Cutting out bread from diet

gemlouisejean
gemlouisejean Posts: 9
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I've recently cut out bread from my diet. ALL bread, white as well as brown! I eat bread with everything, bread for breakfast, lunch and sometimes with dinner!
I feel really good since I've cut it out! Not feeling my usual bloated self and notice my clothes are feeling a little looser already BUT, and there is a big BUT I have NO energy.

Anyone know a healthy alternative I can substitute bread with? Not necessarily a carb.. just something to give me a boost of energy

Replies

  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
    Search the post for 2 minute mug bread. It's made with Egg, flaxseed meal, baking powder, splenda and cinnamon. I'm not sure if you would consider that bread or not but as a diabetic it works for me. I make this every morning for breakfast. Some people have added variations so you may find it helpful.
  • prettywhitty
    prettywhitty Posts: 50 Member
    Sounds like you are having a bit of low carb flu. It will pass. If you like, eat a sweet potato. But it's best to drink lots of water and if you can, just rest when you can until it passes.
  • gemlouisejean
    gemlouisejean Posts: 9
    Hahaha, low carb flu! That is the perfect way to describe how I'm feeling!
    Thanks for the recipe! It's defiantly something I'd be willing to give a try! :)
  • nannageorge
    nannageorge Posts: 1
    hey hun, i have cut ouyr bread too, i eat oats for breakfast with low fat yoghurt, that gives yoou loads of energy, if ya hungry snack on those rice thins with cottage chhese and tuna yumo... hope this helps.....
    not eating bread is hard, but yip it feels alot better without the crabs hitting ya butt hahah

    jo
  • gogonunubean
    gogonunubean Posts: 160 Member
    I don't know why you cut out bread, but personally I cut normal bread because of the sugar and salt added and then found ezekial bread at my supermarket in the frozen section. It has no additives or sugar or salt so I use that. Not so great as a bread, but really tasty as a toast!
  • cgfol1
    cgfol1 Posts: 179 Member
    I haven't eaten bread in about three years!
    And I dont miss it one bit.
    I eat a big bowl of oats with water, a splash of milk, honey and cinnamon for breakfast at 7am, and this keeps me going well past 11am. And it doesnt bloat me at all.
    I also find hot foods are more filling i.e. a nice hearty soup
  • u04kmm5
    u04kmm5 Posts: 46 Member
    From yesterday onwards, I am cutting out bread.
    To dip in soup I am going to have Ryvita crisp bread (at 35 cal a slice)
    http://www.ryvita.co.uk/products/crispbread/cracked-black-pepper

    And I also find these good to snack on at only 16 cal a slice:
    http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/catalog/sectionpagecontainer.jsp?departmentid=1214921923813
  • emandbri
    emandbri Posts: 45
    I've cut out bread and sugar before, give it a few days and you will feel great!
  • cedarhurst2006
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
    I don't know why you cut out bread, but personally I cut normal bread because of the sugar and salt added and then found ezekial bread at my supermarket in the frozen section. It has no additives or sugar or salt so I use that. Not so great as a bread, but really tasty as a toast!

    I love Ezekiel bread and eat the sesame bread all the time!! I prefer it toasted too. I use my bread ends and make homemade croutons -delicious. PS - ezekiel also good for diabetics - low glycemic index because made with sprouted grains.
  • scatterbunny
    scatterbunny Posts: 14
    I agree with everyone who said give it a few days/maybe a week or two and you'll feel better...it's normal to feel sluggish when first cutting out bread/refined carbs. It will pass, and you will feel better than ever.

    The only bread I've eaten in the past 2 months is Ezekiel bread...and I haven't even gone through a whole loaf in that time span. I keep it in the freezer and just take out a slice or two at a time. I only eat it toasted, so it works well this way. I mainly use it for an open-faced sandwich (BLT, usually).
  • jjs22
    jjs22 Posts: 156
    I cut out bread (and soda and other empty carbs) at the start of my diet. After 3-4 days I started getting dizzy and feeling very fatigued. I didn't know it, but this is pretty typical for a low-carb diet. It takes your body a couple of days to "shift gears" and get used to the new, low-carb way of doing things. For me it was over in a couple of days.

    But...

    1) Be sure you are getting enough water. For some reason, starting on a low-carb diet seems to require more water than usual. Tiredness is one sign of dehydration.
    2) Unless you are doing a specific no-carb type of diet (sounds like you are not) be sure you get *some* carbs, or you won't have any energy. Remember : carbs = fuel, protein = construction materials, fat = supreme goodness that makes life worth living.

    The problem with sugar and other refined carbs (including pasta, bread, white rice) is that as soon as they hit your gut, all of the energy inside them is free to be used by your body. Sugar gets used up a little faster, but all of them leave you without much to go on after an hour or two.

