Weaning of off simple carbs/white flour? Cold turkey?

skinnyEmilijah

Hey mfp,

I think I may be addicted to white carbs.

They take up a lot of calories and don't keep me full very long. It seems like I want them all the time, and when I try to keep portions low, it doesn't usually work.

Has anyone out there successfully "weaned" themselves off of simple carbs? Do you think that cold turkey is a good way to do it?

I'm thinking of doing a 30-day no simple carbs challenge (after tomorrow, of course...)? Does anyone want to join me? After the 30 days I just want to see how I feel/if I lose weight. I will still eat grains/potatoes/sweet potatoes etc, just not white rice or breads.

Blueseraphchaos

Not getting into the semantics here, but maybe a "detox" would help...quit cold turkey, don't keep simple carbs in the house, see how it goes for a few days or a week. Take note of how you feel. Cravings suck, but they get better and go away.

I cut stuff like that cold turkey myself (my problem was mostly sugar, i don't eat anything like white bread or white rice voluntarily anyway, lol). Once i started eating better, i noticed i felt better. Cravings went away, too. Now I'm able to eat sugar in moderation, although i try not to keep much in the house. Some people have more issues than others.

Good luck! Figure out what works for you and go with it.

FitnessTrainer69

I wouldnt cut them completely(White rice). They do hold a key to losing weight. You have to eat them at the right time. If you do cut them the best way is cold turkey.

TeaBea

Are you trying to eliminate white carbs forever?

Cold turkey is good to start a "diet"....gain some consistency....then try to add carbs back in with some control. Cold turkey helps you "diet"....cold turkey doesn't change lifestyle.

skinnyEmilijah

Blueseraphchaos wrote: »

Not getting into the semantics here, but maybe a "detox" would help...quit cold turkey, don't keep simple carbs in the house, see how it goes for a few days or a week. Take note of how you feel. Cravings suck, but they get better and go away.

I cut stuff like that cold turkey myself (my problem was mostly sugar, i don't eat anything like white bread or white rice voluntarily anyway, lol). Once i started eating better, i noticed i felt better. Cravings went away, too. Now I'm able to eat sugar in moderation, although i try not to keep much in the house. Some people have more issues than others.

Good luck! Figure out what works for you and go with it.

^Yeah, thanks.

My goal is to go back to eating "whatever", but eating things in moderation. Right now I feel like I can't stop thinking about bread and it's driving me crazy.

SnuggleSmacks

I still eat sweet desserts, but other than that, I found it pretty easy to switch to whole grains. Grainy breads taste better, have more nutrients and more texture. Brown rice has more flavor, and you can find some really great alternative rices, like Mekong Flower brown, or Himalayan or Bhutan red rice. Sweet potatoes are much tastier than white potatoes for most things, although I do still eat potatoes sometimes.

Pasta is the only thing that is questionable regarding the switch from "white" starches, but there are some pretty tasty whole grain pastas now which have the correct texture. Personally, I make my own from course semolina flour mixed with a little whole wheat. But I keep a few boxes of Barilla whole grain pastas on hand for quickie meals.

lemurcat12

If there are foods you feel like you are thinking about all the time and can't seem to eat in moderation cutting them out for a while to teach yourself you are happy filling up on other foods or don't need them as a crutch might be worth trying. I did it with sweets and with snacking between meals period, since I was in the habit of using them when I was down or stressed or tired or wanted a break, etc. For me it didn't take much to get out of the habit and I'm now mostly good with moderation.

I also agree with the idea that you experiment with whole grains, which I see you are not thinking of cutting. I actually prefer whole grain bread anyway, but you might find you like it but have more control with it because of different associations or something.

Kalikel

Do you sell Beachbody?

ndj1979

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

dbmata

I prefer the white carbs. They hit my system quick and give me what I need, then piss off on the quick. None of that, eat this roughage, and eventually after 84 hours, my body will get a few carbs to burn off.

Nuts to that.

MsHarryWinston

ndj1979 wrote: »

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

I think it's more about how simple carbs can cause sharp insulin spikes due to the higher amount of sugar? Which triggers other things in your body. She also said it never makes her feel full and wants to keep eating. Those are important factors.

