A man lifting weights

One meal a day (OMAD) involves reducing the meals you consume in a day to just one meal only. It is a very ideal way to lose weight if you stick to it consistently and take a balanced diet. This is an extreme form of intermittent fasting and one is supposed to take a well-balanced meal to provide them with enough energy for the rest of the day.

Yes, you can lift weights while on OMAD. Lifting weights helps you to quicken fat burning and suppression of appetite. Also, exercising daily by lifting weight or strength training during the OMAD  plan, leads to you utilizing a higher amount of energy and maintaining body muscle mass. This is because, when you lift weights, an adaptation of metabolic processes is created and the body stops utilizing glucose and shifts to using fats to generate energy which is very vital when weight lifting.

While on OMAD, it is advised that you weight lifts during the morning hours or in the early afternoon. This might be a bit tricky for those people with crazy working shifts and who end up lifting weights at night, this should be well and carefully planned while on OMAD. It is said that if you weightlift too early in the morning then expect to have a drop in energy for the entire day. On the other hand, if you lift weight too late, you may experience a reduction in your performance and this may affect your consistency.

Some research shows that, while on OMAD and lifting weights, you will lose weight but it is not ideal since depending on different people, one might not build muscles as expected. Therefore, if you decide to go this way, make sure you are on an ideal diet.

RELATED POST: CAN YOU LIFT WEIGHTS ON A CALORIE DEFICIT?

CAN YOU GAIN MUSCLES ON OMAD?

In general, you can gain muscles on OMAD though the results won’t be as satisfying as when you are on other plans of weight loss like intermittent fasting. This is because one consumes fewer calories while on OMAD hence making it difficult to reach optimum levels of muscle gain.

For increased muscle growth, one needs to take proteins as the main part of the meal and this should start by having your priorities in place and training hard.  Some research shows that one can build muscles while at the same time losing weight.

WILL I LOSE MUSCLES ON OMAD?

When on OMAD, you will not lose muscles if you take enough proteins while in a calorie deficit. This is because calorie deficit brings about the synthesis of muscle proteins which is very vital in maintaining and building body muscle mass.

In general, loss of muscles takes place as aging comes in, this can however be altered when one helps their body to remain strong. You will not be able to lose weight while on OMAD if you consume plenty of proteins in your diet on a daily basis and ensure to lift weights at least 3-4 times a week.

DOES OMAD CAUSE MUSCLE LOSS?

One meal a day does not cause muscle loss as long as you consume enough proteins when in a calorie deficit. You will only lose muscles during a calorie deficit while on OMAD  if you don’t take enough proteins. This is very significant when it comes to either muscle gain or loss because taking enough proteins will stimulate the synthesis of muscle proteins which in turn leads to maintaining and generating body muscle mass.

In addition, you will lose muscles if you are on OMAD and not weight lifting, it is very important that you combine the two for maximum results. Our bodies are mainly plastic and have very flexible systems that said, the body will adapt to changing specific stimulants.

CAN I BUILD MUSCLES ON OMAD KETO?

When it comes to OMAD and Keto diets, one is able to build muscles theoretically but this will be difficult in getting plenty of proteins and calories to fuel the growth of muscles, especially on OMAD. A good example is bodybuilders, they are always eating a well-balanced diet combined with weight lifts as it contributes significantly to their muscle gain and fat loss.

The Keto diet is mostly utilized when it comes to general body weight loss. It involves having a diet with very low carbs and high fats to encourage the body to make use of ketones as fuel in place of glucose to generate energy. Some research suggests that it is very practical to build body muscles and have improved strength when on the keto diet. Building muscles on this diet will need one to have a balance between taking in enough calories combined with training very hard in the gym so as to fuel growth and recovery.

If you want to build muscles on a keto diet, then you should:

  1. Determine your calorie intake

You need to consume more calories consistently than you burn them so as to build muscles successfully. The number of calories you need to consume per day is dependent on factors like sex, lifestyle, weight, and height.

You need to identify the number of calories your body needs in a day so as to maintain your muscle gain. You are advised to modify your calorie intake to about once per month to account for the changes you are having in your weight as you build muscles.

  1. Eat plenty of protein

When it comes to building muscles, proteins play a vital role. Proteins contain amino acid which is the building blocks for muscles meaning that you need to consume plenty of proteins that your body naturally breaks down when building muscles. Its ideal for one to take about 0.7-0.9 grams of proteins per pound of eight of the body and this is very much ideal for muscle building.

  1. Track your carb intake

When it comes to a diet for muscle building, carbs make up the bulk of the calories. This said, if you want to be in ketosis, then you should avoid carbs by all means. One should consume lower than 50 grams of carbs per day. If you believe that your performance is altered, then it is very important to time your carb consumption when working out.

  1. Increase your fat intake

When in Ketosis, your body needs fats for fuel since you have limited the intake of carbs. Fat should make the most of your diet when it comes to ketosis and this is after a certain percentage of your diet is directed to carbs and proteins. When proteins, carbs, and, fats are weighed, carbs and proteins bring 4 calories per gram while fats bring 9 calories per gram. This will help you calculate the fats you require in a day.

SUMMARY

Building your muscles on Keto or OMAD diet needs you to know the calories, carbs, fats, and protein you need which is totally based on your weight and lifestyle factors. Weight loss and muscle gain results don’t just happen overnight. It needs more input and consistency at the highest level. Most people think that good results come from the input that is more intense, it is true that this will lead to more calories being burned but if you are in a calorie deficit, being more intense will affect your weight loss and muscle gain process. So, rather than adding more stress to yourself, slow down your intensity and you will definitely see positive results.

Most of the weight lifting for muscle gain should be done in the morning hours when you are on Keto or OMAD diets and if your schedule allows as it will give you maximum results.

Most people believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but, it can be skipped when you are trying to lose weight and gain muscles. When on Keto or OMAD, one should consume the food from the afternoon onwards and it should be well balanced with all the nutrients the body wants in controlled portions. Also, avoid consuming OMAD and keto closer to bedtime as it will affect your weight loss journey.

Therefore, if you want to follow the one meal a day plan or be on a Keto diet and you either want to lose weight or gain muscles, then you just have to be very keen with the times you consume your meals, recovery time, and make sure you take enough proteins. With building muscles, make sure you lift weights at least 3-to 4 times a week.

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