If you’re planning to start experimenting with one meal a day, and you wondering what to eat on OMAD, then you’re in the right place.
The optimum way to eat on OMAD is by including whole, minimally processed, and nutrient-rich foods. Foods that are rich in macronutrients, micronutrients, and electrolytes lead to better health, therefore, including them in your diet will ensure the best chances for long-term success.
I will share with you everything you need to know on what to eat on OMAD so you can get a better understanding of how to design your meals and apply that immediately.
What Food To Eat On OMAD?
The best foods to eat on OMAD are rich in protein (eggs, meat, fish), starches (potatoes, rice, corn, pasta) veggies (broccoli, cabbage, squash, cauliflower, carrots, beets, leeks) fruits (bananas, berries, grapefruits, avocados), and fats (nuts, olives, seeds).
Obviously, you know that the world of health and fitness can be very confusing. You have several different authors, trainers, coaches, and gurus telling you what to eat and all claiming that their diet is the best.
And the foods they eat are superior to any others.
Of course, we all want to know what foods are the best, what foods give us glowing-looking skin, pain-free joints, slim waist, guns of steel, bulletproof immune system, always good-mood and terrific self-esteem.
But the truth is that as long as your plate is balanced with protein, carbs, and fats that come from a variety of foods, you’re good to go.
But what about things that you shouldn’t eat?
What Not To Eat On OMAD?
When you do OMAD, you don’t wanna eat highly processed foods, refined sugars, and meal replacements. Those foods have low-quality nutrients, give you no satiety, are low on protein, and will make you feel progressively worse.
But that description fits any diet that is available on the market. Regardless if you’re doing keto, paleo, zone, or plant-based. They all advise to stay away from processed foods, increase satiety-rich foods (protein) and be physically active.
In fact, if we gonna go a step further, many of those diets are effective, despite having totally different ratios and types of foods. They’re all associated with low rates of obesity, metabolic diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. This means they all can give you the body you want and the health you want (source).
For instance, the Paleo diet is high in plants, whole foods, nuts, and seeds. A ketogenic diet that is high in fats and animal products with very few fruits and veggies. The zone diet is mixed with all proteins, carbs, and fats. And a plant-based diet that is full of plants, veggies, fruits, and legumes.
How is that possible that they’re all associated with robust health, despite being radically different? And many of those diets have some advocates that swear by them (source).
So if they all radically different, but at the same time they all work, then instead of looking at the differences let’s quickly look at the commonalities.
Because people did succeed on all those diets. So there must be something working in every diet. So if you have different diets, but they all work, there must be some commonalities that make them work.
One Meal A Day Meal Plan
Doesn’t matter if you are building your meal plan for one meal a day, plant-based, keto, or paleo. The majority of the most popular diets will lead to having all three macronutrients. Here are the essential macros on OMAD.
Proteins
Proteins are essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissues. It’s part of all the cells and living tissues like tendons, muscles, nails, skin, hair, etc. Enzymes and hormones are also made of proteins. So our body uses them on a daily basis (source).
That’s why in your OMAD meal you should include a good amount of proteins, regardless of it’s animal-based or plant-based. Animal food sources have better amino acid profiles with less amount of food.
This means if you’re choosing to stay plant-based on OMAD you need to be eating plenty of beans and legumes with each meal.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide us energy. Every cell in the body can use glucose as fuel. The muscles and brain take most of the daily energy. Thanks to media and advertising, we have been demonizing “carbs” as the root of all evil. But there are plenty of people out there that are thriving on carbs, and carbs only (source).
Remember that carbs have many different forms. You can find carbs in whole foods like fruits, veggies, grains, and starches. And no matter what food enters the body, veggie, fruit, milk, or grain, it is always converted to glucose. This is the main source of our energy.
Related article: Can You Eat Carbs On OMAD?
Fats
Fats are necessary on OMAD because they provide us the protection of the internal organs, they transport fat-soluble vitamins, provide energy, and are critical components of many hormones, cells, and cell membranes (source).
They also support the development, growth, and repair of body tissues. Fats in our diet are responsible for a radiant complexion, and keep our hair look sleep and glossy. One of the signs that a diet is low in fats is dry, dull skin.
OMAD Diet Tips
I also wanted to include here some useful OMAD diet tips that we gonna borrow from all the other diets that are proven to be successful. Those tips are not directly related to macros.
This is more of a list of things that comes along with being simply mindful about what we eat and look at food as food and not nutrients.
Nutrition Awareness
This means that when you are thinking more about your new nutrition approach, it will lead to better choices. Better choices that you put into your shopping cart when you’re in the mall.
Or then you’re at your favorite restaurant. This will translate into the better food choices you eat. So regardless of that raise in awareness is done by avoiding sugar, eating more fruits or vegetables, having whole organic foods, or counting your points it’s not important (source).
It’s the awareness that matters. Another bonus with your self-awareness is the hunger and appetite signals become robust. The more you pay attention to your food choices, we end up eating less total food.
Related article: The New Way How To Start OMAD
High Quality Food
Doesn’t matter if you’re doing low carb, no meat, high-fiber, or no fiber at all. Almost all of the most popular diets focus on eating quality, nutrient-dense foods that are minimally processed (source).
This seems to be the key element of a successful diet. This means that any diet that is full of whole-foods will lead to the elimination of the most common deficiencies.
Minimizing the processed foods will improve all the right combinations of macronutrients, proteins, carbs, and fats. Also, the high amount of water, plenty of vitamins, and minerals will lead to better immune health.
Related article: Can You Eat Rice On OMAD?
Physical Activity
Almost any diet doesn’t matter if it’s celebrity-endorsed, keto, paleo, plant-based, carnivore, or low-fat, recommend physical activity. Exercise not only improves our cardiovascular health but also positively affects our mood and satiety (source).
There is strong evidence that shows us the physical activity leads to appetite and hunger suppression. This means the more you are active, the less likely you will be thinking about the food. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise.
Just regular walking, cycling, weight lifting, or even housework will do. So it’s not only about burning calories. It’s more about keep moving in a way that you like and enjoy.
Related article: When To Workout On OMAD
OMAD Diet Rules
So once we covered what to eat, now I will give you some rules on how to eat. Because this can help you handle your hunger better, therefore be more consistent.
- Eat slowly
Eating slowly has been proven to impact our satiety signals. When we stretch out the meal time to 20 minutes we literally get fuller with less food.
- Eat when physically hungry
This means you want to start eating only when you feel like you’re really hungry. Sometimes people can easily disinterpret and consufe thier body hunger singlas with things like boredom or anxiety.
- Stop eating when no longer hungry.
This means you don’t want to eat until your belly explode. You want to stay aware of how you feel during your meals and stop eating when you’re satisfied, not full
For more information on how to eat on OMAD properly, check out my related article about sustainability.
Related article: Is OMAD Sustainable? [Easy Checklist]
In Conclusion
As you can see, it more of a preference, and remembering about basics than anything else. There is no secret sauce.
As long as you’re keeping in all the essential macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fat) at your plate, and you’re choosing the best quality foods, you’re fine. This way you can stay fit, healthy and forever young.
It doesn’t mean you cannot have any sweets or desserts. You can. But the majority of your meal shouldn’t come from the ice-cream tub, drive-thru, or take-away.