PrintGiving up Bread hubby and I are abstaining for the summer
Looking at our middles and knowing how much we like bread, I made a rash decision last night to try and go carb light this summer. This also means potatoes, rice and pasta.
I want to try whole what carb low pasta and I have purchased some soy flour to experiment with. One of our biggest sins is pizza, which I intend for us not to eat till October.
Been reading cookbooks for a month now. You foodies who have south beached and atkinsed please chime in.
With fresh produce around and grilled meats and fish, I think we can survive.
I once gave up pizza for 14 months. OMG I KNOW IT WAS HELL!
Not trying to be anti-climactic, I just know that we can do it and do it with taste.
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21 Comments:
i wish you the best of luck. i don't know if i could do it for that long.
bread is my downfall. i love it so much. but i make a point of not eating it as much as i used to. i probably eat bread maybe once every two or three weeks, and make pizza about once a month or so.
a lot of it is mind over matter (getting used to not eating or wanting bread anymore). as long as you fill your dishes with lots of flavors, fresh herbs, spices, etc, you should be okay.
french tart at 1:27PM on 05/22/07
I stopped having bread with dinner because I like it too much! Once in while I will have a piece of toast in the morning. Make up for the bread by having lots of fiberous veggies. I love baby artichokes and roasted cauliflower. In salad, instead of croutons I use chopped nuts for a good crunch. When I have my favorite side dishes I don't even think about bread. Perhaps you could allow yourself Pizza or some other bread type meal once a week so you don't go too crazy.
ThatGirl153 at 1:52PM on 05/22/07
my advice? just don't do it!
everything in moderation...
ceforrester at 2:18PM on 05/22/07
ceforrester is right. Don't deprive yourself and go cold turkey. How about one or two fewer meals a week with starches? I know I could never turn my back on pasta. We've been lifelong friends, after all.
DaveFaris at 2:46PM on 05/22/07
I am with you, moderation is the key to everything, because the second you go back to it bang! your body craves it and yiu wack those pounds back. Whole grain bread and pasta, quinoa, brown rice. excellent sources of fiber and very tasty as well. Excercise also does wonders.
nelson5757 at 2:51PM on 05/22/07
Sorry this is so long! Don't feel you have to go whole-hog on dumping ALL breads, pastas & starches. In moderation, your body NEEDS the good carbs & fiber from grains, etc. -- wherein lies your good friend whole wheat! Don't look for "low carb" items (which a lot of times are packed with bad stuff & sugar, which leads to hunger spikes which lead to overeating...), but rather look for WHOLE GRAIN products with lots of fiber and little sugar. Don't torture yourself, just practice moderation -- once we switched to whole wheat (pasta, pitas, breads, cerals), brown rice and other new, fun grains, as well as sweet potatoes instead of white ones, it opened up a whole new world of eating well and smart. We'll never go back to white, that's for sure. Make sure to pair your starches with a little fat which will keep you fuller, longer -- and eat a TON of veggies.
Don't be afraid to have some WW toast every morning, but save your (whole wheat) pasta or pizza dough for a once-a-week treat and you'll get the benefit of breads and such — body and mind. You CAN do it, just don't fall for the "must buy low carb" for health -- they are not the way to go.
sheldel at 2:56PM on 05/22/07
Maybe try adding more lentils. I don't like "eat less" diets. I prefer trying to focus on things to eat - like more fresh veggies and more vegitarian protien.
If you are going to low carb, read the labels of any prepared low carb products carefully. They can be really yicky.
laura dot at 2:59PM on 05/22/07
Jerzee, you don't have to give up bread for the whole summer! I have South Beached and lived to tell the tale. The tale is one of significant weight loss and much improved cholesterol, etc. Once past the 2 week period of no carbs, hubby and I started to add whole grains to our diet. We now eat plenty of whole grain breads and sometimes pasta. It is tough to find a decent whole grain pizza dough, though. So instead, we indulge occasionally. Like sheldel says, don't torture yourself! Everything in moderation. That's basically the South Beach message about carbs. Eat plenty of lean protein and lots of veg and fruit. Eat whole grains and you can treat yourself to pizza or dessert once in awhile. I don't think I could live without pizza until October!
