How I Eat to Live: One Meal a Day and the Power of Fasting

By Mike Rashid King

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I eat one meal a day, usually around 6 or 7 pm. Yes, you read that right—one meal. When people hear that, they often look at me like I’m crazy. But this “crazy” practice is something I’ve followed for years, and it’s rooted in an old-school teaching that turned out to be way ahead of its time. I first learned about eating once a day from the book How to Eat to Live by the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Back then it seemed extreme, almost too strict to be healthy. Today, what was once seen as radical is backed up by cutting-edge science. In fact, modern research is confirming many of the benefits that I’ve experienced firsthand from this one-meal-a-day (OMAD) lifestyle.

From “Extreme” Teaching to Mainstream Science

Decades ago, Elijah Muhammad taught that we should eat only one meal a day – one every 24 hours – and nothing in between . He preached that this disciplined way of eating would extend our lifespans and protect our health. To most folks at the time, accustomed to three square meals, that idea sounded outrageous. But I was drawn to the wisdom in it. I started practicing it myself, learning to eat to live instead of living to eat. It was about discipline, about taking control of one of our most basic urges. Little did I know science would eventually catch up to this concept.

Fast forward to today: “intermittent fasting” has become a buzzword. Researchers and doctors are now saying that limiting how often we eat can yield profound health benefits. According to multiple studies, leaving longer gaps between meals (much like eating one meal a day) reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer . In other words, the same diseases that run rampant in our modern, overeating society can be held at bay by an age-old practice of restraint. Scientists have found that eating less often can even contribute to a longer lifespan . The very idea that was once mocked as starving yourself is now recognized as a path to health and longevity. I had faith in that wisdom early on, and now I’m living to see it validated in laboratories and journals.

Autophagy: Fasting’s Secret Weapon for Longevity

One of the key reasons why fasting is so beneficial comes down to a process in our cells called autophagy. Autophagy is a fancy word for “self-eating,” but it’s basically our body’s built-in cleanup crew. When you go without food for long enough, your cells switch on this self-cleaning mode. They start recycling junk: clearing out damaged proteins, broken cell parts, and toxins that have built up . It’s like taking out the cellular trash. Elijah Muhammad didn’t use the word autophagy, but How to Eat to Live hinted at the idea of the body healing itself when given a break from constant eating. He intuitively knew that giving your stomach a rest could help you live longer, and now we know one reason is that autophagy is hard at work during that rest.

Here’s where ancient wisdom meets modern science: Autophagy has become a hot research topic because of its link to anti-aging and disease prevention. In fact, a Japanese scientist won the 2016 Nobel Prize for discovering the mechanisms of autophagy – it’s that important. When I’m fasting, I take comfort in knowing that on a microscopic level my cells are repairing themselves. They’re disposing of faulty parts and making room for new growth. Studies show that intermittent fasting triggers this adaptive autophagy process and can literally extend the lifespan of cells . Think about that: we have a built-in fountain of youth at the cellular level, and fasting is the pump that turns it on.

Modern research even suggests autophagy could be the key to preventing major illnesses. By clearing out cellular debris, autophagy helps protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s (which are linked to junk protein buildup in the brain) . It’s also being studied for cancer prevention, since cleaning up DNA damage and rogue cells may stop cancers before they start. No wonder researchers in a journal like Cell Metabolism have highlighted fasting as a trigger for “survival-enhancing” changes in the body . Autophagy is our body’s way of healing and renewing itself. When I’m 20 hours into a fast and my stomach’s rumbling, I remind myself: this isn’t hunger pangs; this is repair and growth. I’m not depriving myself – I’m improving myself at the cellular level.

