Diet Advice

What’s your favourite meal of the day? Maybe it’s breakfast when you can have a hearty plate of eggs and bacon, or dinner when you can finally have that salmon you’ve been thinking about all day.

Now, imagine that’s the only meal you can eat each day. That’s the premise behind the OMAD diet, which stands for “one meal a day,” which is essentially a form of fasting.

While fasting can be good for you (just ask Vanessa Hudgens or Jenna Jameson), some experts believe certain methods like the OMAD diet aren’t a healthy, sustainable solution for weight loss. Here’s what you need to know.

What exactly is the OMAD diet?

“Think of OMAD as intermittent fasting on steroids,” says Dena Champion, registered dietician of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “OMAD is literally when someone eats one meal daily during one hour of the day and then fasts the other 23 hours.” You are allowed to drink black coffee or other non-calorie drinks during that fasting time—but nothing else.

On top of that, you’re instructed to eat that one meal during the same four-hour window every day, says Jen Oikarinen, a clinical dietitian with Banner University Medical Center Phoenix. “Consistency is emphasised in the OMAD diet,” she says. And while it is recommended that you make healthy food choices, it’s more about when you eat than what you eat, says Champion.

READ MORE: Will Eating Less Really Help You Shrink Your Stomach?

OMAD dieters are supposed to adhere to a set of rules known as the “4 ones,” says Oikarinen. So if you’re on the OMAD diet:

You should only be eating one meal per day

You can only eat within one hour of your four-hour eating window

You must eat off an 11-inch (27cm) diameter plate

Your meal shouldn’t be more than seven centimetres high on your plate (so…a mountain of french fries is definitely off-limits)

Worth noting: While the OMAD diet is technically a fasting diet, it’s quite different from other intermittent fasting diets like the 16:8 diet, which instructs you to fast for 16 hours and eat three (or four!) meals during the remaining eight hours.

READ MORE: This Vegetarian Recipe Makes The Perfect Movie Night Snack

So, can the OMAD diet help me lose weight?

Yes, but again, some experts say it’s neither healthy nor sustainable weight loss.

OMAD is basically a starvation diet if you follow all the stipulations, says Rebecca Elbaum, a clinical administrative dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. That’s because you’re not consuming enough calories with just one meal as you would by eating three or four times a day, so weight loss will occur.

Also, because you’re eating so little (and so sparingly), you’d also likely go into ketosis (the state during which your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs) from this diet—not because you’re upping your fat content and decreasing your carbs, but because you’re eating very little in general, says Elbaum.

Aside from the weight loss, a fasting programme like OMAD can also result in mood swings, muscle loss, hormone disturbances, and even changes in your menstrual cycle (like having it stop completely), says Oikarinen. “Another major concern is the increased risk for nutrient deficiencies; decreased intake of food also means decreased intake of beneficial vitamins and minerals,” Oikarinen says.

One study showed that compared with people who ate three meals a day, the risk of death increases by 30%, and goes up even more for cardiovascular-related deaths. And, skipping meals is closely related to having an unhealthy diet, a higher intake of alcohol and taking in less energy overall.

READ MORE: Want To Manifest Your Goal? Don’t Make These Manifesting Mistakes

Should I try the OMAD diet?

While plenty of people sing the OMAD diet’s praises online, and some experts certainly endorse various forms of intermittent fasting, Elbaum believes not even healthy people should try the OMAD diet. And that goes doubly for anyone who’s pregnant, breastfeeding, recovering from past disordered eating, has diabetes, or even regularly exercises or lifts weights, she says.

“Healthy weight loss will be whatever is the most sustainable over a lifetime,” she says. “This includes a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise.”

Interested in some type of fasting? A less intense form (like the 16:8 diet) might be your best bet. Even then, it’s wise to talk to a registered dietician about your options and how best to work an intermittent fasting diet into your lifestyle, says Oikarinen.

The bottom line: Definitely steer clear of the OMAD diet—it won’t promote healthy or sustainable weight loss.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com  More

We’ve all heard that ‘old wives-tales’ about how cutting kilojoules will cause your appetite to reset. That eventually, your stomach will actually shrinks, so tinier portions will fill you up.

