I was first introduced to the OMAD Diet (One Meal A Day) in 2017 by my principal at the time. He had used the protocol to loose weight and continued the protocol because he said it gave him more energy and he felt great. Honestly, the whole thing sounded crazy! Going that long without food seemed impossible. Fast forward to 2019 and I discovered the app Zero and the idea of intermittent fasting. I used the 16:8 protocol during the summer and really enjoyed it. School started in August and afternoon work schedule messed up my routine so I quit all together.
Fast forward again to the summer of 2021 and I found myself at my highest weight (not being pregnant) with most of my pants not fitting anymore. It was also around this time that I received an email from Thomas DeLauer (a fitness YouTuber) about a study that had been released that showed the 18:6 protocol for fasting had a positive impact on women and their hormone levels. This was the final kick in the pants that I needed. My original goal was 18:6. Some days it became OMAD and other times it became TMAD (Two Meals a Day). I am competitive and enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself to see if I could handle 24 hours or one meal. In four weeks I have lost ten pounds and have learned even more about myself and my relationship with food.
Lesson #1
Water, Water, Water!
This is an ongoing struggle for me. There are days that I do great and it is no coincidence that those are the days I feel good. Water with lemon and sea salt is my go to drink to help me get thru a fast. Water is vital for our bodies to function correctly and it places an important role in weight loss, mood and overall wellbeing. I aim to drink roughly 100 ounces of water a day, which works out to be about 3 water bottles full a day.
Lesson #2
I am a comfort eater.
I have read that people crave certain foods when they are under stress. I never paid attention to this information until I started using an eating window. Man! Now, I notice how I start craving sweets or snacks when I am feeling stressed with my kids or overwhelmed. It is crazy! I can be feeling fine one minute and the next, when I find myself triggered by my kids, I am reaching for all the junk food I can find. It takes effort, but I am slowly rewiring my habits with the understanding that I do not NEED food just because I am craving it.
Another vital lesson I have learned that ties in with this is the fact that even thought junk food tastes great, I end up feeling yucky. Being more consistent with my clean eating choices leads me to feeling better throughout the day. More energy and better concentration.
Lesson #3
Calories are deceiving.
When I first learned about OMAD, it sounded crazy to me that it was possible to eat the correct amount of calories in one meal. I quickly understood why it was so easy to overeat on a three meal a day protocol and paying attention to what I was eating was all it took. Based on my height and weight, Dr. Google says I need to eat 1800 calories to maintain weight, 1,558 calories to have mild weight loss, 1,308 calories for weight loss and 808 calories for rapid weight loss. I don’t log what I eat. My husband does and it works well for him, but I know I won’t consistently log everything. I pay attention to my individual food choices and I know the calories of those individual choices. I aim to eat around 1,200 calories a day with a focus on protein. I have finally realized that junk food very quickly destroys chances of keeping under my calories.
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In His Service,
-Marisa
Wren's World 