What is the OMAD diet and is it safe?

OMAD stands for One Meal A Day. This diet is an extreme form of intermittent fasting where you eat all your daily calories within a window of about one hour and fast for the rest of the day (about 23 hours).

You eat only one meal per day and drink only water, coffee or tea without additives. The meal must contain sufficient nutrients and calories to maintain your energy level. The body uses the fasting period to burn stored fat and keep **insulin levels** low.

The long fasting period stimulates fat burning and will result in weight loss. However, it is difficult to get all the necessary macro and micronutrients in one meal. Some people experience fatigue, dizziness or concentration problems.

Extreme fasting can affect hormone balance, especially in women. It is also difficult to maintain and can make social mealtimes difficult.

OMAD is certainly not suitable for everyone, especially not for people with diabetes or a history of eating disorders. But also not for people with high energy needs (such as workers or athletes) and pregnant women or women with hormonal fluctuations.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2025-02-06 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025