Refined foods, flours and sugars

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Have any of you cut out foods made from white flour and refined sugars from your daily diets altogether? If so, has it helped you lose a lot of weight or helped you maintain your goal weight?

I think my biggest problem in the past is that I have eaten a LOT of white bread every day, plus I liked the cakes ; - (. And, normally it is not just the bread, most of the stuff that goes into the sandwiches has been unhealthy or processed foods like mayo, butter, processed meats, cheeses, etc.

I have already cut right down on the bread and cakes items but only for 3 months, was wondering if anyone has cut them out for much longer, and have had good results by not eating them.
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Replies

  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    Have any of you cut out foods made from white flour and refined sugars from your daily diets altogether? If so, has it helped you lose a lot of weight or helped you maintain your goal weight?

    I think my biggest problem in the past is that I have eaten a LOT of white bread every day, plus I liked the cakes ; - (. And, normally it is not just the bread, most of the stuff that goes into the sandwiches has been unhealthy or processed foods like mayo, butter, processed meats, cheeses, etc.

    I have already cut right down on the bread and cakes items but only for 3 months, was wondering if anyone has cut them out for much longer, and have had good results by not eating them.

    Nope. I do not cut anything out.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    Have any of you cut out foods made from white flour and refined sugars from your daily diets altogether? If so, has it helped you lose a lot of weight or helped you maintain your goal weight?

    I think my biggest problem in the past is that I have eaten a LOT of white bread every day, plus I liked the cakes ; - (. And, normally it is not just the bread, most of the stuff that goes into the sandwiches has been unhealthy or processed foods like mayo, butter, processed meats, cheeses, etc.

    I have already cut right down on the bread and cakes items but only for 3 months, was wondering if anyone has cut them out for much longer, and have had good results by not eating them.

    I think your biggest problem in the past was that you were eating at a caloric surplus...because that is what causes weight gain.

    Eating at a deficit will result in weight loss.

    I don't cut out any foods except for the ones I do not like.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    I don't eat much of that stuff, just because it wreaks havoc on my macro objectives. I get enough carbs, and I don't need the pure crap carbs.

    So, for example, I'll make a double cheeseburger rather than have two cheeseburgers.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Yes, I cut it out awhile ago because I feel it is bad for me, then after I started having chronic pain and inflammation issues, I cut out all processed and refined food and my pain levels decreased dramatically. It has been suggested that it is in my head but my neighbor tested this theory by giving me something processed under the disguise that it was not, with in 45 minutes my pain levels were not tolerable, she felt like crap to say the least.

    Please feel free to take a look at my pictures to see how I look now. I am down from 33% body fat to 19. I am also almost 45 years old and look younger now than when I was in my 30s. So no one can convince me that there is nothing that not eating processed food will do for you. I am all the proof I need.
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 783 Member
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    Back in January, I began eating the Paleo way. I eat Paleo 100% , 95% of the time. The exception being tuna & artichoke hearts. I lost 10 lbs (after losing 60lbs & maintaining the loss for over 2 years) & my cholesterol dropped 24 points. I didn't cut out processed/refined foods to lose more weight - I did it after extensive testing & doctors recommendations. Body was not processing Gluten very well & the sugar/carb spikes were killing me.
  • taoistpunk
    taoistpunk Posts: 57 Member
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    I cut out adding refined sugar to items like coffee and healthy(er) cereals. I cut out white bread, which I love, and use a light, whole wheat variety for everyday....same with wraps. I refuse to completely give up anything, but just eat the things I know are 'trigger foods' with far less frequency. I'm eating at a deficit and exercise, and I feel better. I have about 70# to go...a long journey, but I feel better most days.

    It's hard to narrow down my weight loss to a particular reason, but I know less sugar in my diet means less likelihood of diabetes, and I hope the weight loss and exercise push me to a state of health where I no longer require a med for my High Blood Pressure.

    Fee free to add me as a friend if you want to review my diary...it's open to friends.
  • flinchyny
    flinchyny Posts: 106 Member
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    No, but I've reduced them by replacing them with healthier foods.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    Have any of you cut out foods made from white flour and refined sugars from your daily diets altogether? If so, has it helped you lose a lot of weight or helped you maintain your goal weight?

    Yes, I tried it for about 4 weeks or so as an experiment and yes, it helped with weight loss. Not total elimination but avoidance to as much as I could manage.

