Bread, Pasta, Rice & Potatoes

_Sashka_
_Sashka_ Posts: 27
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone... So I've been on this journey for only 3 weeks and have always wanted to know ... Can I carry on eating Bread, Pasta, Rice and Potatoes and still lose weight???? I realise everything should be done in moderation... I just can't get my head around "NO CARBS".. It would be real difficult :( Please help and give your opinion!!

Replies

  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    some people can, and some cannot. if you can lose weight while eating them, then go for it.

    lots of us aren't as lucky.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    on the other hand, i always said 'i can't give up my carbs' and now i only eat 20-50 grams a day, so it's totally doable.
  • cardiokitten
    cardiokitten Posts: 401 Member
    You just listed all my favorite foods <3

    I eat them all, all the time, pasta nearly daily. It's completely possible to lose while eating those, I did. :)
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    I'm in maintenance mode now but I do eat bread, pasta, rice and potatoes just in moderation. I'd say of the four items, I eat pasta most often. And potatoes, I go for sweet potatoes. You can still have that stuff, I would just limit how often. I've found that if you totally eliminate something from your diet, it makes you want it even more and it's hard to stick with long-term. Hope that helps.
  • IdunAbelone
    IdunAbelone Posts: 45
    I'm into my third week, and I try to stay away from "whites", I eat less of all. Poatos only once a week, if I choose pasta I choose whole grain, I eat bread every day, two small slices, but the bread is homemade without any flour. I've read that brown basmati rice is the best, so if I cook anything with rice on the side - it's basmati :)

    Good luck!
  • squiggle888
    squiggle888 Posts: 6
    I did. I lost over 2 stone (28lbs) and got down to my goal weight. Now I still eat carbs on maintenance.

    Personally I don't subscribe to the "carbs are evil" mantra. Although I am a coeliac so wheat actually is bad for me...
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    This is going to yield either multiple opinions, or this could get 'ugly'....

    Ive been almost one year with out the grain/bread group of that wretched pyramid - due to some serious health reasons. And, because of the severity, I will be doing that for the rest of my life. I have a metabolic issue going on right now that the specialists just dont know what to do (and I have a very healthy thyroid, and everything else is under control via medication)...

    The one ultimate good thing that happens with a significant reduction (or in my case elimination) is that your cholesterol will significantly improve. I remember the first lab results I grabbed back in November 2011..

    I had three doctors call me at work (the stinkers, they used the physician-access only line, lol) and ask me 'how the hell did you do this??? You only began in September, and in 3.5 months time you have excellent labs - I need to know what you did!!!"

    When I told them, their jaws dropped. They couldnt believe that the elimination of that group made my A1c go from 11.2 down to 5.2 in that short of time. My total cholesterol went from 252 down to 177 in that short of time.

    Fast forward one month shy of a year, and my labs are improved even more. Im actually trying to configure getting them scanned and post them in my low-carb group on MFP.... the numbers are just rediculously awesome.

    Some people can have them and have no issue. Others, a reduction. People like me... cant have them because its actually a serious health risk to consume them. Ive already had one hospitalization in my past and Im not about to go through that again.
  • kindo
    kindo Posts: 11
    You absolutely can - but you already know that because of your "moderation is key" statement.

    However, the calories you get from those processed carbohydrates are not going to satisfy you thus you will need to eat more calories to feel full. It's kind of a vicious cycle once you're aware of it. Get most of your carbs from fruits and veggies throughout the day which will leave you feeling satisfied, limit the processed (bread, pasta) and starchy (rice, potatoes) carbs to small amounts that satisfy your emotional hunger for them and then work on that emotional hunger.

    The "no carbs" mindset is outdated - you absolutely MUST have carbs, you just need to have healthy carbs. One step at a time, don't try to eliminate all the foods you're used to in one fell swoop, that's just a "recipe" for disaster.

    You can do this, good luck!
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    Yes, it's possible. I eat all of those all the time.
  • HannahsReturnToFitness
    HannahsReturnToFitness Posts: 86 Member
    I don't seem to have a problem with them but I have cut out bread and rice almost completely. Not on purpose mind, but they just don't seem to crop up in my meals anymore! I very rarely eat potatoes and have pasta the most out of anything. my view is that a small amount of pasta at lunch time is not doing me any harm! If something may require rice, I have replaced with with couscous which I LOVE!
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
    I still eat them but I do watch portion sizes and try to eat more protein now. I tend to do better if I stay away from bread
  • jbloomfj
    jbloomfj Posts: 122 Member
    I agree. Moderaton is the key. I still eat bread and pasta and I have been normally losing more that my set goal of a pound a week. I eat a lot less than i used to before MFP
  • xoalyssaox
    xoalyssaox Posts: 318 Member
    Hi everyone... So I've been on this journey for only 3 weeks and have always wanted to know ... Can I carry on eating Bread, Pasta, Rice and Potatoes and still lose weight???? I realise everything should be done in moderation... I just can't get my head around "NO CARBS".. It would be real difficult :( Please help and give your opinion!!