Hunting on Empty: Sharpening Mind and Senses in a Fasted State

Fasting doesn’t just heal the body; it hones the mind. There’s a sharpness, a crystal clarity that kicks in when you’re in a truly fasted state. I feel it every day around hour 18 or so of not eating: my mind feels like a high-definition camera, focused. My senses dial up,I can literally smell food from a block away, and my awareness of my environment heightens. It’s not a coincidence; it’s biology. The human body functions more efficiently in a fasted state when it comes to mental and physical performance . This makes sense if you think about how our ancestors lived. When you haven’t eaten, your body knows you need to go find food. Evolution turned up our mental acuity and alertness during those times of hunger so we could become better hunters. A lion or wolf that hasn’t eaten in days doesn’t get sluggish, it gets laser-focused, because catching that next meal is life or death. As Dr. Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins, explains, animals (and by extension humans) actually have improved cognitive function, memory, and alertness while fasting . In other words, hunger sharpens the mind’s blade.

Science is uncovering the reasons behind that heightened state. When you fast, your brain switches fuel sources from glucose to ketones, and those ketones are like high-octane fuel for your neurons . Fasting also triggers a surge in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a protein that acts like Miracle-Gro for your neurons. BDNF ramps up neuroplasticity, helping you form new neural connections, and it’s been shown to enhance learning and memory . One scientific review noted that intermittent fasting upregulates BDNF and other adaptive stress pathways, basically putting your brain in upgrade mode to handle the challenge of not eating . Personally, I feel this boost every day. Some mornings I wake up hungry, but once I push through that wave, I hit a zone of incredible focus. My thoughts are clearer, my reflexes a bit faster. I often get my best work done or have my best training sessions on an empty stomach. No heavy breakfast weighing me down, no post-lunch crash. Just pure, primal alertness, the kind that kept our ancestors alive when they had to track prey all day with empty bellies and eyes on the horizon.

I also notice an almost meditative calm when fasting. There’s a spiritual aspect to it: when your body isn’t busy digesting food all day, you have more energy for thinking, for observing, for being. Fasting teaches you to sit with discomfort and turn it into power. Instead of being a slave to hunger, you learn to ride it. That sharp edge of hunger becomes a driving force, not a distraction. In many spiritual traditions, fasting is a path to enlightenment for exactly this reason, it clears the mind and heightens the senses. For me, it’s a daily practice of mind over matter. And modern research backs up that this isn’t just in my head. In one study, people practicing intermittent fasting showed improved memory along with lower blood pressure and improved glucose levels . When you’re fasting, you’re literally optimizing your body and brain to function on a higher level.

The Daily Hunt and the Nightly Feast: My OMAD Routine

My daily routine on one meal a day is simple but intense. I like to say I’m hunting all day, feasting at night. Of course, my “hunt” isn’t in the savannah chasing antelope; it’s running businesses, hitting the gym, creating content, handling life’s challenges. But I approach it with that same hunter mentality. I wake up and get straight to work, no breakfast, just a tall glass of water to hydrate and maybe some black coffee to rev the engines. Throughout the day, I’m in constant motion: meetings, brainstorming, training clients, getting in my own workout. All of this happens in a fasted state. I’m running on the fuel from yesterday’s meal and sheer determination. Surprisingly to some, I have plenty of energy for heavy workouts and busy workdays without eating. My body has learned to tap into stored fuel (body fat, glycogen) and keep me going strong. In fact, I often feel lighter and more energetic training on an empty stomach—no food coma, no stomach cramps, just intensity.

By the time evening rolls around, I’ve put in a full day of “hunting.” I’ve earned my meal. And let me tell you, that one meal is pure bliss. Around 6 or 7 pm, I sit down and truly enjoy a single, nutrient-dense feast. This isn’t a junk free-for-all; it’s a balanced, whole-food meal that nourishes me deeply. My typical plate might look like: a big green salad with mixed vegetables and maybe some nuts or seeds, a hearty portion of grilled salmon (rich in protein and omega-3s), a side of rice or sweet potatoes for healthy carbs, some charred broccolini or other veggies for fiber and micronutrients, and creamy avocado for those good fats. I season it well, take my time, and savor every bite. After a day of no eating, your taste buds come alive. That meal tastes better than any snack or lunch ever could, because I truly appreciate it. I’m not eating mindlessly; I’m eating with gratitude. Plus, by compressing my calories into one meal, I ensure it’s packed with everything my body needs, quality protein for my muscles, complex carbs for glycogen, healthy fats for hormones, and a load of vitamins and minerals from all the veggies.

