Has anyone given up bread pasta and potatoes?

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  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
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    I don't limit potatoes, but then again I don't eat them too often anyways (may 1-2 a week). I have had great success limiting myself to one serving of bread or pasta a week. I found that any more than that, I bloat up and don't lose as quickly. One serving a week is enough to keep me from going insane, but keeps me in check weight-wise.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I seem to have developed an intolerance to wheat. Haven't had any bread or pasta or really ANY wheat products since November. I still miss it.. I don't go for substitutes because the ingredients are kind of junky (lots of processed starchy flours)

    As for Potatoes.. I don't eat them right now because I'm doing very low carb but I will definitely add them back in as I transition back to incorporating more carbs into my diet. I don't really miss potatoes that much.. but OMG, I miss my GLORIOUS BREAD!
  • corkyshelly
    corkyshelly Posts: 1
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    Hi! I have given them up and feel sooo much better! I have so much more energy and have lost weight. Do it.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,661 Member
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    I gave up most grains since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Not a big deal. Most meals are vegetables with protein but will occasionally splurge with pasta or pizza on carbs.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    I try and follow Paleo as close as I can, but that's just how I can manage to keep my calories under control. But I don't cut them completely, once in a while I will have a grain. I usually go for whole grain bread/pasta, brown rice or quinoa, and yams and really limit how much I have. Unless it's yams. Those are delicious.
  • LiziAB
    LiziAB Posts: 55
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    I switched from white bread and pasta to whole wheat. . I hardly eat potatoes or rice, since I don't really like them, but eat corn tortillas and whole wheat flour tortillas. I cannot take the zero carbs approach, as I have seen others do, because I don't have the will power nor the desire to do it. If you are going to eat carbs, go for the less processed ones.
  • jenmarie0221
    jenmarie0221 Posts: 2 Member
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    My boyfriend and I decided to, for the most part, cut out white potatoes (and rice) for the most part. I typically will roast sweet potatoes if we want a good starch with a meal or I'll boil quinoa with chicken stock. In place of bread for sandwiches we will use the flat buns, a low carb high fiber tortilla or half of a pita (all about 100 calories). I will still buy a loaf of real bread sometimes but find I don't crave it like I used to. Also, rather than pasta (although there are lots of great whole grain options out there and anything is OK in moderation!) we now use julienned zucchini or spaghetti squash. I actually created a version of pasta carbonara using the zucchni that is only about 214 calories for a very generous portion (I actually won a contest with it). I've posted it below in case you want to give it a try! Note that if you have leftovers keep the sauce and "noodles" separate. The noodles are really best fresh especially if you keep the skin on as it can take on a bitter quality. Enjoy!

    Zucchini Noodle Carbonara - Makes 4 servings

    Ingredients
    6 slices prosciutto
    4 large zucchini
    1 tsp sea salt
    1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
    ½ medium onion, diced
    4 oz fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature
    1 ¾ cups nonfat milk
    2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan
    1 tbsp minced garlic
    ½ cup frozen peas
    1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
    ¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper (to taste)

    Directions
    Preheat oven to 375°. Place parchment paper on baking sheets and place prosciutto in a single layer on the pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on paper towel to cool and to soak up any fat.

    Trim the end off of the zucchini leaving the stem end intact. Cut a small slice off one side to help prevent it from rolling around as you peel it. Gripping the stem, run a julienne peeler down the length of the zucchini to make long spaghetti-like strands. Place zucchini into a colander with 1 tsp sea salt and toss. Place colander in sink or on a towel. Toss the zucchini occasionally letting it sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly then squeeze excess water out using a clean towel. Allow zucchini to sit in colander to drain any additional liquid. (See note)

    Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan on medium. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer stirring constantly so garlic does not burn. Turn to medium-low and add the milk and cream cheese. Stir periodically until sauce is smooth and the cream cheese is incorporated then simmer until sauce has thickened. Add parmesan and stir until melted. Stir in peas and spinach and cook until peas are heated through. Add crushed red pepper. You may add additional salt to taste as well but be careful not to add too much salt as the prosciutto will add quite a bit to the dish.

    Toss the noodles with the sauce. Crumble prosciutto over the top and enjoy!

