Slow down of weight loss. Considering OMAD

#1

I have been eating LC since July 26th, 2018, so about 10 months. I don’t cheat. I track everything I eat and weigh everything. I’m a female, 56 years old, 5’ 3". I always meet my protein macro, am always below 20 net carbs (usually somewhere between 10 and 15) and often only consume 75% or less of my fat macro.

My start weight was 350 and my current weight is 223/224 depending on the day. It’s been at least a month since my weight actually went down and stayed down. I realize this isn’t a true stall, but am still looking for advice and perhaps, reassurance as well.

Since about my 3rd week of LC I have been eating 2 meals a day. My first meal is usually somewhere around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and my second meal is usually around 8 pm. Some days my first meal isn’t until 5 or 6 because I’m just too busy and don’t think about eating.

My weight stopped dropping when I started becoming more physically active. For the first time in my life I began mowing the lawn. Never thought I could do it before, and find it invigorating and think it’s a good source of exercise and a good example to my sons. Also my husband and go on walks some evenings.

Then there I was busy preparing for a family vacation to Yellowstone, the actual trip, and then more mowing once I got home. Yesterday, I think I overdid the mowing a bit. It was hotter than usual and my heart was really pounding when the mower ran out of gas, so I came in and sat down a bit and had some water and salt.

Anyway, I’m thinking of moving on to OMAD with hopes this will move things a bit.

When I was 4 months in and started OMAD the first time my heart rate and bp went crazy high. I think it was due to low magnesium and possibly low potassium. My bp and heart rate are good now, and I am careful to get enough of my electrolytes daily.

Oh, as far as calories, I usually consume 1100 - 1200 daily and feel full. I don’t think I feel hungry often, if ever anymore, but I don’t want to reduce because I’m afraid of lowering my metabolism.

Thoughts and suggestions? I’ve read a lot the last few days about OMAD and metabolism and am still wondering what I can to move weight loss along. I may be gaining muscle, but my clothes still fit the same and haven’t changed (my newest clothes, that is).

Thanks!

(Tamela Robinette) #2

Honestly to me your caloric intake sounds too low for weightloss, even though you are only 5’3 & I will tell you why I’m saying this. I too stalled for almost 2 months. I started tracking calories again and I was only taking in between 1300-1500. I’m 5’7. Most people here will tell you calories don’t matter but they do if you’re not eating enough! As to the OMAD I say try it but eat more! I switched to OMAD and eat more than I was on two meals a day and I’m losing weight again! I just wasn’t eating enough! I REALLY enjoy my OMAD. I make it diverse with a variety of all the things I love and eat until satiety. You may have to eat slowly to get enough food in but it works. Then every now and then switch it up and have 2 meals in a day to keep your body guessing. Hang in there, you’re probably building muscle with your new activity. Congratulations on being able to mow the lawn! It only gets better from here!

(Tamela Robinette) #3

Also, OMAD has not affected my metabolism and I’ve been doing it over a month. I eat more and am losing weight. If it slowed my metabolism I would be gaining so don’t worry about that. I honestly don’t think you can overeat on OMAD because it’s one meal!

(PSackmann) #4

I’ll second the idea to increase your intake. At 5’6" and similar age, I eat about 1500 calories most days and am slowly but steadily losing. As I increase my activity levels (going from non-weight-bearing to walking again) I know I’ll need to increase my intake a bit even more.

I occasionally do OMAD, only after a feast day though. About once every couple of weeks I feel the need to just eat, so I do just that and OMAD the next day. It’s working so far, at least for me.

(Nasir) #5

Congratulations on that massive 125lbs loss in 9 months.

(David Brown) #6

Seems to me that you would benefit from a diet break. 1200 is very low. Too low I would say.

Have a watch of this. He knows a thing or two

#7

OK, I’ll give this a watch. Thank you!

Edited to say I have watched those videos and found them interesting and helpful! Thank you.

#8

Thank you! I appreciate all the encouragement I can get!

#9

Keep in mind, the person in that video is nowhere near you in terms of gender, exercise level, bodyfat percentage, and likely more insulin sensitive.

Are you coming from a T2D history or know what your insulin status is? Most, but not all, people at your former weight will have insulin issues. This will determine how well you react to various strategies.

Also, any thyroid tests?

#10

Thank you to everyone who took the time to offer advice or comment!

It looks like the consensus here is that I’m not eating enough. On occasion I have eaten more for a day or two and it jump started my weight loss. Using a “Keto Calculator” with a 25% deficit I should be eating around 1300 calories a day. I meet the macros for that goal, but miss the fat macro regularly.

I thought that since I am not feeling hungry I could eat less fat and burn my own body fat. Perhaps not.

First I’m going to switch to OMAD and see if that makes any difference, I will try to increase my fat intake a bit, but I would really rather burn my own. :grin:

Thank you for the input. It really help me!

I’m not changing away from this way of eating… probably ever. But I would really like to keep up the fat loss.

#11

Trust your own response to experimentation. Ditch the calculator.

#12

Hi CarolIT. I didn’t have my A1C tested before I started Keto, so I don’t know for certain. My best guess is that I may have tested diabetic if I had. Four months into this way of eating I had blood tests done and my A1C was 5.8, so it must have come down from something higher.

I have been very careful about what I eat and don’t eat over 20 net carbs. I really haven’t changed the way I eat over the past months except for not eating as much as I did the first few months.

#13

If eating less is related to a stall, then you probably are over restricting for your metabolism. OMAD does seem like a good way to jump start a new phase because it will keep that insulin low for longer periods of time. [Without lowering calories, that is]

There’s still a good chance you’re adding some muscle or bone density with your increased activity too.

(Allie) #14

OMAD isn’t generally advised if you still want to lose fat. If your weight loss has stopped since you got active, that likely means you’re gaining muscle mass which is a good thing. Lose the scale, get a basic tape measure, and track your progress in a more useful way.

Your calorie intake already sounds too low to me so I really don’t think OMAD would be a good move for you. Best to keep changing things up with some days of 2MAD, some days of feasting, and some days of fasting as that will keep your metabolism guessing and keep the fat burning as much as possible.

#15

I have wondered if I have been too predictable in how and when I eat. Thank you! I am considering what you have said.

(hottie turned hag) #16

@GreeneggsNham it’s so hard to know what shall work best for your particular case; I started Aug 2017, eating once/24h omad out of the gate, counted no cals/macros/ketones and lost 60+lbs (now 116) and fast, as well as multiple other benefits.

I didn’t even know what I did was called “keto” when I started and I did no research prior to, though I have extensive med sci background.

I eat a LOT at the one sitting and I really enjoy so doing. For another, this method may be annoying or impossible. I suggest trying different methods until you hit the one that works best. I sailed along beautifully until recently and am struggling with last 10lbs, so am now researching as I hadn’t done formerly and trying all sorts to get things going downward again.

Trying omad for a few weeks or month shall do no harm; if you love it, great, if not easy enough to try something else :blush:

#17

Thank you for your help. I’m not too worried yet, but just a bit bothered and annoyed. :blush:

I have been more active as well and have had lots of things going on. Also It’s been really hot here and I’m not really used to it yet. I hope things will settle back into a routine and that weight loss will resume. I’m trying to keep calm and keto on.

Edit: I had forgotten (how could I forget?), but I also recently had a root canal on a molar. Wonder if that contributed to slowing things down.