One Meal A Day

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One Meal A Day

4 May 2023

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One Meal A Day (OMAD)! As of May '23, I haven't experimented with such a system personally but I'm intrigued by it. Below are some narratives that shed light on OMAD.

Mastering Diabetes

Mastering Diabetes duo outlines how to adopt an OMAD Diet using Whole Food Plant-Based framework.

(14 mins, 2022) The OMAD Diet: Can You Really Eat ONE MEAL A DAY?

Benedictine Monks

I chanced upon a video explaining that monastic Benedictine monks used to eat only once a day! Over time, that tradition became less popular. Adalbert de Vogüé (a modern day monk; 1924-2011) experimented with the idea and found joy in slowly adapting to OMAD! 🙂 He shared his journey through a personal narrative: To Love Fasting: A Monastic Experience (186 pages, 1993).

(4 mins, 2019) One Meal A Day Like The Monks

A book review for To Love Fasting: A Monastic Experience (186 pages, 1993) by Adalbert de Vogüé.

Ancient Romans

Did ancient Romans follow OMAD (One Meal A Day) regimen? Excerpts from a BBC article tracing the European history of breakast, lunch & dinner:

Breakfast as we know it didn't exist for large parts of history. The Romans didn't really eat it, usually consuming only one meal a day around noon, says food historian Caroline Yeldham. In fact, breakfast was actively frowned upon.

"The Romans believed it was healthier to eat only one meal a day," she says. "They were obsessed with digestion and eating more than one meal was considered a form of gluttony. This thinking impacted on the way people ate for a very long time."

Indian Culture

In India, there is a saying along these lines: eka bhojanam (1 meal a day) = yogi (saint); dvi bhojanam (2 meals a day) = bhogi (enjoyer); tri bhojanam (3 meals a day) = rogi (a sick person) — not sure if this is folklore or from an authentic ancient text. But such ideas seem to be floating around in our collective consciousness worldwide.

Ekasana among Jains: Fasting in Jaininsm (Wikipedia) lists a variety of fasts including Ekasana (One Meal A Day).

( mins) Transcript. Dr Greger's summary: ""

Dr Peter Rogers

In a FaceBook message in May 2023, Dr Peter Rogers shared:

"I do OMAD on workdays for convenience. Takes less time to eat only one meal a day. Big benefit is an extra 1.5 hr for sleep or other activities. Big downside is have to wake up an extra time to void. On days off, I eat 2x/d = late lunch + late dinner. I eat "wet" foods for lunch like oat meal, fruits, salads b/c more hydration during day (less need to wake up and void at night). Why do I eat a late lunch? When does an animal need to be smart? When it's hungry! Morning is best time for challenging cognitive work. So I usually do all my academic work in the morning, and then take a study break for lunch around 1 or 2 in afternoon. Then I walk around while eating (need some exercise after sitting much of morning doing academic work). After eating lunch, my IQ drops about 30 points."

(2022) OMAD Diet, 8 Month Followup

YouTube video description (by Dr Peter Rogers):

"OMAD (One Meal A Day) diet was helpful to quickly lose weight: 34 lbs in 6 months, from June 2021 to Jan 2022. That's too much for me. In the next 2 months I intentionally gained back 8 lbs; titrating it to where I feel strong in the weight room, and energetic for aerobic workouts."

"Nowadays, I prefer 2 meals a day, when time is available. Wet foods like oatmeal, and blueberries, are better for breakfast, to provide hydration. Dry foods are better for night, because I don't want to have to wake up so often to void. Having the room a little warmer also decreases the frequency of needing to void."

"On days where there's only time for one meal, I still feel good, and can work well, think well, and exercise well. But breakfast does improve performance for afternoon workouts."

Dr Nun Amen-Ra

Dr Nun Amen-Ra is a fascinating person! A strong man who lives a monastic life; follows veganism & OMAD. He outlines his daily routine here: The Amen Diet. Something intriguing is that he eats only 1500 calories daily; interestingly the Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei (super athletes but relatively unknown) also seem to consume only 1400-1500 calories daily!

Instagram: @nunamenra

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