Personally you couldn't pry my white flour tortillas out of my cold dead hands. But I also find white flour and rice filling and they don't trigger cravings. When it comes to losing weight I'm cool with simple carbs. But even im starting to eye up the brown rice for when it comes time for me to train to compete.

ndj1979

MsHarryWinston wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

I think it's more about how simple carbs can cause sharp insulin spikes due to the higher amount of sugar? Which triggers other things in your body. She also said it never makes her feel full and wants to keep eating. Those are important factors.

Personally you couldn't pry my white flour tortillas out of my cold dead hands. But I also find white flour and rice filling and they don't trigger cravings. When it comes to losing weight I'm cool with simple carbs. But even im starting to eye up the brown rice for when it comes time for me to train to compete.

well I hope OP is not eating protein either then, because that spikes insulin too ….

skinnyEmilijah

ndj1979 wrote: »

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

Well, I'm not in a deficit because I keep eating too much bread. I wish I could eat it in moderation, but I haven't been successful yet.

dbmata

MsHarryWinston wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

I think it's more about how simple carbs can cause sharp insulin spikes due to the higher amount of sugar? Which triggers other things in your body. She also said it never makes her feel full and wants to keep eating. Those are important factors.

Personally you couldn't pry my white flour tortillas out of my cold dead hands. But I also find white flour and rice filling and they don't trigger cravings. When it comes to losing weight I'm cool with simple carbs. But even im starting to eye up the brown rice for when it comes time for me to train to compete.

Someone touches my tortillas, they best have a good life insurance policy.

Blueseraphchaos

You could try switching to whole-grain bread, which tends to fill you up a bit faster and last a bit longer. I switched to whole grain years ago because i noticed white bread made me feel gross because i had to eat so much of it to stay full...same with white rice. (That and, to me, it's tasteless...)

Since you have said that you overeat bread, you could also just cut it out for a week or so, then reintroduce it.

harmar21

I went completely cold turkey back in september. Only 1 day so far have I allowed simple carbs that was thanksgiving (canadian) and only for 1 meal, next cheat meal for me will be christmas. I think if you didn't the cravings are always going to be there. hell even going cold turkey the cravings for me are there, but I think if I allowed myself a bit it would even be harder

I do use some low carb replacements such as Joseph's Bakery low carb lavash bread and tortillas. Works great, but has attributed a little bit to carb creep

dbmata

Speaking of cold turkey and white flour.

WHO IS HAVING TURKEY SANDWICH TOMORROW?

raysputin

Cold turkey is the single most effective way to quit any addiction. It has a 50% success rate on the first attempt and you can try multiple times with the chances of success rising with every genuine attempt.

opalsqueak007

I used to eat a loaf of white bread or more every day, plus refined white rice, dried white pasta, processed pastry etc, as much as I could get. I just stopped doing it completely. It was not as hard as giving up drinking or smoking. I feel much better for it.

999tigger

I eat much less bread these days. Its not filling enough for the calories it costs. If you have bread then make it wholegrain. I never deny muself bread and always have a loaf around, but the calorie content + whatever i had in a sandwich can make it too expensive for me. I will eat rye and cripsbreads. Dont deny yourself things just moderate.

MsHarryWinston

dbmata wrote: »

MsHarryWinston wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

yes, because the white carbs make you fat and the other carb make you lose weight..*mind blown*…

OP if you are in a deficit then you will lose weight regardless as to what color your carbs are ….

I think it's more about how simple carbs can cause sharp insulin spikes due to the higher amount of sugar? Which triggers other things in your body. She also said it never makes her feel full and wants to keep eating. Those are important factors.

Personally you couldn't pry my white flour tortillas out of my cold dead hands. But I also find white flour and rice filling and they don't trigger cravings. When it comes to losing weight I'm cool with simple carbs. But even im starting to eye up the brown rice for when it comes time for me to train to compete.

Someone touches my tortillas, they best have a good life insurance policy.

I know right? I very rarely eat bread any more due to the calorie to satisfaction pay off ratio. For me it comes down to just "not being worth it", so I find it very easy to ignore. I'm all about the tortillas though, and hamburger buns. I'll eat hamburger buns.

SnuggleSmacks

Sandwich thin buns! 100 calories!

sheldonklein

SnuggleSmacks wrote: »

Sandwich thin buns! 100 calories!

I eat them. I hate them. I'm upping my calories in a few eeks and the first thing to go will be the sandwich thins

SnuggleSmacks

Seriously? I quite like them. Whole wheat flax! Very tasty, and holds up to lots of toppings on my greasy burger.