To cover all my bases and optimize my nutrition, I also supplement smartly. I co-founded Ambrosia Collective to create supplements that fill the gaps and push human performance further. Two staples I take every day are Nektar® Superfood and Hydroglyph™. Nektar is our comprehensive organ support and superfoods powder,  it has 13 different ingredients from milk thistle for my liver to beet root and turmeric for my heart and inflammation, all in one scoop. Think of it as insurance for my vital organs, especially important when I’m training hard and pushing my body. Hydroglyph is my secret weapon during the fasting hours: it’s a hydration formula loaded with electrolytes, HMB, and amino acids derived from sunflower. I mix it in water and sip it while I train or during the day. It keeps my electrolyte levels up (so I don’t cramp or feel drained) and the HMB plus amino acids help prevent muscle breakdown by subtly boosting muscle protein synthesis even though I haven’t eaten . Essentially, Hydroglyph keeps me anabolically primed and truly hydrated while fasting, so I can maintain muscle and strength. These supplements align with my fasting lifestyle, they don’t break my fast, and they ensure my body has what it needs to thrive.

When I finally sit for that meal, I’m not just refueling, I’m celebrating the day. There’s a almost ritualistic satisfaction in it. I earned this feast. And because I eat only once, I eat mindfully. No TV, no phone (at least I try!). I’m in tune with my body’s signals. Interestingly, eating one meal a day has also reset my hunger signals over time. I don’t get random cravings at 11 am or 3 pm anymore. My body knows we eat at one time, and it’s patient until then. This frees me from so much distraction. Imagine not having to worry about breakfast, lunch, snacks—frees up a lot of mental space and time. That efficiency is priceless.

Fasting and Self-Mastery

Living this way is about far more than physical benefits; it’s a daily exercise in self-mastery. When you can control something as primal as your urge to eat, you build the muscle to control anything in your life. It’s like tempering steel. Every day that I successfully complete my “hunt” and wait for that one meal, I’m forging a stronger will. There’s a saying I love: “Discipline equals freedom.” By imposing discipline on myself with my diet, I actually gain freedom in other areas. I’m not ruled by the constant need to munch or the marketing-driven eating schedules society handed me. I’m in charge of my appetites rather than the other way around. This discipline spills over into my work, my training, my relationships, everything.

Fasting, to me, is a form of meditation and prayer. It humbles you. When those hunger pangs hit, you have a conversation with yourself: How bad do you want it? Are you in control, or is your stomach in control? Each time I override the impulse to snack, I affirm that I run this. This builds a quiet confidence and resilience. Little stresses in life don’t rattle me as much, because I practice overcoming a fundamental stress (hunger) every day. It’s a gateway to self-mastery indeed. Many great spiritual leaders and warriors throughout history understood this. They often intentionally denied themselves excessive food or comfort to sharpen their spirit. I feel a kinship with that idea every time I fast. It’s a spiritual sharpening as much as a physical one.

When I finally do eat in the evening, I do so with a profound sense of appreciation. You can’t take food for granted when you’ve gone without it. That gratitude enriches my spirit. I often reflect on how fortunate I am to have that meal, and that I earned it through the day’s efforts. It turns a simple dinner into a deeply satisfying experience, both for body and soul. In a way, fasting each day is a practice of gratitude and humility. It reminds me that food is a blessing, not a guarantee, and that I have the power to decide when and how I partake in that blessing.

Food Is the Gun: America’s Toxic Relationship with Eating

Take a look around at our society and you’ll see why I’m so passionate about dietary discipline. We live in a time of incredible abundance, food is everywhere, deliverable to your doorstep in minutes. Yet, rather than making us healthier, this easy access to food is killing us. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many forms of cancer are the top killers in America today. If those diseases are the bullets, our food environment is the gun pulling the trigger. The standard American diet has become a weapon of mass destruction, loaded with sugar, excess carbs, unhealthy fats, and chemicals. We went from being hunters to being perpetual grazers, and it shows in our waistlines and hospital bills.