Library Lady at 3:26PM on 05/22/07
Alot of people that give up carbs all together either get sick half way through the diet, or gain it all back and then some after they go off it. Plus carbs are very necessary for a balanced diet. I am on a strict diet to loose weight, and I still eat carbs. I really can't give up bread, or pizza.
One thing that has helped is Weightwatchers, I know haha I can hear the groans. No pre-made meals, no special shakes or pills. I eat what I want, when I want. They guide you to make the more responsible choice to better health and weight loss. Thus far I have lost 15 pounds, bread and pizza included!
Lilartist at 3:40PM on 05/22/07
Carbs are part of a balanced diet. Your body needs carbs. Read "The Schwarzbein Principle." It explains it perfectly. It's totally changed how I eat.
K at 6:40PM on 05/22/07
As a going on 4 year atkinser, there is a lot of misinformation posted on this thread which I will not address. Here is my advice FWIW:
1. The nicest thing to me about low carbing is the tons of veggies you get to eat. Pretty much everything except corn and carrots is great and encouraged. I've also discovered a new-found love of the sweet potato -- a nice choice for a moderate amount of fries, mash, or other items. Mashed cauliflower (chucked in the blender with some cream and butter and then flavored to your liking) is amazing. "Double bake" is with cheddar and bacon in ramekins.
2. Maybe not by gourmet standards, but the Arnold and Pepperidge Farm LC breads are decent for a treat (and not, as someone noted above, loaded with sugar -- Arnold is totally sugar free, PF has trace HFCS so I try not to buy that brand). Also, the Kavli or Wasa crackers in all supermarkets are very good, esp. with cheese.
3. Here's a recipe for a deep dish pizza quiche that I make over and over. My husband even loves it and he's a total bread eater. Might take some getting used to for some, but it's very versatile and gives you the fix. Sometimes I'll also go to my fave pizza place and get a slice with extra cheese and toppings and just eat it off the crust.
DEEP DISH PIZZA QUICHE
4 oz softened cream cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella/cheddar mix)
1/2-1 tsp each oregano, basil, onion powder,garlic powder, and salt.
1/2 cup sugar free tomato or pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Toppings to taste
Preheat oven to 375.
Beat together cream cheese and eggs till smooth in a blender. Add cream, parmesean cheese and spices. Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with PAM. Put 2 cups of shredded cheese in dish and pour egg mixture over. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven.
Spread with sauce and add desired toppings. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake till browning and bubbly. Run under broiler for a few minutes for really brown bubbly cheese.
Let stand for 5 minutes or so before slicing.
IMO it's almost better to cut, freeze, and reheat the next day.
4. It's really not unhealthy, despite what people tell you, to cut out refined flour and sugar. If you're not whole hog Atkinsing, whole wheat breads and pastas in small quantities will also be fine.
Good luck.
FKC at 10:44PM on 05/22/07
I've tried the "low/no carb" thing before and the hardest part was...well, refusing the desire to eat delicious fluffy loaves of bread or mountains of rice or whatever. But I don't recall any bad effects health wise. The only problem was inevitably gaining back all the weight I lost after dieting, HAHA, HAHAHA oh crap.
Moderation is preferable, but do whatever you're comfortable with and won't make you go insane. :) It's nice that you and your hubby are doing this together. Good luck!
roboppy at 1:31AM on 05/23/07
If you're going to cut back on carbs, summer probably is the best time to do it - warm, balmy days are less likely to make you crave starchy comfort foods like mac and cheese than cooler weather.
However, speaking as a lapsed Atkins-er, I have found overall that I have had better success switching to whole grains and portion control than from cutting out carbs. Brown rice, soba noodles, sweet potatoes, bulgar wheat - all ridiculously easy to prepare and better for me than what I'd been eating before. I allow myself 1/2-3/4 of a cup of them per meal. In doing so, I find I've had fewer issues with carb over indulgence or cravings later on. When I do have bread in the house, I try to make sure it's something from the local bakery (I have a weakness for rosemary sourdough with poached, soft boiled or fried eggs for breakfast on the weekends). I can freeze leftovers from the loaf and remove the temptation from my counter.
