Keto OMAD: Meaning, Myths, Benefits, Tips, and Recipes

Most get the desired weight-loss benefits from conventional ketogenic diets; some, however, require more drastic measures. “Speed Keto” or “Keto OMAD” is an extreme weight loss method rising in popularity.

Keto OMAD includes eating a single ketogenic meal per day. Because it facilitates a more rapid transition into ketosis, speed keto expedites the fat-burning effects of the standard ketogenic diet.

What is OMAD?

OMAD stands for “one meal a day.” As the name suggests, this meal plan includes eating just one meal a day.

What is Keto OMAD?

Speed keto or keto OMAD involves eating a high-fat, low-carb diet and is followed just like a conventional ketogenic diet.

The goal of the keto OMAD diet is to enter ketosis, in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of glycogen. Some people follow this diet for weight loss, while others may do it for other health reasons, such as to improve blood sugar levels or to reduce the risk of certain diseases.

Notably, the keto OMAD diet may not be suitable for everyone, and it is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.

What Are The Myths About Keto OMAD?

Below are a few myths about keto OMAD:

Any Type of Fat is Fine

On the speed keto diet, you should avoid fried and processed foods, vegetable oils, and junk food. Eat healthy fats, such as those in fatty fish, eggs, lean meat, avocados, and ghee.

It is a High Protein Diet

On a standard ketogenic diet, protein intake is usually kept at a moderate level, as consuming too much protein can interfere with ketosis. High protein intake will stop ketosis as it releases glucose when protein breakdown occurs in your body. The source of energy will shift from fat to glucose.

Keto OMAD is Only For Vegetarians

The keto diet can involve poultry, fish, and meat consumption. On the other hand, vegetarians can do keto OMAD by eating ghee, nuts, full-fat dairy products, avocados, coconut oil, and non-starchy vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, and spinach.

Is the Keto-OMAD Combo Safe?

If you are already practicing fasting, it’s easier to switch to keto OMAD since your body is used to eating at specific intervals.

It’s recommended to attempt OMAD after following the keto diet for a few weeks and acclimatizing to fasting.

Health Benefits of Keto OMAD

Health benefits of keto OMAD include: 

Weight Loss

Eating less is the best method to lose weight. It kickstarts your metabolism, so the body burns more fat. [1]

Healthy Gut

One of the best methods to promote gut health is to give the digestive system a break. The OMAD diet helps with digestive issues such as IBS, Chron’s disease, and SIBO.

Maintains Cholesterol

Keto OMAD helps individuals maintain their cholesterol levels and improve their lipid profiles. [2]

Controls Blood Sugar 

A decrease in insulin levels and an improvement in insulin sensitivity occur during fasting. Your blood sugar levels improve as a consequence. Medically supervised fasting can assist patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes maintain normal blood sugar levels. OMAD is something to consider if you have a family history of the disease.

Prevents Various Cancers 

The risk of developing certain malignancies may decrease if you follow this diet. A ketogenic diet might enhance the response to cancer treatment involving conventional chemo and radiation therapies. [3]

Supports Brain Functioning

The OMAD ketogenic diet produces ketones, which help prevent neurological damage. This diet helps build and repair nerve and brain cells. You can also lessen your vulnerability to illnesses like Alzheimer’s because ketone bodies enhance brain energy metabolism. [4]

Reduces Acne

Acne may have several causes. Hormonal shifts, extreme stress, certain drugs, creatine, or an unhealthy diet can cause acne. If you are prone to acne, the OMAD keto diet may help.

Anti-inflammatory

Fasting reduces inflammation. Fasting for more than 24 hours minimizes oxidative stress and protects your body cells. OMAD fasting promotes cellular renewal with nutrient deficiency for a certain period.

Regulates Heart Health 

Cardiovascular diseases can cause multiple metabolic syndromes. High blood sugar, low HDL levels (good cholesterol), a high body mass index (BMI), and hypertension pose heart risks. You can lose weight and maintain your heart health with keto OMAD fasting.

Other Benefits

Everyone might not enjoy cooking and prefer to spend less time in the kitchen. One advantage of the OMAD diet is that you can prepare a delicious dinner once and minimize the time spent in the kitchen.

Disadvantages of Keto OMAD

When you adhere to the keto OMAD diet for an extended period or don’t follow the keto OMAD diet principles, you might expose yourself to the following:

• Increased hunger and cravings 
• Difficulty in concentration
• Fatigue
• Impaired growth 
• Headaches
• Low blood sugar 
• Nausea
• Feeling cold
• Deficiency of vitamins
• Difficulty in workout  

According to certain studies, those who eat restrictively run a higher risk of binge eating. [5]

Keto OMAD Diet Tips

There are specific rules that need to be followed for the keto OMAD diet.

Follow Your Eating Schedule Properly

Your new, restricted eating schedule makes it critical to meet your nutritional requirements. You should get your daily nutrition from different food sources. You can lose more weight than usual if you plan your meals well.

You should include the ideal amount of protein, fat, and carbs in your meals. As per experts, your carbohydrate intake should typically range from 20 to 50 grams per day, and your protein intake should be around 60 grams per day on a keto OMAD diet. 