It’s ironic: for most of human history, food was scarce and hard-earned. You wanted to eat, you had to track it, chase it, dig it up, work for it. Our bodies and brains evolved under those conditions of scarcity and effort. Now we have the opposite, over-abundance and zero effort. You can have a feast delivered with a few taps on your phone, no sweat or preparation required. This comfort comes at a cost. Our evolutionary wiring hasn’t changed as fast as our environment. We’re still primed to crave calorie-dense foods and to eat as much as possible when food is available (because historically, who knew when the next meal would come?). But now food is always available, and we’re gorging ourselves into sickness.

I often say America has turned eating into an Olympic sport, constant snacking, bigger portions, 24/7 feeding frenzy. We joke about “food comas” as if it’s normal to put ourselves into a semi-conscious state with massive meals. We wear our indulgence like a badge, then wonder why our nation is plagued with obesity and chronic disease. The truth hurts: we’ve done this to ourselves. Our perverse relationship with food, using it for comfort, entertainment, boredom, everything except true nourishment, is at the root of the epidemics of heart disease and diabetes. The CDC will tell you straight up: poor diet is a major risk factor for these killer diseases . We’re essentially eating ourselves to death.

Fasting, in this context, is almost a revolutionary act. It’s saying “no” to the toxic food culture. It’s taking back control. When I restrict myself to one meal a day of clean, whole foods, I’m opting out of the cycle of constant indulgence that the food industry wants us trapped in. I’m also giving my body the metabolic boost that most people are unknowingly suppressing. See, when you’re constantly eating, your insulin is constantly elevated, and your body never gets a chance to burn fat or reset. By contrast, fasting lowers insulin and lets your system recalibrate. Studies show intermittent fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar and cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and even lower blood pressure . It’s basically the antidote to the damage caused by overeating. And let’s not forget the massive spike in human growth hormone (HGH) that fasting triggers, which helps to preserve lean muscle and turns up fat-burning. Research published in Nature notes that after just 24 hours of water-only fasting, HGH levels can increase by five-fold (in women) to fourteen-fold (in men) . That is a huge hormonal swing in the direction of healing and leanness. HGH is like the body’s built-in repair signal—it kicks in to conserve muscle tissue and metabolize fat for fuel . So when people ask me, “How do you maintain muscle eating one meal a day?” I tell them: fasting, done right, actually supports your muscle and metabolism. My bloodwork, strength, and physique all attest to that. I’m  anything but malnourished or weak. In fact, I feel optimized.

America’s toxic food situation comes down to this: We have an endless buffet in front of us, and we lack the self-control to step away. Fasting is a way to break that cycle. It reintroduces a healthy constraint that our ancestors lived with naturally. It makes eating purposeful rather than pathological. If more people adopted even a mild fasting routine—say, a 16:8 window or even just cutting out nighttime snacking—we’d see a revolution in health. Less obesity, fewer people developing type 2 diabetes, fewer heart attacks. The science is there, and so is the ancestral logic. But beyond that, it requires a shift in mindset. We have to stop treating food as an emotional crutch or a constant companion and return it to its rightful place: fuel and nourishment. It’s like Elijah Muhammad warned decades ago, when he spoke out against the “foolish idea” of eating all the time like a gluttonous hog . He saw that America’s way of eating was a trap. And here we are in 2025, with all our tech and knowledge, finally realizing that truth. Sometimes progress means revisiting wisdom from the past.

The Convergence of Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science

At the end of the day, my one-meal-a-day protocol is a blend of ancient wisdom, modern science, and lived experience. I didn’t need a PhD to tell me it works, I felt the benefits in my body and spirit long before “intermittent fasting” became a trend. But I’ll admit, it’s gratifying to see study after study now backing up what I know: Fasting is powerful. It’s a tool for health, a path to longevity, and a practice of discipline all rolled into one. I often reflect on the journey that led me here. A teaching from a spiritual text inspired me, I applied it in my life, and now cutting-edge research validates it. It’s a beautiful full circle.