Amandarama at 8:41AM on 05/23/07
I tried the South Beach diet and couldn't do it. I suffered through the first two weeks w/o carbs and wanted to kill someone. I knew when the time came for me to re-introduce carbs slowly that I would be a goner. I can't deprive myself so I just eat whole grains as much as possible and try (I stress the word TRY) to avoid white flour and sugar and the lot.
Summer means grilling, and grilling means HOT DOGS, everyone's favorite mystery meat. I have a severe weakness for grilled hot dogs (I hear the collective groans and I don't care!). I can't eat a dog w/o a bun so I grab whole grain buns whenever I can find them.
I agree that moderation is key. Deprivation, at least for me, is misery.
AuntJone at 9:00AM on 05/23/07
I don't eat much bread, rice or pasta in general, and I've never found it to be much of a handicap. There are a lot of kinds of bread that don't actually use wheat flour, have a low GI rating and extremely good for you. I eat loads of rugbrød, Danish rye bread, which should be considered a superfood. I don't know if you can get it near you, but I'm sure you can get German rye bread, which is quite similar. It's filled with seeds, has a pleasing sour taste, and is perfect with Northern European cheeses, gherkins, pate, oily fish... well, anything fairly strong-tasting, really. I also agree that Wasa is fantastic - healthy and crunchy and delicious. Quinoa is a great source of protein, and also very tasty, as is gram flour (made with a variety of chickpea). Both are pretty diverse.
caley at 11:18AM on 05/23/07
I'd also encourage you to ease into moderation, rather than deprive yourself of any food you love. Sooner or later you'll crave what's forbidden. I've certainly gone on various diets over the years, and each time, there came a point when I decided I needed a little "break" or a "reward," and of course, there was no going back. I changed my eating habits gradually. I really don't exclude anything from my diet, but I work at being conscious of what I eat--in other words, I know nutritional values, and I know what my body needs. Now I'm slender, although I don't think that's important. Being healthy and feeling good about oneself are what's important. I do eat lots of fiber-rich grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit, so I don't find myself getting hungry often. But I do love to eat.
Life is short! Eating food is pleasurable, at least for those of us who are fortunate enough to have some! I believe it should us feel good, inside as well as out.
baboo at 7:54PM on 05/24/07
I meant, I believe it (food) should also make us feel good, inside as well as out.
baboo at 10:51PM on 05/24/07
dont think of what you are taking away! think of what you will GAIN: more discipline, more delicious fruits and veggies! who cares about pizza? craving comes and goes unless you stir it up inside your head by counting the hours until you ate your last slice of pepperoni pizza. just replace the foods you crave with healthier alternatives and you wont be craving them anymore. good luck
Dreamzoxo at 11:21PM on 06/04/07
I too am trying to change my eating style by cutting down on carbs. Weird thing is I thought i would be successfull in never eating bread again. I had a feeling my will power would carry me through the journey of leaving bread....but hey 3 days later and Im freaking crzy. I have been longing for bread, and yeah in a way Im having withdrawals..no lie. I used to eat atleast 8 servings of bread in various ways a day so why ever did I think I could just quit.
Wut I learned: you cant just quit cold turkey...its impossible.
Start by taking out certain things like say, one less piece of toast a breakfast, skipping an extra bowl of rice. Moderation is the key. You must take it one day at a time.
briarand92 at 9:54PM on 03/26/08
Personally, I don't think this is the best idea, I understand trying to cut down on refined carbs, but I think moderation is key. Carbs are not evil and once you return to eating carbs you will gain most of the weight back. That being said, damascus flax flat bread is the best, i used it to make sandwiches, wraps, and pizza.
sustarz at 10:08PM on 03/26/08
Wow, the original post is almost a year old, so I've got to wonder how the plan worked. Did you stick to it, did you lose the weight, and did you keep it off?
dbcurrie at 11:44PM on 03/26/08