An average male should not consume more than 30 grams of saturated fats, and females should not consume more than 20 grams daily. Trans fats are worse and should be limited to 5 grams daily. Consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is good. For an average 2,000-calorie diet, stay under 50 grams of unsaturated fat. 

Stop If You Feel Weak

It is common for first-timers to feel nauseous with keto OMAD fasting. However, if you continue to feel this way, you should stop the diet immediately. Even though you feel somewhat ill, pushing through might worsen the situation.

Determine Your Daily Calories

You should stick with your regular eating habits when trying to lose weight. If you typically eat 2,000 calories daily, you can consume that many calories in one go. However, ensure this doesn’t leave you feeling uncomfortable.

Listen To Your Body

Not everyone will like OMAD. If you have a rapid metabolism, routinely engage in strenuous physical activity, or experience high levels of mental stress, extreme fasting may not be for you. Slowness, weakness, and persistent fatigue might signal that you need more than one meal to meet your body’s nutritional demands.

Prepare Your Meals Wholeheartedly

It’s vital to create nutritious meals. A keto calculator may help you keep track of your macros.

Foods That Are Best For Keto OMAD

The ketogenic OMAD diet has several benefits. Include these foods in your keto diet:

Unsaturated Fats

Your dietician could advise you to consume good unsaturated fats with OMAD keto meals. You may obtain these unsaturated fats from:

• Oil from sesame seeds
• Avocado and avocado oil
• Cannabidiol (CBD) oil from hemp
• Almond butter, peanut butter, and other nut-based spreads
• Olive oil
• Salmon and other fatty fish oil
• Pumpkin seeds and different types of seeds

Vegetables

Below are some vegetable suggestions for a keto OMAD diet:

• Greens of the cabbage turnip
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli with green beans
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Asparagus

Proteins

The muscle-building benefits of the keto OMAD diet can only be realized by including protein-rich sources. There are two broad types of protein that you can include in your diet. [6]

• Animal Protein: Poultry, meat, fish, egg, and dairy sources like milk and cheese
• Plant Protein: Legumes, nuts, and soy

Supplementing keto OMAD with protein sources will vary per individual requirements. Some of these protein sources are high in fat, which some people should avoid. Therefore, it is recommended that you discuss your protein intake with your dietitian.

Beverages

Water isn’t the sole beverage option in the ketogenic diet. Your nutritionist may suggest the following beverages: 

• Herbal brews
• Bone broth 
• Unsweetened almond or soy milk
• Water flavored with mint and citrus segments.

Pulses and Complete Grains

You should stock up on whole grains and legumes. These can include:

• Beans
• Lentils
• Peas
• Quinoa
• Oats
• Barley
• Toasted sweet potatoes

Foods To Avoid During Keto OMAD

You should avoid certain foods in a keto OMAD diet, including:

Fries or Chips

After fasting, foods like fries and chips will not satisfy your hunger and may increase it. Additionally, they provide very few, if any, nutritional benefits.

Sugary Cereals

Avoid sweetened cereals with carbohydrates on an OMAD diet. 

White Bread and Pasta

You may not enter ketosis if you exceed your carbohydrate limit by eating refined high-carb meals like white bread, pasta, rice, and pastries. 

Sugary Baked Products

Avoid bakery products like cake, pastries, etc., that are high in sugar since they add unnecessary calories to your diet. 

Sweetened Beverages

Artificially sweetened drinks should be avoided because of their high carb and low nutritional content when following a ketogenic diet.

Processed Foods

Consuming processed foods might induce inflammation.

Examples of Keto OMAD Meals

Here are some sample OMAD keto meals with their recipes:

Eggs and Bacon

Ingredients

• 3 Eggs
• ¼ cup of cheddar cheese
• ½ of an avocado, diced
• ¼  cup of finely sliced mushrooms
• ½  cup of baby spinach
• Triple bacon thickness 

Directions

• Bacon should be cooked thoroughly in a skillet and then left aside.
• Crack eggs into a separate dish or container, season with salt and pepper, and mix.
• Put the onion in the oil and cook it for 5 minutes over medium heat. After that, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. 
• Eggs should be added and cooked while being stirred constantly. Add spinach and cheese to the eggs in the last minutes of cooking.

Bowl of Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients 

• 1–2 chicken breasts
• A cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of sour cream
• One avocado
• A single tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup of jalapenos, fresh or pickled
• Green chilies, one four-ounce can
• Rice 
• ¼ cup enchilada sauce, either red or green

Directions

• After cooking chicken (we recommend using a slow cooker since this makes shredding the meat much simpler), shred the meat.
• Place chicken and enchilada sauce in a skillet, season with salt, and allow to boil until the sauce is hot.
• Cauliflower rice should be cooked in a skillet with little olive oil over medium heat. Hold off eating for 5-10 minutes until it cooks.
• Place the cauliflower rice, chicken, tomato, avocado, onion, chilies, jalapenos, cheese, and sour cream in a bowl and mix well. Put on as many condiments as you want.