    Nutritional Information (per serving)
    Calories Carbs Cholesterol Fat Protein Fiber
    214 25 g 23 mg 5.25g 19.5g 5g

    Note: If you prefer a less “al dente” texture to your noodles, drop the zucchini into a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes being careful not to overcook. Drain the noodles then shock them in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking further. Be sure to drain as much water from them as possible before adding the sauce. Toss in “noodles” and let heat for 1-2 minutes.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I don't eat much bread, pasta or rice, but I do love potatoes, whether they are baked in their skin white potatoes, or sweet potatoes, new potatoes, purple potatoes. I had almost a Ib of potatoes with dinner and have done so before, and I seem to be doing okay, ya know?
  • mizzcasual
    mizzcasual Posts: 223 Member
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    I've cut down on dairy because I'm suposedly intolerant I'm not gluten intolerant although I did try a 2 weeks without gluten I had loads of energy and felt much fuller. But it's just so much hassle and because I had college it was hard to keep up so I went back to normal just limited it though. But since it's the summer it would be easier to maintain that. I have lost a few inches but weight is going really slowly with me for some reason even though I have the right workouts. My trainer is really good at the workouts and I always feel like I've worked hard. I guess because my usual diet would've been high carb based.

    I could still occasionally have those like maybe once or twice a week after being completely without them for say 2 weeks,
  • Nicole6
    Nicole6 Posts: 9 Member
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    By default I mostly have, just because I get more bang for the buck elsewhere. I'm Italian and can eat a third of a pound of macaroni in a sitting, easily. Love mashed potatoes and homemade mac and cheese and fresh bread too. Yum. I've been making a light lasagna soup recipe that has totally satisfied my macaroni & sauce cravings. I haven't had a regular meal of ziti/spaghetti in months even though I cook it for my kids. I don't even want it. That said, I don't think you have to give anything up. You may just want to cut back on that stuff and fill up on healthier things.
  • blazergrad
    blazergrad Posts: 603 Member
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    Like a lot of others, I've cut out the white bread and pasta and now only eat sprouted grain bread and whole grain pastas... and even those are not very often. I've never been a huge pasta fan, so it wasn't hard at all for me to cut back. Still have white potatoes on occasion, though.... it's just hard to find a substitute for a good baked potato! :)
  • run4thewin
    run4thewin Posts: 10
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    Yes, but for gluten intolerance/thyroid issues, and I still have the occasional baked potato or oven-baked home fries. I was never crazy about bread or pasta anyway, so it was easy for me, but when I'm craving noodles, I cook up a large spaghetti squash with homemade basil-tomato sauce and grilled onions, peppers, and mushrooms. So good, and very satisfying!

    **If cooking a squash seems daunting, try this: cut it in half, scoop out seeds, microwave halves on high (face-down) for 7-9 minutes, let sit in microwave until cool enough to handle, then simple scrape out 'spaghetti' strands into pot on stove. No hours of baking necessary!
  • YourLotusFlower11
    YourLotusFlower11 Posts: 90 Member
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    I am italian bread pasta and potatoes are my life! I'm joking but I would never give them up completely.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    No, I eat all those things. I'm not into depriving myself.
  • charlenequinn94
    charlenequinn94 Posts: 99
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    Oh hell no, I like my pasta, rice, bread, and potatoes too much. I just watch my portion sizes a lot.
  • kharbaugh29
    kharbaugh29 Posts: 11 Member
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    Some folks on this post have found that it doesn't matter but for me it did. I love bread, rice and pasta. As soon as I dropped these from my diet and added veggies I saw results. I am sure some of it had to have been the added defict that these caused in my diet but even while keeping within my calorie limits the scale didn't move. However, cutting them out completely just not realistic (especially while cooking for others). Just take a look at changing your weekly diet up so that you do not have these items every night of the week. I now reserve one night for something with rice and another where I allow pasta or bread but not both. Also, I cut out the alcohol during the week and only have 2 drinks on Fri and Sat night.
  • Lila90
    Lila90 Posts: 27
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    :noway: Hell no!

    I'm NEVER giving up my bread, pasta, & potatoes!

    I ❤ carbs!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I haven't read any of the replies, so this is just a response to the OP...

    I have not cut ANYTHING from my diet, ESPECIALLY not potatoes or pasta!!! I have potatoes or pasta nearly every single day.

    Since I have gone down from 155 pounds to 135 pounds and I am now wearing size 4 US clothes and can squat & deadlift over 200 pounds...

    I think those "evil" carbs are perfectly fine. I must be doing *something* right.
  • dinamadden
    dinamadden Posts: 16
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    yes, its the only way i can lose weight, plus they make me bloat
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    yes, I dispensed with the starch burden from my plate a couple of years ago. Pasta was the easiest as I was never a fan of the texture. I have half or one new potato roasted occasionally, or a couple of ounces of bread now and then.

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