receiving frequent energy to using stored fat.
Most descriptions of the OMAD diet explain it as a 23-hour fast followed by a one-hour eating period. That meal can be whatever food you choose, and proponents like the simplicity of not counting calories or managing multiple meals each day. But the simplicity of the OMAD diet also means you must be strict with your schedule, because eating outside the set time breaks the fast, and the approach changes dramatically.
Content creators and influencers have tried the OMAD diet and shared their real-world experiences. One individual documented what happened when he followed the OMAD diet for a week. He reported that sticking to one meal each day was much harder than expected, as he felt extremely hungry between workouts and social activity times. He found himself thinking about food constantly and needed caffeine to distract from hunger. Over the week, he lost weight but described the experience as very difficult and not sustainable for his lifestyle.