Bread Is The Enemy

lemurcat12 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

BetterThanBest wrote: »

I've always known this, but today at work, I had a conversation with myself and finally admitted that I have a REAL PROBLEM. I'm addicted to bread. The conversation went like this...

Self1:"You don't need those tasty kings hawaiin rolls."
Self2:"They're only 100 calories a piece. Go ahead, have two."
Self1:" So what! There is fruit right beside it, go for the fruit! You already ate a half loaf of bread from longhorn steakhouse today!"
Self2:"Get the fruit and the rolls, that way it balances out."
Self1:"Wowwwww, the lies you tell yourself just so you can have bread. You should be ashamed!"

Needless to say, I ate both and I know it doesn't "balance out" but I have a real problem. I am ADDICTED to bread. Does anyone have any advice for me to help curb this problem? Anyone else have the same addiction? I know for a fact that I'd be much more successful on my weight loss journey if I had more control over the bread problem. I'm on the verge of just cutting it out all together because I can't seem to set limits. Please help me.

-Bread Lover

Some people are moderators, some are abstainers http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/

The quiz isn't there anymore, but I always find this distinction bizarre, since I'd bet almost everyone is an abstainer about some stuff, a moderator about other stuff.

We don't yet know if this has anything to do with OP's issues -- what I saw in the dialogue quoted is that she doesn't really have a reason in her own mind to prefer fruit to bread other than a vague idea that she shouldn't have too much bread in a day. Whether you are moderating or abstaining you need to have a strong reason that you believe in.

The OP is considering cutting out bread altogether. This link is the rebuttal to the inevitable, "What are you going to do, never have bread again for the rest of your life?" argument. For some, abstaining is indeed a viable strategy.

http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/

...For a long time, I kept trying this strategy of moderation–and failing. Then I read a line from Samuel Johnson, who said, when someone offered him wine: “Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.”

Ah ha! Like Dr. Johnson, I’m an “abstainer.”

I find it far easier to give something up altogether than to indulge moderately. When I admitted to myself that I was eating my favorite frozen yogurt treat very often–two and even three times a day–I gave it up cold turkey. That was far easier for me to do than to eat it twice a week. If I try to be moderate, I exhaust myself debating, “Today, tomorrow?” “Does this time ‘count’?” “Don’t I deserve this?” etc. If I never do something, it requires no self-control for me; if I do something sometimes, it requires enormous self-control.

There’s no right way or wrong way–it’s just a matter of knowing which strategy works better for you. If moderators try to abstain, they feel trapped and rebellious. If abstainers try to be moderate, they spend a lot of precious energy justifying why they should go ahead and indulge.

In my experience, both moderators and abstainers try hard to convert the other team. A nutritionist once told me, “I tell my clients to follow the 80/20 rule. Be healthy 80% of the time, indulge within reason, 20% of the time.” She wouldn’t consider my point of view–that a 100% rule might be easier for someone like me to follow.

I bought 2 packs of Hawaiian rolls in honor of this thread. :laugh:

kshama2001 wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

BetterThanBest wrote: »

I've always known this, but today at work, I had a conversation with myself and finally admitted that I have a REAL PROBLEM. I'm addicted to bread. The conversation went like this...

Self1:"You don't need those tasty kings hawaiin rolls."
Self2:"They're only 100 calories a piece. Go ahead, have two."
Self1:" So what! There is fruit right beside it, go for the fruit! You already ate a half loaf of bread from longhorn steakhouse today!"
Self2:"Get the fruit and the rolls, that way it balances out."
Self1:"Wowwwww, the lies you tell yourself just so you can have bread. You should be ashamed!"

Needless to say, I ate both and I know it doesn't "balance out" but I have a real problem. I am ADDICTED to bread. Does anyone have any advice for me to help curb this problem? Anyone else have the same addiction? I know for a fact that I'd be much more successful on my weight loss journey if I had more control over the bread problem. I'm on the verge of just cutting it out all together because I can't seem to set limits. Please help me.

-Bread Lover

Some people are moderators, some are abstainers http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2012/10/back-by-popular-demand-are-you-an-abstainer-or-a-moderator/

The quiz isn't there anymore, but I always find this distinction bizarre, since I'd bet almost everyone is an abstainer about some stuff, a moderator about other stuff.

