The social media user explained just how difficult their diet was
A social media user has spoken about their journey trialing one meal a day and highlighted the benefits they found from doing so.
With many people focused on their health and weight, it can be a little bit difficult to know what diet is best for you.
And while there are many options available, some simply don’t seem to work for one reason or another.
Discussing one of the most popular – the one meal a day diet – a Reddit user revealed their strict diet plan and explained how well it worked for them.
Although it is easy to understand why most wouldn’t want to give it a go given the fact its well below the healthy amount of food you should be eating in a day.
Doctor switches to 80% ULTRA-processed food diet for 30 days
The person outlined the rules, stating that he went from intermittent fasting for six months to one meal a day, and of that one meal, they don’t have sugar, rice, bread, carbs, or junk food (what else is there?!).
Losing weight can prove to be difficult for many (Getty Stock Image)
They added that it was similar to a keto diet in that all of their carbs come from natural vegetables and fruits.
They explained: “I do coffee in the AM and some tea in the afternoon. I feel super hungry by about 6 but found that I really don’t eat much when I sit down. A few bites can hold me over until the next day.
“I did also did try a psuedo 48 hour run. ( had about 100 calories over 2 days). Not as hard as you think. I could probably make it 3. Eventually I want to get to a 48 hour fast a week, or even two. I found for me, getting started on the weekend was easiest.”
100 calories over two days is significantly below the healthy and recommended calorie intake for both men and women.
According to the Cleveland clinic, there can be slight fluctuation in how many calories should be consumed due to activity level and age, but it is genuinely recommended that a person under the age of 50 should consume 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day.
The Reddit user insisted that doing this allowed them to lose weight significantly and said it helped keep the process simple and focused.
The user insisted the one meal a day method helped them shed lots of weight (Getty Stock Image)
A simulation showcasing how the body behaves without food has shown that without intake (food) the body can quickly start to shed weight and burn through fat for energy.
They added: “For me it is for weight loss. Regardless of what anyone tells you,. Everything is about reducing calories. You don’t need an app, special diet plan, etc I am down 35 lbs. Still have 80 to go but it no longer seems impossible. Basically, you just need to reprogram your brain to not use food as reward, pleasure, etc. It is simply a fuel to keep going.”
But before you go and give any old diet a go, it is probably best to speak to a healthcare professional and let them know your goals and intentions.
OMAD is a pretty intense commitment, yet there’s no strong scientific consensus that eating one meal a day leads to better long-term weight control compared to more balanced approaches.Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Westend61
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, News, Reddit
Published 18:55 26 May 2025 GMT+1
Experts explain what happens to your body when you eat one meal a day after shocking simulation shows physical change
Is it simply too good to be true?
Fad diets are nothing new, but some take things to the extreme.
These days, with weight loss drugs like Wegovy grabbing headlines and more people laser-focused on health and body goals, the conversation around how we eat is shifting fast.
Sure, you’ve got your usual suspects like WeightWatchers or the ever-trendy keto diet. But for some, those options just don’t cut it. So, they’re turning to more drastic measures to drop pounds – and fast.
Take, for example, this jaw-dropping simulator that shows what happens to your body when you go without food for 36 straight hours.
Then there’s OMAD, short for the ‘One Meal A Day’ diet.
It’s a slightly less-extreme – but still pretty hardcore – method people are using to try and hack their way to weight loss.
But does it actually work? And is it worth the hunger pangs?
What does OMAD do to your body?
OMAD could deliver results – but is it worth the risks? (Olha Danylenko/Getty Images)
While OMAD is definitely not a magic solution, early research suggests it could help some people reach their weight loss goals.
It’s part of a broader category of intermittent fasting, which has shown promise in helping people lose around seven to 11 pounds over the course of 10 weeks, as per WebMD.
Fat loss and metabolism
OMAD does have its potential benefits, including fat loss. In some studies, participants who tried eating just one meal a day ended up with lower levels of total body fat, even if they didn’t see major changes in overall weight, WebMD reports.
There’s also evidence that time-restricted eating – similar to OMAD, but not as strict – can improve metabolism.
For example, men with obesity and prediabetes who followed a six-hour eating window and fasted the rest of the day saw improvements in their blood sugar levels.
However, since they weren’t doing strict OMAD, we can’t say for sure the same effects would happen with just one meal a day.
