potatoes/potaaatoes..& rice!!

ros2will3run

Can anyone tell me my white bread, white rice, and good old pototoes, are said to make you put on weight?


I do eat them, but hopefully in smaller quantities than before.



ps..They look so innocent!! unlike a pepperoni pizza!

nosebag1212

weight gain is caused by caloric surplus, not what specific foods you eat

besaro

weight gain is caused by caloric surplus, not what specific foods you eat

x2

Branstin

Eating above your calorie maintenance level will cause weight gain. Unless you are medically restricted from eating certain food, eat a variety of food in moderation, relax, enjoy and have fun. Here is a worthwhile read:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Amberlynnek

Well if you eat them ( as well as anything) in mass amounts, they contribute to weight gain. But white bread is highly processed and do you really want that crap entering your body? Eat them in small quantities if you enjoy them, but try switching to healthier options that tend to me more filling like whole grain bread, brown rice (or quinoa!) and sweet potatoes. The longer you feel full, the less you eat throughout the day.

echofm1

People think it makes you gain weight because they're high in calories and it's easy to eat a lot of them. That's really about it. If you're managing portions, you'll be fine, and it'll be delicious.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Barring medical conditions there's no reason not to eat those things in moderation.

I eat all of them and I've lost 46 lbs and kept it off for a year and a half.

neandermagnon

People think it makes you gain weight because they're high in calories and it's easy to eat a lot of them. That's really about it. If you're managing portions, you'll be fine, and it'll be delicious.

^^^^ This. they're high calorie density foods that need to be logged accurately (weighing them is best for accuracy) - but as long as you're sticking to your calorie goal they won't make you gain weight and won't stop you succeeding at losing weight.

gaelicstorm26

Just eat them in moderation. I'm a diabetic so I personally won't touch a slice of white bread or white rice because of how it affects my blood sugar. I still eat potatoes and brown rice and wheat bread (and almost any other carb you can think of), but I do it in moderation. I just pay attention to serving sizes.

richardheath

weight gain is caused by caloric surplus, not what specific foods you eat

x2

X 3

Many people think that foods that are high in carbohydrates with little else in the way of nutrients are essentially the devil. Like white bread, potatoes, rice etc. They'll claim insulin spikes etc will prevent you from losing weight. But they are wrong: insulin is supposed to spike, and blood sugar levels vary throughout the day even in a healthy individual.

The thing about these "white foods" is that they are high in carbs (and therefore calories) and that it is very easy to overeat them. i.e. if you have a plateful of mashed potatoes loaded with butter every meal, you are getting lots of calories. Those calories can lead to weight gain (if they take you over your TDEE). People who go on Atkins or other low carb diets tend to lose weight and then make the post hoc fallacy of saying that they lost weight because of the low carb diet. What they really did was restrict their calories (although possibly without counting/realizing it).

If you maintain portion control, and come in at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight, regardless of what you ate. I'm prediabetic, and managed to lose 40 lb and keep it off for 2 years while eating these things - I just have to make sure I don't eat too much for my own blood sugar levels.

PinkyFett

The amount of carbs probably. There's not much nutrition, if any, in a white potato or rice. Just stick to other veggies

jasonmh630

I have to watch these things, because I feel like I'm going to crash into a nap if I eat too much of these things... I have to watch these items that some people call "empty carbs".

MamaBearCPA

Going to go against the norm here ... and in very general terms ... VERY GENERAL TERMS ... weight management is from what you eat ... exercise is for heart, other muscle and system health (you can tone - but it's not the most effective long term method of weight control). :noway:

Simple carbohydrates turn to fat in your body (why do you think we feed cows corn and other grains to fatten them up and marble the meat?). The wheat and corn we grow today are not what they were 50 years ago. Even whole grain wheat isn't good for you - it's been bastardized to make it easier to grow and harvest. Why has America gotten steadily fatter and fatter when most people follow a low fat high carb diet? Because carbs make you fat - fats don't make you fat. There is a lot of "new" research out there - you have to look for it. But heart specialists are reversing their positions - Alzheimer's researchers are finding connections between dementia and low fat high carb diets. There are some brave people out there standing up to the norm.

