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

Most people get the weight loss they want from a standard ketogenic diet; some try something stricter. “Speed Keto” or “Keto OMAD” combines keto with eating only one meal a day, and it is one of the most extreme versions of both.

Keto OMAD means eating a single low-carb, high-fat meal each day. Fans say it gets you into ketosis faster. Any weight loss still comes from eating fewer calories than you burn, and one meal a day makes that easier for some people and much harder for others.

What is OMAD?

OMAD stands for “one meal a day.” As the name suggests, you eat all your food in a single meal, usually within about an hour, and fast for the rest of the day. Read our full guide to the OMAD diet, or estimate your numbers with the OMAD calculator.

What is Keto OMAD?

Speed keto or keto OMAD follows the same food rules as a conventional ketogenic diet (high fat, moderate protein, very low carb), but squeezes them into one meal.

The goal is ketosis, a state in which the body burns more fat and makes ketones for fuel because carbohydrate is scarce. Most people follow it to lose weight.

Keto OMAD isn’t suitable for everyone. Talk to a healthcare professional before making a big change to your diet, especially if you take medication.

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 still limit fried and processed foods and junk food. Get most of your fat from foods like fatty fish, eggs, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

It is a High Protein Diet

A standard ketogenic diet keeps protein intake moderate rather than high. Your body can turn some protein into glucose, which is why very high-protein versions aren’t classic keto. Moderate protein is still important, especially when all of it has to fit into one meal.

Keto OMAD is Only For Meat Eaters

The keto diet often includes poultry, fish and meat, but vegetarians can do keto OMAD too, with eggs, full-fat dairy, tofu, nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and non-starchy vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini and spinach.

Is the Keto-OMAD Combo Safe?

For healthy adults, a short trial is unlikely to cause harm, but it is a hard way to eat. If you want to try it, start with the keto diet on its own for a few weeks, then shorten your eating window gradually, for example through a 16:8 schedule, before moving to one meal.

Skip it, or get medical advice first, if you have diabetes (especially if you take insulin or other glucose-lowering medication), are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, are underweight, or have a history of an eating disorder.

Benefits of Keto OMAD

Weight Loss

Eating fewer calories than you burn is what causes weight loss. OMAD can make that easier because there is only one meal to overeat at, and studies of intermittent fasting show weight loss similar to ordinary calorie cutting. [1] It doesn’t speed up your metabolism; the deficit does the work.

In the one controlled trial of a single daily meal without calorie cutting, healthy adults lost a little fat mass while their weight stayed about the same. [2]

Blood Sugar

Low-carb eating and weight loss both tend to lower blood sugar and insulin. That can help people with insulin resistance, but it is also a risk for anyone on diabetes medication, who can go too low. Anyone with diabetes should only try this with their doctor.

Less Time Cooking

One meal means one round of cooking and washing up. For people who don’t enjoy the kitchen, that is a real plus.

Disadvantages of Keto OMAD

• Hunger. In the controlled one-meal-a-day trial, people were significantly hungrier than on three meals. [2]
• Higher blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. The same trial found blood pressure and total and LDL cholesterol went up on one meal a day. A high-fat keto meal can raise LDL further in some people, so get your cholesterol checked if you stay on it. [2]
• Hard to get enough nutrients. Fitting a day’s protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals into one low-carb meal takes planning.
• Fatigue, headaches and poor focus, especially in the first weeks, and weaker workouts.
• Risk of binge eating. In adults with eating disorders, eating fewer meals a day was linked to more frequent binge eating. [3]

Keto OMAD Diet Tips

Plan the One Meal Properly

Your single meal has to cover a whole day’s needs, so plan it. Keto diets usually keep carbohydrate to about 20 to 50 grams a day. Set your protein with our protein calculator rather than a fixed number, and build the rest from fat and non-starchy vegetables. A keto calculator helps you split your macros.

Favor unsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish) over large amounts of butter, cream and fatty processed meat.

Stop If You Feel Unwell

Some first-timers feel nauseous, shaky or weak. If it doesn’t pass within a few days, stop. Pushing through dizziness or weakness isn’t worth it.

Get Your Calories Right

To lose weight, eat less than you burn. To keep your weight steady, eat about what you burn. Fitting a full day of food into one sitting is hard, which is partly why OMAD often leads to eating less. Our OMAD calculator estimates a target for your one meal.

Listen To Your Body

Not everyone will like OMAD. If you train hard, have a physically demanding job or are under a lot of stress, one meal may not be enough. Ongoing tiredness, weakness or poor sleep are signs you need to eat more often.

Foods That Are Best For Keto OMAD

Healthy Fats

• Olive oil
• Avocado and avocado oil
• Nuts and nut butters without added sugar
• Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and other seeds
• Salmon, sardines and other fatty fish
• Sesame oil for cooking

Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables fit keto best:

• Cabbage and turnip greens
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli and green beans
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Asparagus

Proteins

Include a good protein source in your meal. [4]

• Animal protein: poultry, meat, fish, eggs, cheese and Greek yogurt
• Plant protein: tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds

Beverages

During the fasting hours, stick to drinks without calories:

• Water, plain or with mint or a slice of lemon
• Black coffee
• Plain and herbal tea

With your meal, unsweetened almond or soy milk and bone broth also fit keto. Not sure if a drink breaks your fast? Check our what breaks a fast tool.

