IF - 1 meal/day

#1

Correct me if I’m wrong - sufficient calories to meet your basal metabolic rate minus a little (for weight loss) is a “thing”. And I wasn’t worried about getting sufficient calories until I started eating only one meal a day. So let’s say my bmr is 1400, and I want a deficit so there’s resulting weight loss, so I’ll aim for 1200 calories. How the heck does one consume 1200 calories in one sitting? Reducing meals has also reduced my appetite. If I stop when I’m full I haven’t gotten in my 1200 calories. So how is this supposed to work?

#2

It can be a challenge which is why I usually do 20/4 or 22/2 instead of OMAD, but on those occasions I plan for it, it’s about the extra fat from butter, olive oil, avocado oil, macadamia nuts, etc. and even then I’m usually below my protein grams, so I’m still figuring this one out, too.

(Keto in Katy) #3

I don’t know if this is normal but I never think about calories. I usually eat twice a day, sometimes only once. It always feels like the perfect amount, my weight remains stable, and I feel great.

Could it be that my body just “knows” somehow and directs my appetite so that I get the right amount of calories? I don’t tracks macros any more either but I know I eat a lot of fat and few carbs.

#4

I think the key is you feel good, and if you’re happy with your weight, well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

#5

Counting calories is useless for me. I don’t bother. Complete waste of time, and amounts to nothing but confusion.

All I do us set an eating window of one hour. I eat one meal a day. The moment food touches my lips, the timer starts, and I can eat to satiety, no calorie counting. Only limit is carbs (not more than 20 grams) and I get 1 g protein per kg lean body mass. After the one hour time limit elapses, that’s it! Wait until tomorrow (next meal) to eat again.

(Stickin' with mammoth) #6

If I do a long enough hike, I’ve gotta eat afterwards. My stomach growls painfully if I don’t. Otherwise, I’m good with two meals a day: breakfast and late afternoon dinner.

#7

I stumbled onto one meal a day not on purpose. I had been forgoing breakfast to start with, and one day I didn’t stop at work to eat lunch until 3:00 and I felt really good! The next day I waited until dinner to eat and again felt good all day. I did that for the week and then had more meals each day over the weekend while at home all day with family. I need to get the mental muscle in gear and get back to the dinner only schedule but I’ve been having killer sugar cravings. Willpower!!

(Patrick B.) #8

I’m a big (but getting smaller) boy and I’m “suppose” to be eating almost 1700 calories a day. I generally get 100g of protein in one sitting. I have it pretty well planned that I’m eating 3 chicken thighs… or I backfill with some eggs on top with cauliflower, cheese, and oh… my new love… deep fried asparagus. I’ve never felt so joyful at a meal. And I’m full up the rest of the night…

Tonight my sister got out pork chops for dinner and I knew the two wouldn’t be enough, even with bacon on top. I was a few grams shy so I ate riced cauliflower topped with 5 eggs and some Guy’s BBQ sauce and Cholulo hot sauce. That is a newly discovered dish that was incredibly tasty…

I guess I don’t have your problem and I’m not really being helpful. :frowning:

(Alex Dipego) #9

image.jpg1242×2208 573 KB
you want to know how? You work up to it. It took me a year to get here without gaining. This was last year before I got food poisoning and need to start all over … :rage::rage:

But it’s possible pending in food choices. I’d snack on walnuts and pecans and Macadamias during cooking to sneak more fat in. Fatty cuts of meat, mayo, oil… Counting isn’t necessary but if you like structure and eating food this is how I did it.

Took my normal week and tracked. I averaged 2100 a day. So the following week I’d add 100 extra a day. That’s it, I could do more but I wanted to combat possible fat gain. I did this say for 2 weeks or 3 as long as I didn’t gain weight. If I gained I sat their until I stopped gaining. After 5-7 weeks is take a week off. So if I’m at 2500 I’d drop to 2000 for the week to relax my gut but my metabolism usually is running high still. Following week back up to 2500.

