What is the Best Food for OMAD?

Do you ever wonder: “What is the best food for OMAD?” One Meal a Day (OMAD) is a form of intermittent fasting. It’s an extreme form. That’s why you need to be careful in the food you choose for sustenance. In this post, I’ll answer what the best is if you’re following OMAD. Then, let’s talk about what not to eat and whether is it okay to eat rice.

What is the Best food for OMAD – Opting for a Balanced Meal

Remember that in this fasting type, you only have one hour of fasting window. You might have heard of people telling you to eat anything when on this diet. Personally, I’d suggest you don’t. That is if you’re trying to lose weight.

Instead, you should still be mindful of your calories. You can still eat anything but the calorie intake must still be within the recommended range.

Since you only have one meal, you need to ensure that it’s a well-balanced meal. It must contain carbs, protein, and healthy fats. You’ll feel less hungry if you limit your carb intake.

In that case, you must avoid pastries. But I’m not saying you should avoid them altogether. You can, however, eat a piece of cake once a week.

Then again, the goal of OMAD is to help you lose weight and get rid of your bad habit of eating sugary foods. That’s why, if you want to be successful in this diet, just limit your carb intake and avoid pastries.

Highly Recommended Foods to Eat

The best food if you can only eat one meal a day is to go for high-protein, moderate-fat, and low-carb food. It can be an egg dish, such as scrambled eggs with sides like avocado. You can also choose goat cheese or baked potato fries. You may grill vegetables in olive oil.

Another option is a chicken dish. But don’t fry the chicken. Instead, bake or grill it. Then, make sides like mashed potatoes or roasted broccoli. Accompany it with a fruit smoothie with honey. You can also top it with berries or nuts.

If you like fish, then you can grill a salmon with sides such as a cup of brown rice or guacamole. You may also have a fruit bowl with coconut flakes.

Essentially, fruits are okay on OMAD. But make sure that they are whole fruits and not just artificial fruit juices.

For vegetables, choose green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach. Red and orange vegetables are also great as they are great for your eyes.

Grains can be eaten, like whole grains. But avoid refined grains.

Protein foods are vital when you eat only one meal a day. Your best options are chicken and turkey. Seafood and nuts are also ideal.

Opt for healthy fats, such as butter and coconut oil.

It’s also okay to take organ meat supplements because you’ll need their bioavailable nutrients.

You can eat or drink dairy items, like milk. Yogurt, cheese, and kefir are acceptable.

Based on experience, you should never consume calories more than your body can burn. You can use an online calorie calculator to help you find out your recommended calorie intake if you wish to lose weight.

What Not to Eat on OMAD?

As mentioned, there are influencers on YouTube who will tell you can eat anything on OMAD. But it’s actually not advisable if you wish to lose weight. If you’re only doing OMAD for the sake of its other benefits, then you can choose to eat anything and not mind your calorie intake.

When you follow OMAD, make sure to avoid foods cooked in industrial vegetable and seed oils. And definitely, you must avoid processed foods.

As mentioned, you can eat grains. But avoid the low-nutrient grains, like wheat. Rice is okay but opt for brown rice.

Drinks and foods with added sugars must be completely avoided. These would include dried fruits, fruit juice, and soda.

Can We Eat Rice on OMAD?

Rice is okay when you’re following OMAD. Although white rice is a low-nutrient grain, it still contains some nutrients.

Your goal must be to eat within the recommended calorie intake. This is especially true if you’re trying to lose weight.

The bottom line is to eat in moderation. There’s nothing really wrong with rice. It’s just how much you eat that makes it wrong.

Can You Eat Anything on an OMAD Diet?

If you’re after the weight loss benefit, then I don’t recommend eating anything on OMAD. I mean you can eat anything as long as you stick within the recommended intake.

Remember that if you eat anything, you may go overboard. For instance, if you wish to eat a slice of cake with calories of 350, then it can surely add up to your budget.

Instead of eating high-calorie high-carb food, choose options that are satiable. That is, you won’t feel hungry even after hours of fasting. For that reason, it’s highly recommended to eat high-protein, moderate-fat foods as they tend to satisfy your hunger and make you feel full for a longer period.

Remember that you only have an hour to eat. It means that for the remaining 23 hours, you can’t eat anything. You can, however, drink water or black coffee.

You should also prioritize consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. But if you pair OMAD with the keto diet, you might want to limit eating fresh fruits, especially the sugary type.

You must eat food that can help in maintaining muscle mass and managing your hunger.

How Do I Maximize My Weight Loss on OMAD?

OMAD has no specific, strict rules. That’s why it’s so appealing. However, you shouldn’t just eat anything. Make sure that you eat satisfying, satiating food.

A well-balanced meal that contains healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats is a good way to start your routine of eating only one meal a day. This type of meal can keep you full and energized. It may also help in reducing your cravings especially when you’re in the fasting stage.

To avoid cravings, you may only drink water. But you can drink black coffee or unsweetened tea. But don’t add anything to it, other than water.

Generally, this diet is safe. It’s been backed by science and a lot of health advocates promote this diet.

Then again, it’s not for everyone. If you’re taking medicines for your medical condition, then it’s best that you ask your doctor about this form of fasting.

At first, you’ll feel extreme hunger after 8 hours of not eating. You may also experience fatigue and lack of energy. Then, when it’s time to eat, you may have uncontrollable cravings.

The Bottom Line

Now that I’ve answered the question what is the best food for OMAD, should you try it? There are various health benefits to this form of fasting. Again, this is an extreme form. So, don’t try it without first doing shorter fasts. It has simple rules that make it appealing. However, before you try it, consult with your healthcare professional first. This is especially true if you’re taking prescription medicines.