Foods To Avoid During Keto OMAD

These are too high in carbohydrate for keto:

Beans, Lentils and Grains

Beans, lentils, peas, oats, quinoa, barley, rice and bread are healthy foods on most diets, but they are too high in carbs for keto.

Potatoes and Other Starchy Vegetables

Potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn add carbs quickly.

Fries or Chips

They are high in carbs and give you little nutrition for a meal that has to cover the whole day.

Sugary Cereals and Baked Goods

Cereal, cake and pastries are mostly sugar and refined flour.

Sugary Drinks

Soda, juice and sweetened coffee drinks can use up a day’s carb allowance in one glass.

Highly Processed Foods

Packaged snacks and ready meals often hide sugar and starch.

Examples of Keto OMAD Meals

Here are some sample keto OMAD meals:

Eggs and Bacon

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup of cheddar cheese
• ½ an avocado, diced
• ¼ cup of finely sliced mushrooms
• ¼ small onion, diced
• ½ cup of baby spinach
• 3 thick slices of bacon
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

Directions

• Cook the bacon in a skillet until done, then set it aside.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and whisk.
• Cook the onion in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs and stir until they set. Stir in the spinach and cheese in the last minute, and serve with the bacon and avocado.

Bowl of Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1–2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup of sour cream
• 1 avocado
• 1 tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup of jalapeños, fresh or pickled
• 1 four-ounce can of green chilies
• 1 cup of cauliflower rice
• ¼ cup of red or green enchilada sauce (check the label for added sugar)

Directions

• Cook the chicken (a slow cooker makes it easy to shred), then shred it.
• Heat the chicken and enchilada sauce in a skillet with a pinch of salt until hot.
• Cook the cauliflower rice in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower rice, chicken, tomato, avocado, chilies, jalapeños, cheese and sour cream to a bowl.

Beef with Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 pound of flank steak, thinly sliced (¼ inch thick)
• 2 cups of chopped broccoli
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• ⅓ cup of soy sauce
• ½ cup of beef stock
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup of chopped green onion
• Cauliflower fried rice, to serve

Directions

• Cook the flank steak in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
• In the same pan, sauté the onion in a little more olive oil for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
• Add the broccoli, soy sauce and beef stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Stir the steak back in and top with green onion.
• Serve with cauliflower rice on the side.

Garlic Butter Salmon With Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ¼ cup of grated parmesan
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

• Heat the oven to 375°F.
• Mix the butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Place the salmon on a baking tray and spoon the garlic butter over it. Toss the broccoli in the olive oil and parmesan and spread it around the salmon.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Pork Chops With Non-Starchy Vegetables

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• 8 radishes, cut into quarters
• 1 cup of green beans, trimmed
• 1 medium onion, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)

Directions

• Heat the oven to 450°F and grease a baking dish. Mix the Italian seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Toss the radishes, green beans, onion and garlic with the oil and half the seasoning, and spread them in the dish.
• Roast for 20 minutes, then stir the vegetables, add the pork chops on top and sprinkle them with the rest of the seasoning.
• Roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.

Chicken Breast with Cauliflower Mash And Green Beans

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 cup of green beans
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Oregano, salt and pepper

Directions

• Cut the cauliflower into florets and boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until very soft. Drain, add 1 tablespoon of butter, the parmesan and garlic, and mash.
• Season the chicken with oregano, salt and pepper. Fry it in the olive oil and remaining butter over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes a side, until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes.
• Boil or steam the green beans for 4 to 5 minutes and serve with the chicken and mash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OMAD still effective without keto?

Yes. OMAD can help you lose weight on any diet, as long as your one meal keeps you below the calories you burn. Keto is an extra restriction some people like because it can reduce hunger; it isn’t required.

Is the keto OMAD diet good for underweight people?

No. People who are underweight, or who struggle to gain weight, shouldn’t try keto OMAD.

Is the OMAD diet safe if I have PCOS?

There is no good research on OMAD in PCOS. Weight loss often helps PCOS symptoms, but many people manage better with regular small meals. Talk to your doctor before trying it.

Final Thoughts

Keto OMAD can help some people lose weight because it makes eating less easier. It doesn’t burn fat by any special route, it raises hunger for many, and one meal a day raised blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in the only controlled trial. If you try it, plan your meal carefully, get your cholesterol checked, and stop if you feel unwell. A balanced diet with a modest calorie deficit works just as well for most people.

References

Fitness Volt is committed to providing our readers with science-based information. We use only credible and peer-reviewed sources to support the information we share in our articles.

1. Tinsley GM, La Bounty PM. Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans. Nutr Rev. 2015;73(10):661-674.
2. Stote KS, Baer DJ, Spears K, et al. A controlled trial of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction in healthy, normal-weight, middle-aged adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85(4):981-988.
3. Elran-Barak R, Sztainer M, Goldschmidt AB, et al. Dietary restriction behaviors and binge eating in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder: trans-diagnostic examination of the restraint model. Eat Behav. 2015;18:192-196.
4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Protein. The Nutrition Source.