Hi everyone, Since I completed my 7 days water fast, I going on a 20/4 fast (a snack and a meal) and I was wondering how to manage the calorie intake during the 4 hours window. Should I look after taking all the calories my metabolism requests (ie 1700 cal) but that’s a lot in one meal 😅 I’m pretty scared that if I lower my intakes my metabolism will slow down and I will not benefit from the 20/4 fast. If those of you on a 20/4 or OMAD fast would be kind enough to share their experience. How do you manage your food intake in the 4 hours window? Is your intake as high as your metabolism requests? What’s your topical meal composition?
Thank you fasters from all over the world 🙏
The way I think about my OMAD is breaking it into different parts of appetizer (vegetables: fat and fiber), meal (meat: fat and protein), dessert (probiotics, healthy fats), and a protein drink. My TDEE is 2300 calories, but I usually only eat 1500 - 2000. I focus more on meeting the macros required to reach my desired body composition, and the calories naturally add up to keep me feeling full and nourished. And since I prefer a solid routine and not having to make too many choices when it comes to food prep, I’ve found a couple simple meals that meets all my nutritional requirements and more or less eat the same thing every day.
Here’s an example of my last week’s OMAD:
Appetizer: 1 bell pepper, 9 asparagus, 6 tablespoon guacamole
Meal: 6oz ground beef, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Dessert: 3/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoon almond butter
Drink: 1 cup almond milk + 1 scoop whey
~1700 calories, 16g carbs, 125g protein, 118g fat
Omad mon-fri, two meals on the weekend. Small portions, balanced nutritious, mainly unprocessed meals. Calories I don’t track at all, but significantly less than maintenance for myself.
But that’s the point, I’m down 12kg.
I kinda do a mixture of several of the folks above but I also weigh out all of my food and record the calories. I found after doing this a while I was likely not eating enough. I try to keep my average calories per day for the week around 2200. I might be zero one day. 1600 another., 2500, 1200, and then 3200. I’m not strictly omad. I’ll do one or two days of omad a week mixed with 18/6 and 16/8.
I feel like keeping things varied keeps my body from getting into a pattern that could more quickly lead to plateaus. So far so good.
5eggs pasture raised with 450g of ground beef after 7 days of fasting, then I hit the gym at 1am in the morning because It’s so empty at this hour , then a yogurt without any sugar I prefer siggi’s , after that I start fasting again.
At first I ate till my tummy felt like bursting.
Over time went thru changes. Started eating healthy and slowed down how fast I eat.
I slurp down a liter of electrolytes or broth while I cook my protein and veggies. If i don’t drink broth or electrolytes I eat too fast and get overly full.
I don’t seem to have a stop indicator for eating until I’m over full. So I have to manage for that missing piece by drinking more.
When I started I ate between 2400 and 3200 calories day. Now 1200 to 1600.
Eat for the body you have now not the body you want. As you lose weight your body will need and crave fewer calories….
FYI I slurp electrolytes the same way I use to slurp beer… somethings just don’t change 🤣🤣🤣