Your brain
You, after eating only one meal day, apparently… (Getty Images)
Another interesting potential perk? Mental clarity.
Fasting during daylight hours may boost a brain chemical called orexin-A, which can make you feel more alert and focused.
Which is surprising, considering how cracky I get when I miss just one meal a day.
That said, this benefit isn’t specific to OMAD, but it depends on when you choose to eat.
In fact, research suggests that eating earlier in the day and fasting overnight might be more effective for weight loss than eating your one meal at night, though OMAD itself doesn’t prescribe a specific time for eating.
Blood pressure
Unsurprisingly, OMAD carries a number of potentially dangerous health risks.
Eating only once a day has been linked to higher blood pressure and cholesterol, which leads to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
In one study, healthy adults who switched to OMAD saw both these levels rise – not exactly ideal if you’re already keeping an eye on heart health.
Blood sugar
OMAD can interfere with blood sugar levels (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Timing matters, too. Some versions of OMAD have people eating their one meal between 4pm and 8pm – and that late-night feast could spike your blood sugar.
Participants in those studies woke up with elevated morning blood sugar, and their bodies struggled to handle the sugar load.
Fasting in general raises your risk for hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar. That’s not something to mess around with, especially not if you’re at risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Hunger levels
On top of that, eating just once a day can increase levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, making you feel even hungrier than you would on a typical calorie-cutting plan.
Results aren’t guaranteed
OMAD is a pretty intense commitment, yet there’s no strong scientific consensus that eating one meal a day leads to better long-term weight control compared to more balanced approaches.
Whether or not it works may depend heavily on how your body handles such a restrictive eating pattern.
It’s also not easy to stick with. Studies show that intermittent fasting plans like OMAD have a dropout rate as high as 65 percent, which suggests many people find it too hard to maintain.Featured Image Credit: Carol Yepes/Getty Images
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Science
Updated 16:47 22 May 2025 GMT+1Published 15:20 22 May 2025 GMT+1
Exactly what happens to your body when you fast for 36 hours as shocking simulation reveals extreme impact
The body goes through quite a few changes within just a few hours of fasting
A simulation has shown how your body gets to work when you go 36 hours without eating, and the results are surprising.
When it comes to eating healthy and having a balanced lifestyle, people have a whole lot of opinions. And one of those common opinions is of the benefits of intermittent fasting, which is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.
But what actually happens to your body during that period?
Well, a YouTube video has shown how the body tends to respond to no longer getting any sustenance.
The 55 second video, posted on the platform by the Wellness Wise channel on May 6, has many users praising the effectiveness of fasting and the benefits they have seen from doing it.
Fasting can have a surprising impact on your body in just a few hours (Getty Stock Image)
According to the video, after four hours your body stops digesting food, insulin drops and it starts burning stored sugar for energy.
After eight hours a person’s blood sugar levels begin to drop and the body begins using stored glycogen for energy.
It is at about 12 hours that fat burning begins to take place and the body starts to shift into ketosis. This pretty much just means the body is burning fat for energy instead of glucose.
This can result in weight loss, so now you understand the basic appeal of the method for losing weight.
At around 16 hours the body starts breaking down damaged cells and toxins for recycling, this phase is known as autophagy.
At 24 hours the body is fully in ‘fat burning mode’, according to the video and at this point the body can reduce inflamation and increase insulin sensitivity.Play
At 30 hours growth hormones inside the body begin to spike and this is believed to help preserve muscle and promote fat loss.
And finally at 36 hours the body is at maximum autophagy where your body regenerates tissues and boosts your metabolism.
Amazingly, this ‘body reset’ can be extended to 72 hours, however it will prove more difficult.
Johns Hopkins medicine has outlined some of the benefits of intermittent fasting while there remains some debate as to whether fasting is good for the body.
They noted that some of the benefits research has concluded can be gained included:
- Improved thinking and memory
- improved heart health,
- improved physical performance,
- helped prevent obesity
- improved tissue health
There remains a debate between scientists on the benefits of intermittent fasting (Getty Stock Image)
Despite these potential benefits, there are also common negative side effects that can occur when it comes to fasting.
