What is your favourite meal of the day? Maybe it is the hearty plate of scrambled egg for breakfast or that rajma chawal for dinner you have been thinking all day. Now, what if we told you that you could eat only one favourite meal a day? That is exactly the premise behind OMAD diet.  No prizes for guessing that it means "one meal a day". The diet is based on intermittent fasting to cause weight loss and boost physical performance. Simply put, the diet requires you to fast for 23 hours a day and eat whatever you like for one meal. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What Can You Eat In OMAD Diet?

For that one meal, you can eat anything that pleases your taste buds from double cheeseburger to a healthful salad. You can only eat within one hour of your four-hour eating window. The idea is to limit your calorie consumption throughout the day. But that does not mean that your meal should be more than three inches high on your plate. So a mountain of French fries is surely off-limits. Water and unsweetened coffee and tea are allowed, but otherwise, the kitchen is closed all day long.

Is It Possible To Lose Weight By Eating Only One Meal?

When you are eating only one meal a day, you are likely consuming a significantly fewer amount of calories than you normally would. Several studies have found that reduced-calorie consumption results in weight loss. That said, it is very easy to feel deprived when following the OMAD diet. Prolonged periods of restriction often beget weight cycling and changes to your hunger hormones and metabolism. In this diet, it is easy to binge and fall off the wagon, thereby making it extremely difficult to lose weight. These dieting mistakes might also sabotage your weight loss goals. 

Another key benefit of OMAD is that it enhances nutritional ketosis, which has its own anti-inflammatory, fat-burning, and autophagy benefits. Because OMAD is a longer fast, it tends to maximise these benefits.

Is The OMAD Diet Safe?

Yes, weight loss is a benefit of the OMAD diet, but aside from that, a fasting program can also result in mood swings, muscle loss, hormone disturbances, and even changes in your menstrual cycle (like completely stopping it). Another major concern is the increased risk for nutrient deficiencies. Decreased intake of food automatically means decreased intake of beneficial vitamins and minerals. Besides, you can suffer from a constellation of other immediate side effects like light-headedness, nausea, dizziness and confusion if you are eating only one meal a day. Here’s what Indian nutritionists and dietitians have to tell you about health, nutrition and weight loss.

Keeping all the side effects in mind, it is wise to not try the diet even if you are a healthy individual. Don't even think of giving it a shot it if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, recovering from a past eating disorder, have diabetes, or even regularly exercising and lifting weights. If you are adamant to lose weight, a better approach would be to experiment with an "early bird special" for dinner and close your kitchen once you are finished. Also, aim to get more sleep overnight, and sit down for a full breakfast at your usual time tomorrow. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2019 12:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).