OMAD ok for how long?

intermittentfasting
omad
gerd
#1

Hi everyone, bit of a long post…

After 2-3 months of trial and error second time around, I am finally getting a hang of this and fully in ketosis. My numbers with a blood meter are anywhere between 0.8 in the am and 1.7 before dinner. Blood sugar is higher in the morning about 100 and evening about 80, reading the posts I know this could be due to my insulin sensitivity.
Past few days I started having terrible Gerd, I never had Gerd before ketosis except the time I tried a fat fast and coffee last year, so I have cut my coffee in half to one cup a day in the mornings with no fats and I have been basically fasting till dinner time. Gerd is a bit better, I am not hungry and fasting is coming very natural to me.
I am not overweight, can lose maybe up to 10 lbs, have gone keto mostly for hormonal imbalance and insulin sensitivity.
1- Should I be concerned, is this ok? Is there a limit on number of days I can fast in a row? Will this affect my metabolism negatively if I do it everyday? I feel like I can fast forever and force myself to eat.

2- What about the GERD? I took a Nexium today, but don’t want to do this everyday, I have stopped taking MCT, cutting coffee would be too painful… Ive already tried ACV and Betaine pills didn’t work for me. Any suggestions?

Thanks guys!

(Liz ) #2

For what it’s worth, ACV in water didn’t help my GERD at all but ACV tablets really did! No idea why.

I believe it’s safe to fast as long as you feel well and only eat when you are hungry. Jason Fung is the authority I trust on this topic.

I was less hungry when I first got fat adapted but over time my appetite did normalize a bit so even if I OMAD, I get all my calories in that one meal using lots of fats.

(VLC.MD) #3

I OMAD’d yesterday. And I think I might have had GERD for the first time in my life too. I had some butter and coconut oil in my coffee yesterday. I’ll do it again today and see what happens.

If it persists I’ll try daily Zantac 150 twice a day for 5 days and see if it goes away.

(Tim W) #4

I’ve had GERD when using KETO/OMAD/IF myself.

I’ve found that if I eat a large, high fat meal, within 3 to 4 hours of bed, I’m likely to wake myself up with a acid re flux.

For what it’s worth, I never had this issue when doing OMAD and lots of carbs. I think it’s something to do with the amount of fat being consumed/large number of calories being taken in at one time. Admittedly, this often happens when I’ve over-eaten by just a bit. It can be hard to get enough calories when you are eating in a compressed time window (and maybe fasting the next day etc.).

My coping mechanism has been to:

  1. Eat earlier in the day, I’m often done eating by later afternoon and fasting until the next day.
  2. Eat my “meal” spread out over two hours or so. I’ll start with a big salad, go do something for 30 minutes, come back and have the entree, clean up and do dishes, then have a “desert” (yogurt with nuts or something similar). This way I’m not slam-jamming 2000 calories down my yawing maw and feeling overly full.
  3. When I happen to eat too late or still just feel bloated before bed, I’ll go to sleep on my back, propped up by an extra pillow or two. This keeps my head elevated and reduces the instances of re-flux.

These steps seems to help. It only took once or twice of waking up with acid/bile in my mouth to decide to change something, eating much earlier seems to be the most effective. When worse comes to worse, I sleep in the recliner and stay in a more upright position, that almost always prevents it 100%.

Good luck!

#5

Oh this might sound weird, but I really do want my appetite back, glad to hear it will :sweat_smile:

#6

Please keep me posted, sounds like my scenario.

#7

Biff, sounds like you get GERD when you overeat, but for me its when I fast, and not eating too much at once also, Im fine with the nexium and cutting down the coffee now but its not a real solution. My GERD was actually bothering me during the day and in the meetings I had to constantly clear my throat, very uncomfortable. Good tips for sleeping though if it happens at night:smiley:

#8

Forgot to add Ive also stopped drinking Pellegrino.

(VLC.MD) #9

Fung’s fasting book has lots of good tips.

Alkaline water with lemon is one of them.

(Liz ) #10

No I do understand! All this delicious food and no appetite!

And I want to say I get GERD when eating it fasting, also manifesting as an unclearable throat, sitting up during the day, lying down, whenever. I don’t get burning in my throat or a bad taste, just a little trouble breathing & a stubborn cough. So I do recommend the ACV tablets as that was the only way I ever got relief, and it’s pretty fast! I take two with every meal now & with my fatty morning coffee. Though over time I feel like it’s easing a bit so that gives me hope.

(VLC.MD) #11

The more you clear your throat, the more you feel the desire to clear your throat.

It’s addictive

#12

Truth! My 10 year old daughter had this for almost a year… not reflux, but compulsive throat clearing/ habit cough. It was maddening! Poor kid, thankful that’s gone.

(VLC.MD) #13

There are throat clearing protocols … [link]

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to wean off the self-fulfilling prophecy that is throat clearing.

#14

Liz, I am ordering the ACV capsules asap, I have exactly the same problem as you, no sore throat or anything just lumpy in the throat. Ill kepp you posted. thanks!!

#15

Hmm for me its not a choice, something is there and I have to clear it…

(Liz ) #16

It’s not been a perfect solution but it’s the only relief I’ve had so I really hope you have the same good experience, because this type of GERD is so incredibly frustrating!! For years I thought it was asthma or allergies. I used inhalers & cough syrup to manage the symptoms. After I learned what it really was, I had high hopes Keto would help & was super disappointed it didn’t really make a difference, and I still had it even when fasting! Argh! Anyway, I’m rooting for you, please do let me know if you get any relief.

#17

So do you take it without food when you fast? Thanks Liz Im hoping it works too, will let you know.

(Todd Allen) #18

Perhaps those afflicted by GERD may find relief by treating it as an H. pylori infection?
https://chriskresser.com/more-evidence-to-support-the-theory-that-gerd-is-caused-by-bacterial-overgrowth/

(Ernest) #19

I’ve been on unplanned OMAD for months (Monday - Friday). Weekends surrounded by family is freestyle but never more than 2 meals a day. Just never really that hungry.
I do make sure my one meal is nutrient dense.

(Rachel) #20

@Ernest what’s OMAD?