READ MORE: Exactly How To Lose 2kg, 5kg Or 10kg, According To A Dietician

Ok, yes, your stomach does shrink… temporarily

If it sounds like a bit of a stretch, that’s because it kind of is, according to experts. Yes, your stomach does boast rubber band-like properties that allow it to change size. This elasticity makes it easier to get your feast on when presented with an epic spread, and it also helps us avoid starving in times of famine. (Something most modern humans don’t have to worry about. But back in our cave-people days, it was rather useful.)

As for shrinking? Your stomach can quickly snap back to normal size after a huge meal. But, FYI, it’s not going to continue to get smaller—even if you start eating less.

How the stomach really works

Think about it, if eating less was all it took to shrink the size of your stomach, it would follow that normal-weight people have smaller food pouches than people who are overweight or obese. But it’s not true, according to findings published in the journal Gastroenterology. Everyone’s stomach is pretty much the same size, regardless of how much they weigh.

READ MORE: 5 Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes When They Start New Year’s Resolution Diets

If you’re still not convinced, consider this: Your body was designed to take in enough kilojoules to keep it going, even during times when there’s no food to be had. So you better believe that it’s not going to make your stomach smaller when you start rationing portions.

Shrink your portions

Let’s face it, most of us tend to feel hungrier when we slash our kilojoule intake (your body thinks it’s starving). Your system gets flooded with the hunger hormone ghrelin, making food even harder to resist. At the same time, your body temperature and metabolic rate slow down in an attempt to conserve precious energy.

It’s the science-y way of basically saying: Drastically cutting your portions not only won’t shrink your stomach—it’ll probably backfire. And if you actually managed to drop weight, you’ll probably just regain it and then some.

READ MORE: 6 Weight Loss Strategies That’ll Get You Closer To Your #BodyGoals

Losing weight is not impossible, and research has found that your body can adjust to less food and register fullness from it, over time. But in order to do it (and be successful), you need to cut back on food slowly—so your body doesn’t suddenly freak out and think that it’s starving. That means instead of embarking on a crash diet, try cutting back by just 418 or 836 kilojoules a day. It’s enough to help you lose weight slowly and sustainably, but not so much that your body mistakenly thinks that you’re depriving it of nourishment. More

Whether you’re trying to lose 2kg, 5kg or 10kg, there are simple tips to follow that’ll shift your mindset and get you on the path to success.
Enhance your weight-loss efforts by following these diet tips from dietician Leslie Bonci, the co-author of Run Your Butt Off!
Losing 2kg
Eat often. Eat small amounts every few hours. It can help your body burn kilojoules instead of holding on to them.
Pick protein. Protein keeps you feeling full longer, burns kilojoules and helps your muscles recover. Include it at every meal.
Beat bloat. Avoid excess salt, limit food like broccoli and beans and add lemon to your water (it acts as a natural diuretic).
READ MORE: 6 Weight Loss Strategies That’ll Get You Closer To Your #BodyGoals

Losing 5kg
Scale back. Serve dinner on a salad plate and pour cereal into a mug rather than a bowl. Experts say you’ll think you’re eating more than you actually are.
Slow down. Sip water and set your fork down after every few bites. There’s lag time between your stomach feeling full and your brain getting the message.
Slurp your starters. Opt for a broth-based soup as your appetiser. It can curb cravings and also help prevent overeating during your meal.
READ MORE: This 17-Day Slimdown Plan Will Help Get You Back In Shape

Losing 10kg
Take note. A study found that those who kept daily food logs lost twice as much as those who didn’t. Many people underestimate how much they eat – seeing it all in black-and white can be a reality check.
Find balance. Experts say that people with a lot of kilos to lose get overwhelmed by counting kilojoules and give up. Keep it simple by divvying your plate into thirds: one-third protein, one-third veg and one-third whole-grains.
Swap smart. Restricting food can increase your cravings and lead to off-the-wagon binges. Craving a biscuit? Have it, but swap it for your afternoon hot chocolate or pretzels.
READ MORE: 28 Easy Food Swaps That’ll Help You Lose Weight More

