Experts explain what happens to your body when you eat one meal a day after shocking simulation shows physical change
Fad diets are nothing new, but some take things to the extreme.
These days, with weight loss drugs like Wegovy grabbing headlines and more people laser-focused on health and body goals, the conversation around how we eat is shifting fast.
Sure, you've got your usual suspects like WeightWatchers or the ever-trendy keto diet. But for some, those options just don’t cut it. So, they’re turning to more drastic measures to drop pounds - and fast.
Take, for example, this jaw-dropping simulator that shows what happens to your body when you go without food for 36 straight hours.
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Then there’s OMAD, short for the 'One Meal A Day' diet.
It's a slightly less-extreme - but still pretty hardcore - method people are using to try and hack their way to weight loss.
But does it actually work? And is it worth the hunger pangs?
What does OMAD do to your body?
While OMAD is definitely not a magic solution, early research suggests it could help some people reach their weight loss goals.
It's part of a broader category of intermittent fasting, which has shown promise in helping people lose around seven to 11 pounds over the course of 10 weeks, as per WebMD.
Fat loss and metabolism
OMAD does have its potential benefits, including fat loss. In some studies, participants who tried eating just one meal a day ended up with lower levels of total body fat, even if they didn’t see major changes in overall weight, WebMD reports.
There's also evidence that time-restricted eating - similar to OMAD, but not as strict - can improve metabolism.
For example, men with obesity and prediabetes who followed a six-hour eating window and fasted the rest of the day saw improvements in their blood sugar levels.
However, since they weren’t doing strict OMAD, we can’t say for sure the same effects would happen with just one meal a day.
Your brain
Another interesting potential perk? Mental clarity.
Fasting during daylight hours may boost a brain chemical called orexin-A, which can make you feel more alert and focused.
Which is surprising, considering how cracky I get when I miss just one meal a day.
That said, this benefit isn’t specific to OMAD, but it depends on when you choose to eat.
In fact, research suggests that eating earlier in the day and fasting overnight might be more effective for weight loss than eating your one meal at night, though OMAD itself doesn’t prescribe a specific time for eating.
Blood pressure
Unsurprisingly, OMAD carries a number of potentially dangerous health risks.
Eating only once a day has been linked to higher blood pressure and cholesterol, which leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
In one study, healthy adults who switched to OMAD saw both these levels rise - not exactly ideal if you’re already keeping an eye on heart health.
Blood sugar
Timing matters, too. Some versions of OMAD have people eating their one meal between 4pm and 8pm - and that late-night feast could spike your blood sugar.
Participants in those studies woke up with elevated morning blood sugar, and their bodies struggled to handle the sugar load.
Fasting in general raises your risk for hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar. That’s not something to mess around with, especially not if you're at risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Hunger levels
On top of that, eating just once a day can increase levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, making you feel even hungrier than you would on a typical calorie-cutting plan.
Results aren't guaranteed
OMAD is a pretty intense commitment, yet there’s no strong scientific consensus that eating one meal a day leads to better long-term weight control compared to more balanced approaches.
Whether or not it works may depend heavily on how your body handles such a restrictive eating pattern.
It’s also not easy to stick with. Studies show that intermittent fasting plans like OMAD have a dropout rate as high as 65 percent, which suggests many people find it too hard to maintain.
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Science
Ellie Kemp