To understand the chemistry - read the book "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It" by Gary Taubes - or "Wheat Belly" by William Davis. And yes - these both go against what the FDA teaches - or the ADA prescribes as the right diet for diabetics - but the chemistry makes sense.

Your body is chemistry - think of it as a giant chemistry experiment - you have to find the best chemistry for you. What works for one doesn't work for another.

If you must have bread - look for a Spelt alternative - it tastes great - and is still an "ancient" grain - but eat it in very limited quantities. You may not eat it at all after you read what simple carbohydrates do to your system.

Ditto to what Amberlynnek said - why eat highly processed foods? They are crap.

ros2will3run

Thanks for advice..!

Going to eat all in moderation..!!

Been doing this for 6 weeks now, and eating loads of veg too, and walking! Feel so much better!!

Strokingdiction

Speaking strictly from a weight loss view, only calories matter. You can eat whatever you want and as long as you're under your calorie needs, you'll lose weight.

That said, make sure you're meeting your macro and micro requirements and not getting too large of a calorie deficit in order to lose in a healthy manner. Add exercise for best health/body results.

runfatmanrun

I eat potatoes every day. 1 potato, around 150g, is 100 calories, is not processed, and has a lot of vitamins and minerals. It is a healthy snack so long as you keep the delicious toppings to a reasonable minimum. As for rice, I see the average caloric value as around 160-180 per 45g or 1/4c; these are dry precooked values. Again, all of the processed nonsense aside, a relatively healthy and filling carb. As for white bread, and most breads, yeah, there is a lot of stuff in them that may or may not be necessary but still, I eat bread at least once a day. All of this being said, it hasn't caused me to gain weight. Like you said...moderation. Carbs are not the enemy...stupid advice and unfounded opinions are.

MsDillieBar

I eat potatoes every day. 1 potato, around 150g, is 100 calories, is not processed, and has a lot of vitamins and minerals. It is a healthy snack so long as you keep the delicious toppings to a reasonable minimum. As for rice, I see the average caloric value as around 160-180 per 45g or 1/4c; these are dry precooked values. Again, all of the processed nonsense aside, a relatively healthy and filling carb. As for white bread, and most breads, yeah, there is a lot of stuff in them that may or may not be necessary but still, I eat bread at least once a day. All of this being said, it hasn't caused me to gain weight. Like you said...moderation. Carbs are not the enemy...stupid advice and unfounded opinions are.

^This.

Food is not the enemy! No such thing as "bad" food, just bad quantities.

Monkey_Business

Ros2: The best thing that you can do read everyone messages here and do a little research on your own. Some of what is being said here may not pertain to you, others are having a VERY slanted point of view and some are very valid.

Get yourself a book for simple nutrient. Unless you are looking at become a world class athlete or body builder.

You can lose weight with a little knowledge and a whole lot of common sense.

Just one old man's opinion........

nxd10

According to Why We Get Fat, by the science editor of the NYTimes, foods that are high in refined carbs (high glycemic) cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. Your body responds by spiking insulin to lower it by storing the sugar as fat. It also causes a cascade reaction that causes you to not burn fat for around 2 hours. If you overeat, that means you spend relatively more of your time in a state where you are not burning fat. If you are active during that 2 hour period you will need that stored fat and not be able to burn it so get hungry. Therefore you tend to (sensibly) respond by eating more.

Experiencing lots of glucose/insulin spikes can cause insulin resistance in anyone who has been overweight for any length of time and people who are prone towards diabetes.

This is why lots of refined 'white' foods (white rice, potatoes, bread, pasta) and soda/beer tend to be problematic EVEN if you are within your calorie guidelines.

You don't need low carbs at all. But you do want to have your carbs under 40% or so and focus on carbs that are less refined and go into your system more slowly.

Everything people said about calories and 'no bad food' though - absolutely correct.