By One meal a day is classified as the extreme fasting strategy. The correct term for it is the “Warrior Diet.” This caloric deficit causes weight loss, but it’s a cause of many other health benefits too.
Those health benefits are reduced heart disease risk, decreased blood sugar, and a reduction in inflammation.
The Warrior diet typically only consume dinner, although some choose breakfast or lunch as their one meal. Other versions of this plan include the main meal, with an additional snack spaced out. It’s really up to you what you choose – but either way, it works well.
It works so well because you’re allowing a 4-hour window to consume food is quite limited – and considering the fasting window is so vast, it can be pretty challenging for some. I practised 20-hour fasts regularly when I wanted to lose a bit of weight. The beauty of fasting is that you can alternate your hours, depending on how much weight you have to lose. When you lose that weight, then shortening your fasting window will allow you to eat more calories. It’s essential to pay attention to portion sizes when you do this, as you can easily overindulge in calories, leading to a weight gain relapse. Mind you, it can happen before you know it, as it’s happened to me as well!
The lowdown on fasting
For those seeking a long term fasting plan, you’ve come to the right place. If you choose to have one meal a day only, you fast daily or a few times per week. I would assess your weight loss progress for a month and see how rapidly you are moving towards your goal. The remarkable aspect of fasting is that you can pick and choose at different times. Just stick to the one plan, and monitor what’s happening to your body. Then all you need to do is change what’s not working, but give it a good 40 days to take effect.
What about muscle loss
It’s pretty easy to lose muscle mass if you are consuming fewer calories – but in saying that, muscle growth is determined by how much weight lifting you do. The muscle becomes stressed with lifting heavyweight. If you continue to lift weight during your fasting periods, then you should be GAINING muscle mass in the process. Fasting in and of itself ignites HGH, which is short for Human Growth Hormone. It’s the primary hormone activated during your fasting period. The more times during the week in which you do fast, the more HGH you will start. This is a precious hormone for anyone that wants to lose weight, gain muscle mass and look youthful.
Another factor to consider is making sure you consume enough protein. Protein is essential for developing and growing muscle mass. A certain amount of carbs is needed as well. Just make sure that you are consuming a balanced array of proteins, carbs, and fats in your one meal. That one meal should cover all your needs, and sometimes it may be wise to add a little more extra protein for muscle building and satiety.
If you think about being a bodybuilder, then perhaps fasting (or one meal a day) won’t be right for you. Hard gainers will need as many calories as possible. Save the “one meal a day idea” for those who put on weight quickly and are looking to lose a substantial amount of body fat.
If you train with weights 3–4 times per week, know how to structure your training program and eat well – you won’t lose muscle mass. Just sit back and watch your body grow and develop, despite the lack of calories. This is what’s going to make the difference.
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