Everything I do, from how I train, to how I run my businesses, to how I eat, is  about seeking optimization and mastery of self. OMAD (one meal a day) is one of the sharpest tools in my toolkit for that mission. It keeps me lean, strong, and mentally razor-sharp. It aligns me with how my ancestors lived and with how my body is naturally designed to thrive. And perhaps most importantly, it’s a daily reminder that I control my impulses, they don’t control me. There’s a profound confidence and peace that comes from that realization.

For anyone reading this, I’m not necessarily saying you have to jump into eating one meal a day tomorrow. It’s a practice I honed over years, and it might not suit everyone exactly as I do it. But I am encouraging you to examine your relationship with food. If you feel chained to constant eating, or if you’ve never experienced the clarity that comes with true hunger, try implementing some form of fasting or food discipline. Maybe start with a 14- or 16-hour fast and see how you feel. Read the research, listen to your body, and don’t be afraid to challenge the conventional wisdom that says you need to eat all day long. According to the journal Cell Metabolism, periods of fasting trigger adaptive cellular responses that improve metabolic balance and stress resistance . In simple terms: fasting can reset and strengthen you from the inside out.

I’m writing this in the early afternoon, stomach empty, mind alert, passion flowing. I know in a few hours I’ll sit down to an amazing meal that will replenish me. Until then, I’m riding the wave of focus and energy that fasting provides. This lifestyle isn’t about deprivation, it’s about empowerment. It’s about choosing purpose over pleasure, and reaping the incredible rewards that come with that choice. I truly believe that in practicing this form of dietary discipline, I’m not just extending my lifespan; I’m enhancing my life itself, every single day.

In a world that’s constantly trying to feed you lies, literally and figuratively, choosing when and how to feed yourself is a revolutionary act. I’ve found my formula: one meal a day, earned with effort, enjoyed with gratitude, backed by knowledge. It’s ancient wisdom meeting modern science, and the result is a healthier, wiser me. And I’m just getting started. After all, as the saying goes, to eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art. Welcome to the art of eating to live.

References

• Elijah Muhammad, How to Eat to Live (1967) – advocated eating one meal a day for longevity. These insights predate modern science. 
  
  
• Pasteur Institute (2024) – Report on intermittent fasting: longer gaps between meals reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer ; fasting induces cellular recycling (autophagy) in hunger state .
  
  
• Sakhinia et al. (2023) – Review in Advances in Nutrition: intermittent fasting/caloric restriction induces adaptive autophagy and increases cellular longevity .
  
  
• Society for Neuroscience (2018) – Dr. Mark Mattson interview: fasting state improves brain function; increased cognitive function, learning, memory, alertness observed in fasted animals ; fasting raises BDNF, promoting learning and memory and triggers cellular cleanup (autophagy) in neurons .
  
  
• Pasteur Institute (2024) – Fasting could extend lifespan via biochemical processes; autophagy described as key “recycling system” activated by hunger .
  
  
• Mattson MP et al. – Cell Metabolism insights: prolonged fasting (>20h) triggers “survival-enhancing” adaptations that optimize cellular and organ function .
  
  
• Nature (npj Metabolic Health, 2023) – Fasting physiology: 24-hour water fast showed 5- to 14-fold increase in human growth hormone levels ; fasting-induced HGH surge helps preserve lean muscle and stimulates protein synthesis .
  
  
• Endocrinology and Metabolism (2021) – Review: intermittent fasting in humans improves metabolic health markers (lower blood glucose, lipids, blood pressure, inflammation) .
  
  
• News-Medical (2023) – Summary of studies: intermittent fasting boosts BDNF production, supporting neuron health and enhancing memory and learning .
  
  
• Psychology Today (2025) – Article noting people on intermittent fasting showed improved memory and cognitive function alongside health benefits .
  
  
• World Health Organization – Reports poor diet as a major behavioral risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, stroke) , highlighting food’s role in America’s top killers.
  
  

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