We don't yet know if this has anything to do with OP's issues -- what I saw in the dialogue quoted is that she doesn't really have a reason in her own mind to prefer fruit to bread other than a vague idea that she shouldn't have too much bread in a day. Whether you are moderating or abstaining you need to have a strong reason that you believe in.

The OP is considering cutting out bread altogether. This link is the rebuttal to the inevitable, "What are you going to do, never have bread again for the rest of your life?" argument. For some, abstaining is indeed a viable strategy.

I agree that abstaining can be a valid strategy, but like I said most people aren't one or the other, it depends on the food.

I also don't think OP is determined to abstain, I think she wants ideas to keep from overdoing, which is why I answered as I did (with one such idea that I think will be important whether she limits or abstains, as you need a reason to abstain as much as to limit and pick fruit over bread or the like). Here's the key bit:

"I know for a fact that I'd be much more successful on my weight loss journey if I had more control over the bread problem. I'm on the verge of just cutting it out all together because I can't seem to set limits. Please help me."

That actually sounds to me like she'd rather not have to cut it out (and even if she does, again, you need strategies to make that work).

There’s no right way or wrong way–it’s just a matter of knowing which strategy works better for you. If moderators try to abstain, they feel trapped and rebellious. If abstainers try to be moderate, they spend a lot of precious energy justifying why they should go ahead and indulge.

Again, I think this idea that people are either abstainers or moderators is unfounded, almost always it depends on the item and what the person prefers doing in this specific case. If OP had said "I want to cut out bread, how can I," I would have focused on that (although once again I think my answer wouldn't be so different -- you have to have a reason for yourself that you believe in).

In my experience, both moderators and abstainers try hard to convert the other team.

Hmm. As I said that most people are both, so I don't think I'm the one trying to convert anyone. I am all for abstaining if that's what someone wants to do (I'm currently abstaining from lots of stuff because of this low carb thing I'm trying).

In relation to the whole abstain/moderate debate... for me abstinence is a lot easier. If something isn't available to me I won't think about it or crave it. If there's a pack of biscuits in the house I'm trying to moderate it'll be on my mind 24/7 and require so much self control not to eat them all at once.

However, abstaining for me doesn't mean cutting stuff out entirely. It just means not having it in the house, and only buying single servings of it if I want it (e.g. a single bar of chocolate instead of a multi packet). I think that's a good compromise.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

noobletmcnugget wrote: »

However, abstaining for me doesn't mean cutting stuff out entirely. It just means not having it in the house, and only buying single servings of it if I want it (e.g. a single bar of chocolate instead of a multi packet). I think that's a good compromise.

This is what is always difficult about this discussion, because people use the same word for different things. For me "abstaining" means that I never have something, period. Moderating means a number of different things -- in some cases it means I have something only on special occasions/holidays or equally rarely, and on others it means I don't keep it in the house, and in others I mean I have it regularly but only a small amount or a serving size.

So what you call abstaining I'd call moderating.

Ditto

I like the Flat Out fold-it's in the Flax flavor (hot pink package) it's chewy and earthy and slightly sweet to balance out a plain almond butter. They are in the deli area at my Stire. I also find 1/2 of an Ezikiel English muffin very satisfying. They're in the frozen food area. I Top it with cottage cheese.

I had a bread problem as well and I solved it by counting calories. During my weightloss phase I was at 1700 calories/day and I stuck to it religiously. I only eat Dempster's Wholegrain breads or home made and at 110-130 calories slice it wasn't worth the calories to me as it replaced too many bulky foods that kept me feeling fuller, longer. So for about 3 months I only at a slice here and there and eventually just stopped eating it and never went back. I could easily fit it in now as I'm at 2400-2800 calories a day but I've lost the urge for it and my eating habits have changed. I still make the occasional banana bread or sweet potato brownies for a sweet pastry but haven't bought a loaf of bread in at least 6 months.

Each of us has to find what will work for the long term, both in losing the weight, and hopefully, keeping it off.
For me, I have found that moderation of all foods is the only way I can do this. I know I can not eliminate any food I love, so I am learning moderation and staying within my calorie budget.

I know that if I tried not having a certain food in the house that I love, the day would come where I would give in and overindulge. This would lead to my mantra, "I will start over again tomorrow", and, of course, tomorrow never comes.