Last month I conducted a one-week OMAD experiment. My purported impetus for the experiment was to try eating only one meal a day in order to reduce food expenses. I also wanted to try liberating myself a bit more from the time and energy that is consumed by thinking about meals, preparing meals, consuming meals, and digesting meals.
In my experiment, I did find that I reduced expenditures. Also, I cut out my early afternoon soda habit–rules wouldn’t allow for it during the day, and I didn’t want it with dinner. That was all good. However, conversely to the goal of trying not to think about food, I found that I thought more about it–anxiously pining for dinner and thinking about all that I would stuff down my throat. Speaking of stuffing myself, I found it difficult to incorporate varied food sources and concomitant nutrition into only one meal per day.
In conclusion, OMAD is not for me. However, I am glad that I tried OMAD. Similarly to when I experimented with a three day fast, OMAD brought me round to intermittent fasting. 16:8 intermittent fasting has worked to keep my body weight in check and to reduce food related losses in money, time, focus, and energy. Furthermore, 16:8 is painless and leaves room for the enjoyment of food, too. Sometimes experimenting with more extreme approaches helps us to discover, to implement, and to appreciate a more sustainable middle way. For that I am grateful.
With Love,
P. Gustav Mueller, author of The Present