(David) #10

I’m going to try to keep an eye on calories the next couple of days, and get them UP, because I’ve put nearly a kilo on in the last 2 days.

#11

How many hours a day is you feeding window?

(Meeping up the Science!) #12

The body has no idea what the heck a calorie is. We need certain amounts of macronutrients to maintain our BMR (which is understood somewhat but that’s a tangent) rather than calories. A calorie is a quantification of energy in a non-static and dynamic system, which is heavily influenced by hormonal balances. So, it’s more purposeful to consume adequate protein and fat rather than adequate calories, per se.

Having said that, as long as you receive adequate nutrition it is irrelevant. Weight loss surgery patients eat 700 calories a day on average for years at a time. We are medically monitored though, however our basal metabolic rate doesn’t slow. Why is that?

The answer, is that we are eating enough macronutrients to fuel the body’s needs. Our diets are primarily high protein, moderate fat, and low carb. While higher fat is more desirable (and many of us transition to high protein/fat long-term) it still meets the body’s needs.

Obviously don’t starve yourself. However, if you have adequate fat, and then protein, your body is meeting its needs.

(Meeping up the Science!) #13

Also, some people cannot eat one meal a day, while others can. Everyone’s body is different.

I agree an IF window makes it easier. I do 18/6 on average and eat 2 meals, typically. The rest of the day I enjoy copious amounts of stimulants (coffee, peer-reviewed articles about brains). I am healthy with no side effects. I can never eat one meal and get all my protein in without liquid assistance (like shakes).

If you are going to do OMAD, I’d suggest zero carb, as one rib-eye can easily hit your macros depending on size/fat composition. Of course, any beef that is fatty will work here!

(Beth) #14

If that were me, I’d think the sugar cravings were because I wasn’t eating enough. I just don’t get sugar cravings any more.

(Todd Aaron) #15

I Can easily consume 1200 calories in one sitting. But I am well trained :wink:

The question that popped in my head when reading your initial post was “Why would you not want to just stop when you were satiated and leave it at that, and lose weight faster than you would with just the 200 calorie deficit?”

If your body requires 1400 calories per day and you only feed it 900, then (provided you are in ketosis) wouldn’t it just take the balance from stored fat?

#16

I had a big bloodwork panel run in late December and my leptin was pretty high, 41 and optimal range is less than 20. The doctor said he could tell I have bad sugar cravings because of that number. It was during the week between Christmas and New Year’s which is probably the worst possible timing. We had family staying with us and eating was a disaster. I’m trying to do better and will rerun the panel late March. Would love to kill those cravings and jump start weight loss.

#17

I don’t know. Maybe. I’m trying to follow Dr. Fung and work towards a 3 day fast (Zornfast). In one of his talks he said its better to not eat (fast) than to eat too little. So that got me thinking of bmr, etc.

(Todd Aaron) #18

I did my first 3 day fast over last weekend starting Friday night and ending Monday night. I had awesome fat loss results! I dropped close to 8 pounds and only lost .3 pounds of lean mass.

If you are in ketosis at this point, I’d say just go for it with the intention of doing a long fast, and if something causes you to stop after a day or two, then you fasted that long.

(Michelle) #19

Question for those that do IF of one meal a day or 20/4 – Do you do BPC too? I’m wondering if BPC counts in the whole IF thing? or if that does break the fast.

For my mind, it does break the fast. I know that MCT doesn’t raise insulin that much, but it’s still caloric, which in my mind, negates the fast. (I only put in MCT and a smidge of HWC in my coffee).

What do other people think about BPC and IF / one meal a day?

(Keto in Katy) #20

I don’t know the answer to that — or if there is strictly an answer — but I have BPC every morning without fail so that’s a fixture for me.

Personally, I don’t care whether it technically counts as a meal or not. I usually only eat one real “meal” in the evening with a little snack of nuts and cheese earlier in the day. I think if you feel great then you are doing it right.