Beef with Veggies

Ingredients

• Thinly sliced (1/4-inch-thick) one pound of flank steak
• Cups of chopped broccoli
• One small yellow onion, diced
• ⅓ cup of soy sauce
• Half a cup of beef stock
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger minced
• Three minced garlic cloves
• ¼ cup of chopped green onion
• Cauliflower fried rice

Directions

• Flank steak should be cooked in olive oil over medium heat. Set aside after cooking for approximately 5 minutes or until it has a light brown color.
• The same pan may be used to sauté chopped onions for 5-10 minutes in more olive oil. After around 5 minutes, the garlic and ginger should be aromatic and ready to be added.
• Cook veggies in soy sauce and beef broth until the sauce begins to boil. Cook the sauce for approximately 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly.
• Stir the steak into the pan. Mix with some minced green onion.
• Cauliflower rice may be served on the side. 

Garlic Butter Salmon With Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

• ½ Cup Melted Butter
• 3 cloves
• Lemon Juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Florets of broccoli 
• Olive oil 
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan 
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

• Set oven temperature to 375o Fahrenheit.
• Butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper should all be combined in one dish.
• Spread the marinade out equally over a pan of salmon fillets.
• Toast for 18 minutes.
• Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top.

Pork Chops With Non-Starchy Vegetables

Ingredients 

• Half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• 8 tiny, fresh red potatoes; peel and cut into fourths 
• Carrots, baby-cut and ready to eat
• Onion, Cut Into 8 Pieces Medium
• Large garlic clove, peeled and coarsely chopped 
• 1-tablespoon olive oil
• Four lean, 4-ounce pork loin chops without bones

Directions

• The oven temperature should be set at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Get out a pan and coat it with cooking spray. Combine salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a little bowl.
• Combine potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients in a bowl with the oil and half of the herb mixture. Centralize in the baking dish.
• Leave for 20 minutes in the oven, then toss the veggies. Top the pork chops with the leftover herb mixture — wrap veggies in pork chops and bake. Vegetables and pork should be cooked through and no longer pink in the middle after 15-20 minutes in the oven.

Chicken Breast with Cauliflower Mash And Green Beans

Ingredients

• Roasted cauliflower 
• Green beans
• Cheese
• Basil
• Tomato
• Parmesan
• Filled chicken breasts 
• Butter
• Garlic 
• Salt 
• Oregano 
• Pepper

Directions

• Simmer some water in a big, deep frying pan (for poaching the chicken). Start boiling water in a second big pot. Chop the parmesan. Pound the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap.
• To surround the stuffing, roll the chicken breasts in a widthwise direction. Put the chicken breasts in their wrappings into the pan with the water and bring to a low simmer. Put in a pot of water and poach for 12 minutes or until the food is fully cooked.
• As you wait, trim the green beans and separate the cauliflower into little florets. Simmer it in a big pot of boiling water for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is extremely soft.
• Put the cauliflower back into the now-empty pot. Substitute 20g of butter and mash until nearly smooth.
• Melt 40 grams of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat. To prepare the chicken, remove it from its packaging and dry it with a paper towel. Fry up some chicken now. Rest it out for 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OMAD fasting still effective without keto?

Yes, OMAD can help you lose weight even without a keto diet, but following a ketogenic diet while fasting helps in long-term fat adaptation, which makes your body use fat for fuel. Plus, it reduces feelings of hunger, increases energy levels, and may lead to better sleep.

Is the Keto OMAD diet good for underweight people?

People who are underweight and find it challenging to gain weight shouldn’t try the keto OMAD diet.

Is the OMAD diet safe if I have PCOS?

It is highly recommended that people with PCOS eat many small meals daily to avoid difficulties, so following an OMAD diet is unsafe. 

Final Thoughts

Keto OMAD certainly has weight loss benefits. However, it also has several drawbacks.

Even if you don’t experience any apparent adverse effects from following the keto OMAD diet, it might be harmful to your health in the long run, so it should be followed under a healthcare expert’s supervision. Healthily losing weight involves eating a balanced diet while watching the calories consumed.

References

1. Tinsley, Grant M., and Paul M. La Bounty. “Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Body Composition and Clinical Health Markers in Humans.” OUP Academic, 1 Oct. 2015, academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/73/10/661/1849182.
2. Mohajeri, Fateme Akrami, et al. “Dose Ramadan Fasting Affects Inflammatory Responses: Evidences for Modulatory Roles of This Unique Nutritional Status via Chemokine Network.” PubMed Central (PMC), www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3933797. Accessed 2 Jan. 2023.
3. Jensen, Nicole Jacqueline, et al. “Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases.” PubMed Central (PMC), 20 Nov. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7699472.
4. Tan-Shalaby, Jocelyn. “Ketogenic Diets and Cancer: Emerging Evidence.” PubMed Central (PMC), www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6375425. Accessed 27 Dec. 2022.
5. “Dietary Restriction Behaviors and Binge Eating in Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder: Trans-diagnostic Examination of the Restraint Model – PubMed.” PubMed, 1 Aug. 2015, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26122390.
6. “Protein.” The Nutrition Source, 18 Sept. 2012, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein.

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