The Truth About OMAD and Women’s Hormones
Category: Fasting
OMAD Gave Me Clarity… Until It Messed Up My Hormones
That’s a sentence I’ve heard (and seen) more times than I can count.
Eating one meal a day also known as OMAD sounds like the ultimate discipline. For some, it even feels empowering at first. But for many women, it leads to hormonal imbalance, fatigue, and nutrient depletion.
The Illusion of Control
When you first start OMAD, it feels like magic. You feel lighter, focused, spiritually aligned almost like you’ve unlocked a new level of control.
But then, something shifts. You start feeling tired for no reason, your sleep becomes poor, your skin dulls, your cravings return, and sometimes, your period disappears.
Your body doesn’t interpret OMAD as “discipline.” It interprets it as stress.
What Happens Inside Your Body
Your hormones are beautifully interconnected — estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, insulin all working in rhythm.
But when food becomes scarce, your body goes into preservation mode. It slows metabolism. It holds onto fat. It down-regulates reproductive hormones.
And suddenly, the same fasting routine that once made you feel powerful now leaves you drained and disconnected.
That’s not because fasting is bad. It’s because your body wasn’t designed to be pushed that hard for too long — especially as a woman.
The Timing Matters
Fasting is a super healer, but only when done with intention and body awareness.
I fast too, but I’ve learned that timing makes all the difference.
I only recommend OMAD in the first phase of your cycle, right after your period, when your body is naturally more resilient and insulin-sensitive.
As you move closer to ovulation, your body needs more nourishment, not restriction. That’s the time to ease out completely.
Your hormones aren’t static; they change week to week. Your fasting rhythm should too.
Before You Jump on the Next Trend…
Ask yourself:
- Am I of reproductive age?
- Can I realistically sustain this for life?
If your answer is “no,” then OMAD might not be for you, at least not every day.
Your body’s needs evolve, and ignoring that is what causes burnout, fatigue, and imbalance.
Fasting can be incredibly powerful , but only when done with your body, not against it.
By Beatrice Kariuki — Certified Weight Loss Coach & Nutritionist in Nairobi.
