addicted to bread?

Today was the first day in months I didn't have a sandwich for lunch, I had enough time in my day to cook a bowl of veggies and it was really good and filling and I didn't want bread, though NOW I'm thinking about bread

that's ok I don't have any at the moment and it's late here so I'll sleep it off.

I am coming through a bread (and butter) addiction. Basically my parents and grandparents used to treat me with the crust end of the loaf and slather it with dairy butter. This set a pattern for future eating.

The only way for me to break the chain that works is to say to myself that bread and butter does not exist. I am holding to that way of thinking and going to bed slightly hungry. It's actually quite easy once you start to get sleepy and you wake up really hungry and enjoy your breakfast.

The only bread I allow myself is with a proper meal and never as a snack - example today is two slices of wholemeal bread, humus, a tomato and onion for my lunch and that's after a strenuous yoga class this morning - tastes like heaven after a good session.

I am doing the same with biscuits - they don't exist!

Bread is my favorite thing too. I do eat it, almost daily, but if I am going to add it to my calorie counts, which I do, I buy the really yummy good for you stuff with whole wheat, pumpkin and sunflower seeds throughout, $6.00 a loaf at the bakery kind. I estimate it is about a 100 calories a slice, but I count it toward my intake. It is okay to eat bread, just keep your numbers close. Drink lots of water, and eat the other things that are good for you. There is nothing taboo on MFP, just use more calories than you need, and you will lose weight. That is why I like MFP so much. It is teaching me how to eat. Count your calories, you will be fine.

How about having low cal cracker type biscuits, ryvita and the likes.Then where you normally would have bread, have a cracker instead. That way you are reducing the calories and possibly the habit.
To stay away from bread I can not even butter it for anyone else as I would have to have a slice and if its on a plate on the table it has to be far away from me. Then having resisted if there is any left at the end of the meal do not clear it away, let some one else do it. Crazy innit !

Then arrange your meals around having some. That way the craving may not get too bad.

Good luck

As well as enjoying bread, I find it a *really* easy thing to eat to feel full. I am trying to cut back on the amount of bread - and carbs in generally - I eat.
For me the key is to find a substitute that will fill me up. Lots of veggies helps.
Good luck!

I love bread, and if I go a few days without eating any, then I crave it. But I incorporate it into my diet - I have a bagel for lunch every day, and I often buy a tiger baguette to eat over the weekend.

Alright, I hope I don't get a lot of angry responses for this, but this is what worked for me, personally...

I used to ALWAYS crave carbs... not just bread, but cereal, pasta, potatoes, anything starchy or sugary. I took a couple weeks and just stopped eating them. I cut carbs/sugar (other than fruits and veggies) almost completely out of my diet. It was really tough at first, but honestly, shortly after I stopped eating it, I stopped craving it. Before I did this, it was like eating it made me crave it more.

Now I DO eat some carbs again - almost all whole-wheat stuff, although very occasionally I'll indulge in something not so good. The difference is, now I feel like I can let myself enjoy this stuff but I'm not craving it all the time.

I don't know if that would work for you, or if it's just something that helped me out. It might be something you should try... some people say that cutting stuff out makes them binge on it later, so it might be something you shouldn't do... I've never really found this to be the case with me, and I do believe that if you are truly "addicted" to something, then to break that addiction, you need to stay away from it. Now with carbs, eventually you will probably need to eat some of these foods again, but like I said, for me it was about breaking the cycle.

Alright, I hope I don't get a lot of angry responses for this, but this is what worked for me, personally...

I used to ALWAYS crave carbs... not just bread, but cereal, pasta, potatoes, anything starchy or sugary. I took a couple weeks and just stopped eating them. I cut carbs/sugar (other than fruits and veggies) almost completely out of my diet. It was really tough at first, but honestly, shortly after I stopped eating it, I stopped craving it. Before I did this, it was like eating it made me crave it more.

Now I DO eat some carbs again - almost all whole-wheat stuff, although very occasionally I'll indulge in something not so good. The difference is, now I feel like I can let myself enjoy this stuff but I'm not craving it all the time.

I don't know if that would work for you, or if it's just something that helped me out. It might be something you should try... some people say that cutting stuff out makes them binge on it later, so it might be something you shouldn't do... I've never really found this to be the case with me, and I do believe that if you are truly "addicted" to something, then to break that addiction, you need to stay away from it. Now with carbs, eventually you will probably need to eat some of these foods again, but like I said, for me it was about breaking the cycle.

I think this is something for the OP to consider. There have been numerous foods I felt "addicted" to and was in a cycle of craving them and eating them nearly every day (some examples: diet soda, cheesecake :blushing: , bread somewhat). Each of these things I at one time or another just decided to stop buying/eating (I would not recommend trying to give up all your vices at once). It can be very hard at first when you crave that food, but after awhile the cravings subsided for me. And when the food is not in your house it makes it easier to resist temptation, because you would have to expend a lot more effort to go get the food at the store, which will make you think twice before giving in!

I have found I was later able to begin eating my "addicting" foods again in limited moderation. For me, that means if I go out to eat I may order a diet soda for example. I am able to enjoy it occasionally while not feeling the cycle of cravings coming back. I do not buy any of the foods I mentioned anymore and keep them in my kitchen however, because none of them were very healthy for me anyways and I feel like if I did start to consume them again without as much moderation the addicted feeling could come back.

Anyways, that's just my anecdotal advice! It worked for me.

Guess I'm lucky, I cant remember the last time I ate bread, my carb of choice is oats

Your post is funny. I to love bread. But not just sandwich bread. There are two places between home and work that make the most amazing bread! The one place has the best ciabatta loaf I've ever had, I try not to stop there to often.

I do have a suggestion though. Instead of eating your bread in the morning and then think about it all day. Eat it in the afternoon or with dinner. Maybe when you eat it in the morning and then you think to yourself "ugh now I can't have bread again all day" and that of course makes you want it. So maybe don't start your day off with bread. Have a piece with dinner instead

Bread is delicious, but if you can find a way to substitute some high fiber tasty foods, they will prove to be satisfying. I like the La Tortilla wraps that are high in fiber. I like to spread them with hummus, mushrooms and some spring mix and it is delicious and satisfying and last me for several hours! Barb

You DO NOT have to cut out bread. You do not have to cut out ANYTHING. You just need to make sure it's in your alloted macros & move forward. I drink - eat pasta - bread - whatever I want. And I have lost 62 lbs in 6 months. So you know what enjoy your bread. And enjoy your fruit & veggies.

Try limiting to 100% whole wheat bread. Not "wheat bread," but 100% whole wheat bread. That helped me. It's more substantial and difficult to eat quickly. And the fiber will make you feel full.