The Battle of the Bagel

MochaMixAZ

The Battle of the Bagel

Recently, I’ve been raging against personal bagel consumption. I love those bready contradictions of dense, puffy, spongy, deliciousness.

Now, I don’t believe bagels (or carbs for that matter) are inherently evil. I’d like to be very clear on that. I truly believe weight management is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. Some foods give you better results (like fiber for fullness, protein for strength, whole grains for energy) than others (processed calorie dense foods without much nutritional benefit).

So – what is it about the bagel that sometimes plagues me? I’ve given this an unhealthy amount of thought over the last few days.

I have found when I start the morning with a bagel and some sort of topping, I can usually get breakfast in for under 500 calories. I’m okay with that. However, it’s the rest of the day that becomes a problem. When I have the bagel, it is like it turns on a switch in my body. The bagel bits call out to their carbohydrate rich buddies – and my entire day is spent craving more bread, pasta, chocolate, and other sweets. When I look back at my diaries, those days I tend to forego proteins, healthy fats, and fruits. Those are often the days when I opt for a not-so-sensible dinner… and sometimes top it off with a Diet soda. (Which is a topic for another post – I’ve firmly decided artificial sweeteners ARE inherently evil) I may manage to stay under my calorie goal for the day, but I rarely meet my nutritional needs… and I typically end up feeling sluggish, shying away from physical activity, and just more blah.

I’ve been seeing bagels everywhere this week, and have been tempted every dang time. I managed to resist until this evening. I’m not beating myself up about eating it, but decided to take this opportunity to reflect on it a bit. I’d like to say the bagel didn’t live up to it’s full yeasty goodness – but it did and it was DELICIOUS.

However, the rest of my day was pretty good. Tomorrow will be good because I have a plan in place to MAKE it good. Tonight, however, I think I’m going to say a little prayer into my pillow to protect the good baker’s of the world and the bagel industry…. But help me out a little and maybe not put them in my path for a few days. Or, at least not until Sunday when is my planned bagel splurge day.

lilpoindexter

Thomas (thomas english muffins) makes "bagel thins"...110 cal. They are the size bagels were in 1989...except with today's bloated portion sizes, they are now "bagel thins". My own personal experience is the carbs, mainly from breads, makes me gain weight, or makes weight loss much more difficult. I eat 45 cal sara lee wheat bread with my lunch, but i think I am going to have to go back to the thin hunks of multigrain cardboard to cut out the bread carbs. Eating my meals without bread, seems incomplete, but I think the bread carbs (even from "thins" or "lite" breads) are sabotaging my weight loss.

barnetted21

I am so with you on this! I have been craving a bagel for a week now, only one worse. I am dying for a salt bagel. There is no rhyme or reason to it. I just woke up one morning with it embedded in my head.

gmichaelguy

The way to end your bagel addiction is to take a vacation to NYC. While here, eat many bagels from local bagel bakeries. You will absolutely love them. Then return home. You will realize how crappy your bagels are compared to ours that you just won't want to eat them anymore since they aren't the real deal.

Of course I say this in good fun. But really--come eat some bagels that are well worth the calories! I just have to say no since I can always have a delicious bagel tomorrow. Or the next day.

ReinventingLisa

How funny! I am actually craving a bagel with butter and cream cheese. I can tell you that they also make me hungry, and more than likely due to the insulin spike since it has an amazing amount of carbs. Having only half a bagel, and pairing a protein (like scrambled eggs) usually does the trick so I don't feel plagued by hunger pains.

Livingdeadgirl44

I had my first bagel to today, spread with Laughing Cow Lighter cheese. It was delicious!

blair_bear

The way to end your bagel addiction is to take a vacation to NYC. While here, eat many bagels from local bagel bakeries. You will absolutely love them. Then return home. You will realize how crappy your bagels are compared to ours that you just won't want to eat them anymore since they aren't the real deal.

Of course I say this in good fun. But really--come eat some bagels that are well worth the calories! I just have to say no since I can always have a delicious bagel tomorrow. Or the next day.

^^ This ^^I wish I didn't work in NYC because of my bagel and pizza addiction...

MochaMixAZ

The way to end your bagel addiction is to take a vacation to NYC. While here, eat many bagels from local bagel bakeries. You will absolutely love them. Then return home. You will realize how crappy your bagels are compared to ours that you just won't want to eat them anymore since they aren't the real deal.

Of course I say this in good fun. But really--come eat some bagels that are well worth the calories! I just have to say no since I can always have a delicious bagel tomorrow. Or the next day.

Booking my flight now!!!!!!!!!!

MommaRou56

Try eating one-half of a whole wheat bagel, topped with light cream cheese or, as someone else suggested, the Laughing Cow light wedge. I sometimes eat half of one in the morning with a couple of poached eggs. I just put about a teaspoon of real butter on it, and it fills me up without "filling me out". I love them, too, but I've found that the 100% whole wheat bagels don't make me crave other, less nutritious foods as much. We all have our "crosses to bear" in this battle. Mine is chocolate or wanting something really sweet, and I've found a few things that seem to work okay for me. Of course, my biggest temptation is REAL food. I grew up in the South, where the food is really tasty but not very healthy -- lots of butter and fried foods. (Think Paula Deen.) Anyway, good luck. You are AMAZING and a true source of inspiration to me when I think I can't get going and I realize how much farther you've come than I have. Thanks!