Warning: This article goes completely against the fitness mainstream! It is a very radical idea, but it does work. Keep reading….
When I was younger, I used to spend my summers getting up early in the day going to the beach. On most occasions, I wouldn’t eat a single calorie until 6pm or later in the day. Then I would eat as much as possible in the evening in ONE large meal.
My metabolism never slowed down…and despite eating late at night I never put on an ounce of fat. I used to think it was because of my age. Now I know different…
You see, when I turned 30 I wanted to lose that last bit of body fat…but I always had a layer of fat covering my abs. I could never get really lean following the “eat six small meals per day strategy”. I decided to test out just eating one meal per day at night, like I did when I was young and lean.
Guess What? I got extremely lean within three weeks and didn’t lose an ounce of muscle. It just didn’t seem to make sense to me at all! The 6 meals per day plan seemed to make more sense, but the one meal per day at night plan was the strategy that got me lean!
It all made sense when a gentleman by the name of Ori Hofmekler came out with a book called the Warrior Diet. This guy is flat out incredible! He goes into deep detail about why eating just one meal at night is the key to maintaining low body fat levels.
He also explains why it is important to workout on an empty stomach if you want optimal results. The funny thing is that I frequent fitness forums often and they always shoot down the advice I give of eating very low calories during the day…and eating the majority of your calories at night.
Ori has a great blog post on this subject called…”Are We Inherently Night Eaters?”
Just to let you know…Ori Hofmekler is also ripped.
Note: I only take fitness advice from people who are extremely fit. Like myself, Ori is someone who is ripped year-round. It really makes sense to listen to people like us vs. the typical underachieving personal trainer.
To this day, I eat the majority of my calories at around 8pm. I may eat a tiny bit of food in the morning or mid-day, but usually it is just a low calorie protein shake with vitamins. I don’t think people need to totally go to the extreme of only eating one meal per day. The purpose of my article is to let you know that ,you certainly don’t need to eat six times per day!
Question Everything!
Rusty
Update June 2008: I have recently found a great resource that is based around a University Graduate Study on fasting before eating.
The new eBook is called Eat Stop Eat. It was written by a top Nutritionist who did his graduate research on this topic. His study was titled:
“The Metabolic Effects of Short Periods of Fasting in Humans and its Potential Application in Weight Loss”
This book really changes the game. Seriously…if you ever wanted proof that 6 meals per day aren’t the way to go, this is it! Even if you don’t decide to buy the book, you should opt-in to the free newsletter.
![Eating to Increase Your Metabolism [Pt 3]](http://fitnessblackbook.com/wp-content/plugins/codecanyon-552356-special-recent-posts-pro/cache/NjA2MG5vaW5jcmVhc2UteW91ci1tZXRhYm9saXNtLTE1MHgxNTA=.jpg)
![Eating to Increase Your Metabolism [Pt 2]](http://fitnessblackbook.com/wp-content/plugins/codecanyon-552356-special-recent-posts-pro/cache/NjA2MG5vYmlnc3RvY2stb3ZlcndlaWdodC1tYWxlLXBlcnNvbi13YWxraW5nLTI0Nzk3OTA5LTE1MHgxNTA=.jpg)
![Eating to Increase Your Metabolism [Pt 1]](http://fitnessblackbook.com/wp-content/plugins/codecanyon-552356-special-recent-posts-pro/cache/NjA2MG5vaVN0b2NrXzAwMDAxODE5ODg4NVNtYWxsLTE1MHgxNTA=.jpg)
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Hi Laura,
If you go off of this diet, you will gain it all back and more. If you change your mentality to eating this way as a lifestyle, you can succeed.
I have been doin this 4 a week now and I have lost 2kg, my goal is to lose 25kg.this time I’m gonna make this worki
Hello, guys! It’s so good to see you guys doing this! I have always been interested in doing this, but actually, I have no idea how much I should eat when I have my 1 meal of the day. When I have lots of vegi’s, after a while, I become to be hungry which I need other nutrients like carbs, things like that. But I can’ t have them all just in a time. How are you guys doing this?
Also, I love to have company to get good advice and to keep motivated… I am 4’8(I know I am short :p), female, and my average weight is around 52 kg.. I want to lose the last pound 10-20, but by alone, keeping it isn’t easy…. hbhwscj@hanmail.net -would anyone like to join me?
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment.
I do think that you should publish more on this subject matter, it may not
be a taboo matter but typically people don’t speak about these topics. To the next! Many thanks!!
I have been eating this way on and off for years but finally want to make it a permanent lifestyle change. Any takers for a 2013 one-meal-a-day challenge? We can motivate each other to stay on track and healthy/fit for an entire year and beyond. How awesome would that be??
