Eating one meal a day (OMAD) and keto are two different diets. However, they are similar in their goals. That is, both can help you lose weight. If you don’t want to restrict yourself to any food when you decide to eat one meal a day, can you do OMAD without keto?
Here’s the answer.
Can You Do OMAD without Keto?
Yes, you definitely can do OMAD without keto. The reason for this is that one meal a day is already sufficient to help your body get into ketosis. It means that it can begin to use your stored body fat as fuel.
When you add more restrictions to OMAD, it may reduce your compliance with the diet.
Keep in mind that the more you deprive yourself of the foods that you fancy, the more difficult it is for you to stick with your diet.
The more restrictive the diet is, the more likely you’ll fall off the wagon.
However, pairing OMAD with keto can boost your weight loss efforts. When you’re on keto, you’ll be eating a high-fat, low-carb meal. Keto is known to reduce your cravings and lower your hunger hormones.
Thus, keto, in a way, can help you survive for 23 hours without food. Because your cravings are down, you don’t have to think about food every single hour.
Then again, combining these two diets can be too restrictive. As mentioned, the more restrictive your diet, the more likely you’re going to fall off the wagon.
But there are ways to stick with it. You just have to keep your motivation and eat the food that you love. With the right mindset, though, you can stop caring about food. When your body adapts to eating one meal a day and keto, looking at a box of pizza will no longer be that inviting.
Can I Do Intermittent Fasting without Keto?
OMAD is a type of intermittent fasting. So, yes, you can do intermittent fasting sans keto. Then again, pairing it with keto will make you lose more weight. You’ll also feel less hungry when you eat high-fat, low-carb food.
If you wish to pair these two together, you need to prepare your meals. And make sure that your fasting schedule is appropriate for your lifestyle.
IF can be as short as a 12-hour fast or a 16-hour fast. The most popular is actually 16/8 or 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating period.
To stick with IF or OMAD long-term, you need to plan your meals. When you plan your meals, you can be sure that you’re getting the nutrients that your body needs.
Preparing your meals will help you incorporate a variety of healthy foods, like lean proteins, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
Read: OMAD diet plan side effects
Can I Do OMAD with Carbs?
Yes, you can eat carbs when on OMAD. But you need to make sure that you’re still within your recommended daily calories.
Keep in mind that OMAD can still make you gain weight especially if you eat more calories than your body burns. Some people think that just because you’re doing OMAD doesn’t mean that you can just eat anything without minding your calories.
Sadly, in my experience, it’s not the case. You won’t lose weight on OMAD if you still overeat. And there’s a huge possibility of eating more calories than your body burns even if you’re only eating one meal a day.
For instance, if the recommended calorie intake is 2,000 calories, you can consume the calories in one meal. This is possible if you choose unhealthy, processed foods.
That’s why if you’re new to keto or IF, make sure that you monitor your calorie intake. You may use an app that can help you track your calorie intake.
When on OMAD, you may still need to monitor your carb intake. Make sure to maintain between 50 and 100 grams of carbs a day. This can help you keep your energy levels while reducing your cravings.
Read: Is it ok to only atone meal a day on keto?
Is OMAD as Good as Keto?
It depends on what you prefer. Some think that OMAD is better than keto while others think that OMAD is as good as keto.
Both diets are restrictive. Keto doesn’t require you to limit your time to eat. You can eat it at any time of the day as long as it’s high-fat.
OMAD, on the other hand, will restrict your eating period. That is, you can only eat once a day and it has to be done in one hour.
When you look at the concept of each diet, it’s understandable that people might prefer keto because they can eat three times a day.
However, if you want better results, pairing OMAD and keto can be a good thing.
You can find Dr. Berg’s explanation of why these two diets are perfect together. Marrying them can be bliss.
On the other hand, if you are one of those people who can’t survive without eating carbs, then OMAD can be a better diet than Keto.
Read: What is one meal a day for weight loss?
Will OMAD Put Me Into Ketosis?
OMAD keto is also known as speed keto. It gets you into ketosis quickly. It will help you lose weight fast.
This diet was created by Harlan Kilstein.
It focuses on getting your body into ketosis as you only eat one keto-friendly a day. Once your body is in ketosis, it starts breaking down fat stores and the fat from your diet into fuel.
The most impressive benefit of OMAD and keto is weight loss. With these two combined, it’s difficult to overdo the calories.
But some are still overdoing it. Although 2,000 calories is indeed a lot of calories to fit in one meal, it is possible. You’ll realize how easy it is to reach 2,000 calories even on one meal a day. This is especially true if you choose unhealthy options.
Summary
Can you do OMAD without keto? Yes, you can. You can also do either diet. It depends on your preference. If you’re the type of person who can’t live without carbs, then OMAD can be a better option. However, if you like eating bacon, you may survive with keto.
However, if your goal of following OMAD and keto is to lose weight but you’re not achieving it yet after a few weeks, then you might want to look at what you’re eating. You should also consult your doctor about it. Perhaps, you have an underlying medical condition that hampers your ability to lose weight.
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