    If you want to feel full and have energy for hours at a time (between meals, say) you want to make sure you get enough good carbs : things that take time for your digestive system to break down before they pass into your blood stream. Whole grains (that haven't been all ground up) are good, beans are awesome, and non-sugarry fruits (i.e., an apple instead of an orange). Also, some people recommend spreading your food over several (5-6) smaller meals/snacks throughout the day.

    I've been on an apple kick lately. At least one every day, corny as that may sound. And I'm loving beans : soak 'em overnight, leave 'em in the slow-cooker all day, and when you get home they're good to go. I'm eating more oatmeal, which seems to have plenty of staying power.

    Some people talk about wheat allergies or sensitivity. I used to be real cynical and think it was all made up. In my case, I made a lot of changes at once, so its hard to know what caused what, but I feel so much better than I did before (more energy, much less depression, better overall health) that I'm fine going (mostly) wheat free for now.

    Good luck to you !
  • Jdnoles
    Jdnoles Posts: 1
    So if you cut out bread from your diet, whats a good, easy substitute for sandwiches at lunch? Lunch is the only time I eat bread, but I basically eat it every day. I'm in the process of changing my diet and eating more vegetables. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this since I'm not a great cook, but going to try it. I also could use some good, tasty shake ideas as a way to get more vegetables.
  • jennismagic
    jennismagic Posts: 243 Member
    You can invest in a breadmaker or quality loaf pan and make bread from almond flour.
  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
    You can invest in a breadmaker or quality loaf pan and make bread from almond flour.

    This is exactly what I do. Got myself a loaf pan and make a loaf from scratch every weekend. It's delicious.
  • BLogenous
    BLogenous Posts: 1
    In an effort to lose weight I significantly reduced the amount of bread from my diet. Thanks for the tips below in terms of healthy alternatives. I know it might not be a perfect alternative, but I now eat only wraps at lunch - no more sandwiches.

    I also stopped drinking alcohol for forty days (Lent) so I can't attribute the weight loss to date solely to the reduction of bread.

    But my move to eating much less bread is permanent. Can't say the same for drinking wine ;]
  • therunawaypen
    therunawaypen Posts: 1 Member
    As everyone has said above, the "Carb-crash" phase will pass.

    BUT.....

    Low energy can mean low blood sugar, especially if you feel cranky. It can also mean you're not getting enough nutrients. When you have a vitamin or iron deficiency, you can feel foggy and exhausted.

    To take care of low blood sugar, eat a banana for breakfast. Yes, bananas have carbs but they're a great way to kick off the morning. They're also full of fiber and vitamin B (energy!) Plus it will keep you full and your bloodsugar "normal" for several hours. You can also eat a 3 egg "scramble" with spinach and tomato if you really want to stay away from carb laden fruits.

    For an iron deficiency, make sure you're eating red meat a few times a week. 4oz steak, beef-wrap, something like that. I used to stay away from red meat but since going low carb, I think it's better to get the iron you need.

    I went low-carb by eating two huge salads a day with LOTS OF PROTEIN. Put black beans in your salads, baked chicken breast, other kinds of beans or nuts, etc. Everyone is mentioning carbs=energy but you can get tons of energy from protein, plus feel full longer, and you might not be putting enough in your salads. I eat a big salad with black beans, chicken breast and ranch dressing for lunch and I don't feel hungry until around 6pm and I have plenty of energy.

    Another thought...try making a bunch of hardboiled eggs and eat them as snacks throughout the day, or almonds, something with lots of protein. That will help your energy.

    Drink tons of water. Lethargy sometimes means dehydration and your body needs extra water to digest/process vitamins and minerals.

    If all else fails, try a multi-vitamin. I use "Alive" Vitamin powder and blend it with a banana and unsweetened almond milk. It is packed full of every vitamin/mineral you need and will definitely make up for any sort of vitamin deficiency you might have. Granted, if you're low on vitamins, it will take about 5 days for your body to store up the new vitamins and to feel better. You can also make a low carb shake by nixing the banana and using kale/spinach instead. No it's not very tasty but it gets the job done. When it comes to vitamin shakes, I feel it's all about health, not flavor.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Anyone know a healthy alternative I can substitute bread with? Not necessarily a carb.. just something to give me a boost of energy
    Well, carbs are great for giving you energy. That's what they're for. If you don't want anything with wheat, try oats, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, potatoes...
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    So if you cut out bread from your diet, whats a good, easy substitute for sandwiches at lunch? Lunch is the only time I eat bread, but I basically eat it every day. I'm in the process of changing my diet and eating more vegetables. I'm not sure how I'm going to do this since I'm not a great cook, but going to try it. I also could use some good, tasty shake ideas as a way to get more vegetables.

    I use lettuce cups. They are wonderful food vessels. I use lettuce cups for mt sandwiches, burgers, falafles, ect.
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