    I eat all of those! I eat whole wheat pasta and bread never white. I have lost 30 pounds in 3 months so yes you can!!! I measure everything out and track, and I have been losing consistently.
  • rinnismom
    rinnismom Posts: 190
    i haven't had an amazing loss or anything but i still eat off of the things you mentioned - just in moderation. i used to eat those items daily, now it's only occasionally that i have pasta or bread with my salads. used to be that i would reach for a slice of bread before i would reach for the most decadent desserts so, as you can imagine, i can't dream of "not eating carbs". i have made myself content with a slice of toast with breakfast (so i have the day to burn it off) and that seems to work for me. start slow and listen to how your body responds.
  • uwdawg07
    uwdawg07 Posts: 372 Member
    Good carbs are an important part of the diet - but healthy carbs, not white starches. Vegetables, fruits, whole wheat, whole grains (barley, quinoa, etc.), legumes, beans.

    I couldn't live without carbs!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I ate a ton of bread, pasta and other simple carbs while I was losing weight (I'm on maintenance now). It didn't seem to set me back or cause any problems.

    I think people handle carbs differently. Some have metabolic conditions that force them to limit carbs. Some people feel fuller and less hungry on low carb/higher protein diets.

    Personally, I stick to 55% carbs/ 15% protein / 30% fat. Higher carbs improve my mood, help me sleep better and give me lots of quick energy for the type of workouts I do. Low carb diets make me crabby, headachey, and cause lots of stomach discomfort.

    So... different strokes for different folks.

    Try out some different ways of eating and figure out what works best for you!
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Hi everyone... So I've been on this journey for only 3 weeks and have always wanted to know ... Can I carry on eating Bread, Pasta, Rice and Potatoes and still lose weight???? I realise everything should be done in moderation... I just can't get my head around "NO CARBS".. It would be real difficult :( Please help and give your opinion!!

    I avoid the categories you mention but I am not on a low carb diet. I get my carbs from vegetables, fruits, legumes, quinoa, amaranth, millet, oats.

    It's a common misconception that carbs are only obtained from rice, bread, pasta and potatoes.
  • gjulie
    gjulie Posts: 391
    well I dont eat rice or pasta on a regular basis Im just not a huge fan on less of course rice cakes I love those,I honestly can say although I have cut down I could not live without bread or potatoes I think a major big offender to weight loss and health is when you mix fat and sugar for example cakes pastries pies ect I dont think your ordinary every day carbohydrates are so bad,ok if you sat with a cream cake in front of you it would be possible to slice away at it until half the cake was gone its the mixture of fat and sugar but would you eat 5 or 6 potatoes? its hardly likely you would, eat one possibly 2 and you would feel full for a long time,so I think giving carbs a bad press isint right at least not the good ones anyway,bad ones are a different story.
  • FuneralDiner
    FuneralDiner Posts: 438 Member
    I eat bread daily and rice several times a week, and I'm losing. I lost 2lbs last week.. so yes it's possible. :)
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
    As long as they fit into your calorie counts you'll lose. I lost 50 pounds a few years ago eating all of the above all along the way. (And I've maintained that loss. I'm here now to lose the rest I need to.)

    I'm losing again now and they're still in my diet. But I do go for whole grains as much as possible - whole wheat pasta, brown rice, etc. I probably eat less than I used to, but I still have it when I want.
  • jillby10
    jillby10 Posts: 29 Member
    How Do u make bread w out flour?
  • ktull68
    ktull68 Posts: 19
    If you stay within your calorie zone you should be fine. The teacher who did the twinkie diet lost weight and lowered his cholesterol. Its not the food. It's the dosage! Bread is a staple food in many countries. Jesus said "I am the BREAD of life" He didn't say carrots or lettuce of life. He also said "dont' worry about what you eat or drink." Self control is the key.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    Yes this is absolutely possible. I eat carbs as the bulk of every meal (porridge oats, bread, rice, pasta and potatoes) and consistently lots weight.

    Remember this has to be a lifestyle change and something you can maintain for years from now so if you think you can do without carbs then try it, but if not, then give it a stab whilst including them.
    I also do a lot of running/intense cardio where I find carbs such as bread are essential to my performance.

    Best of luck and fee l free to add me/look at my diary. x
  • IdunAbelone
    IdunAbelone Posts: 45
    How Do u make bread w out flour?

    Sorry, I should have written WHEAT flour. Lots of recipies out there :)
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member

    I avoid the categories you mention but I am not on a low carb diet. I get my carbs from vegetables, fruits, legumes, quinoa, amaranth, millet, oats.

    It's a common misconception that carbs are only obtained from rice, bread, pasta and potatoes.


    ^^^ This. The key is on prioritizing the simple carbs ( such as fruits and veggies). It's not NO carbs.

    Personally, I have to cut out rice/bread/pasta until I hit maintenance mode. But every person is different - in body reaction to foods, in personal levels of control re: portion sizes, etc.

    I too am not specifically on a no carb diet - bread I avoid more because of the yeast (bloating and fatigue), and pasta because I have zero self control and it's so calorie dense. :) And potatoes because I like them in french fry or potato chip form only!

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