While severity may vary, the side effects can include:
- Excessive hunger pangs
- Fatigue and low energy
- Headaches (ranging from mild to severe)
- Dizziness
- Digestive issues (e.g., constipation and bloating)
- Irritability and other mood changes
- Bad breath
- Sleep disturbances
- Dehydration
- Polyuria (excessive urination)
- Potential impacts on reproductive health
- Nutrient deficiencies and malnutrition
So before you give long intermittent fasting a go, probably best to speak to your healthcare professional for advice.Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Wellness Wise
Topics: Health, News, Food and Drink
Published 14:11 24 May 2025 GMT+1
Experts issue warning about dry fasting as simulation shows what happens to your organs when you fast for 36 hours
Medics have warned of the extreme health implications of ‘dry fasting’
An expert has issued a warning over dry fasting and why it’s best to avoid it if possible.
Fasting refers to refraining from eating for a set period of time, but recently, more and more people have been opting to ‘dry fast’ which means no food or liquids of any kind, not even water.
There are some reported health benefits, including reduced inflammation, increased skin health and weight loss, however research into these is somewhat limited.
While people decide to fast for various reasons, including religious observances, to promote weight loss, and even to improve cognitive function, some experts have spoken out on ‘dry fasting’ and the associated dangers if it’s practiced for too long.
Experts have issued a warning over dry fasting (Getty Stock Photo)
Registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, spoke to Cleveland Clinic about dry fasting, explaining that if you’re opting to dry fast as a means of improving your health, it may not be as effective as you think.
“There’s just not a lot of data on it,” she said.
“There are some studies with people who are following Ramadan fasts, but when it comes to the general public, there’s not a lot of good data.
“Dry fasting can lead to dehydration, kidney issues and cause other symptoms that aren’t worth the risk.
“With other forms of fasting, you can get the benefits of fasting without dehydrating yourselves.”
But that’s not all.
Dry fasting means no water, either (Getty Stock Photo)
Zumpano explained that there are some concerning risks, adding: “Dry fasting can also cause, urinary, kidney and lungs issues, as well as nutritional deficiencies and eating disorders.”
There are other symptoms, too, including fatigue; irritability; headaches; lack of focus; decreased urination and constipation.
A simulation has revealed what actually happens to your body during a 36-hour dry fast, and it’s pretty alarming.
What happens to your body during a 36-hour fast?
Four hours
In a 55-second video, posted to YouTube by Wellness Wise on May 6, it’s revealed that after four hours of fasting, your body stops digesting food.
According to popular practitioner Doctor Kiltz, this is what is known as the ‘catabolic phase’.
On his website, he says this period is ‘characterized by the breakdown of larger molecules of stored energy into smaller energy molecules which are mobilized to fuel your cells’.
Eight hours
This is the time when sugar starts to drop in your blood and your body begins to use stored glycogen for energy instead of relying on new fuel coming in.
12 hours
After 12 hours, your body is depleted of glucose, causing your liver to start breaking down fat into fatty acids called ketones.
This process of turning ketones into food is known as ‘metabolic switching’ and, according to the BBC, is the reason why fasting can lead to weight loss.
16 hours
A cellular process known as autophagy takes place after 16 hours of going without food.
As per the Cleveland Clinic, this allows a cell to disassemble its junk parts and repurpose the salvageable bits and pieces into new, usable cell parts.Play
24 hours
A full day without food is a pretty long time for most, but this 24-hour mark is where major cellular repair takes place in the human body.
According to the YouTube video, which has been viewed more than eight million times, your body is fully in fat-burning mode, reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity.
30 hours
The growth hormone spikes 30 hours after fasting, which reportedly helps to preserve muscle and promote fat loss.
36 hours
If you fast for 36 hours then you’ve reached the stage of maximum autophagy where your body allegedly regenerates tissues and boosts your metabolism.Featured Image Credit: YouTube/wellneswise4
Topics: Health, Food and Drink
Updated 12:37 21 May 2025 GMT+1Published 19:45 20 May 2025 GMT+1
Ingredient found in Ziploc freezer bags could have harmful effects on body, shocking new lawsuit claims
A Ziploc spokesperson has stated its products are ‘safe when used as directed and that the lawsuit is without merit’
The company behind Ziploc has responded to a lawsuit alleging several items marketed as being safe to freeze and microwave don’t adequately ‘warn’ about the potential dangers of doing so.