A New Year’s resolution diet comes but once a year, offering you a fresh start to get it right, get it tight, and finally reach your weight loss goals (if that’s what you’re working on). It also arrives right after you’ve inhaled your grandma’s famous (at least in your house) Christmas cake. Also, those Christmas cookies that your boss makes. Oh, and the latkes at your Chrismukkah party… and the list goes on.
Needless to say, it’s understandable that you’re toying with the idea of starting a restrictive New Year’s Resolution Diet for the year – and until kingdom come.
But we’re going to be real with you here, a super-restrictive New Year’s resolution diet can actually be a recipe for failure — no matter how much you ate over the holidays, says registered dietician Brooke Alpert. “Following a diet that cuts out food groups and allows for zero wiggle room puts you in a worse situation that you started in,” she says. Alpert says that yo-yo dieting will damage your metabolism, putting you on track to rebound binge and then start yo-yo-ing again. “That means you’ll get stuck in that vicious dieting cycle,” she says.
That being said, if you want to lose weight, there’s no shame in cleaning up your diet in hopes of a healthier 2020. But to successfully transition from two weeks of cocktails to 30 days of kale smoothies, make sure you’re not making these mistakes:
1. Eating foods you don’t actually like
If you think you’re suddenly going to become a fan of Brussels sprouts because it’s January 2nd and you haven’t eaten anything green in the past three months weeks, you’re setting yourself up to fail. “One reason why diets don’t work is that they force people to eat things they don’t like,” says registered dietician Cassandra Suarez. “So if the kale smoothie isn’t working out for you, try sautéed kale, kale chips, or better yet, ditch the kale and try spinach, Swiss chard, or another vegetable.” Another key to eating healthy without hating life is to experiment with spices. “Don’t be afraid to try different seasonings or ways of cooking,” says Suarez. For example, pick up a Cajun spice blend or Chinese five-spice and sprinkle it on top of your veggies or chicken.
READ MORE: “Here’s How I Got My Fitness Back After The Pandemic”
2. Expecting immediate results
The celebrating you did over the holidays is not going to be undone after a week — or even a month of getting your sh*t together (i.e. healthy eating). “The surest way to fall short of your goal or resolution is to make it unattainable,” says registered dietician Rene Ficek, lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating. “For instance, resolving to never eat your favourite takeout food again or aiming to lose 5 kilos in one month will backfire,” says Ficek. That’s because not allowing yourself the foods you enjoy leads to eventually bingeing on them when you can’t take the torture anymore. And trying to lose too much weight too fast will certainly lead to disappointment and a rebound bag of Dorritos.
The key is to set smaller goals that build up to your end goal, he says. That means you can try to avoid that takeout joint more often than you do now or aim to lose one to 500g to 1 kilo per week — until you eventually reach your goal, she says.
3. Not making your meals ahead of time
One of the reasons why we overeat around the holidays is that there’s an abundance of food out that’s easy to grab. When the celebrating is over, make it easy to stick to your New Year’s Resolution diet and choose healthy options by preparing healthy food ahead of time. That way you can get to it when you’re hungry, instead of making a game-time decision when you’re ravenous. “Meal preparation is key to eating a balanced diet,” says registered dietician Lily Chen. “Cut up vegetables and make extra servings of a meal for the week ahead. This way, you can quickly put together dinner on a busy week night.”
READ MORE: 4 Core Moves That’ll Create A Stronger Body All Over
4. Not checking labels at the supermarket
Being a bit more particular about the foods you buy at the store can help you get back on track after eating everything without question. Read the food labels on the ingredients you’re using to make a more informed decision about whether or not it belongs in your diet. Chen says it especially important to pay close attention to serving sizes. “A bottle of juice may actually contain two servings,” she says. That means it contains twice the sugar and calories as what’s listed on the label. And since you’re probably not in the habit of only drinking half of a juice, that could keep you from losing weight, says Chen. Other important factors to consider are the amount of fibre and protein in your meals. Shoot for eight grams of fibre and 20 grams of protein in every meal to stay full and satisfied.
READ MORE: Here’s How To Pick A Retinol For Your Skincare Routine
5. Not having a backup plan
Putting a plan in place to change your diet is great. But you’ve also got to plan for roadblocks, says Ficek. Take stress eating during a particularly annoying day, for example. If you know you’re tempted to make yourself feel better with the help of ice cream, find a backup plan, says Ficek. Maybe you decide to get a 20 minute massage at a spa, or blow off some steam in that yoga class. “Both would be welcome changes to a healthy new lifestyle, and you will feel much better in the long run.”
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com  More

