Is eating one meal a day an ideal way to lose weight? Nutritionists weigh in
Losing weight is a process that many people struggle to do, and many are resorting to unconventional ways in order to achieve their ideal body type.
For instance, Filipino fashion blogger and socialite Bryan Grey Yambao, popularly known as Bryanboy, recommended to his followers the one-meal-a-day (OMAD) diet plan, which is a type of intermittent fasting that involves eating one meal per day.
Also known as the 23:1 method, the way it works is that you eat all your food in a single meal every day within an hour and spend the rest of the time fasting. You must remember to eat your meal at the same time each day.
"One big meal a day (ikaw na bahala kung lunch or dinner basta OR, not BOTH) diet for thin legs 'yung recipe," Bryanboy said in his Facebook post. "Protein and vegetables and some rice. I alternate between meat and seafood. Vegetables very very important. Rice too!"
He claimed doing this for a few months would "guarantee you results."
Is eating one meal a day healthy?
While eating one meal a day has been proven to result in weight loss as it creates a calorie deficit, licensed nutritionist-dietitian Bea Recuerdo discouraged this method as it can do more harm than good for your body.
"Weight loss should never be the sole focus of a diet," she stressed in an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe. "Rather, a person's diet should be about nourishing the body, preserving muscle mass, and preventing long-term health issues. OMAD does not promote healthy eating habits but rather encourages an extreme approach to calorie restriction."
According to Recuerdo, while OMAD can indeed lead to weight loss, this is only short-term.
"This is mainly due to severe caloric restriction, which can happen even without fasting for 23 hours. However, it is neither sustainable nor nutritionally balanced," she said.
Some possible health complications that OMAD can cause include a weakened immune system, impaired bone health, and lower energy levels due to a lack of calories, macronutrients, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
"Extreme restriction can disrupt hunger cues, encourage binge eating, and foster an unhealthy relationship with food. While some studies suggest OMAD may improve fat oxidation, there are studies as well that link this diet to higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels, posing risks to cardiovascular health," Recuerdo explained.
This method may also result in muscle breakdown over time due to imbalanced nutrition and insufficient protein intake, which Recuerdo believed is "counterproductive to long-term health and metabolism."
These were echoed by fellow registered nutritionist-dietitian Justinne Go, who cautioned against following Bryanboy's suggestions as they "are not founded on scientific studies or medical journals and certainly not recommended by health professionals."
"There is no one-size-fits-all diet. Nutrition is highly individualized because it involves considering several factors that contribute to a person's health status," Go told L!fe.
"You cannot prescribe exactly the same diet even to two people who have the same goals. Eating once a day would make it difficult for one to reach caloric and nutrient needs especially if that person is physically active. It's not something I would recommend to clients," she said.
According to Go, the ideal diet is one that is "sustainable and nutritionally adequate."
What to do to lose weight in a healthy way
Recuerdo described OMAD as a "quick fix" for weight loss, which is why it became popular among those looking to get thin as "most of the people's goals are focused on the number on the scale and not their overall health."
If you're considering following this path, Recuerdo strongly advises consulting a dietitian.
"A dietitian would never recommend a "shortcut" to weight loss but instead prioritize a well-structured, balanced diet that includes regular meals, whole foods, and sustainable eating habits—the key to long-term health," she said.
Go meanwhile advised that if you want to lose weight, you should take into consideration all lifestyle factors such as sleep quality, stress management, regular movement, or exercise as these "all affect one's appetite and eating habits."
Some things you could do include focusing more on whole, real food over ultra-processed food, avoiding fried food and creamy sauces, making sure to have vegetables every meal, drinking at least two liters of water a day, and observing regular meal times to manage blood sugar and appetite and to prevent hyperacidity and ulcer.
Go also highlighted the importance of eating palm-sized protein every meal and choosing chicken or fish more often than red meat. You can also try having a plant-based meal or choosing plant-based protein such as tofu, monggo, green beans, garbanzos, and lentils to lower fat intake.