On April 25, a class-action lawsuit was filed against SC Johnson & Son, Inc – the makers of Ziploc – by California resident Linda Cheslow and proposes the class consists of 100 or more members.
The lawsuit accuses SC Johnson of ‘violation of unfair competition law, violation of false advertising law, violation of consumers’ legal remedies act’ and ‘unjust enrichment’.
To put it more simply, the lawsuit claims certain Ziploc products marketed as safe to put in the microwave or freezer, ultimately, aren’t.
The suit alleges when frozen or microwaved, some of Ziploc’s products actually release microplastics which could pose a threat to consumers’ health and so are ‘fundamentally unfit’ to be used as advertised.
However, SC Johnson has since spoken out denying the lawsuits claims as being ‘without merit’.
Ziploc has found itself drawn into a lawsuit (Ziploc)
What are microplastics?
The lawsuit claims various Ziploc ‘bags and containers’ are marketed as ‘Microwave safe’ and suitable for ‘Freezer use’ when ‘in reality’, the products contain ‘polyethylene and polypropylene’ which, when microwaved and frozen, ‘release microplastics’.
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles and there’s been growing concern as to the potential effects they may have on not only the environment and animals but humans too.
“Some products release as many as 4.22 million microplastic and 2.11 billion nanoplastic particles from only one square centimeter of plastic area within three minutes of microwave heating,” the lawsuit alleges.
And when it comes to freezing? Well, it continues: “Freezing temperatures can alter the physical properties of plastic, making it brittle and more prone to fragmentation.
“This weakened structure increases Products’ susceptibility to further degradation, especially when subjected to reheating in a microwave. […] Freezing exacerbates this issue, and when combined with reheating—particularly microwaving, which has been shown to release the highest levels of microplastics—these risks are further amplified. “
But what are the specific concerns when it comes to microplastics?
There are concerns over how microplastics can impact our health (Getty Stock Images)
Why microplastics may pose a threat to our healths
PennState Institute of Energy and the Environment states: “Microplastics in the blood vessels have raised concerns, which include increased risk of heart attack, strokes, inflammation, and blood clotting.
“The chemicals in microplastics have been linked to various health issues, including cancer, immune system damage, reproductive problems, and developmental delays.”
The lawsuit subsequently resolves Ziploc products that allegedly contain such microplastics are ‘fundamentally unfit for microwave and freezer use’ and subsequently their marketing is a ‘misrepresentation’.
Not only this but it argues because of this, ‘individuals have unwittingly exposed themselves and their families to undisclosed microplastics during routine kitchen practices,’ as a result of Ziploc allegedly not providing a ‘warning’ about such a risk ‘despite its knowledge of this fact’.
“Defendant has compromised its Products’ integrity for profit and to gain an unfair competitive edge in the marketplace,” it adds.
But which products are supposedly being falsely advertised and are allegedly potentially dangerous?
A spokesperson from SC Johnson said the lawsuit is ‘without merit’ (Ziploc)
The products mentioned in the lawsuit
While noting these aren’t the only ones which allegedly risk being contaminated with microplastics, the suits lists the following Ziploc products:
- Ziploc Freezer Bags Pint/Small
- Ziploc Freezer Bags Quart/Medium
- Ziploc Freezer Bags Gallon/Large
- Ziploc Slider Freezer Bags Quart/Medium
- Ziploc Slider Freezer Gallon/Large Bags
- Ziploc Slider Storage Bags Quart/Medium
- Ziploc Slider Storage Bags Gallon/Large
- Ziploc Container
However, SC Johnson has since responded to the lawsuit, providing a statement to Women’s Health.
The lawsuit lists several Ziploc items (Ziploc)
SC Johnson’s response to the Ziploc lawsuit accusations
Online, the company doesn’t specify in great detail what its bags and ‘Endurables’ line are made of, but it does note they’re made without BPA or phthalates.
A spokesperson for SC Johnson told UNILAD: “We believe Ziploc products are safe when used as directed and that the lawsuit is without merit.
Microplastics have unfortunately become pervasive in our environment — in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe, and they come from many sources.
“For families concerned about these issues, we share the concern and have been working for years to raise awareness, push for global plastic regulation, and invest in smarter solutions.”Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Kevin Carter
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, US News
