Cutting out bread...yay or nay?

Anyone interested in answering this question, should refer to the book Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis:

http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609614798/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406400341&sr=8-1&keywords=wheat+belly

No,
http://www.aaccnet.org/publications/plexus/cfw/pastissues/2012/OpenDocuments/CFW-57-4-0177.pdf

Obviously any sane person is not really going to take dietary or nutritional advice from me, the 300 lb guy just starting to lose weight. Thanks for your link it helps to present other sides, the Wheat Belly story has been pushed on me by a lot of people I know.. I have cut out most wheat containing products, mostly because they are really processed like crackers, cereals, breads, pasta, etc.. And I feel a lot better, but it is really because I am eating more healthfully and not eating too many calories!

I have found so far that if there is any person selling any book or program on weight loss - it is usually crap, and no one seems to agree out there..

Thanks..

^ Glad you realize this.

I have a few friends who read the Wheat Belly book and promptly flipped the f*** out, stopped eating bread and a few other things, and about 1-2 years later they all weigh the same as they did before, have the same health issues, etc. The only difference is that now they are super preachy about any consumption of bread related products by others ;-D

This is my approach to bread/pasta: I eat bread when I can fit the calories into my day, or eat it on a Friday or Saturday free day when I allow myself more calories.

When I eat bread/pasta it is part of a protein rich meal in an effort to stay satiated longer. So generally with a thick meat sauce, or as part of a burger/sandwich.

For me, I find filling up on bread will just leave me craving food in 2 hours, but I do enjoy my occasional spaghetti dinner and Dagwood sandwiches, and can generally come in under my daily calorie goal if I plan it correctly.

Thats what I do, It seems to work. Your mileage may vary.

Unless there are medical issues… there is no reason to cut out bread. If you are staying within your calorie goal, you'll lose weight, whether you are eating bread or not. Personally, I have made the switch to whole wheat bread. But that's simply a personal decision. If you are feeling yucky without bread… for heaven's sake… EAT YOUR BREAD! People may choose to cut out breads or other carbs for several different reasons… but they are personal and/or medical. NOT because there is some mysterious ingredient that makes bread inherently bad for weight loss.

I think the big thing here for you to note is that when you are off the bread, you are not getting the results you like, but when you include some bread in your diet, you are getting those results.

You mentioned several times that energy was a factor. If bread is giving you the energy you need to workout and you're making progress when eating it, just add it back into your diet. It's not hurting you to do so. It sounds like enjoying the bread and the feeling of fullness it gives you is improving your mood/comfort as well. If you're wanting to make faster progress, do a trial to see what else you can cut out. You may or may not have anything you can cut out, and that's okay either way! It's better to feel good, energized and happy while making okay progress than to devastate your ability to work out and your mood. Your body is telling you that you need that bread. Listen to your body.

The only time i would eat bread, would be from Subways, I just like to pretend bread just doesn's exist, when you think about it really just flour mixed with water that very high in calories with little satisification.

You can learn to live without it.

All I got from this thread is I can make my own bread. Yeast will be on my next grocery list!

Bread has been cut back drastically because it falls into a category of product that I can't have in the house without eating all of it at once. On sandwiches I buy, or a single piece from the cafeteria with lunch, no problem. Muffins aren't bread right? Well I buy those for breakfast just about every week day. Again, I couldn't make a batch in the house and just take one in every morning; I'd eat them all up at once. Perhaps I could make just one each time, though? Hmmmmmmm...

For the OP though, it's pretty clear he should eat the bread! Cut bread out, got sucky results. Next course of action seems plain as day to me

There really is nothing inherently evil about bread. It's high density carbohydrate food however which does mean it's rather easy to binge on. As long as you keep it within your carb allowance you will do just fine

I have in the past been known to eat 8 slices of toast with marmite for breakfast. ....which aint gonna ever end well lol.

I'm more sensible now.

If you really want to lose weight, don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta and white rice, and don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices, and yogurt with the fruity gunk on the bottom.

Have eggs and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or Greek yogurt and add the berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables. Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. And stop counting calories.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Good luck.

Sorry, not sorry- But, this is probably the worst advice I've ever heard. Tc.

Shop around! There are plenty of low calorie breads/bread alternatives out there. Some are *a bit* lower in carbs too.

If you really want to lose weight, don't eat any refined carbs - breads, pasta and white rice, and don't eat any sugar - including all fruit juices, and yogurt with the fruity gunk on the bottom.

Have eggs and cheese for breakfast (and a slice of bacon won't kill you), or Greek yogurt and add the berries (but not too many). The rest of the day eat fish, poultry, red meat, avocados and all vegetables. Eat nuts (not peanuts) and sunflower seeds instead of chips, pretzels and all that other garbage for snacks.

Avoid alcohol.

You can eat fast food, but throw out the bun and don't order French fries.

The weight will melt off you whether you exercise or not. And stop counting calories.

Get a scale. Weigh yourself everyday.

Once you hit your ideal weight, eat whatever you want, but keep weighing yourself. If you gain a few pounds, go back to what I told you to do and get back to that ideal weight.

Good luck.

Sorry, not sorry- But, this is probably the worst advice I've ever heard. Tc.

Probably the first time I've ever type this, but great first post. I'm being serious. Everyone should use their first post calling out that persons nonsense.

Seconded. This sounds like a good way to develop an unhealthy relationship with food.

Thirded, but just curious.. What's wrong with peanuts?

As for bread cutting bread it's both a yay and a nay for me. I would not shell out calories from my budget for bread when I can spend them on something tastier, I mean I won't die if I have my soup without a side of bread or crutones (I don't like them anyway), but there are things where bread cannot be replaced. Lettuce is great for salads, but it's no sandwich. A burger without a bun ceases to be a burger, and as much as I love cauliflower KEEP THAT THING OFF MY PIZZA CRUST!

On my cheat weekends, I have Ezekial bread, you have to find it in the frozen foods, but the carb count is lower and how it it absorbed. I buy the raisin one, toast it, and put no sugar peanut butter on it. Really good.

I am not in the Evil Foods school of nutrition ('cause there's really no such thing, just nutritional needs).

That said, bread is a staple because it's dense calories that's easy to store. If you're trying to lose weight, your problem is not that you cannot get enough calories. Now, some people eat bread and other wheat/grain based foods and lose just fine. Experiment. IF you do, I'd say there is no need to worry about it. Enjoy your bread.

It is very easy to overeat on bread, but if that's not a problem for you (it is for me. I'll do that quicker than I will overeat on chocolate, believe it or not) then enjoy your bread.

Bread is one of those foods I'm incredibly likely to overeat on, so I don't keep it around. (Yet the Halloween candy isn't a temptation. Funny ole thing, life...)