    The issue for me (aside from a low level yeast intolerance it seems) was about portion control. I was at a point where if I had one slice of bread in particular it set off a cascade of cravings for other things, particularly high calorie food items.

    After about 4 weeks I slowly began re introducing them back into my diet and I found my body was far more able to cope with them and I automatically eat moderate rather than large amounts of them. I don't know if this was physiological, psychological or both.

    Good luck whatever you try.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    I haven't eaten refined sugar/flour in 2 years. Did I automatically lose weight when I gave it up? No. Do I think I would immediately gain weight if I began eating it again? Nope. However, it does give me migraines, so I choose not to eat it. Some people argue that it will make you eat more refined foods, but who knows.
  • Chainbreaker
    Chainbreaker Posts: 124 Member
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    There is nothing healthy about the foods you are looking to cut out, so everything to gain from doing so. Some people's bodies tolerate those items better but there is still no benefit to consuming them. Many people have issues with items in question that they are not even aware of. The best thing you can do is eliminate the offenders and see how such affects you.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I'll admit that I cut them out for the first month or so because I believed the dieting myths. Once I learned the truth, I added them back in.
  • bethanylaugh
    bethanylaugh Posts: 237
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    find a primal/paleo forum and ask there, you'll get thoughtful responses :)
  • willdob3
    willdob3 Posts: 640 Member
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    I don't eat processed foods. No sugars or white wheat flours. I want to eat healthy foods that are good for my body, not just lose weight.

    Eliminating those things eliminated cravings & that makes it easier to eat healthy and lose weight. I also feel better eating this way. Aches & pains disappeared, memory improved, energy went up.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Yes, I tried it for about 4 weeks or so as an experiment and yes, it helped with weight loss. Not total elimination but avoidance to as much as I could manage.

    The issue for me (aside from a low level yeast intolerance it seems) was about portion control. I was at a point where if I had one slice of bread in particular it set off a cascade of cravings for other things, particularly high calorie food items.

    After about 4 weeks I slowly began re introducing them back into my diet and I found my body was far more able to cope with them and I automatically eat moderate rather than large amounts of them. I don't know if this was physiological, psychological or both.

    Good luck whatever you try.

    ^ I like this.

    I have done it in the past and it made me miserable. I don't do it any more because, in addition to making me miserable, it isn't necessary. I do pay careful attention to what I'm eating and get quite strict for the last few pounds of a cut, but if I have to have a donut, I'm having a donut. That said, I'm having 1, single, donut. Portion control is everything.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    find a primal/paleo forum and ask there, you'll get thoughtful responses :)

    Rude.

    And you'll get biased responses, actually.

    Just because you don't agree with someone else doesn't mean their response wasn't "thoughtful" or that they're wrong.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    find a primal/paleo forum and ask there, you'll get thoughtful responses :)

    Rude.

    And you'll get biased responses, actually.

    Just because you don't agree with someone else doesn't mean their response wasn't "thoughtful" or that they're wrong.

    To be fair, this is a weight loss forum more than a health forum.
  • xoxobollywood2
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    i don't eat bread, pasta, or white rice...:) i eat brown rice occasionally. but pounds melt easier when I avoided them..
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,299 Member
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    Just a thought.

    I have found that it is the yeast in the bread which gives me the problem not the flour itself. Bread which has been "proved" for longer could be less problematical.

    all the best
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    find a primal/paleo forum and ask there, you'll get thoughtful responses :)

    Rude.

    And you'll get biased responses, actually.

    Just because you don't agree with someone else doesn't mean their response wasn't "thoughtful" or that they're wrong.

    I'd go further and point out that there is absolutely no scientific evidence backing the theories espoused by the creators and pushers of paleo. If it works for you, no worries, but it works because it pushes eating a lot of vegetables and proteins. Where it fails is its demonization of entire food groups that are packed with nutrition and can be eaten by plenty of people. Unnecessarily strict diets lead to failure over the long term for many if not most people.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
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    Back in January, I began eating the Paleo way. I eat Paleo 100% , 95% of the time. The exception being tuna & artichoke hearts. I lost 10 lbs (after losing 60lbs & maintaining the loss for over 2 years) & my cholesterol dropped 24 points. I didn't cut out processed/refined foods to lose more weight - I did it after extensive testing & doctors recommendations. Body was not processing Gluten very well & the sugar/carb spikes were killing me.

    You eat paleo? Do you eat raw meat?