If you, like tons of other women around the world, are hell-bent on finally winning the weight loss battle in 2023 then you’re going to have to approach it more deliberately and with tight weight loss strategies.
But first things first: don’t beat yourself up for not staying the course last year. There’s nothing wrong with going right back to the start and taking it from there. As long as you’ve still got time and energy, you haven’t let yourself down yet.
And I don’t know about you, but there’s an extreme sense of newness in 2023 — it feels like the year that we’re all finally going to knuckle down, get our ducks in a row, our goals in order and finally win the wars we’ve been fighting in ourselves. With that said, life coach and author Paula Quinsee reckons that there’s very little you can achieve without the right mindset and the right weight loss strategies in place.

“With the right mindset and a solid plan, there are very few things you can’t achieve — this is the starting point of any goal,” she says.

We asked her to help us unpack some of the most effective strategies we can use to make this year different… to finally get to the finish line of the weight loss race.
1/ Understand your why
If you’re not clear on why weight loss is your goal, then your motivation to achieve it won’t stand firm. “People need to understand the why behind their goals,” Quinsee says.

“Yes, you might want to lose weight but it’s not so much about the goal than it is about what the goal will do for you.”

In a sense, losing weight is only but a vehicle that’s taking to you to where you want to be. And your why can be anything — you might want to lose weight to feel more confident, get healthier, become more energetic for your kids and so on. If it matters to you, it is valid.

2/ Set a realistic time frame
Working towards a goal aimlessly and with no time frame leaves a lot of room for excuses. A deadline, so to speak, not only encourages some form of discipline, but it’s also important for helping keep track of your progress (we’ll get to why this matters in a moment). But in setting those time frames, it’s also vital that they are realistic for the way that your life is set up. “Giving yourself an unrealistic time frame for your goal is setting yourself up for failure,” Quinsee explains.

“You will end up feeling disappointed, let down and the self-blaming and loathing can derail you from the entire goal itself.”

3/ Break your goals down into smaller ones
We’re always told to dream big and what makes a big dream attainable? All the smaller dreams in between and all the little wins that eventually lead us to our big picture.

“Often, people look at the big goal and they get overwhelmed by it. But if you break a goal down into much more manageable bite-size chunks, then you will find that the process becomes a lot less daunting,” Quinsee says.

4/ Set yourself up for success
It’s important to know and be extremely conscious of your weaknesses, and to make sure your strategy includes things that work around them.
“If you know that you’re not a disciplined person when it comes to exercise then make sure that you set yourself up for success by getting a personal trainer,” Quinsee says. “In that way, you will know that someone is always holding you accountable. This could even be a workout buddy or anyone that can help support, motivate and encourage you throughout.”

5/ Always track and measure your progress
A lot of the time we’re so busy focused on the goal that we miss how far we’ve come in our journey, how much we’ve achieved and the progress that we’ve made.

“Every small little step forward is success and it’s so important to not only note, but to celebrate those little victories and small signs of progress,” Quinsee says. “The acknowledgement of these is what will keep you going.”

6/ Put incentives in place

A strategy that works really well is creating a personal rewards system for every time you achieve a small goal or objective.

“You can even reward yourself for just being disciplined and attending all the workout classes you planned to attend that week,” Quinsee says.  “The key is to always seek out the positive sides of your experience and to acknowledge them.” More