OMAD intermittent fasting
One Meal a Day — a 23-hour fast with roughly a 1-hour eating window.
23h
Ayuno
1h
Ventana de alimentación
Horario de ejemplo
Eating window opens at 5:00 PM
Start your first meal of the day.
Eating window closes at 6:00 PM
Finish your last meal for the day.
Fast until 5:00 PM the next day
23-hour fasting window begins.
Para quién es adecuado
- Experienced fasters who have adapted to protocols like 20:4
- People who prefer the simplicity of a single daily meal
- Those whose schedule or appetite naturally aligns with one larger meal
Pros and cons
Ventajas
- Simplifies meal planning to one eating occasion per day
- Provides an extended fasting window that some practitioners value
- Eliminates the need to plan multiple meals throughout the day
Desventajas
- Fitting a full day's nutritional needs into one meal is challenging
- May cause significant hunger for many people, particularly in the early adaptation phase
- Highly restrictive — limits social eating to a single occasion per day
Preguntas frecuentes
- What is the difference between OMAD and 23:1?
- OMAD (One Meal a Day) and 23:1 describe essentially the same eating pattern — one meal per day within approximately a 1-hour window. OMAD is the colloquial name; 23:1 is the technical time-restricted eating notation. Some OMAD practitioners allow a slightly longer window of up to 2 hours, whereas 23:1 specifies exactly one hour.
- How do OMAD practitioners typically meet their nutritional needs?
- OMAD practitioners typically eat a large, nutrient-dense meal that covers protein, fat, carbohydrate, fibre, and micronutrient needs for the full day. Many use careful meal planning or calorie tracking to ensure the single meal is complete. Some people find this challenging to achieve consistently.
- Is OMAD suitable for everyone?
- OMAD is not recommended for people new to fasting, those with a history of eating disorders, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone on medication that requires food. It is an advanced protocol that should be approached only after adapting to shorter fasting windows, and with clinician guidance if any health conditions are present.