I will take some before pics as well as track my progress monthly with pictures/weight/measurements. Please e-mail me if your are interested and we will discuss details.
bradleyjeanetta@gmail.com.
P.S. If it matters, I am female, 5’5″, 145ish lbs.
Happy New Year!
Hello! Hope you all were able to start off the new year strong with the Warrior Diet. Made it through week one of my challenge, yay! Lost 3 pounds and feeling better each day. I decided to started a blog to track my progress. It’s really more of an online diary for me to keep on track and stay motivated, but you can read the first few posts here:
thewarriorgirl.blogspot.com
Still working on the blog design but it’s up and going!! Good luck everyone!
Rusty,
As someone who works out religiously, how do you do this kind of diet but not run out of energy at the gym? I know that even when I eat regularly, if I skip my 3 o clock shake and start driving to the gym hungry, my intensity suffers.
I have neen doing this diet for a not even a week now and have lost 3 lbs. 25 lbs, here I come
I started this diet last Wednesday …. purely because it makes me more self willed. Once I start eating something I crave more, so to just wait until the evening meal means I can eat until I am full. I weighed yesterday after a week and I have lost 4ib. Considering the last time I went on a diet for a week I put on 2ib ….. definitly think this one suits me personally.
Ive been doing this warrior diet for 3 months and I lost tremandous amount of weight. One meal a day is the best option on losing weight. Try to have a good cardio routine everyday, anything is better than nothing. -peace-
Well hello peeps. I have been muslim for 5 years now and have fasted every year for 30 days i didnt seem to loose weight though……i think my metqbolism slowed down to accomidate the change in my diet.in this diet are u allowed to at least drink wawater during the day? Or do u have nothing to eat or drink like we muslims do? I know i can do this cuz ive done it before but i had no results what gives?
This is the best diet I’ve ever tried! Totally love it lost 6 lbs in a week! AMAZING!!
@Kendra,
Yes you are allowed to drink water and any non-caloric liquid. One meal a day diet or any kind of intermittent fasting is very different from the Islamic fasts. Islamic fasts are observed during “Ramadhan” and they are not done weight loss rather its done for religious and spiritual purposes.
One meal a day diet is a different ball game altogether.
By the way, even I tend to lose no weight during Ramadhan! In fact I GAIN weight. But thats more because of our unhealthy habits. If we eat reasonably during dawn and dusk meals, we can see its positive effects too.
If you’d like to discuss this more, u can reach me at othmansafdar at gmail dot com
What do u eat Nina ?wow 6 lbs is a lot
I am following this way of eating now, and I would like an accountability partner(s). I track my success on Twitter, at onemealadaylife. If you follow me and let me know that you want an accountability partner too, then I will follow you. Thanks and Much Sucess on establishing your new eating habit!
I am following this way of eating now, and I would like an accountability partner(s). I track my success on Twitter, at onemealadaylife. If you follow me and let me know that you want an accountability partner too, then I will follow you. Thanks and Much Success on establishing your new eating habit!
Hi i m 16 and i am tryin to go on onr meal a day but i jst want to ask one ques Can i lose lot Of weight if i go on obe meal a day and do good cardio work out and also drink a lot Of water and elso eat health is that gud for me k just need ang answer plzz
Hey Rusty hope this email finds you well. I like your info regarding eating one meal a day. However, I just want to inform you that this is not a new thing or event. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught this for 40 years and wrote two books vol. 1 &2 entitled “how to eat to live.”And many people including myself have experience adhering to this way of eating to live. Today Min Farrakhan continues teaching this way of eating for good health and longevity.
Have stared and stopped a few times in the past, no willpower! This time I am sticking to it. Went from 158.1 to 153.5 since the 1st, and man, am I eating at supper time! I did this in high school and never had a weight problem until I hit 40. Actually, I feel like 40 hit me, and hard! I am now 47 and will hit 50 looking and feeling great!
I saw that Dr. Mark Mattson, PhD, a researcher at the National Institute on Aging, and professor in the department of neuroscience at John Hopkins Medical school, eats this way. He also runs 6 to 9 miles a day with a high school cross country team he coaches! If someone as intelligent as he is, who studies aging and it’s effects on the human brain feels this is the healthiest way to eat, that’s good enough for me!
Just wondering about my comment? I didn’t write anything objectionable. Well, love one meal a day.
If you are over weight and eat once a day. Your body is living off the fat. So you are totally fine. I did this all growing up due to medical reason. Now that I have had 3 kids it has hit me to starting eating once a day. I’ve been doing it for a week and have lost 5 lbs. But you also have to think. This isn’t for everyone. If you have medical conditions or are on medication that says take with food. Please ask your doctor first.
I lose a pound a day doing this =) i just started going to the gym so i should start losing even more! I love this
Does the one meal you eat necessarily have to be in the evening ? Could it be eaten in the afternoon ?
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